Arts Agenda 

First Tuesday Concerts Monthly performances of Chamber Music. www.chambermusicatstpeters.org. At St. Peter's (12:10pm); After work concert and reception at Hodges Taylor Gallery (5:30pm). Free. St. Peter's Episcopal Church, 115 West 7th St. 704-332-7746.

Stars and Stripes Forever A patriotic celebration featuring Buddy Watcher. Belk Theater. www.charlottephilharmonic.org. Sat., Sept. 4, 8 p.m. $17.50-$35. 704-846-2788.

Comedy

Bayou Kitchen Comedy. Extreme Improv performs every Friday and Saturday night at 8pm, featuring audience interactive comedy; Psychotic Pooch performs bizarre sketch comedy at 10pm. 704-502-8423. www.extremeimprov.com www.psychoticpooch.com. $10. 1958 E 7th St. 866-467-7681.

The Comedy Zone Upcoming Performances. Aug. 27-28: Bob Saget & Jim Holder. Sept. 1-4: Mo Alexander; Sept. 8-11: Mike Veneman & Todd McGunears. www.thecomedyzone.net. 516 N. College St. 704-348-4242.

McKnight Hall, UNCC Mitch Fatel. Featuring new stand-up comedy CD Miniskirts and Muffins. Thu., Aug. 26, 7 p.m. Free.

The Perch Sketch Theater and Comedy Club. New location. Friday & Saturday, 9pm & 11pm. 3306 North Davidson. 704-372-7724.

Tyber Creek Pub The Pink Turtle Sketchprov Experience. Reservations suggested. www.pinkturtle.net. Fridays, 8pm. $5. 1933 S. Blvd. 704-301-1564.

Museums

Charlotte Museum of History Main Streets of Our State. A traveling photography exhibit. Aug. 19-Jan. 2. Soldier's Stories: War in the First Person. Through Sept. 30. 3500 Shamrock Dr. 704-568-1774.

Discovery Place Communication Exhibit. Follow electronic messages around the world, see your voice, and get a glimpse at the next generation of the information age. Sept. 4-Jan. 10. Omnimax. Now showing: Ocean Oasis, NASCAR: The IMAX Experience, T. rex: Back to the Cretaceous, and Lost Worlds: Life in the Balance. Call or visit website for times. 301 N. Tryon St. 704-372-6261.

Levine Museum of the New South Cotton Fields to Sky Scrapers. Tue.-Sun. Focus on Justice: Carolina Photographers and the Civil Rights Movement. Through Oct. 17. Levine Museum of the New South. If you love kids and appreciate history, consider being a tour guide! All you need is a desire to learn and willingness to help. Scheduling is flexible, but more hours are weekday mornings. All materials and training provided. Museum Education Staff are available for presentations. Aug. 19-Sept. 22. 200 E. 7th St. 704-333-1887.

Mint Museum of Art Porcelain American Style. July 31, 2004-June 14, 2005. Revelation: A Fresh Look at Contemporary Collections. Aug. 19-Sept. 19. VantagePoint II. Julie Heffernan: Interior Transformations, featuring large scale paintings. Aug. 19-Sept. 5. 2730 Randolph Rd. 704-337-2000.

Mint Museum of Craft & Design The Nature of Craft and the Penland Experience. Aug. 19-Jan. 30. Speaking Volumes: Vessels from the Collections of Mint Museums. Aug. 28-April 17. Tradition & Change: 19th and 20th Century Craft At The Mint. Ongoing exhibit. Tue.-Sun. 220 N. Tryon St. 704-337-2009.

Museum of York County Eewww, Yuck!. Understanding Nature's Most Unhuggable Creatures. Through summer 2005. Vernon Grant. An exhibit of Grant's work, Storybook Village. Through Oct. 24. 4621 Mount Gallant Rd., Rock Hill. 803-329-2121.

Schiele Museum, Gastonia Within these hills. A photographic exhibition. Aug. 19-Oct. 3. 1500 East Garrison Blvd. 704-866-6900.

Readings & Signings

Latta Plantation Dr. Tony Zeiss. Author will sign several civil war-related books. Sat., Aug. 28, 1-3 p.m. Dr. Dan Morrill. Author will sign copies of his book, The Civil War in the Carolinas. Sun., Aug. 29, 1-3 p.m.

Park Road Books Dorothea Benton Frank. Author will read and sign Shem Creek. Wed., Aug. 25, 1 p.m. Park Road Shopping Center, 4139 Park Rd. 704-525-9239.

Spoken Word

Mama's Caribbean Grill Uptown Saturday Nite. Featuring singers, rappers, and poets. Sign up for the Open Mic Showcase. Details: www.freewebs.com/motifentertainment. Every second and last Saturday of the month at 10pm-until. $7 cover. 1504 Central Ave. 704-375-8414.

Queens University Poets' Night. Hosted by Main Street Rag, featured reader M. Scott Douglass followed by an Open Mic. Sat., Aug. 28, 7 p.m. Free. 1900 Selwyn Ave. 704-573-2516.

Tonic The Soul Movement. An underground nite for Spoken Word/Poetry, Soul Classics, Neo-Soul, Deep/Soulful House, Urban Grooves & Underground Hip-Hop. www.thesoulmovement.com. Sundays. $5 before 9:30pm. 1427 E. 4th St. 704-580-7187.

Theater: Openings

A.D. The story of Stephen, the first Christian martyr. Performed live outdoors. www.narroway.net. Aug. 27, 8 p.m.; Aug. 28, 8 p.m.; Sept. 17, 8 p.m.; Sept. 18, 8 p.m. $13-15. King's Arena, Fort Mill, 2175 Gethsemane Ct., Fort Mill. 803-802-2300.

Theater: Ongoing

Kathy and Mo Show Directed by Ashley Kerns, featuring Jenn Quigley and Amanda Liles. Aug. 25-28, 8pm. $12-$15, Pay What You Can NightAugust 25. Off-Tryon Theatre, 3143 Cullman Ave. 704-375-2826.

Omega A comedy set in the future where the male race has been destroyed by a deadly virus. Performed by an all-female cast. Aug. 6-Aug 28, Fri & Sat, 8pm. $10. Carolina Actors Studio Theatre (CAST), 1118 Clement Ave. 704-455-8542.