THEATER

American Idol: Who Killed Simon?, Murder On Us Dinner Theater, The Barnsider, 375 South Main St., Providence. 245-5850; www.murderonus.com. 8 pm. $39.95, includes four-course dinner, show, tax, gratuity. Through June.

Bedroom Farce, Newport Playhouse and Cabaret Restaurant, 102 Connell Highway, Newport. 848-7529, www.newportplayhouse.com. Buffet 6:15 pm, show 8 pm. Dinner/show $48.95, includes tax and post-show cabaret. Show only $33.95. Reservations recommended. Closes May 18.

Bless Me, Father, Mill River Theater, 499 High St., Central Falls. 721-0909; www.millrivertheater.com. Dinner 6:30 pm, show 8 pm. $35.50 dinner and show; $20 show only. Closes today.

Bye Bye Birdie, LaSalle Academy, 617 Academy Ave., Providence. 351-7750. 7:30 pm. $12, students/seniors $10. Closes today.

Coincidentally, Firehouse Theater, 4 Equality Park Place, Newport. 849-3473; www.firehousetheater.org. 8 pm. $20; mention The Providence Journal and receive $5 off for up to six seats. Post-show performance by The Bit Players Improv Troupe. Closes May 18.

Disney’s High School Musical, RISE on Broadway, Columbus Theatre, 270 Broadway, Providence. 621-6123; www.arttixri.com; www.riseonbroadway.org. 7:30 pm. Gold circle $20, orchestra $15. Closes Sun.

The Drowsy Chaperone, Providence Performing Arts Center, 220 Weybosset St., Providence. 421-2787; www.ppacri.org. 2, 8 pm. $41-$68. Closes Sun.

The Etymology of Bird, Providence Black Repertory Company, 276 Westminster St., Providence. 351-0353; www.blackrep.org; 621-6123; www.arttixri.com. 8 pm. $20, students/seniors $10. Closes May 18.

Fuddy Meers, 2nd Story Theatre, 28 Market St., Warren. 247-4200; www.2ndstorytheatre.com. 8 pm. $25. Closes June 8.

I Ought to Be in Pictures, Granite Theatre, 1 Granite St., Westerly. 596-2341; www.granitetheatre.com. 8 pm. $18, 62+ $15, children 12 and younger $11. Closes May 25.

Midsummer Night’s Dream, All Children’s Theatre, The Met School Theatre, 325 Public St., Providence. 782-1222; e-mail act@actinri.org. 7 pm. $12. Closes May 18.

Paris by Night, Trinity Repertory Company, 201 Washington St., Providence. 351-4242; www.trinityrep.com. 2 pm. $20-$60. Closes June 1.

The Secret Garden, Academy Players, East Greenwich High School Auditorium, 300 Avenger Drive, East Greenwich. 885-6910; www.academyplayers.org. 8 pm. $20, seniors $16, students $14. Closes Sun.

Sweet Disaster, Perishable Theatre, 95 Empire St., Providence. 331-2695; www.perishable.org. 8 pm. $20; students, seniors, military $15; members $10. Closes Sun.

The Wizard of Oz, Center-Stage Theater, Courthouse Center for the Arts, Route 138, Kingston. 782-1018, www.courthousearts.org. 2, 7 pm. $15; $12 seniors and members; $10 students. Closes May 17.

COMEDY

Catch A Rising Star, Twin River, 100 Twin River Rd., Lincoln. 723-3200, (800) 720-7275, www.catcharisingstar.com/providence.html. Ben Gleib, 8, 10 pm. $20.

Comedy Connection, 39 Warren Ave., East Providence. 438-8383, www.ricomedyconnection.com. Ira Proctor, 8, 10 pm. $17.

Comedy Factory:Ground Round, Comfort Inn, 2 George St., Pawtucket. 461-7896. Featuring Rockin’ Joe Hebert, Stacey Yannetty, Corey Guglietti, John Perrotta, A.J. Pleau, Tim Jones, Maya Manlon and Heath Jennings, 8:30 pm. $15.

Improv Jones, improvisational comedy group, Perishable Theatre, 95 Empire St., Providence. 331-2695. 10 pm. $5.

John Turco’s Comedy Club, Corinne’s Restaurant and Lounge, 67 Garrity St., Pawtucket. 725-4260, www.thecomedyclubhouse.com. Featuring Tim McIntyre, Andrea Henry and John Turco, 8 pm. $15.

MUSIC

Chris Duarte, blues, Chan’s Restaurant, 267 Main St., Woonsocket. 765-1900. 8, 10 pm. $17 early show; $12 late show; $20 both shows.

Sheena Easton, pop, rock and rhythm and blues, Mohegan Sun, Wolf Den, Mohegan Sun Boulevard (exit 79A off Route 395), Uncasville, Conn. (888) 226-7711, www.mohegansun.com. 8 pm. No cover.

The Lafayette Band, North Kingstown High School Auditorium, 150 Fairway Drive, North Kingstown. An Armed Forces Salute. 7:30 pm. Free.

Ken Lyon and Tombstone, acoustic blues, Blackstone River Theatre, 549 Broad St., Cumberland. 725-9272, www.riverfolk.org. 8 pm. $12 advance; $15 day of show.

Jeff Pitchell and Texas Flood, blues, Twin River, Lighthouse Bar, 100 Twin River Rd., Lincoln. 723-3200, (877) 827-4837, www.twinriver.com. 10 pm. No cover. 18+.

Martin Sexton and George Stanford, folk, blues and rock, Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel, 79 Washington St., Providence. 331-5876, 272-5876, www.etix.com. 7-10 pm. $22.50 advance; $25 day of show; $30 reserved.

Tinh Yeu Me Concert Night: Thanh Tuyen, Dan Truong and Phuong Thanh, Vietnamese, Mohegan Sun, Arena, Mohegan Sun Boulevard (exit 79A off Route 395), Uncasville, Conn. (888) 226-7711, www.mohegansun.com. 11 pm. $35-$100.

PERFORMANCES

Albano’s Ballet: Spring Fling, Dance Thing, Mohegan Sun, Cabaret, Mohegan Sun Boulevard (exit 79A off Route 395), Uncasville, Conn. (888) 226-7711, www.mohegansun.com. 7:30 pm. $30.

Spring Carnevale, Venetian-style festival featuring harlequins, street performers, dancers and roving musicians, Pawtucket Armory, 172 Exchange St., Pawtucket. 723-4266, ext. 16, www.arttixri.com. 7-10 pm. $100; $190 pair. Benefit for the Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre’s artistic and educational programs.

State Ballet of Rhode Island: Spring Ballet Celebration (48th Annual), Rhode Island College, Roberts Auditorium, 600 Mount Pleasant Ave., Providence. 456-8144, www.ric.edu/pfa, www.stateballet.com. Featuring Claire de Lune, Gansel & Hetal: A “Sweet” Family Fairytale, Swan Lake Divertissement and Graduation Ball. 5 pm. $25; $16 children 12 and under.

KIDS’ EVENTS

Carousel Village, Roger Williams Park, off Elmwood Avenue, Providence. 785-9450. 10 am-5 pm, weather permitting. $1.25 per ride.

Cormack Planetarium and Museum of Natural History, Roger Williams Park, 1000 Elmwood Ave., Providence. 785-9457. Museum open daily 10 am-5 pm. Museum admission is $2, $1 ages 2-7. Planetarium admission is $3, $2 ages 4-7; no one under age 4 admitted to the planetarium.

•Mission Moon: Past, Present, Future exhibit.

•Planetarium show: Clouds of Fire, 2 pm.

•Space Adventure Weekend, celebrate NASA’s 50th anniversary with family activities including hands-on flight and rocketry adventures.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Met School Theatre, 325 Public St., Providence. 728-1222. All Children’s Theatre performances 7 pm. $12.

Pirates of Burrillville, Burrillville Town Common (in front of the A.T. Levy School). 568-9470. Family fair 10 am-2 pm. Rain location: Burrillville Middle School.

•The Sea Story, at the Gazebo. Rosalita’s Puppets perform at 11 am.

•Teddy Bear Parade, begins at the Harrisville Fire Station at 9:45; arrival time is 9:15 am.

Providence Children’s Museum, 100 South St., Providence. 273-5437, www.childrenmuseum.org. Hands-on activity center for children 1-11 and their families. Tue-Sun 9 am-6 pm. $6.50; members free. Block Party, ages 5-11 stack blocks of all shapes and sizes to create towering structures 1-3 pm.

Spring Is in the Air: A Special Day for You and Mom, Tri-Pond Nature Center, Asapond Road (off Curtis Corner Road), South Kingstown. 789-9301; www.southkingstownri.com/parksrec. Celebrate Mother’s Day by exploring the wonders of spring. Look at plant and animal life for signs of spring, then head indoors to make a “raven pouch” to carry your treasures in or give to Mom. For ages 5-9. Children must be accompanied by an adult. 9:30-11:30 am. $20, South Kingstown residents $15. Advance registration.

NATURE

Barrington Garden Club’s Mother’s Day Plant Sale, parking lot of Ace Center Hardware, Barrington Shopping Center, County Road, Barrington. Perennials, hanging baskets, herbs, salad boxes, hand-made gift items. 10 am-4 pm. Benefit for the club’s civic beautification projects and scholarships.

East Farm Spring Festival (6th annual), Route 108, South Kingstown. Featuring plant sales, workshops and presentations by the various departments in the University of Rhode Island College of Environment and Life Sciences. Sale of annuals, perennials and vegetable plants; information booths staffed by URI Master Gardeners; pre-ordered seedling sale by the Southern Rhode Island Conservation District; presentations; children’s activities; band music and strolling musicians; “green” product vendors; workshops on container gardening, composting, tree planting and vegetable gardening; free pH soil testing for those who bring soil samples from home; sale of rain barrels and compost bins; 10 am-2 pm. Rain or shine. Visitors who plan on buying many plants should bring a cart or wagon to transport items.

International Migratory Bird Day, Trustom Pond National Wildlife Refuge, off Matunuck Schoolhouse Road, South Kingstown. 364-9124. Theme is Tropics to Tundra: Connecting Birds, Habitats and People. Live Birds of Prey Show, nature crafts, junior birder patches to earn, educational displays, binoculars to loan, hiking trails, T-shirt sale, free posters/bird tattoos, guided bird walk. 10 am-3 pm.

Lecture/Workshop: Hot Annuals and Perennials for Container Gardening, Young Family Farm, 260 West Main Rd., Little Compton. 635-0110, 339-7460. 10 am. Free.

Plant Sale, Green Animals Topiary Garden, 380 Cory’s Lane, Portsmouth. Topiary, bedding plants, hanging baskets, scented geraniums, unusual cacti and succulents. 8 am-5 pm.

Plum Beach Garden Club Plant Sale, Old Library Park, 55 Brown St., Wickford. 295-1910. Variety of herbs, specialty annual, vegetables, unusual sun and shade perennials, native plants. Flour Power Bake Table featuring biscuits, muffins, fruit pies, breads, coffee cakes, cookies, jams and Plum Beach Chili. 9 am-2 pm.

Rhode Island Wild Plant Society Program: Habitat Changes and the Forest Tour, Powder Mill Ledges Wildlife Refuge, 12 Sanderson Rd., Routes 44 and 5, Smithfield. 789-7497; www.riwps.org. or e-mail office@riwps.org. See how nature can coexist close to a major business district, with emphasis on tree identification and basic forestry concepts. Moderate two- to three-mile hike. 10 am-noon. $5, members $3.

Roger Williams Park Botanical Center Programs, Dalrymple Boathouse, 1000 Elmwood Ave., Providence. 785-9450. Advance registration.

Rhode Island Orchid Society’s Introduction to Orchids. Learn the basics of orchid culture, such as sun requirements, potting, fertilizing, watering and choosing a soil media. Each participant will take home a quality, mature, blooming orchid. 1-3 pm. $45, includes materials and one year R.I. Orchid Society membership.

Southside Community Land Trust Film Screening/Discussion: The Real Dirt on Farmer John, Providence Public Library, 150 Empire St., Providence, in the Barnard Room, third floor. 273-9419, ext. 28. The film tells the tale of a maverick Midwestern farmer and documents the dramatic failure of a conventional farming operation and its resurrection into a thriving, organic community-supported agriculture farm outside Chicago. 2-4 pm.

Spring Bird Walk, Mount Hope Farm, 250 Metacom Ave., Bristol. Diverse wildlife habitat with woodlands and freshwater marshes features several species of ducks, warblers, woodpeckers, flycatchers, swallows, sparrows, raptors, Cooper’s hawks and peregrine falcons. Along the Bay, marsh birds and bay ducks may be seen. With birder Raymond P. Payson. Wear light-colored clothing; bring insect repellent and binoculars. Meet at farm’s south entrance and parking lot (not the main entrance to the house). 8-9:30 am. Rain date May 14. $12, Blithewold members $10. Advance registration.

Spring Bird Walk, Museum of Natural History, Roger Williams Park, 1000 Elmwood Ave., Providence. 785-9457; www.providenceri.com/museum/. Scope out spring migrants as they arrive from their wintering grounds. See and hear wood ducks, orioles, red-tailed hawks, gnatcatchers and warblers. 9:30 am. Advance registration. For ages 4+. $5 family; members free.

ETC.

Mother’s Day Celebration, East Providence Eagles Club, 334 Waterman Ave. 438-1557. 8 pm, $10, $5 for members.

Portuguese Night, St. Martha’s Church, 2595 Pawtucket Ave., East Providence. 434-4060. Family style Portuguese menu. $20, $10 ages 6-12.

Rummage Sale, Johnston Senior Center, 1291 Hartford Ave. 331-7075. 9 am-1 pm. Magician Lon Cerel entertains in the morning. Johnston Relay for Life fundraiser.

Setting the Record Straight, North Kingstown Free Library, 100 Boone St. 294-3306. Tim Cranston looks at the relationships between settlers, slaves and Native Americans in Colonial Rhode Island. 2 pm.

World Fair Trade Day: For the People, For the Planet, Cadeaux du Monde, 26 Mary St., Newport. 848-0550. Speeches by Jane Dyer and Katie Dyer and recycled art exhibit. 1-6 pm.

Nautical Yard Sale, North Kingstown High School cafeteria. Boat hardware, clothing, electronics, small boats 8 am-noon. North Kingstown High School sailing team fundraiser. GET ON THIS LIST

Send listings to pjfeat@projo,com or What’s Happening, Features Department, The Providence Journal, 75 Fountain St., Providence, RI 02902. Listings are not accepted by phone, but for information call (401) 277-7265.

Listings appear every day of the week. There is no charge, but events will be listed only as space permits.

Listings must be received two weeks before publication, and must include the name and phone number of someone we can call if we have questions.