Local auditions

• Perceptual Motion, Inc., seeks male and female dancers with a strong background in technical modern dance for its upcoming dance season. Auditions are by appointment only and for dancer aged 22 or older at 4057 N. Damen Ave., Chicago. Rehearsals are from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays. Call (773) 549-3958 or visit perceptualmotiondance.com for more information.

• Lukaba Productions' "Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival" is accepting applications until Thursday, Oct. 15, for its 9th annual festival at the Theatre Building Chicago, 1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. Details and application forms are at chicagosketchfest.com.

• The Fox Valley Academy of Music Performance has its final auditions for the 2009-10 season of the Fox Valley Youth Symphony Orchestras through Saturday, Aug. 22. All auditions are by appointment only. Visit fvyso.org or call (630) 879-8018 for more information.

• The Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale has auditions for men and women in all voice parts on Tuesdays until Aug. 18. Auditions are by appointment only. Call (630) 415-3066 or visit gewchorale.org for more information.

• Biodiversity Project's Great Lakes Forever program is teaming up with Budweiser to sponsor a photography contest for images capturing the majesty of the Great Lakes region. The contest runs until Friday, Aug. 14. Visit greatlakesforever.org for more information.

• Steel Beam Children's Theatre has auditions for young actors between the ages of 9 to 16 for a musical version of "Charlotte's Web" from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Aug. 15, at 111 W. Main St., St. Charles. Tuition if cast is $295, with scholarships available for families in need. Call (630) 587-8521 or visit SteelBeamTheatre.com for more information.

• Ballet Legere has auditions for its 25th anniversary production of Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker Ballet," which features a full orchestra. Enter on Lathrop Avenue at Roosevelt Middle School, 7560 Oak Ave., River Forest, on Saturday, Aug. 15. Dancers must bring a photo and audition at set times. Girls under 45 inches tall audition at 8:30 a.m.; girls 46 to 48 inches audition at 9:30 a.m.; girls 49 to 52 inches audition at 10:30 a.m.; girls 53 to 57 inches audition at 11:30 a.m.; girls 58 and 61 inches audition at 1 p.m.; boys between the ages of 5 and 12 audition at 2:30 p.m.; and teenage or adult male and female dancers wanting pointe and non-pointe roles should audition at 3 p.m. Call (773) 237-1874 for more information.

• Schaumburg Dance Ensemble has auditions for Tchaikovsky's ballet "The Nutcracker" in August at the Prairie Center for the Arts, 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg. Kids auditions are Saturday, Aug. 15, with ages 8 and 9 from 8:30 to 10:45 a.m. (minimum of one year classical ballet training), ages 10 to 11 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (two years minimum of ballet training), ages 12 to 13 from 1:45 to 3:15 p.m. (three years minimum ballet training), and boys ages 7 to 13 from 3:30 to 4:15 p.m. (no dance training required). Auditions for ages 13 to adult are from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22. Salaried dance positions for soloists and more are from 1:30 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 23. Call (847) 398-6176 for an audition appointment, or for more information.

• Green Man Theatre has auditions for Christina Calvit's stage adaptation of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" at 1 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 16, and 7 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 17-18, at the First United Methodist Church, 232 S. York Road, Elmhurst. Call (630) 464-2646 or visit greenmantheatre.com for more information.

• The College of DuPage Chamber Orchestra has openings for students and community members for its upcoming season. The next rehearsal is scheduled for 3:45 p.m. Monday, Aug. 24, at College of DuPage's McAninch Arts Center, 452 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. Call (630) 322-9187 for more information.

• The New Classic Singers, a professional choral ensemble at College of DuPage, has auditions for new members by appointment on Wednesday, Aug. 19, and Tuesday, Aug. 25, at 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. An accompanist will be provided. Appointments can be made via e-mail at auditions@newclassicsingers.org.

• The "Fame" National Talent Search seeks singers, dancers, musicians and performers to audition from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Aug. 22, at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee (park admission is required to audition). Of the 400 qualifying acts competing, up to 10 will be chosen to advance to the semifinals on Sunday, Aug. 23. Those auditioning must be at least 14 years old and groups must be limited to eight total performers. Visit myspace.com/fame or generationfame.com for more information on requirements for the contest, which includes singing, dancing and another talent.

• State Street Dance Studio has auditions for "The Nutcracker" on Sunday, Aug. 23, at 9 N. Forth St., Geneva. Kids ages 5 and 6 audition at 11 a.m.; kids ages 7 to 8 audition at noon; kids ages 9 to 11 audition at 1 p.m.; kids ages 12 and up audition at 2 p.m.; and adults audition at 3 p.m. Call (630) 232-0444 to preregister. Visit statestreetdancestudio.com for more information.

• College of Lake County has auditions for two productions at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 25-26 at the Lumber Center for the Performing Arts, 19351 W. Washington St., Grayslake. Auditions for Cherie Bennett and Jeff Gottesfeld's young adult play "Anne Frank & Me" are in the Mainstage Theatre, while auditions for Henrik Ibsen's classic drama "Enemy of the People" are in the Studio Theatre. Contact Craig Rich at (847) 543-2567 or call (847) 543-2040 for more information.

• Dancenter North has auditions for its 21st annual production of "The Magic of the Nutcracker" starting at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 25, at 540 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville. Dancers ages 8-11 audition at 4:30 p.m., while dancers ages 10-15 audition at 6 p.m. Advanced dancers audition at 7:30 p.m. For more information on audition requirements, visit dancenter-north.com or call (847) 367-7970.

• H.O.T.T. Productions has auditions for the stage musical "Meet Me in St. Louis" (based upon the 1940s film) on Tuesday and Thursday, Aug. 25 and 27. Child auditions (Kindergarten to 8th grade) begin each night with registration at 6:15 p.m. and end at 7:30 p.m. Adults (8th grade and above) can audition with registration beginning at 7:15 p.m. and lasting until 9:45 p.m. Auditions are at the Blackwell School, 345 N. Walnut Lane, Schaumburg. Call (847) 650-4688 for more information.

• Dancenter North has auditions for its Soundsations Singing Group at 5:30 p.m. (for singers in grades three to five) and at 6:30 p.m. (for singers in grades six through high school) on Wednesday, Aug. 26, at 540 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville. Singers cast will perform as carolers in Dancenter North's production of "The Magic of the Nutcracker." Call (847) 367-7970 or visit dancenter-north.com for more information.

• Dancenter North has auditions for its Upstairs Jazz Company at 7:30 p.m. (for dancers ages 10-13) and at 8:15 p.m. (for dancers ages 14 and up) on Thursday, Aug. 27, at 540 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville. Call (847) 367-7970 or visit dancenter-north.com for more information.

• The Palatine Children's Chorus has auditions for children who will be 8 and older when the fall season begins on Monday, Aug. 31. Auditions are on Thursday, Aug. 27, and by appointment in Room 1B of the Community Center, 250 E. Wood St., Palatine. Call (847) 705-5123, ext. 237, for more information.

• Dancenter North has auditions for its Soul-2-Soles Tap Company at 5:30 p.m. (for ages 10-13) and at 6:15 p.m. (for dancers ages 14 and up) on Friday, Aug. 28 at 540 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville. Call (847) 367-7970 or visit dancenter-north.com for more information.

• The Improv Playhouse Training Center has auditions for "The Sound of Music" from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 28, and noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, at the Improv Playhouse Lake Street Studio, 116 W. Lake St., Libertyville. Call (847) 968-4529 or visit improvplayhouse.com for more information.

• Improv Playhouse Young Actors Workshop has auditions for teenagers and kids ages 10 and above for its production of "The Secret Garden" (based upon the novel) from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 30, at the Improv Playhouse Lake Street Studio, 116 W. Lake St., Libertyville. Call (847) 968-4529 or visit improvplayhouse.com for more information.

• The Lake County Forest Preserves has an "Animal Architects Photography Contest" to accompany a forthcoming exhibition at the Lake County Discovery Museum. Entries by Lake County photographers of all ages are accepted until Monday, Aug. 31, via the Flickr photo sharing Web site at flickr.com/groups/animalarchitects. Call (847) 968-3400 or visit LCFPD.org/PhotoContest for more information on contest rules.

• Albright Theatre Company has auditions for "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" at 7:30 p.m. Sunday and Monday, Aug. 30 and 31, at the Batavia Government Center, 100 N. Island Ave., Batavia. Call (630) 406-8838 or visit albrighttheatre.com for more information.

• The Goodman Theatre seeks young actors of all ethnicities for its upcoming production of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (with registration from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.) on Monday, Aug. 31, at 170 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. Those auditioning should prepare a memorized poem or monologue of one minute or less, one verse of a song (preferably a Christmas song) and a photo and resume. Do not call to make any audition appointments. Visit GoodmanTheatre.org for more information.

• The Koehnline Museum of Art at Oakton Community College seeks women artists to submit work for a juried exhibition called "Down to There: Women and Their Relationship to Hair." Entry deadline is Tuesday, Sept. 1. No fee for entry. Visit oakton.edu/womenartists.pdf for more information or call (847) 635-2633.

• The Kane County Forest Preserve sponsors its 10th annual senior exhibit, "Timeless X," in the Campbell House Art Gallery from Friday, Sept. 11, to Sunday, Nov. 1. Seniors at least 60 years of age are sought to exhibit. The exhibition is limited to 50 entrants and each artist can only exhibit two works. There is no entry fee. Call (630) 208-9567 for an exhibit agreement and more information.

• Harper Ensemble Theatre Company has auditions for students and community members to be in Wendy Kesselman's 1997 updating of Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett's award-winning drama "The Diary of Anne Frank" from 7 to 10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 2-3, at the Harper College Liberal Arts Center Drama Lab, Building L, Room L109, 1200 W. Algonquin Road, Palatine. Call (847) 925-6944 to schedule an audition appointment.

• Lake County artists are invited to sell their artwork at the juried 19th Holiday Art Sale at the College of Lake County from Saturday through Tuesday, Nov. 21-24. Cost is $15 for the jury fee and $15 per table upon acceptance. The deadline is Tuesday, Sept. 8, and artists must be 18 or older. Call (847) 543-2405 or visit gallery.clcillinois.edu for more information.

• The Township High School District 214 Dance Teacher's Association is hiring a guest choreographer for its annual districtwide Senior Dance. Applications need to submitted by Monday, Sept. 7. Contact Diane Rawlinson at diane.rawlnison@d214.org for more information.

• Illinois artists are invited to submit applications to the Illinois State Museum Artisans Program for arts and crafts (including folk, traditional, contemporary, ethnic and more). The deadline for submissions is Saturday, Sept. 12. Visit museum.state.il.us/artisans for more information.

• General auditions for College of DuPage Student Theatre's fall productions of "Dracula" and "Plaza Suite" at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10, and Friday, Sept. 11, in the Studio Theatre of the McAninch Arts Center, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. Auditions for both shows are cold readings. Call (630) 942-4000 for more information.

• Visitors to Moraine Hill's Nature Center, 1510 S. River Road, McHenry, are requested to vote for their favorite entries in the 12th annual Nature Photo Contest. Call (815) 385-1624 for more information

• The Buffalo Grove Arts Commission has auditions for young performers in second through eighth graders to perform in its 4th annual Little Limelight Cafe to be held at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16. Auditions are by appointment only and from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2, at Tripp School, 850 Highland Grove Drive, Buffalo Grove. Deadline for appointments is Friday, Sept. 25. Call (847) 459-2518 or visit vbg.org/arts for more information.

• The 29th annual Carey Rose Winski Dance Scholarship Competition is at 11 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 4, at the Lou Conte Dance Studio, 1147 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago. The competition is open to any U.S. dancer between the ages of 13 and 18. Competitors participate in a one-hour classical warmup class and perform two three-minute solos in classical ballet and a modern style (no tap). For more information, write to the Carey Rose Winski Memorial Foundation Inc., 69 Woodley Road, Winnetka, IL 60093.

• The 13th Annual Scotch Brand Most Gifted Wrapper Contest seeks entrants for its contest held on Friday, Dec. 4, in New York City at Rockefeller Center. Visit ScotchBrand.com for more information and a set of rules and requirements.