By Rita Howell

For Panola Countians who are fed up with figure skating or sick of skiing, this weekend offers three local options for those suffering from Olympic overdose.

The Panola Playhouse production of Seussial: The Musical continues with three performances this weekend. The curtain rises tonight and Saturday night at 7:30, and on Sunday afternoon at 2:30 p.m.

A cast of more than 35 local actors presents a story interwoven with some of Dr. Seuss’s most popular characters, including the Cat in the Hat and Horton the Elephant.

(See Emily Williams’s review of the play on page B10.)

Tickets are $5 for students, $7 for seniors and $10 for adults.

Visit panolaplayhouse.com for information or to reserve a seat.

Rodeo

If your attention is roped in by steer wrestling or bull riding, make plans to attend the sixth annual Bill Lipscomb Memorial Rodeo Saturday night at the Batesville Civic Center. The event starts at 7:30 p.m., but there are activities for kids beginning at 7 p.m. The evening also includes a diamond giveaway for ladies.

The show includes bareback riding, calf roping, barrel racing and other rodeo competitions.

The rodeo honors the memory of Bill Lipscomb, a Como businessman and rodeo competitor who died in an automobile accident in August, 2002. A  fund in Lipscomb’s memory awards a scholarship annually to a member of the Northwest Community College rodeo team.  

Lipscomb was the son of R.W. “Buddy” and Rebekah Lipscomb of Como. He was a 1964 graduate of North Panola High School and graduated from Northwest. He and his brother Bobby operated Lipscomb Brothers Livestock Market.

Lipscomb was an award-winning auctioneer and an avid horseman.

He was a member of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and competed in calf-roping events all over the southeastern United States. He was a participant in Cheyenne Frontier Days in Cheyenne, Wy.

Lipscomb was the father of three: Mike Lipscomb, Becky Clarke and Mark Lipscomb. He was the grandfather of nine.

Admission to the rodeo is $13 for adults, $11 for children.

For information call 662-501-6970.

Pageant with a twist

For anyone looking for laughs for a good cause, the Panola County Cancer Relief Organization will present a Womanless Beauty Pageant Saturday night at 7 p.m. in the gym at Batesville Junior High School.

The group has lined up 55 male contestants who will be decked out in pageant finery.

Admission is $5. A concession stand will be open.

Ricky Swindle and Johnny Pace will serve as emcees and Tracy Williams, winner of the Arthur Biggers Beauty Review last year, will crown the winner.

The Panola County Cancer Relief Organization provides assistance to Panola Countians who are cancer patients. The group has helped about 100 local patients with transportation, money for gas or food, or payment for medications.

For information, call 563-8787.