WHAT TO DO, WHERE TO GO

This week's theatre

Cruise-In Block Party Car Show ¦ Technicolor Dreamcoat

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat plays at Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre through Aug. 18. The ageold Biblical story of Joseph and his coat of many colors comes to life on stage as a colorful musical for all ages. Andrew Lloyd Webber teams up with collaborator Tim Rice to tell this compelling story from the Old Testament. The story, told through a kaleidoscope of song and dance, is set in the desert of the Middle East many centuries ago. Ticket prices range from $25 to $50. During the summer, children 18 and under are just $18 for dinner and the show. For tickets call the box office at 278-4422. Visit www.broadwaypalm.com for information.

¦ Get Down Tonight

Get Down Tonight is playing at the Schoolhouse Theater on Sanibel. Performances are Tuesdays and Saturdays. The cast has familiar faces Victor Legarreta, Bobby Logue, and Samantha Rotella. You've seen her on the island in the past, but it'll be Tammy Truitt's first time at the new location of The Schoolhouse Theater. Yurief Rodriguez will also be joining the cast. During the summer, the Box Office is only open the day of performances - from 2 to 7 p.m. All shows begin at 7 p.m. with ticket prices of $20 for adults and $10 for children. The summer seasons ends on August 25th. For tickets and information, call The Schoolhouse Theater Box Office at 472- 6862 or at www.theschoolhousetheater.com.

¦ Shakespeare

The Theater Conspiracy new show "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)" blends 191 of the Bard's works (37 plays and 154 sonnets) into two acts. They are to be blended into each other in a manner intended to provoke hilarity. The play is performed at the Off Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre through Aug. 18. Shows are Thursday through Saturday evenings and selected matinees. Tickets are $19-$39. The Off Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre is located at 1380 Colonial Boulevard in Fort Myers. For information call 936-3239 or on the Web at www.theatreconspiracy.org

Friday, Aug. 10

Concert - The Dave Matthews Tribute Band will take the stage following the Fort Myers Miracle baseball game. Hailing from Buffalo, N.Y., the Dave Matthews Tribute Band is the only nationally touring tribute to the Dave Matthews Band. Fans can enjoy the Miracle vs. Brevard County Manatees game and the concert, for $10. Gates will open at 5:00 p.m., game beginning at 6:05 p.m. and the concert will follow after a brief intermission.

¦ Art - The 2007 Alliance Member show opens with a special reception from 5 to 7 p.m. This year's theme is "One Foot Square." The exhibit runs through Sept. 1. Each framed piece shown will measure "one-foot square," the rest is up to the artist. The Alliance for the Arts Member Show is a good time for new artists to join and enter a piece into the exhibit as well. Non-members wishing to enter may do so by joining the Alliance ($50) when delivering artwork for exhibition. For those still considering, each member is allowed one entry. Categories of accepted works include sculpture, painting (includes oil, acrylic, collage, watercolor, mixed media), photography, prints, & drawing (no crafts). All artwork must be wired and ready to hang, and must have been completed in the last two years and not previously been shown at the Alliance. The Alliance for the Arts galleries are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 to 3 on Saturdays. It's located at 10091 McGregor Boulevard just south of Colonial Boulevard. Visit www.artinlee.org for more details.

Saturday, Aug. 11

¦ Block party - Drive on into the River District in downtown Fort Myers for the Cruise-In Block Party Car Show from 5 p.m. until 8 at First and Hendry streets. Choose from a dozen restaurants to dine, shop or view more than 200 show cars. Music is from Tom's Traveling Tunes. Admission is free. Get there early, organizers said parking may be limited after 4:30 p.m. For information contact Tony Allen at 229- 8526

¦ Theater - The Children's Summer Program at The Schoolhouse Theater will present a new play called "The Imagination Station," written by Schoolhouse favorite, Reid Kirchhoff. The performance will be at noon at The Schoolhouse Theater; tickets are free and on a first come, first serve basis.

¦ Musical - A Cracker at the Ritz, an orignial play about the foibles and absurdities of life in Southwest Florida is performed by local players Rick Compton and Betsy Bennett at the English Pub, Linwood Avenue, Naples. The alloriginal satire features songs such as "Red Tide In The Sunset" and "Barron Collier High." Dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. and the show starts at 8. Tickets are $25. For information call (239) 774-2408 or go to www.comptonandbennett.com. ¦ Concert - Gulf Coast Town Center holds a free Summer Concert Series every Saturday night from 8-10 p.m., through Aug. 25 at the stage in Market Plaza located in front of Borders. Attendees of all ages will enjoy dance acts and musical entertainment that will include an array of entertainment from Rock, Pop, Jazz, Blues, and Country throughout the summer, offering fun for the entire family. For information call 267-0783 or on the Web at www.gulfcoasttowncenter. com

Ongoing events

¦ Art - Preview the artworks from featured artists such as Romero Britto and Robert Rauschenberg at the Arts for ACT 2007 at the Bob Rauschenberg Gallery at Edison College. More than 115 pieces of art, ranging from paintings, sculpture and jewelry, will be included in the Arts for ACT annual auction to benefit Abuse Counseling and Treatment, Inc. The auction will be held Aug. 18 at the Coconut Point Hyatt in Bonita Springs. For more information call Abuse Counseling and Treatment, Inc. at 939-2553 or email cgoode@actabuse.com

¦ Art - Artist Erma Jean Woodis features Florida Beaches and Wildlife in her new show at the Cape Coral Arts Studio. The Arts Studio is located at 4533 Coronado Pkwy, Cape Coral. For information call 574-0802. ¦ Art - 3 Women of Merit: 45th Founders Award Winners features the work of Bettina Edwards, Pat Kumicich and Doris Ramos. The trio all won top awards in last fall's Founders show. They will exhibit new works in photography, paintings and contemporary quilts. At the von Liebig Art Center, Naples. For information call (239) 262-6517 or on the Web at www.naplesart.org.

¦ Art - Visitors and residents are welcome to see paintings by members of the Sanibel-Captiva Art League at the Sanibel Public Library and in BIG ARTS Phillips Gallery. In addition to tropical scenes and local wildlife there is a large variety of still life and other subjects in oil, acrylic, pastel, collage and watercolor. The different interpretations of large and small colorful artworks range from representational to expressionistic and abstract. Many of the artists have won awards in juried exhibitions. Both buildings are on Dunlop Road near City Hall. Call the library, 472-2483, or BIG ARTS, 395-0900, for hours.

¦ Art - The Friends of the Cape Coral Library announce a new exhibit which runs through September 13. The Gallery, located at the Cape Coral Library, 921 SW 39th Terrace, off Mohawk Boulevard, is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Featured artists are Kathy Logan and Paul David Adamick. Logan is an art instructor at Cape Elementary School and is a nationally accredited teacher. Adamick, an art instruction at Caloosa Elementary, is proficient in art forms including clay, airbrush and wire sculpture. He combines airbrushed canvases and bent wire to create tropical on-land and below-thesea scenes.

¦ Art - What fun! Exaggerated and fictional images that first appeared on postcards in the early 1900s. Storytelling through the Mail at the Art League of Bonita Springs features the masters of the "golden age" of the American postcard in the early twentieth century through to the present. Enjoy the humor and delight in the imagination of these marvelous little artworks. A great exhibition for all ages. It is open and free to the public through Sept. 22. The Center for the Arts is located at 26100 Old 41 Road, Bonita Springs. For information call 239-495-8989 or on the Web at www.artcenterbonita.org

¦ Art - See the high caliber artwork produced by Southwest Florida artists through Sept. 7 at Regional Artists I hosted by the Art League of Bonita Springs. Artworks range from sophisticated wooden vessels to oil, watercolor and pastel paintings and from photography to fused glass. This show has something for everyone. The Center for the Arts is located at 26100 Old 41 Road, Bonita Springs. For information call 239-495-8989 or on the Web at www.artcenterbonita.org

Upcoming events

¦ Comedy- Comedian Kathy Griffin, star of the Bravo series "My Life on the D-List," returns to the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall Sunday, Aug. 19 in an all new show. Tickets are on sale at the Box Office, by calling 481-4849 or online at www.bbmannpah.com. Griffin is a Chicago native who began building her resume with guest starring roles on such series as "Mad About You," "ER," and also appeared as the recurring character Sally Weaver, on "Seinfeld." A multi-faceted performer she is probably best known for her four-year stint on the NBC sitcom

"Suddenly Susan" as Vickie Groener,

Brooke Shields' acerbic

colleague.

¦ Comedy

- Comedian

Ron White

will perform

at the Barbara

B. Mann Performing

Arts Hall

Thursday, Sept. 22. Tickets are available at the box office, by calling (239) 481-4849 or online at www.bbmannpah. com. Groups of twenty or more, please call (239) 489-3033 extension 3122.

¦ Music - American Idol's Clay Aiken, along with a 42-piece orchestra, will perform at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall Thursday, August 16. Tickets are $43 to $73 and are on sale at the box office, by calling (239) 481-4849 or online at www.bbmannpah.com. Groups of twenty or more, please call (239) 489- 3033 extension 3122.

Auditions

¦ Chorus - The Southwest Florida Symphony Chorus, under the direction of Joseph Caulkins, will be holding auditions for open positions in the Symphony Chorus and new members in the Children's Chorus on August 11, 2007 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and August 13, 2007 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Auditions are 10 minutes in length and those auditioning should bring a prepared classical or pop vocal selection with 2 copies of sheet music, be prepared to sing scales, and sight sing (adults only). Auditions are by appointment only by calling Michelle at the Southwest Florida Symphony office at (239) 418-0996.

¦ Theater - Attention: Actors and actors who sing well. Stage 88 Theatre is holding auditions for their First 2 Shows of the 2007/2008 Season. The theater troupe is looking for men and women - ages 20 to 65. Auditions are by appointment only on Friday, Aug. 10 from 7-10 p.m. and Saturday, Aug. 11 from noon to 3 p.m. Call Stage 88 to reserve an audition time at 513-8600 or email your audition request to Stage88@stage88.com. Backstage crew volunteers are also needed. Click on the "Auditions and Volunteers" page (to the left of your screen) for more detailed information.