ANOTHER impending extravaganza is “The Empire Strips Back – a Star Wars Burlesque Parody”, which takes the characters from “Star Wars” and “drops them” into the world of burlesque. Canberra Theatre Centre, Friday, March 14, bookings to canberratheatrecentre.com.au or 6275 2700.

SUPA Productions is taking no chances either, promising “comedy, drama and horror” with “The Witches of Eastwick”, at the ANU Arts Centre from March 14-29. Bookings to 6257 1950 or patronbase.com/_CRS/Productions/WE14/Performances

THAT indefatigable entrepreneur and DJ, Frank Madrid, is at it again, with his Puravida Roadshow joining The Street Theatre and The Embassy of Colombia to showcase “hip-shaking, carnival-punk”, with Colombian musicians such as La Chiva Gantiva and Frente Cumbiero. Street 1, 6.30pm, March 11, bookings to 6247 1223 or thestreet.org.au

WEEREEWA – a Festival of Lake George is going political, with ABC presenter Chris Uhlmann and journo Steve Lewis hosting a literary dinner at Café Wood Works in Bungendore on Sunday, March 9. As well as being very funny, they’ll be giving a sneak preview of their next book. Bookings essential to 6238 1688.

NEWCASTLE upon Tyne actor and playwright, Luke Taylor, has won the 2014 “Stella” award, named in London after the late Canberra theatre identity, Stella Wilkie. The play shows a desperate mother trying to reach her past through her son’s future and of it, Taylor says: “We are all in drag, in one way or another, it’s just that not everyone chooses a feather boa.”

RISING young Canberra pianist, Andrew Rumsey, plans to get by with a little help from his friends, James Huntingford on piano, Matt Withers and Ciaran Edwards-McKeown on guitar and Maddie Anderson (voice) as he inaugurates the “Rumsey & Friends” concert series at Wesley Music Centre, 7.30pm-9.30pm on March 15. Bookings to trybooking.com/EJOU

CANBERRA Potters Society is looking for a vibrant director to help them become a vibrant arts hub. If that’s you, visit canberrapotters.com.au/c_director_position.html

BRETT Yeats, of the ANU Film Society, is out to recruit new members. They’re offering 83 different films between now and July, then another 80 in Semester 2. A bonus, Yeats says, is that they don’t show advertising before the screenings. Information at anufg.org.au

AS we recover from the Centenary, filled with capital reflections, we are intrigued to hear of Pendragon Publishing & Design’s “first foray’ into Publishing” with “Capital Reflections”, billed as “a collection of poetry and thoughts from contemporary Canberran and ex-Canberran authors, poets, musicians and artists” – 16 in all. Visit pendragondesign.com.au