The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

ether you sing, Well a funny story, or play a musical instrument, the Battle of the Bards is looking for local talent to ham it up. John Milne, who created the monthly talent showâ€" case held in the Waterloo Community Arts Centre, said the battle is a way to provide a stage for talent, as well as a bit of income. "I was acting...wishing that I could get paid act," he said. A Kitchener resident, Milne is a graduate of the University of Waterloo with a psychology degree, and a regular actor in community theatres since he was a child. Milne decided by operatâ€" ing his own show, he could Monthly ‘Battle of the Bards‘ proving to be a popular draw By Tim Murpiy For The Chronicle Last November, he approached the arts centre, receiving what he said was a positive response. "I like this venue because it feels comfortâ€" able, almost like a living room where a bunch of people are just chilling," Milne said. He likes to boast he developed the idea before American Idol did, despite some joking criticisms from his friends. He said the acts come from all over the communiâ€" ty, which he attracts from eâ€" mails and posters he puts up around Waterloo Region. Many of his acts come from university and high control the expenses and work to make a profit for himself and the performers. "People accused me of stealing the idea, but I had it first." he said. The winners of each evening can take home a selfâ€"inflated ego, as well as some cash, Milne said. The performer who takes home the prize is deterâ€" mined by the audience. Audience members get three tokens to vote with which they drop into a mason jar with the perâ€" former‘s name on it. "One of the challenges of doing these nights is to try to get new acts in from new places," he said, so the audience doesn‘t see the same thing every month. "I‘ll go out to open mics and coffee houses and I‘ll give them a business card," he said. "Virtually anywhere I am, I go: ‘Yeu look enterâ€" taining, come perform.‘" school students, but there is a recent influx of adult talâ€" ent. The evening is divided The Battle of the Bards happens the second Saturâ€" day of every month, starting at 8 p.m. at the Waterloo Community Arts Centre. For more information or to arrange to showcase your talent, contact John Milne at 591â€"3345, or eâ€"mailbardsâ€" battle@gmail.com Admission is $5 in advance, $8 at the door. "If we can get enough people coming out, we could offer a second and third prize as well," he said. "People bring their friends and tell their friends about it, and the more peoâ€" ple that come, the more people he gets for performâ€" ing." into two categories, nonâ€" musical and musical. The performer from each category wins 25 per cent of the evening‘s ticket sales. TiM MuRPHY PBOTO The program features Lachrymae Antiguae (Dowâ€" land) with McKenna, Cantata No. 54, (J. S. Bach) with Pudwell and McKenna, Symphony No. 26 Lamentaâ€" tione (Haydn}, Nipson (Tavener) and Ancient Airs and Dances Suite No. 1 (Respighi) with McKenna. Tickets are $13 for adults and $11 for children and seniors, and are available through the Centre in the Square box office by calling 578â€"1570 or online at www.kwsymphony.on.ca . A sampling of some of the finest compositions in the last 300 years on the themes of lamentation and atonement are presented by KWS concertmaster Stephen Sitarski, members of the KW Symphony, Laura Pudwell (mezzoâ€"soprano) and Terry McKenna (lute), for the second in the Planet Baroque series â€" Lamentations at First United Church in uptown Waterloo tonight at 8 p.m. Pudwell‘s international profile is wellâ€"established in repertoire ranging from early music to contempoâ€" rary works after her performances in Paris, Salzburg, London, Houston, Boston and Vienna. Pudwell‘s previous appearance with the KWS was in Beethoven‘s Ninth Symphony. McKenna, head of the guitar and lute program at Wilfrid Laurier University, has performed nationally for 25 years and on more than 30 recordings (includâ€" ing two Junoâ€"nominees). Sitarski can be heard as the solo violinist on the Oscarâ€" and Genieâ€"nominated movie "Being Julia". An opening reception will be held this afternoon from 4â€"5 p.m. Admission is free. The gallery‘s hours are Wednesday to Saturday, from noon to 5 p.m. Children ages three to five are invited to bring their favourite cushion to the lobby for the second in the Kinderconcerts series,this Saturday at 9:15 a.m., 10:15 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. at the Centre in the Square. The Con Brio Quintet will provide 30 minutes of music, fun and discovery for the youngsters, giving them a chance to be up close and personal with a small ensemble of KWS musicians. The quintet is comprised of Lance Quellette (Vioâ€" lin 1), Sophie Drouin, (Violin II), Jody Davenport (Viola), Nancy Wharton (Cello) and Milos Petrak (Bass). The Robert Langen Gallery at Wiltrid Laurier Uni versity presents an earthenware exhibit called Vesâ€" sels, by artist Ingrid Nicolai, opening today and con tinuing through March 24. Kâ€"W Symphony performs tonight at local church ‘Vessels‘ exhibit opens today at Langen Gallery Bring your cushion to Kinderconcerts