New York Theatre Ballet

JEFFERSON -- The Council for the Performing Arts will present the New York Theatre Ballet on Friday, Feb. 21, at 7:30 p.m.

This renowned dance company will perform "The Alice-in-Wonderland Follies," a new version of the classic novel by Lewis Carroll. Much loved characters such as The White Rabbit, The Mad Hatter, The Caterpillar, The Cheshire Cat, and Tweedledum and Tweedledee will be featured in this vaudeville style extravaganza.

"The Alice-in-Wonderland Follies" will feature local children as dancing teacups and hedgehogs.

This performance will take place at the Performing Arts Center at the Jefferson High School, 700 W. Milwaukee St.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $14 for seniors, and $10 for students. A family package is also available (two adults and up to four children) for $50.

Tickets are available by phone with Visa or MasterCard by calling the CPA at 920-674-2179 or at the council office at 305 S. Main St. in Jefferson; in Fort Atkinson at Humphrey Floral and Gift; in Lake Mills at Fargo Mercantile; and in Watertown at White House of Music.

For seating charts and a direct link to the artist and sponsors, visit the Web site at www.councilfortheperformingarts.org.

MADISON -- "Sunday Afternoon Live from the Elvehjem" welcomes The Fine Arts Quartet on Sunday, Feb. 9, at 12:30 p.m. in Brittingham Gallery III.

This world-class ensemble based in residence at UW-Milwaukee comes once more to the Elvehjem Gallery. This weekend they will play String Quartet in C and Rondo in C of Anton Bruckner followed by Franz Schubert's "Death and the Maiden" String Quartet in D.

There will be a reception after the performance; a free docent-led tour of the Elvehjem Museum begins at 2 p.m.

"Sunday Afternoon Live from the Elvehjem" is a free weekly chamber music series presented by the Elvehjem Museum of Art and Wisconsin Public Radio, with the cooperation of the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music.

The series, hosted by music commentator Lori Skelton, is broadcast live on Wisconsin Public Radio stations, including WERN, 88.7, Madison.

MADISON -- Wisconsin Public Television (WPT) offers a tonic to those with a green passion when it stages the 10th annual Garden Expo Feb. 7 to 9.

WPT, Friends of WHA-TV, and UW-Extension-Cooperation Extension Horticulture Team are hosting the event held in Exhibition Hall at the Alliant Energy Center, 1919 Alliant Energy Way in Madison.

Event hours are: 4 to 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7; 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8; and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 9.

The Garden Expo is a community educational event and fundraiser based on WPT's monthly program, "The Wisconsin Gardner."

More than 150 exhibitors will display gardening goods and services. There will be 88 seminars and demonstrations on varied topics.

Friday night offers demonstrations on bonsai cultivation, a cooking demonstration by cookbook author Terese Allen.

On Saturday and Sunday, there will be special hands-on workshops on everything from making an herbal bath bomb to fashioning a bluebird house to creating a mosaic garden steppingstone. These will be for an additional fee.

Admission costs for the Garden Expo are: one-day pass - $5 in advance/ $6 at the door; two-day pass - $9 in advance or at the door. Children 12 and under are admitted at no cost. Admission does not include a parking fee.

Advance tickets may be purchased by calling 800-253-1158 or on the Web at wpt.org/gardenexpo.

MADISON -- The Edgewood Chamber Orchestra will be performing its 10th anniversary concert (1993-2003) on Sunday, Feb. 9, at 2:30 p.m. in the St. Joseph Chapel on the Edgewood College Campus.

The repertoire includes Rossini's Overture to "The Thieving Magpie"; Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G Major; Scott Gendel's "Behind Glass," commissioned in celebration of the orchestra's 10th anniversary and the 75th Jubilee of Edgewood College; and Mozart's Symphony No. 40 in G Minor.

Tickets may be purchased at the door on the day of the concert: $4 for general admission, or free with Edgewood ID.

MADISON -- The second annual "Warming Up the Winter" dinner and show, sponsored by the Knights of Columbus 4586, will be held Friday, Feb. 28, at St. Dennis Parish.

The event will include a candlelit Italian spaghetti dinner, and Cheney and Mills Maskcapades.

Cheney and Mills Maskcapades combine movement, expression, and oversized masks from Switzerland to create a unique show. Highlights include a clown who tries to dive off a ladder into a hat held by an audience volunteer, a cleaning lady who ends up in the audience dusting, and other endearing masked characters.

The energy of the performers (husband and wife Nina Cheney and Jacob Mills) creates a rapport with family audiences right to the juggling finale.

The social begins at 5 p.m. with dinner to follow from 5:45 to 7 p.m. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. Seating is limited. Tickets and more information can be obtained by calling Joel Anderson, 608-244-0634 or Jim Gillitzer, 608-222-8854.