The Fayette County Public Library and the Friends of the Fayette County Public Library invite the public to attend the 12th Annual Blended Heritage Celebration, a free evening of performing arts at the Fayette County Public Library on Friday, February 26 at 6:30 p.m. As always, a very special evening of music, poetry, dance, and food is planned. The Blended Heritage Celebration is open to all, free of charge.

What do you get when you put a veteranarian, a banker, and a teacher on stage? We really don’t know, but we’ll be finding out when the NITWITS return on February 20th to Newnan Community Theatre Company (NCTC).

The NITWITS is NCTC’s improvisational comedy troupe. The troupe includes a veteranarian (Jeff Allen), a banker (Stephen Marshall), and two teachers (Spencer Jordan, Trey Stephens), among many other talented actors. The group uses improv acting techniques to perform skits, often using audience suggestions to guide the performance. The television show “Whose Line Is It Anyway” familiarized many with short-form improv comedy.

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If you’re wondering about the strange headline for this review, the reason for it is Chris Columbus directed the first two Harry Potter films. Since I was only 6 when I saw “The Sorcerer’s Stone,” I didn’t know how to compare two films based on who directed them. I’m happy to say I can now compare films based on the director. “Percy Jackson,” in my opinion, is better than the first and second Harry Potter films for a couple of reasons. The characters felt like people you could run in to on the street and I didn’t have to read the book to understand the plot.

Southside Theatre Guild in Fairburn is giving you a behind the scenes look with “Teachers, The Musical.”

The cast features Sharpsburg residents Tommy McDaniel and Truman Griffin, Fayetteville’s Alexia Barrett and Lauran Wilkerson, Jim Abert of Acworth, Marti Catrett of Barnesville and Maureen McDaniel of Haralson.

Boys and girls, ages 5 to 12, are invited to audition for Newnan Community Theatre Company’s original production, “Brer Rabbit Stories.” Brer Rabbit is a trickster who uses wit and words to escape from sticky situations. The author who popularized the Brer Rabbit stories is Joel Chandler Harris. He was born in Eatonton , Georgia . The children will participate in the creation and staging of half dozen or more of these endearing and charming folk tales, which originally came from West Africa .

Join your friends and neighbors on Saturday, Feb. 27 to help improve the trails at Line Creek Nature Area, a popular nature preserve in Fayette County.

Peachtree City School of Dance offers classes in ballet, hip hop, jazz, pointe, tap, contemporary and musical theater for all ages. Check out PTCSchoolofDance.com for a complete schedule or call us at 770-632-1544.

The musical “Cabaret” by Joe Masteroff takes places in Germany in the 1930s. The audience is invited, by the emcee, to escape to the Kit Kat Klub and leave all their troubles behind. Newnan Community Theatre Company (NCTC) will present the show in May.

Valentine’s Day is on a Sunday this year, what many consider a school night, but that doesn’t let you off the hook as your Valentine will probably expect to go somewhere this weekend to celebrate. If you need some ideas, this article should give you plenty.

College or technical school bound students in Fayette are invited to attend College Goal Sunday at Griffin RESA (Regional Educational Service Agency) on February 28 from 2-4 p.m.

Southern Conservation Trust is hosting a Volunteer Work Day at Line Creek Nature Center in Peachtree City, off Highway 54 at the Coweta County line, Feb. 13.

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Here’s a tooth fairy math question from my mother the editor: Children have 20 primary teeth. Would you be better off getting $5 per tooth, or getting a penny for the first tooth, two pennies for the second tooth, four pennies for the third tooth and continuing to double the dough for each tooth up to twenty? Now that the boring math message is out of the way, let’s get on with the review.

The American classic, ”Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller, is the story of a man in search of the American Dream.

Frank Sinatra entertained audiences for decades with dozens and dozens of hit songs. His presence can still be felt on modern culture as some of the songs he made famous continue to pop up on television, in movies and on the radio around the world. When Bethany Hayes Smith, the executive producer at the Legacy Theatre, was a part of “My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra” in Kentucky in 2004, it was a crowd pleaser, so it made sense for her and her husband, Mark, the theatre’s artistic director, to bring it to Tyrone.

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Happy new year, everyone! I’ve been busy with high school and homework, so I haven’t reviewed a film in a while, but I saw some good films. I saw “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel,” the new supercharged “Sherlock Holmes”, and the special effects-filled “Avatar.” Good films to end 2009. Unfortunately, 2010’s movie year did not start so well. The first film of the year for me is “The Spy Next Door,” a comedy that only kids will enjoy. As for how adults and teens will like it, that’s another story.

The Newnan Cultural Arts Commission (NCAC) has announced the date of the 18th Annual Wadsworth & Friends Concert set for Saturday, March 6 at 7:30 pm at Newnan’s Wadsworth Auditorium. The planned concert will be the 18th concert hosted by native son Charles Wadsworth who was first featured here in 1993 and, before and since, gained worldwide acclaim for his talents and hosting skills. Last year’s virtual sellout Wadsworth & Friends Concert celebrated the home town piano artist’s 80th  birthday at which he announced his retirement from the international circuit of concerts and programs at which he has been featured during his long and much heralded career.

If you’re in the mood to be part of a big party for New Year’s Eve, Underground Atlanta is certainly the place to be for its 21st annual Peach Drop New Year’s Eve Celebration.

The largest New Year’s Eve party in the Southeast will be headlined by celebrated recording artist and high-energy performer Morris Day and the Time. Day’s classic old-school sounds with new music and talented new band members will get the energy going and the crowd singing and dancing along as they ring in the New Year.

The insatiable curiosity of Curious George – the little monkey who has captured the imagination and hearts of millions of children and adults for over 65 years – comes to life at Imagine It! The Children’s Museum of Atlanta. The Curious George: Let’s Get Curious! exhibit will introduce young children to Curious George’s world and lead visitors on a fun, meaningful interactive math, science and engineering-based adventure.

Christmas is a time celebrating the dreams, imaginations and fantasies of children and nothing illustrates this better than “The Nutcracker.” There are several presentations taking place this weekend for audiences to enjoy.

Peachtree City Civic Ballet Company will present “The Nutcracker Ballet,” music by Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky and performed by dancers from throughout the Southern Crescent. In its sixth year, the company offers a new and exciting presentation of the traditional Christmas story, which in itself tells of family and community.

Here Ye! Here Ye! The sights and sounds of 19th Century London are back and alive at Heritage Christian Church for this years Dickens Village.  Dickens Village is not just another craft show, but a unique and nostaligic, family friendly, entertainment experience. Olde English shops, period costumed characters with accents, entertainment, and goodies fill the church campus at 2130 Redwine Road with sights and smells that take you back to another era. Dickens Village provides five days of merriment, music and memories for everyone.  This year’s Village is planned for Dec. 9-13 from 6- 9 p.m. nightly at Heritage Christian Church. 

The Fayette County Historical Society cordially invites you to its annual Christmas Open house this Sunday, December 13 from 3p.m. to 4 p.m. It is located at 195 Lee Street, just behind the American Legion Log Cabin.

The Fayette County "Wreaths Across America" Dedication Ceremony will be held this Saturday, Dec. 12 at the Fayetteville City Cemetery.  At 10 a.m. , cadets from the Civil Air Patrol, Falcon Field Composite Squadron GA-116, will begin laying over 100 Christmas wreaths, donated by local citizens, on the graves of our veterans buried there.

Zaphyra, will perform a holiday program on Sunday, Dec. 13 at Newnan’s favorite restaurant, Ten East Washington.

The Fayette based vocal band will be presenting “A Touch of Christmas” from 12:30-1:30 pm.

Christmas comes to the Fayetteville Depot Wednesday, Dec. 9 through Friday Dec. 11 when the Twilight Theatre presents "Babes in Toyland,” a children's comedy based on the classic Victor Herbert operetta. This delightful one-act play features a cast of local actors ages 5-14 playing toys, Mother Goose characters, villains and even Santa himself. The student director is Maggie Spears, and the music director is Carolyn Bakovetz, both members of the Twilight Theatre Apprentice Company. 

In an old house in Paris that was covered with vines, lived twelve little girls in two straight lines. They left the house, at half past nine...The smallest one was Madeline.” Ludwig Bemelmans, “Madeline”

The Carnegie invites kids of all ages to a holiday puppet show featuring Peter and Mary Ann Hart of Atlanta Puppet. The program will be presented on Monday, December 21st at 10 a.m.

The Fayetteville First United Methodist Church will be holding its Annual Christmas Tour of Homes this Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 5 and 6.

The Southern Crescent Chorale will join other area community choruses and the Southern Crescent Symphony Orchestra in presenting Handel's Messiah at the Clayton County Performing Arts Center located at 2530 Mt. Zion Parkway, Jonesboro, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students.

Christmas Eve is tough for private investigator Cactus O’Riley. She is trying to lure her secretary Fred away from his protective mother, dodging the affections of Deputy D.A. Windsor, and considering closing her business. She doesn’t need the added aggravation of two fugitives who burst into her office looking for justice and a dead detective named Jake Marley. Christmas turns into a dickens of a holiday as Cactus solves mysteries and takes a second chance on love and sleuthing. Comedy, mystery and romance converge in this charming contemporary Christmas tale where goodwill and justice triumph.