Arts briefs: Canadian Pacific Holiday Train kicks off its charitable journey

Canadian Pacific's Holiday Train, the annual rolling fundraiser in support of food bank programs along its network in Canada and the United States, is on the move, bound for a Dec. 14 date in Cottage Grove with a free concert featuring Sheryl Crow and Take 6.

The Holiday Train rolled out of Kahnawake, Quebec, last Monday, formally kicking off the three-week journey of two brightly decorated trains across Canada and the United States.

The two trains, each decorated with thousands of LED lights and festive designs, along with musicians entertaining from a converted boxcar stage will make stops in more than 150 cities, towns and villages with family shows until Dec. 19.

Every event is free, but attendees are asked to bring a cash or nonperishable food donation for their local food shelf. Everything raised at each event stays there for local distribution.

Woodbury filmmaker Joe Carlini will debut his first full-length film, "My Senior Year," a coming of age drama/comedy he wrote, directed and produced, at 4:45 p.m. on Sunday at the Mall of America.

The 90-minute independent movie will have a limited seven-day run at Theatres at Mall of America. Tickets for the premiere are $10. Subsequent showings Monday through Thursday will take place at 7 p.m., and Friday and Saturday at 11 a.m. Tickets for the last six shows are $5.

The film, which was filmed in Woodbury and St. Paul, explores themes of bullying, depression and suicide prevention, Carlini said. Its cast is made up of young actors from Minnesota. The film is not rated.

The auditions will be 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 9, and Tuesday Dec. 10.

Auditions will be held at Forest Lake Elementary School, 408 Fourth St. SW.

For more information, call Masquers Theatre Company at 651-464-5823.

The troupe also is putting on a dinner theater show titled "USO: Christmas at War," a story set at a USO show during World War II, with favorite songs from the period. The show was written by Emily Lehmann Wiberg and Melissa Stewart of Forest Lake.

Performances will be held Dec. 5, 6, 8 and 13-15, at the Forest Lake American Legion Post 225, 355 W. Broadway Av.

Butch Thompson returns to the Marine Village Hall for his annual Christmas concert at 3 p.m. Dec. 8. In a career spanning more than 45 years, the pianist and clarinetist has earned a reputation as a traditional jazz and ragtime master.

Thompson, who grew up in Marine on St. Croix, is donating his appearance to the Marine Restoration Society.

Tickets are available at the Marine General Store or by mail at Marine Restoration Society, Box 274, Marine on St. Croix, MN 55047.

They are $20 for adults and $8 for ages 12 and under. For more information, call 651-433-2049.

The Lake Elmo Public Library is hosting Chemists in the Library from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7, for children ages 6 and up. Children may stop in at any time during the free program to participate.