Whoever said there’s nothing to do?

Photos from the Associated Press
    The Stauth Memorial Museum's current exhibit, "Memories of World War II, Photographs from the archives of The Associated Press," which is scheduled to run through Aug. 30, features the work of World War II photographers assembled into a new exhibit to coincide with the dedication of the World War II memorial in Washington, D.C.
    Almost 200 reporters and photographers fanned out around the globe to cover World War II for the Associated Press, the world's largest news service. Five reporters lost their lives. Seven others won Pulitzer Prizes, including Joe Rosenthal, who clambered up Iwo Jima's Mount Suribachi to take the flag-raising photo that became the emblem of American victory and one of the most famous photos of all time.
    Contact the Stauth at (620) 846-2527 for more information. Museum hours are 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free, but donations are gratefully accepted.         For more information, visit the museum’s Web site at www.stauthmemorialmuseum.org.

Central Station rocks again
    Country artist Wade Bowen kicks off his 2009 tour tonight at Central Station. It's the first stop in a tour schedule that takes the band to every corner of Texas and as far afield as California.
    The Jared Daniels Band, with a local connection in Kevin Henrichs, returns to Dodge City to open for Bowen.
    Tickets are $12 at the door. Call Central Station at (620) 225-1176 for information.

Sampling Garden City's best
    The Southwest Arts & Humanities Council has scheduled its premier annual fundraising event for Saturday evening. "The Fine Art of Food and Wine" is billed as "the most romantic and beautiful evening of the summer."
    The event, which takes place outdoors at the home of board member Sonia Boyd and her husband, Tom, includes food sampling provided by nine local restaurants. There will also be wine sampling and beer sampling, both domestic and foreign, courtesy of the Garden City Beer Club.
    The Hays Jazz Ensemble will provide music for dancing, and there's a silent auction.
    Tickets are $60 per person and are available by calling (620) 287-3311.
    According to information from the Art Center on Main, "Support of the arts is essential in a cosmopolitan city like Garden City. The arts make our community more attractive to those who might wish to settle here, open a business here, or visit beautiful southwest Kansas."

Ride 'em
    Dighton is the site for Saturday's Cowhands and Corrientes Ranch Rodeo. Organized by the Crouch Valley Horse Company, the event features working cowboys and their ranch horses competing in five events that showcase the necessary skills and know-how that ranch hands practice daily on today's ranches.
    Up to 12 four-man teams will compete in Dighton, beginning with cowboy introductions at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
    The Ranch Rodeo Series continues July 4 in Leoti, July 24 in Oakley, July 25 in Scott City, Aug. 1 in Park, and Aug. 4 in Burlington, Colo. The series finals and Top Hand Challenge take place Sept. 12 at Roundup Arena in Dodge City.
    All proceeds go to the Dodge City Community College Rodeo Team.
    For more information, call Danielle at (620) 376-8546.

Say 'Cheese'
    Dodge City Public Library will  offer a videoconference workshop on photo techniques/Photoshop elements from 2:15 to 4:15 p.m. Wednesday. This workshop will concentrate on editing photos with Photoshop Elements.  The class will cover the five Photoshop tools for great photos. These tools make photos dynamic and portraits more flattering. The class will cover camera techniques for photographic fireworks, night scenes and other challenging subjects. The class will be broadcast from the Salina Public Library via videoconferencing. For more information, contact the library at (620) 225-0248.

Share a story
    Smoky Hills Public Television will present Share-a-Story at the Dodge City Public Library at 2 p.m. Tuesday. The program will feature a five-minute video clip of “Arthur" by Marc Brown. The Smoky Hills representative will also read the book “Giraffes Don’t Dance" by Giles Andreae.
    Each child attending will receive a free book donated by Smokey Hills Public Television. The program is free and open to children ages 0-10 years.
    The library requests that all children attending be accompanied by a responsible adult. For more information on this or other programs for children this summer, check out the library’s Web page at www.dcpl.info or call the library at (620) 225-0248 and ask for the youth department.

Forsooth
    There's still time to catch something you might not have known was available so close by — the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival in Kansas City.
    This summer's production, which opened June 16 and runs through July 5, is "The Merry Wives of Windsor," a jaunty comedy about an arrogant old man whose outrageous amorous advances are rebuffed by a pair of women. They contrive plot after plot to embarrass the old man in a play that has many of the devices common to farce and has even been called the original situation comedy.
    The show runs every night from now through July 5 except July 4.
    The festival takes place in beautiful Southmoreland Park. The play begins at 8 p.m., but the grounds open at 6 p.m. and you can bring your own picnic or purchase interesting items from a number of vendors. You can even order a gourmet boxed dinner from Brio Tuscan Grille or partake of The Bard's VIP Buffet, a multi-course buffet dinner in the VIP tent.
    The Free Will Pub offers sandwiches, sausages and burgers, all grilled on the spot, along with salads, funnel cakes, dippin' dots and kettle corn.
    Pre-show entertainment includes the Paul Mesner Puppets presenting an Elizabethan puppet show, which provides kids with a short synopsis of the plot of "Merry Wives" at 6:30 and 7:15 p.m. There's also a Show Talk at 7 p.m., during which noted Shakespeare speakers present an overview of the plot and context of the show to come.
    The setting is magical -— nestled amid tall trees and seeming far from the bustle of the city. If you know Kansas City, the park is adjacent to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. The actors and staff are all professional, and the productions always get positive reviews from the local media.
    The festival is free, although donations are gratefully accepted at the gate. Bring your blanket or folding chair for open lawn seating, or reserve an up-front seat in an actual chair for only $20.
    For more information, visit www.kcshakes.org or call the festival at (816) 531-7728.

Under the stars in Kansas City
    The Starlight in Kansas City opens its summer season with "Legally Blonde: The Musical," running from June 30 to July 5.
    The Starlight has been entertaining Midwest audiences since 1950, when it finally opened after years of planning, design and quarreling over a location.
    The season continues into September with "Anything Goes," "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang," "Chicago," and "Mamma Mia!"
    Dodge City graduate Amy Reinert is on the education staff for the venerable institution and is involved in year-round programs aimed at students in the Kansas City area who are interested in musical theater.
    Reinert has fond memories of appearing as Rizzo in "Grease" as a junior at Dodge City High School and as Dolly in "Hello, Dolly." She also played Miss Kitty at Boot Hill and had her first tap dancing role in the chorus of "Olympus on My Mind" in the Old House Saloon. She appeared in many shows in the Homestead Theater and went on to star in "Anyone Can Whistle," the first show in the newly renovated Depot theater. Her last performance in Dodge City was as Audrey in "Little Shop of Horrors" at the Depot.
    Reinert told the Globe in a phone interview this week that she is thrilled to be working at a job that encompasses her two loves: theater and education.
    "I'd love for Dodge City folks to come up and see a show," Reinert said.
    For more information, call the Starlight Theatre at (816) 363-7827 or visit the theater's Web site at www.kcstarlight.com.

Summer musicals in Wichita
    Music Theater Wichita's summer season continues with "Camelot" June 24-28, followed by "Kiss Me, Kate," "Miss Saigon," "The Drowsy Chaperone" and "High School Musical 2." For ticket information, call (316) 265-3107 or visit the theater's Web site at www.mtwichita.org.

Summer in the city
    There are lots of ways to celebrate the summer vacation in Dodge City. You and your family should get down to Boot Hill for the country-style dinner, the gunfight at 7 p.m. and the world-famous Long Branch Variety Show starring Miss Kitty and her can-can dancers. Call (620) 227-8188 for information and to make reservations.
    Don't forget Dodge City has one of only 11 drive-in movie theaters in operation in the state this summer. The drive-in's schedule is built around first-run movies this summer, paired with some great second features. It's one of the few forms of entertainment that's remained consistent since the 1950s, and families today enjoy a movie under the stars just as much as we did back then.