
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, December 24, 1993                   TAG: 9312280004
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Wendi Gibson Richert
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

THE TIPOFF

NGUZO SABA: That's Swahili for ``Seven Principles of Blackness,'' the principles upon which the Kwanzaa celebration is based. On Thursday, the Harrison Museum of African American Culture in Roanoke will present its annual Kwanzaa celebration from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Kwanzaa, which means ``first'' in Swahili, begins every year on Dec. 26 and runs through Jan. 1. Each of the seven days is symbolic of one of the principles: unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith.

The celebration will include music and storytelling, and families are encouraged to share their stories with others. A Kwanzaa guide will be given to each family so that they may continue the Kwanzaa celebration at home. The museum is located at 523 Harrison Ave. N.W. For more information, call the museum at 345-4818.

STILL SWINGING: Mill Mountain Theatre's holiday family musical is ``The 1940's Radio Hour.'' Tickets are still available for the show, which is set at a live broadcast of ``The Mutual Manhattan Variety Cavalcade'' from the Algonquin Room of the Hotel Astor in New York City. A ten-piece orchestra, flashing applause sign and authentic commercials bring a 1942 December radio broadcast back to life - complete with those swingtime tunes ``Bookie Woogie Bugle Boy,'' ``Chattanooga Choo Choo,'' and ``Ain't She Sweet.''

Tickets are $15-$20 and are available by calling the box office at 342-5740.

A DICKENS LEGEND: Ebenezer Scrooge can be found in Lynchburg on Sunday at the Lynchburg Fine Arts Center's production of Charles Dickens' ``A Christmas Carol.'' The play shows at 2 and 8 p.m. - especially for those who just can't get enough of the holidays.

Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for senior citizens and $7 for children and students. For reservations, call the box office at (804) 846-3804.

OPEN MIKE: Looking for something to do after you rip open your presents Christmas day? Check out the Sedalia Center's last coffeehouse of the year. Musicians, singers, poets and storytellers of all ages already have signed up to participate in Saturday's coffeehouse at 7:30 p.m. And others are invited to do the same.

Admission is $5 for adults and $2 for ages 6-15, and it's free for kids under 6 and all performers. The center is on Virginia 638 just off Virginia 122 between Bedford and Big Island. For more information, call (804) 299-5080.

by CNB