WARREN, Ohio – The new national tour of “Menopause The Musical 2: Cruising Through ‘The Change’” will come to Packard Music Hall on Nov. 4.

Tickets range from $39 to $69 (plus applicable fees) and are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com and the Packard box office.

“Menopause The Musical 2” is the sequel to the long-running, international hit show “Menopause The Musical.” It’s a comic celebration of women who are on the brink of, in the middle of or have survived “The Change.”

In its second year on tour, the show empowers women dealing with life adjustments after 40 by embracing each other and the road ahead.

It takes place five years after the chance encounter in a department store of four ladies. This time, the same characters set sail together on an ocean cruise.

Astralis Chamber Music Ensemble at St. Blaise 

AUSTINTOWN, Ohio – Astralis chamber music ensemble will perform at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 17 at the St. Joseph campus of St. Blaise Parish, 4545 New Road.

The award-winning piano-cello-flute ensemble will perform pieces by Dvorak, Gaubert, Karg-Elert and the magnificent Trio in D Minor by Felix Mendelssohn.

The Astralis Chamber Ensemble is an innovative and nationally known act. The concert is made possible by donations from St. Blaise parishioners.

Exhibition by Acclaimed African Artist at College

GROVE CITY, Pa. – Grove City College’s Pew Fine Arts Center Gallery is featuring the work of internationally acclaimed Nigerian artist Bruce Onobrakpeya, along with folk art from East and West Africa, through Oct. 14.

Onobrakpeya, a printmaker, painter and sculptor, is one of the most successful artists to emerge from West Africa in the 20th century and a commanding influence on artists in Africa and around the world in the post-colonial period. His works have been exhibited at the Tate Modern Museum in London, National Museum of African Art in Washington, D.C., Malmo Konsthall in Sweden, the National Gallery of Modern Art in Lagos and many other international venues.

Onobrakpeya’s work is complemented in the gallery with pieces of folk art from Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Benin and across East and West Africa. 

“In addition to the beauty and impact of the art on display, this exhibit provides a unique educational opportunity for our students to experience the skill and craftsmanship of African artists,” said Hilary Walczak, director of college archives and galleries. “Onobrakpeya is a world-renowned artist whose work has had enormous impact on African and international aesthetics for more than seven decades. To be able to see his original artwork in Grove City, Pa., is a blessing.”

The 93-year-old artist’s career covers a gamut of mediums and periods. It often features Christian imagery and stylistic elements derived from traditional African sculpture and decorative art. The show features several notable pieces by Onobrakpeya, including “Fourteen Stations of the Cross,” a depiction of the Passion of the Christ he created at the request of Catholic priests. 

Speaker Added to Veterans Appreciation Lunch 

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Attorney Donald P. Scott will speak at Glenwood Grounds Cafe, 2906 Glenwood Ave., at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, for the  Saluting Our Heroes Veterans Appreciation Lunchrounds Café, 2906 Glenwood Ave.

Reservations are strongly recommended. Each veteran can register themself and a guest online HERE or by calling 330 269 5137.

Scott was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army, retiring as a senior field grade officer at the rank of lieutenant colonel in 2022. He was inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame in 2023. Scott held a distinguished career in law enforcement, serving with the U.S. Capitol Police, Youngstown Police Department and the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office over the course of his career. He has been recognized for valor by the National Association of Chiefs of Police and received Certified Law Enforcement Executive designation from the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police. 

Scott completed the juris doctor in law from Cleveland State University and is licensed to practice law by the Ohio Supreme Court and the U. S. Supreme Court. 

He is a 1980 graduate of South High School and holds an associate degree in police science technology and a bachelor’s degree in law enforcement administration from Youngstown State University. 

At the luncheon, Scott will join speakers Jennifer Baun, a Navy veteran and 2015 Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame inductee, and Joseph Napier Sr., a Youngstown historian and videographer, who served in the U.S. Army and Navy and has worked as a corrections officer for the state of Ohio for more than 30 years.

Loop Youngstown Plans Creative Project

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Loop Youngstown Arts + Culture Center invites residents of the Mahoning and Shenango valleys to participate in A Day in the Loop, a communitywide creative project, on Oct. 17.

Participants are encouraged to capture the spirit of the region – its people, places and everyday stories – through photography, video, writing or other art forms. 

Selected works will be chosen by curators Autumn Joi Ellis, winner of The Butler Institute of American Art’s Midyear Prize; Tony Nicholas, photographer and Youngstown State University and Trumbull Career & Technical Center faculty member; Thomas Welsh, author of several books on local history; and Stephen Poullas, photographer and former owner of the Soap Gallery in downtown Youngstown. The chosen works will be published and archived on Loop Youngstown’s website, creating a shared snapshot of life in the region at this moment in time.

Submissions must be created between 12:01 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. Oct. 17. Individuals and groups from Mahoning, Columbiana, Trumbull, Mercer and Lawrence counties can submit up to two entries by the deadline of 12:59 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 19. Preregistration is required.

For full guidelines and registration details, visit the organization’s website.

Home School Day at Century Village Museum

BURTON, Ohio – The Geauga County Historical Society will present Autumn Home School Day on Sept. 24.

Tailored for homeschoolers and their families, this engaging and educational event brings history to life amid the grounds of the Century Village Museum. The festivities will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will include guided tours and traditional crafts and activities that reflect the skills of bygone eras.

There will also be live cooking demonstrations and  old-fashioned games.

Guests should pack a picnic lunch to enjoy under the fall foliage.For information, call 440 834 1492 or register online at CenturyVillageMuseum.org. Registration can also be done in person at the venue on the day of the event.

Pictured at top: The cast of “Menopause The Musical 2: Cruising Through ‘The Change.’” (Photo by Mark Garvin)