Pittsburgh Zoo news

The resume of Amos D. Morris Jr. includes such eye-catching titles as Wolverine Regional Studbook Keeper. He also worked as a part-time veterinary technician at the Animal Emergency Clinic in St. Louis in his native Missouri.

Morris is the latest addition to the staff at the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium. He joined Dec. 1 as the zoo's first curator of mammals.

"We're a large zoo, and there was a need for it," spokeswoman Connie George says.

Morris will be in charge of the zookeepers who care for the animals. He'll also work with the acquisition and breeding of mammals. He'll supervise all the care of all the large mammals.

Morris was most recently employed as general curator for the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence, R.I. He will report to general curator Lee Nessler.

Irish singer Tony Kenny says there is one major difference between the Yule celebration in his native land and the one in the United States.

"I was in Boston a couple years ago during Christmas, and everybody was back at work the next day," he says with a shocked tone in his voice. "Back home, people sometimes take two weeks off around the holiday."

Regardless of the differences, Kenny is in the United States for a Celtic celebration with his current holiday tour, which will stop in Etna on Wednesday.

Kenny, a cabaret performer who is centered at Jury's Hotel in Dublin, says his "Christmas Time in Ireland" is "a little bit of music, a little bit of fun and a little bit or Ireland."

It features Kenny, comedian Noel V. Ginnity, Irish dancers Enda Dune and Erin Blake, along with a duo known as Mac and O - button-box accordionist Sam O'Doherty and guitarist Nicholas McCarthy.

He's doing 25 dates with the Christmas show before going home and then returning to the United States in March for 42 stops. That, of course, will keep him here for St. Patrick's Day.

He says the variety of the show is probably one of the reasons it is popular. He does songs such as "Wexford Carol" and "Silent Night" in Gaelic, while Mac and O offer their own music as well as parodies of songs.

Kenny says he is glad audiences in the United States have stayed open to the Irish performers and their holiday outlooks after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

"When we came over, we didn't know what to expect," he says. "These are troubled times, but I'm glad it has been working out."

"Christmas Time in Ireland" will be presented at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Blarney Stone Restaurant in Etna. Tickets are $20 or $50 with a 7 p.m. dinner.

Details: (412) 781-1666.

The United States Air Force Band of Flight, a 45-piece concert band, will perform 4 p.m. Sunday at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall, 4141 Fifth Ave., downtown Pittsburgh. The free concert will include holiday music and patriotic selections.

CHORALERS TO PERFORM

The Community Choralers will present a Christmas program 7:30 p.m. Sunday at the Christ United Methodist Church, 100 Lincoln Ave., Youngwood. There is no admission, but an offering will be taken.

JEANNETTE CONCERT

The Jeannette Community Band will perform a free holiday concert 7:30 p.m. Sunday in the Jeannette American Legion.

The concert is open to the public.

VALLEY PLAYERS AUDITIONS

The Valley Players of Ligonier will hold auditions for the production of the comedy "Moon Over Buffalo," 7:30 p.m. Dec. 19 and 20 at the Ligonier Theater. Auditioners are asked to read from the script, which will be providing at auditions. Performance dates are 8 p.m. Feb. 8, 9, 15 and 16 and 2:30 p.m. Feb. 17. Details: 724-238-6514, Ext. 3.

YOUNG ARTISTS COMPETITION

The Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra is sponsoring the 2002 Young Artists Competition, open to vocalists and instrumentalists who are legal residents of Westmoreland County and have not yet graduated from high school. Participants compete for cash prizes and performance opportunities. Registration deadline is Jan. 22 and the performance date is set for March 23 at Seton Hill College, Greensburg.

Details: 724-837-1850.

KENTUCK KNOB HOLIDAY TOURS

Kentuck Knob will offer winter tours through Dec. 31 of the festively decorated Frank Lloyd Wright house in Chalk Hill, Fayette County. Cost is $15 per person and guided tours are offered 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, except Mondays.

Details: 724-329-1901.

TOY LECTURE AT MUSEUM

The Westmoreland Museum of American Art will present the brown bag lecture "Talking About Toys" at noon Wednesday at the museum, 221 N. Main St., Greensburg.

Guest speaker Catherine Crawford of the Toy Box in Ligonier, will talk about the history of toys.

Details: 724-837-1500, Ext. 19.

ST. VINCENT CAMERATA CONCERTS

The St. Vicent Camerata will celebrate the holidays with Christmas concerts 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the St. Vincent Archabbey Basilica, near Latrobe. The concert will include readings from the nativity gospels and a variety of seasonal carols.

Tickets are $16; $10 each for groups of 10 or more.

Details: 724-537-4579.

'A CHRISTMAS CAROL' STAGED

State Theatre Center for the Arts will present, "A Christmas Carol," 7 p.m. Saturday at the theater, 27 East Main St., Uniontown. Tickets are $20, $22 and $24. Children 12 and younger receive a 50 percent discount with adult purchase.

Details: 724-439-1360.