BRIEFLY AUDITIONS STARTING FOR '60S ROCK OPERA.

Open auditions for the College of the Canyons Theatre Department's production of Andrew Lloyd Weber's groundbreaking rock-opera, ``Jesus Christ Superstar,'' will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. today and from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Monday in the student center cafeteria at the college, 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road, Valencia.

Set in the late 1960s, ``Jesus Christ Superstar'' follows the final days of Christ's life leading up to his crucifixion. The show shattered musical theater barriers when it first opened by combining operatic voices with rock 'n' roll songs.

The director is faculty member Mark Salyer, who plans to update the setting of ``Superstar'' to a more contemporary scene.

``The story will remain the same, but the landscape will be more urban, more current,'' he said.

``Superstar'' will be performed at 8 p.m. May 8 through 11. Cast members will be required to enroll in the Theater 190 class and the rehearsals - from 7 to 10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturdays - will constitute class meetings. From one to four units can be earned.

Those auditioning will be asked to perform a song and dance routine selected by Salyer on the day of the audition. Residents and minority groups are encouraged to audition, as ``Superstar'' has a diverse, multicultural cast of characters.

For information, call the College of the Canyons box office at [phone].

- Daily News

Local artist's works in a Seattle gallery

Local artist Larry Richardson of Amina Contemporary Arts will open ``The Prevalence of Culture and the Color of Dreams'' on Feb. 6 at Delight Hamilton Gallery in Seattle, Wash., for Black History Month. Richardson's show, featuring new paintings and drawings, will run through the end of February.

Richardson specializes in Afro-American figurative work and prides himself on keeping his artwork fresh. He uses applied textures and incorporates abstraction with text and mixed media. Recently he expanded his work to include depictions of African-Americans in medieval society. The use of glazing and detailing and a rich color pallette infuses his paintings with a luminosity usually seen in sacred altar pieces. Richard's most recent one-man show, ``Dreams of Mystical Icons and the Human Figure,'' showed new direction in Afro-American figurative art and was well received.

In his early days Richardson was in the Berkeley art scene, and his fascination for the large abstract figurative works of Afro-American artists carries over in his work. His works have have earned many awards and is widely collected.

``As an artist, it is not my color that gives me the inspiration or the capacity to produce a desired result but the ability to be sensitive to the various conditions of life that face all mankind,'' Richardson said.

For information on Amina Contemporary Arts, visit their Web site at www.aminaarts.com. For information on the Seattle show, contact the Delight Hamilton Gallery at [phone].

- Daily News

Two free concerts at Disney Music Hall

The CalArts New Century Players will perform an evening of 20th-century European works from Schoenberg's and Ives' era at 8 p.m. Feb. 5 in the Roy O. Disney Music Hall, California Institute of the Arts, 24700 McBean Parkway, Valencia.

The free concert titled ``around Schoenberg (with a little to do with Ives)'' will feature Claude Debussy's ``Danses Sacree et Profane,'' Bela Bartok's ``Violin Sonata No. 2'' and Alexander Zemlinsky's ``Trio.'' The featured composers were contemporaries of musical innovators Arnold Schoenberg and Charles Ives.

Bach's Circle, a chamber group consisting of faculty members from CalArts School of Music, will perform an evening of Baroque works at 8 p.m. Feb. 10 in the Roy O. Disney Music Hall. Led by oboist Allan Vogel, the ensemble includes Janice Tipton, flute; Mark Menzies, violin; Julie Feves, bassoon; and Patricia Mabee, harpsichord.

For information on either CalArts performance, call the ticket office at [phone].

- Daily News