Assorted ramblings from the world of entertainment:

• LOOP Youngstown announced an impressive milestone this month.

Within three months of taking possession of its new home at 805 Mahoning Ave., the arts group rented all of its studio spaces.

The new arts and culture center fills a need in the community, especially since the 2024 closure of Ward Bakery Building a couple of blocks away.

Still, there was no guarantee artists would embrace it.

The building that will become the Museum of Science Fiction and Fantasy Arts on Main Avenue SW in Warren was bought and partially renovated more than 15 years ago with plans to create artist studios in the four-story structure.

The response was minimal, and the building sat empty for years before it was purchased in late 2023 by the Trumbull County Historical Society.

Two of the spaces will be occupied by LOOP’s first two Emerging Artists Fellows — Dei Bilunka, an abstract painter, and Willem Schreiber, who studied at Cornell University and works in installation, sculpture and architecture.

The fellowship is designed to support artists and writers in the early stage of their creative career, typically within their first 10 years of practicing seriously.

Both will receive free studio space, a stipend for supplies and the opportunity to have a capstone exhibition at the end of their fellowships next April.

LOOP Youngstown is conducting a capital campaign to renovate the one-time auto showroom with perks available at multiple donor levels from $10 to five figures. More information is available at loopyoungstown.org/donate.

• Instead of five figures, one only needs to give $5 to support another worthy organization,

Lit Youngstown, and have a chance to win an original work by artist Tony Armeni.

The winner of the sculptural birdbath by Armeni will be drawn Sunday at Youngstown State University’s Summer Festival of the Arts.

The winner will receive delivery and installation if they live locally or shipping to anywhere in the continental U.S. Tickets are two for $5 and can be purchased online at lityoungstown.org and at Lit Youngstown’s tent at the festival.

• Last week when Youngstown Playhouse revealed its new Member Spotlight Program, flex pass changes and box office hours, it also announced three outside productions that will use its theaters.

The world premiere of Saudia Mills’ “Black Eyed Peas Before Midnight” is scheduled at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Aug. 15 at The Playhouse Downtown.

The play takes place on New Year’s Eve as three generations of the Willfree family gather in Momma’s living room with plans to cook her traditional black-eyed peas recipe by midnight. According to the synopsis, ” What should be a routine family ritual quickly becomes a humorous and heartfelt journey of unspoken truths, pain, unresolved issues and a nonexistent bond between mother and son.”

Tickets are $30.

• Coming to the Main Stage on Sept. 12 is The MJ Experience, a Michael Jackson tribute act featuring a live band. Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. show are $30 general admission and $55 VIP.

And “Couples Therapy,” the touring comedy that got its start at the Playhouse, will do three shows at The Playhouse Downtown at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Oct. 17 and 2:30 p.m. Oct. 18.

The play about two married relationship experts leading a couples therapy program stars local stage vets John Cox and Brandy Johanntges and was written by Jason Tarr.

Tickets for all three are available online at youngstownplayhouse.org, at the Playhouse box office from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday and by calling 330-788-8739 during box office hours.

Andy Gray is the entertainment editor of Ticket. Write to him at agray@tribtoday.com.