Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, November 25, 1994 TAG: 9412070045
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ALMENA HUGHES
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
The gift show and shopping exposition features more than 150 displays and exhibits of holiday foods, gifts, crafts and services, plus a special Holiday Floral Symposium and a Festival of Wreaths.
The Berenstain Bears present "A Family Christmas," Saturday only at 2, 5 and 7 p.m. Gift show today, 2-9 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Admission Friday free, canned-food donation requested. $4, $2 children. $1 off admission with canned food donation. Roanoke Civic Center Coliseum and Auditorium. 981-1201.
REAL GEMS: Kids young and old love looking at the tumbled stones, geodes, animal miniatures and other "neat stuff" on display during the Roanoke Valley Mineral and Gem Society's 15th annual Mineral and Gem Show. Demonstrations cover various mineral- and gem-related topics. Gems and minerals offer some great gift possibilities, too.
Admission is free. Saturday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sunday, noon-6 p.m., Salem Civic Center, 375-3004.
TRUE GRITS: Born in Indianapolis and currently living in New York and Massachusetts, humorist Roy Blount Jr. is nevertheless as Southern as grits. He's also the author of 10 books and numerous articles and a member, along with Dave Barry and Stephen King, of the offbeat authors' rock 'n' roll band Rock Bottom Remainders.
On Wednesday, Blount will sign his books and be the featured guest at a Friends of the Library and Roanoke Public Library Foundation's fund-raising event. With Blount's background, expect lots of laughs and surprises, Southern style.
Radisson Patrick Henry Hotel, 617 Jefferson St. South, Roanoke, 8 p.m., Tickets $8.50 advance, $10 at the door. Call 981-2473 or Roanoke City libraries.
ECONOMIC ICON: Former Virginia governor and attorney general Gerald Baliles spent much of his career promoting domestic and international economic development. Among numerous accomplishments, he established Virginia's first Cabinet-level post for economic development and directed the expansion of world-trade promotion initiatives.
On Tuesday, he'll talk about his efforts to enhance vitality and competitiveness within Virginia and throughout the nation. The free lecture begins at 7:30 p.m. in Hollins College's Green Drawing Room. Call 362-6452.
FILM FARE: Director Oliver Stone has won just about every filmic award there is: Directors Guild and Academy awards for "Platoon" and "Born on the Fourth of July"; Writers Guild and Academy awards for "Midnight Express"; Golden Globes for "Talk Radio," ``Heaven and Earth," "The Doors," and "Natural Born Killers."
On Thursday, at 7:30 p.m. in Virginia Tech's Burruss Auditorium, he'll talk about his winning works. Admission is $7, $4 students. Call 231-5615.
PUTTING AIDS IN PERSPECTIVE: Actor Cy Webber has performed from coast to coast "Living with ...,'' his powerful one-man play about AIDS.
In recognition of AIDS World Day on Thursday, Weber will present the informative, sensitive and revealing views of AIDS from the perspectives of doctor, patient and parent at 7 p.m. in Hollins College's Hollins Theatre. A reception will follow. Admission is free. Call 362-6452.
SUPER MOM: Mary, mother of Jesus, as performed by actress Barbara Johnson in "Woman In Light," is just an average, flesh-and-blood Jewish woman facing humor and pain brought on by unusual circumstances.
Veteran actress Johnson said that portraying Mary between ages 14 and 55 in the one-woman play is her favorite role because, "It provides such an insight into what it truly must have been like to give birth to the greatest man who ever lived, to watch him grow, to watch him die and to watch him rise again."
Performances are Dec. 1-3 at 8 p.m. in Virginia Western Community College's Whitman Auditorium. Tickets are $10 adults; $5 students; group rates are available. For reservations and information, call 563-0778.
JOINED IN JAZZ: It is said that the Virginia Tech Jazz Orchestra does not often venture far from its home campus to perform, but on Thursday in Ferrum College's Vaughn Chapel it will. The group will collaborate with the Ferrum College Jazz Combo in presenting some great American classics. Special musical arrangements will include "A Foggy Day," "Take the A Train," "Lil' Darlin," "Killer Joe" and "All of Me."
Ferrum College music instructor Thurlowe Scudder will conduct the Ferrum combo, and Joe Kennedy, virtuoso jazz violinist, recording artist, composer and director of jazz studies at Virginia Tech, will conduct Tech's jazz orchestra and the grand finale when the groups combine.
The free performance begins at 7:30 p.m. Call 365-4358.
by CNB