The auditions will be on Saturday, March 19, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Fine Arts Center and Franklin High School.

The finals will be on Saturday, April 9.

For more info, contact Toby Blanton at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Open auditions will be held Saturday April 2, noon-2 p.m., for home school and private school students wishing to perform in Showcase of Talent 2011. Participation is open to actors, dancers, gymnasts, instrumentalists, and vocalists in the third to 12th grades. Solo, duo, and ensemble acts are welcome. Auditions are held in the Franklin High School Fine Arts Center; a piano and CD player will be provided. Students perform on a first-come basis; no pre-registration. Students enrolled in Macon County Public Schools are chosen through their schools.

The Showcase of Talent is an annual non-competitive, countywide student talent show, to be held Saturday, April 30, at 7 p.m., in the Fine Arts Center. Each student selected for the Showcase receives a complimentary adult ticket for a parent or guardian. Proceeds support the Artists-in-the- Schools Program.

The Piccadilly Circus will be celebrating 25 years of entertaining families when it pulls into Western Carolina University’s Ramsey Regional Activity Center for two shows Wednesday, March 23.

Shows will begin at 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. Children will be admitted free with a paying adult, and coupons are available at area schools and businesses.

Piccadilly Circus features include “Elephant Extravaganza,” “Motorcycle Madness,” the giant jungle monster Katunga, the Mongolian Angels contortionists and a boxing kangaroo named Rocky.

A benefit concert featuring the “Best of the Best” will be presented on Friday, March 18, at 7:30 p.m. at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts. Groups participating are the Rye Holler Boys, Dueling Piano Players, WestSound, and Sherri Lynn and the Mountain Friends Band. Special emcee for the evening will be Franklin’s own Ms. Patti.

The Rye Holler Boys are slated to perform gospel and bluegrass favorites. This award winning group has played at various venues and festivals all over Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee and opened for The Issacs and the legendary Earl Scruggs in Cashiers.