TUESDAY, JUNE 18

FAMILY

Movie madness: Regal Cinema's summer film festival for kids starts today. For nine weeks, the theater will show a selection of "G" and "PG"-rated movies on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at 10am. Admission is free, with seating limited to auditorium capacity. This week's movies are Anastasia and Road to El Dorado. Seminole Square. 978-1607.

THINK

Open heart, open home: Tri-Area Foster Families will be holding an orientation meeting for people interested in learning about foster parenting. Martha Jefferson Education Center, corner of 10th and High streets, 6-8:30pm. 970-3329.

Divorce support group: Men and women welcome, meets weekly, "pre-screening and a modest fee are required." FOCUS Women's Resource Center, 1508 Grady Ave., 7-8:30pm. 984-3200

PERFORMANCE

Floyd Collins See Thursday, June 13. Tonight's show is at 7:30pm.

TUNES

Jamie and Rolland at the Blue Moon Diner: Didn't get enough of the Hogwaller Ramblers at Escafe Sunday Night? Then come to the Blue Moon on Tuesday-- Jamie is the Hog's lead singer. Expect a down-home good time in the most reasonably priced eatery in town. No cover, 10pm. (W)

Johnathan Byrd at Coupe DeVille's. No cover, 10pm.

Steve and Timmy Ryalls at Dürty Nelly's. $3, 9pm. (W)

George Turner Trio at Michael's Bistro. $3, 10:30pm.

Monticello Road at Outback Lodge. $3. 10pm. (W)

George Melvin at Rococo's. No cover, 7pm. (W)

B.C. upstairs at Tokyo Rose. 9:30, No cover. (W)

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19

FAMILY

Cool kick-off: Gordon Avenue Library kicks off the Summer Reading Program with their 8th annual Ice Cream Social at 7pm. Readers can meet this year's special guest Spot the Dog. All ages are invited. Free. No registration required. 1500 Gordon Ave. 296-5544.

SAT success: Kaplan Educational Center offers college-bound kids and their parents a free college admissions seminar from 6-8pm. The class presents the inside story on the college admissions process and strategies for increasing SAT scores. Reservations requested. 1928 Arlington Blvd. 1-800-527-8378.

Movie madness: See Tuesday, June 18.

BOOKS

Many places like home: The characters in Carrie Brown's short stories are all identifying with their places in the world. The novelist and UVA MFA grad will be at Barnes & Noble to discuss her first collection of short fiction, The House on Belle Isle. 7pm. Barracks Road Shopping Center. 985-0461.

THINK

War without end: Foreign policy historian Anna K. Nelson discusses "Organizing for War Without End: Lessons from the Cold War." Miller Center, 2201 Old Ivy Road, 11am. Free and open to the public. 924-0921

Getting in: Free college admissions seminar guides high school students and their parents through the challenging college admissions process. Charlottesville Kaplan Educational Center, 1928 Arlington Blvd. (next to Barracks Road Shopping Center), 6-8pm. Pre-registration required at 1-800-KAP-TEST or www.kaptest.com.

PERFORMANCE

Floyd Collins: See Thursday, June 13.

TUNES

The Chocolate Workshop at Outback Lodge: "Heavy metal Wednseday:" Drew from the band Navel and assorted other heavier music illuminati (members of Earth To Andy sat in last week) perform improvisational jams for your listening pleasure. $3, 10pm. (Every other W)

Ezra Hamilton at the Blue Moon Diner. No cover, 10pm. (W)

Bennie Dodd at Coupe DeVille's. No cover, 10:30pm. (W)

B.C. at Mellow Mushroom. No cover, 11:30pm. (W)

Jeff Decker and Mike Rosensky Quartet at Miller's. $4, 9pm. (W)

DJs Mason and Myson at Orbit. $2, 10:30pm. (W)

George Melvin at Rococo's. No cover, 7pm. (W)

Ciganos Del Mar at South Street Brewery. No cover, 10pm.

Beleza upstairs at Tokyo Rose. No cover, 9:30pm. (W)

THURSDAY, JUNE 20

FAMILY

Principal stories: Greenbriar Elementary principal Faye Giglio comes to Central Library at 2pm to tell some tales out of school. Kids in grades K-4 can find out what the principal does when school's out and there aren't any kids around. (Greenbriar students can earn a reading star for attending.) Free. 201 E. Market St. 979-7151, ext. 3.

THINK

Life as a game: The Charlottesville chapter of Company of Friends presents life coaches Michael Neill and Jay Perry in "Just Like Life." Thursday, June 20, 6:30-8:30pm; social and refreshments, 5:30pm. Dickinson Building, Piedmont Virginia Community College. Free and open to the public. Register at or call Owen Young, 297-3756. See Think feature on page 24.

Winning moves

Coaching for the game of life

BY MARA ROCKLIFF

What is a coach? If you're thinking of a guy who blows a whistle and yells "drop and give me 20," it might be time to slam the locker door on high school gym class and step out into the New Age.

"A coach is a partner helping you become who you want to be," says Owen Young, one of perhaps two dozen professional "life coaches" working in Charlottesville. "Coaching is a custom-designed alliance that will lead you on a process of self-discovery-- to identify your deep values, your life purpose, how you want to live, and help you understand where you are now."

At anywhere from $150 to $1,000 a month for weekly sessions lasting 30 minutes to an hour, self-discovery does not come cheap. But the cash-strapped and curious need not despair. On Thursday, June 20, two nationally known life coaches will come to Piedmont Virginia Community College to introduce and demonstrate their art in a free show called "Just Like Life."

No dry lecture here-- these guys are entertaining. When he's not coaching, Michael Neill (www.dailycoaching tip.com) moonlights as a British sitcom star. Charlottesville's own Jay Perry (www.coachingcollective.com) has worked as a screenwriter and director, too. Performing between segments will be D.C.-area musician Alice Ripley. And, with drinks and snacks from Feast before the show, the audience should be primed for a good time.

Feeling shy about your issues? Fill out a card (anonymously) on your way in, and the coaches will pick interesting questions to answer during the show. Feeling gutsy? Jump onstage for a live coaching demo. You might reach the airwaves, too: the show is being taped as a pilot for a possible radio series.

"Just Like Life" is sponsored by the Charlottesville chapter of Company of Friends, a readers' network for the magazine Fast Company (described by Young as "Fortune magazine meets Rolling Stone"). The group is free to join, and puts on monthly events open to the public.

"The neat thing about coaching," Young says, "is that it isn't necessarily problem-focused. Some people are in transition. Some are having a great life, and they just want to make it even greater. Our basic premise is that clients are creative, resourceful, and whole."

The Charlottesville chapter of Company of Friends presents life coaches Michael Neill and Jay Perry in "Just Like Life." Thursday, June 20, 6:30-8:30pm; social and refreshments 5:30pm. Dickinson Building, Piedmont Virginia Community College. Free and open to the public. Register at or call Owen Young, 297-3756

PERFORMANCE

Floyd Collins: See Thursday, June 13. Tonight's show is at 7:30pm. This show is sold out.

TUNES

Modern Groove Syndicate at Outback Lodge: Hailing from Richmond, Modern Groove Syndicate do indeed lay down some nasty beats. For some reason, the word "groove" keeps popping into my head when I try to describe their sound-- part jazz, mainly funk, improvisation is their touch-all. $5, 10pm.

The Chris Winter Band at Coupe DeVille's. No cover, 10pm. (W)

Blues Night at Dürty Nelly's. $4, 9pm. (W)

Mar e Marada at El Girasol. 10pm, no cover. (W)

The Victrolas at High Street Steak and Grill. No cover, 8:30pm. (W)

Wynn Walent at the Mellow Mushroom. $5, 10pm.

John D'earth and friends at Miller's. $4, 9pm. (W)

DJ Mighty Matt at Mountain View Grill. $5, 10pm. (W)

Edamame upstairs at Tokyo Rose. No cover, 9:30pm. (W)

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FAMILY ONGOING EVENTS

Books for kids: Barnes & Noble Bookstore sponsors Reach Out and Read, a book drive to benefit the Children's Medical Center at UVA now through July 25. Customers who donated a new book for a child age 4 months to 5 years receive a 10% discount for the purchase. Barracks Road Shopping Center. 984-0461.

Artists alert: AlbemarleKids.com invites petite Picassos to submit an original drawing for its Family Volunteer Day Poster Contest. The drawing should be of the child and her/his family volunteering or just being together. The winning image will be used on the Family Volunteer Day Poster, and the artist will receive a life-sized Teddy bear and a $50 gift certificate to Toys R Us. Entry deadline is July 10. See the AlbemarleKids.com website for guidelines. 984-4713.

Endangered species: The Virginia Museum of Natural History at UVA launches a new interactive exhibit today. "Gifts to Our Grandchildren" informs visitors about endangered species, including a display about a local mollusk on the list, the James River Spiny Mussel. The exhibit also includes puppets, a computer station, an eagle's nest, and a Green Sea Turtle. Admission is free. 104 Emmet St. 982-4605.

Photo op: The Virginia Discovery Museum's photo exhibit "Everyone, Everywhere: Diversity and Kids" is on display now through June 24. This unique collection of over 40 photographs was created as a service learning project by four Monticello high school students and features images of Charlottesville's diversity from two to 10 years old. The exhibit, hung at a child's eye-level of course, can be viewed in the classroom space at the museum and is included in the price of admission. East end of the Downtown Mall. 977-1025.

Body works: The Virginia Discovery Museum invites everybody to explore the workings of the human body. Visitors to the new Back Gallery exhibit can find out how muscles grow, see what healthy bones look like, practice healthy shopping, test their skills on the challenge course, and more. Included in the cost of admission. East end of the Downtown Mall. 977-1025.

Act up: Four County Players has slots open in their Summer Theater Camp for kids ages 7-12. The program runs from July 12-26 and focuses on audition skills, stage movement, improvisation, voice training, costumes, theatrical make-up, and the magical happenings of back stage. Cost is $250. The camp is facilitated by Ronald Harris. Contact him for registration and other information. 295-8481.

Coaster magic: Visitors to the IMAX theater at the Science Museum of Virginia will want to fasten their seatbelts as they climb aboard "Thrill Ride: The Science of Fun." Now through September 27, this film takes coaster lovers behind the scenes to see how thrill rides are created. Please note: the IMAXDOME will be closed June 10-14 and June 17-21 for new system installation. Call for times and reservations. 2500 W. Broad St., Richmond. 800-659-1727. www.smv.org.

ONGOING PERFORMANCE FEATURE

Summer stage

Heritage heats up

BY TOBY EMERT

As the summer temperatures heat up, so do the offerings on local stages. In Charlottesville, summer is the time for theater activity. Live Arts brings on their souped-up version of a play festival, featuring 10 shows in four weeks; Four County does Shakespeare outdoors in Barboursville; and Ash Lawn invites the community to a summer line-up of operas and musicals. The biggest player in town, though, is the Heritage Reperatory Theater, the professional company associated with the Drama Department at UVA.

Each year for the past 29 summers, the folks over in Culbreth have been offering up some of the best-known and best-loved shows of the contemporary theater world. This year is no exception. From the classic period musical Anything Goes to the calculated drama of Proof, which is still running in New York, this year's line-up of six productions runs the gamut.

"We are serving the mission of the Heritage Rep in many ways with this season of shows," says Bob Chapel, producing artistic director for the company. "But what excites me most is the fact that each show is very different and each promises to be a unique and enjoyable evening in the theater for our 18,000+ patrons."

HRT opens the season on June 20 with Anything Goes, a beloved 1930s musical that depicts a series of comical mistaken identities on board the S.S. American. Chapel directs. Following Anything is Proof, the Pulitzer-winning play that examines family ties as it tells the story of a professor's daughter who may have inherited her father's genius for mathematics. Douglas Sprigg, a frequent HRT director and University of Vermont professor, returns for another run this year.

On July 11, British playwright Alan Ayckbourn's Comic Potential opens in the Culbreth. A farcical nightmare, the play shows how life can take a turn for the worse in the future when actors and robotic "actoids" are nearly indistinguishable. On July 16, the Off-Broadway hit I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change, directed by UVA alum Jack Donahue, opens in the Helms. Donahue will also appear for one week in June in Summer Songs, a cabaret piece that includes songs from his new CD, Lighthouse.

Smokey Joe's Café, under the direction of Cate Caplin, closes the season with its toe-tapping review of Lieber and Stoller songs. You'll know a lot of them. They've been made famous by some of the best names in Top-40 history: Elvis, Peggy Lee, The Drifters, The Coasters, and many others. With so much to choose from, start planning your calendar now. And watch this column for more news and reviews as the summer theater scene gets hotter.

Season subscriptions for HRT are available now and run $55-100. Order forms are available in the drama building, 109 Culbreth Road. The box office is also open daily for single ticket sales. 924-3376.

ONGOING ART FEATURE

Enough is not Onuf

Fascinating works in wax

BY AARON STEINBERG

If your chosen medium is encaustic, as is the case with Kristin Onuf, you make art by layering hot wax. As Onuf helpfully points out, the word, "encaustic" derives from a Greek root, which means: to burn in. Onuf has not only borrowed the definition for the title of her exhibit, but has also used it as inspiration of sorts for her work. In fact, much on display at the McGuffey's main space this month reflects an artist who has mused on the potential in encaustic-- a medium with the ability to hold foreign object in its layers, or obscure shapes and colors in its layers of semi-translucency-- as well as the layers of meaning in its name.

Onuf claims to be interested in violence-- certainly an apropos subject matter for a technique with a name derived from a form of burning-- and that interest surfaces in works like "Beirut." Taking for its title the name of a city with a charged history and reputation, Onuf surrounds images (magazine clippings?) of buildings with undulating waves of red and white wax like flames. But like many artists who work in wax, the potential for palimpsest is the bigger draw. In works like "Memento Mori" and "Great Joy in Camp," Onuf layers scraps of paper covered in handwriting. Leaves and flowers, set beneath the layers of wax, give the impression of a scrapbook-like artifact.

Elsewhere, sketches of the human form permeate Onuf's layers of wax, as in the pink, blue, and black drawings of "Measured Man." In "Down by the River," and "Floater," human shape recedes farther and farther into the thick, muddy surface. In the former, the silhouettes of children (?) holding hands is buried in wax and edged in string knotted in nets. In the latter, only the outline, in red, of a body survives in a blotchy field of algae green and blue. This trend points to a final few, completely abstract works, messes of wax and contrasting color. It's pretty far removed from Onuf's interests in violence/handwriting/human form, and also less interesting.

Kristin Onuf's "Burned In" runs through June 30 in the main display space at the McGuffey Art Center. 201 Second St. N.W. 295-7973.

ONGOING ART LIST

Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection exhibits "Papunya to Kiwirrkura: Reclaiming the Western Desert Homelands in Art," a collection of work by the Pintupi men of the western desert. Through August 17. Kluge-Ruhe Collection and Study Center, 400 Peter Jefferson Place. 244-0234.

Nathan Ivey's photos of France, Puerto Rico, El Salvador and the United States are on display through the end of June at C'Ville Coffee. 1301 Harris St. 817-2633.

BozArt Gallery presents an exhibit by sculptor A.L. Francis. "The Color of Stone" runs through June 30. 211 West Main Street on the Downtown Mall. 296-3919. www.bozartgallery.com

Blue Ridge Glass & Crafts presents "The Three Guitars," an exhibition of stained glass and paintings by Jerry O'Dell. Runs through the end of June. Vinegar Hill Shopping Center, 259 Ridge McIntire Road. 293-2876.

Victor Elmaleh's "Works," an exhibit of watercolors, runs through the end of August. Campbell Hall Public Gallery, Second Floor. UVA. 982-2921 or .

Karla Berger's "Mother Nature Double-Crossed," an exhibit of color photography moves across the Downtown Mall to Transient Crafters. The exhibit runs through June 16. 118 E. Main St. 972-9500.

Second Street Gallery presents "Envisioning Architecture: A Charlottesville Imagined," an inclusive exhibition showcasing the creative talents of local architects, landscape architects, and urban planners. Runs through August 11. 201 Second St. N.W. 977-7284.

The University of Virginia Art Museum exhibits "Treasures from the Earth: Art of Southwestern Native America," through June 9, and "Ten Works by Ten Painters: A Portfolio of Screenprints" through June 23. Also at the UVA Art Museum, "Art Beyond the Classroom: Selections from the Curriculum Support Fund." This exhibit of work originally procured to serve the academic needs of the university art faculty runs through June 30. Rugby Road. 924-4298.

In collaboration with the Fayerweather Gallery and the Merchant's Tire Building, Les Yeux du Monde presents an exhibition of paintings, watercolors & constructions by Ted Turner. Work by Turner's students will be on display at the Fayerweather Gallery (next to University of Virginia Art Museum on Rugby Road-- 924-6123). Turner's sculpture will be on display at the Merchant's Tire Building (856 West Main Street). The exhibit runs through July 6. 705 W. Main St. 973-5566.

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