*Saturday, May 18, 2013: Members of the Ohio Business and Professional Women will find out why YOU CAN'T PLAY BALL IN A SKIRT! at their luncheon.

*Tuesday, May 21, 7:30PM & Saturday, May 25, 10:30AM, 2013: Auditions for "TRAIL MAGIC" - the first-person character program about Emma written by Kelly Boyer Sagert. We're looking for someone for the part of Emma Gatewood (age 70-ish) and for a Narrator (male or female; 50-ish). Please prepare a 1-2 minute monologue and be prepared to read from the script. The play will be directed by Rick Fortney. Schedule your audition slot by calling (440) 949-5200 Ext. 221. The performance is scheduled August 24th at 5 pm and again at 7:30p.m.

*Thursday, June 13, 2013; 2p.m.: Bette Lou Higgins will tell the stories of MY FAVORITE MONSTERS at the McKinley Memorial Library; 40 N. Main St. in Niles, Ohio. Meet some interesting characters like the Lake Erie and Lake Ontario Monsters in this program that is FREE and open to the public. For more information, contact the library at 330-652-1704 x214.

*Saturday, June 15, 2013; 4pm: Find out why YOU CAN'T PLAY BALL IN A SKIRT! at the Baseball Heritage Museum; 530 Euclid Ave., Cleveland when Bette Lou Higgins tells the story of Alta Weiss. This extraordinary pitcher put herself through medical school pitching professional baseball on a MEN'S TEAM in the early 1900s. The program is open to the public and included in the price of admission. For more information, call the museum at 216-789-1083.

*Friday, June 28, 2013: Residents at Pleasant Lake Villa will hear THE BEST SONGS I NEVER SANG (A Storyteller's Concert) presented by Bette Lou Higgins.

*Tuesday, July 30, 2013: Come hear the story of Alta Weiss -- Ohio's professional baseball pitcher who put HERSELF through medical school playing baseball on a men's team in the early 1900s! Bette Lou Higgins will present YOU CAN'T PLAY BALL IN A SKIRT! at the Lakeside Women's Club at the Green Gables; 161 Walnut Ave in Lakeside, Ohio at 1p.m. (time subject to change). The program is free with the Lakeside Gate fee. For more information call 440-798-4734.

*Wednesday, August 21, 2013; 1p.m.: Come hear the story of the devastating 1913 Storm at the Westlake Community Services Center; 29694 Center Ridge Rd in Westlake, Ohio. Foster Brown and Bette Lou Higgins will present A STORM LIKE YOU'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE and tell the story of this gale and its effects on both land and sea. For ticket information, contact the center at 440-899-3544.

*Thursday, August 22 -- Sunday, August 25, 2013: TRAIL MAGIC at TrueNorth Cultural Arts Center; French Creek Nature & Arts Center; 4530 Colorado Ave.; Sheffield Village, OH 44054.

TUESDAY, MAY 21, 7:30PM & SATURDAY, MAY 25,10:30 AM ~ Auditions for "TRAIL MAGIC" - the parts of Emma Gatewood and a Narrator are available. For information and to arrange for an audition, call TrueNorth Cultural Arts at 440-949-5200 x 221

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2013, 7:30 p.m. ~ Emma wrote poetry throughout her life. As a fitting tribute, we will open festivities with a Nature Poetry Workshop led by writer Kelly Boyer Sagert (author of the new first-person character program about Emma Gatewood premiering Saturday, August 25) and poet T.M. Göttl.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 23, 2013

5 -6 p.m. ~ Slip on your hiking boots and join us for a Family Hike with Senior Naturalist Amy Potonic

6:30 p.m. ~ Dinner is served!

7:30 p.m. ~ Poets in Thursday's workshop will be invited to share their poetry at a public Poetry Reading.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 2013

10:30 a.m. ~Senior Physical Fitness Hike.

5:00 p.m. ~ Premier presentation of "TRAIL MAGIC", a first-person character program featuring "Grandma" Gatewood talking about her life and adventures.

6:30 p.m. ~ Pre-show Discussion on Mental Health & Self-Esteem (including domestic abuse), led by Natalie McCarthy, MSW, LSW.

7:30 p.m. ~ Encore presentation of "TRAIL MAGIC", a first-person character program featuring "Grandma" Gatewood talking about her life and adventures.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 25, 2013, noon ~ Join Buckeye Trail Association member Byron Guy for hike on the Lorain County portion of the Buckeye Trail. The 3-5 mile hike will start at the Main Entrance by the picnic pavilion at Findley State Park. For registration information, Call TrueNorth at (440) 949-5200.

FOR TICKETS: Contact TrueNorth at (440) 949-5200 Ext. 221.

There will be an exhibit about The Buckeye Trail and a Quilt Show to honor Emma's quilting activities during the weekend.

This festival is being funded in part by generous grants from the Women's Fund of the Community Foundation Lorain County, Ohio History Fund, the Puffin Foundation of Teaneck, New Jersey and the Gallia County Charitable Foundation. It is part of a larger project to tell Emma's story with FilmAffects and WGTE/PBS.

*** All dates, times and events are in the planning stages and are subject to change***

*Wednesday, November 6, 2013; noon: Members of First Church Women and their guests will fine out about A STORM LIKE YOU'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE!

*Saturday, November 9, 2013; 1p.m.: Come hear some FAVORITE GREAT LAKES STORIES at the Maritime Museum of Sandusky; 125 Meigs ST.; Sandusky, Ohio 44870. This storytelling program will be presented by Bette Lou Higgins who will share some of her favorite tales including the story of the TWO FITZGERALDS. The program is included with museum admission and free to Museum Members. For more information call the museum at 419-624-0274.

*Saturday, November 16, 2013; 2p.m.: Hear the story of the 1913 gale on the Great Lakes when Bette Lou Higgins tells the story of A STORM LIKE YOU'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE at Pioneer Ridge; 9479 Sawmill Trace; North Ridgeville, Ohio 44039. This storytelling program with PowerPoint slides tells the stories of the deadliest storm on the Inland Seas that happened 100 years ago. The performance is FREE and open to the public. For more information contact Pioneer Ridge at (440) 327-1866.

*Saturday, March 22, 2014; 1p.m.: Travel back to the time of Pirates on the Great Lakes and hear some tales from the Prohibition Era at the Maritime Museum of Sandusky; 125 Meigs ST.; Sandusky, Ohio 44870. Bette Lou Higgins will tell the stories of rumrunners on the Inland Sea when she presents YO, HO, HO AND A BOTTLE OF RUM. The program is included with museum admission and free to Museum Members. For more information call the museum at 419-624-0274.

Visit often to see what other performances are coming up. To receive notices of upcoming events, send us an e-mail with a request to be added to our e-mail list.

For additional information on other events and arts related information in Northern Ohio, visit That Woman's Blog and The Oberlin Heritage Center.

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