A Mississippi School of the Arts open house Saturday is expectedto draw families from across the state to view studentperformances, tour the campus and learn about the school’scurriculum.

Several performances throughout the day are open to the generalpublic to showcase the artistic talents of the school’s students,said Jana Perry, director of admissions and recruiting. However,the main focus of the day will be to answer questions fromprospective students and their families.

“It’s a day for them to get to know MSA, the campus faculty andstaff and Brookhaven,” she said. “It makes them feel morecomfortable when they come here again. It gives them the chance tobe on campus at least once before they have their on-siteauditions.”

The audition, a part of the admissions process, is one of thesteps used to evaluate the talents of prospective students.

Typically, Perry said, the school will see approximately 80students and their families on the campus.

However, the addition of a literary arts program next yearshould make this year’s attendance much higher. More than 400prospective students were invited to attend the annual event.

Campus tours will be given by the school’s arts ambassadorsthroughout the day to the general public as well as prospectivestudents and their families, Perry said.

Activities begin Saturday with registration at 8:30 a.m. at theStudent Life Center. At 9:45 a.m., the dance students will lead thepublic from the center to Mary Jane Lampton auditorium through a”Follow the Fabric” dance movement.

A free performance by the vocal students will be held in theauditorium at 10:20 a.m.

Following the choral performance, students will break for lunch,Perry said. Lunch is available for the public in the schoolcafeteria for a small fee.

Events resume at 12:30 p.m. with the free presentation of”Percy” by the junior class. The play is an original, written bythe students, and is less than one hour long.

The school’s visual arts department will host a free exhibit inthe Johnson Institute at 2:30 p.m. to close out the day’s openhouse activities.

Students will return to the classroom at 3:30 p.m.

“It’s a long day, but it’s a lot of fun, too,” Perry said.

A performance by the school’s senior drama class, the ThirdDrama Company, is being held in conjunction with the open house.They will present William Inge’s “Picnic” Friday and Saturday at 7p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. in the Johnson Institute. Seating islimited and tickets are available at the door or by calling (601)823-1317.