The Lookout
Sonya Vartabedian
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Newburyport firefighter Chris Richard returns to the outdoor stage at Moseley Woods next week, this time with a new cause at heart.
In years past, the singer-songwriter and acoustic guitarist has collected donations for the charity Let's March Against Cancer in honor of his wife, who died of breast cancer four years ago.
This year, he'll be calling for donations to the Cassidy Brown Fund named for the daughter of a fellow Newburyport firefighter and aimed at supporting research into the rare Kawasaki disease.
Cassidy, of Newbury, was 9 when she was diagnosed a few years ago with Kawasaki disease, an autoimmune condition that causes inflammation in the walls of small- and medium-sized arteries through the body, including the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart, and also affects the lymph nodes. Now, Richard's 7-year-old son, Jason, was recently diagnosed with the early stages of the disease.
"Cassidy is not only a survivor of the disease, but is an inspiration to those families being affected by it," Richard says in a release. He credits the Brown family's outreach with allowing his son to get timely treatment for the disease.
Richard will perform Wednesday, Aug. 4, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. as part of the Moseley Woods concert series at the Newburyport park at the intersection of Merrimac and Spofford streets. It marks his fourth consecutive year playing the series, and he'll deliver a program of popular cover tunes and original songs.
The Moseley concerts wrap up Aug. 11 with the a cappella stylings of the six-man Overboard Vocals from Boston. The series is sponsored by the Newburyport Five Cents Savings Bank. Admission is free; donations to support ongoing maintenance of the park are appreciated. Visit www.moseleywoods.com.
The sun will come out for Playhouse's 'Annie'
The popular comic strip heroine with the curly, red hair takes center stage for the Valley Players' production of the musical "Annie" opening tomorrow night at Amesbury Playhouse.
Area actresses Emma O'Rourke and Bryn Larkin are sharing the role of Annie, the spunky Depression-era orphan determined to find her parents, who abandoned her years ago on the doorstep of a New York City orphanage run by the cruel, embittered Miss Hannigan, played by Terri Lapierre of Newburyport.
In adventure after fun-filled adventure, Annie foils Miss Hannigan's evil machinations, befriends President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and finds a new family and home in billionaire Oliver Warbucks, played by Michael Barczak of Bradford; his personal secretary Grace Farrell, played by Jamie Millen of Amesbury; and a lovable mutt named Sandy.
The production, which features such familiar songs as "It's a Hard Knock Life," "Maybe" and "Tomorrow," runs through Aug. 22 at the dinner theater at 194 Main St. in Amesbury. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8:30 p.m., Sundays at 1:30 p.m. and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. A weekday matinee is also planned for Wednesday, Aug. 11, at 1:30 p.m. Dinner is served 90 minutes before each performance.
Reservations are required and may be made by calling the Playhouse at 978-388-9444. Visit www.amesburyplayhouse.com for more.
'Avians on Parade' for Joppa Flats exhibit
Prize-winning North Shore nature and wildlife photographer Phil Ellin shares his works in "Avians on Parade," an exhibit opening Sunday at Mass Audubon Society's Joppa Flats Education Center, 1 Plum Island Turnpike, Newburyport.
Ellin has been involved with nature photography for nearly 30 years. He is also an experienced nature photography teacher, having taught adult education courses and workshops for several years. His work has appeared in a variety of venues, including The Nature Company, Harvard University and Boston City Hall.
An opening reception takes place Sunday at 2:30 p.m. The exhibit runs through Sept. 12. A portion of proceeds from purchases made during the exhibit will support the Joppa Flats Center.
The center is open Tuesday through Sunday and Monday holidays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 978-462-9998 or visit www.massaudubon.org.
Employee Art Show, round two, at Anna Jaques Hospital
Anna Jaques Hospital in Newburyport is continuing to show off the artistic talents of its staff as part two of its Employee Art Show opens today in the main halls of the medical facility at 25 Highland Ave.
This month's featured artists are:
Diane Leslie, a medical social worker in the case management department who has worked at Anna Jaques for eight years. Leslie has been enjoying photography as a hobby for six years, searching for scenes that strike her soul. Her images aim to project a sense of pleasure, serenity, calmness, beauty and joy.
Arlene Tallberg, a registered oncology certified nurse and 22-year hospital employee. Tallberg, a former Amesbury resident now living in Eliot, Maine, inherited her love of photography from her late father, a professional photographer. She is displaying two images taken in June 2009 in the Florida Keys during her father's final days, as well as one from a helicopter flying over the Napali coast of Kauai and a sepia tone shot from the Charles River in Boston.
Jeannie Kelleher, an endoscopy technician who works in surgical services who recently celebrated her 25th anniversary as a hospital employee. Kelleher has always had an interest in photography, but has also explored other mediums, including paints, fabric, ceramics and beads. She's recently added digital photography to her realm and has begun experimenting with the photos she's taken, changing the look to see what they can become.
Michael Brown, a custodian who has worked at Anna Jaques for five years who discovered art in the first grade by copying cartoon characters from comic books. He is showing one piece, a folk art work of boats in a harbor.
Their artwork remains on display through Aug. 25. The Employee Art Show has been produced by the Anna Jaques Hospital Aid Association as a fundraiser. Thirty percent of sales of the featured artwork is benefiting the hospital.
Musical broadcast for West Newbury children's theater
The Children's Theater of West Newbury performs the children's musical "Radio Station K.I.D.S." tonight at 7 at Amesbury High School at 5 Highland St.
Tickets are $3, and the performance is open to the public. Call Irene Mahoney at 978-621-4013.
Yard sale fundraiser for Firehouse Center
The volunteers of Newburyport's Firehouse Center for the Arts are holding a yard sale fundraiser on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 16 Laurel Road off Ferry Road in Newburyport.
The sale goes off rain or shine, and will including furniture, housewares, clothing and more. Call the Firehouse at 978-462-7336 or visit www.firehouse.org for more.
Dance for the Cure benefits Pan-Mass team
Dance the night away at Saturday's Dance for the Cure from 7 to 11 p.m. at the Mission Oak Grill, 26 Green St., Newburyport.
The dance is a fundraiser for the BooYah All-Stars team that is riding in the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge to benefit the Jimmy Fund and support research into a cure for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Jeff Marcus of Newburyport is a member of the team.
DJ Brody will spin the tunes, and guests will have a chance to enjoy the Yankee Homecoming fireworks display as well. All ages are welcome, with a special focus on families from 7 to 9 p.m. A cash bar will also be available.
A suggested donation of $15 is requested. All proceeds go to the Jimmy Fund. For more information, visit the BooYah All-Stars PMC page at www.pmc.org/profile/TM0199 or call Marcus at 978-270-8258.
Vintage baseball takes the field in Newbury
Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm in Newbury hosts its next series of vintage baseball games Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. at the historic property at 5 Little's Lane.
The Ipswich Brewers will challenge the Fitchburg Rollstones to a double-header using the 1861 rules of the game, which include underhand pitching and no gloves. After the games, spectators will have a chance to stand at bat.
Grass field seating is available; bring blankets and lawn chairs. Snacks and drinks will be sold, and free samples of Ipswich Ale will be available, courtesy of Mercury Brewing Co.
The games go off weather permitting. Admission is $3, free for Historic New England members. Call 978-462-2634 or visit www.historicnewengland or www.essexbaseball.org for more.
Traditional Peruvian weaving in spotlight
Gabby Puma Sallo of Chinchero, Peru, presents a traditional Peruvian weaving and dyeing demonstration on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. at The Riverwalk Bead Shop and Gallery, 32 Elm St., Amesbury.
Sallo will demonstrate the traditional weaving process using a back strap loon while sharing the history and process of creating the ancient traditional textile weavings of the Andes. She will discuss how alpaca and sheep's wool are washed, spun and dyed with vegetables and roots to create the many vivid colors used in weaving, and also explain the traditional symbols used to honor the many elements of nature and the spirit world.
Sallo's weavings as well as weavings from Ausangate, Puno/Lake Titicaca, Cusco and Chinchero/Mastanas, including belts, bags, table runners, rugs, blankets and more, some of which are more than 100 years old, are for sale at the shop. Proceeds will help support Sallo and her mission.
For more, call 978-388-3499 or visit www.riverwalkbeads.com for more.
Vintage baseball takes the field in Newbury
Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm in Newbury hosts its next series of vintage baseball games Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. at the historic property at 5 Little's Lane.
The Ipswich Brewers will challenge the Fitchburg Rollstones to a double-header using the 1861 rules of the game, which include underhand pitching and no gloves. After the games, spectators will have a chance to stand at bat.
Grass field seating is available; bring blankets and lawn chairs. Snacks and drinks will be sold, and free samples of Ipswich Ale will be available, courtesy of Mercury Brewing Co.
The games go off weather permitting. Admission is $3, free for Historic New England members. Call 978-462-2634 or visit www.historicnewengland or www.essexbaseball.org for more.
Hike to Health and more on tap at Maudslay
Step off on a Hike to Health through Maudslay State Park along Curzon Mill Road in Newburyport on Sunday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.
The park interpreter will lead the moderate, less than 1-mile hike. The free outing is designed to improve cardiovascular health.
Here's what else is planned at the park:
A twilight sensory walk heads out Monday from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Ages 6 and up are invited to observe the night's wonders within the park. A powwow and other activities are also planned.
Evening strolls continue on Tuesdays from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. The weekly outings led by the park interpreter seek to interpret various areas of the property. A different trail is explored each week.
Kidleidoscope, a nature program for ages 3 to 6 featuring a story, craft and outdoor exploration activity, takes place Wednesdays from 10 to 11 a.m.
All programs are free and start from the park headquarters across from the main parking lot. They are co-sponsored by the state Department of Conservation and Recreation and the Maudslay State Park Association. Call the park at 978-465-7223 for more.
Movies by starlight in Newburyport, Salisbury
The Greater Newburyport Chamber of Commerce & Industry kicks off its free Wednesday night waterfront movie series in Market Landing Park next week with the classic "The Wizard of Oz."
The film starts about 8 p.m. or soon after dusk. Admission is free. Bring picnics and blankets.
The series continues Aug. 11 with "Fantastic Mr. Fox" and Aug. 18 with "Shrek." Aug. 25 is set aside as a rain date. Visit www.newburyportchamber.org.
The free summer movie series on Newburyport's Inn Street is continuing on Thursday nights. "The Polar Express" will be shown tonight at 8:30. "The Tale of Despereaux" will be screened Aug. 5, and "Bee Movie" plays Aug. 12. Aug. 19 is the rain date. The series is being presented by Newburyport Development, with the support of England's MicroCreamery.
The Currier Recreation Area near the pavilion at Salisbury Beach State Reservation is also hosting movies on Wednesday nights this summer.
The free family flicks start at dusk. Complimentary popcorn is available. People should arrive at 8 p.m. While admission is free, park admission is $9. The screenings continue through Sept. 1. Contact park interpreter Stacy Kilb at the Currier Recreation Area at 617-372-6730.
Garden party celebrates Whittier's life
The Whittier Home Museum in Amesbury is joining with the poetry group Tapestry of Voices next month for a garden party to celebrate John Greenleaf Whittier's love of gathering together with friends to enjoy poems, music food and friendship.
The event, set for Sunday, Aug. 8, from 2 to 5 p.m. in the garden of Whittier's home at 86 Friend St., aims to honor the influential 19th century American Quaker poet and ardent abolitionist who spent his life pursuing social justice and artistic expression.
Members of Tapestry of Voices will recite Whittier's poetry as well as their own original works built around the day's theme. Local readers include award-winning poet Rhina P. Espaillat, Whittier Home Association President Cynthia Costello, Sally Lavery and Lainie Senechal. Other featured readers will be Tapestry of Voices founder Harris Gardner, Walter Howard, Joanna Nealon and Isabella Nebel.
Area artists, including Joan Gessner, will be painting in the garden, and classical guitarist John Tavano will perform a mix of original compositions and pieces from the Romantic period. The day will also feature guided tours of the museum, a buffet and a silent auction, with a week at The Cove in Yarmouth, Red Sox tickets, gift certificates to Ristorante Molise and Greenery Designs in Amesbury, tickets to Maudslay Arts Center in Newburyport and an original painting of Celia Thaxter's garden among the items up for grabs.
Charlie Cullen, president of The Provident Bank, will serve as master of ceremonies and Nick Costello will portray Whittier as he greets guests. Guided tours of the museum will be and a buffet.
Tickets are $25. Major sponsors are Newburyport Five Cents Savings Bank, May Wetherbee Jones and Rosemarie Rodie. The Steering Committee includes Joanne Sullivan, Diana Burkholder, Pam Fenner, Skye Wentworth, Paula McPartland, Rita Mullis, Judy Merchant, Harriett Gould, Dawn Bennett, Pat Grenier, Julia McCullogh, Judy Merchant, Rosemarie Rodie, Dianne Cole, Gerri Berry and Cynthia Costello.
Proceeds will support the Whittier Home Association, stewards of the collections, structures and grounds, and their efforts to repair damage from recent flooding. For tickets or more information, visit www.whittierhome.org or call 978-388-1337.
Teen Theater Arts Workshop at Firehouse Center
The Firehouse Center for the Arts in Newburyport is offering a weeklong intensive program in theater, performance and playwriting for advanced students age 14 to 19 next month. The Teen Theater Arts Workshop runs from Aug. 9 through 13 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and will be taught by playwrights Nikole Beckwith and Gregory S. Moss.
It will focus on advanced acting technique, improvisation, elements of stage craft, scene study, self-scripted performance, playwriting for actors, ensemble play-making and audition technique
A playwright and performer, Moss receives his master's in playwriting from Brown University in Rhode Island and is a 2010-2011 Jerome Fellow in Playwriting. Beckwith is an actor and playwright who relocated from Newburyport to New York City, where she is an emerging writer-in-residence at The Public Theater.
The cost is $199. Enrollment is limited. Call the Firehouse's administrative offices at 978-499-9931 or e-mail Kimm Wilkinson at kimm@firehouse.org for more.
Art association fundraiser aboard Alabama
The Newburyport Art Association is once again inviting its supporters onboard The Back Dog's clipper ship The Alabama this summer for a fundraising cocktail party.
The event will be held dockside on the Newburyport waterfront on Wednesday, Sept. 1, from 7 to 10 p.m. It will feature food, special cocktails and a celebrity guest captain, plus drawings for prizes.
Tickets are $75. Proceeds will support the art association's outreach programs benefiting school children and special needs adults in Greater Newburyport. For tickets or information, call the art association at 978-465-8769.
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