Local auditions
• 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 to do a variety of tasks: balloon handler, banner carrier, block marshal, equestrian waste removal and more. Contact the Chicago Festival Association at (312) 235-2217 or visit chicagofestivals.org for more information.
• Von Heidecke's Chicago Festival Ballet has an open casting call for children to be in its production of "The Nutcracker." Auditions are today, Sept. 25, at 1239 S. Naper Blvd., Naperville, with kids ages 8 to 12 seen between 6 to 6:30 p.m., while kids ages 13 and older are seen between 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Visit Chicagofestivalballet.com for more information.
• The Buffalo Grove Arts Commission holds auditions for young performers in second through eighth grade to perform in its fourth 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.
• Albright Theater Company has auditions for a December production of "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" at the Batavia Government Center, 100 N. Island Ave., Batavia. Auditions for kids are on Sunday, Oct. 4. Kids between the ages of 5 to 8 are seen at noon, while kids ages 9-13 are seen at 3 p.m. Auditions for adults are at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5. Auditions are cold readings from the script. Call (630) 406-8838 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 details, write to the Carey Rose Winski Memorial Foundation Inc., 69 Woodley Road, Winnetka, IL 60093.
• Bowen Park Theatre Company has auditions for a holiday show called "The Enchanted Ring" at 7 p.m. Sunday and Monday, Oct. 11 and 12, at the Lynn Schornick Theatre in Bowen Park, 39 Jack Benny Drive, Waukegan. Auditions are cold readings from the script. Call (847) 360-4740 for more information.
• Lukaba Productions' "Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival" is accepting applications until Thursday, Oct. 15, for its ninth annual festival at the Theatre Building Chicago, 1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. Details and application forms are at chicagosketchfest.com.
• 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 more information on categories and other details.
• Nov. 10 is the postmark deadline for Polarity Ensemble Theatre's Dionysos 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.
• 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 rules and requirements.