What is artfi

New York artist Sean Morello, a graduate of BYU and Pratt Institute, will present a solo exhibition at the Central Utah Art Center titled "What Art Is."

Morello's goal is to identify and define art, using surprising materials like found cardboard, used detergent containers or disposable sponges. These items are cut up and reconfigured on a canvas to create bold arrangements that reference patterns and designs found in a more commercial art context.

An artist reception will honor Morello on Friday from 6-9 p.m. at the Central Utah Art Center, 86 N. Main St. in Ephraim. He will explain his work during an art talk at 7 p.m.

Visit www.cuartcenter.org for more information.

'Echoes of American Slavery'

The Utah Valley State College Theatre Department will present "Echoes of American Slavery" in commemoration of Black History Month.

The play, which runs today through Saturday, tells the story of slaves, beginning when they are sold to the highest bidder on the auction block and continuing with the story of slave life on a plantation in the 1860s.

Co-writer and producer Adam Slee, a UVSC theatre student, derived the script directly from transcriptions of more than 2,300 interviews and 500 photographs from the Slave Narrative Collection of the Federal Writer's Project, which was compiled in 1936 and 1938 and archived at the Library of Congress.

"Echoes" will begin at 7:30 p.m. today through Saturday in the Ragan Theater, which is located in the Sorensen Student Center on UVSC campus, 800 W. University Pkwy. in Orem.

Tickets are $6-$10 and available by calling 863-8797.

'Hairspray' tickets on sale

Tickets for "Hairspray," the touring Broadway musical comedy, are now on sale.

Set in the 1960s, this Broadway hit tells the story of Tracey Turnblad, a big girl with big hair who has only one passion -- to dance. After winning a spot on the local TV dance program, she is transformed from outsider to irrepressible teen celebrity.

Sponsored by Broadway in Utah, "Hairspray" will run May 9-14 at Kingsbury Hall in Salt Lake. Tickets are $30-$72.50 and available by calling (801) 581-7100 or visiting www.kingtix.com.

-- Ashley Banks