Local auditions
• The Combined Church Choir of Itasca seeks singers for its 18th annual charitable "Family Christmas Concert" with the Salt Creek Sinfonietta. Call (630) 322-9187 to find out more about Sunday rehearsals.
• Volunteers are being sought for the 76th McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade from 6 a.m. to noon on Thursday, Nov. 26, in Chicago. More than 1,300 volunteers are needed in a variety of roles: balloon handler, banner carrier, block marshal, equestrian waste removal and more. Contact the Chicago Festival Association at (312) 235-2217 or visit chicagofestivals.org.
• The Fox Valley Philharmonic, an adult community orchestra, is seeking string musicians to perform in its "Holiday Magic" concert in St. Charles. Auditions are scheduled by appointment. Visit fvyso.org or call (630) 879-8018 for more information.
• The Noble Fool Theatricals Performing Arts Academy is launching a new Youth Ensemble Show Choir geared for students ages 12 to 18. Open auditions are from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18, at Pheasant Run Resort's Preservation Hall Studio Stage, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles. Interested teens should prepare and memorize 32 bars of a song and be prepared to dance. Call (630) 364-0550 or visit noblefool.org/education for more information.
• Thursday, Oct. 22, is the submission deadline for the exhibit "These Walls Can Talk, Vol. II." High school students and adults are sought to submit photos or art pieces of Bartlett area buildings older than 50 years old. Arts in Bartlett and the Bartlett Historical Society are the co-sponsors. Call (630) 289-8592 or visit artsinbartlett.org for more information.
• The Volo Bog State Natural Area is seeking print entries for its 23rd Annual Nature Photo Contest. The contest is open to all amateur photographers who derive less than $5,000 of their gross income from the sale of nature photographs. The entry deadline is 3 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22. Visit friendsofvolobog.org for details.
• The national tour of "The Wizard of Oz" seeks 12 local short children between the ages of 8 to 13 to portray Munchkins for its three late-November performances at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora. Auditions are at 3 p.m. Oct. 22, at the Copley Theatre, 8 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora. Groups interested in auditioning must be preregistered by 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, to participate. Visit paramountaurora.com for more information.
• Stage Coach Players has auditions for an adaptation of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 19 and 20, at the Stage Coach Theatre, 126 S. Fifth St., DeKalb. Auditions are cold readings from the script. Call (815) 758-1940 or visit stagecoachers.com for more information.
• The Theatre of Western Springs offers its "Studio" workshops for actors ages 18 or older from Oct. 24 through Nov. 6 at 4384 Hampton Ave., Western Springs. Anyone wishing to appear in a Theatre of Western Springs production must complete the workshop and subscribe to the company's season. The workshop is free, but registration is required. Visit theatrewesternsprings.com or call (708) 246-4043, ext. 1, for more information.
• South Suburban College's Children's Theatre Company has open auditions for Michele L. Vacca's adaptation of the classic fairy tale "Rumpelstiltskin" at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, and at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, at the Kindig Performing Arts Center, 15800 S. State St., South Holland. Auditions are cold readings from the script. Visit learn.southsuburbancollege.edu/theatre for more information.
• Nov. 10 is the postmark deadline for Polarity Ensemble Theatre's Dionysus Cup, a Festival of New Plays. Four full-length plays are to be selected for staged readings in May 2010. There are no restrictions on subject or style. Visit pettheatre.com for more details.