Diversions

Ticketmaster events are sold at Macy’s and Giant Eagle, both Hermitage; ticketmaster.com; and at 330-747-1212.



ART

• Painter Eric Forstman’s “Cash, Clouds, Shirts, Fruit” shows through June 29 at Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown. Michael McGowan’s photographs “Skin Deep” shows through July 13 and the National Collage Society’s Post Card Size Collage is on view through June 20. Info: 330-743-1711 and www.butlerart.com

• “Alternative Focus,” featuring pinhole photographs by Jesseca Ferguson of Boston and Tom Persinger of Pittsburgh, is on view Friday through June 14 at Silver Eye Center for Photography, Pittsburgh. There is an artists’ reception from 2 to 4 p.m. May 31. Info: 412-431-1810 and www.silvereye.org

• “World in a Jar: War & Trauma,” an installation by Robert Hirsch is on view Wednesday through June 6 at Filmmakers Galleries, Pittsburgh.

Info: www.pittsburgharts.org or 412-361-0873.

• “Under the Influence of Diverse Cultures,” four new perspectives on “ethnic investigation” in contemporary art show through June 27 at Hoyt Institute of Fine Arts, New Castle. Featured artists include Sun Young Kang, Brenda Bates Clark, Michele Perelman and Jack Carlton. There’s a reception from 2 to 4 p.m. June 1. Info: 724-652-2882 and www.hoytartcenter.org

• “Ecology.Design.Synergy” shows through Sunday at Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh. Photos by Craig Cutler are on display through July 27 and “Time Machines: Watches from the H.J. Heinz Collection” through July 6 Info: 412-622-3131 and www.cmoa.org

• “Ancient Alloy: Bronzes from the Collection” is on display through June at Erie Art Museum. “Wildthings” by sculptor Kathe Umlauf portrays animals of all sorts through May 31. The 85th annual spring show is on view through June 22. Info: 814-459-5477 and www.erieartmuseum.org

• Painter and sculptor Gregory Perillo combines realism and impressionism with pieces showing through Saturday at Butler Institute of American Art, Salem, Ohio. Info: 330-332-8213 and www.butlerart.com

• Trumbull Art Gallery, Warren, Ohio, and Cuyahoga Valley Art Center present their first Exchange Art Show through Saturday. The TAG gallery is transformed by the spirit of Marc Chagall for this year's Summerfest Sunday through July 3. Info: 330-395-4876 and www.trumbullartgallery.com

• “Life As We Know It,” including paintings by local artists Kathy Acker, John W. Carlson, Shirley J. Dobler and John Graham and jewelry artisan Dana Deissler, shows through May 31 at Meadville Council on the Arts. Gallery hours are noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Info: 814-336-5051.

• “A Shared Vision: The Fred and Laura Ruth Bidwell Photography Collection” shows through Sunday at Akron Art Museum. “Bill Brandt: Shadows and Substance” opens May 31. Info: 330-376-9185 and www.akronartmuseum.org



CLASSICAL

• Pianist Mitsuko Uchida plays Bartok with the Cleveland Orchestra today and Saturday at Severance Hall. The orchestra takes on Bruckner’s Ninth Symphony Friday morning. Tickets and info: 800-686-1141, 216-231-1111 and www.clevelandorch.com



COMEDY

• Eddie Izzard is “Stripped” Friday and Saturday at Palace Theatre, Cleveland. Canadian cult favorites Kids in the Hall perform May 31. Tickets and info: 800-766-6048 and www.playhousesquare.com



DANCE

• Enjoy some Memorial Day polka dance with host Val Pawlowski and music by Wayne Tomsic Band and Stan Blout Band, from 1 to 7 p.m. Monday in SNPJ Farm, Heath Road, Kirtland, Ohio. Food by Maple Heights Catering, bring a lawn chair.

• Variety on the Square hosts an opportunity to dance to local musician Ed Ceremuga, playing at 7 p.m. today in the old G.C. Murphy Building at 110 N. Pitt St., Mercer. There is an admission charge. Bring a lawn chair. Info: 724-662-1490

• Dance to the oldies with Eddie & the Edsels at 8 p.m. Friday or try polka with Del Rezek at 8 p.m. Saturday in Kuzman’s Lounge, Girard, Ohio. Also, catch a jitterbug dance Wednesday.



DRAMATIC STAGE

• In “Hedda Gabler,” the mores of a Victorian woman trapped in a loveless marriage and driven to remain respectable leads her to seek fulfillment in manipulating the lives of others and fencing with a dangerous predator. It plays at 7:30 p.m. May 30 and 31, June 6, 7, 13 and 14, and also at 2 p.m. on June 1, 8 and 15. Production by the Victorian Players, 702 Mahoning Ave., Youngstown. Reservations and info: 330-746-5455.

• Lauren Weedman contrasts her volunteer work helping female inmates with experiences in beauty-obsessed Hollywood through dozens of characters in “Bust” today through June 29 at City Theatre, Pittsburgh at Lester Hamburg Studio, Pittsburgh. Tickets and info 412-431-CITY and www.citytheatrecompany.org

• Nikolai Gogol’s “The Gamblers” is a brilliant study of human avarice today through June 15 at Kennedy’s Cabaret, Cleveland. Tickets and info: 800-766-6048 and www.playhousesquare.com

• Pittsburgh Public Theater closes their season with Neil Simon’s “The Odd Couple” May 29 through June 29 at O’Reilly Theater. Tickets and info: 412-316-1600 and www.ppt.org



ETC..

• Cleveland Pops presents their 8th annual “Salute to Our Armed Forces” at 8 p.m. Friday in Severance Hall. The concert will feature the United States Army Field Band and Chorus. Info: 216-765-7677 and www.clevelandpops.com

• Come along on a playful journey with “Arlecchino and the Italian Clowns” in the world premiere production filled with acrobatics, movement, rhyme and music through Sunday at Pittsburgh Playhouse. Tickets and info: www.pointpark.edu

• The West Virginia Dandelion Festival celebrates a dandy weed today through Monday in White Sulphur Springs. Info: www.wssmainstreet.org; 304-536-5060.

• “Charlotte’s Web” spins a classic tale of friendship at 7 p.m. Friday in Miller Auditorium, Slippery Rock University. The Theatreworks USA production stays true to E.B. White’s fable about Wilbur and his friends on Zuckerman’s farm.

There will be a dinner buffet from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Weisenfluh Dining Hall on campus, where SRU education majors will lead fun activities for kids and T-shirts will be given out. The movie “Charlotte’s Web” will be shown during the dinner, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Film Institute. Tickets and info: 724-738-2091

• Rachel’s Sustainable Feast, is noon to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Rachel Carson Homestead in Springdale. Cost is $5; children under 5, free. Info: www.rachelcarsonhomestead.org

• Venture Outdoors is offering a veritable plethora of activities, including a Fireworks Paddle, 8 to 10 p.m. Friday at Kayak Pittsburgh, downtown Pittsburgh; and Intro to Inline Skating, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday on the Eliza Furnace Trail. Info: www.ventureoutdoors.com

• Thunder Harley Davidson of Sharon is donating prizes for the sixth annual Bike Run fundraiser for the Second Chance Animal Rescue shelter in Austintown, to be held June 1.

Participants will leave at 10 a.m. from Quaker Steak and Lube at state Routes 46 and 80 in Austintown, and return to the site at noon. Registration fee is $25 for rider and passenger and for dinner. Dinner-only tickets are $10. There will also be a Chinese auction, 50-50 drawing and prizes. Info: 330-505-3575.

• The 49th annual Three Rivers Arts Festival takes it to the city streets June 6-22 in downtown Pittsburgh. Info: 412-281-8723 or www.artsfestival.net



LOCAL BANDS

• Hear Led Zeppelin tribute band Zoso and Who tribute band Bargain playing Saturday in the Warren Community Amphitheater, 300 Mahoning Ave.

• Come hear the authentic sounds from the Civil War as The WildCat Band plays the period martial and social music with the same instruments, sheet music and uniforms used in the 1800s. It all starts at 7 p.m. Monday in the Academy Theater, Meadville. Info: $10 admission, proceeds toward historical society

• Variety on the Square presents Red Mountain Boys, playing from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday in the old G.C. Murphy Building at 110 N. Pitt St., Mercer. There is an admission charge. Bring a lawn chair. Info: 724-662-1490

• Side Effects plays high energy dance rock at 10 p.m. Friday in The Palms, Conneaut Lake, Pa. Also at The Palms, catch The Earthquakers Saturday night and Velveeta on Sunday. Band info: www.thesideeffects.com

• The Hern Brothers Band plays at 10 p.m. Saturday in the Icehouse Inn, Austintown, Ohio. Band info: www.hernbrothers.com

• Max & Terry play their eclectic mix of the blues and the dead at 9 p.m. Sunday in Tully’s Irish Pub, Sharon. Then, hear Rainbow Tribe play rock-n-reggae at 9 p.m. Monday. Info: 724-981-3123 and www.quakersteakandlube.com

• The “cool jazz” trio Stretch plays standards and original compositions at 8 p.m. Friday in The Mill Street Grille, New Castle. Info: 724-654-7300 or www.myspace.com/stretchjazz

• The band Czar plays Friday night in the Okay Corral, Stoneboro.

• Catch Tommy Chris at 9:30 p.m. Saturday in Razzy’s, inside the Quality Inn, Hermitage. Info: 724-704-7535

• The Wild Turkey Band will be mixing it up at 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday in The Clark House, Clark.

• Remedy will play at 9 p.m. Saturday in the Greenville Moose Club for members and guests only. They also play for the public at 9 p.m. Sunday in the Jamestown Firemans’ Club. Info: www.remedybandrocks.com

• Listen to the great dance sound of Savoy on Saturday night in Fairway-12, Conneaut. www.savoysite.com



MUSICAL STAGE

• A recreation of the voyage and sinking of the world’s greatest luxury liner, “Titanic” plays Friday through June 15 in Youngstown Playhouse. Reservations: 330-788-8739. Info: www.youngstownplayhouse.com



Compiled by Herald Staff Writers Courtney Anderson and Matthew Snyder.