Arts agenda
• • Open call auditions for the national tour of "Dirty Dancing--The Classic Story on Stage" are 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Joel Hall Dance Center, 1511 W. Berwyn Ave., Chicago. Male and female dancers with partnering skills are sought, especially those with Latin and ballroom dancing experience. Sign-ups are from 9 to 11 a.m. Visit www.dirtydaningonstage.com for more information.
• • Auditions for the Improv Playhouse Adult Improv Comedy "House" Team are from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday at 116 W. Lake St., Libertyville. Those auditioning must be 18 years or older and should have at least one year of improvising experience. Call (847) 968-4529 for audition appointments.
• • Wheaton Drama's auditions for a holiday production of Jean Shepherd's "A Christmas Story" are at 7 p.m. Sept. 23 and 24 at Playhouse 111, 111 N. Hale St., Wheaton. All actors who are cast must join Wheaton Drama for a nominal fee. Call (630) 260-1820 or visit www.wheatondrama.org for more information.
• • Dancenter North seeks boys ages 8-15 to be cast members for the party scene in its 19th annual production of "The Magic of the Nutcracker." Auditions are 4:40 p.m. Tuesday at 540 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville. Call (847) 367-7970 for more information.
• • The Des Plaines Park District Community Concert Band seeks new members. Openings are in the oboe, bassoon, clarinet, bass clarinet, tenor saxophone, bari-saxophone, trumpet, trombone, baritone and tuba sections. Rehearsals are Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1177 Howard St., Des Plaines. Call (847) 391-2395 or visit www.desplainesconcertband.org for more information.
• • The deadline for the International Songwriting Competition is Oct. 15. Find out more information by visiting www.songwritingcompetition.com.
• Children's cast auditions for Moscow Ballet's "Great Russian Nutcracker" are 10 a.m. Saturday at Alphonsus Academy & Center for the Arts, 439 W. Wellington Ave., Chicago. There is an audition fee of $10 and a participation fee that is $250-$300 if cast in the production. Call (773) 880-1701 for more information.
• Improv Playhouse's Young Actors Workshop holds auditions for "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Round Lake Beach Cultural and Civic Center, 2007 Civic Center Way, Round Lake Beach. Call (847) 968-4529.
• • Kids interested in entering the "The Luna Kid" contest to sing the Luna TV jingle (773-202-LUNA) to win a free room of carpet for their school and a commercial cameo should visit the Luna flooring gallery at 1320 N. Route 59, Suite 100, Naperville, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 6. The contest entry form is at www.lunacarpet.com/lunakid.
• Steel Beam Theatre holds children's auditions for "A Christmas Story" from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, while adult auditions are from 7:30 to 9 p.m. on the same dates at 111 W. Main St., St. Charles. Visit www.steelbeamtheatre.com or call (630) 587-8521 for more information.
• Pianists are invited to audition for the Six Piano Ensemble at Oakton Community College, 1600 E. Golf Road, Room 1360, Des Plaines, from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday and Wednesday. Music is provided, but candidates can also perform a prepared selection. (847) 635-1905.
• Lyric Opera of Chicago holds preliminary chorus auditions for a 2008 production of Gershwin's 1935 opera "Porgy and Bess." Classically trained African-American singers in all voice categories are sought. Auditions are held from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. Nov. 2, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 5 p.m. on Nov. 3. To be considered for an audition, singers should send a current resume, photo and best available audition date to: Lyric Opera of Chicago, Chorus Auditions Coordinator, 20 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 860, Chicago, IL 60606. Resumes are not accepted after Oct. 22. Not all applicants will be seen, and walk-ins are not accepted. (312) 332-2244.
• Brookfield Zoo seeks photographers to enter its annual photo contest to win the grand prize of two round-trip American Airlines tickets to the contiguous 48 states. Photos must feature an animal or animals (photos with people are not accepted). All entries must be received by 5 p.m. Oct. 8 at 3300 Golf Road, Brookfield. Visit www.brookfieldzoo.org for more information.
• Heartland Voices, an Elgin choral chamber ensemble, has openings for altos, tenors and basses for its 2007-08 season. Auditions are by appointment throughout September. Call (847) 429-9486 to schedule an audition or visit www.heartlandvoices.org for more information.
• The 27th annual Carey Rose Winski Dance Scholarship Competition is held at the Lou Conte Dance Studio-Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, 1147 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, at 11 a.m. Sept. 30. Scholarships totaling $1,500 are given to winning dancers between the ages of 13 and 18 (male or female) for further education. Applications and detailed competition information can be obtained by writing to the Carey Rose Winski Memorial Foundation Inc., 69 Woodley Road, Winnetka, IL 60093.