Bromfield Middle School Drama
The Bromfield Middle School Drama Club will present two one-act plays by Alan Haehnel, The Chronicles of Jane, Book Seven and Will and Whimsy, Friday, April 8, at 7 p.m. in Cronin Auditorium. Jane, a teenager of great prowess played by Becca Morin, assembles her friends and followers so she can retell the story of one of the greatest challenges in her heroic career—The Term Paper. Will and Whimsy is a funny and touching look at Shakespeare’s sonnets in which modern interpretations play hand-in-hand with the original text. The production is directed by Martha Brooks, with choreography by Melissa Hoffmann. Tickets, available at the door, are $6 for students and seniors and $8 for other adults. For more information e-mail mbrooks@psharvard.org.
Harvard Schools Trust Annual Dinner-Theater Gala
The Harvard Schools Trust will host its 22nd annual Dinner-Theater Gala Saturday, April 9. The Gala will begin in Cronin Auditorium at 6 p.m. with a performance of The Yellow Boat by David Saar, the Bromfield Drama Society’s entry in this year’s Massachusetts High School Drama Festival. The play will be followed by dinner, dessert, and a silent auction at 7:15 p.m. at the Fellowship Building, 7 Elm St. Tickets are $50 per person, payable by check to the Harvard Schools Trust and mailed to P.O. Box 450, Harvard, MA 01451; or payable by PayPal at www.harvardschoolstrust.org. Half of the cost of each ticket is tax-deductible. All Gala proceeds will be used to fund grant requests for educational enrichment programs at Hildreth Elementary School and the Bromfield School. For more information contact Harvard Schools Trust at 978-456-5085 or e-mail galainfo@harvardschoolstrust.org.
Vernal Pools at Oxbow Refuge
Join Rona Balco Sunday, April 10, from 1 to 3 p.m. for a look at the vernal pools at Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge, starting from the Still River Depot Road parking lot. Preregister with Rona at 978-779-2259.
Bromfield Concert
The Bromfield High School Wind Ensemble, Middle School Symphonic Band, and Grade 6 Concert Band will perform a selection of world music Thursday, April 14, at 7 p.m., in Cronin Auditorium. The concerts is free and open to the public.
Republican Town Committee Meeting
The Harvard Republican Town Committee will meet Thursday, April 14, at 7:30 p.m. in the fireplace room of the old library.
WBN Roundtables on Business Challenges
The Women’s Business Network (WBN) will offer small roundtable discussions addressing business challenges WBN members face in their owner-operated businesses Thursday, April 14, at 7:15 p.m. at Holy Trinity Parish, St. Theresa’s Church. The meeting is designed to help members get to know each other and gain from others’ experiences and ideas in brainstorming sessions. Members will gather in small groups to discuss specific challenges they experience and then share their discussions with the other participants. Topics for the evening will include marketing strategies, social media, writing blogs and newsletters, sales and follow-up, and networking. There will also be a Wild Card table for those rebels who just can’t pin themselves to a particular topic. For more information, visit www.wbn-ma.org or call Renee W. Senes at 978-456-9600.
Oakes Plimpton on Gleaning
Oakes Plimpton, a legend in the Boston-area local foods and gleaning renaissance, will speak Saturday, April 16, at noon at the Harvard Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Building. Plimpton founded the Arlington Farmers Market, which he managed for many years. He has also worked with Nesenkeag Community Farm in New Hampshire, Boston Urban Gardeners, Food for Free, and Waltham Fields Community Farm. Most recently, Plimpton founded the Boston Area Gleaners, whose mission is to collect what farmers cannot use from their fields and deliver the thousands of pounds of produce that would otherwise go to waste to food pantries and shelters. Bring a bag lunch; dessert, coffee and tea will be provided. $5 suggested donation to cover expenses.
Lego Club
The Harvard Public Library will host a Lego Club for all ages Saturday, April 16, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. at the library. Parents are encouraged to join in the fun and assist with supervision. See the Children’s Librarian for more information and to preregister.
Discovery Days at Historical Society
The Harvard Historical Society will host a series of Discovery Days the third Sunday of the month from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Still River Meetinghouse, 215 Still River Road. Each Discovery Day will feature a different aspect of the Society’s collection, and an expert will be on hand to give a brief presentation and to answer questions. The discovery for Sunday, April 17, will be items from the Society’s collection of Civil War memorabilia, including poignant letters from 24-year-old Charles Sprague, relating the horrors of war to his sister. Kevin Foster, a history teacher at Bromfield and a self-professed Civil War buff, will share his knowledge and passion. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated to help support the ongoing operations of HHS.
Concert at the Common
Concerts at the Common will host the Dearing Concert Duo with music by DeFalla, Piazzolla, Granados, Dyens, and Britten, for voice, flute, and guitar Sunday, April 17, at 4 p.m. at the Harvard Unitarian Universalist Church at the top of the Common. The concert is supported in part by grants from the Bolton, Harvard, and Stow cultural councils. General admission tickets are $18, discounted to $15 for seniors and $12 for students under age 18. For more information visit http://dearingconcertduo.com or www.uuharvard.org/Concerts.aspx, or call or 978-779-2876.
Organ Revival Concert Series
As part of its ongoing Organ Revival Music Series, the Harvard Historical Society will host a concert presented by members of the New England Conservatory of Music Sunday, April 17, at 7 p.m. at the Still River Meetinghouse. The New England Conservatory Renaissance Choir will perform choral and organ music from the 16th and 19th centuries. Choir director Lyle Davidson is a teacher at the Conservatory and lectures internationally on musical development, cognition, and assessment in the arts. Featured on the Society’s historic 1870 George Stevens organ will be Roger Graybill, chairman of the theory department at the Conservatory. All proceeds from the series will go to the restoration of Society’s unique pipe organ. For more information about George Stevens or the organ, visit www.harvardhistory.org.
Well Adult Clinic
Nashoba Associated Boards of Health, in conjunction with the Harvard Board of Health and D’Ambrosio Eye Care, Inc., will hold a free adult clinic Tuesday, April 19, from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Hildreth House. D’Ambrosio’s eye care team will offer free vision screenings, including glaucoma screening and personal consultation with an ophthalmologist. Well Adult Clinic will also include blood pressure and pulse screening, and diet instruction. No appointments are required. For more information contact Nashoba Associated Boards of Health at 978-772-3335 or 800-427-9762, ext. 333.
Save Those Jeans!
Recycle old jeans into a new tote bag Wednesday, April 20, or Thursday, April 21, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Harvard Public Library. Bromfield senior Imogen Rooney will show how to transform jeans and then embellish them with fabric paints, glitter, and jewels. Enrollment is limited to 10 people, ages 5 and older, per session. Preregister in the Children’s Room.
OUT OF TOWN
Ragtime: The Musical in Concord
Emerson Umbrella Center for the Arts in Concord will present the Tony award-winning show Ragtime: The Musical April 8, 9, 15, and 16 at 8 p.m. and April 9 and 16 at 2 p.m. The production features a diverse cast of more than 40 talented actors from all over the MetroWest area, including Harvard, a 20-member live orchestra, and many beautiful songs. The musical is based on the 1975 novel by E. L. Doctorow about the social upheaval and change in early 20th-century American society resulting from immigration, racism, industrialization, and political anarchy. Historical figures such as Henry Ford, Harry Houdini, and Booker T. Washington intermingle with fictional characters from three families. Tickets are $20, discounted to $15 for students and seniors. To purchase tickets visit www.emersonumbrella.org or call the Emerson Umbrella office at 978-371-0820.
Spring Agricultural Sale in Bolton
The Bolton Agricultural Commission will sponsor a Spring Sale Saturday, April 9, from noon to 3 p.m. at Great Brook Farms, 356 Great Road (Route 117) in Bolton. With live animals to view, wool products, plants, baked goods and meat to buy, spinners to watch, music to listen to, and the local 4-H club’s information to glean, there is something for everyone in the family at this event for “localvores.”
Vendors include Pleasant Garden Day Lilies (plants), JoBarb Farms (meat), Crimson Clover Farm (yarn and wool), West Pond Farm (sweaters, ponchos, goat soap), Freddy’s Farm (felted wool products), and Fleece Mill Farm, (fleece and wool products). In addition, Bolton’s 4-H cooking club will offer a bake sale, and the bunny club will have rabbits and information on hand. Ada Woolston will spin angora, while Deborah Kaplan will show visitors how silk is spun, and Pat Huckery will demonstrate wool felting. Several young lambs will be on display. Representatives from the Bolton Community Garden will be onsite to offer education and information.
The silky tones of contemporary folk singer Sarah Benoit will entertain visitors inside, who can stay to shop, grab a cup of coffee or enjoy lunch, and in the process help support local agriculture.
Worcester Chamber Music Concert
Worcester Chamber Music Society musicians will perform The Bohemians, pieces by Dvorak, Martinu, and Schulhoff, Saturday, April 9, at 7:30 p.m. at Assumption College Chapel, 500 Salisbury St. in Worcester, and Sunday, April 10, at 3 p.m. at Oakham Congregational Church, 6 Coldbrook Road in Oakham. Preconcert talks will be held 30 minutes before each concert. The Worcester concert is free; admission in Oakham is $25 adults, $20 seniors, $10 college students, and children under age 17 free.
Once On This Island Performance
Open Door Theater will present Once On This Island April 8 and 9 at 7:30 p.m. and April 9 and 10 at 2:30 p.m. at the Dragonfly Theater, R. J. Grey Junior High, 16 Charter Road in Acton. Harvard residents taking part in the production include Sabrina Hildreth and Rachel Makosky acting on stage and Rachel Leicher backstage as the lighting designer. The musical is a tale of romance between a peasant girl and a rich city boy from the other side of the island whom she rescues from a storm. Tickets are available online at www.MKTix.com and through cast members. Individual tickets are $10 each; group rates and back-stage tours are available for youth organizations. For more information e-mail tickets@opendoortheater.org or check the Open Door website at www.opendoortheater.org.
Jane Yolen at Bolton Author Festival
Jane Yolen, who published her 300th children’s book this year, will head up the list of 10 award-winning authors at the third Bolton Author Festival Saturday, April 9, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Bolton Public Library. The festival is free and open to the public. Yolen, who used to live in Bolton, wrote her book Owl Moon about “owling” at night with her children outside her house on Still River Road. Other authors at the festival will include Scott Nash, illustrator of the Flat Stanley books, Heidi Stemple, Jeanne Brett, Karen Day, Jamie Harper, Ralph Masiello, Suzy Becker, Melinda Hardin and Amy MacDonald. Authors will be reading, selling, and signing their books. Themed baskets of signed books and goodies will be raffled off and homemade pies will be for sale. The event is sponsored by The Friends of the Bolton Public Library. Visit www.boltonlibraryfriends.org for more information or contact Mary Delaney at 978-852-3792 or marygdelaney@comcast.net.
Indian Hill Music School Piano Recital
A select group of Indian Hill Music School piano students from the community will perform in the school’s annual Honors Recital Sunday, April 10, at 6 p.m. at Indian Hill Music, 36 King St. in Littleton. Admission is free. Call 978-486-9524 or visit www.indianhillmusic.org.
Food Fight in Clinton
Food Fight is a documentary that offers an eye-opening look at why the food we eat has changed so much over time and how local solutions like local farmers and homegrown vegetables are changing things for the better. The film will be shown Sunday, April 10, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Strand Theatre in Clinton. Tickets can be purchased online at www.growingplaces.org or by calling 978-598-3723. Tickets benefit Growing Places Garden Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the food security and nutrition education of families in need in our community.
Caleb Butler Lodge Meeting
Caleb Butler Masonic Lodge will hold its monthly meeting Monday, April 11, at 11 Sculley Road in Ayer. The work of the evening will be the Entered Apprentice Degree. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. for a donation of $10. Reservations are a must and should be made by calling the junior warden at 978-772-5055. The Lodge will open at 7 p.m. All Master Masons are invited to attend.
Caregiver Support Programs
A series of free education and support programs will be held Tuesdays during April from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at Acton Medical Associates, 321 Main St. in Acton. The programs are for those taking care of a spouse, a parent, family member or friend. Upcoming programs include:
- Tuesday, April 12: “Coping with Depression and Other Challenging Behaviors in the Elderly” with Charles Wasserman, psychiatrist from Emerson Hospital
- Tuesday, April 19: “Assisting Your Loved One – Managing their Diabetes,” Peg Mikkola, registered dietitian with Minuteman Senior Services in Burlington
- Tuesday, April 26: “Sleep Changes As We Age,” Neil Kruszkowski, Director of Cardiopulmonary Services from Emerson Hospital
Space is limited. To register call Allison Galbraith at Acton Medical, 978-263-1131 or e-mail Anne Marie Rowse, Senior Care Advisors, at amrowse@sca-ma.com.
Don Quixote: Three Ways
The Orchestra at Indian Hill will perform Don Quixote: Three Ways, three different musical settings of Don Quixote by Strauss, Telemann, and Ravel, Saturday, April 9, at 7:30 p.m. at Littleton High School, 56 King St. in Littleton, A preconcert talk will begin at 6:45 p.m. Tickets are $20 to $45. Call 978-486-9524 ext. 116 or visit www.indianhillmusic.org.
Saving Forests and Money
The Nashua River Watershed Association (NRWA) and Mass Audubon Forests will sponsor “Saving Forests and Money: Protecting Your Community’s Natural Assets,” Wednesday, April 13, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the NRWA River Resource Center at 592 Main St. in Groton. The free workshop is targeted to municipal officials, land trusts, and interested individuals. Preregistration is not required, but is requested for planning purposes. For more information or to register for the workshop, contact Al Futterman, NRWA Land Programs and Outreach director, at 978-448-0299 or AlF@NashuaRiverWatershed.org.
Monty Tech Gala
“A Taste of New Orleans” is the theme for Monty Tech’s 24th annual Superintendent’s Dinner fundraiser to be held Wednesday, April 13, at the school. The gala evening, with its New Orleans backdrop, will include guest photos, Cajun canapés and hors d’oeuvres, Dixieland music, a street mime, juggler, vendors, and other colorful aspects of the famous city. Members of Monty Tech’s Drama Club will present musical numbers during the dinner. The highlight of the evening will be a six-course, gourmet meal, featuring regional dishes and New Orleans specialties. Social hour will begin at 5 p.m. and dinner at 6 p.m. Tickets are $150 per person or $1,200 for a table of eight. For more information, call 978-345-9200, ext. 5206.
NRWA April Vacation Program
In the spirit of Earth Day, children in kindergarten through grade 2 are invited to join naturalists at the Nashua River Watershed Association (NRWA) to learn about the natural world around us and what we can do to help protect it. The NRWA’s Earth Day Explorations April Vacation Program will meet Wednesday, April 20, and Thursday, April 21, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the NRWA’s River Resource Center, 592 Main St. in Groton. Students will discover the magic of spring through outdoor adventures and hands-on activities, as well as crafts, stories, and games. Program fees are $30 per day for NRWA members or $40 per day for nonmembers. Students bring their lunch. Preregistration is required; to register contact Lauren Parente Noone, NRWA Eco-Adventures programs coordinator, at 978-448-0299 or LaurenP@NashuaRiverWatershed.org.
Bach’s Lunch Concert
Indian Hill Music School’s free monthly faculty series will present celebrated pianist Jenny Tang performing works by Hungarian composers Liszt and Ligeti in two shows Thursday, April 21, at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at 36 King St. in Littleton. Coffee, tea, and cookies will be served; bring your lunch. Admission is free. To reserve a table call 978-486-9524 ext. 116. Learn more at www.indianhillmusic.org.
Bare Hill Rowing Fundraiser
The Bare Hill Rowing Association (BHRA), sponsor of the Bromfield/Acton-Boxborough High Schools Crew program, has been invited by West Marine to participate in a Cruising for a Cause charity fundraiser Thursday, April 28, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the new West Marine flagship store in Woburn. The evening’s festivities will include a silent and live auction, music, food, and local community leaders in attendance. Tickets for Cruising for a Cause can be purchased from BHRA for $10 each, with 100 percent of its ticket sales benefiting BHRA. To purchase tickets, contact Tom Cotton at 978-456-8680 or tcotton@barehillrowing.com.
