Starting off the weekend with a play

A grand way to start off this weekend is to take in "Once Upon a Mattress" at the Carson City Community Center. It opens Friday at 7:30 p.m. so don't be late.

The Western Nevada Community College production is a pure delight, based on what I saw Tuesday night at dress rehearsal. The story will run in the Sept. 29 edition of the Nevada Appeal's entertainment section.

The show continues on Saturday and next weekend as well.

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A return to the Station Grille (that's right, with an "e" and not the Carson Station) to catch George Henepen's Trio proved to be as rewarding as the first time to hear Henepen alone on guitar.

This time he was joined after his 5-7 p.m. solo stint by Dallas Smith (flute-clarinet-alto sax), Barry Puhlovski (drums) and Tadao Shigematsu (bass). The regular player wind player Bob Moskal (tenor-alto-flute) will be back this coming Friday. "Tadao was just a brainchild of mine to see how it would sound," said Henepen. Sounded fine.

Dallas is very difficult to come by because he often on the road with Susan Mazer, the renowned electric harpist said Henepen.

The actual trio consists of Bob Moskal-Barry Puhlovski and George Hanepen.

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We were exposed to a new idea in entertaining Sunday when Nancy and Ollie Hayden invited me and some friends at a brunch at their house on Haystack (she's at the Tahoe Daily Tribune). Lovely view, lovely food, especially to someone used to slinging his own hash on Sunday mornings.

"We thought it would be a nice way to see old friends," said Nancy. "We all get so busy that we just don't get around to getting together."

True, and a brunch is a fine time to settle the problems of the world.

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The delightfully wacky comedy "Arsenic and Old Lace" continues at the Brewery Arts Center Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. This is a tale of two elderly aunts who have discovered a way to make their gentlemen callers comfy for life by serving them tea laced with arsenic. Their nephew Mortimer discovers this and attempts to ease his aunts off to the loony bin without having to face a murder trial. Call 883-1976 and tell them Sam sent you.

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For all of you out there with backyard ponds, the Greenhouse Garden Center can help you figure out what to do with them over the winter with a free workshop Saturday at 2 p.m. David Ruf, who seem to know something about everything dealing with plants and other wild things, will be there in his usual farmer's hat and jeans. With weather like we've been having things could go poorly for the fish unless you know what to do. Or not to do.

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Not to be missed is Christine Kane, appearing at the Brewery Arts Center next Friday. She's a fine singer and songwriter and creates a loving mood with her CDs, one of which she sent alone for a preview. She'll also offer a songwriting class at the Brewery the next day.

The lady clearly knows how to write and sing so if you're in a songwriting mood you might want to catch her workshop.

Contact Sam Bauman at sbauman@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1236.