THE unsinkable Domenic Mico is back in the industry he loves best – showbiz – as he directs a new musical coming up at Theatre 3 on August 21-22 about the entire history of Ireland. Written and composed by local Irish-born Caroline McNicholas, “The Haunted Celts” travels through Druid rituals, the arrival of Christianity, “transportation”, the 1916 Easter Rising and to contemporary Ireland. They’ve lured in top Irish singers Carmel Conway and Alice Gildea; the 2015 World Irish Dancing Champion, Conor Simpson; dancers from Kokoloco; members of Coro chamber choir; harpist An Si; fiddler Sandy Gibbney; pianist Mike Dooley and McNicholas’ own band, Night Potion. Bookings to canberrarep.org.au or 6257 1950.

THE National Capital Orchestra and its musical director, Leonard Weiss, have scored a coup with the impending performance by Canberra-raised pianist and recent Juilliard School doctoral graduate, Edward (“Teddy”) Neeman and his talented Indonesian-born wife Stephanie. Mussorgsky, Poulenc and Rachmaninov’s “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini”, with Teddy as soloist, make up the program. At Llewellyn Hall, 3pm, Sunday, August 16, bookings via trybooking.com

WOTOPERA, managed by Artology (the brainchild of Wotif.com founder and internet entrepreneur, Graeme Wood) has been running at four local region schools and they’ll come together at 7pm, Monday, August 17, in The Q, Queanbeyan, for a public performance. Students from Braidwood, Queanbeyan, Karabar and Campbell high schools have collaborated to produce their own stories, compose the music then design and paint the sets for their four individual works. All welcome, bookings to theq.net.au/wotopera-canberra/

CANBERRA composer Sally Greenaway has no idea who submitted her name, but finds herself the recipient of the Merlyn Myer Fund composer commission for a residency at the Melbourne Recital Centre. “I am stunned that this opportunity has been granted to me, and it has changed my outlook considerably about philanthropy and private funding of the arts,” the amazed Greenaway reports.

“SO You Think You Can Drag” is an amateur drag competition, and a celebration of all things “non-gender conformist”. Designed to give competitors an opportunity to have a go at drag for the first time or provide a stage for aspiring queens or kings, the show’s creator is Canberra’s own Kirschbaum, who originally staged it as part of Corinbank Festival 2012, later taking it to Melbourne, where it has achieved cult status. At Ralph Wilson Theatre, Gorman Arts Centre, August 15, bookings via trybooking.com

THE next free High Court concert, 1.30pm, August 16, will see eight singers from Coro Chamber Music performing a mix of early and contemporary music. Booking essential to hcourt.gov.au/about/concerts is necessary for entry, seating is not guaranteed.