The Lookout
Musical storyteller and humorist Livingston Taylor returns to Newburyport this weekend with three shows at the Firehouse Center for the Arts in Market Square.
But if you want any chance of seeing him, you'd better move fast. Tickets for tomorrow and Saturday's 8 p.m. shows are scarce. But as of yesterday, some seats remained for a third show that was added to the schedule on Sunday at 3 p.m.
A perennial Firehouse favorite, Taylor is known for his relaxed persona, ballads, and folk and pop tunes. Drawing from the events of the day or some of life's milestones, he routinely mixes in humorous interludes of social commentary between musical numbers.
Livingston has a special affinity for the Newburyport area. He and his family spent many summers at his grandmother's house on Ring's Island in Salisbury before she passed away in the 1990s. And his aunt, Mae Atkinson, still lives in Newbury and remains one of his biggest fans.
Tickets to this weekend's shows are $32, $29 for Firehouse members. Call the box office at 978-462-7336 or visit www.firehouse.org.
Feline Rescue Society's Fur Ball is the cat's meow
Cat-lovers will gather for the 14th annual Fur Ball hosted by the Salisbury-based Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society on Saturday from 6 to 10 p.m. at Newburyport City Hall, 60 Pleasant St.
Julie Devereaux of 105.7 WROR-FM will serve as host for the fundraiser, which will feature both live and silent auctions, buffet dinner, music, a raffle and more.
The silent auction starts at 6 p.m., with live bidding beginning at 8. Auction items include vacation packages to Florida and Mexico, a safari, tickets to Blue Man Group and sporting events, a day at the spa, Arubacat cat furniture, restaurant dinners and more.
Proceeds support the nonprofit, no-kill feline rescue society that's operated by more than 250 volunteers. The society, which rescues and places more than 1,000 cats a year, offers adoptions, spay/neuter clinics for feral cats, a low-cost spay/neuter program for the community, trap rentals, and foster and hospice care.
Fur Ball tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door, and $18 for senior citizens. Tables of 10 can be reserved for $200. Call 978-462-0760 or visit www.mrfrs.org for more.
'High School Musical' fun at Port Card & Gift
Anthony Acito, one of the contestants on this summer's "High School Musical: Get in the Picture" reality TV show competition, travels to Newburyport this weekend to greet fans of the Walt Disney blockbuster.
Acito, of Quincy, who has scored an appearance in the upcoming "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" film opening in theaters Oct. 24, will be signing autographs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Newburyport Card & Gift at 15 Pleasant St. in downtown Newburyport.
Acito's appearance is just one part of the shop's "High School Musical" celebration on Sunday. WOKQ will be broadcasting live and giving away prizes. Mrs. Massachusetts International Jessica Plante of Newburyport will be the emcee for a fashion show spotlighting clothing available in the store.
A representative of Vera Bradley, whose merchandise earned a guest shot in the upcoming "High School Musical" movie, will be on hand to answer questions, show off the line's new Resort Collection, and do her own giveaways. And a free movie pass to "High School Musical 3" will be presented with every $75 Vera Bradley purchase.
Donut holes and cider will be available. Admission is free. Call Newburyport Card & Gift at 978-462-2352 for more.
Pair of comedies play for laughs at theater
Three local playwrights command the spotlight this weekend as they stage their new comedies at The Actor's Studio in The Tannery, Federal and Water streets, Newburyport.
The lineup features the new and improved "Movie Mogul" written by Ron Pullins and Leslie Powell and starring Tim Diering about a man who writes romances for men, all set in the great playing field of professional sports, and Jeff Onore's one-man show "A Busy Guy with a Lot of Problems," which features themes of sexual obsession and failed relationships.
Both pieces are fresh from the New England Fringe Festival and the Boston Center for the Arts, and are presented by Leaky Roof Productions. They will be performed tomorrow and Saturday nights at 8. "Movie Mogul" will also give a solo performance on Sunday at 5 p.m.
Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for students and seniors. Neither show is appropriate for children. Call 978-465-1229 for reservations.
Poet sharing verse for inaugural state festival
Award-winning Newburyport poet Rhina Espaillat will be among the featured presenters at the inaugural Massachusetts Poetry Festival this weekend in Lowell.
The festival set for tomorrow and Saturday will celebrate the array of literary talent and spectrum of writing throughout the state. It will feature readings, workshops and panel discussions. Espaillat, who founded the Newburyport-based Powow River Poets, will be one of three poets at the first featured reading tomorrow night.
For more on the event, visit http://masspoetry.org/.
A view from the top, one final time this season
Take in the coastal views from atop Newburyport Harbor Light on Plum Island Point for the last time this season on Sunday. The Friends of Plum Island Light will give the final tours of the lighthouse from 1 to 4 p.m., weather permitting, before closing down until next spring.
Views as far off as Cape Ann and the Isles of Shoals can be seen from the top of the lighthouse on clear days. There is a short ladder to climb to reach the top, so appropriate shoes, such as sneakers or deck shoes, should be worn. There is a height requirement for small children as well.
Tours are free. However, donations to support the Friends of Plum Island Light, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and restoring the lighthouse, are appreciated.
Artists highlight 'Spatial Relations'
Two Merrimac artists have teamed with a fellow graduate of Montserrat College of Art in Beverly for an exhibit emphasizing the importance of space at Northern Essex Community College in Haverhill.
Andrea Panaro and Steve Grobis of Merrimac together with David Hyland of Beverly are featured in "Spatial Relations," which runs through Oct. 25 at the ArtSpace in the college's Bentley Library at 100 Elliott St.
"Spatial Relations" includes sculpture, painting, printmaking and photography. Panaro, an alumna of Northern Essex who lives and works in Merrimac, is a mixed-media artist whose work deals mainly with abstraction. Grobis, who has a studio in Merrimac, uses found domestic objects that are re-configured into new contexts. Hyland works with objects in the landscape in his large-scale photographs.
An artists' reception takes place tonight from 5 to 7. The exhibit may be viewed Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
ArtSpace at Northern Essex serves local and emerging artists. Visit http://artspaceatbentleylibrary.blogspot.com/ for more.
Port photographer sheds light on art and learning
Newburyport photographer Eva Timothy is aiming to bring light to life and to the learning process in two new exhibits this month.
The first exhibit, "Learning and Her Muse," is on display in Remis Gallery at The Governor's Academy, 1 Elm St., Byfield. It draws from Timothy's experience living and studying in Oxford, England. While known for its formality and ceremony, she says Oxford is still a place where fable, myth and imagination reign.
The Governor's Academy exhibit runs through Oct. 31. A reception takes place tomorrow from 6 to 7 p.m. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
A second exhibit, "Lost in Learning," is featured at The Three Columns Gallery at the Mather House of Harvard University. Four years in the making, the exhibit provides a glimpse into the lives and original works of history's top learners. Timothy drew from historical texts and the History of Science Department at Harvard's collection of artifacts and instruments.
"Lost in Learning" closes Oct. 17 with a public artist's lecture in the Harvard Science Center from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
For more on either exhibit, visit www.illumea.com.
Spotlight on forensic art at Bridge Gallery
Andrea Holland Hart discusses the art of forensic composite drawing in a talk and demonstration on Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Bridge Gallery, 113 Merrimac St., Newburyport.
Hart will talk about forensic procedures and do a demonstration with an audience member invited to act as victim. She completed her forensic training at Northwestern University in Chicago, where she studied with Lois Gibson, a forensic artist who has been featured in the magazine "America's Most Wanted People."
The program is part of the "Second Sundays at the Gallery" series. Admission is free.
Local photographer turns focus to Boston
Rowley photographer Kerry "Kiki" Hook is showing off her work this month in a show in Boston at 29 Newbury gallery on Newbury Street.
Titled "Jewels from the Lotus: Moments of Solitude," Hook says the collection of about one dozen photographs was chosen to be a respite from the intense state of mind and living individuals often find themselves in. Each piece, whether it be a natural scene or one of monks in meditation, is meant to inspire breathing and focusing on what is truly important and invoke compassion.
The show runs through November. A reception takes place Sunday from 4 to 6 p.m. For more on Hook and her work, visit www.kikilarouge.com. Details on 29 Newbury are available at www.29Newbury.com or by calling 617-875-7339.
Junior Duck Stamp exhibit at refuge center
Young artists offer their interpretation of the nation's waterfowl in an exhibit highlighting the 2008 Massachusetts Junior Duck Stamp Contest at Parker River National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, 6 Plum Island Turnpike, Newburyport.
The exhibit, on display through Oct. 21, features winning entries by students in kindergarten through grade 12 who participated in the Junior Duck Stamp Program. The program links the study of wetlands and waterfowl conservation with a national waterfowl art contest. The students learn about the habitat requirements of various species of ducks and geese and then depict the birds through original artwork. The art is then judged in four age groups during a statewide competition, with the Best of Show entry moving on to the national competition.
View the exhibit Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more on the Massachusetts Junior Duck Stamp Program, contact Pam Landry, Junior Duck Stamp coordinator, at 508-792-7270, ext. 110, or visit www.mass.gov/masswildlife and click on the "education" section.
Glimpse at Italian life off the set of 'The Sopranos'
Carl Capotorto — better known as Little Paulie from "The Sopranos" — shares his life story on a visit to Newburyport tomorrow night to highlight his new book, "Twisted Head: An Italian American Memoir." He'll lead a reading at 7 p.m. at Jabberwocky Bookshop in The Tannery, 50 Water St.
"Twisted Head" is named for the literal translation of the actor-turned-author's last name. Capotorto, who grew up in the Bronx in the 1960s and '70s, offers the comedic story of a hardscrabble, working class family that he says represents the real legacy of Italian Americans — labor, not crime. He also shares his struggle to become himself in a world that he says demanded he act like someone else.
Admission to tomorrow's reading is free. Call 978-465-9359 or visit http://jabbewocky.booksense.com.
Halloween Dance rocks at Georgetown VFW
The Boxford American Legion is holding a Halloween Dance on Saturday from 7 p.m. to midnight at the Georgetown VFW Hall, Route 133, Georgetown.
Costumes are encouraged. Music will be provided by Coastal Music Services. There will be a free buffet and cash bar.
Tickets are $10. Proceeds will support Legion scholarships as well as Boy's State and Girl's State. Call Javier Morales at 978-887-4274.
Annual collection set for families in need
The 19th annual collection for families in need takes place Sunday from 9 a.m. to noon at 31 Green St. in Newburyport.
Food, toiletry items, Christmas toys, winter outerwear and blankets are being sought. Contributions will benefit area residents.
Hands-on science for kids at Groveland park
"A New Twist on Tie-Dye," a Little Scientists workshop, will be presented Saturday from 11 a.m. to noon in the Mill Suite at Veasey Memorial Park, 201 Washington St., Groveland.
Michelle Joubert, a certified teacher with 16 years of experience, has created the Little Scientists series to allow children to develop their knowledge and love of science through kid-friendly experiments.
The cost is $10. To sign up, call Joubert at 508-641-1326 or e-mail michelle.joubert@verizon.net.
Joppa volunteers take viewers 'Birding in Brazil'
David Weaver, volunteer and program leader at Mass Audubon's Joppa Flats Education Center in Newburyport, presents a slide program and lecture titled "Joppa Volunteers Go Birding in Brazil" on Wednesday, Oct. 15, at 7:30 p.m. at the center, 1 Plum Island Turnpike.
This past July, staff members and a group of volunteers from the Joppa Flats Center traveled to South America to visit the Reserva Ecológica de GuapiaÃßu, in the Atlantic rainforest of Brazil. Composed of local landowners and community members, REGUA is a nonprofit, non-governmental association dedicated to conserving the Atlantic rainforest of the upper GuapiaÃßu river basin located within the watersheds of the Serra do Mar.
Weaver's narrated slide program features the exotic species of birds and other wildlife seen on the trip. He will discuss eco-regional conservation conditions in both the Atlantic rainforest and the Pantanal, a floodplain in western Brazil.
The program is appropriate for all ages. Admission is $4. Mass Audubon members get in free. Reservations are not required. Call 978-462-9998 or visit www.massaudubon.org.
Duo on tap for Powow River Poets
Noted poet and humorist Bruce Bennett and Powow River Poets member Robert Crawford take turns at the microphone as featured readers for the Powow River Poets monthly reading series on Wednesday, Oct. 15, at 7:30 p.m. at the Newburyport Art Association, 65 Water St., Newburyport.
Bennett is the author of seven full-length books of poetry and more than 20 poetry chapbooks, most recently "Examined Life" His "New and Selected Poems, Navigating The Distances" was chosen by Booklist as "One Of The Top Ten Poetry Books Of 1999." He was a co-founder and editor of Ploughshares, and is currently professor and chairman of English and director of creative writing at Wells College in New York.
Crawford was the 2006 winner of the international Howard Nemerov Sonnet competition. His poems have won numerous other awards and have appeared in various journals and publications. His first book of poetry, "Too Much Explanation Can Ruin a Man," was published in 2005. The New Hampshire resident whose background ranges from strategic exercise planning at the Pentagon to teaching college poetry is the founder of The Hyla Brook Poets in Derry, N.H.
An open mike will follow the featured readers. Admission is free. Visit www.newburyportart.org or e-mail mcantor@prodigy.net.
A look inside 'Life in Early American Homes'
Elisabeth Donaghy Garrett, author of "At Home: The American Family 1750-1870," discusses "Life in Early American Homes" on Thursday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m. at the Cushing House Museum, 98 High St., Newburyport.
In her book, Garrett provides insights into the tastes and living arrangements of the American family when home, she says, was truly the focus of life and the source of its meaning. With the help of almost 200 paintings, drawings and prints, she says she hopes to challenge the conventional impression of early American life as seen in museum period rooms.
Vice president at Sotheby's in New York and associate director of its American arts course, Garrett is well-known as a lecturer on 18th and 19th century fine and decorative arts and American social history. She was formerly director of the DAR Museum in Washington, D.C., and curator of the Abigail Adams Smith Museum in New York. She is also the author of "The Antiques Book of Colonial and Federal Interiors," "The Antiques Book of Victorian Interiors" and "The Arts of Independence."
For more on next week's lecture, call the Historical Society of Old Newbury at 978-462-2681 or visit www.newburyhist.com.
Calling all 'Hometown American Idols'
The search is on for this year's "Hometown American Idol." The Rotary Club of Greater Georgetown is once again hosting its talent show for the area's young performers.
The competition is set for Saturday, Nov. 1, at 7 p.m. at Georgetown High School. A local "celebrity" panel of judges will judge the finalists on the basis of performance art ability and star quality, followed by audience voting to determine the winners. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top performers, with $500 for first place, $250 for second and $150 for third.
Entrants should send a VHS tape or DVD of themselves or their group singing, dancing, juggling, telling jokes or performing some other type of art. Contestants may perform a cappella or to music, but should not be accompanied by backup talent. Submissions should be no longer than three minutes in length and include a label with the entrant's name, age, hometown and home and cell phone numbers. Tapes and DVDs will not be returned.
The entry deadline is Oct. 20. Mail entries to Hometown American Idol, in care of RCGG, 7 Parish Road, Georgetown 01833. Call 978-352-6774 or 978-352-8881.
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