Ranch youth stars in new musical

The East County’s Channing Weir, a senior at Lakewood Ranch High School, will portray a key role this weekend in “Jonesing,” a musical written and directed by Bradenton resident Dylan H. Jones.

The show will be held at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 15 through Nov. 17 and at 1:30 p.m. Nov. 18, at Manatee School for the Arts, 700 Haben Blvd., Palmetto. Tickets are $12 for adults or $8 for seniors (60-plus) or students with valid identifications.

“It’s different from traditional musicals because it’s sung entirely without hardly any dialogue, but without a definitive plot, either,” Jones says of the show. “Each song stands on its own and tells a unique story.”

Similar in tone and format to “Songs for a New World,” each of the actors portrays characters seeking something missing in their lives.