Bromfield Drama Society presents Duplex
The Bromfield Drama Society will present Duplex by 1989 Bromfield graduate Peter Fernandez Friday, Saturday, and Monday, May 21, 22, and 24, at 7:30 p.m. in the Cronin Auditorium. The Boston Globe praised the musical’s initial 2005 production for its “psychological acuity and clever wordplay.” Updated with five new songs, Duplex is a pop musical for the 21st century. Set in Somerville, the plot centers on a young married couple played by Molly O’Rourke-Friel and Ted Zayka, with Lewis Pacheco and Rebecca Turner as their next door tenants. The cast includes 20 students from the Drama Society, rounded out by adult actors from the Harvard Community Theatre. Michael McGarty directed the production, with music direction by Robert Rucinski. Tickets, available at the door, are $10 for adults and $8 for students and senior citizens. For information call 978-456-4152, ext. 557.
Hoedown at Elementary School
The Harvard Girl Scouts will host an old-fashioned square dance Friday, May 21, from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Hildreth Elementary School cafeteria. All girls from kindergarten through grade 6 are invited, along with a parent/adult to join in the fun. A professional caller will give all an opportunity to learn to square dance. Admission is $5 per person with a $20 family maximum. There will be crafts, snacks, games, and a dance patch for all girls.
Artisans at Fruitlands
Two New Hampshire fiber artists, Wen Redmond and Claudia Chase, will demonstrate their art Saturday, May 22, at noa at Fruitlands. Redmond, a League of New Hampshire artist from North Conway, does silk painting, creating scarves, and textile art. Chase, founder of Mirrix Looms in Francestown, creates woven jewelry from her own bead looms.
Meet and Greet/Book Signing Event at the Fiber Loft
Kay Gardiner, co-author of Mason-Dixon Knitting and Mason-Dixon Knitting Outside the Lines, will be at the Fiber Loft Saturday, May 22, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. for a “meet and greet” and book-signing.
Have A Jessie Day 5K Road Race
The Bromfield Class of 2012 will host a Have A Jessie Day 5K Road Race Saturday, May 22, at 9 a.m. The race offers a way to honor the late Jessie Peterson and raise money for the Jessie Peterson Scholarship fund. For more information visit www.haveajessieday.com.
Kids Fair and Touch-a-Truck
At least a dozen trucks will be available for hands-on inspections Saturday, May 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hildreth Elementary School. Rain date will be Sunday, May 23. Kids will have a chance to climb aboard a fire engine, see the inside of a bus and ambulance, and check out police vehicles, farm and construction equipment, along with many other activities. There will be live musical performances by Mister Vic (10:15 to 11 a.m.), Lil’ Iguana, and Ashley Jordan, and sports clinics led by Teamworks Acton throughout the day. All activities are included in the $7 admission price ($25 max per family, children under 2 are free.) Raffle tickets, vendor items, and food from Great Brook Farms, Harvard Lions Club, Juniper Farms, and Fiesta Shows will be available for purchase, cash only. The event is hosted by the Village Nursery School and sponsored by Nikopoulos Insurance Agency, Alpha Cars, Little Towne Toys, and Teamworks Acton. For more information and a full schedule of activities visit www.villagenurseryschool.org or call 978-456-3993.
Odds Bodkin at the Library
Master storyteller, children’s author, musician, and educator Odds Bodkin will be in Volunteers Hall at the public library Saturday, May 22, performing “The Odyssey: The Belly of the Beast.” Doors open at 7 p.m.; show begins at 7:30 p.m. Seating for this free performance is limited; call the library at 978-456-4114 to reserve seats.
Fruits of the Sea Dinner at Fruitlands
Fruitlands Museum will host a Fruits of the Sea Dinner benefit for the museum, Saturday, May 22, at 6:30 p.m. in its Alcott’s Restaurant and Tea Room. The three-course dinner with wine pairing is $59.95 per person. For reservations call 978-456-3924.
Organ Concert at Historical Society
Organist and historian Barbara Owen will play and discuss the historic George Stevens pipe organ Sunday, May 23, at 6 p.m. at the Harvard Historical Society’s Still River meeting house. George Stevens was a master organ craftsman in the 19th century. Recently awarded a citation by the Organ Historical Society, the organ was installed in 1870 and is uniquely intact and unaltered. Admission free; a donation is suggested.
Sunday at One at Fruitlands
Sundays at One at Fruitlands Sunday, May 23, will feature “Rainforest Legends,” storytelling by Diane Edgecomb. From the banks of the Amazon River to the heart of the West African jungle, master storyteller Diane Edgecomb will bring to life favorite folktales and songs about the animals and plants of these lands. The audience will have a chance to participate in the storytelling with chant, song, and dance at various parts of the program. Admission is $8 for members and seniors, $10 for nonmember adults, and $5 for children (12-14).
Last American Cowboy at the library
The Harvard Public Library will preview Animal Planet’s newest original series, The Last American Cowboy, Monday, May 24, at 7 p.m. in Volunteers Hall at the library. Three family-owned and -operated cattle ranches hidden amid the Montana landscape are the setting for the series that follows the families of tenacious and headstrong cowboys through freak storms, deadly outbreaks of disease, hungry predators, and forest fires that threaten their livelihood. Family bonds and personal strength keep alive the cattle ranching tradition of the American West. Last American Cowboy will premiere on Animal Planet Monday, June 7, at 10 p.m.
Bromfield Quiz Team Broadcast
WGBH 2 will broadcast the Bromfield High School Quiz Team competition against Nipmuc Regional High School Monday, May 24, at 7:30 p.m. The broadcast will repeat Friday, May 28, from 5 to 5:30 p.m. on WGHB 2, and Saturday, May 29 from 11 to 11:30 a.m. on WGBH 44.
Half-price at Bargains in the Belfry
Bargains in the Belfry, the resale shop run by the Women’s Group of the Harvard Unitarian Universalist (UU) Church, will hold its half-price sale of women’s and men’s spring and summer clothing Tuesdays, May 25 and June 1, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the shop in the UU church at the top of the Common. The end-of-season $5-a-bag sale will be Tuesday, June 8. Proceeds will help fund church and local charities.
Spaghetti Dinner Cancer Benefit
The Bromfield Against Cancer Club will host a spaghetti dinner Thursday, May 27, from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Bromfield School to raise money for research to find a cure for AT/TR, the very rare type of brain cancer that Charlotte O’Shea has. Chef Paul will prepare the dinner and DJ Joel Bates will provide music. A silent auction will include an autographed Bruins Jersey, Bon Jovi/Kid Rock tickets, Red Sox tickets, a quilt, a week on Martha’s Vineyard, and a golfing opportunity. The event will also include kids’ activities and a raffle table. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the Bromfield School front office or by contacting Janet O’Shea at sixosheas@verizon.net.
Annual Memorial Day Pancake Breakfast
Harvard’s 14th annual Memorial Day Pancake Breakfast will take place Monday, May 31 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. The breakfast is sponsored by the Harvard Unitarian Universalist Church at the Harvard Unitarian Universalist (UU) Church Fellowship Building off Elm Street on the Common. The breakfast will include yogurt pancakes, sausages, juice, and beverages. Net proceeds, plus 100 percent of matching funds, will benefit Loaves & Fishes food pantry. Suggested donations are $8 for adults and $4 for children younger than 12.
Jazz After Hours at Fruitlands
Fruitlands Museum’s Jazz After Hours Series Wednesday, June 2, at 6 p.m., will feature Saxophonist Frank Bonanno and Friends.
OUT OF TOWN
Pre-Race Training Clinic
In preparation for Emerson Hospital’s Run-Walk cancer benefit June 5, The Thoreau Club is offering a Team Thoreau Package—pre-race clinics along with race registration. The training clinics, led by Thoreau Club experts, will run from now until June 5 and include running and walking drills, stretching, gait analysis, heart rate training, wellness, nutrition lectures, and more. A complete schedule of clinics is available at www.thoreau.com/Emerson5k.
Adult Open Mic
Indian Hill Music School will present an open mic night for adults (ages 18 and older) hosted by singer/songwriter Nancy Brule Friday, May 21, from 7 to 10 p.m. at 36 King St. in Littleton. Folk singers, acoustic guitarists, pianists and others are invited to perform. Admission is $5 at the door. For more information call 978-486-9524 or visit www.indianhillmusic.org.
Animal Rescue League Benefit
The Dzian Gallery will host a two-day event to benefit the Worcester Animal Rescue League. Nature and landscape painter Robert Bissell will speak at a reception for him Friday, May 21, from 4 to 9 p.m. at the Dzian Gallery, at 65 Water St. in Worcester. Bissell will also be at the Gallery Saturday, May 22, from 2 to 6 p.m. to “meet and greet.”
Bolton Townwide Yard Sale
Where can you find more than 40 yard sales in the same town on the same day? The answer is in Bolton, Saturday, May 22, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., when 43 Bolton yards, garages, and driveways will create Bolton’s first Townwide Yard Sale. The locations will be identified on a free town map available at 649 Main St. in the center of town, Bolton Orchards to the west, and Great Brook Farms to the east. Each participant will tie a balloon to the mailbox to further identify their sale location. More than half of the participants have agreed to donate 10 percent or more to a local charity of their choice; several are giving away all proceeds. The event is sponsored by Bolton Local. In case of a heavy downpour, the sale will be postponed to Sunday, May 23.
The Class at The Screening Room in Groton
The Screening Room at Groton Grange will present The Class (PG) Saturday May 22, at 7:30 p.m. at the Groton Grange, 80 Champney St. in Groton. In this adaptation of his novel about experiences working in some of the roughest neighborhoods in Paris, Francois Begaudeau stars as a replica of himself—a passionate French teacher who presides over a classroom of diverse young minds. Made with improvisational shooting, the Oscar-nominated film features real students rather than actors. Admission is free but donations are appreciated. Call 978-448-3418 for more information.
Dance Benefit for Bolton Fair
The Friends of the Bolton Fair will host a music and dancing evening featuring BJ Magoon and Driving Sideways Saturday, May 22, from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Fairgrounds in Lancaster. The evening will feature a mix of jazz, swing, rock, and oldies for dancing and listening. Light refreshments will be provided by Turtle Creek Winery and Berkshire Brewing. The donation is $25 per person. A portion of the ticket price is tax-deductible. Space is limited and all tickets are advance sale only. Call 978-365-7206 or e-mail debbie@boltonfair.org.
Governor’s Community Meeting
Harvard residents are invited to a public meeting with Governor Deval Patrick, Sunday, May 23, at the Holiday Inn in Boxborough to discuss issues important to Harvard and neighboring towns. Doors will open at 4 p.m.; the governor is scheduled to arrive at 4:30 p.m. The Democratic Town Committee of Harvard is cosponsoring this meeting, called “Communities Connecting with Deval Patrick” and hosted by Sen. Jamie Eldridge, Rep. Jen Benson, and their districts’ residents from Acton, Ayer, Boxborough, Harvard, Hudson, Lancaster, Littleton, Marlborough, Maynard, Shirley, Southborough, Stow, Sudbury, and Westborough. For more information contact Dennis Bradley, 978-456-3317, or DbinNE@aol.com.
Indian Hill Student Honors Recital
Indian Hill Music School piano students will perform in the free annual Honors Recital Sunday, May 23, at 6 p.m. at Indian Hill Music, 36 King St. in Littleton.
Invasive Plants Talk
Amber Carr will give a talk, “Combating Alien Invaders: Invasive Plant Removal Efforts in National Wildlife Refuges of Great Meadows, Assabet River and Oxbow,” Wednesday, May 25, at 7 p.m. at the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters, 73 Weir Hill Road in Sudbury. Carr, an Invasive Plant Technician with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, designs and coordinates the invasive plant removal efforts for the three national wildlife refuges.
Senior Supper
The Nashoba Valley Medical Center will host a senior supper Wednesday, May 26, from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Founders’ Room at the Medical Center in Ayer. Guest speaker Jennifer Canowitz will talk on “Communication Challenges as We Age.” The dinner menu will include baked stuffed shells with meatballs, garlic bread, salad, dessert, coffee and tea. The cost is $5.
Traditional Irish Music Workshop
Indian Hill Music School will present a traditional Irish workshop and seisiun (a social gathering to share Irish dance and music) with Irish flute and tin whistle-player, Jimmy Noonan, Thursday, May 27, from 7 to 9 p.m. at 36 King St. in Littleton. Bring your instrument and learn traditional tunes by ear. Sheet music will be provided; attendees are welcome to record tunes during the workshop. $20 admission. Call 978-486-9524 to sign up or visit www.indianhillmusic.org.
Program for Diabetics
Nashoba Valley Medical Center’s Diabetes and Endocrine Center will host a program for diabetics, “The Latest on Insulin Pumps and Continuous Glucose Monitoring,” Wednesday, June 2, from 6 to 7 p.m. in Founders’ Room, 200 Groton Road in Ayer. RSVP to Pam Massucco or Alice Vergados at 978-784-9534.
Run-Walk for Cancer
Emerson Hospital and the Thoreau Club will hold their annual 5K (3.1 miles) Run-Walk for Cancer and inaugural Cancer Survivorship Celebration Saturday, June 5, starting at 10 a.m. at the Thoreau Club field, 275 Forest Ridge Road in Concord. The Cancer Survivorship Celebration will include lunch, music, yoga, a meditation area, a “heroes wall” to post messages, art expression activities from The Virginia Thurston Healing Garden and noa Gallery of Groton, and booths featuring tie-dye T-shirt-making, face-painting, an inflatable obstacle course, and pool activities. All cancer survivors are invited, along with the general public, to celebrate in this day of family fun. Runner and walker registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. Advanced registration is $20, available until May 29 at www.firstgiving.com/emersonhospitalauxiliary, and $25 per person the day of the event. Children under 12 may participate at no charge. Participants are encouraged to go the “extra mile” by recruiting sponsoring pledges. Free T-shirts are available the day of the race to the first 250 participants.
PMC Kids Ride
The Pan-Massachusetts Challenge (PMC) Bolton Kids Ride invites kids ages 2 to 15 to join other cyclists across New England in mini bike-a-thons Sunday, June 6, from 11:30 a.m to 3 p.m. at the Florence Sawyer School in Bolton, to raise money for cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Participants are encouraged to ride as part of a team in honor of a family member or friend. Registration is $10; the recommended fundraising amount is $50. Contributions can be made payable to the Pan-Mass Challenge. To register, visit http://kids.pmc.org. For more information call 978-634-1400, e-mail kristen@keaneville.com, or call 800-WE-CYCLE.
Summer Basketball League
Monty Tech will hold basketball leagues for junior varsity and varsity boys and girls this summer at 1050 Westminster St., at the Fitchburg-Westminster town line. All teams will play twice a week for five weeks, starting at the end of June. Boys will have games on Fridays and Sundays and girls will play on Tuesdays and Thursdays. For more information or to register contact Bob Bourque at 978-345-9200, ext. 5228, or at burkieball13@msn.com.
Sleep Support Group
Nashoba Valley Sleep Support Group for people affected by sleep problems will meet Thursday, June 3, at 6 p.m. in the Founders room at Nashoba Valley Medical Center in Ayer. RSVP to teresa.comeau@nashobamed.com. For information about the Sleep Center call the Sleep Center Outpatient Coordinator at 978-784-9399.
Whisker Walk Pet Benefit
The third annual Whisker Walk animal shelter benefit will be held Sunday, June 6, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Lancaster shelter on Route 117. The free, fun day for families and their dogs will include a pet walk at noon, a dog walk-a-thon fundraiser to benefit New England animal shelters and rescue groups, a photo contest, and other activities. For more information on sponsor, vendor, or participant details contact leigh13@ix.netcom.com or visit www.whiskerwalk.org.
