Going out

At Shadowbox: The high-energy music-comedy troupe Shadowbox Cabaret opens its summer show, The Best of Shadowbox, a retrospective of favorite sketch and musical numbers from previous shows, 7 p.m. today, Newport on the Levee. $10-$20. (859) 581-7625.

Opera Raps: New York Times "Ethicist" columnist Randy Cohen speaks about capitalism and sin as it relates to the upcoming Cincinnati Opera production of Kurt Weill's The Seven Deadly Sins, 7 p.m. today, Mayerson Auditorium, Hebrew Union College, 3101 Clifton Ave., Clifton. Free and open to public. 744-3511.

Book sale: The Friends of the Public Library Used Book Sale, featuring hardbacks, paperbacks, CDs, videos and more, continues 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. today on Fountain Square, downtown. 369-6035.

Bluegrass: Area favorite Retread performs traditional, old-time and gospel-tinged bluegrass starting 8 p.m. today at the Silverton Cafe, 7201 Montgomery Road, Silverton. No cover. 791-2922.

On TV

Top pick: Finally the rest of the country can see what Cincinnati viewers did almost two years ago, as PBS broadcasts the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra: Paavo J”rvi Inaugural Concert taped at Music Hall on Sept. 14-15, 2001 (8 p.m., Channel 48; repeating at 9:30 p.m.).

• Critic John Kiesewetter also suggests watching a very young Sarah Jessica Parker as a dancer dreaming of a TV career in the 1985 film Girls Just Want To Have Fun (8 p.m., ABC Family).

Planning ahead

24 hours out: Old Spice Body Wash reps are at the In Between Tavern before the Reds game to audition men for their ad campaign by having them sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" while lathering up in a portable shower (wearing trunks, of course),

6 p.m. Thursday, 307 Sycamore St., downtown. One winner receives a $1,000 Best Buy gift certificate and a chance to be in a national commercial. 621-7009 or www.OldSpice.com

48 hours out: Contemporary Dance Theater presents its annual Choreographers Without Companies concert featuring new work by area artists such as Jacqueline Garcia, Diane Germaine and Judith Mikita, 8:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, Jarson-Kaplan Theater, Aronoff Center. $18-$22. 241-7469.

72 hours till Saturday: Meijer Kids Fest takes over Sawyer Point with a park full of live entertainment and interactive activities just for the young ones, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, downtown. Free. 621-2142.

E-mail jnebel@enquirer.com; fax: 768-8330