Artifacts 8/1

Student art at Lorimier Gallery

Art created by students in the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri's summer arts classes will be on display through August at the organization's Lorimier Gallery.

The work includes watercolors, drawings, murals and jewelry. Students ranged in age from 2 through adults.

A reception for the artists will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. today at the arts council, 30 N. Main St., Cape Girardeau.

Gospel and bluegrass outdoors

LAKE WAPPAPELLO -- The gospel groups the Newsom Family and Gloryland Express will perform at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Lake Wappapello Outdoor Theatre.

The bluegrass-gospel band Bluegrace will perform at 7 p.m.

Admission is free. Please bring lawn chairs.

The theater is located on Route T, which is two miles south of the Wappapello Dam. The public is invited to the jam sessions beginning at 7 tonight.

Digital art on display

The fifth annual exhibition of digital artwork created in the computer art summer workshop at Southeast Missouri State University is now on display.

The art is being exhibit in the Hirsch Community Room at the Cape Girardeau Public Library. It presents work completed by students from June 17 to July 11. The workshop is taught by Louise Bodenheimer.

The exhibition will remain on display through Aug. 30.

Harry Connick Jr. Quartet in St. Louis

ST. LOUIS -- The Harry Connick Jr. Quartet will present an evening of instrumental, non-vocal music Aug. 15 at Jazz at the Bistro.

Connick, known for both his singing and piano playing, just released the jazz piano album "Other Hours." Other members of the quartet are Neal Caine on bass, Arthur Latin II on drums and Charles Ned Goold on saxophone.

Shows are at 8:30 p.m. and 10:15 p.m. Tickets are $45. They are available at (314) 531-1012.

Jazz at the Bistro is located at 3436 Washington Ave., across from the Fox Theatre.

Union County Fair Aug. 17-23

ANNA, Ill. -- The 123rd Union County Fair will be held Aug. 17 to 23 at Anna City Park.

Film festival seeks entries

WHISTLER, B.C. -- The Whistler Film Festival in Whistler, British Columbia, is seeking entries for "the hippest new festival on next year's circuit." The festival will be held from Dec. 4 to 7. The submission deadline is Oct. 24.

Up to 60 percent of the films screened will be Canadian.

For information, visit www.whistlerfilmfestival.com.

'Mighty Mississippi Melodrama' to Aug. 28-30

Port Cape's Scallywag Theater will present "The Might Mississippi Melodrama or ... Do I Smell a River Rat?" in a dinner theater production Aug. 28-30 at the restaurant.

Scallywag Theatre is an acting troupe composed of community members who will perform the melodrama primarily for tourist groups. This will be the first performance for the general public.

The play was written by Dr. Roseanna Whitlow.

The new production will encourage audiences to cheer the hero and heroine and boo the villain. Comedy and sing-alongs also will be part of the show.

Dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m., with the show at 8 p.m. Tickets are $24.95.

For information or reservations, phone 334-0954.

Cedarhurst Craft Fair Sept. 6-7

MOUNT VERNON, Ill. -- The Cedarhurst Craft Fair will be presented Sept. 6 to 7 on the grounds of the Mitchell Museum at Cedarhurst, Richview Road in Mount Vernon. The festival is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Admission is $3 for adults. Children 12 and under are free.

A preview will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Sept. 5.

DNA researcher to speak at science center

ST. LOUIS -- Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Human Genome Research Institute on the Human Genome Project, will speak Sept. 28 at the St. Louis Science Center.

Collins oversees the 15-year project to map and sequence the entire human DNA. The sequencing was completed last April.

Collins' research team identified the gene for cystic fibrosis and in 1990 identified the neurofibromatosis gene. Another effort identified the Huntington disease gene in 1993.

His speech will begin at 2 p.m. at the center, 5050 Oakland Ave. The talk is free, but reservations are recommended by phoning (800) 456-SLSC, Ext. 4464.

St. Louis to hold first English festival

ST. LOUIS -- The first St. Louis English Festival is scheduled to begin Oct. 2.

The festival will present musical performances, high teas, a golf tournament and dinner lectures.

The festival will kick off Oct. 2 with an organ recital a Christ Church Cathedral downtown. Other musical performances will be by Tenebrae, a 20-member vocal ensemble, Oct. 10, by The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields at the Cathedral Basilica on Oct. 20 and by the St. Paul's Cathedral Choir Oct. 24.

Other organ concerts will be presented by John Romeri at Hope United Church of Christ and a performance by John Trotter.

For information about performance groups, exhibits, times and tickets, visit www.englishfestivalstl.org or phone (314) 533-7662.

-- From staff reports