Valley Center Playhouse

Ticket prices are $6 for regular admission, $5 for students, children and seniors and $25 for families.

The is the premiere performance for the show, which was written by California playwright Don Crosley. The musical romantic comedy is appropriate for all ages, however those attending are asked not to bring babes in arms or children under 5.

For reservations call 785-1186.

BYU

BYU Opera to stage "H.M.S. Pinafore" June 11-14 -- The Brigham Young University School of Music will present its Spring Opera production of Gilbert and Sullivan's comedic operetta "H.M.S. Pinafore" Wednesday through Saturday, June 11-14, at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall.

Tickets are $5 for weekday shows and $10 for weekend shows. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit byuarts.com or call the Fine Arts Ticket Office at (801) 422-4322.

Set on the British warship H.M.S. Pinafore, in port at Portsmouth, England, the opera tells the story of a naval captain's daughter who is in love with a low-ranking officer, with ensuing complications because her father intends her to marry a ranking navy seaman.

W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan's fourth collaboration, "H.M.S. Pinafore" was the second-longest running musical theater production to date when it closed after 571 performances at London's Opera Comique in 1878.

The BYU cast includes Zachary Milliman as the Rt. Hon. Sir Joseph Porter, K.C.B.; Stephen Pace as Captain Corcoran; James Duncan as Ralph Rackstraw; Hunter Brown and Jacob Colvin as Dick Deadeye; Joseph Olson as Bill Bobstay; Daniel Robertson as Bob Becket; Emily Bateman and Laura Ockey Snow as Josephine; Amber Willis Bezzant and Rachel Hatch as Hebe; and Holly Hooper and Amy Isaksen as Little Buttercup.

Lawrence Vincent is the director and musical director for the production. Joining him on the production staff are Stephen Fairbanks, conductor; Lisa Elzey, production stage manager; Heather Starr, scenic designer; Anna Hawkins, costume designer; Jamie Shapiro, makeup and hair designer; and Marianna Ohran, lighting designer.

For more information, contact Ken Crossley at (801) 422-9348.

SCERA

SCERA Shell to stage 'The King and I' -- Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein's musical classic "The King and I," directed Kathryn and Howard Little, will play for 12 performances at the SCERA Shell Outdoor Theatre June 6-21 at 8 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursday, Fridays and Saturdays.

The Shell is located at 699 S. State St., Orem, in the middle of SCERA Park. General admission is $10 for adults and $8 for children (age 3-11), seniors (65+) and students (w/ID). Seating is festival seating on a grassy slope, and patrons may bring blankets or rent a chair from SCERA for $1. Tickets may be purchased from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and noon to 6 p.m. on Saturdays at the SCERA Center for the Arts, 745 S. State St., Orem, by calling (801) 225-ARTS, online at www.scera.org or at the Shell gate one hour prior to the show.

Two reserved seating areas are available and prices range from $12 to $14 for adults and $12 to $10 for seniors, students and children.

SCERA presents summer series of celebrity vocal competitions -- The SCERA Shell Outdoor Theatre has six nights during their 2008 summer season in which patrons get two great events for the price of one. The third annual Celebrity Vocal Competition is back and, after each competition, an outdoor movie will be shown on a 20-foot-tall screen with surround sound.

Celebrity begins at 8 p.m., and the outdoor movie will follow at dusk. Admission is $4 for adults, $3 for children (age 3-11), seniors (65+) and students (w/ID). Patrons may bring a blanket or rent a chair for $1.

Competition dates and outdoor movie showings are on Wednesday evenings. The first Celebrity night is June 11, followed by the outdoor movie "Hairspray" (rated PG); June 20, followed by "Clue" (rated PG); July 9, followed by "Stardust" (rated PG-13); July 16, followed by "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" (rated PG-13); Aug. 6, followed by "Dan in Real Life" (rated PG-13); and Aug. 13, followed by Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" (Not rated).

There is a limit of 15 singers per night and a $30 registration fee.

Three semi-finalists are chosen each night to move on to the semi-finals Aug. 22-23. From those 18, six finalists will have the opportunity to open for R&B superstars Boyz II Men on Aug. 28 at the SCERA Shell Outdoor Theatre and the 2008 winner of SCERA Celebrity will be announced.

To reserve a spot, contestants should call SCERA at (801) 225-ARTS and visit www.thisisyourband.com to pick their song from the band's repertoire of more than 600 songs.

SCERA to present Sparks -- Sparks will fly onstage at the SCERA Shell Outdoor Theatre June 25 when American Idol winner Jordin Sparks demonstrates the big voice, cool vibe and contagious enthusiasm that earned her the top spot in the heart of voters in the 2007 Idol competition.

The concert will begin at 8 p.m. at the shell, located in the heart of SCERA Park, 699 S. State St., Orem. General admission tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children (age 3-11), students (w/ID) and seniors (65+). Seating is on a grassy slope, and patrons may bring blankets or rent a first-come, first-served chair from SCERA for $1. Reserved seating areas are sold out. Tickets are available from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and Saturdays from noon to 6 p.m. at the SCERA Center, 745 S. State, Orem, by calling (801) 225-ARTS, online at www.scera.org or at the gate 90 minutes prior to the show.

When Sparks won Season Six of the coveted competition at only 17, she became the youngest winner in American Idol history and displayed a maturity beyond her age. She showed the ability to perfect a variety of different musical styles, which became evident again when she performed during a 56-city American Idol summer tour and on her debut album.

"We consider it a real coup to have Jordin stop in Orem during her busy touring schedule," said Adam Robertson, SCERA's President and CEO. "Her vocal power is going to blow people away."

Her post Idol life has been crammed with appearances. In addition to making the rounds on just about every talk show, Jordin has performed "God Bless America" and "America the Beautiful" on Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks spectacular, the national anthem at Super Bowl XLII, and has appeared on the cover of Entertainment Weekly and World. Currently, Jordin is touring with Alicia Keys on the U.S. leg of her tour.

Hale Center Theater Orem

Little Women: The Broadway Musical -- Louisa May Alcott's beloved book, which has been transformed into a touching and exciting new Broadway musical, will appear now through July 26 at the Hale Center Theater Orem, 225 W. 400 North, with performances nightly, except Sundays.

Evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m. Saturday matinees are scheduled for July 12, 19, and 26 at 3:30 p.m. The theater will be dark June 3, 4, 10,11, and July 4.

Ticket prices range from $13.50 to $17.50, depending on night and seating location. Tickets may be purchased by calling the box office at 226-8600. The play focuses on the experiences of four sisters growing up in New England during the Civil War. The play is directed by Chris Clark, with musical direction and choreography by Korianne Orton-Johnson.

UVSC

Leonardo Da Vinci at the Woodbury Art Museum -- The Da Vinci Experience, an international traveling exhibit based on the work of Leonardo Da Vinci, will be featured at UVSC's Woodbury Art Museum at the University Mall now through Oct. 4. The exhibit consists of working mechanical models based on the drawings found in Leonardo Da Vinci's notebooks.

Admission will be $14 for adults, $11 for seniors (65+) and $6 for students (w/ID), active military and their family members and children (ages 5-18). Family group rates are available for immediate family for $28. Children age 5 and under are free.

Group rates are offered with a minimum of 15 in a group, $3 per person for student groups, $4 per person for youth groups and $7 per person for adult groups.

The Woodbury Art Museum is located on the second floor of the University Mall in Orem in the southeast corner just west of Nordstrom. The exhibit is open Monday from noon to 9 p.m. and Tuesday-Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. On Saturdays, the exhibit is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information on the exhibit, visit www.uvu.edu/museum.

Showtime Utah!

Theater gears up for Strawberry Days -- The Showtime Utah! family is getting into the swing of things at Pleasant Grove's Strawberry Days, the oldest continuous city celebration in the state. Showtime Utah's Grove Theater, located at 20 S. Main in Pleasant Grove was built six years after the start of the annual festival, and it will be booming all day Saturday.

Since it's on the Strawberry Days parade route, the theater will be open the entire day with chairs out in front, and the signature root beer floats in frosted mugs inside along with other tasty snacks.

Both Friday and Saturday evenings will have the Old West Dinner Adventure at 7 p.m., with Mama's Boys assuming their familiar place on the stage.

Friday 10 p.m., the Entertainment Hot Spot is devoted to a Flashback Evening. It opens with a Patsy Cline tribute from the Susan Ronson. She'll be followed by Kerry Summers, who has combined his ability as a ventriloquist with his impersonation of Elvis. Admission for that is $8 general admission, $5 for students.

On Saturday night, the evening show will be called "It's A Party." It takes the best of It's Just For Laughs, the stand-up comedy evenings, and mixes it with Karaoke and Open Mic nights. Peterson says if you can get up, set up, and finish up in 10 minutes, you can come and perform.

For information about Showtime Utah!, log on to www.ShowtimeUtah.com.