Volume 1 Issue 14                                April 3, 2008

The Man In Black: The Johnny Cash Tribute Show

This performance has the Johnny Cash Estate Approval, Come Out and Enjoy the Music this Great Musician Left Us To Remember Him.

Do you have your tickets? Seats are selling fast. Get them now at www.thetheatre145.com or call 879-0733 or 873-5069

On April 4^th time will rewind and once again we travel

through the warp  back to a time of poodle skirts, bobby socks, ponytails and greased back hair where music was king and all of us its loyal subjects.

From the creator of “Buddy Holly: The Day The Music Died” and in association with the Roadhouse Theatre for Contemporary Art, the Great Lakes Film Association announces The Man In Black: The Johnny Cash Tribute Show.

The Man In Black production was a labor of love and respect that will star local Erie celebrity Shannon Solo and was designed to celebrate the music and the man who is widely considered to be one of the most influential American musicians of the 20th century.

The Man In Black musical production will enjoy a short run with only eight performances with opening night being Friday April 4^th at 8pm to be followed by a reception and then continuing on Saturday April 5^th, Thursday April 10^th, Friday April 11^th, Saturday April 12^th, Thursday April 17^th, Friday April 18^th, and will close on Saturday April 19^th . The final performance will include a closing night party.

Show times for each of the limited run performances will be 8pm with doors opening at 7:30pm . Ticket prices are $10.00 regular seating, $12 risers and $15.00 VIP. 

New Organization Celebrates Preservation Month 

In celebration of The National Trust for Historic Preservation’s 2008 Preservation Month theme, “Place Matters,” the Erie Center for Design & Preservation is hosting a lecture, seminar and walking tour on May 9^th and 10th. All three events are free and open to the public.

The internationally-known founder of the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation, Mr. Arthur Ziegler, will be the featured speaker at the Erie Center for Design & Preservation’s first public event. Ziegler’s lecture, “The Good Works of Historic Preservation,” will be delivered Friday, May 9 at 7:00 PM in the Orientation Theatre of the Erie Maritime Museum, adjacent to the Blasco Memorial Library on Erie’s Bayfront. Ziegler says “historic preservation should be looked upon as both a cultural and economic development tool, leading to community revitalization, local investment, jobs, and a better quality of life.”

On Saturday morning, May 10, the Erie Center for Design & Preservation (ECDP) will sponsor a seminar on historic preservation. Topics include: an overview of the National Register of Historic Places, the economics of preservation, and the tax credits afforded to property owners who rehabilitate historic buildings.  The seminar will be held Saturday, May 10 from 9:00 AM to Noon at the Erie Art Museum Annex, 20 East 5^th Street.

On Saturday afternoon, May 10^th, Mr. Jeff Kidder AIA of Kidder Wachter Architecture will offer a 90 minute architectural walking tour of lower State Street and Perry Square. Mr. Kidder will meet members of the tour on the front steps of the Erie Art Museum, 417 State Street at 1:00 PM. Mr. Kidder will discuss the history of the City of Erie , neighborhood changes and attributes of the remaining historic structures.  Kidder believes that “historic preservation in Erie is an effective tool for managing growth, revitalizing neighborhoods, fostering local pride and maintaining community character while enhancing livability.” Mr. Kidder serves on the City of Erie Planning Commission, the Downtown Improvement District board, the Erie Center for Design and Preservation board, and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission Historic Preservation board.   

The mission of the Erie Center for Design & Preservation is to promote and enhance the distinctive character of greater Erie through community-based planning, design, and historic preservation. These Preservation Month events are a sample of the seminars, workshops and projects envisioned by the ECDP founders. 

The ECDP is poised to assume a leadership role in the upcoming Roosevelt Middle School planning charity and will be offering guidance to the persevering Save the Villa Chapel committee. The founding ECDP board members are: Lisa Austin, Michael Beightol, William Callahan, Terry Cavanaugh, Tom Fuhrman, Jeff Kidder, Tom Maggio, Chris Magoc (Chairperson), Allan Montgomery, Sue Moyer, Brenda Sandberg, Dave Skellie, Mark Weber and John Vanco.  

Contact:                                

Chris J. Magoc, Ph.D.,

Chair, Erie Center for Design & Preservation

Associate Professor of History 

Chair, History Department, Mercyhurst College

501 East 38th Street, Erie, PA 16546

(814) 824 - 2075   cmagoc@mercyhurst.edu

The Marx Toy Museum announced that they will close soon if they don't get promises of $20,000 and volunteers to work at the museum. A poor location combined with non-existent marketing and fund raising has hurt the museum. Just opening the doors, having a phone number published and having a basic website doesn't guarantee success.

KaleidAScope, Inc, The Child and Family Guidance Center of Erie, the Northwestern Pennsylvania Autism Society (NWPA-ASA), and ARC of Erie County will be hosting the first annual Autism in Our Community event on April 5, 2008 at the Greene Township Building, 9333 Tate Rd in Erie.

KaleidAScope, Inc is a local non-profit agency establishing services for individuals with High Functioning Autism / Asperger's Syndrome from the ages of 15 to adulthood. Child and Family Guidance Center of Erie provides individual, group, and family therapy, specializing in families/children on the Autism Spectrum. NWPA-ASA is our local Erie chapter for the Autism Society of America and has made strides in the Erie community in establishing awareness of Autism Spectrum disorders. The Arc of Erie County is a large advocacy group that promotes community inclusion to citizens with disabilities. The focus of this event is to provide information about the goods and services available to families influenced by, and managing, autism in their lives. The event is funded by a grant from the NWPA-ASA. The event will be held from 12-4 pm. Each agency and organization will provide a table highlighting their services as related to autism. Presentations will occur by local providers every half hour beginning at 12:30 and ending at 3 pm. The event will conclude with networking opportunities for families with local providers, agencies, organizations. Light snacks and beverages will be provided, as well as opportunities for families to win gift baskets. There is no cost to families to attend this special day. 

For additional information and to RSVP, please contact: Jennifer Do 814-824-4515, ext 93.

The Erie Art Museum will offer a henna body art workshop on Saturday, April 5, 2008 from 1-4 pm at the Erie Art Museum Annex, 20 East 5th Street. "We are so excited to offer the public an opportunity to learn about this ancient temporary tattoo tradition. Erie's best henna practitioners from Somalia, Sudan, and India will be on hand to apply a beautiful henna tattoo or visitors can learn how to apply one themselves," said Kelly Armor Erie Art Museum Director of Education and Folk Art. 

The art of henna, or mehndi, is thousands of years old. A reddish dye extracted from the henna plant is applied, often with elaborate designs, to the hands and feet. Women across Africa, the Middle East, and India paint themselves with henna as part of social celebrations. In many cultures the bride is adorned with especially intricate patterns for her wedding night. The tattoo is temporary and usually lasts two weeks. "Erie now boasts several henna experts. Gannon has a large population of Indian students including several who are adept at henna. Erie is also home to many Somali and Sudanese women who learned the art traditionally, from other women, in their native countries," said Armor. 

Registration is required by calling 814.459.5477 or visiting online at www.erieartmuseum.org. Cost is $12 for non-members and $10 for Erie Art Museum Members.

Calling all artists and those who love art! A community art show, "Throughout The Spectrum: Exploring Autism Through Art," will be sponsored by the Barber National Institute in commemoration of Autism Awareness Month. The show, which provides an exciting opportunity to come together to discover all aspects of autism through various forms of artistic expression, will be held April 4-9 at the Barber National Institute. Who can submit art work include: Children and adults with autism spectrum disorders who want to share their creative work; Family members or professionals whose lives are touched by autism; and Artists from the community who want to show their support for autism. Entries will be accepted on Friday, March 14 and Monday, March 17 from 9 am - 4 pm, and on Saturday, March 15 from 9 am - noon in the north lobby of the Barber National Institute. 

The art show will be open for public viewing in the north complex of the Barber National Institute on Friday, April 4, and Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, April 7, 8, and 9, from 9 am - 4 pm, and on Sunday, April 6, from 1-4 pm. Admission is FREE - all are encouraged to attend! For more information about making a submission, including an entry form, please call (814) 878-5903, or click here.

The Mercyhurst College 

Social Work Department and Art Education Club will partner again on Sunday, April 6, to host the third annual Empty Bowls Meal and Auction from 3 to 5:30 pm at the Masonic Temple, 32 West Eighth St. For a $15 donation, guests receive a simple meal of soup, along with bread and beverage, and then have the pleasure of selecting a bowl from hundreds of one-of-a-kind, hand-crafted bowls donated by student artists from Mercyhurst College and Mercyhurst Prep. Festivities also include an auction, which begins at 4:15 pm, and live entertainment. Although tickets for the event are $15 apiece, meal-only tickets for children (no bowl) are available for $3. Please call Shirley Greene at (814) 824-2266 to order tickets in advance so as to ensure enough bowls for everyone. Any remaining tickets will be available at the door. For more information, email Abbey Bloomquist or phone her at (814) 824-3667.

DRENCHED FUR 4 IS SOLD OUT!

But you might still have a chance to attend.
Guys interested in attending DF4 and getting a registration package must contact Gary the Run Coordinator to find out about potential opening slots, if any, due to cancellations. Contact can be made via e-mail to gnsnyder@drenchedfur.com.

More information Click Here

Now Accepting Submissions For The 2008 Competition! 
Deadline: July 4, 2008 
Winners announced: September 4, 2008 

Welcome to the Scribe Playwrighting Competition. Founded by Croyle Entertainment, the competition is designed to bridge an international gap between established and emerging writers around the world. That is why the competition is open to all writers, everywhere, regardless of subject matter.

The competition has two categories for submission. Full length plays and one act plays. Each category has its own prize for the selected winners.

Full length plays: All plays 75+ pages are considered to be full length.
One act plays: All plays up to 74 pages in length are considered one act plays.
The Scribe Playwrighting Competition offers the following to the winners of each category:

$200 Cash Prize
Certificate of Merit
A filmed reading of their work for developmental purposes on DVD.
Consideration for full production by Croyle Entertainment.
Written response to your work.

SUBMIT YOUR PLAY

Plays must be submitted as follows:

Script must be in proper play formatting.
Script must have a cover page that includes the title of the play, writer's name and address.
Plays must be registered with a protective agency (i.e. WGA, Copyright Office.)
Pages must be clearly numbered.
Only hardcopies are accepted at this point, please use three-hole punched paper bound by brads.
On the outside of your submission envelope, please specify either 'One Act' or 'Full Length.'
Include a check with your submission: $15.00 (US) for one acts, $25.00 (US) for full length plays.

Please make your checks payable to CROYLE ENTERTAINMENT. 

Send your submissions to: 
Scribe Playwrighting Competition
C/O Croyle Entertainment
509 Hiland Avenue
Oil City, PA 16301
USA

Click here for more information 

Any questions can be sent to: info@croyleentertainment.info  or by calling 814.676.3532 (m-f) 11am to 4pm.

Erie County Historical Society

Below is the Erie County Historical Society calendar of events for the month of May. Please call (814)454-1813 Ext.24 for additional information.
Thank You!

Market at the Mansion
May 2nd Preview Party 7p.m.
May 3rd 10a.m.-5p.m.
May 4th 12noon-5p.m.
at the Watson-Curtze Mansion, 356 West 6th Street, Erie, PA

A three-day shopping experience featuring unique arts and wares, and gourmet foods.

25 Historic Sites of Erie
Trolley Tour
Saturday, May 17th
1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Watson-Curtze Mansion
356 West Sixth Street

Bring your cameras and a sense of adventure as we explore twenty-five of downtown Erie's most recognizable landmarks. Reservations required by May 15th. Call 814-454-1813 Ext. 0.

Tickets:  $15 Per Person

National Astronomy Day Celebration
At the Erie Planetarium
356 West Sixth Street
Saturday, May 10th
10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Join us for a day-long celebration of the stars!  The Erie
Planetarium is hosting a National Astronomy Day event that includes solar-observing telescopes, shuttle presentations, constellation classes under the planetarium dome, space station presentations, a meteorite display, astro-photography demonstrations, children's activities and crafts, and 50% discount on planetarium shows!

Erie Astronomical Society

Just a reminder:  monthly meetings of the Erie Astronomical Society will be continuing through spring.  Anyone is welcome.  Bring your telescope if you have questions. Meet local amateur astronomers and see some informative presentations. All winter meetings are held at the planetarium unless otherwise decided.  Upcoming meetings are April 21st and May 19th, 7:00-9:00 p.m.

Ladies on Parade
Now through September 28th
Watson- Curtze Mansion
356 West Sixth Street, Erie

Ladies on Parade presents the stories of several amazing women who have made Erie home.  An on-going album project allows visitors to nominate their own special women.  The exhibit also features the ECHS fashion collection.

Mother's Day Tea
Sunday, May 11th   2:00 p.m.
Watson-Curtze Mansion

Celebrate the woman in your life at this afternoon tea in one of Erie's grandest homes. Reservations due by May 8th.
Call 814-454-1813 Ext. 0.

Tickets:  $12 Adult, $10 Senior, $8 Member, $6 Child

The Medal of Honor Project
Opening May 6th
Erie County History Center
419 State Street, Erie

There have been 3,464 Medals of Honor awarded.  Today there are only 105 living recipients. The Erie County Historical Society will display student work during the month of May. Please join us in honoring and remembering our history.

Fundraiser for Local Family

A fund raiser combat SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) will be held Tuesday, April 8 from 4:30 pm - 8:30 pm at Country Foods, 98 East Columbus Ave, Corry (Route 6). Adults $7, Kids $4. This dinner is being held in honor of Grady Louis Yatsko, son of John and Jen Yatsko, of Corry, PA. Grady passed away on October 19th, 2007 when he was just 4 months and 8 days old. He was a victim of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome - which means, in short, that he was a perfectly healthy baby who died with no warning, no cause, no explanation. The proceeds from this dinner will be sent to the American SIDS Institute to support their research efforts. Hopefully, together, we can make a difference and help to save other babies' lives. Please help Grady and his family keep other families from suffering this kind of loss. The dinner includes Spaghetti and Meatballs, Soup and Salad Bar and Bread Service. There will be a Chinese auction featuring artwork by Kevin-John Jobczynski. The artwork has a combined value of $2,700, including a Jerome Bettis lithograph autographed by Bettis. One lucky fan will have a chance to win a package that includes an Erie Riverrats football, autographed by the entire team, a Kevin-John Jobczynski lithograph of Jovon Johnson autographed by Johnson, and to be on the field for the coin toss at an upcoming game. Tickets are available at the door, but we are doing a presale on tickets so they know how many to cook for. If you would like to purchase a presale ticket, please email Jen Yatsko. Tickets are available now.

Thinking of you, Little Angel,
On this "special" day
The very day so long ago
That GOD took you away
To a better place for you to dwell
And proudly wear your wings
Where you can run and laugh and play
And send us sweet angel dreams.
You are missed, Dear Angel,
By friends and family
And by all those
Whose hearts you have touched
Written by Lori Westfall

Gannon University's Schuster Theatre presents "The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickelby." Adapted from the novel by Charles Dickens by David Edgar; music and lyrics by Stephen Oliver. Winner of seven Tony Awards, including Best Play, this extraordinary event has thrilled and delighted audiences since it first was staged 25 years ago. The performance is the story of a young gentleman, his mother, and sister who fall on hard times after the death of his father. The audience is taken on a roller coaster ride that eventually comes to a celebration of mankind's capacity for kindness and reconciliation. The play is performed in two segments. Show times are: April 10: part I, 7:30 pm April 11: part II, 7:30 pm April 12: part I, 1 pm; part II, 7:30 pm April 17: part I, 7:30 pm April 18: part II, 7:30 pm April 19: part I, 1 pm; part II, 7:30 pm. Schuster Theatre is located at 620 Sassafras Street. For more information, contact the Schuster Theatre box office at (814) 871-7494, or call (814) 871-7493.

The Gem City Jazz Ensemble, 20-member jazz band under the direction of Scott Tomlison, presents afternoon entertainment 2:30-4 pm on Sunday April 13 at the All Season's Marketplace and Flea Market in the Millcreek Mall Pavilion (Next to Dick's), 2080 Interchange Rd, Erie PA. The performance is FREE and open to public. For additional information visit online at www.gemcitybands.org or (814) 899-8467.

Local historian, author and mariner Dr David Frew will present a visual account of his newest book, "Dreams Afloat: The Nolans and Erie Boat Building," on Tuesday, April 15, at 7:30 pm, in Alex Theatre on the Mercyhurst North East campus, 16 W Division St, North East. The book provides a pictorial history of Erie's ship building heritage through an in-depth look at the Nolan family. The event is FREE and open to the public. Call (814) 725-6277 for more information.

Mercyhurst North East Dance Institute

Students from the Mercyhurst North East Dance Institute and a group of Mercyhurst musicians will combine their talents in a performance on Sunday, April 27, at 2 pm in St. Mary's Chapel on the Mercyhurst North East campus, 16 W Division St., North East. The event is free and open to the public. Call (814) 725-6277 for more information.

Gannon University Concert

OneRepublic and Fabolous will perform an outdoor concert on April 29 at 7 pm at the Gannon University Athletic Field. In case of rain it will be moved indoors to the Gannon Hammermill Center. Tickets go on sale Monday March 17 at GannonTickets.com.