Music, dance, theater at MC

Moorpark College will present the following schedule of performances for the fall semester. All shows will be in the campus Performing Arts Center at 7075 Campus Road, Moorpark.

•A Musical Offering, 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 9, Main Stage. Members of the music faculty from the college present a fundraiser with an eclectic program from the romanticism of Beethoven and Schumann to the percussive sounds of the 20th century.

•"You want me to what?" 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 15 and 29, Studio Theatre. Theatre Arts students offer improv on politics, the environment and popular culture using suggestions from the audience. Directed by John Loprieno. Tickets are $5.

•Beethoven and Brahms, 8 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 6, Main Stage. The Moorpark Symphony Orchestra will perform all four movements of Symphony No. 5 by Ludwig van Beethoven, and Symphony No. 2 in D Major by Johannes Brahms. Directed by James Song.

•"The Sandstorm: Stories from the Front," 7:30 p.m., Oct. 12, 13, 19, 20, 25 to 27; 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17, Studio Theatre. Written by Sean Huze, a veteran of the Iraq war, the play provides a forum for Marines to tell their candid stories on the psychological impact of war. Directed by Katherine Lewis.

•"O Mother Earth, O Father Sky," 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 14; 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18, Studio Theatre. A multimedia performance with audience interaction which deals with environmental issues. A lecture by biology professor Jana Johnson follows the performance. Ticket sales will support the "Butterfly Project" at Moorpark College to save two California butterfly species from extinction. Directed by Katherine Lewis. Tickets are $10.

•Random Thoughts, 8 p.m. Fri. and Saturday, Oct. 19 and 20; 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 21, Main Stage. Original dance by students, guest artists and faculty choreographers in jazz, ballet, hip-hop and modern dance, featuring the integration of light, music and motion in 3D. Directed by Robert Salas.

•"The Merry Widow," 8 p.m. Nov. 9, 10, 15 to 17; 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 18. Music by Franz Lehar and book by Sheldon Harnick ("Fiddler on the Roof"). The show features Paris, cancan dancers and romance. Directed by Marilyn Anderson.

•Sonic Contrasts, 8 p.m., Friday, Nov. 30, Main Stage. The wind ensemble shares the stage with mixed chamber groups of piano, winds and strings. Directed by Richard Kravchak and Dolly Kessner.

•"The Rhythms of Life," 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1, Main Stage. Choral and instrumental chamber ensembles feature the many sights and sounds of cultures from around the world. Directed by Vail Keck and Dolly Kessner.

•An Afternoon of Music, 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2, Main Stage. The Community Orchestra and the Piano Ensemble perform a variety of musical styles and moods. Directed by Steve Burch and Joan Thompson. Tickets are $8.

•Original One Acts, 1:30 Wednesday, Dec. 5; 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, Dec. 5 to 8, Studio Theatre. These short plays are written, directed, designed and acted by student artists. For mature audiences. Tickets are $8.

•On The Edge with Jazz, 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 7, Main Stage. The Jazz Ensemble and Studio Band play jazzy evening of entertainment with Latin, bebop and funk. Directed by Bob Aguilar and Steve Burch.

•Holiday Extravaganza, 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 16, Main Stage. This collaborative effort by music, theatre arts and dance students is a fundraiser for the Performing Arts program.

•Evening of Dance I, II and III, 7 p.m. Monday to Wednesday, Dec. 17 to 19, Main Stage. Student final presentations in a variety of dance styles. Tickets are $8.

Ticket prices range from $8 to $16 for most shows and can be purchased online at www.moorparkcollege.edu/pac.

For more information, call the box office at (805) 378-1485 or send an e-mail to mcboxoffice@vcccd.edu.