The Update | Maluso and Blackson in Supper Club Show; Labra Brothers’ New Song

HOWLAND, Ohio – Leo’s Ristorante, 7042 E. Market St., will present an evening of supper club entertainment Sept. 23 with the cabaret duo of Maluso and Blackson.

Guests will enjoy a buffet dinner while listening to the piano stylings of Rick Blackson while dining. Every 15 minutes or so, he will be joined by Mary Jo Maluso for a song or two.

There will also be a cash bar.

Tickets are $40 per person. For reservations, call 330 856 5291.

Labra Brothers Release New Song

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Labra Brothers have rereleased their song “Not Far from Home,” but this time it’s sung in Spanish.

“Not Far from Home” was released earlier this year by the Youngstown-based band.

The Labras will perform in concert with the full Canton Symphony Orchestra at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 4 at the Canton Palace Theatre, 605 Market St.

Tickets are $55, $40 and $25 and can be purchased in advance by calling 330 452 2094. The event is in partnership with the Canton Latino Festival.

Event to Feature Kent Trumbull Professor’s Play

WARREN, Ohio – Sips and Scripts, a theater event, will take place Wednesday, Sept. 6, at 7 p.m. at the Darlene Lounge, 175 E. Market St., on Courthouse Square.

The event, sponsored by Kent Trumbull Theatre and Modern Methods Brewing Co., will begin with a reading of “The Flower & The Serpent” by Peter Byrne, associate professor of English at Kent State University at Trumbull. The script was inspired by Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” and takes Lady Macbeth’s perspective. It reveals her motivation for wanting her husband to be king.

Byrne is the first playwright from the Mahoning Valley to be featured at Sips and Scripts, according to Eric Kildow, KSU at Trumbull theater professor.

KSU at Trumbull graduate Jess Brumfield will direct “The Flower & The Serpent.” The play contains episodes of violence, including sexual assault, so audience discretion is advised.

For information, go to kent.edu/trumbull/theatre.

Day of Caring in Lawrence County

NEW CASTLE, Pa. – United Way of Lawrence County, along with nonprofit agencies and parks and recreation departments in the region, will present the annual Day of Caring on Thursday, Sept. 7, starting at 8 a.m. at Cascade Park Pavilion.

During the Day of Caring, employees of local companies perform volunteer projects for the community.

A full breakfast buffet will be donated by Medure’s Catering, along with coffee and doughnuts donated by Dunkin’ Donuts. The speaker for this event will be the Rev. Lorrie Ghering-Burick, pastor of First Presbyterian Church, New Castle. 

To volunteer or become a sponsor for a project such as painting, landscaping, cleaning and organizing and clerical support, contact the United Way of Lawrence County at 724 658 8528, or go to www.uwlawcty.org.

Art Exhibition Opens at Solomon Gallery

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – “It’s Gonna Rain,” an exhibition of art by Micah Kraus, is now on display in the Judith Rae Solomon Gallery in Bliss Hall on the campus of Youngstown State University. It will run through Sept. 28.

Admission is free. The gallery is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

In the exhibit, Kraus reflects on his upbringing as the son of a Church of Christ minister. The title of the exhibition comes from a hymn that Kraus sang during many Sunday services.

Kraus said he shudders when he thinks of the hymn’s message: An apocalypse is coming, and some people will win, and others will lose.

“In my adult years, I’ve struggled to bridge the ever-widening gap between the beautiful, complex fluidity of my community and the unwavering rubric of religiosity,” he said. “Pursuing questions rather than answers, I’m exploring the vast gray space that exists between extremes.”

Kraus lives in Akron, where he operates Work Studio LTD, an art and design studio specializing in printmaking-based processes for fine art and client-based projects. He is also an educator at Archbishop Hoban High School and Kent State University, specializing in printmaking, photography and art career field experiences.

Friendly Squares Dances to Resume

NILES, Ohio – The Friendly Squares, a local square dance group dedicated to keeping alive the uniquely American artform of square dancing, will begin a new year of weekly square dance lessons. 

The introductory session will be Tuesday, Sept. 12, from 7 to 9 p.m. 

The Tuesday evening lessons will be held weekly at the Niles Scope Center. There is a nominal fee of $6 per person per lesson. Each lesson builds upon the previous lesson and will include learning new steps along with plenty of review and practice each week to help attendees master the moves.  

To sign up for lessons or for additional information, call Gene Hammond at 330 506 3370.

The Friendly Squares will perform a square dance demonstration at the Canfield Fair on Aug. 31, from 7 to 9 p.m.

Pictured at top: Maluso and Blackson will perform in an evening of supper club entertainment at Leo’s Ristorante.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.