Things to Do: May 2010 Archives

It's summer movie time at Harkins Theatres with 10 movies for 10 weeks for less than $1 per movie. Harkins' Summer Movie Fun program features "G" or "PG" rated films Monday-Friday at 9:45 a.m. It all starts June 7. Chino Hills 18 at Hwy 71 and Chino Ave. and Moreno Valley 16 at 22350 Town Cir. Moreno Valley are the two participating Inland locations.

Here's the schedule:

June 7-11: "Charlotte's Web"
June 14-18: "Shrek the Third"
June 21-25: "Ice Age Dawn of the Dinosaurs"
June 28-July 2: "Alvin and the Chipmunks, The Squeakquel"
July 5-9: "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs"
July 12-16: "Astroboy"
July 19-23: "Planet 51"
July 26-30: "Monsters vs. Aliens"
August 2-6: "The Tale of Despereaux"
August 9-13: "Muppets From Space"

Click HERE for details on Regal Cinemas Free Family Film Festival.

Click HERE for details on Krikorian Premeire Theatres Krikorian Kids Series.

Regal Cinemas' annual Free Family Film Festival set to start for the summer again beginning Tuesday, June 15. G or PG movies start at 10 a.m. every Tuesday and Wednesday. Seats are available on a first come, first serve basis.

Here are the participating Inland locations:

Corona Crossings Stadium 18
2650 Tuscany Street, Corona
951-582-0872

6/15-6/16 Doogal (G)
Night At The Museum II (PG)
6/22-6/23 Jonah: A Veggie Tales Movie (G)
Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs (PG)
6/29-6/30 Paul Blart: Mall Cop (PG)
Surf's Up (PG)
7/06-7/07 Hotel For Dogs (PG)
Planet 51 (PG)
7/13-7/14 Tale of Despereaux (G)
The Spy Next Door (PG)
7/20-7/21 Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs (PG)
Stuart Little (PG)
7/27-7/28 Charlotte's Web (G)
Imagine That (PG)
8/03-8/04 Kit Kittredge: American Girl (G)
Alvin And The Chipmunks Squeakquel (PG)
8/10-8/11 Curious George (G)
Monsters Vs. Aliens (PG)

The annual UCR Gluck program for high school students has been rescheduled for August 2-6, which extends the application deadline to June 11. The new schedule will accommodate more students, although space remains limited.

CON/VERG/E/MERGE is the fifth annual summer camp, which will take place on the UCR campus and at the ARTSblock in downtown Riverside. All workshops are free. Students provide their own lunches and transportation.

Classes include dance, creative writing, music, theater, art history and art. Workshops are taught by graduate fellows in the Gluck Fellows Program of the Arts, which is funded by the Maxwell H. Gluck Foundation.

The camp concludes with a final show on Friday, Aug. 6. Applications can be downloaded at www.gluckprogram.ucr.edu.

This year's Krikorian Kids Series, which begins June 22, will include 10 weeks of recent kids movies, all rates PG. Admission is $1 (free at Krikorian 15 at Dos Lagos). The program runs from June 22 through August 24. Shows will take place every Tudsday at 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

Here's the lineup:
Tuesday, June 22: "Planet 51"
Tuesday, June 29: "The Tooth Fairy"
Tuesday, July 6: "Alvin and the Chipmunks 2"
Tuesday, July 13: "Fantastic Mr. Fox"
Tuesday, July 20: "Ice Age Dawn of the Dinosaurs"
Tuesday, July 27: "Night at the Museum, Battle of the Smithsonian"
Tuesday, July 13: "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs"
Tuesday, August 10: "Aliens in the Attic"
Tuesday, August 17: "The Spy Next Door"
Tuesday, August 24: "Shorts"

Inland Krikorian locations include:
Krikorian Theatres 15 at Dos Lagos
2710 Lakeshore Dr., Corona
Redlands Cinema 14
340 N. Eureka St., Redlands

San Bernardino Museum's educational division is starting a new series of programs designed for families with children ages 6 and younger called "Just Outside." The 45-minute programs will feature age-appropriate books and activities for families to share. The programs are included with paid museum admission.

The first in the series, "Caterpillars and Butterflies," is scheduled for Saturday, June 5 at 10 a.m. No reservations are necessary to participate.

The museum is located at 2024 Orange Tree Lane in Redlands. For more information visit www.sbcountymuseum.org.

Auditions for this years Temecula Gospel Fest will be Saturday, June 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Old Town Temecula Community Theater. The concert will benefit Oak Grove Center for Education Treatement and the Arts.

Auditions are for praise and worship teams, small ensembles and soloists. Gospelfest is also building the Temecula Mass Choir and a Gospel Youth Choir.

Audition appointment times will be given to applicants who register by June 10. Walk-ins are also welcome and will be auditioned after the scheduled appointments. Register at www.temeculagospelfest.com.

For more information call 951-677-5599 ext. 2238 or e-mail gwyn@socalvoicecoach.com or cheryll@oakgrovecenter.org.

Explore an icky new exhibit opening this weekend at the Taco Bell Discovery Science Center. Grossology: The (Impolite) Science of the Human Body will be open May 29-September 12.

Based on the best-selling book, "Grossology," this exhibition uses animatronics and exhibits to explain the good, the bad and the downright ugly facts about runny noses, body odor and much more.

After getting grossed out, watch the center's new 3-D summer movie, "Planet You!" The movie will take visitors in a 3-D microscopic adventure into the alien landscape of their own skin. Find out all the creepy, crawly things that live on us - dust mites, lice and ticks. "Planet You," is currently showing through the summer in the 4-D theater.

During opening weekend, guests can visit and make their own slime.

Discovery Science Center is located at 2500 N. Main St. in Santa Ana. For more information call 714-542-2823 or visit www.discoverycube.org.

The San Bernardino County Regional Parks' swim complexes will open Saturday, May 29 at Cucamonga Guasti, Ontario, Glen Helen, Devore, Lake Gregory, Crestline and Yucaipa Regional Parks. The parks are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Regional Parks have both pools and swim slides. Cucamonga-Guasti and Glen Helen also have zero depth water play parks for toddlers and children of all ages. The water play parks are ADA accessible as well.

The swim complexes will operate on weekends only until June 15, then the parks will open their water complexes Tuesday through Sunday. For more details on hours of operation or camping reservations at the parks, visit www.sbcountyparks.com.

The Redlands Barnes and Noble is kicking off summer reading season in style - with a party on Tuesday, June 1 from 5-7 p.m. in the Children's Department. Admission is free.

There will be games, activities and story times for children grades 1-6, presented by Girl Scout Troop 593. Any purchases made will support Troop 593's Silver Project, a fundraiser for the Loma Linda University Children's Hospital Library.

Shop anywhere in the store and Barnes and Noble will donate a percentage of the purchase to the cause. Just remind the person ringing up the purchase that it's for the girl scout project.

The Redlands Barnes and Noble is at 27460 Lugonia Ave. in the Citrus Plaza.

Who doesn't like a story with pirates, treasure, adventure and true love?
Youth group Christian Arts and Theatre will present "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" at the Corona Civic Theater Friday, May 28 through June 6.

Special to The Press-Enterprise

The Mark Twain classic follows young Tom Sawyer (played by 16-year-old Matt Dunn), his best friend Huck Finn (17-year-old Isaac Monroe) and his love Becky Thatcher (16-year-old Hannah Irvine) as they search for hidden gold, fend off a murderer and have many other adventures.

Directed by Cyndi Monroe, the "Tom Sawyer" cast includes about 65 young people from throughout the Inland region.

Performances will be 7 p.m. today and June 4; 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday and June 5; and 2 p.m. Sunday and June 6.
Call the Christian Arts and Theatre Box Office at 951-279-2298cq for information or tickets, or purchase tickets online at www.catcorona.org.

Corona Civic Theater is located at 815 W. Sixth St., Corona. $13 adults; $11 child/senior/student; $50 package for family of five; $10 per seat for group of 15 or more. Tickets cost additional $2 when purchased at the door.

My Learning Studio in Riverside will host it's fun and educational S.M.A.R.T. Summer Camps again this year. S.M.A.R.T. stands for Science, Math, Art, Reading and Technology. If you register for any of these by Monday, May 31, there's a $40 discount of each camp. Register by June 11 and get $25 off each camp, plus a free T-shirt.

This year's camps are:

S.M.A.R.T. Art & Science
July 6 or August 9
Explore and create projects that can be done at home. Learn about making money, building and launching a rocket or making paper maché pigs.

S.M.A.R.T. Physical Science
June 28-July 2 or August 2-6
Discuss the properties and structure of matter, the different forms of energy and how energy affects matter. Learn about atoms, molecules, chemicals, gravity, electricity and more.

S.M.A.R.T. Jus' for Girls
June 21-25 or July 26-30
The most popular camp for girls. Do nails, feet, facials, bath salts and a ton of arts and crafts. Also learn study skills, how to eat healthy and take care of yourself.

S.M.A.R.T. Life Science
July 19-23
Learn the similarities and differences among living things and how organisms interact with their environment. Also learn about how the human body works, about cells, genes, the human body, DNA, ecosystems and more.

S.M.A.R.T. Earth Science
July 12-16
Earth science, with a focus on astronomy, meteorology and geology. Learn about the earth structure, build a volcano and tornado, create your own planet and learn about rocks and minerals.

Cost for all is $199.99 for the week, Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The studio is located at 17072 Van Buren Blvd. in Riverside. For more information visit http://mylearningstudio.com/Summer_Camps.html.

Inland Valley Symphony's Young People's Concert will take place Sunday, May 23 at 2:30 p.m. in Murrieta and Thursday, May 27 at 7:30 p.m. in Temecula.

The concert will feature more than 100 musicians and will include a variety of music genres, from the Old Masters and classics to folk music and theme songs of modern technology.

The Inland Valley Youth Symphony will perform with the Inland Valley Symphony for the first time. The concert will also feature the four winners of this year's Inland Valley Symphony's Young Artist Competition. Each young musician will perform one movement of their selected concerto, accompanied by the Inland Valley Symphony.

Here are the concert details:

Murrieta Mesa High School
Where: 24801 Monroe Ave., Murrieta
When: 2:30 p.m. Sunday, May 23
Cost: $20, adults; $15 seniors/students age 18 and younger/military; $3 children 12 and under
Tickets: At the door or online at www.InlandValleySymphony.org before midnight May 22

Old Town Temecula Community Theater
Where: 42051 Main St., Temecula
When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 27
Cost: $20, adults; $15 seniors/students age 18 and younger/military; $3 children 12 and under
Tickets: At the Box Office or online at www.TemeculaTheater.org

Like to sing opera and want to perform? The City of Riverside Opera Program is auditioning Saturday and Sunday, May 22-23 from 2-8 p.m. at the Cesar Chavez Community Center at 2060 University Ave. in Riverside. You must audition to participate in the program.

The program, which is free, will take place July 19-23. The Youth Opera Camp is for children ages 6-17. The Adult Master Class, led by mezzo-soprano Suzanna Guzman and Maestro Manuel Alberto Aybar, is for adults ages 18 and older.

The Youth Opera Camp schedule will include music rehearsals from 10 a.m.-noon, lunch from noon-1 p.m. and staging/tech rehearsals from 1-4 p.m.

The Adult Master Class schedule will include the master class from 6-7 p.m. and music/staging/tech rehearsals from 7-9 p.m.

The final concert, which will include selections from La Boheme, Tales of Hoffman and The Mikado, will take place Saturday, July 24 at 3 p.m.

To schedule your audition time or for more information call 951-250-2954.

The City of Riverside Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department is holding open auditions for the 3rd Annual Riverside Sings Vocal Competition. Auditions will be held Monday, May 24 for youth ages 5-17 and Tuesday, May 25 for ages 18 and older. Auditions will be held at the Cesar Chavez Community Center at 2060 University Ave. in Riverside. Early bird registration will be accepted until May 21 for $15 per person and will be $20 thereafter. The top 14 in each age category (youth and adult) will perform and be judged at the Rhythm of Riverside Summer Concert Series.

The Rhythm of Riverside Summer Concert Series is held every Wednesday, June 23-August 11 from 6-9 p.m. at Fairmount Park. The winners will be awarded cash and prizes valued at more than $1,000. Register online at www.riversideca.gov/park_rec or at your local community center.

Theatre 29 and Director Kathryn Ferguson have set auditions for the musical comedy, "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" for Monday, July 5 at 7 p.m. on the Main Stage at Theatre 29, located at 73637 Sullivan Rd., in Twentynine Palms.

The musical comedy tells the story of six young people in the throes of puberty, overseen by grown-ups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves, learn that winning isn't everything and that losing doesn't necessarily make you a loser.

The show will take the stage for five weeks from August 27 through September 25. A cast of nine singer/actors are needed, including six "child" roles played by adults (as in the original Broadway production) There are no roles for children under age.

Here are the parts:

William Barfee- (Tenor) Insecure, a little bit of a bully, can only breathe from one nostril and has severe allergies. A finalist in last year's Bee, he was disqualified for a health-related incident, an event he is all too familiar with.

Olive Ostrovsky- (Soprano) Little Girl Lost, result of inattentive parenting. Sweet, Naive. Her mom's in an ashram in India. Her dad promises that, this time, he'll try to make it. Her best friend is the dictionary.

Leaf Coneybear- (Baritenor) Preferable red head, marches to his own drummer, a bit spacey. As just the second runner-up in his district' Bee, he really shouldn't be here. He makes his own clothes.

Marcy Park- (Soprano/Mezzo-soprano) Chronic over-achiever, excels at anything she attempts, but finds no joy in the success. She made it all the way to ninth place in Nationals last year. She sleeps three hours a night.

Loggaine Schwartzandgrubenierre- (Soprano) A very young politico, vocal, opinionated, but craving acceptance. Must be able to do convincing lisp. The youngest of the competitors, her stage fathers would make Mama Rose blush.

Chip Tolentino- (Tenor) Boy Scout, the "stud" of the bee. Outward confidence masks inward fears. Last year's Putnam County champ is beginning to learn the ups and downs of puberty.

Mitch Mahoney- (Tenor) Preferably African-American, confident sexy, dangerous but with a good heart. Sings R&B/Gospel attitude songs. Fulfilling his community service, this former felon is now the Bee's Comfort Counselor, handing out juice boxes and a dose of reality to the losers.

Vice Principal Douglas Panch- Must have deadpan comedic timing. Non-Singing Role, The "incident" of five years ago almost forgotten, this Lake Hemingway-Dos Passos Junior High Vice Principal is now in a better place, thanks to a high-fiber diet and Jungian analysis.

Rona Lisa Peretti- (Soprano) Strong singer, consummate professional, she is the big "bee". This former Spelling Bee champ is not only the county's top Realtor, she also runs a highly lucrative e-Bay business, selling sensible pumps at sensible prices.

The director asks that those who audition come prepared with either a karaoke tape or professional backing track as accompaniment, (No background vocals, please!) as there will be no live accompaniment available. Dress to move.

Be prepared for cold reading, pre-selected sides are available for review on our website, www.theatre29.com , choose the "Auditions" tab and follow the links.

Music samples from the production are also available on that page. Also seeking technical support in stagehand and set construction capacities and volunteer "Audience Wranglers" as the show is audience participatory.

For more information, contact the director, Kathryn Ferguson via email at theatre29programs@msn.com or call the Box Office at 760-361-4151.

Believe it or not, it's time to start thinking summer camps. Guest author Maura Ammenheuser pulled together three very cool summer camps being offered at the Western Science Center in Hemet. Thanks Maura!!

Maura Ammenheuser
Guest Author

The Western Science Center in Hemet will offer three summer programs this season, each with two one-week sessions. These camps will appeal to kids who are big on science, nature and natural history.

"Super Science" runs July 12 through 16, or July 26 through 30, from 9 a.m. to noon. It offers hands-on activities centered around a variety of scientific fields -- "from astronomy to zoology," as the center's website puts it. Super Science is for kids entering grades 3 through 6 and costs $100 for a session ($90 for Western Science Center members).

"Art and Nature" offers five days of art projects and crafts for third- through sixth-graders. The first session runs July 12 through 16 and the second July 26 through 30, both from 1 to 3:30 p.m. The cost for this camp is also $100 per session, or $90 for members.

"Excavate!" is for budding paleontologists, archaeologists or perhaps the kid who just loves to dig. This camp will teach youth "the field techniques, procedures and ethics of archaeology and paleontology," at the center's new outdoor simulated dig site. It's for older kids than the other two camps, aimed at those entering grades 6 through 10. The first session is July 19 through 23; the second runs Aug. 2 through 6. Both are 7:45 to 11:30 a.m. and cost $119 or $99 for members.

For more information, call the Western Science Center at 951-791-0033 or see its website at www.WesternCenterMuseum.org. The center is at 2345 Searl Pkwy., Hemet.

The Edward-Dean Museum & Gardens will host the Memorial Day Living History "Legacy Camps Weekend," which will include two days of activities for families. See demonstrations of period crafts, arms, clothing and authentic equipment from days gone by. There will also be vendor booths.

On Monday, May 31 there will be a Memorial Day Remembrance. Anyone who has lost family members may submit names to be honored in a flag ceremony and volley salute.

The museum is located at 9401 Oak Glen Rd. in Cherry Valley. Admission is $5; children age 12 and under get in free. For more information call 951-845-2626 or visit www.edward-deanmuseum.org.

Lifehouse Theater's musical comedy "Esther!" will open May 29 and continue through June 27. In the show, audience members will journey to ancient Persia to see Queen Esther as she outwits the evil and treacherous Haman.

Special to The Press-Enterprise

The evil Haman (William Fernandez, Jr.) spies on Esther (Heather Baguyo) and King Xerxes (Taylor Joseph) as he attempts to steal the throne in LifeHouse Theater's "Esther!"

"Our critically acclaimed musical 'Esther!' is a fun audience favorite," said Wayne Scott, playwright and director. "This is a light rendition of a serious story as timely today as ever."

Heather Baguyo of Linda plays the title role of Esther and Taylor Joseph of Riverside plays King Xerxes. William Fernandez Jr. of Riverside plays Haman.

Performances are Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2:15 & 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:15 p.m. In addition to the weekend performances, there will be a special Thursday performance on June 24 at 7:30 p.m. The 7:30 p.m. performance on Saturday, June 12 will also feature an interpreted presentation for the deaf.

The theater is located at 1135 N. Church St. in Redlands. Free parking is available behind the theater. For more information call 909-335-3037 ext. 21 or visit www.lifehousetheater.com.

Sesame Street Live is currently celebrating its 30th anniversary and 100th tour. The live tour, "1-2-3 Imagine! with Elmo & Friends," will be at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario Friday-Sunday, May 14-16.

The arena is located at 4000 E Ontario Center Parkway. Tickets, which cost $15-$40, can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com.

The 10th annual Green Faire will be at the Jurupa Mountains Cultural Center Friday and Saturday, May 14 and 15 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.

The event will feature nonprofit plant clubs and societies that offer member-grown plants for sale, as well as advice on how to grow them. Participants include gates Cactus & Succulent Society, Inland Iris Society, California Rare Fruit Growers, Master Gardeners, Master Composters, Granite Hill Gardens and more.

There will also be a special kids table where children can make their own succulent gardens for $1.

For more information call 951-360-8802 or visit www.pricklypalace.com.

Help Make a Miracle will host a Fundraising Night for Baby Daylon on Tuesday, June 1 from 5-9 p.m. at:

Bob's Big Boy, 3521 Hamner Ave., Norco CA 92503

For more information call 951-280-3388 or visit www.helpmakeamiracle.org

A percent of the proceeds will go to Daylon from Bob's Big Boy. So, come out, enjoy, one of great meals, or desserts, and help make a miracle.

To read about baby Daylon and his struggle with the rare genetic disease EB, visit www.pe.com/localnews/stories/PE_News_Local_W_daylon27.2c58066.html.

The matinee perforance of 'Iron Man 2' at The Movie Experience in Murrieta was packed with fans Saturday - not just of the movie, but of Temecula's 6-year-old Davin Ransom, a.k.a. young Tony Stark.

Davin was cast as Stark as a child and played opposite "Mad Men" star John Slattery, who played Howard Stark. In the movie Davin appeared in an old film reel Tony Stark watched that showed his father from years ago. In the background Davin, as young Tony Stark, played with a piece of a large city model until he was shooed off screen.

When little Davin made his appearance on the big screen, the movie audience clapped and cheered. The Ransom family - Mom, Dad, little brother and grandparents - watched from their seats as well.

'Iron Man 2' took in $52.4 million domestically on its opening day Friday, a nearly 50 percent increase over the $35.2 million first day of the original "Iron Man" two years ago.

"It was cool," Davin said of seeing himself on screen.

He liked the experience enough that he plans to keep acting. But he thinks acting might be too scary for his 2-year-old brother Dalon.

Friends of the family, including several fellow actors-in-training from the Corky Pigeon acting school in Lake Elsinore, turned out to cheer him on as well.

"It was really cool," said Bianca Greene, 14, of Lake Elsinore. "I got to meet, like, a famous person."

Davin's friend, 4-year-old Mason McNutty, also attended the screening. Mason has had a couple acting gigs too, including a Playschool commercial and a bit part in "Diary of a Whimpy Kid."

"We're here to cheer on Davin," said Cindy McNutty, Mason's mom.

Now that Davin has seen "Iron Man 2" he's hoping he can see the first one.

"My dad rented it, but he didn't let me watch it since it's PG -13," he said.

Davin's parents, Heidi and Phillip Ransom were happy with the turnout.

"It's great to see this much support," Heidi said.

The City of Riverside Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department will offer a Sport and Cheer Camp from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday June 7 through August 6 at La Sierra Community Center located at 5215 La Sierra Ave.

Activities for the Sport and Cheer Camp will include basketball, soccer, flag football, baseball, dance, cheer and gymnastics. The camp will cost $80 per week plus a $10 material fee. Cost is $120 for a non-resident.

Cheer Camp teaches the basics of cheer, dance, beginning tumbling, art and drama. The Sport Camp will teach fundamental sport skills and rules of sports, while providing an opportunity for youth to exercise in a fun-filled environment.

The Sport and Cheer Camps are for youth ages 5-12 and will feature weekly excursions, lunch and mid-afternoon snacks. Pre-registration is highly recommended.

For additional information call 951-351-6131 or e-mail runderwood@riversideca.gov.

The Fontana Park Aquatic Center will host a free poolside concert by "Sunset on the Boardwalk with Woodie and the Longboards" Saturday, June 12 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. The group performs vintage beach tunes from a variety of artists, such as the Beach Boys, Jan & Dean, The Surfaris, The Ventures, The Chantays, Jimmy Buffet and more.

In addition to the music, other event activities will include carnival games, prizes, giveaways, art activities and food. The pool, slide and water play area will be open and available for use during the concert as well.

Regular swim fees apply and swimmers must be dressed in appropriate swimwear to use the facilities. The center is located at 15610 Summit Ave. in Fontana. The free poolside concert kicks off Fontana's superhero summer events that will occur weekly from June 17 to August 14.

These events will include the Sunset Concert Series, organized by the City's Fontana Arts program. The first of the nine free Sunset Concerts is on June 17 with "Yard Sale!" who will play classic rock, blues and funk tunes. These concerts take place at the Miller Park Amphitheatre from 7-9 p.m. every Thursday from June 17-August 12. The amphitheater is located at 17004 Arrow Boulevard in Fontana. Families are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs.

Many kids dream of being a super hero, but Temecula's Davin Ransom actually gets to do it -- or at least act like one.

The 6-year-old will play the role of young Tony Stark, who grows up to be the heavy-metal-suited Iron Man in the Paramount Pictures/Marvel Studios sequel, "Iron Man 2."

Among his tasks: "sleeping on my dad's shoulder," Davin said.

The young actor plays opposite "Mad Men" star John Slattery, who portrays Tony Stark's father, Howard Stark, a pioneering arms mogul. The elder Stark's clash with the father of a revenge-seeking Russian weapons czar sets the whole action-flick plot in motion.

Davin is not on screen for long, but for such a small actor, it's a very big movie.

"Iron Man 2" already has had a huge start at the foreign box office, grossing $100.2 million within five days of its April 30 opening. The film opened overseas in advance of its U.S. debut today to get an extra week of screen time before World Cup soccer fever begins June 11.

Despite his age, Ransom is a veteran thespian. He portrays Spencer Cassadine in a recurring role on ABC's "General Hospital," and has appeared on the prime-time series "Desperate Housewives" and "In the Motherhood."

The Museum of History and Art in Ontario will host the family workshop, Mi Familia Clay Workshop Artist-led Workshop with instructor Luz Negron. The two-part workshop will take place May 7 and May 21 from 4-5:30 p.m.

Clay tiles will be created at the first session after sharing family rots, family structure and multi-cultural diversity. After the tiles are fired, participants will return to paint their tiles and share their creative art pieces with the group.

Reservations are required. Call 909-395-2510 for more information.

The brand new 67,000 square foot Western Riverside County/City Animal Shelter will host a Grand Opening/Adopt-a-Thon celebration Saturday, May 8 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Activities will include free hot dogs, animal-shaped jumpers for the kids, face painting, a K9 demonstration, live music and more than 700 animals ready for adoption.

Four Paws Inn of Banning will be onsite grooming the adopted pets at no charge to the families. Two-legged family members can also get groomed by stylists from Picasso's Colour Studio of Riverside. The team of stylists are donating their work for a $15 donation to the Animal Solutions Konnection (ASK), a nonprofit, charitable organization that assists the new shelter.

An official ribbon-cutting ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. Adoption rates on Saturday are $50 for dogs and $30 for cats, which includes spay and neuter surgeries (if necessary), microchipping and all vaccinations.

Also going on Saturday is the annual "Weiners on Wheels" event at Fairmount Park in Riverside. To help connect the two family-friendly events, the Riverside Transit Agency is donating two trolleys for the public to use for free. Weiners on Wheels activities include Dachshund races, a hot rod car show, live music, food booths and a canine costume contest. Animal Services will also have dogs available for adoption.

Nicole Delacruz

Rocky Kuner

Xenia Martinez

The months of vocal competition are over. Inland Icon crowned three new winners Sunday during its final concert event at the Irvine Barclay Theater.

After months of auditions throughout the Inland region and Orange County, and a semi-finals competition, 31 finalists between the ages of 7 and 18 performed in front of a voting audience.

Votes also came from the three celebrity judges, including singer/songwriter and actor Terron Brooks, singer and actor Cassie Miller, and actor, producer and TV host Mark Walberg.

The 2010 Inland ICONs are 9-year-old Nicole Delacruz of Chula Vista, 12-year-old Rocky Kuner of Westminster and 15-year-old Xenia Martinez of Temecula.

The final concert event also featured guest performances from Rowland High School's show choir "Infusion," Inland ICON 2008 winner Emily Yates of Apple Valley, Inland Icon 2009 winner Max Hayama of Corona and Inland Icon 2009 winner Darian Gargan.

This year's winner will receive a trophy and a prize package that includes a professional headshot package from Jim Dorsey Photography in Corona and a vocal coaching session by the ICON Performing Arts Academy of Southern Calif..

Winners also get two songs professionally recorded at Patrona Recording Studios in Riverside and one original song written/produced for the artist.

The yearly vocal competition is produced by WBZB Entertianment, a nonprofit, performing arts organization. WBZB has already begun accepting registrations for its OC ICON competition that kicks off June 12 in Costa Mesa. For more information visit http://ocicon.com.

Many kids dream of being a super hero, but Temecula's Davin Ranson actually gets to do it - or at least act like one. The 6-year-old will play the part of young Tony Stark in the upcoming "Iron Man 2," which premiers nationwide in theaters Friday, May 7.

Davin also has a recurring role in ABC's "General Hospital" and has appeared on ABC's "Desperate Housewives" and "In the Motherhood."

Davin Ransom

He started acting after a friend of the family commented on how good Davin was at acting out scenes. His mother, Heidi Ransom, signed him up for an actor's workshop at Corky Pigeon in Lake Elsinore, where he was picked up by Bobby Starr Management.

Little Davin said in a phone interview that he didn't have a lot of words to memorize for the part of young Tony Stark. But he had to act out a few scenes.

"I had to pick up this like pretend city, and I was flying airplanes on my dad's desk," he said. "And I was sleeping on my dad's shoulder."

Davin has had some training at the Temecula Arts Center, as well as private tutoring, but mostly practices his scenes with his mom.

"He seems to have a natural talent for it," Heidi Ransom said. "When I review lines with him, I never tell him how. He seems to be able to understand, the character is supposed to be sad or scared."

For "Iron Man 2" Davin spent two days at the Los Angeles Paramount studio - one in wardrobe fitting and the other shooting the scenes.

Davin will be at The Movie Experience in Murrieta Saturday, May 8 signing autographs after watching a matinee show at 11 a.m.

The Western Science Center in Hemet will host the new exhibit, "The Space Spot" May 28 through January 9. The interactive exhibit was developed by the Pacific Science Center with support by the National Science Foundation. It is sponsored locally by the City of Hemet and AT&T.

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"The Space Spot" includes 17 interactive stations, a portable planetarium and a "Book Nook" with relevant reading material. Here are some highlights:

A Sunful of Jupiters - How do the sizes of the Earth, sun and Jupiter compare? See how many scale-sized "Jupiters" will fit inside a "sun" globe. Then see how
many pea-sized "Earths" fit in a single "Jupiter."

Star Spectra - Just how do astronomers know which gases are in stars? Visitors use a spectroscope to figure out which elements are glowing.

Swirl World - Make a giant red spot with this exhibit, which simulates the weather bands found in Jupiter's atmosphere. Spin the globe and watch
fascinating patterns develop.

What's It Weigh? - How much does a can of Coke weigh on Jupiter? The Moon? The Sun? This exhibit demonstrates the concept of gravity in dramatic
fashion as people easily lift the can of Coke representing gravity on the Moon and
then attempt to lift the one representing gravity on the Sun.

The Western Science Center is located at 2345 Searl Parkway in Hemet. The center is open Tuesdays-Sundays from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. It is closed most Mondays. Admission is $8 for adults; $6.50 for military, seniors and students; $6 children 5-18; free for children ages 4 and younger. For more information call 951-791-0033 or visit www.WesternScienceCenter.org.

Christian Arts and Theatre in Corona will hold adult and youth auditions for its upcoming 6th annual Summer Theater Festival, which will include "The Wedding Singer," "The Foreigner" and "The Emperor's New Clothes."

Community Theater adult production auditions will be held Sunday, May 16 and youth production auditions will be held Saturday, June 12. All auditions will be at the CAT campus at 170 N. Maple St. #102 in Corona. For more information call 951-279-2298.

Based on the Adam Sandler movie, "The Wedding Singer" will be directed by Becca Schubert. Participants must be age 16 or older. Bring a CD or iPod with a song of your choice and be prepared to sing for one minute. Dance auditions and readings to follow.

Auditions for "The Foreigner" by Larry Shue and directed by Vicky Irvine will be on May 16 at 1 p.m. Participants must be age 18 or older.

"The Emperor's New Clothes" will be directed by Lori Hennebelle. Participants must be ages 8-18 to audition. Bring a CD or iPod with song of choice and be prepared to sing for one minute. Dance audition/reading to follow. Auditions will be at June 12 at 9 a.m.

Calico Ghost Town's "Bluegrass in the Spring Fest" is coming up Mother's Day weekend, May 8-9. And it's bigger than ever.

New bands include the Mill Creek Boys, Windy Ridge Bluegrass and The Wimberly Bluegrass Band, featuring young performers ages 11 to 16. Returning will be Scott Gates and Nathan McEuen, who have been favorites of years past.

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Headlining the weekend's activities will be The Nelsons, twin sons of the 1960s teen idol, Ricky Nelson. They'll perform in their tribute show, "Ricky Nelson Remembered" on the Silver Bowl stage for two performances on Mother's Day, May 9. They will perform "Travelin' Man," "Hello Mary Lou," "Garden Party" and more.

"This is something new for Calico Ghost Town and the Bluegrass in the Spring Festival," said Noele Shannon, Calico Events Coordinator. "Bringing recognized musical talent and an interactive experience is certain to be a crowd pleaser and it will be a unique Mother's Day gift for those attending the event."

Throughout the weekend Western artists will display their paintings, sculptures and photographs in the Art of the West Show. There will also be a family magic circus, clog dancing and a variety of games and contests for children. The first 100 mothers through the gate Sunday will receive a carnation.

Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 6-15 and free for children under age 5. For more information visit www.calicotown.com or call 800-862-2544.