Going out

Preview: There's a $10 preview for the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music Mainstage Drama's The Diviners, an acclaimed play by Jim Leonard Jr. about small town life during the Depression. 8 p.m. today, Patricia Corbett Theater, UC. 556-4183.

Park Party: It's opening night for the Hyundai/WB64 Party in the Park season full of singles, hot music (from Absolute) and cold beer. It's 5:30-10:30 p.m. today, Sawyer Point, downtown. 579-3191.

Ministry: The industrial-metal favorites roll into Bogart's with Lollipop, Lust Kill and Motograter. 8 p.m. today, 2621 Vine St., Corryville, $20-$22.50. 562-4949.

Baseball book: Vince Staten is at Joseph-Beth Booksellers to sign and discuss his Why is the Foul Pole Fair?, a book full of baseball trivia, lore and anecdotes, 7 p.m. today, Rookwood Pavilion, Norwood. 396-8960.

Billy Collins: There may be some standby seating for a reading by the renowned Library of Congress poet laureate, 7 p.m. today, Jarson-Kaplan Theater, Aronoff Center. Free. 369-6900.

On TV

Top pick: NBC has a Friend in the White House when Matthew Perry starts a two-part episode of The West Wing as Joe Quincy, a Republican attorney applying to the Democratic administration for the job once held by Ainsley Hayes. But it's a hectic day for an interview with a shooting in the press briefing room and a missing spy plane (9 p.m., Channels 5, 22).

• Critic John Kiesewetter also says The Bachelor reduces the field to four in an extended program (9-10:10 p.m., Channels 9, 2) to boost ratings for the delayed premiere of ABC's Extreme Makeover.

Hot contests

Scrunched faces: You know those faces your kids always make when you try to get them to eat something? Now you can put those faces to work for you. Arm & Hammer, the baking soda company that says your fridge won't stink if you stick some on the shelf, has a contest for America's Yummiest Kid Making the Yuckiest Face. You get your kid to make a face that says "Yuck," then submit a photo and maybe win a chance to be in Arm & Hammer advertising as well as visit Radisson Cable Beach Resort in the Bahamas. Check it out and enter at www.armhammer.com.

Planning ahead

24 hours out: Joseph-Beth Booksellers hosts a discussion of the Enquirer "On the Same Page" book selections Savage Inequalities by Jonathan Kozol and Marika by Andrea Cheng. 7 p.m. Thursday, Rookwood Pavilion, Norwood. 396-8960.

48 hours out: Children's Theatre opens three days of Casey at the Bat, a new musical that Jerry Handorf and Scot Wooley based on the famous poem. 7:30 p.m. Friday, Taft Theatre, Fifth and Sycamore streets, downtown, $5-$14. 562-4949.

72 hours till Saturday: Legendary rocker Jerry Lee Lewis is at Belterra Casino Resort, 8 p.m., Switzerland County, Ind., $40. (888) 235-8377.

Jim Knippenberg

E-mail jknippenberg@enquirer.com