Auditions and art shows

• neXt gallery, a Pop Up Art Gallery program presented by the St. Charles Arts Council's Charlie's Center for the Arts, seeks artists to submit pieces in graphic art, comics/cartoon and mixed media to exhibit in September. The deadline is Friday, Aug. 15. For more information, call (630) 443-3794 or send an email to artistliaison@stcharlesartcouncil.org.

• Sprito! Singers seeks performers to be a part of its many ensembles for the 2014-15 season. Rehearsals begin in late August. Call (630) 581-5440 or visit spiritosingers.org for more information.

• Ballet Lègere has auditions for its 30th anniversary production of "The Nutcracker" on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 16-17, at Lègere Dance Centre, 7377 W. North Ave., River Forest. Call (773) 237-1874 or visit balletlegere.org.

• Schaumburg Dance Ensemble has open auditions for the Christmastime ballet "The Nutcracker" at the Prairie Center for the Arts, 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg. Children between the ages of 8-10 are seen from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 16. On Saturday, Aug. 23, dancers between the ages 11-13 are seen from 11:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. and boys ages 7-13 are specifically seen from 2 to 2:45 p.m. Advanced and intermediate dancers are seen from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 24. Dancers must register a half-hour before auditions and should bring a photo. Online registration is recommended. Minors must be accompanied by a guardian. There is a participation fee ranging between $100-$150. For more information, visit prairiecenter.org or call (847) 885-3370.

• The School of Performing Arts has auditions for its show choirs on Saturday, Aug. 16, at 200 E. 5th Ave., Suite 132, Naperville. Kids in grades three to six are seen from 10 to 11 a.m. for the Fluffernutters choir, while youth in grades seven to nine are seen from 11 a.m. to noon for the Main Melody! choir. To schedule an audition appointment, call (630) 717-6622 or visit schoolofperformingarts.com.

• College of Lake County has auditions for a children's theater production of "Dr. Dolittle" at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 26 or 27, at the Lumber Center for the Performing Arts, 19351 W. Washington St., Grayslake. Adults auditioning should prepare a two-minute monologue while kids under the age of 16 should arrive to learn a dance and tell a story. For more information, call (847) 543-2967.

• The Fox Valley Academy of Music Performance invites students between the ages of 7 to 18 to audition for the Academy and Youth String orchestras for its 2014-15 season. Strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion players should prepare a solo and scales for the auditions, which will be held on Sunday, Aug. 24 (or by appointment). Call (630) 476-9072 or visit fvacademy.org.

• The Black Box Theatre at McHenry County College has auditions for its fall production of John Cariani's "Almost, Maine" from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 25-26, at 8900 Highway 14, Crystal Lake. Those interested should prepare a two- to three-minute contemporary dramatic or comic monologue and be prepared to do a cold reading from the script. Call (815) 455-8746 or send an email to Jay Geller at jgeller@mchenry.edu.

• The School of Performing Arts seeks youth between the ages of eight to 18 to audition for its fall main stage musical production of "The Wizard of Oz" at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 2, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 4, and 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 6, at 200 E. 5th Ave., Suite 132, Naperville. To schedule an audition appointment, call (630) 717-6622 or visit schoolofperformingarts.com.

• Camerata Chicago, a training orchestra comprised of advanced high school students, seeks musicians to audition for its 2014 fall and winter season, which begins rehearsals on Saturday, Sept. 6. For more information on auditioning, visit cameratachicago.org.

• Geneva Park District's Playhouse 38 has auditions for a tuition youth production of the condensed musical "Annie Jr." from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday and Monday, Sept. 7 and 8, at 524 W. State St., Geneva. Those auditioning should prepare 32 bars of a musical theater song to be performed a cappella and a one-minute monologue. Those auditioning should also be prepared to learn a song from the show and a dance combination. If cast in the show, the fee is $265-$335. Call (630) 232-4542 or visit genevaparks.org for more information.

• The 34th annual Carey Rose Winski Dance Scholarship Competition will held at 11 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 5, in the Lou Conte Dance Studio at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, 1147 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago. The competition is open to any U.S. female or male dancer between the ages of 13 to 18. Scholarships totaling $1,500 are given to the winners, who then choose schools for further training. Competitors participate in a one-hour classical warm-up class and perform two three-minute solos, one in classical ballet and one in any eclectic style of jazz, modern or character (no tap). Application forms with rules and regulations can be obtained by writing to the Carey Rose Winski Memorial Foundation, Inc., c/o Evelyn Alter, 260 Whistler Road, Unit 1A, Highland Park, IL 60035.

• Registration is open for the Chinese Fine Arts Society's annual Music Festival in Honor of Confucius Competitions, which introduces participants to the heritage of Chinese music through instrumental and vocal competitions and scholarship opportunities. All competitions are held at the Merit School of Music, 38 S. Peoria St., Chicago, on Sunday, Oct. 19. For information and competition requirements, visit chinesefinearts.org.

• The Forest Preserve District of Will County has kicked off its 2014 Woods Walk Challenge and Photo Contest, which runs through Friday, Oct. 31. Call (815) 727-8700 or visit reconnectwithnature.org.

- Scott C. Morgan