“‘The Night of January Sixteenth’Ayn Rand’s courtroom comedy-drama, written in 1933, tells the story of a murder trial in which teams of prosecutors and defense attorneys battle before the jury. The Advanced Drama students at South Whidbey High School have turned the Little Theatre into a courtroom and will present the play on Jan. 12-15 at 7:30 p.m. and on Jan. 16 (appropriately enough) at 3 p.m. Tickets are $3 each, sold by cast and crew members. Cello workshopIsland Strings is sponsoring a Suzuki cello workshop taught by Alice Volwiler from Bellingham on Jan. 15, from 11-3. A $10 donation is requested. Register in advance with Linda Good, 221-6349. Dance with KaleidoscopeDancers with character ability are needed to perform in a musical theater dance number in the styles of Gene Kelly, Jerome Robbins, and Bob Fosse for Kaleidoscope of Dance at WICA March 4-5. Call 678-9289.Shiahn Singing CircleWinter session for Shiahn, the women’s singing circle directed by Claudia Walker, will begin on Jan. 17, from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Marsh House. Members meet weekly. A $30 monthly donation is requested to support Walker’s work and the ongoing expenses of Marsh House. Call 579-2279.Comedy NightComic Derrick Cameron returns to Teddy’s Comedy Night on Jan. 21. Cameron has performed all over the Northwest on television, radio and video, including Comedy Central and Evening at the Improv, and he has recorded a comedy album called “In Search of Joey, Derrick Cameron Live.”Cameron has opened for such notables as Ray Charles, Tower of Power, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Sinbad and Bobcat Golthwait, and has also performed in Comic Relief, a benefit for the homeless, the Bite of Seattle, and the Seattle Art Museum Black and White Ball, among others. Reservations suggested; cover is $6. Call 331-2882.The QuirksHear the modern acoustic folk music of The Quirks in a concert at WICA on Jan. 22, 7:30 p.m. The four musicians play old-time folk music on fiddle, mandolin, bass and guitar. Their concerts are equal parts original and traditional folk melodies — the kind of hot fiddle, flat picking, rhythmic music that will stir the blood, and get the feet stomping.Tickets are $12/adults, $10/students & seniors; 221-8268.Artists’ Co-op featured painterPainter Wayne Knapp is January’s Artist of the Month at the Artists’ Cooperative Gallery of Whidbey Island in Langley. Knapp studied art in college, and painted as a hobby during a 22-year Air Force career, during which many of his paintings were purchased for private collections. He worked in commercial art before entering the field of fine art, and has participated in many juried shows, winning awards that included first place, best of show and people’s choice.His work at the gallery is in oils, pastels, watercolors and graphite, both portraits and scenics. He will be demonstrating his art at the gallery on Jan. 29 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. For more information call 221-7675. Writers’ opportunitiesDeadline is Feb. 1 to enter the contest sponsored by the Whidbey Island Writers’ Conference, set for March 3-5. Categories include short story, poetry and essay. The conference will also provide the opportunity to earn two college credits. The conference will feature a wide spectrum of genres and workshops given by best-selling and successful authors, agents and editors, among them Aaron Elkins, Gary Kinder, Pamela Houston, Elizabeth Engstrom, Pattiann Rogers, Grey Eagle, Mary Barnikowski, and many others. Registration is $258 for the entire weekend, including daily catered luncheons. Volunteers can receive tuition discounts.For more information, call 331-6714, or visit the conference Web site at www.whidbey.com/writers.Whidbey PlayhouseThe Whidbey Playhouse in Oak Harbor presents “The Last Night of Ballyhoo,” opening Feb. 4 and running weekends through Feb. 26, including two Sunday matinees on Feb. 13 and 20. Directed by Donald Wilkins, a Freeland resident, the Tony Award-winning play is set in Atlanta, Georgia, in December of 1939. “Gone with the Wind” is having its world premiere and Hitler is invading Poland, but Atlanta’s elitist German Jews are much more concerned with who is going to the Ballyhoo, the social event of the season. For tickets call the box office at 360-679-2237.”