
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, August 11, 1995                   TAG: 9508110021
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: STACY JONES
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

THE TIPOFF

OUT TO PASTURE: What's a nursing home without some wise-cracking, naughty seniors? Reality, probably. Nevertheless, playwright James Leva has created ``Visitations,'' a new play that's receiving a workshop production at Theater at Lime Kiln. Set in an old folks home replete with peculiar yet engaging characters, this play examines the ``quest for understanding that leads across boundaries of culture and time.'' Whew...pretty deep. The show opens Wednesday and runs through next Saturday. All performances begin at 8 p.m. Admission is $7. Discounts are available for children, students and seniors. Call 463-3074.

BARGAIN BASEMENT BARD: Maybe you just got back from vacation and money is tight, maybe you want to sample Shakespeare without shelling out $15 for a show you may hate, or maybe you're just really cheap. Whatever the case, these are all good reasons to try the second and latest production of The Roanoke Valley Shakespeare Festival. The troupe will present ``A Midsummer Night's Dream'' tonight at 8 in Whitman Auditorium at Virginia Western Community College. The group's last performance got mixed reviews, but, hey, it was their first show. Cut them some slack and go with an open mind. The play runs through Sunday. Admission is free. Call 857-7327.

MOUNTAIN MUSIC: You don't have to be from Appalachia to enjoy fiddle music. Fans of the instrument should visit Galax today and Saturday for the 60th annual Old Time Fiddlers Convention. Competition among instrumentalists, bands and dancers starts at 6 tonight and noon tomorrow. Meanwhile, on nearby Grayson Street, the Fiddlefest street festival offers crafts, food, a farmers' market, a sidewalk sale and - like the fiddlers convention - lots of music. A fiddle made in Prague in 1860 will be raffled off during Fiddlefest to raise money for the renovation of the historic Rex Theatre. Fiddlefest runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is free. Call (703) 236-0668.

E-I-E-I-GO!: That's the slogan for the 71st Annual State Fair of West Virginia, which begins today. I don't know what it means, but dancing farm animals come to mind. That may be the only thing this nine-day bonanza doesn't have. Attractions include carnival rides, barn tours, a circus, harness racing, a SPAM recipe contest, the requisite hog-calling contest and other activities too numerous to list. Merle Haggard, the Statler Brothers, George Jones and MTV ``Real World'' star John Brennan are among the celebrities scheduled to appear. Fair hours are 8 a.m.-midnight. Admission is $6; children under 11 get in free. The State Fair is located near Lewisburg, about two hours from Roanoke. Call (304) 645-1090.

by CNB