The Lookout: A captivating 'Poe' at Maudslay State Park

Inspired by such classic poems and tales as "The Raven," "The Tell-tale Heart" and "Annabel Lee," Theater in the Open embraces fall with an original adaptation of Edgar Allen Poe's works on the fields of Maudslay State Park in Newburyport.

Puppetry, movement, audience participation and text all combine to create what the theater troupe-in-residence at Maudslay hopes will be a uniquely haunting experience based on the master of the macabre's works.

Director Edward Speck promises the interactive, outdoor show that will have the audience traveling to three sites in close proximity within the park is not a traditional theater experience.

Speck says that because Poe is so internal and his works relate more through emotions than events, his writing is difficult to dramatize.

"We tell stories primarily through the body, through actions of the world transposed to the stage, while (Poe's) writings depict the rich and often disturbing life of the mind," Speck says in an e-mail. "For that reason, translating his text into dialogue usually falls flat."

So, the theater company uses very little dialogue in its adaptation, instead relying primarily on the text as written by Poe, enhanced by large visual imagery, including pageantry and shadow puppetry.

"Everything is in a larger-than-life, stylized mode, attempting to match (Poe's) text with sounds and images (that are) equally grand and other-worldly," he says.

In preparation for the production, company members began the artistic process by sitting down together and reading Poe's poems aloud. Speck says they ultimately chose to carry that feel through in the performance.

"This production attempts to ... capture the joy of reading Poe alone in a musty room on a rainy day, and to transpose it into a communal, performative experience," Speck says.

"Poe" plays Saturdays and Sundays at 4 p.m. through Oct. 3 at Maudslay along Curzon Mill Road. All performances are weather permitting; allow for a 15-minute walk to the play site. Admission is $8, $5 for students and seniors. There is also a $2 parking fee. Visit www.theaterintheopen.org or call 978-465-2572 for more.

Historian explores fur industry in new book

Historian Eric Jay Dolin presents a slide show highlighting his new book, "Fur, Fortune and Empire; The Epic History of the Fur Trade in America," tonight at 7 at Jabberwocky Bookshop in The Tannery, 50 Water St., Newburyport.

Dolin traces the dramatic rise and fall of the American fur industry, from the early 1600s and the first Dutch encounters with the Indians to the rise of the conservation movement in the late 19th century. He shows how the fur trade, driven by the demands of fashion, sparked controversy, fostered economic competition and fueled wars among the European powers, as North America became a battleground for colonization and imperial aspirations.

Dolin is also the author of the bestselling "Leviathan, The History of Whaling in America." Admission to tomorrow's presentation is free. Call 978-465-9359 or visit www.jabberwockybookshop.com.

Fairy workshop takes flight at Book Rack

Elizabeth Golz Rush presents a fairy workshop tomorrow at 2 p.m. at The Book Rack at 52 State St. in downtown Newburyport.

Ages 5 and up are invited to add the finishing touches to one of Rush's pre-assembled cut fairies. All materials, including hand-painted fairy heads and wings and lots of sparkles, will be provided. The cost is $35.

Rush regularly gives classes and workshops in her home studio as well as for local organizations and programs. Visit www.elizgolzrush.blogspot.com for more.

Vintage baseball swings into Newbury farm

Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm on Little's Lane in Newbury readies its fields for another afternoon of vintage baseball on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Essex Base Ball Club will play a triple header using the 1861 rules of the game. Grass field seating will be available; bring blankets and lawn chairs. Ipswich Ale will be providing beer samples.

Admission is $3. Call the historic farm at 978-462-2634 for more.

New book group focusing on food issues

The First Religious Society, Unitarian Universalist, in Newburyport is forming a new book discussion group with a focus on the way people look at food today.

The group will read and discuss books that explore such questions as whether people are selecting healthy foods in their diets and whether they're getting the best value for their money, whether corporations are dictating people's food choices today, how can individuals eat responsibly and sustainably, and how groups can work to alleviate the hunger in local communities as well as worldwide.

Francis Moore Lappe's book, "Diet for a Small Planet," the 20th year edition, is the first book on the group's agenda. The group will meet the third Sunday of the month at noon in the downstairs classroom at the church, with the next meeting scheduled for this Sunday. Membership is not exclusively open to vegetarians. Call the church at 978-465-0602 or e-mail Susan Manning at samanning.7@live.com for more.

Auditions set for 'Christmas Carol' at Byfield Arts Center

TTS Players in Byfield is holding open auditions for "A Christmas Carol" tomorrow from 10 to 11:45 a.m. and Monday from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Byfield Community Arts Center in Byfield.

Auditions will consist of readings from the script and some singing. All roles are open. No experience is necessary, and adults and children as well as families are welcome to try out.

The holiday production will be directed by Jack Neary, who has adapted the classic script. Call producer Mike Fay at 978-476-6053 for more.

Calling Port's arts community to the stage

Newburyport is looking for help from its arts community as part of a statewide contest hosted by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

The city with the assistance of Port Media is putting together a three-minute film on the arts in Newburyport. Mayor Donna Holaday has already completed a number of segments for the film. Now, she's calling all artists to help add the final touches.

Artists in all areas are being invited to join Holaday on the stage of the Firehouse Center for the Arts in Newburyport's Market Square on Monday night from 6 to 9 to film the closing shot for the film. Each artist should wear either a costume or come representing the particular form of art they practice. For example, musicians should bring their instruments, visual artists should bring a recent piece of artwork, and actors should appear in a costume from a recent performance. Holaday hopes to fill the stage with the varied local talent the city is known for.

For more on the project, call the mayor's office at 978-465-4413.

Spotlight on Bhutan's land of the dragons

Bill Gette, sanctuary director of Mass Audubon's Joppa Flats Education Center in Newburyport, highlights his trips to the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan in South Asia in a slide program and lecture on Wednesday, Sept. 29, at 7:30 p.m. at the center at 1 Plum Island Turnpike.

Gette traveled to Bhutan, known as the land of he dragons, in 2008 and again this past spring. He says a dedication to environmental protection has helped guide the country from being known as of the most isolated in the world to one of the most happy. He will share photos of the people, religious art, architecture and wildlife that Bhutan has to offer.

A skilled teacher and field naturalist, Gette developed his passion for natural history education as a teen while working at the National Audubon Society's Audubon Camp on Hog Island, Maine, and while studying loggerhead turtles on Little Cumberland Island, Georgia. He has been leading domestic and international natural history expeditions for Mass Audubon Society since 1986, traveling throughout the U.S., Central America, Canada, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Turkey, Bhutan and the Galapagos Islands.

Admission to the program is $4; Mass Audubon members are welcome for free. Registration is not required. Call 978-462-9998 or visit www.massaudubon.org for more.

Anna Jaques uncorking its Taste of Autumn

Anna Jaques Hospital is gearing up for its eighth annual Taste of Autumn wine tasting on Saturday, Oct. 2, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Newburyport City Hall on Pleasant Street.

The evening of wine, food and fun will feature unlimited tastings and appetizers, plus one full glass of wine. Additional glasses of wine will be available for purchase at the wine bar.

Tickets are $60. Proceeds will benefit the purchase of ear, nose and throat surgical equipment at the Newburyport hospital. Tickets are being sold at Leary's Fine Wines & Spirits, 202 Merrimac St., Newburyport; online at www.ajh.org or by calling the hospital's Community Health Foundation at 978-463-1176.

• • •

To submit a Lookout item, e-mail it to svartabedian@newburyportnews.com, fax it to 978-465-8505, or mail it to The Daily News, 23 Liberty St., Newburyport, MA 01950.

PortWatch

Search Results

Discussion

Site Map

Contact Us