East Carolina Playhouse
East Carolina University, Greenville, 328-6829. Student performers present five shows between late September and April. Part of ECU Theatre Arts Department.

ECU/Loessin Playhouse
• Oct. 4-9: "Hello Dolly."
• Nov. 16-21: "The Underpants," by Carl Sternheim
• Feb. 7-12, 2008: Dance 2008
• Feb. 28-March 4, 2008: "Flora, The Red Menace"
• April 17-22, 2007: "Iphigenia in Aulis" by Euripides

ECU/Loessin Summer Theater
The East Carolina University Summer Theater usually offers three productions during the summer.

The S. Rudolph Alexander Performing Arts Series
Features professional attractions from the fields of music, dance and theater. All performances are held in Wright Auditorium. For tickets, call the ECU Central ticket office, 328-4788 or (800) ECU-ARTS or visit www.ecuarts.com.
• 7:30 p.m. Sept. 28: Jose Limon Dance
• 7:30 p.m. Oct. 11: Pianist Olga Kern
• 7:30 p.m. Nov. 7: Aquila Theatre presents Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar"
• 7:30 p.m. Nov. 8: Aquila Theatre presents Josephy Heller's "Catch-22"
• 7:30 p.m. Jan. 20, 2008: Ring of Fine: The Music of Johnny Cash,
• 7:30 p.m. Jan. 31, 2008: Empire Brass Quintet
• 7:30 p.m. Feb. 6, 2008: Monterey Jazz Festival 50th Anniversary Tour
• 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13, 2008: State Symphony Orchestra of Mexico
• 7:30 p.m. April 8, 2008: St. Petersburg Ballet Company presents Romeo & Juliet

East Carolina University's Family Fare Series
Features fun, educational programs for children and their families. All performances are in Wright Auditorium. For tickets, call the ECU Central Ticket Office, 328-4788 or (800) ECU-ARTS or visit www.ecuarts.com.
• 7 p.m. Oct. 5: Storybook Theatre presents "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe"
• 7 p.m. Jan 11, 2008: Kennedy Center Presents Teddy Roosevelt and the Treasure of Ursa Major
• 7 p.m. March 14, 2008: Kennedy Center Presents Katie Couric's "The Brand New Kid"
• 7 p.m. April 11, 2008: Storybook Theatre

Four Seasons Chamber Music Festival
All performances will be held in A.J. Fletcher Recital Hall on the ECU campus. For tickets, call (800) ECU-ARTS or visit www.ecuarts.com.
• 7 p.m. Sept. 13-14: Season opening extravaganza
• 7 p.m. Oct. 25, 8 p.m. Oct. 26: Quartets for Autumn
• 7 p.m. Jan. 10, 2008 and 8 p.m. Jan. 11, 2008: Passioni and Elegance
• 7 p.m. March 27, 2008 and 8 p.m. March 28, 2008: Dramatic Journeys
• 7 p.m. April 24, 2008 and 8 p.m. April 25, 2008: Season Finale

Farmville Community Arts Council
The Farmville Community Arts Council will present several theater productions throughout the year. Call 753-3832.

• Oct. 19: 30th anniversary gala at Woodside Antiques
• Nov. 15-18: "Scrooge! The Musical"
• April 10-13, 2008: "Jesus Christ Superstar"
• May 28-31: "Death by Chocolate"

East Carolina Dance Theater
ECU Theatre Arts Department, East Carolina University, Greenville, 328-6390. The theater presents an annual production featuring students performing faculty-choreographed pieces.

Smiles & Frowns Playhouse Inc.
P.O. Box 1945, Greenville. 756-4959. Nonprofit group for children in grades K-12.

• Fall production: 7 p.m. Nov. 16 and 2 p.m. Nov. 17
• Spring 2008 production: "The Magical Pied Piper" at 7 p.m. March 14 and 2 p.m. March 15
Both productions will be held at the Ayden Community Center, 511 S. Lee St., Ayden. Tickets are $4 in advance and $5 at the door. For more information, visit www.smilesandfrowns.net or call 756-4959.

Magnolia Arts Center
A comprehensive arts organization, Magnolia Arts Center shows foreign films, sponsors music and film festivals, produces plays, sponsors an annual 10-minute play contest and hosts other periodic events showcasing local musicians, writers and artists. Visit www.magnoliaartscenter.com or call (888)MAC-EVNT.
• Oct. 12: Authors & Apple Pie: An evening of readings by local writers with an accompaniment of apple pie and coffee, 7 p.m. at the Greenville Museum of Art. Selections will include a short story titled "Lover's Knot" by Ada Milenkovic Brown and excerpts from Dana McLawhorn's "Twenty-first Century Mary Magdelene," Richard Folsom's "The Paredo Spread"
• Nov. 11: The second annual playwright competition finale at 6 p.m. at Jaycee Park Auditorium. Admission $5.
• Jan. 13, 2008: A workshop of a play by the late Sam Gerber, "My Hideous Progeny," at 2 p.m. at the Greenville Museum of Art. Free.

Ayden Community Theatre
The Ayden Theatre Workshop started in 1978 and ran for a decade before dying in the 1990s. A group of dedicated theater folk revived the workshop in April 2005. Its first major performance since its revival was "Love Rides the Rails" in March 2006 in the Ayden Arts Center.

The theater group presents two major productions each year in addition to making special appearances during the winter holiday season. Auditions are open to anyone in the community and productions include thespians of all ages from all over Pitt County.

The Ayden Theatre Workshop changed its name to the Ayden Community Theatre (ACT) in August. This fall, the theater will present "Pirates Rest," a comedy written by Tom Reisner, at 7 p.m. Oct. 19-20, Oct 26-27 and 2 p.m. Oct. 21 and 28th. Call 746-7002.

Greenville Theater Project and Ooops! Comedy Improv (at the City Hotel and Bistro)
Are you a fan of "Whose Line is it Anyway?" Come see Ooops! Comedy Improv at the City Hotel and Bistro. The evening of entertainment begins at 7 p.m. and lasts approximately two hours. Tickets are $7 on a first-come, first-served basis. Call 355-8300. Show dates: Oct. 7 and Nov. 18. Shows for 2008 run approximately every six weeks.

Theater
March 28-April 5, 2008: "Art" a play by Yasmina Reza.

Classes
• Improv 101: Sept. 4-Oct. 23
• Stand-Up Comedy: Sept. 20-Nov. 8

For more information, call 758-4190 or visit www.greenvilletheaterproject.com.

Sunday in the Park
Greenville Recreation and Parks Department, P.O. Box 7201, Greenville. 329-4567. This summer concert series is held at 7 p.m. Sundays in June and July on the Greenville Town Common.

ECU School of Music
Year-round concerts and recitals feature faculty members, students and guest performers. Call 328-6851.
• Jan. 2008: Religious Arts Festival
• Feb. 2008: Black History Month Concert: A Tribute to Motown
• March 2008: NewMusic@ECU Festival
• April 2008: Billy Taylor Jazz Festival

FolkArts Society of Greenville
The FolkArts Society of Greenville presents a concert series of traditional and contemporary folk music, contradances, salsa and other performing arts. Dances are held at the Willis Building, 300 E. First St. Visit www.geocities.com/greenvillefolkarts.

Music Academy of Eastern Carolina
The Music Academy of Eastern Carolina, 1400 Red Banks Road, is a member of the National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts. MAEC is for students of all ages and abilities and offers music lessons, jazz studies, music therapy and Suzuki guitar. Call 353-6232 or visit www.musicacademyec.org.

Greenville Choral Society
The Greenville Choral Society will perform Pergolesi's "Magnificat" in December and Haydn's large-scale oratorio "The Creation" in May as part of its 2007-08 season.
• The season will open Oct. 28 at 4 p.m. at the new Peace Presbyterian Church sanctuary with "Songs of Harvest, Thanksgiving and Praise."
• The annual holiday concert, which will feature the Concert Choir, Chamber Chorale and children's and youth groups, will take place in early December, and will be highlighted by a performance of 18th century Italian composer Giovanni Battista Pergolesi's "Magnificat." A date and location are to be announced.
• The sixth annual "Black Tie Gala" fundraiser will take place Feb. 23 at the Greenville Hilton.
• Youth and children's groups will present their spring concert April 5 at 7 p.m. at Memorial Baptist church, and the Chamber Chorale will present its spring concert May 3 at 7 p.m. at Peace Presbyterian Church.
• The season will close May 17 at 7 p.m., with a performance of Franz Joseph Haydn's "The Creation" oratorio for chorus, soloists and orchestra at Oakmont Baptist Church.

Nearly 200 singers ranging in age from 8 to 76 perform in the various groups within the society. Dan Bara, head of choral music activities at East Carolina University, is artistic director of the Greenville Choral Society. Call 353-5495.

Tar River Community Band
Rehearses at 7:15 p.m. Thursday evenings at C.M. Eppes Middle School. The band plays a wide variety of music: marches, show tunes, jazz, swing and classical. The band's season begins in August around the time the school year begins, and ends with a Sunday in the Park performance.

Emerald City Big Band
Rehearses on Thursdays evenings and presents concerts and benefit performances throughout the year. Call 756-7842.

• Fourth of July celebration: Greenville Jaycee's annual celebration on the Town Common. Visit www.greenvillejaycees.org.
• Winterville Watermelon Festival: Town of Winterville celebration is held in August. Visit www.watermelonfest.com.
• Ayden Collard Festival: Town celebration held in September. Visit www.aydencollardfestival.com.
• Pitt County Fair: Held at the Pitt County Fairgrounds on US 264 the first week of October. Call 758-6816.
• Festival of Trees: Festival of decorated trees to benefit The Family Support Network of Eastern North Carolina. Visit www.fsnenc.org.
• Grifton Shad Festival: Town celebration held in April. Visit http://www.grifton.com/shadfest.html.
• Farmville Dogwood Festival: Town festival held the fourth weekend in April. Call 753-5814.
• Great Purple /Gold Pigskin Pig Out Party: Football activities, food, a pig-cooking contest and music in April. Call 328-4530.