Briefs: Music, theater and family entertainment

Theater

THE ERA OF CIVIL RIGHTS

INSPIRE ‘VIOLET’

The early days of the civil rights movement provide the dramatic backdrop for the award-winning musical “Violet,” which begins a two-weekend run tonight at the College of Southern Nevada.

With a gospel, rock, country and rhythm and blues score by Jeanine Tesori (“Thoroughly Modern Millie”, “Shrek the Musical”), “Violet” follows a bitter young woman, accidentally marked by her father, who travels by bus from the North Carolina to Oklahoma in search of a cure by a televangelist. Along the way, a meeting with two soldiers allows him to learn lessons of love and courage.

“Violet” will be staging at 7:30 p.m. today and Saturday and 2:00 p.m. Sunday at the college’s Nicholas J. Horn Theater, 3200 E. Cheyenne Ave., North Las Vegas. Additional performances are at 7:30 p.m. on April 26-27 and at 2 p.m. on April 28.

Tickets ($ 17 for adults, $ 15 for students and seniors) are available by phone at 651-5483 or online at www.csn.edu/pac.

Family fun

SALUTE FROM THE FESTIVALS

WORLDS OF PLEASURE

It’s a world of festivals this weekend as the University of Nevada, Las Vegas hosts the Festival of Communities and GreenFest, while the Rio hosts the 12th annual Pure Aloha Festival. Additionally, the Las Vegas Celtic Society Highland Games take place at Floyd Lamb Park and the 20th Annual Clark County Children’s Festival takes over the Winchester Cultural Center.

Celebrating cultural diversity and Earth Day, the Festival of Communities and GreenFest double from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway.

Over 130 stalls showcase cultural diversity, international refreshments and a variety of eco-friendly (and child-friendly) activities; for more information, visit www.unlv.edu/festivals.

At Rio, 3700 W. Flamingo Road, the 12th annual Pure Aloha Festival continues from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. today, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, celebrating all things Hawaiian, including island crafts, music and food. . In addition, Katchafire, Common Kings & Maoli are performing in concert this evening; The headliners for Saturday’s concert are Kapena & Mahi.

Concert tickets ($ 28 to $ 38) are available online at www.vizzun.com; General admission tickets ($ 6 for seniors, military, and children ages 5-10, general $ 8) are available at the door.

Floyd Lamb Park, meanwhile, becomes a Scottish outpost at the Las Vegas Celtic Society’s annual Celtic Gathering and Highland Games, which takes place from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. today and Sunday at 9200 Tule Springs Road.

Track and field, dance and orchestral competitions, as well as live Scottish performances, highlight the fun of the Highlands. Tickets ($ 10 to $ 15 for over 5s) are available at the door; a $ 2 discount is available with the donation of a non-perishable food. For more information, visit www.lasvegascelticsociety.org.

And from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays at the Winchester Cultural Center, 3130 McLeod Drive, the 20th annual Clark County Children’s Festival features music and dance, arts and crafts, exotic animals, clown and percussion workshops, storytelling, carnival games and more. (There is a small charge for refreshments and activities such as rock climbing and pony rides.) For more information, call 455-7340.

Art

BOULDER CITY, HYMN

HOST ART FESTIVALS

Free outdoor arts festivals take place this weekend in Boulder City and Henderson’s Anthem Highlands.

The 28th annual Boulder City Fine Arts Festival, which showcases the works of more than 130 artists from the Southwest, takes place Saturday and Sunday at Bicentennial Park in Boulder City, 999 Colorado St.

Free drawings, a raffle of artwork, entertainment and refreshments complete the exhibits of watercolors, oils, acrylics, photographs, sculptures, glass jewelry, pottery and more. works of art.

The festival takes place from 10 am to 5 pm on Saturday and Sunday; for more information call 293-2138.

In Henderson, the ArtWalk at Anthem Highlands will feature artwork, jewelry, glass, ceramics, photography and other crafts, as well as an art space for children. Kendzia, based in Sedona, Ariz., Will offer musical entertainment on Sunday.

The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Anthem Highlands Shopping Center, 2810 Bicentennial Parkway, Henderson. For more information, visit www.vegasartwalk.com.

Music

SYMPHONY UNLV

SET CONCERT

The X concerto for clarinet and strings by Generation X member Scott McAllister joins Mr. Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor and Franz Liszt’s “Spanish Rhapsody” on the program of Wednesday’s UNLV symphonic concert next.

Violinist Dmytro Hnedych, pianist Hauen Grace Kim and clarinetist Jennifer Iles will perform as soloists; Taras Krysa, director of the UNLV orchestras, will conduct.

The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Artemus Ham Hall on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway. For tickets ($ 8 to $ 10), call 895-2787 or visit pac.unlv.edu.

Family fun

DISNEY ON ICE

SKATES IN LV

Embark with a host of Disney favorites as Disney on Ice’s “Treasure Trove” drops anchor Thursday at the Thomas & Mack Center for a four-day stay.

The skating show features a motley team of beloved animated characters including various Disney Princesses, Peter Pan, Tinkerbell and Captain Hook, Simba, Nala, Pumbaa and Timon and the main character from Alice in Wonderland, as well as the Mad Hatter and the Queen of Hearts Card Army.

“Treasure Trove” hits the ice at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Thomas & Mack Center, Tropicana Avenue and Swenson Street. Additional performances are 7:30 p.m. on April 26; 11:30 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on April 27; and 1:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. on April 28. Tickets ($ 13 to $ 58) are available by calling 739-3267 or online at www.unlvtickets.com.

– By CAROL CLING