Mount Carroll, IL--Timber Lake Playhouse, the professional, non-profit summer theatre of northwest Illinois, will hold auditions for the children's ensemble of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and the adult ensemble of Young Frankenstein on Saturday May 3, at 9:30 a.m. at the theatre in Mount Carroll, Illinois.  Auditions for Gavroche and Young Cosette in Les Miserables will be Sunday, April 27 at 4:00 p.m.

The company is casting 13 children who are strong singers between the ages of 7 and 12 for Joseph ..., which will open the Playhouse's 53rd season in June. Up to 8 teens and adults who are strong singers or dancers will be cast in in ensemble roles Young Frankenstein, which opens July 3. Auditionees will be seen in the order they arrive and sign in. Sign in will begin at the theatre at 9:00 a.m., and parents are asked not to arrive before them. All performers must be available for all scheduled rehearsals and performances. Performance dates and rehearsal schedules can be found at www.timberlakeplayhouse.org.

Anyone auditioning should bring a current photo and sheet music for a song that best shows their vocal ability. An accompanist will be provided. Please do not bring accompaniment on CDs. Parents may not sit in on auditions. TLP is located at 8215 Black Oak Rd in Mount Carroll. All ethnicities are encouraged to attend. These ensemble roles are not paid.

Auditions for the roles of Gavroche, Young Cosette and Young Eponine in Les Miserables will begin at 4:00 pm on April 27. The playhouse is seeking a boy who looks 8-12 for Gavroche who is a very strong singer and is comfortable on stage. Girls who look 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. Please call the theatre at 815-244-2035 to sign up for Les Miserables auditions only.

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.

Chosen excerpts will be read during annual remembrance event April 27th

ROCK ISLAND, IL - The Holocaust Education Committee of the Quad Cities (www.holocausteduqca.com) proudly recognizes three area students for their winning entries in the "Ida Kramer Children and the Holocaust" Essay Contest. The winning selection will be read during the 2014 Yom HaShoah (Yahm ha-SHOW-uh) Community Remembrance event Sunday, April 27^th - 7:00 PM at Tri-City Jewish Center (2715 - 30th St., Rock Island).

Alex Bare of Eldridge authored the winning entry entitled, "I Wasn't Even Eighteen - Pierre Seel's Holocaust as a '175er.'" Grace Hipple of Davenport receives accolades for her essay, "The Sun Still Shines - Sophie Scholl and the White Rose." Cassie Berta of Bettendorf is recognized for her profile of Malvina Fried Lefkowitz.

"As an educator, it is both important and uplifting to see how students take on this subject," said Dr. Marrietta Castle, Chair of the Holocaust Education Committee of the Quad Cities. "Relating to children the same age as these students puts a face on the Holocaust for them. It provides a basis for ongoing study and awareness of this pivotal period in our world's history that continues to be felt."

Yom HaShoah is observed as a day of commemoration for the six million Jews (nearly 11 million people total) that perished during the Holocaust. It began in 1953 with the signing of an Israeli law by Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion and President Yitzhak Ben-Zvi. The essay contest bears the name locally of Ida Kramer, former Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of the Quad Cities and a longtime Holocaust educator.

The Jewish Federation of the Quad Cites (www.jfqc.org) is a non-profit, 501c(3) Illinois corporation founded in 1980. With other local organizations, JFQC addresses a broad range of needs to include cultural, religious, educational, family welfare, care of the elderly and interfaith relations. The Federation combats hate and anti-Semitism by supporting religious liberty and civil rights for everyone.

Its core mission is to preserve, protect, enrich and enhance Jewish communal life and the well-being of Jews locally, in Israel and throughout the world. It is a proud member of the Jewish Federations of North America (www.jewishfederations.org). The Jewish Federation of the Quad Cities is also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jewishfedqc.

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Children (and adults) of all ages will enjoy the Tuesday, April 22, production of "The Snail and the Whale," at the Central Performing Arts Center at the high school in DeWitt.

This Tall Stories adaptation tells the story of a tiny snail who longs to see the world and hitches a ride on the back of a humpback whale. Together they go on an amazing journey, experiencing sharks and penguins, icebergs and volcanoes. But when the whale gets beached, how will the tiny snail save him? Follow the amazing adventure as seen through the eyes of an adventurous girl and her seafaring father.

The play is inspired by the book of the same name by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler and includes storytelling, live music and lots of laughs.

Curtain time is 7 p.m. Advance tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for students; children under age 4 are free. Tickets may be purchased at DeWitt City Hall, 510 Ninth St., or online at <www.midwestix.com>. Tickets at the door are $20 for adults and $5 for students.

A pre-show dinner that includes homemade mac and cheese, pigs in a blanket, a taco bar, fresh fruits and vegetables, cupcake and beverage is available for $10 per person in the atrium at 5:30 p.m. Dinner reservations must be pre-paid by April 18 and are not available at the door.

The Old Creamery Theatre presents Stuart Little, the first Theatre For Young Audiences show in their 2014 season. Stuart Little hits the Main Stage on April 5 and runs through April 19. It was adapted by Joseph Robinette from the book by E.B. White.

Stuart, the second son of Mr. and Mrs. Frederick C. Little, navigates the world with warmth and humor in this classic story by E.B. White, author of Charlotte's Web. Join Stuart as he drives, sails, and explores life with his friend Margalo the bird and his furry nemesis, Snowbell the cat.

The cast includes Keegan Christopher of Jefferson City, Missouri, Katie Colleta of Rockton, Illinois, Jeff Haffner of Cleveland, Ohio, Jackie McCall of Marengo, Iowa, and Jim Vogt of Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Tickets are $9 and everyone gets the opportunity to meet the cast after the show! Call the box office for tickets and information 319-622-6262 or visit us online at www.oldcreamery.com. Stuart Little is Rated Theatre G.

The Old Creamery Theatre is a not-for-profit professional theatre founded in 1971 in Garrison, Iowa. In 2014, the company is celebrating 43 years of bringing live, professional theatre to the people of Iowa and the Midwest.