March is roaring in with a slew of entertainment options, from theater to film to art to music to festivals.
• “Earth, Wood and Fire,” an exhibition featuring professional artists working in wood, clay and stone, opens Thursday, March 1, at Oglebay Institute’s Stifel Fine Arts Center in Wheeling with a free, public reception from 6:30-8:30 p.m. It remains on display through April 20. www.oionline.com
• Productions of a world premiere, “18 Victoria” by Cody Daigle-Orians continue Thursday, March 1, through Sunday, March 4, at Kelly Theatre at West Liberty University. The new production uses a trio of interlocking monologues to tell the story of three siblings who are struggling to piece together their broken family relationship in the wake of their father’s untimely death. But a larger crisis looms — a huge asteroid is projected to collide with the earth in less than three weeks, setting off devastating consequences for life on earth. The siblings attempt to mend their family ties and make sense of the devastating secret that originally tore them apart in the brief time left until the destruction of the earth. Curtain is at 7:30 p.m. March 1-3, with a 3 p.m. matinee March 4. www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3325931
• Twice each year, the Wheeling Park High School’s Intro to Speech and Theater classes present two one-act plays, known as the Freshmen Plays at Park. This semester, “High School Musi-pocalypse” by Don Zolidis and “Homework Eats Dog and Other Woeful Tales” by Alan Haehnel, will be staged at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 1, in the Phyllis A. Beneke Theater at the high school. Tickets can be purchased at the door.
• The Pennyroyal Opera House presents The Larry Stephenson Band Friday, March 2. The opening band will be Shortline Junction. The doors open at 5 p.m. with the opening band beginning at 7 p.m. www.pennyroyalbluegrass.com
• The Wheeling Symphony Orchestra will present the next concert of the WSO on the GO season at First Fridays, featuring a string quartet. The performance will be at 6 p.m. March 2, at Artworks Around Town in the Center Wheeling Market. The WSO on the GO performance will feature musicians: Mary Beth Schotting (violin), Rachelle Agnew (violin), Katarina Istomin (viola) and Elisa Kohanski (cello). www.wheelingsymphony.com
• Celebrating 80 years, The Linsly Extravaganza is set for 8 p.m. March 2, at The Capitol Theatre. The Extravaganza is the longest-running variety show of its kind in the Ohio Valley, and has become an annual tradition for generations of Linsly alumni, many of whom have children or grandchildren who will perform in their footsteps on the stage Friday night www.linsly.org
• First Friday at Towngate, Friday, March 2, features the artwork of Kenn Morgan. Wine and craft beer will be available, as well as light foods. Wach some independent film shorts on the Towngate Cinema big screen, and at 8 p.m. Towngate’s Crazy 8s improv troupe takes to the stage. www.oionline.com
• Artworks Around Town will host the Independent Artists Group of Wheeling as guest artists at the monthly Gallery Hop. Nationally known artist and Wheeling resident, Cecy Rose, leads this group of talented local painters at a weekly gathering every Monday afternoon at the dance studio of Oglebay Institute’s Stifel Fine Arts Center in Wheeling. The show opens with a free reception from 5:30-8 p.m. The North Gallery will host works from the Sexual Assault Help Center. www.artworksaroundtown.com
• Nothing like a good sip of wine or two or three at the end of a work week … There are two wine tastings Friday, March 2. Join Good Mansion Wines at 6 p.m. for a wine and tapas bar, and from 6-8 p.m., Casa di Vino will hold a walkabout wine tasting. https://goodmansionwines.com/
• The 38tht annual Budweiser Toughman Contest returns to WesBanco Arena, at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 2, and Saturday, March 3. wesbancoarena.com
• Saturday, March 3, the Wheeling Celtic Celebration comes alive for its 22nd year at the Artisan, 1400 Main St., Wheeling. The event opens at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 3, and continues through 11 p.m. with 12 hours of entertainment, a Celtic marketplace, children’s activities and authentic Celtic Foods. Opening remarks will kick the day off at 11 a.m. followed by Pittsburgh Scottish Country Dancers at 11:15 a.m.; Macdonald Pipe Band of Pittsburgh, 12:30 p.m., Burke Conroy School of Irish Dance, 1:45 p.m.; Gallowglass, 2:45 p.m.; Rich Patrick, 3:45 p.m.; Gypsy Cowboys, 4:45 p.m.; Brigid’s Cross, 6 p.m.; Terry Griffith, 8 p.m.; and Kilmaine Saints, 9:30 p.m. Prior to the festival, Gallowglass will perform at a kickoff concert from 6-8 p.m. Friday, March 2, at West Virginia Independence Hall. http://wheelingheritage.org/event/wheeling-celtic-celebration
• Mountain Moon Coffeehouse will present the five-piece bluegrass band, Well Strung, 8 p.m. Saturday, March 3, at the Stifel Fine Arts Center. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. www.oionline.com
• Cinema returns to Oglebay Institute’s Towngate Theatre this month with “Michaelangelo: Love and Death,” with show times 2 and 4 p.m. Saturday, March 3, and 4 p.m. Sunday, March 4. Next weekend, Hitchcock’s masterpiece, “Vertigo” will be shown on the big screen at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 9, and a groundbreaking documentary, “Journey to Normal: the Women of War Come Home,” will be shown at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 11. www.oionline.com
• Family Service Upper Ohio Valley will have a Shamrock Dinner Dance at the White Palace Ballroom on Thursday, March 8. Dinner will be at 6 p.m; the dance will begin at 7 p.m. Featured band is 40+. Tickets are available at Family Service Upper Ohio Valley, 2200 Main St. 304-233-2350 ext 104. Tickets must be purchased on or before March 5.
• Don’t miss another BluesDay at River City, 1400 Main St., Wheeling, when Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials bring their big sound to town. Celebrating 30 years together, Lil’ Ed and his band are a tour-de-force of authentic, deeply rooted Chicago blues. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. www.heritagemusicfest.com
• Jazz at the Stifel welcomes Wheeling’s Peck Family Jazz Band with pianist Max Leake, at 8 p.m. Saturday, March 10, at the Stifel Fine Arts Center. www.oionline.com