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

DATE: FRIDAY, March 10, 1995                   TAG: 9503140018
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: STACY JONES
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

THE TIPOFF

CELTIC SENSATION: A rich voice and a reverence for tradition make Irish folksinger Gerry Timlin worth hearing. Timlin incorporates intricate vocal styles, guitar and the bodhran - the Irish goatskin drum - into his performance. Sharon Scully, Celtic harpist, will be sharing the stage with the singer. Timlin will play songs from his latest CD, "The Flower of Sweet Strabane." Hosted by The University Club at Virginia Tech, the performance starts tonight at 7:30 at the Donaldson Brown Hotel and Conference Center (next to University Club), Blacksburg. A reception following the concert will be held at the University Club which is located at 100 Otey St., Blacksburg. Tickets cost $10 in advance and $12 at the door. Call 231-3870.

MAN'S BEST FRIEND: We'll see who's been eating their Puppy Chow when The Roanoke Kennel Club and James River Kennel Club AKC Dog Shows arrive at the Salem Civic Center on Saturday and Sunday. Watch 1,360 dogs made up of 123 breeds vie for ribbons by competing in obedience and confirmation trials. The dogs will be judged according to AKC standards in such areas as gate, teeth, coat texture and muscle tone. This will be proof that not all dogs run for the curb when they hear the word "STAY." The competition hours are 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Admission is $3 for adults, $1.50 for children. Call 375-3004 or (800) 288-2122.

PASS THE PANCAKES, PLEASE: Learn about the sugar-making process, visit maple camps and feast on mounds of buckwheat cakes and sausage - smothered with pure Highland Maple Syrup, of course, at the 37th Annual Highland Maple Festival. In addition to the awesome beauty of Highland County, the festival offers folk singers, social dances, and one of the largest craft shows of the season. The event is free and takes place Saturday and Sunday, and March 18 and 19. Call 468-2550.

PRIZE-WINNING THEATER: The Hollins College Theatre Department presents "The Miss Firecracker Contest" by Pulitzer-Prize winning playwright Beth Henley. The play focuses on the Fourth of July activities in the small Mississippi town of Brookhaven. Fallen angel Carnelle Scott hopes to have her reputation restored by winning the town's Miss Firecracker Contest. The unexpected arrival of her sister, Elain, and her eccentric brother, Delmont, upsets Carnelle's plan. A review by Frank Rich of the New York Times said, "The evening's torrential downpour of humor ... almost never subsides." The play runs tonight and Saturday at 8 p.m. in the Hollins Theatre. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students, senior citizens and children under 12. Reservations are recommended. Call 362-6517.

AFTERNOON DELIGHT: Get some culture after your Sunday brunch and take in the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra. Carol Gutknecth, artist-in-residence at Randolph-Macon Woman's College, will be the guest soloist. Gutknecth made her New York City Opera debut in 1980 and has appeared with more than 50 opera companies and symphonies in the U.S. and Canada. She will perform the "Four Last Songs" by Richard Strauss. The Orchestra will also play the "Manfred Overture" and Symphony No. 3 by Schumann. The concert will be held Sunday at 3 p.m. in the E.C. Glass Civic Auditorium, Lynchburg. Tickets are $10 for adults and $4 for students. Call (804) 845-6604.

MELLOW OUT, MAN: Throw on your favorite jeans and sweatshirt and enjoy a "Casual Kandinsky" afternoon Sunday in Olin Hall at Roanoke College. The Kandinsky Trio, one of the area's foremost chamber ensembles, will perform and donate all proceeds to the Conflict Resolution Center - a nonprofit organization that serves as an alternative for traditional court system disputes. The concert begins at 3 p.m. Tickets are $12 and are available through the Center. Call 342-2063.

FANCY FEET: Ayrie King III, a dancer out of Chicago and member of the dance group Class Act, taps his way through a cabaret-style show that will pay tribute to a number of legendary hoofers. King's one-man act covers the smoothness of Fred Astaire, the quick action of Ann Miller and the flash of the Nicholas brothers. The program is free and will be held March 17 at 7:30 p.m. in the Whitman Auditorium at Virginia Western Community College, Roanoke. Call 857-7583.

by CNB