County Fare Capsules ASTEC SPRING FESTIVAL PLANNED FOR SUNDAY: The American Suzuki Talent Education Center will hold a 2004 Spring Festival at 2 p.m., Sunday, April 25, at Ben Franklin Junior High School, 2000 Polk St., Stevens Point. The event in the Ben Franklin Auditorium will be open to the public free of charge. The program will include performances by 220 students ranging in age from 4 to 19 years old. Students playing violin, viola, cello, voice and piano will perform a variety of works by well-known composers, including Marcello, von Weber, Bach, Handel, Shostakovich and Schumann. The Central States Chamber Orchestra also will perform two pieces, "Suite for String Orchestra" by L. Janacek, and the Overture to the "Don Quixote Suite" by G. Telemann. * * * CWES AND MREA BENEFIT AT CLARK'S PLACE: John Wunsch, classical guitarist and environmental activist, will perform at 8 p.m., Friday, April 23, at Clark Place, 1009 Clark St., Stevens Point. Tickets are $10 and all proceeds will benefit the Central Wisconsin Environmental Station (CWES) and the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA). Tickets are available at Clark Place, through the MREA at 592-6595, or through CWES at 824-2428. The evening will feature two sets of "environmentally inspired" compositions by Wunsch. He is a composer as well as a guitarist and his music has been described as "original" and "elegant." He uses a variety of instruments including classical, 12-string and acoustic guitars as well as percussion and vocals to create striking multilayered music. His music has been featured on the National Public Radio (NPR) program, "All Things Considered," and the network television program, "Entertainment Tonight." Wunsch has played with the likes of B.B. King and Spyro Gyra. CWES, a University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UW-SP) College of Natural Resources field station on Sunset Lake, was the first site in Wisconsin to be designated as a "National Environmental Study Area" by the National Park Service. The station gives people from all walks of life the opportunity to learn about themselves and the environment. Since 1975, the 300-acre learning and teaching center has been an integral part of UW-SP. MREA is a nonprofit network dedicated to sharing ideas, resources and information in an effort to promote efficient and sustainable energy. The organization hosts the world's largest renewable energy education event each June, the Renewable Energy and Sustainable Living Fair. They also operate the ReNew the Earth Institute, a demonstration site and educational facility for renewable energy systems. * * * CITY BAND AUDITIONS BEGIN: Area musicians are invited to participate in the Stevens Point City Band summer concert season, a "musical tradition" on Wednesday evenings at Pfiffner Pioneer Park. Concerts will be performed every Wednesday, June 16, through Aug. 11, at 7:30 p.m. at the band shell in the park. The band rehearses on Tuesday from 7-9 p.m. beginning June 1. This year, all brass and percussion, as well as all new personnel, need to audition. Woodwinds who auditioned last year are welcome to re-audition if they so choose. Auditions will be held in Room 120 of Nelson Hall at UW-SP as follows: Monday, May 3, 5 to 7 p.m.; Tuesday, May 4, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.; Wednesday, May 5, 4:30 to 6 p.m.; Thursday, May 6, 5 to 7 p.m.; Monday, May 10, 5 to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday, May 11, 5 to 6 p.m. For more information, contact director Kathy Kawleski at 345-0061. * * * WISCONSIN RAPIDS COMMUNITY THEATRE SEEKS DIRECTORS: The Wisconsin Rapids Community Theatre (WRCT) will begin its 2004-2005 season with the slapstick farce "The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940" by John Bishop. The performance runs Oct. 28-30 and Nov. 3-6. The comedy tells the tale of a Broadway team as it prepares for a show at the estate of a wealthy "angel." The winter production, "The Rainmaker," will run Feb. 11-12 and 16-19, 2005. The story features Lizzy Curry, who, though loved deeply by her father and brothers, is destined by her plainness to be an old maid. Her town is parched for life-giving rain, when a drifter and self-proclaimed rainmaker enters her life. "The Wind Between the Houses," the spring season finale, begins April 22-23 and runs April 27-30, 2005. The cast of nine features a "dear little old lady" who has found consolation after the death of her husband by placing his urn of ashes on a mantelpiece and talking to them as if he were still alive. Her children fear her behavior will ruin their social status. WRCT is seeking directors for each of the plays. Interested persons should send their resumes to the Wisconsin Rapids Community Theatre, P.O. Box 1174, Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54495. Auditions will be held about eight weeks in advance of each production. For more information, call 421-0435. * * * HYPNOTIST AT UW-SP: Sailesh, an "uncensored" hypnotist, will perform at UW-SP on Friday, April 23. The event in the Encore of the University Center (UC) will begin at 8 p.m. Admission will be free with a valid student ID or $4 for the public. The show will feature Sailesh's hypnosis set to a background of club-style music spun by a live deejay.