Things to Do: August 2009 Archives

Corona resident Shayla Hudson recently decided she needed to take off a few pounds. But she didn't go the traditional low-fat yogurt and join-a-gym weight loss route. Instead, she put on her dancing shoes and joined the cast of Oxygen television network's "Dance Your Ass Off."

The 10-week show followed 12 people as they competed to perform weekly dance routines with the goal of dancing off excess weight. The contestants were paired with a professional dance partner to learn the routines. Each week a panel of judges combined dancing ability and weight loss numbers for an overall score and the contestant with the lowest number was sent home.

DAVE BJERKE/© OXYGEN MEDIA

Corona resident Shayla Hudson performs with professional dancer Mario Mosley in Oxygen's reality show, "Dance Your Ass Off."

Hudson is one of three remaining competitors who will vie for the $100,000 award in the finale episode Monday evening at 10. A reunion show will air in the same time slot Sept. 7.

Hudson lost more than 30 pounds during filming and has found a new passion for both dancing and fitness. Prior to the show, she tutored high school students for a living but now works as a dance instructor and weight-loss counselor at Premiere Talent Academy in Riverside and Sweat Cardio and Yoga in Temecula.

"The show has changed me quite a bit," Hudson said in a phone interview. "I wanted to continue to dance ... and I wanted to use the knowledge about dieting I had gained on the show."

During her high school years attending Santiago High School, Hudson was involved in a lot of sports.

"I played hockey, ran track, played soccer and was in cheerleading," she said. "I continued to play hockey well into my 20s."

Now 27, Hudson said one of her biggest obstacles during the show was old sports injuries.

"That first week, I thought I wasn't going to make it," she said. "My knees are bad, ankles too, and I have a bad shoulder. I sustained a lot of injuries over the years."

Another challenge for Hudson was being unable to communicate with friends or family during the show's filming.

"That was really, really hard, but it forced me to be self-reliant," she said. "One thing people watching the show might not understand is why all the contestants' emotions came out as much as they did.

"We all worked super hard and everybody was so dedicated to losing weight. When you're in a spot in your life that is so hard, the emotions are right on the surface. You're going to be really emotional."

But overall, the experience was wonderful.

"It's been an absolute blast. It was probably the best time of my life," Hudson said. "I feel like I've made lifelong friends."

ON TV
"Dance Your Ass Off: The Final Weigh In"
10 p.m. Monday, Oxygen

Families are invited to gather pails, shovels and their artistic sensibilities for the San Bernardino County Regional Parks' Sand Sculpture competition at Lake Gregory in Crestline Sunday, September 6 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Located in the San Bernardino Mountains, the lake has been the scene of several Regional Parks activities and the Sand Sculpture contest will be the last big bash of the summer. Teams of six or less can compete in 25 beach front spaces for prizes that will be awarded to the top three contestants. Judging of the sand sculpture masterpieces will be based on the age categories of Adults 18 and older; Adults and Children; Youth 13-17; and Children 12 and younger.

Admission to the park is $3 and contest registration is free.

"Interestingly enough, most people do not build traditional sand castles for this competition," said Cyndi Zidell, media relations for San Bernardino County Regional Parks. "Marine life is a popular subject. However, some have taken quite the creative curve and have built Incan ruins, a skull and crossbones and even Eskimos giving judges some difficult choices to make. Some of these creations are so clever it's a shame they have to stay on the beach."

In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month, the Hispanic Employees Alliance of San Bernardino County and the Inland Empire Art Association will host the art exhibit, "Avanzando, To Realize the Dream" at the County Government Center's second floor gallery in San Bernardino from September 15 to October 15.

An opening reception will be held in the Rotunda of the County Government Center Wednesday, September 16 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and visitors will get to meet the artists.

"So often in the history of great societies, artists are the voice of the people," said Daniel Foster, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Riverside and San Bernardino counties. "They express the important ideas, values and needs of their community."

Where: County Government Center - 2nd Floor Gallery, 385 North Arrowhead Ave., San Bernardino
When: 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday
Cost: Free

Register by Monday, September 1 for a field trip with the San Bernardino County Museum to watch the annual bird migrations on Saturday, September 12.

Museum Director Robert McKernan will take participants on a one-day trip that will include a hike, lunch, snacks and more in the San Bernardino Mountains.

"Our local San Bernardino Mountains attract south-bound migrating birds, some flying thousands of miles to reach their winter homes in Mexico and beyond," said McKernan. "How do you find a good spot to observe the fall migration? Three words: habitat, habitat, habitat. Our trip will concentrate on specific mountain habitats: stream-side, pine forest, oak woodlands, meadows, and aquatic areas such as Big Bear and Baldwin Lakes."

The trip costs $60 per person and includes transportation, coffee and muffins, lunch, snack and beverages. Check in will be at 6:30 a.m. at the museum and the group will return to the museum at about 5 p.m. Participants are advised to wear sturdy and comfortable shoes for moderate hiking, bring binoculars, sunscreen, a hat and a bird book.

For more information and registration, call Lawanda Avery-Brown at 909-307-2669 ext. 225 or visit www.sbcountymuseum.org.

Written by guest author Dianne Bright:

Dianne Bright
Guest Author

Spice it up a little. The day is long enough with all the have-to-do lists. Why not add a pinch of cinnamon to your coffee or a sprig of mint to your ice-water? Let's take a few ordinary aspects of the day and turn them into some sizzling fun. Here we go! Put your seat-belt on (metaphorically speaking). Place your goggles over your eyes for a motorcycle adventure into the unknown. Okay, it won't be that exhilarating, but we'll shoot for "fun" to say the least.

San Bernardino County Regional Parks has several events lined up over the next month. Here's the scoop on a few things to do:

Movies in the Park featuring "October Sky"
Enjoy a film about a boy who becomes interested in building rockets after the first rocket (Sputnik) is launched by the Russians in the late 1950s. Following the movie, a park naturalist will offer a star gazing session. Learn about the stars and their alignment with the planets. Camp at Yucaipa Regional Park. Reserve online at www.sbcountyparks.com.
When: 8-11 p.m., Saturday, August 29
Where: Yucaipa Regional Park, 33900 Oak Glen Rd., Yucaipa
Cost: $10/car
Information: 909-790-3127

Fiesta! San Bernardino County
The celebration of the Latino culture will have music, performances and visual arts from the San Bernardino Philharmonic Youth Symphony, St. Mary's Ballet Folklorico of Redlands, Mariachi Youth Academy and more. There will be tasty treats as well.
When: 4:30-7:30 p.m., Saturday, September 26
Where: Cucamonga Guasti Regional Park, 800 N. Archibald Ave., Ontario
Cost: $10/car
Information: 909-481-4205

San Bernardino County Regional Parks is celebrating the end of summer with a movie in the park event at Cucamonga-Guasti Regional Park Saturday.

The movie "Grease" will be screened and the public is invited to attend dressed in '50's garb to sing and/or dance along with the musical.

The park will open at 5 p.m. for visitors who want to start the evening with a picnic or BBQ and the movie starts at 8 p.m. There is a $10 parking fee.

Be sure to bring blankets and chairs.

What: "Grease" sing-a-long
When: 5-10 p.m., Saturday, August 22
Where: Cucamonga Guasti Regional Park, 800 N. Archibald Ave., Ontario
Cost: $10/car
Information: 909-481-4205

For this week's "Weekend Watch" vodcast (a weekly things-to-do video that posts on PE.com every Thursday morning) I headed to the Temecula Valley wine country to visit Thornton Winery, which was hosting its first grape crush of the season for its champagnes.

See the video here.

It was my first trip to Thornton and it was a lot of fun. I watched the crush, toured the cellars, Champagne Lounge, gift shop and more. In addition to its dining, tours and wine tasting, the winery is hosting a summer concert series called the 21st Annual Champagne Jazz Series. These take place in the courtyard and they're getting some big names.

Here's the calendar for the remaining concerts:

Gerald Albright & Kirk Whalum
When: 7 p.m., Saturday, August 22
Cost: $65, general admission; $140, gourmet supper package

David Sanborn with Special Guest
When: 5 p.m., Sunday, August 30
Cost: $65, general admission; $140, gourmet supper package

Spyro Gyra with Special Guest
When: 4 p.m., Sunday, September 13
Cost: $55, general admission; $130, gourmet supper package

Candy Dulfer with Bonafide featuring Slim Man
When: 4 p.m., Sunday, September 20
Cost: $65, general admission; $140, gourmet supper package

Norman Brown's Summer Storm, Norman Brown, Eric Darius
When: 7 p.m., Saturday, September 26
Cost: $75, general admission, $150, gourmet supper package

Peter White
When: 7 p.m., Saturday, October 3
Cost: $65, general admission, $140, gourmet supper package

Jesse Cook
When: 4 p.m., Sunday, October 11
Cost: $55, general admission, $130, gourmet supper package

The Gourmet Supper Package includes a 3-course meal, served during the concert at a reserved table under the covered patio.

For tickets call 951-699-3021 or visit www.thorntonwine.com.

See violinist, band leader and composer Chris Murphy in a free concert in the courtyard of the Lewis Library and Technology Center in Fontana Tuesday, August 25, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Murphy has been composing and performing over 15 years. His sound is a mix of jazz, blues, country, classical, ethnic and electronic music. He has performed with Iggy Pop, Rod Stewart, Smashing Pumpkins and Sarah McLachlan.

Where: Lewis Library and Technology Center, 8437 Sierra Ave., Fontana
When: 5:30-7:30 p.m., August 25
Cost: Free
Information: 909-428-8818, www.fontana.org/main/parks_rec/rec_home.htm

The Corona Art Association will host an opening reception Saturday, August 22, at the Art House Gallery at Heritage Park from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. for "DeColores," the organization's first Latin-themed exhibit which will run through September 30.

The show will include works created by members and non-members that celebrate Latino inspired subjects, styles of Latino artists or an interpretation of the colors theme.

Special to The Press-Enterprise

"DeColores" will include 126 art pieces, making Corona Art Association's largest show at the Art House Gallery.

"This is the biggest show the Corona Art Association has had in the Art House Gallery," said Cathi Calhoun, show chairman. The 126 works will including painting, sculpture, art glass, printmaking, mixed media and photography mediums.

The reception will include Latin themed food, beverages and musical entertainment.
"Entertainment will be provided by Xavier Montez, aka "Big X," at the harp," said Alberto Varela, show spokesperson.

The show's juror was David Rosales, an artist and art teacher at San Bernardino Valley College. Prizes will be awarded for the categories Best of Theme, Juror's Award of Distinction in Theme, Award of Merits in Theme and Award of Merits in Non-Theme. Prizes include merchandise gift certificates and movie tickets.

"Since it is a theme show the prizes are gift certificates," Calhoun said. "Our regular three shows held throughout the year have monetary awards."

"DeColores" is the second themed show of the summer season to go on display at the Art House Gallery.

"We are very excited about the event and pleased at the large number of entries," Varela said. "The Art House is a mass of color."

'DECOLORES' OPENING RECEPTION
Where: Art House Gallery at Heritage Park, 510 W. Foothill Parkway, Corona
When: 5:30 p.m., Saturday
Cost: Free
Information: 951-735-3226, www.coronaartassociation.com

Pennypickle's Workshop, Temecula Children's Museum took the 2009 Parents' Picks Award Monday as San Diego's best children's museum on the Web site ParentsConnect, a national Web site run by children's TV network Nickelodeon.

Online voting took place from May 5 through July 15. Nominees also included San Diego Model Railroad Museum, San Diego Air & Space Museum - Balboa Park, San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum - USS Midway, Maritime Museum of San Diego, House of Pacific Relations International Cottages.

"Some 7,000 votes came into the ParentsConnect site for this contest," said Joanna Roses, senior director of corporate communications with Nickelodeon's Kids and Family Group.

The Workshop is the imaginary home of Professor Phineas T. Pennypickle, a time-traveling scientist and inventor. Each room in his "home" contains hands-on inventions, gadgets and experiments.

The museum "engages kids with secret passageways, puzzles, machines and whimsical gizmos, and makes them feel like insiders in the world of science, encouraging them to explore their inner inventors," said Drew Kristofik, site director of ParentsConnect. "It's an unusual and innovative idea for a museum. We wish there was something like it in every city."

Pat Comerchero believes that part of the museum's appeal is its make believe characters.

"Children love fantasy and Pennypickle's Workshop immerses them into an atmosphere of discovery - but just between us adults, we are actually exposing them to science theories while they play," Comerchero said. "We really are about as family-friendly as you can get, since parents love the Workshop as much as their children do. This award means a lot to us because we strive hard to offer a visually rich environment with innovative programming which embraces a child's desire for fun and exploration."

The museum is located at 42081 Main St., Temecula. For more information visit www.pennypickles.org or call 951-308-6376.

See the best San Diego children's museum list at ParentsConnect here.

Got a high school reunion coming up? I'm trying to find out if people are still attending high school reunions, despite living in the age of social networking. Most of us are on Facebook or MySpace now and that means we've already seen (or get constant updates of) what our old friends (or acquaintances or not so friendly meanies) have been up to over the years.

Of course, social networks only provide a narrow window into people's lives, so I'd imagine in-person reunions may still draw the large crowds. You tell me! If you are attending or have recently attended (or chose not to) a class reunion, please contact Jennifer Dean at 951-368-9336 or jdean@PE.com.

Thank you!

By Tom Bray
THE PRESS-ENTERPRISE

When we think of animation in the U.S., we think the Disney machine, talking animals and Scooby Doo.

But if you haven't immersed yourself in the surreal, ethereal, earth-embracing work of Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki, you're missing one of cinema's true originals. His hand-drawn, anime-influenced work is difficult to describe in lil' blurbs such as this, but each entry in his diverse universe creates its own rich, sometimes daunting world in which magic and humanism and cruelty and an enduring love of nature all battle for a hardscrabble brand of survival.

His new entry, "Ponyo," is sort of "The Little Mermaid" stripped of the songs and the saccharine. The tale of ocean goldfish and her quest to become human is a bit sweeter than most of his complex recent work, but it's still soooo much more rich and complex than the "insert celebrity voice here/insert flatulence joke there" approach that's gobbled up much of American animation. Sorry, Shrek.

If "Ponyo" whets your appetite for Miyazaki, his nine other films are all on DVD in one incarnation or another. The best of 'em:

"Princess Mononoke" -- Definitely not for younger children, Miyazaki's masterwork violently casts man against nature against the spirit world and beyond. It's a challenging work that captures the delicacy of man's troubled relationship with nature, pockmarked with lots of villainy, but no real villains. Again, send pre-teens to bed - this is a complex, violent piece of cinema.

"Spirited Away" -- Miyazaki's Oscar-winner is a dense, uniquely Asian nightmare populated by parents who turn into pigs, spirits on holiday, a mammoth talking baby, bossy frogs and a little girl's quest to come to terms with her own future. Young kids may not comprehend all the mythology, but they'll be dazzled nonetheless.

"Howl's Moving Castle" -- An out-and-out fantasy. Less thematically challenging than most of his work, it's still an opportunity to spend a couple of hours in a magical alternative world. And, amid all the noise and magic, there are underlying themes of forgiveness of pacifism that parents will appreciate.

"Porco Rosso" -- The most surreal wartime genre flick this side of "Kelly's Heroes." An Italian Air Force ace is transformed into a snarling, cynical pig. Seriously.

"My Neighbor Totoro" -- A genuinely sweet fantasy that will delight parents whose kids are mired in the swamp of "Suite Like of Zack and Cody" and its ilk.

Also worth a DVD spin: "Kiki's Delivery Service" and "Castle in the Sky" - both just fine for younger children.

Disney's "Family Fun" magazine compiled a list of 14 fun back-to-school strategies by asking readers to share some of their best ideas for transitioning back to the school year. Here's what they came up with:

Shift From Summer Mode to School-Year Tempo
Count the Days: Make a countdown calendar with cardboard tubes to mark the last week of summer and as a fun way to present kids with their new school supplies.

Jazz Up Your Supplies: Pick a piece of back-to-school gear, like a white metal lunchbox or plain messenger bag, and embellish with stickers, iron-ons and fabric paints. Personalized items make for great conversation-starters with potential new friends.

Young children can get an early childhood musical education this fall at the University of Redlands Community School of Music and the Arts' Musikgarten music program, "Cycle of Seasons."

Classes for the fall term will be from September 4 through December 15.

The program is for children ages 3 to 5 years old and will transition the students into piano lessons. Teacher Christine Price has been certified by the Musikgarten Organization and also teaches the Suzuki piano method through the Community School of Music and Arts at the University of Redlands.

"Cycle of Seasons" will focus on the four seasons with activities that develop language skills through musical participation and dramatic play, as well as fostering independence and group participation.

The 45-minute classes will be held once per week at the University. Classes are available on Thursdays at 10 a.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Fridays at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., and 2 p.m.

Registration deadline is Friday, August 28 and the tuition for the 15-week program is $225. For more information call 909-748-8844.

The California Riverside Ballet will offer a free ballet demonstration and performance at the Cesar Chavez Center in Riverside Tuesday, August 18.

A similar event took place last year at the Eastside community center and the success of that event inspired the encore this year.

"We had such a positive reaction to our performance last year that we are delighted to perform again at the request of Councilmember Andy Melendrez," said Glenda Carhart, artistic director.

The demonstration will include variations from the ballet, "Sleeping Beauty" and "Pas de Quatre."

Where: 2060 University Ave., Riverside
When: 3 p.m., Tuesday, August 18
Cost: Free

The Animal Guys will visit the Steelworkers' Auditorium in the Lewis Library and Technology Center in Fontana Saturday, August 22.

Slade, a serval with the Animal Guys.

Active Creation, a day of hands-on educational animal exploration is free and open to the public. Visitors will see animals from around the world and learn about animal survival, feeding behavior and habitat.

This event is the first of a three-part special event series hosted by the City of Fontana's Cultural Arts Department. For more information call 909-428-8818 or visit www.fontanarecreation.org.

Where: Lewis Library and Technology Center, 8437 Sierra Ave., Fontana
When: 2 p.m., Saturday, August 22
Cost: Free

Producers for the ABC show, "Supernanny" are looking for California families in need of help from Supernanny Joe Frost for season five. The casting team is looking for families with unique interests; parents who have ordinary and extraordinary circumstances; teen moms; parents with mean girls or bullying boys; culturally diverse parents; and blended families in which both sides are seeking help.

Interested parents with out of control kids can apply at www.supernanny.com or call 877-626-6984 for more information.

Humans will pit their chess skills against robots this weekend at the Taco Bell Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana. Robotic chess pieces that can communicate with one another will play humans in giant games of chess Saturday and Sunday (Aug. 15-16) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Taco Bell Discovery Science Center

The games will be played on a 16 foot by 16 foot chess board as part of the Center's summer exhibition "Robots & Us." You can see a preview game Friday, August 14 at 10 a.m.

Where: Taco Bell Discovery Science Center, 2500 N. Main St., Santa Ana
When: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Autust 15, 16
Admission: $12.95 adults, $9.95 children ages 3-17
Information: 714-542-2823, www.discoverycube.org

The Mission Inn Museum in Riverside is looking for volunteers interested in becoming Museum docents. The eight month training program for docents will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. one evening each week at the Mission Inn September through April.

Once training is completed, docents lead or assist one tour per week or four tours per month for two years.

"It's a great opportunity to learn about the Mission Inn's history, local history and the citrus industry," said Kathy Chennault, a docent at the museum. "It's really a lot of fun."

The lecture topics during training will include the history of the Inn and its art and artifacts, as well as the Inn's architecture and area history.

Proceeds from the tours fund the non-profit Mission Inn Foundation and museum operation, which includes care of the collection and community outreach programs.
For more information call 951-788-9556 or visit www.missioninnmuseum.com.

Archaeological Technician Britt Wilson will give a presentation on the "desert side" of Serrano Indian history titled "Serrano Indians - the desert connections" at the San Bernardino County Museum on Wednesday, August 26, at 7:30 p.m.

Wilson conducts surveys throughout Southern California and Nevada. He has discovered many Serrano sites in the desert and has visited some sites recorded 20 to 30 years ago by other archaeologists.

"Most of us know the Serrano as the 'mountaineers,' which is the Spanish translation of Serrano," Wilson said. "But they had their beginnings in the Twentynine Palms area - a desert environment."

Wilson will share photos of Serrano desert sites including villages, pictographs, petroglyphs, rock shelters and more.

The lecture is free with museum admission, which is $8 for adults, $6 for seniors or military, $5 for students and $4 for children ages 5 to 12. For more information call 909-307-2669 or visit www.sbcountymuseum.org.

San Bernardino County Museum Curator of Geology J. Chris Sagebiel will host a lecture Sunday, August 30, at 2 p.m. on the subject of evolutionary history. In the lecture, titled "The Tree of Life," he will also discuss the exhibits planned for the museum's new Hall of Geological Wonders.

Sagebiel will demonstrate how perspectives and knowledge of evolutionary history have changed in recent years, including some of the surprises revealed by recent fossil discoveries and modern genetic analyses.

The lecture is free with museum admission, which is $8 for adults, $6 for seniors, $5 for students and $4 for children ages 5 to 12.

For more information call 909-307-2669 or visit www.sbcountymuseum.org.

Southern California Mimis Cafe restaurants will hold a special fundraising day Wednesday, August 12, to benefit San Diego Zoo's conservation efforts. Bring a copy of the flyer found here and 15 percent of the net sales will be donated to the San Diego Zoo.

The restaurants will also have coupons through August 31 for one free Child's Best Value Admission Ticket with the purchase of an Adult Best Value Admission Ticket good for the San Diego Zoo or Wild Animal Park.

Oh boy. Looks like we'll be seeing a lot of Nadya Suleman again. FOX plans to air a 2-hour special, "Octomom: The Incredible Unseen Footage," on August 19. According to FOX, the special will feature an "intimate look inside Suleman's life."

We've already had a pretty intimate look in my opinion, but FOX is taking us that much closer with video compiled during the first seven months of the octuplet babies' lives.

The footage will allow "viewers to witness the emotional struggles, physical complications and financial burdens of this single mother of 14," FOX said.

Suleman, single mom of 14, already had six children when she gave birth to the octuplets.

"From the day the octuplets were born, cameras had unprecedented access to every area of Suleman's life. For more than seven months, cameras documented Suleman, capturing incredible footage, including the private moments and reactions of Suleman's family, as well as Suleman's own feelings, doubts and fears," FOX said in a press release.

The 8th annual Inland Empire Home Show Extravaganza will be at the Ontario Convention Center Friday through Sunday (Aug. 14-16). There'll be hundreds of exhibitors and lots of how-to clinics.

"Home shows are an ideal destination for homeowners to save money and guarantee their home improvement project's success," said Randy Thorsch, the show's producer.

For more info visit www.thorschproductions.com.

Visitors can get one last look at the Riverside Art Museum exhibit "Strips, Scripts and Scapes!" at Zine FFest! Thursday, August 20 from 7 to 9 p.m.

Artists Mark Todd and Esther Pearl Watson, coauthors of "Whatcha Mean, What's a Zine?" will host the event, which will take place during downtown Riverside's Arts Walk.

Visitors will learn to make do-it-yourself artist books, mini-comics and more. Participation is free with admission to the museum, which is $5 for general, $2 for students and seniors and free for RAM members.

For more information call 951-684-7111.

Artwork created by residents of The Grove, a memory support/dementia care unit at Plymouth Village Continuing Care Retirement Community in Redlands, will be on display at the Historic Kendall Place at 120 E. Palm Ave. in Redlands Saturday from 2 to 5 p.m.

The art is the culmination of two ten-week programs conducted by the Riverside Arts Council that were part of a series of workshops designed to use art as a therapeutic tool.

"Over the years the National Endowment for the Arts studied the degree to which function can be recovered following stroke, injury or disease," said Patrick Brien, executive director of the Riverside Arts Council. "Visual art has proven effective in stimulating memory recall and regaining a sense of control over life through successful experiences."

Banning resident Rachael Dziknoski was one of the artists who worked with The Grove residents. She spent 10 weeks working with ceramic projects such as pinch pots and tiles.

"They really seemed to grasp onto the tile projects, which allowed them to really use their hands and become engrossed in creative expression," Dziknoski said. "I was fortunate to have the opportunity to work with these amazing people and it was wonderful to see how each resident blossomed as the workshop continued."

Brand Model and Talent Agency held its annual Model Search August 1 at The District at Tustin Legacy and Riverside Community College student Audrey Delano was chosen as one of the finalists who will participate in a live fashion show August 8 from 6 to 9 p.m.

Audrey Delano

Saturday's open call was for men and women ages 15-25. The judging panel for the final event will include Greer Wylder of Greer's OC, Mona Shah of Moxxe PR, Don Bartolo of 944 Magazine, Patty Brand and Linda Robirds of Brand Model and Talent Agency, and travel and fashion photographer Joe Regan.

The winner will get a one-year modeling contract with Brand Model and Talent Agency, a full pictorial spread in 944 Magazine's Fall Fashion Issue, a $500 Visa gift card from The District at Tustin Legacy, a photo session with Joe Regan and a one-year membership to LA Fitness.

Riverside Youth Theatre will present Mulan Jr. and On Broadway Now! as part of its 5th annual Summer Youth Festival. Mulan Jr. performances will take place August 8, 9 and 14 at 3 p.m. at the Wallace Theater on the campus of California Baptist University. On Broadway Now! is scheduled on August 6, 7, 8, 14 and 15 at 7:30 p.m. at the same location.

Mulan Jr. is an elementary production based on the Disney movie. It features Hannah Wolgemuth as Mulan and Gabriel Martinez as Captain Shang. On Broadway Now! is a teen musical revue that features songs from 2009 Broadway shows, including Legally Blonde, Jersey Boys, Mary Poppins and more.

Tickets cost $12 and are available at www.RiversideYouthTheatre.org. Parking is free at the university, 8432 Magnolia Ave., Riverside. For more information call 951-756-4240.