News and notes

Jewish film festival plans four screenings

The 10th annual Jewish Omaha Film Festival will screen four movies Aug. 22-30 at the Jewish Community Center, 333 S. 132nd St.

The film lineup:

"Bride Flight," 7:30 p.m. Aug. 22: Three Dutch women escape post-WWII Holland by emigrating to New Zealand and marrying. En route they meet a young man, Frank, who is also relocating. Each woman has a brief relationship with Frank. They lose touch, then reunite at Frank's funeral five years later to discover how intertwined their lives have been. Based on a true story. Subtitled.

"The Matchmaker," 7:30 p.m. Aug. 25: A teen in Haifa in 1968 gets a job working for a mysterious Holocaust survivor who has an office in the back of a seedy movie theater run by seven Romanian dwarves. The teen falls for an American promoting free love and rock 'n' roll. The summer of the Six-Day War changes him forever.

"Salsa Tel Aviv," 7 p.m. Aug. 28 with a deli dinner one hour before. A poor, single mom and salsa dance teacher in Mexico travels to Israel dressed as a nun to find her estranged husband. En route she meets an Israeli scientist who is engaged to a rich young woman. A strange but amusing friendship commences. Subtitled.

"La Rafle," 7:30 p.m. Aug. 30: A Nazi raid in WWII-occupied France is shown through the eyes of three young children whose parents trust the Vichy government. But Vichy rounds up Jews for trains headed to concentration camps. Subtitled.

Movie tickets are $8 each. The deli dinner, for which reservations are required by Aug. 24, is $12. Information and reservations: 402-334-6462.

Final outdoor movie event this weekend

The final Cox Music & Movies event is Friday at the Holland Performing Arts Center's east lawn at 12th and Douglas Streets.

The free outdoor event begins with live music by Funk Trek at 7:45 p.m. A screening of "Shrek" begins around 9 p.m. Blankets and chairs are welcome.

Picnic baskets with sandwiches, salads and desserts can be ordered in advance at a cost of $8.50 for one person, $16.50 for two and $23 for four. Order by Wednesday noon by calling 402-661-8434 or email [email protected]

No outside food, drink or pets are permitted. A la carte items will be for sale onsite.

'Bugeaters' movie moves to Lincoln

"Bugeaters," Omaha filmmaker Jim Fields' documentary about the beginning of University of Nebraska football, will have a Sept. 24 screening at the Mary Riepma Ross Theatre in Lincoln.

The 3 p.m. screening likely will be the last theatrical showing of the movie in Nebraska, Fields said. Information: 402-472-5353 or online at theross.org

Gilmore selected for symphony post

The Omaha Symphony has named Susanna Perry Gilmore its new concertmaster. For the coming year she will also serve as concertmaster of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, a position she has held since 1997.

Gilmore teaches violin at the University of Memphis and the Interlochen Summer Arts Camp in Michigan. She is an accomplished soloist and chamber musician. She also composed, arranged and performed Celtic music for the Tennessee Shakespeare Company.

She holds degrees from Oxford University and the New England Conservatory. She will move to Omaha and be with the Omaha Symphony full-time starting with the 2012-13 season.

Movie equipment to be demonstrated

Area filmmakers, videographers and camera enthusiasts are invited to a Sony open house Thursday at the Doubletree Suites, 7270 Cedar St., near Bergan Mercy Medical Center.

A Sony representative will demonstrate movie-making equipment such as two newly released 35mm sensor cameras, plus monitors and a field recorder/monitor, from 11 a.m. to noon and again from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. To reserve a spot, email [email protected]

Sony is one of the sponsors of the Omaha Film Festival.

Lincoln symphony looking for young talent

The Lincoln Symphony Orchestra invites young musicians to enter its annual young artist competition. One young musician will win $500 and perform as a featured soloist with the orchestra.

Musicians must be 20 or younger, play an instrument, participate in an audition and submit an application with letter of recommendation.

Auditions will be Oct. 22. Applications, which must be submitted by Oct. 14, are available at 402-476-2211 or online at lincolnsymphony.org

UNO professor given theater award

The Association for Theatre in Higher Education has presented an award for leadership in community-based theater and community engagement to Dr. Doug Paterson of the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Paterson was a co-founder of the Dakota Theatre Caravan in South Dakota in the 1970s, a co-founder of the Circle Theatre in Omaha in 1983 and a co-founder of the Theatre and Social Change Forum Group in 1989.

The latter led to Pedagogy and Theatre of the Oppressed national conferences, including two held at UNO. Paterson has led related theater workshops in Brazil, Australia, Canada, Israel, Iraq, Liberia, India, Palestine and Croatia.

Paterson received the award Thursday in Chicago.

Improv group plans weekly shows

SkullProv, a division of Andrew McGreevy's SkullDuggery Theatre, will perform improvisational comedy every third Tuesday of the month at the PS Collective, 6056 Maple St., starting this week.

The first half of the show will be short-form games, and the second will be longer-form creations. The act, which starts at 8 p.m., is uncensored.

Members of SkullProv are Joe Blackstad, Stephanie Hillier, Luke Socha, Carrie Beth Stickrod and McGreevy. Admission is $5.

Des Moines center receives grant

Pioneer Hi-Bred has given a $20,000 grant to the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines for its annual operating fund.

The Civic Center's president, Jeff Chelesvig, said almost $2 million must be raised annually to support operations and education programs at the center. More than 336,000 people attended an event at the center last season.

Auditions

"The Nutcracker," Creighton University, Lied Education Center for the Arts, 2500 California Plaza, Aug. 27. Children ages 7 to 10 at 10 a.m., and children ages 11-14 at 11:30 a.m. Rehearsals, mostly Saturdays, begin in mid-September. Performances Nov. 30-Dec. 3 at Creighton and Dec. 4 at Red Oak, Iowa. Information: 402-280-3047 or email [email protected]

Orchestra Omaha, by appointment Aug. 25, starting at 6:30 p.m., at Lutheran Church of the Master, 2617 S. 114th St. All orchestral instruments. Group rehearses Thursdays, starting Sept. 1. First concert is Oct. 9. To schedule an audition or for information, call 402-502-7641 or go online to orchestraomaha.org/audition.htm

River City Ringers, community handbell choir, by appointment. Group rehearses Thursday nights at St. Andrew United Methodist Church, 15050 West Maple Road, and performs 10 concerts annually. Information, or to schedule an audition: 402-333-0715 or email [email protected]

"Animal Farm," Teens 'n' Theater at the Rose, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the theater, 2001 Farnam St. Show runs Sept. 29-Oct. 2. Information: 402-502-4634.

Omaha Symphonic Winds, by appointment Saturday at Andersen Middle School, 15404 Adams St. Need woodwinds, brass and percussionists. Group rehearses on select Sunday afternoons and performs Oct. 30, March 11 and May 6. Information, or to schedule an audition: 402-575-8220 or email [email protected] [--] Compiled by Bob Fischbach