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WWU's PAC Series season features three world-class performances beginning in November and running through April 2009. The season also marks the fourth annual Education Matinee Series, which allows students in grades K-12 to attend free matinees on Western's campus by PAC Series artists, as well as some from WWU's College of Fine and Performing Arts disciplines.

PAC Series season tickets go on sale Tuesday, Sept. 9, and range from $36 to $76 for the three events. PAC Series season ticket benefits include free parking and $2 off of each ticket, as well as a $2 discount for additional single-ticket purchases.

Single tickets go on sale Tuesday, Sept. 23, and range from $14 to $30. A limited number of $6 seats in the last three rows of the venue will be available as well.

Tickets are available through the Western box office, 650-6146, Village Books, Community Food Co-op, and online at www.tickets.wwu.edu.

All PAC Series performances listed here begin at 7:30 p.m. and are in a Performing Arts Center venue. For more information, visit www.pacseries.wwu.edu, or the CFPA Web site at www.wwu.edu/cfpa. To request a brochure, call 650-2829.

Nov. 7: PAC Mainstage Theatre. Baka Beyond. $14-$26.

Jan. 23: PAC Mainstage Theatre. Lar Lubovitch Dance Company. $14-$30.

April 24: PAC Concert Hall. ETHEL. $14-$26.

WWU's Sanford Piano Series, now in its sixth season, brings two world-renowned pianists to Western for a residency featuring a public evening performance and a master class, which is free and open to the public. Both concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. in the PAC Concert Hall. Sanford Piano Series season tickets will go on sale Tuesday, Sept. 9, and range from $18 to $32 for the two performances. Single tickets go on sale Tuesday, Sept. 23, and range from $9 to $16. A limited number of $6 seats in the last three rows of the venue will be available for seniors and students. Proceeds from the performances support scholarships for piano majors at WWU. The series is sponsored by Whatcom Community Foundation's Spirit Fund and by Sibyl Sanford.

Tickets are available through the Western box office, (360) 650-6146, Village Books, Community Food Co-op, as well as online via www.tickets.wwu.edu.

Oct. 24: Sean Duggan. $9-$16. Master class noon- 2 p.m. Oct. 25.

Feb. 17: Paul Roberts. $9-$16. Master class 4-6 p.m. Feb. 18.

MOUNT BAKER THEATRE

Mount Baker Theatre, built in 1927, is undergoing remodeling of its heating and electrical systems. The mainstage theater, which seats about 1,500, will reopen with a gala event Dec. 6 featuring actress Bernadette Peters. Productions are currently ongoing in the Harold and Irene Walton Theatre, formerly called Mount Baker Studio Theatre, which seats up to 200 people.

Season tickets for all mainstage productions are $625, with build-your-own packages available. The additional $1 service fee is waived for theater members. For tickets or more information, call the theater ticket office, 104 N. Commercial St., at 734-6080, or visit www.mountbakertheatre.com.

HAROLD AND IRENE WALTON THEATRE

Sept. 25-28: Frank Ferrante in an "Evening with Groucho." $42.

Oct. 14-19: "SUDS - The Rocking 60's Musical Soap Opera." $49.

Nov. 3-8: Bill Bowers. Prices to be announced.

MAINSTAGE

Dec. 6: Bernadette Peters. $59-$250.

Dec. 11: Natalie MacMaster. $20-$42.

Jan. 13: "Movin' Out." $20-$55.

Jan. 28-29: "Annie." $20-$55.

Feb. 3: Pilobolus. $20-$45.

Feb. 7: Spanish Brass. $20-$35.

Feb. 12: "The Pajama Game." $20-$55.

Feb. 21: Vox Lumiere. $20-$42.

March 1: Sweet Honey in the Rock. $20-$42.

March 7: Guitar Blues $20-$35.

March 18: "Ain't Misbehavin'." $20-$60.

March 28: Ramsey Lewis Trio. $20-$45.

April 4: LA Theatre Works. $20-$42.

April 19: "The Drowsy Chaperone." $20-$55.

May 2: St. Petersburg String Quartet. $20-$35.

May 16: Jungua. $20-$39.

May 26: "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee." $20-$50.

WHATCOM SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

The Whatcom Symphony Orchestra is a nonprofit group dedicated to presenting quality orchestral music. Roger Briggs, artistic director and conductor, brings talented local musicians and guest artists to perform with the symphony and encourages the talents of young musicians by conducting outreach programs in area schools. For ticket information, call Western Washington University's box office, 650-6146, or go to www.tickets.wwu.edu; or call Mount Baker Theatre, 734-6080 or go to www.mountbakertheatre.com. Pre-concert lectures by Edward Rutschman are available one hour before every classical performance. For a season brochure, call 756-6752 or go www.whatcomsymphony.com.

Sept. 27-28: Bellingham High School, Family Concert: Humperdinck's "Hansel and Gretel," directed by Karin Saadat. Free for children, $10 adults.

Nov. 15-16: WWU's PAC Concert Hall. "Classical I: Explore the Gallery." Guest artist: Alexander Ardakov, piano. $20 and $24.

Dec. 7: Mount Baker Theatre. Holiday Concert, featuring WWU Concert Choirs, directed by Leslie Guelker-Cone. $30 and $35.

Jan. 25: Mount Baker Theatre. "Classical II: Winter Romance." Guest artist: Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, violin. $35 and $39.

March 22: Mount Baker Theatre. "Classical III: Anniversary Concert." Guest artist: Jeffrey Gilliam, piano. $20 and $24.

April 25: Mount Baker Theatre. "Classical IV: The Resurrection." Featuring WWU Concert Choir and Bellingham Chamber Chorale, with guest artists Kim Giordano, soprano, and Kathryn Weld, alto. $30 and $35.

May 17: Mount Baker Theatre. "Classical V: The Grand Tradition." Guest artist: Kay Reilly, marimba. $20 and $24.

May 30: Western Washington University Mainstage Theatre. "Pops Concert - Something Wonderful," by Jack Frymire. Guest artists: Aaron St. Clair Nicholson, baritone; Elisabeth Pojanowski, soprano; Amber Sudduth Bone, soprano; Gabriel Gargari, tenor; Erich Parce, baritone; Jim Lortz, narrator; and the Bellingham Chamber Chorale, directed by Timothy Fitzpatrick. $35 and $39.

BELLINGHAM THEATRE GUILD

The all-volunteer theater guild presents dramas, comedies and musicals at the guild playhouse, 1600 H St. Performances are at 8 p.m., with 2 p.m. Sunday matinees. Season tickets for all five shows are $52 adults, $42 students and seniors, $33 ages 5-12. A four-show season package is $42 adults, $34 students and seniors, $26 children. Individual plays are $11 adults, $9 students and seniors, $7 children. Musicals cost $1 more. Audition dates are included in the play descriptions below. Auditions at the playhouse are open to all; no stage experience necessary.

Purchase tickets at 733-1811 or online at www.bellinghamtheatreguild.com. For each play, local organizations sponsor one VIP performance. Contact sponsoring organizations for tickets. The theater is not wheelchair-accessible.

Sept. 26- Oct.12: "The Mystery of Edwin Drood," directed by Jim Lortz.

Nov. 28-Dec. 14: "The Velveteen Rabbit," directed by Pam Mueller. Auditions are Oct. 5-6.

Jan. 30-Feb. 15: "The Penultimate Problem of Sherlock Holmes," directed by Nick McDonald. Auditions are Dec. 7-8.

March 20-April 5: "The Diviners," directed by Patrick Dizney. Auditions are Feb. 8-9.

May 29-June 14: "The Boys from Syracuse," directed by Christopher Key. Auditions are March 29-30.

LYNDEN PERFORMING ARTS GUILD

The Lynden Performing Arts Guild presents four plays in its 2008-2009 season at Claire vg Thomas Theatre, in Lynden's Dutch Village Mall, 655 Front St. Tickets are available in-person only at Marin Rose in Dutch Village Mall, and by calling 354-4425. For details, go to www.clairevgtheatre.org. Curtain is at 7:30 p.m., with selected 2 p.m. matinees. No children younger than 3, please. Audition dates are included in the play descriptions below, and are at 7 p.m. at the theater.

Oct. 1-19: "Steel Magnolias," directed by Ruth Posthuma.

Nov. 19-Dec. 7: "The Story of Hansel and Gretel: A Musical," directed by Celeste Larson. Auditions are Oct. 6-8.

Feb. 18-March 7: "Sabrina Fair," directed by Chelsea Linquist. Auditions are Jan. 5-6.

April 29-May 17: "Something's Afoot," directed by Chris Jones. Auditions are March 9-10.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Sept. 11-14: St. Sophia Food Festival. St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church, 510 E. Sunset Drive. 734-8745.

Sept. 14-Nov. 16: "Art + All That Jazz" exhibit. Whatcom Museum, 121 Prospect St., 778-8930.

Oct. 6-7: Cloud Mountain Fruit Festival. Cloud Mountain Farm, 6906 Goodwin Road, Everson. 966-5859, www.cloudmountainfarm.com.

Oct. 4-5, 11-12: Whatcom Artist Studio Tour. 734-2225, www.studiotour.net.

Oct. 28: Robin Wright, Washington Post correspondent, Western Washington University's Performing Arts Center Mainstage, 650-7545, www.ac.wwu.edu/~lectures/speakers.html.

Nov. 21-23, 28-30: Roeder Home's Holiday Arts and Crafts Sale. Roeder Home, 2600 Sunset Drive. 733-6897.

Nov. 21-Dec. 24: Allied Arts Holiday Festival of the Arts. Location to be announced. 676-8548, www.alliedarts.org.

Nov. 21-22: Fairhaven Tour d' Art. Historic Fairhaven district. www.fairhaven.com, 647-1628.

BEST BETS OUT OF TOWN

Randy Newman, Oct. 22, The Moore Theatre, Seattle, www.themoore.com.

Alanis Morissette, Nov. 4, The Orpheum Theatre, Vancouver, B.C.

Annie Leibovitz, Nov. 19, Benaroya Hall, Seattle, www.lectures.org.

New Kids On The Block, Nov. 21, General Motors Place, Vancouver, B.C.

"Disney's Beauty and the Beast," Dec. 6-Jan. 4, Stanley Theatre, Vancouver, B.C., www.artclub.com.

"The Lion King," Feb. 11-March 15, The Paramount Theatre, Seattle, www.theparamount.com.

"Swan Lake," April 9-19, Pacific Northwest Ballet, McCaw Hall, Seattle, www.pnb.org.

"Salome," May 2-9, Vancouver Opera, Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Vancouver, B.C., www.vancouveropera.ca.

Yo-Yo Ma, May 12, Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, Vancouver, B.C., www.vanrecital.com.

WHATCOM COUNTY ARTS ORGANIZATIONS

MUSIC

Bellingham Chamber Chorale, 738-8982, www.bellinghamchamberchorale.org.

Whatcom Chorale, 738-7166, www.whatcomchorale.org.

Whatcom County Homemade Music Society, 733-6897, www.roblopresti.com.

Pacific Arts Association, 332-6484, 371-0141, www.pacificartsassoc.org.

Bellingham Music Club, 935-1991, www.bellinghammusicclub.org.

Nancy's Farm, 966-4640, 734-0561, www.nancysfarm.com.

Bellingham House Concerts and Friends of the Firehouse, 671-6104, 661-5984, e-mail bellinghamhouseconcerts@hotmail.com.

Kulshan Chorus, 671-1218, www.kulshanchorus.org.

Whatcom County Chapter, Washington State Music Teachers' Association, 733-5261, e-mail lundquiststudio@comcast.net.

Friends of the Ferndale Orchestra, 383-9312, e-mail jdyvig@hotmail.com.

THEATER AND SPOKEN WORD

Whatcom Poetry Series, 398-7870, www.whatcompoetryseries.org.

iDiOM Theater, on one-year hiatus, 201-5464, www.idiomtheater.com.

Western Washington University Theatre Arts Department, 650- 3876, www.wwu.edu/depts/theatre.

The Barn Theatre in Sudden Valley, 671-5970, www.thebarntheatre.org.

Northwest Washington Theatre Group, 733-7063, www.nwtg.org.

Bellingham Arts Academy for Youth, 306-1543, www.baay.org.

DANCE

Mt. Baker Ballet and Nancy Whyte School of Ballet, 734-9141, www.nancywhyteballet.com.

Northwest Ballet Theatre, 714-1246, www.northwestballet.org.

Western Washington University Dance Program, 650-7293, www.wwu.edu/depts/dance.

Bellingham Repertory Dance Company, 734-2776, www.bhamrep.org.

Wendy Setter's Dance Studio, 734-1595, www.thedancestudio.net.

VISUAL ARTS

Downtown Art Walks, Oct. 10, Dec. 5, 527-8710, www.downtownbellingham.com.

Whatcom Museum, 778-8930, and Whatcom Children's Museum, 778-8970, www.whatcommuseum.org.

Western Washington University's Western Gallery, 650-3900, westerngallery.wwu.edu.

Lucia Douglas Gallery, 733-5361, www.luciadouglas.com.

Allied Arts of Whatcom County, 676-8548, www.alliedarts.org.

Mindport Exhibits, 647-5614, www.mindport.org.

Blue Horse Gallery, 671-2305, www.bluehorsegallery.com.

Whatcom Art Guild, 398-1411, whatcomartguild.org.

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