NEIL Simon’s comedy “Lost in Yonkers” has a special director in film star and former Rep actress, Angela Punch McGregor, now senior acting lecturer at the WA Academy of Performing Arts. The play shows what happens when Grandma Kurnitz’s two teenage grandsons have to live with her for a year. At Theatre 3, September 13-29, bookings to 6257 1950.

PHOTOGRAPHIC work by students from 12 ACT senior secondary schools and colleges will be shown in “SNAP” at the Huw Davies Gallery at PhotoAccess, Manuka Arts Centre, September 6-23, Tuesday to Friday, 10am to 4pm and weekends, noon to 4pm.

THE 17th Canberra Short Film Festival is at Dendy, September 14-16. Judges include NZ director Louise Leitch; film distributor John L. Simpson; Los Angeles actor Chuck Noland; all-purpose TV star and former Canberran, Paul McDermott; Canberra-born actor Rhys Muldoon and Canberra-born “Muriel’s Wedding” star Gabby Millgate.

TOURING percussionist Nick Parnell plans to “explode the stage” with Brazilian rhythms, some Satie, Bach and Gershwin in “Bach to Brazil”. Joined by Matthew Binion on piano, he’ll play Brazilian composer Ney Rosauro’s 27-minute “Brazilian Rhapsody”. The Street Theatre, 4pm, September 9 only, bookings to 6247 1223 or www.thestreet.org.au

IN the midst of a springtime flurry of local arts, that  perennial harmonising rock group “America,” is in town. In the ‘70s, Beatles producer George Martin produced seven of their albums. Amazingly, 42 years later, they’re still going. Canberra Theatre, September 9, Bookings to 6275 2700 or www.canberratheatrecentre.com.au

ON a more modest level, Smith’s Alternative Bookstore has Australian rock singer/songwriter Stephen Cummings performing to just 80 people, playing two full sets from his 36-year catalogue. He was lead singer of Melbourne-based rock band, The Sports, from 1977 to 1981 and has written two novels and a memoir, a good match for Smith’s. 8pm on September 14. Tickets instore or www.paperbacksessions.com.au