#OpenOnPenn at Oglebay Institute’s Stifel Fine Arts Center is an exhibition of work from the artists of Pittsburgh’s vibrant Penn Avenue Arts District (4800-5000), which sprang from the Penn Avenue Arts Initiative in 1998.

Organized jointly by The Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation and Most Wanted Fine Art, featured artists include Jason Sauer, Danielle Robinson, D.S Kinsel, J.R Holtz and Sam Thorp.

Newspapers and photographs, chronicling the community’s development into the cultural exchange it is today, will also be on display.

The Stifel Fine Arts Center is open 9am-5pm Monday through Friday and 10am-4pm Saturday. The exhibit is on display through October 27. Admission is free.

Sponsored by United Bank.

Towngate Theatre presents Noises Off by Michael Frayn September 22-24 & 29 & 30. Curtain is at 8pm. A 3pm matinee takes place Sunday, September 24.

Called the funniest farce ever written, Noises Off presents a manic menagerie as a cast of itinerant actors are rehearsing a flop called “Nothing’s On”. Door slamming, on and offstage intrigue and an errant herring all figure in the plot of this hilarious and classically comic play. John Reilly directs Towngate’s production.

Admission is $12.50/$11 OI members. Purchase tickets online or call 304-242-7700.

Sponsored by Shaeffer & Madama, Inc.

Experience the magic of art onstage…

Towngate is the premiere venue for community theater in Wheeling.  Enjoy an intimate theater experience. Marvel at and applaud the talent of local actors. Experience a variety of though-provoking, heartwarming, comedic and historically significant works from renowned playwrights and talented newcomers. When watching a stage production, you are transported into a different world. Escape from reality and feel the energy created by sharing an intimate space with actors and fellow theatergoers. Live action happens right before your eyes. There’s no app for that!  Furthermore, theater is a social experience meant to be shared with one another. So, bring your family and friends and meet new friends, too. And, most importantly, support your local actors, directors, stage managers, set and costume designers. They spend months working to bring characters and stories to life. Their efforts produce amazing art time and time again.

Keeping the Community in Community Theater in Wheeling. . .

Towngate is a cornerstone of creative life in Wheeling and serves as an entertainment destination for residents of the Ohio Valley and beyond. People of all ages and backgrounds gather here to create and experience art onstage. Most of all, Towngate celebrates the essential power of theater to illuminate our common humanity. The community enjoys and participates in hundreds of live performances, classes and workshops year-round.

Birdwatching doesn’t have to end once summer is over! Many birds are migrating south for the winter. Join Schrader Center naturalists on monthly hikes though November. First, get a brief overview of the birds you may see on the hike. Next, walk our trails looking for songbirds and raptors that are moving through our area. Birders of all experience levels are welcome. Binoculars and field guides provided.

Birdwatching hike begins at 9 a.m. and meets at the Schrader Center in Oglebay. Hike concludes around 11 a.m.

$5/$4 OI members. Register online or call 304-242-6855.

Other birdwatching hikes take place October 21 and November 18.

More about the Schrader Center:

The Schrader Center offers dozens of seasonal nature programs for all ages. Nature enthusiasts gather here to experience a sense of community around a shared love of nature. Preschoolers through adults enjoy our year-round nature activities. Our hands-on programs expand nature knowledge, promote outdoor discovery and foster lifelong learning.

The Museums of Oglebay Institute invite you to a unique music and culinary experience during the Opera Brunch, 10:30 a.m. Saturday, September 23 in the Oglebay Formal Gardens outside the Mansion Museum.

Guests will dine on a delectable brunch buffet while enjoying a performance by Pittsburgh Opera artists Leah de Gruyl (mezzo-soprano) and Shannon Jennings (soprano), joined by James Lesniak on piano.

Brunch, prepared by Chef Greg Strahm, includes fresh fruit salad with vanilla yogurt, spring greens with goat cheese, candied walnuts & citrus vinaigrette, sausage and grits breakfast casserole, challah french toast with bacon and blood-orange syrup cake. Coffee, iced tea and bellini cocktails will also be available.

$45 per person. Register online or call 304-242-7272.