Briefly in Datebook

Manhattan Transfer, Bernadette Peters and Randy Travis are only some

of the stars that will join the Pacific Symphony Orchestra for its

2001-2002 Pops season. The Pops, led by principal Pops conductor Richard

Kaufman, will start its season in October with Randy Travis. Manhattan

Transfer will be the highlight of November, with Eileen Ivers, star of

“Riverdance,” helping the Pops celebrate a Celtic Christmas in December.

February will bring The Count Basie Orchestra, led by Grover Mitchell. In

March, Tommy Tune will take the stage, followed by Bernadette Peters in

April. The Pops will conclude in May 2002 with composer Marvin Hamlisch

taking audiences on a musical journey. Pops performances will be held in

the Orange County Performing Arts Center, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa

Mesa. Season tickets, on sale now, are $140-$504. Single tickets, on sale

Aug. 27, are $25-$77. Information: (714) 755-5799.

Want to be Binky? Audition now

Orange Coast College will hold auditions from 5:30 to 8 p.m. May 21

for David Mamet’s “The Revenge of the Space Pandas (or Binky Rudich and

the Two-Speed Clock).” The play, featuring a cast of 25, is OCC’s summer

show for kids. Teenagers are encouraged to audition. Children 10 through

12 may also audition, but if cast they must be accompanied by a parent,

guardian or older sibling. The auditions are also open to adults. The

show, directed by Alex Golson, is slated to run July 11-14 in OCC’s

Robert B. Moore Theatre. The auditions will be held in the Drama Lab

Studio, 2701 Fairview Road, Costa Mesa. Information: (714) 432-5640.

Freedom the theme of poetry fest

The Newport Beach Public Library Foundation will host its fifth annual

poetry festival at 7 p.m. Monday in Newport Beach Public Library, 1000

Avocado Ave., Newport Beach. The festival, whose theme is freedom, will

include participants representing the Masters of Fine Arts Writing

Program at UC Irvine and some from the local poetry scene. Free.

Information: (949) 717-3890.

Broadway series to ‘Swing!’

Orange County Performing Arts Center will present its 2001-2002 Bank

of America Broadway series beginning with “Swing!” on Nov. 27 at

Segerstrom Hall, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. In addition, the

series will include “Blast,” “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,” “Kiss

Me, Kate,” “South Pacific,” “The Music Man,” “The Phantom of the Opera”

and a bonus offering of “Riverdance.” Series tickets range from $188 to

$442.50. Information: (714) 556-2746 or o7 https://www.ocpac.org.f7

Webber’s world and the wind ensemble

Orange Coast College’s Wind Ensemble will present “The Wonderful World

of Webber,” a tribute to Andrew Lloyd Webber, at 3 p.m. Sunday in OCC’s

Robert B. Moore Theatre, 2701 Fairview Road, Costa Mesa. Webber created

such musicals as “Jesus Christ Superstar,” “Evita,” “Phantom of the

Opera” and more. Tickets are $5 in advance or $7 at the door.

Information: (714) 432-5880.