The Central Performing Arts Center (CPAC) in DeWitt, in cooperation with the Missoula Children's Theater (MCT), is sponsoring a children's theater workshop July 7-11 as well as two performances of "Treasure Island" at the CPAC Saturday, July 12.

Area youngsters in grades 1-12 are invited to sign up for the workshop Tuesday, April 1, through Thursday, May 1. Registration forms and permission slips are available at www.centralperformingartscenter.org. Completed registration forms, permission slips and payment may be mailed to or dropped off at the DeWitt Fitness Center, 900 14th St.

Organizers are looking for a maximum of 60 cast members plus four assistant directors. Any additional children will be placed on a waiting list. Participants will be placed in their appropriate age groups ? those entering first grade through age 7, ages 8-12 and 13-18.

Auditions will be held Monday, July 7, 10 a.m.-noon. Rehearsals tentatively are scheduled 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. daily throughout the week.  Performances are Saturday, July 12, at 3:00 and 5:30 p.m. at the CPAC.

Optional workshops will be available after the rehearsals, with time and topics yet to be determined.

Missoula Children's Theatre is the nation's largest touring children's theatre. For the past 40 years, teams of tour actors/directors have visited up to 1,200 communities each year to produce adaptations of familiar children's classics and fairytales performed by local children. Creativity, social and communications skills, goal achievement and self esteem all are potential results of participation in the cultural/educational experience for youngsters.  In MCT's inaugural visit to CPAC last summer, more than 50 area children participated in the production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Anyone who has questions may contact Vanessa McNeely, CPAC event coordinator, by calling 563-249-8541 or via e-mail at vanessa.mcneely@centralperformingartscenter.org.

Mount Carroll, IL--Timber Lake Playhouse, the professional, non-profit summer theatre of northwest Illinois, will hold auditions for qualified musicians for their summer season on Sunday, April 27th at 2:00 pm at the theatre in Mount Carroll, Illinois.  Auditions for children for the theatre's upcoming production of Les Miserables will follow at 4:00 pm.

The 53rd summer season of Timber Lake Playhouse will include the musicals Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein, Les Miserable and Shout! The Mod Musical. All musicals at TLP utilize paid area musicians. Auditions for Bass (upright & electric), Woodwinds, Percussion, Guitar, Brass and Strings will begin at 2:00 pm. Musicians will be seen in 10 minute appointments. They should be prepared to play a selection of their choosing. They might be asked to sight read from one of the shows. For an appointment, please call the theatre at 815-244-2035. TLP is located at 8215 Black Oak Rd in Mount Carroll. Performance dates and rehearsal schedules can be found at www.timberlakeplayhouse.org.

Auditions for the roles of Gavroche, Young Cosette and Young Eponine in Les Miserables will begin at 4:00 pm. The playhouse is seeking a boy aged 8-12 for Gavroche who is a very strong singer and is comfortable on stage. Girls ages 8-10, who are strong singers and very comfortable on stage are encouraged to audition for Young Cosette and Young Eponine. All children should bring a song to sing in the style of the show. They may sing from the show, as well. An accompanist will be provided. These roles are not paid, but a travel stipend may be arranged. All ethnicities are encouraged to attend. Please call the theatre at 815-244-2035 to sign up for auditions.

Additional auditions for children for Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and adults for Young Frankenstein will be held in May. Performers and musicians must be available for all scheduled performances and rehearsals. More information is available at www.timberlakeplayhouse.org. Timber Lake Playhouse programs are supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council through federal funds provided by the National Endowment for the Arts.

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DECORAH, IA (03/12/2014)(readMedia)-- Luther College junior, Lis Athas of Blue Grass, Iowa, will perform as Katherine Mesrou in Luther's Visual and Performing Arts production of "La Dispute."

Inspired by Pierre de Marivaux's prose comedy originally written in 1744, Luther's adaption of "La Dispute" explores the nature of love, betrayal, passion and seduction in a unique social experiment. Eight young adults, isolated from the world, are paired together in attempt to discover if it is possible to create a perfect love with no risks or doubts.

The performances, held in the Jewel Theatre in the Center for the Arts on the Luther campus, are at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, March 12-13; 9:30 p.m. Friday, March 14; and 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 15.

Athas, the daughter of Mark and Vickie Athas of Blue Grass, is majoring in theatre and management at Luther. She is a 2011 graduate of Davenport West High School.

Tickets for the performances are $12 for adults, $5 for children five and under, and can be purchased at Luther's ticket website, www.tickets.luther.edu, by calling the Ticket Office at (563) 387-1357, or by visiting the Luther Ticket Office, open Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9-10:30 a.m. and 11a.m.-3 p.m.; and Tuesday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., with extended hours on Thursdays, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.

"La Dispute" will be directed by Bobby Vrtis, Luther assistant professor of theatre.

Vrtis earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Longwood University and a master's and doctoral degree in theatre from the University of Oregon. At Luther, Vrtis teaches classes in several areas of theatre including acting, directing, improvisation and clowning.

A national liberal arts college with an enrollment of 2,500, Luther offers an academic curriculum that leads to the bachelor of arts degree in 60 majors and preprofessional programs. For more information about Luther visit the college's website: www.luther.edu.

(DES MOINES) – The Iowa Tourism Office has kicked off its spring advertising campaign with television and digital ads designed to inspire travelers to visit Iowa.

Television ads are now airing in Chicago, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Kansas City, and Omaha. Digital ads are being served up on websites such as parents.com, TripAdvisor and Expedia as well as Google search.

"Travelers spend nearly $8 billion in our state annually and generate more than $300 million in revenue for the state," said Gov. Terry Branstad. "Iowans are humble, but it's important that we show off our state, promote what we have to offer and encourage our neighbors to visit."

"This campaign is targeted to metro areas within easy driving distance of Iowa," said Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds. "Less time traveling to Iowa means more time to actually enjoy it. Our ads showcase several locations across the state, but they really represent just the tip of the iceberg. There's no shortage of unique museums, shops, restaurants and hotels in Iowa where travelers can make lifelong memories."

The $1.5 million combined ad buy will run from March to June of this year.

Iowa Tourism Office also recently completed a major overhaul of web site, www.traveliowa.com, adding several news pages meant to inspire potential travelers with a range of interests, from history and culture to hunting to outdoor recreation to wine and beer. The ad campaign is intended to drive traffic to traveliowa.com were travelers can immerse themselves in learning more about destinations in the state.

Tourism in Iowa generates more than $7.6 billion in expenditures, employs 64,400 people statewide and generates $345 million in state taxes. The Iowa Tourism Office is part of the Iowa Economic Development Authority. For more information about Iowa tourism, visit www.traveliowa.com, call 800.345.IOWA or stop at any Iowa Welcome Center.