“Guys And Dolls”– With Show-Stopping Numbers, Gorgeous Voices, This Is Community Theater At Its Best

Rob Minshall and Katie Lynch Koglin as Sky Masterson and Sarah Brown.

Pair some of the Cape’s best vocal talent with a much-loved Broadway show chock-full of outstanding tunes, and not much can go wrong. Well, a few things did go wrong at the Barnstable Comedy Club’s opening night performance of “Guys and Dolls” last Thursday—costume mishaps, lighting glitches, and a certain missed coordination in the choreography, but these are the kinds of problems that are quickly remedied. This is a show well-worth attending, especially this year, the 61th anniversary of “Guys and Dolls,” the 100th anniversary of the Village Hall theater, and the 90th anniversary of the venerable Barnstable Comedy Club.

“Guys and Dolls” opened on Broadway in 1950, winning the Tony Award for Best Musical. Music and lyrics are by Frank Loesser, based on stories by Damon Runyon.

Director Rinne Caruso has done an excellent job casting this show, her community theater directorial debut, especially with some of the minor characters, like Lou Maloof as Arvide Abernathy, whose “More I Cannot Wish You” is one of the true gems of the show. Often lost among the bigger and better known musical hits of the show, this tune, sung to Sarah Brown by her kindly grandfather (“But more I cannot wish you/Than to wish you find your love/Your own true love this day”), this song, as performed by Mr. Maloof, is lovingly tender.

Larry Zalis as Big Jule is another perfect choice. He plays the big, gruff gangster with his own lucky dice (the numbers have been removed, but Big Jule “remembers where the spots were.”) His imposing presence and understated humor is just right.

Three talented real-life couples take on the major roles of this show. Husband and wife Kevin and Rachael Kenneally are nicely matched as “good old reliable” Nathan Detroit, famed for his skill in arranging crap games, and his fiancée of 14 years, Miss Adelaide, a nightclub singer who, in her letters to her mother, pretends she is happily married to Nathan, an assistant manager at the A&P, and the mother of five children.

Ms. Kenneally is delightful in this role, both in her two numbers with the Hot Box Girls (Taylor Seaward, Suzanne Johnson, and Candace Hunt), “A Bushel and a Peck” and “Take Back Your Mink,” and her endearing and humorous “Adelaide’s Lament” (“a person can develop a cold”). Her accent is well done and adds to her appeal, and she brings out both Miss Adelaide’s vulnerability and independence.  Adelaide has some great lines, and Ms. Kenneally makes the most of them with her fine comic delivery And the Hot Box Girls add a lot of fun to the production.

Ms. Kenneally’s duet with her husband, “Sue Me,” is also a treat. Both are good vocalists and present these good old reliable songs with authenticity and a fresh approach. As Nathan, Mr. Kenneally is earnest and so desperate to find a place to hold his crap game that he is willing to bet legendary gambler Sky Masterson that he cannot take the uptight and unapproachable Sarah Brown, leader of the Save-a-Soul Mission, to Cuba with him.

Robert Minshall and Katie Lynch Koglin play this unlikely couple, Sky and Sarah. In an effort to win the bet, Sky pretends that he has come to the mission to seek salvation. In a tender moment, Sarah sings “I’ll Know (when my love comes along),” and Sky joins in, a charming duet. Ms. Koglin has a beautiful high soprano voice, and Mr. Minshall has a strong, rich dramatic delivery. Together, or separately, they shine.

Ms. Koglin’s “If I were a Bell” is simply gorgeous, one of the sparkling highlights of the show. Loosened up with a little alcohol, Sarah realizes she is in love with Sky, and she sings this song with a lovely sweetness and innocent inebriation, a perfect rendition.

Mr. Minshall is tall, dark, and dashing as good-hearted Sky Masterson. His big number is “Luck Be a Lady Tonight,” and he delivers on this show-stopper, another highlight of the production, complete with singing and dancing gamblers. He commands the stage, and his voice fills the theater.

In real life, Ms. Koglin is married to Steve Koglin, another great vocalist, who plays the comical gambler, Nicely-Nicely. In yet another highlight, Mr. Koglin goes all out in “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat,” a glorious high-energy gospel-style tune with the chorus that is certain to please.

Also in real life, Mr. Minshall and Ms. Caruso are a couple, expecting a baby this month, which must have provided some additional challenges for Ms. Caruso in particular.

Other notable performers are Ian Rubinstein as Benny Southstreet, Mickey McManus as Rusty Charlie, and James Swindler as Harry the Horse. Mr. Koglin, Mr. Rubinstein, and Mr. McManus start the show off well with their rendition of “Fugue for Tinhorns” (“I got the horse right here”).

Fine use is made of the large cast in the opening and closing scenes of bustling New York and in the dance numbers.

The orchestra, led by music director Marcia Wytrwal, does an outstanding job, giving an animated performance without ever overpowering the vocalists. Choreography is by Taylor Seaward.

Costumes, designed by Christy Morris, are well done, evoking the Prohibition-era setting of Runyon’s stories. The set, featuring a colorful Broadway street scene, painted in perspective, was designed by Dennis Marchant.

“Guys and Dolls” continues at the Barnstable Comedy Club through November 20, with performances Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 and Sunday afternoons at 2:30 PM. Tickets are $20, $18 for students and seniors. For more information, visit www.barnstablecomedyclub.com or call 508-362-6333.

A pair of fierce wolves, played by Tabitha Ruth Dorman from the Coro Ragazzi Children’s Chorus (left) and Miranda van Mooy from the Turning Pointe Dance Studio, dance their way into the ark. All photos by Rebecca Forster, The Enterprise.

Falmouth Chorale Celebrates Community, Commitment, Voyage, and Redemption—and the Sea

By MARILYN J. ROWLAND

In a glorious celebration of community, the Falmouth Chorale, directed by John Yankee, presented “The Coming of the Flood” this  past weekend. The first half of the program featured the Falmouth Chorale and the Falmouth Chamber Chorale in a selection of pieces, written from the 1500s to 1992, about water, the ocean, the rain, and a lively spiritual about the animals.

After intermission, Mr. Yankee presented a rich and multifaceted “Noye’s Fludde,” a one-act opera by Benjamin Britton. As Mr. Yankee pointed out in his program notes, Britten wanted to serve the community with his music. He enjoyed “writing pieces for special occasions, music for children or amateurs,” and “Noyes’ Fludde” exemplifies this by including both professional and amateur singers and instrumentalists, and children, many children.

Robert Wyatt, music director at Highfield Hall, introduced the program with a pre-concert talk complete with recorded musical examples, shedding light on Mr. Yankee’s selections, and adding his own thoughtful and witty interpretations. Mr. Yankee included his own notes on the various works in the printed program, all of which was appreciated and enriched the listener’s understanding and enjoyment of the concert.

But whether or not one had a full understanding of the origins and the meaning of the music, it was a splendid concert and quite a spectacle. The 73-member chorale has wonderful expressive sound, and Mr. Yankee brings out every aspect of its musicality, giving  each work a distinct flavor.

Artistic director John Yankee leads the Falmouth Chorale.

The concert started off with “If Ye Love Me,” by Thomas Tallis (1505 to 1585). The words of God, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” set the mood for the concert and the tale of Noah’s Ark to come, conveying, as Mr. Yankee wrote in the program guide, “morality, voyage, and redemption.” The music itself was gentle, rolling waves of song, a calm and beautiful beginning to the voyage, hinting at the range of the chorus.

Next, Randolph James, who plays with considerable grace, accompanied the chorale on piano on “Voyagers’ Chorus” from Mozart’s (1756-1791) opera, “Idomeneo.” The opera, based on Greek mythology, involves Idomeneo’s bargain with God after he was rescued at sea, a bargain he does not want to fulfill. “Voyagers’ Chorus” is about the calmness of the sea, rather than the storms, and the voices of the chorale conveyed both the stillness and the great strength of the sea. Mr. James’ piano solo lent an elegant touch.

“Allelulia,” by Randall Thompson (1899-1984) (Leonard Bernstein’s teacher), was composed for the opening of the Berkshire Music Center at Tanglewood. Written in only five days, it premiered on July 8, 1940. Mr. Thompson finished the work, which was to become his most famous composition, 45 minutes before the concert was to start, Mr. Wyatt told us. The work is sad, reflective, rather than celebratory because Mr. Thompson was deeply concerned about the war in Europe.

Mr. Thompson said the piece was intentionally sad, intended to bring to mind the words: “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

The  lyrics are simply a repetition of “allelulia” throughout, the several voices of the chorus distinct and clear, building and dropping away, speeding up, conveying a sense of urgency and determination, and then slowing down, and, finally, very slowly and softly dying away.

Four “Choral Dances” by Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) from his 1953 opera “Gloriana” were performed by the Falmouth Chamber Chorale, a subset of the larger chorale. “Gloriana” was written to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and referenced Queen Elizabeth I. It is said, Mr. Wyatt told us, that Elizabeth II was disappointed with the opera it presented Elizabeth I as a flawed character, motivated by vanity and desire.

“Gloriana” was, thus, not a hit, but the four dances are often performed as a group. Each is short, highlighting different voices: the high sopranos, the low tenors and basses, one very rhythmic and insistent, another calm, reverential, inspiring, presented with spirit.

The full chorale returned for “Song of the Fisherman,” another work by Britten, this time from his more successful 1945 opera “Peter Grimes.” It tells of the daily work of the fishermen, again referencing the sea.

Two spirituals followed, “Didn’t It Rain,” and “De Animals a-Comin,” both clearly related to the Noah’s Ark story, and both presented with robust expression. I particularly enjoyed “De Animals a-Comin’”:

The last piece on the first half of the program was a contemporary work by American composer Eric Whitacre (born 1970): “Cloudburst,” a work which earned him a Grammy nomination. Based on a poem of the same name by Octavio Paz, which was both printed in the program in Spanish and English and read at the pre-concert talk by Mary Swope, the work is simply amazing.

Soloists Edwin Celettte and Joan Baird and speakers Jeannette Hanlon and Brett Baird are featured, and “Cloudburst” also incorporates handbells, percussion, and piano. The 15 children of the Coro Ragazzi Children’s Chorus, along with a group of adults, all dressed in black, stood silently on either side of the chorus as they sang this beautiful, reverential, tender, and complex piece. Introduced by a cascade of handbells, a swelling of the chorus, and shimmering cymbals, they raised their arms about three-quarters of the way through the piece and added their own intricate clapping and snapping of fingers, sounding like the rain falling down. It is a powerful piece, and the chorale’s presentation was magical.

After intermission came the pièce de résistance: Benjamin Britten’s “Noye’s Flood,” for which the chorale relinquished the stage to professional and amateur singers, dancers, and musicians of all ages, and encouraged the participation of the audience. It was a wonderful production, full of life and feeling.

Noye's wife, played by Tania Mandzy, and her sons, who urge her to board the ark.

Paul Soper’s strong, firm baritone set just the right tone for Noye (Noah), who is told by God to build a ship. His sons, Sem (Kimberly Ayers), Ham (Erin M. Smith), and Jaffett (Eileen Christiansen) and their wives (Kimberly Moller, Sara Rodewald, and Christie Lee Gibson) set to work, but his wife, played by mezzo-soprano Tania Manzy, and her friends, the Gossips, mocked the project and refused to help. Ms. Manzy’s rich, textured voice was particularly appealing.

The animals soon arrived, played by 28 young dancers from Turning Point Dance Studio and 15 young singers from the chorale’s Coro Raggazzi Children’s Chorus. They boarded the ark from the aisles, singing “Kyrie elesion,” dancing, and, as appropriate, hopping, snarling, and pawing the ground, adding warmth and humor to the production.

As rains came and the the waves rose and fell, the orchestra had a chance to shine, portraying the wind and rain, and the hopes and fears of those on the ark. Amateur musicians were represented by seven members of the Falmouth Chamber Players Orchestra, and professionals came from the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra and elsewhere. Mr. Wyatt and Stephanie Weaver, director of the Cape Cod Conservatory played the piano, side by side, and Randolph James played organ. There was a recorder choir, led by Jan Elliot, five percussionists, and a bell choir. And a chorus of four bugles from the balcony.

One clearly had the sensation of being tossed at sea:

Eventually, the storm subsided, and Noye sent a Raven, danced by Pippa Ryan, and then a Dove, danced by Maddie Edgar, to see if they could find land. The Raven was dramatically accompanied by cellist Megan Koch, and the Dove, by Jan Elliot’s delicate, cooing recorder.

As all leave the ark, they sing a hymn, “This Spacious Firmament,” to the tune of Tallis’ Canon, inviting the audience to join in. Words to three of the hymns in the opera were projected onto the wall to allow and encourage the audience to sing along. And they did, with gusto. The audience, which nearly filled the Lawrence School auditorium for Saturday evening’s performance, was delighted with the concert, giving Mr. Yankee and his singers, instrumentalists, and dancers a hearty, sustained applause.

As Robert Wyatt, music director for Highfield Hall, said in his pre-concert talk, this was a true community event with “people you have seen around town, at Coffee O, the Clam Shack, and Subway, people who are your neighbors, and you are going to say, ‘I didn’t know they were musicians.’”

After the flood, Noye (Paul Poper) and his wife (Tania Mandzy) sing their thanks, surrounded by the animals.

“’Noye’s Fludde,’ Mr. Wyatt said, “is a piece for everyone to play together.” Reflecting upon his first arrival on the Cape 10 years ago, Mr. Wyatt said, “I was struck, not only by the beauty of the place, but by the interesting people here. We have the ocean, a simple climate, two chamber orchestras, two exceptional choral groups, an excellent school system, a wonderful library—and a dog park.”

Amen!

Bacchus and Ariadne

“What nature destroyed, it also preserved.”

The Boston Museum of Science’s new exhibition, “A Day in Pompeii,” provides a multidimensional look at life—and death—in the Roman Empire. It is an impressive display of wall paintings and frescoes, sculpture, implements, furniture, lamps, jewelry, models, videos, photographs, timelines, and activities. Even carbonized food and a loaf of bread. And, yes, there are plaster and resin casts of people and animals who died, preserving their memory forever, in their moment of death.

On the 24^th of August in the year 79, the ancient city of Pompeii was destroyed when Mt. Vesuvius erupted and buried the city under 13 to 20 feet of volcanic ash. For 17 centuries it lay hidden until it was accidently rediscovered in 1749. Gradually archaeologists uncovered the remains of the city, much of which had been preserved under the ash. Today, the ruins of many buildings still stand in Pompeii, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage site, visited by 2.5 million people a year.

The touring expedition, “A Day in Pompeii,” will be at the Science Museum through February, before it moves on to Cincinnati, and Denver. Do take advantage of this opportunity to see a glimpse of life in antiquity and learn about art, archaeology, and the science of volcanoes.

Pompeii was a prosperous commercial center of about 20,000 people had been founded in the 6^th or 7^th century BC, and had been controlled by the Greeks, Phoenicians, Etruscans, and Samites, eventually becoming part of the Roman Empire. A bustling fishing and shipping port, Pompei had a variety of commercial buildings, public spaces, private residences, and cultural buildings, where residents and vacationers enjoyed theater and the arts.

Then, without warning, Mt. Vesuvius put an end to all that. Many residents were able to flee the hot ash, but others were trapped or stayed behind for one reason or another. Hot gases killed many, and, within two days, the city seemed to have vanished.

Underneath all that ash, though, much was preserved, and it is remarkable that we have the opportunity to view it all, almost 2000 years later. The exhibit presents the art, artifacts, and the ghostly images of the dead with respect and the areas are intelligently arranged. Lighting is subdued to protect the artifacts, but it also encourages a contemplative mood. Descriptive information is provided adjacent to each exhibit, and additional background and analysis is available on audio tape, in both child and adult versions.

There is a lot to see and do here, so allow plenty of time for your visit. Here’s a sampling:

Fresco

Frescos, painted directly on plaster walls, were common in Pompeii. Some of them show daily life in the city: transactions at the marketplace, for instance, others are illustrations from mythology, and some, like the one above, have an erotic theme. It is from Egypt; the river is the Nile. The creatures on either side of the frolicking threesome are crocodiles. A collection of small bowls and containers was decorated with erotic themes is also on display. This was a common theme in Roman art and could be found on household implements and public spaces.

Lead water container

Lead was used for some water containers and pipes because it is a soft metal that can be easily shaped. Today, we know of its toxic effects.

Cooking pot

Some of the cooking pots and utensils had a very contemporary look with their simple lines and smooth surfaces. Others were more ornate, and more than one pitcher was decorated with a thumb on the handle, just where one might place one’s own thumb to pick it up.

"fast food" bowl

This small bowl was described as, perhaps, a take-away container for food bought at the thermopolium (fast-food shop). A direct connection to modern culture–except that the clay bowl can be recycled.

Jewelry

Jewelry also had a very contemporary look. These gold necklaces, bracelets, and armlets could easily be worn today.

Beads

As today, those who could not afford gold jewelry had other options, such as these glass paste beads.

Hand of Sabazius

I found this a particularly intriguing piece, quite unlike anything we might have in our homes today. It is a small bronze piece, about life size, shown here from the back. The ornately decorated hand is associated with the cult of Sabazius, a god of vegetation or reproduction from Asia Minor. Both sides of the hand are rich with symbols. The pinkie and ring finger are bent down and not fully visible in this back view. A serpent slithers over them. There is a set of measuring scales in the middle of the back of the hand, a pine cone, perhaps, balanced on the thumb, and several figures, including a nursing mother and a statue of Sabazius.

Mt. Vesuvius

There are two video theaters in the exhibit, one showing Pompeii during the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, beginning with a bright sunny day and ending with fires, ash, and darkness. It is a powerful video, but done in the style of an architectural drawing rather than a more freely animated film. No people or animals are shown, which is probably a good thing, but it gives the video has a certain coldness. It is, however, a very effective presentation of what happened over the two days of devastation.

Fish building

A second video shows Pompeii as it might have been before the eruption. Neither film is narrated, but this one has titles in English and Spanish.  The building shown above thought to be a fish market because of the fish scales found on the ground. This video has the same cold architectural drawing style, but there are people shown in the laundry (where human urine was used as a bleach).

Chained dog

Off to one end of the exhibit (possibly so one can choose to avoid it)  is a room full of plaster and resin casts of some of the victims of the volcano. The “sculptures” are not the animals and people themselves, but rather the shapes they left behind them. As the guidebook explains, these are the people and animals who remained behind or decided too late to flee.

“A series of fast-moving pyroclastic surges of scalding moist ash swept the area during the night and early morning, overwhelming the fleeing people.The wet material encased their bodies as and where they fell, and preserved in stark detail facial features, grim expressions, and even the folds of their clothing. Eventually, the bodies of these Pompeians decomposed, leaving an empty cavity in the now-hardened ash.”

Archaeologists found the empty cavities, puzzled at first by what they were. They made plaster casts of the cavities and found these poignant shapes.

The dog, above, was chained and could not escape. There is no misinterpreting his agony in death.

Young woman

It is thought that this young woman was trying to cover her face with her garments as breathing became difficult.

Skeletons at Herculaneum

This group of 32 cast skeletons was found at Herculaneum, a town about four miles from Pompeii, which was also covered in pyroclastic ash. These people were at a boathouse along the shore, trying to escape by sea, but the boats did not come for them. Over 300 skeletons were found along the shoreline.

Volcanoes around the world

Another room offers information on volcanoes around the world, types of volcanoes and volcanic rock, and more.

Reconstructing broken pottery

Children and adults get a taste of what is involved in reconstructing archaeological finds when they try to put together broken pottery pieces, separating two or three broken bowls, and accounting for missing pieces.

Mosaic

Another group project encourages people to assemble their own mosaics using traditional patterns.

There is a gift shop too, of course, where you can buy, among other things, a do-it-yourself volcano for the kids, and other scientific and cultural items and books.

There is much more to see and do, and to learn at the Pompeii exhibit.It’s well worth the trip to Boston!

“Quills” is thoughtful, wickedly funny, beautifully written, and professionally presented by the Cotuit Center for the Arts. Directed by Mary Arnault, the acting, the sets, the costumes, the lighting and the sensitivity of this production are exemplary.

Doug Wright, the author of “Quills,” wrote that art is “innately subversive,” that art, including writing, must be used to challenge the status quo. His Marquis de Sade is driven to write, even when his writing implements, his quills and more, are taken from him, in brutal acts of censorship, and, in the end, his art triumphs, changing the status quo.

The play, at the arts center through October 23, is only loosely based on the life (and death) of the Marquis de Sade. The people in it are real, but the specific actions presented are metaphorical imaginations by the playwright. The play is no less intriguing as fiction, and it may encourage those who see it to learn a little more about the real life of the man who gave us the word “sadism” and to explore the issues related to artistic censorship a little more deeply. The failure of censorship is not without tragic repercussions in this play. As in life, issues in this play are multidimensional, not just black and white.

It is a dark comedy, written with a keen ear for the expressiveness of language, and the complexity of human nature. Yes, there is nudity, excruciatingly painful deaths, tales of sexual perversion, but no more difficult to watch than a typical evening on television, and much more artistically presented. (Personally, I felt more uncomfortable watching the gang rape scene in “Man of LaMancha.”) Ms. Arnault brings out all of the humor in the language, while maintaining a respect for the serious issues addressed in this play.

“Quills” takes place in the Charenton Asylum in Paris in the year 1807. The Marquis de Sade (John Williams) has been imprisoned there for his infamous pornographic—and sadistic—writings. Doctor Royer-Collard (Christopher Cooley), the chief physician, is approached by Renée Pélagie (Janet Constable Preston), the marquis’ wife, who has been scorned by fellow churchgoers as “Satan’s bride.”

Janet Constable Preston as Renée Pélagie and Christopher Cooley as Doctor Royer-Collard. Photo by Alan Trugman, Cotuit Center for the Arts.

When she left the church, “the very pew that I had sullied with my behind was ripped from the church and burned.” Her purpose is to make sure her husband never embarrasses her or her family again. In listing his faults, though, the worst of his tricks was that “he made me love him.” And that is one of the “problems” with the marquis. His writings and his actions may be degenerate and despicable, but he is charming, in his own way, and people just cannot get enough of his novels and stories.

For reasons that have nothing to do with the marquis or his wife, the doctor agrees to help. But his plan, executed through the kind-hearted Abbé de Coulmier (Troy Davies), who has been trying to rehabilitate the marquis, strays from its original intent.

Mr. Cooley is wonderful as the corrupt, manipulating, and pompous doctor, delivering his lines with a solid understanding of this character, humor, and appropriately wild-eyed expressiveness. His interactions with Ms. Preston, who has an equal gift for conveying the preposterousness of her character, are particularly well done. Like Mr. Cooley, Ms. Preston adds just the right touch of wittiness and absurdity to her character.

John Williams as the Marquis de Sade. Photo by Alan Trugman.

Mr. Williams, in the challenging role of the marquis, is mesmerizing as he reads his latest ribald tales, his voice drawing you in. Perhaps his is the voice of a crazed madman. Perhaps it is the voice of an eloquent and inspired writer. Likely it is both, as the marquis is a complex character, and Mr. Williams brings that out well. He also seems quite at ease acting in the nude, and the audience was similarly accepting.

Troy Davies as the Abbé de Coulmier. Photo by Alan Trugman.

The abbé, who had been giving the marquis paper and quills and encouraging him to write softer stuff for his readers and for his own sanity, is suddenly asked to change his tactics. Mr. Davies conveys the conflicted nature of his character well, as he is asked to take increasing brutal measures to prevent the marquis from inflicting his stories on the public. The abbé would not have chosen this course of action, but feels compelled to obey, given the highly immoral nature of the marquis’ utterances and the reality of life in the asylum.

For all of the scorn heaped on the marquis’ writings by the authorities, there was plenty of public adulation. Madeleine Leclerc (Emily Hamilton), the sweet and innocent 16-year-old seamstress at the asylum, visits the marquis regularly, even exchanging kisses for pages of his latest novel that she can bring home and read to her blind mother, a laundress for the asylum.

Explaining how they could admire such depraved writing, she says, “If we weren’t such bad women on the page, we couldn’t be such good women in life.” The appeal of pornography, sexual violence and murder in books and theater is an interesting topic in itself; as Madeleine and the CCftA’s program point out, we have a fascination for the horrifying.

Ms. Hamilton gives Madeleine a good balance of virtue and literary lust, retaining a pureness of character. She shows her versatility by taking on a second role as the doctor’s wife, Madame Royer-Collard, aptly described in the program as “a woman of considerable appetites.”

Ricky Bourgeois plays an architect hired by the doctor, and two other minor characters.

The set, designed by Andrew Arnault, is exceptional, its cold stone prison walls set off at interesting angles that allow the single set to serve several purposes. There are also cleverly hidden elements of the set that allow dramatic and humorous moments in the unfolding of the tale. The lighting design, by Greg Hamm, is exceptional, particularly when it is used to show how the marquis manages to write after his quills are taken away.

Costumes, designed by Alan Trugman and executed by Cindy Parker and a team of eight other skilled costume makers, are elaborate and authentic, capturing the essence of the era.

Due to graphic language and nudity, no one under 18 is permitted to attend. But for the others, “Quills” is a very entertaining and thought-provoking evening of good theater.

“Quills” is at the Cotuit Center for the Arts Thursday through Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday at 2 PM through October 23. Tickets are $20, $18 for seniors, $15 for members, and $10 for students (18 or older). For more information and tickets, visit www.artsonthecape.org or call 508-428-0669.

The Flip Side performs at Puritan of Cape Cod, as an overflow crowd listens outside the shop.

It was a beautiful evening in Falmouth, a perfect evening for strolling up and down Main Street, browsing in the shops, enjoying a meal at a restaurant, chatting with friends. What made it even more special was the sound of music from many shops, eateries, and outdoor locations. Main Street, from the Inn on the Square on North Main Street to Peg Noonan Park was a great place to be, and the many strollers enjoyed every minute of it.

The Jazz Stroll performances were timed so that one could start at North Main Street (Queens Buyway) and walk along Main Street, catching bits of all the performances. Or listeners could stay and enjoy a complete hour-and-a-half performance of one or two performers. Many of the venues offered snacks for the audience: wine, coffee, cheese and crackers, biscotti, which added to the warm, friendly feeling of the stroll.

I went first to the Osborn & Rugh Gallery at 114 North Main Street where George Scharr, on trombone, and Tom Szymczak, on banjo, offered old-time jazz versions of  such tunes as “Cabaret,” “Hello Dolly,” and “Has Anybody Seen My Gal?”

There was wine and cheese for the audience, as well as a gallery full of art to view. The event was clearly as much fun for Scharr and Szymczak as it was for the audience. Scharr, who also plays in the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra and the Symphony Swing Band and is director of the Falmouth campus of the Cape Cod Conservatory of Music and Art, put it this way:

“I am impressed how music and art bring us all together. This event is a boon to the downtown economy. I walked downtown and witnessed artisans and musicians coming together for all and was quite inspired. The town of Falmouth has quite an aura and sense of oneness. Congratulations to all those at Arts Falmouth and the chamber [of commerce] that make events like his possible.”

Next, I headed across the street to the Inn on the Square, where trumpeter Jay Souweine and his trio played in the open air. There was a small gathering of people off to the side and a larger group across the street, as the music filled the street. A 2011 graduate of Falmouth High School, Jay came home from college (he is studying music and music education at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell) to be part of the stroll.

Another young musician, pianist and vocalist Rosemary Ramos of Mattapoisett, brought her trio to Bojangles on Palmer Avenue for some Latin jazz. The store was crowded with people, some taking the opportunity to check out some of the clothing for sale.  While I was there, the group’s teacher, trumpet player Tony Lujan, joined them playing a very impressive trumpet solo.

Farther down Main Street, the Russ Wilcox Trio performed at In the Pink. Mr. Wilcox, a recent graduate of Mashpee High School, could not make the performance and sent in a substitute, saxophonist Nick Suchecki from Wellfleet. They performed standard jazz tunes and were later joined by Mr. Souweine, after his set was over.

Drummer Phil Vitali guides baby Max's hands during his first public performance--at the age of 3 months.

There were young people in the audience, too. Among the youngest was 3-month-old Max Stewart, the son of Alex and Colleen Stewart of Falmouth. He not only listened to Glenway Fripp’s performance at Cape Gallery Framers—he participated. His mother brought him close to drummer Phil Vitali, who let him play with one of his brushes on a quiet piece. Soon, Vitali took the baby in his arms, and, holding him gently, a brush in each tiny hand, continued to play. The crowd loved it.

The Stewarts were delighted. Alex plays electric guitar and drums himself and is, said Ms. Stewart, “very passionate about quality music.” The family had earlierwent to hear the Rosemary Ramos Trio and then spent much of the rest of the evening listening to the Glenway Fripp Trio, which included Glenway Fripp on piano, Jim Peterson on bass, and Mr. Vitali on drums.

The Stewarts appreciated the talent that came out for JazzFest on Friday night. “We really enjoy the Jazz Fest Stroll and are proud that our town hosts such a great event,” said Ms. Stewart. “We look forward to bringing Max in the coming years.”

Here Vitali and Fripp show their more dynamic moves:

Fans of guitar music could listen to Bela Sarkozy at the Black Dog on Main Street playing music in a gentle mood: “It Might As Well Be Spring,” “Old Cape Cod,” and others:

People came and went throughout every performance, as you can see in the videos. One couldn’t really linger if one wanted to see all the musicians in only three hours. After “Old Cape Cod,” my husband and I had decided to go on to the next venue, but everyone in the shop seemed to have the same idea, so we stayed for one more of Bela Sakozy’s tunes. Coincidently, the song that Bela played just for us was “Greensleeves,” which we have always loved.

Stu Goodis and Tom Glenn, a classical/jazz guitar duo, played their intricate melodies and harmonies at CupCapes, which also did a big business in coffee and cupcake sales.

Clarinet player Henry Duckham of Falmouth and his friends on guitar and string bass played at Taco Bob’s while diners enjoyed dinner. This was the only venue where the sound of the music had to compete with dinnertime conversations, but all seemed to be having a good time.

Next, we headed for Puritan Cape Cod, where Falmouth-based The Flip Side held forth, playing bluesy jazz with Melissa Roberts Weidman on vocals and bass, Chris LoCascio on keyboard, and Wil Harrigan on saxophone. There was a big crowd here, and the store welcomed listeners with wine and snacks.

The Mashpee-based Groovalottos offered their high-energy soul-funk-rock-jazz-blues music in Peg Noonan Park, inspiring some heartfelt dancing. The band is led by Mwalim Peters on keyboards and vocals and features Nick Wolf on bass, Billy Alves on drums, and James Wolf on guitar.

Here, they play Mwalim’s “Dem Big Girls,” winner of the 2010 Urban Music Awards.

Michelle Cruz and her band of Providence, Rhode Island, followed the Groovalottos, changing the mood to soft jazz, folk, and pop. Her delicate, but sultry “Summertime” was the perfect ending to the Stroll.

Beautiful! We ended the evening by heading to the Quarterdeck restaurant for sandwiches and to reflect on the evening. It all seemed to fall togethe so effortlessly, but it is clear that a lot of work went into making the evening feel so organic. Kudos to Judy and Roger Day and all the others at ArtsFalmouth who worked so hard to make the Stroll and the rest of JazzFest Falmouth such a success.

Christine Mascott welcomes everyone to the Happening.

The Woodstock era, the late 1960s and early ’70s returned to the Cotuit Center for the Arts on September 9. There were tie-dyed t-shirts, folksingers, folk rockers, poets on their soap boxes, and a roomful of hippie clothing and memorabilia. There was Phyllis Diller.

The Peace Corps and the military services were represented (though you could also burn a paper representation of your draft card—or your bra).

There were vendors selling clothing, jewelry, and other paraphernalia of the ’60s. There were posters and quotations written in chalk on the pavement. (Such as: “If you can remember the 60s, you weren’t there.”)

And, most importantly, there was a warm and mellow feeling everywhere, as the crowd enjoyed art, music, and camaraderie outside on a warm late-summer evening. “It’s Happening!” was created by Christine Mascott, lead singer of the Woodstock-era tribute band Groovy Afternoon.

As Christine explained it, a happening is a performance, event, or situation intended as art. Partly planned and partly improvisational, a happening is multimedia (though that term was not used back then) and enjoyed by a wide group of participants.

Here’s a short video to give you a flavor of the event. Annie Rich sings “Hang on Sloopy,” Manny and Linda Dias present “Black Magic Woman,” Denise Ramsey shares some of her poetry on the soapbox, Lola Packard performs as Phyllis Diller, members of the Falmouth Theater Guild dance and sing to promote their upcoming presentation of “Jesus Christ, Superstar,” and Hanna Carrita as Mimi Farina singing “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?”

The video ends with a glimpse of JoAnne Hughes’ art show, “The Circle is The Gate,” which had its opening reception the same evening. It was not technically part of the Happening, but JoAnne’s art fit the mood of the 60s. Beautiful to look at, it is also intended as a statement of her belief.

The big event was yet to come. After darkness fell, things really started happening. Groovy Afternoon put on a spectacular multimedia concert with an ever-changing video screen and impressive lighting effects. And there was a colorful cascade of balloons toward the end of the concert; the crowd jubilantly kept them bouncing until the last note was sung.

But it was more than a concert: it was a “Trip in’ Time.” Groovy Afternoon  transported us back to the ’60s via a backwards countdown on the video screen, and Christine guided us through the key moments and movements of the late 1960s and early 1970s—LSD, Woodstock, the antiwar movement, the civil rights movement, and more, introducing each song with a bit of history or anecdote.

Christine recreates the sounds of Janis Joplin, Grace Slick and many other singers of the day, and she does it with incredible energy and obvious love for the singers, the songs, and the era. She is joined by some very talented instrumentalists who capture the essence and the spirit of many different bands with ease, and bountiful enthusiasm.

Most of the crowd in the sold-out theater were probably too young to have lived through the sixties, but they clearly appreciated the music and eagerly joined in the dancing. As you can see, the crowd went wild!

Performing along with Christine are her husband Paul Mascott on guitar, Dan Lyons on keyboards and guitar, Steve Restaino on bass and mandolin, Kat Jones on percussion, and Andrew Ianniello.

The quote at the end, which may be difficult to read, is from John Lennon, and it says:

The thing the sixties did was to show us the possibilities and the responsibility that we all had. It wasn’t the answer. It just gave us a glimpse of the possibilities.

I was in college in Washington DC in the late 60s, a fine place to be to appreciate not only the music of the era, but the politics, and the activism of young people. Groovy Afternoon does a great job recreating the music of the time, but I particularly appreciated her call to action, to always keep those possibilities in sight.

As wonderful as the concert was, it was too loud for me, and the sheer volume distorted the sound, often drowning out the singer and making the words and the music “mushy,” as one person described it.

You can see from the video that we were in the minority; many people clearly enjoyed the music and the volume it was being played at. Loud music can be exhilarating. I continue, however, to make my plea for music to be performed at nondeafening volumes—so that it doesn’t damage tender eardrums (my handy iPhone sound meter registered in the danger zone)—and so that you can actually hear the music.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Groovy Afternoon is performing tomorrow (Saturday, September 24) at 3 PM at the Bourne Scallop Festival in Buzzards Bay. There is a big line-up stars for the three-day event, and, of course, scallops.

Annie Rich is performing at the Cape Cod Chat House in Dennis on Thursday, October 6, a 7 PM.

And the Falmouth Theatre Guild‘s production of  “Jesus Christ Superstar” opens October 28 at Highfield Theater in Falmouth, and runs through November 13.

JoAnn Hughes with her self-portrait, with journal writing

The paintings of JoAnn Hughes fill the main gallery space at the Cotuit Center for the Arts with warmth, texture, color, and beauty—and they pose thoughtful questions about the issues of women and the environment.

landscape by JoAnn Hughes

Many of the paintings are in subtle and rich earth tones, browns, beiges, whites, golden yellows, brick reds, and natural canvas, with some blues and greens. There is a charming coastal scene with fairy tale cottages in the distance, across a field of grasses, the blue ocean beyond. There are various representations of women, faces, figures. Fabrics and yarns are used, in addition to paint.

But most of the paintings in the exhibit have an abstract feeling to them with indecipherable writing and intriguing textures. Some are even interactive, encouraging the viewer to add her or his own contribution to the piece.

One can enjoy just looking at them, but they all convey a deeper meaning, and it is well worth taking the time to read the inscriptions and learn more about what Ms. Hughes intends to express through her art.

Ms. Hughes describes her artwork as journal paintings. Now 70, she began painting seriously when she was 50, as an outgrowth of her work in psychology and related fields.

“I almost needed to let go of all that,” she said at the opening reception last Saturday. Her formal education, her background, her work were all roles that defined her, but from outside herself, rather than from within.

Creating art is both freeing for her and a means of expressing, in images more than in words, her thoughts on contemporary social problems.

“Women’s lives are at the heart of what I do,” she said. “I focus on women’s experience.”

She is also inspired by poetry, myth, and her own life. Many of her paintings are part of a series of works on a particular topic of interest to her.

Hags, with a basket of cut-out fabric hags for viewers to write on and hang next to her mixed-media work.

One piece in the show that delighted older women at the opening reception was part of her Hag Series, which Ms. Hughes said was motivated by identity questions in aging women. In our culture, growing old and looking old are to be avoided at all costs, she said, and this “war on aging” has negative impacts on younger women as well as older ones.

Hags, detail

In contemporary American culture, she said, the term “hag” is used to derogatorily describe an old woman. During a trip to Ireland about five years ago, Ms. Hughes learned of the Hag of Beara, an old, but ageless woman who was revered as a powerful healer. As she learned more about this mythical woman, Ms. Hughes changed her own attitudes toward aging, moving from fear to appreciation and celebration.

Returning home, she talked about the Myth of the Hag with her friends, and they were eager to change their views on hags, too. As she states in a note prepared for the exhibit:

“We’re beginning to imagine gathering in circles, which were the ancient paths of wisdom and can be the gate into the future. The Circle is the Gate.”

Her mixed-media Hag painting features gauze and burlap hag shapes in muted shades of browns, tans, yellows, and whites against a geometrical background. It is a soft, misty, look at women and their relationships, soothing and appealing.

Women and men of all ages are invited to take a cut-out burlap hag from a basket adjacent to the painting, write something important to them on it, and attach it to a collection of hags by the side of the painting. It was an effective way of drawing the viewer to the artwork and aiding their understanding of the purpose of the Hag Series.

Two works from the Eggs series.

Another group, the Egg Series, emerged from Ms. Hughes’s concerns about the harvesting and sale of women’s eggs to be fertilized and implanted in women who are not otherwise able to become pregnant.

Women are paid for their eggs, which exploits vulnerable women in need, she said, and the process can be dangerous, resulting in health problems and even death. Not enough research has been done, Ms. Hughes said, to ensure the safety of the procedure for all concerned.

Two Egg paintings, of about six or eight, are included in the exhibit. Using a similar color palette of browns, yellows, golds, and whites, she shows the eggs, some breaking, looking a bit like chicken eggs, the yolk dripping down.

Another painting represents her Seeds Series. Called “Seeds of…,” it is a response to the situation in Darfur, the genocide, violence against women and children, hunger, and poverty. It asks “what are we sowing, peace or violence?” and “what are we reaping, hope or despair?” This work is also interactive, and visitors may write their own thoughts on a scrap of fabric and attach it directly to the painting, using a wire or tiny clothespin.

A figure of a women, hung in the window of the Cotuit Center for the Arts so that the setting sun can bring it to life.

Several other series address other social issues. Visitors may learn a lot about topics they may not have done much thinking about before. But even if they just stand back and look at these beautiful pieces, they will be moved.

Ms. Hughes lives in Yarmouthport and her work has been shown on Cape Cod, in Boston, New York City, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Ireland.

It is a good weekend for a trip into Boston. The Museum of Fine Arts’ new Linde Family Wing for Contemporary Art opens tomorrow with ticketed parties beginning at 7 PM, 11 PM, and 3 AM. Sunday, the museum is open to the public from 7 AM to 7 PM — for free!

No matter what your taste in contemporary art, there should be much among the wide assortment of works in the seven new galleries for you to enjoy.

“I Dreamed I Could Fly,” by Jonathan Borofsky.

The entrance to the wing is impressive. The vaulted ceiling is alive with high-flying figures  by Jonathan Borofsky. Titled “I Dreamed I Could Fly,” the figures were made especially for this wide open space and are intended to convey a sense of equality and harmony. “They see and feel that human beings are all connected together and that we are all one–no divisions and no walls.”

There are neon sculptures (wall art) around the space, stating, for example, “All Art Has Been Contemporary,” by Maurizio Nannucci. There is a beautiful new gift shop with an extensive collection of art books and a new cafe and social area. The museum also encourages social media. The MFA recently began tweeting and encourages visitors to tweet about their visit. There is an online interactive magazine where you can learn more about the exhibit.

Malcolm Rogers, Ann and Grahm Gund Director of the MFA, and Ellsworth Kelly toast the new wing, the art, and the artists, surrounded by media representatives, September 15, 2011.

The featured exhibit is “Ellsworth Kelly: Wood Sculpture,” where 19 of his 30 wood sculptures (made over the course of 40 years, in a variety of woods) are on display. Kelly, of Spencertown, New York, is considered one of the most important abstract artists working today for his minimalist paintings, prints, and drawings, but his sculptural works have not received the same attention. This is one of the first exhibitions of his works in wood, which emphasize simplicity of form. He takes his inspiration from the world around him, the human figure, the landscape.

His “Curve XXI” is one of the most dramatic, measuring 14 feet across, inspired by the rolling hills near his studio.

Kelly, now 88, is better known for his large colorful artworks. One, “Blue Green Yellow Orange Red” (1968), is also included in the show, in an upstairs gallery. It is a large work, in bright, solid colors, cheerful and a simple receding shape. (Media representatives were given a bag of jelly beans grouped in these colors, and it looked like many more would be handed out this weekend.)

"Blue Green Yellow Orange Red: By Ellsworth Kelly

For more information on Kelly’s other work, see the Wikipedia article on him and a Youtube interview. His sculptures are mentioned only briefly, at the end.

Upstairs are more galleries, including a video room where three short films may be viewed.

Art is always a matter of taste, and enjoyment of contemporary art is certainly subject to personal opnion. In other words, there is a wide display of artworks here, and you may love some pieces, be intrigued by others, and be unmoved by others.

I tend to favor the whimsical in contemporary art, and the works that seek to make political statements. Among the pieces I enjoyed were:

“How to Wrap Five Waves,” by John Cederquist, is a light-hearted depiction of waves, in the Japanese painting style, tenuously contained in a top-heavy bureau of sorts. The waves in soft shades of blue, green, and gold are tied in boxes stacked on one another.

“How to Wrap Waves” may be found in the Peter and Daphne Farago Gallery of contemporary craft and design. The room contains 80 works in ceramics, wood, metal, glass, and fiber from the 20th and 21st centuries from the Daphne Farago collection. This is a beautiful collection, and well worth a look.

Rudy Autio’s “Messelshell Vessel,” of glazed and incised stoneware, is one of many vessels he created depicting intertwined women and horses. He began making these forms in the 1960s.

This jar by Michael Frimkess, with drawings by his wife, Magdalena Suarez Frimkess, is called “Blues for Dr. Banks.” Frimkess was briefly a professional jazz musician, and this jar was created for a pediatrician who loved jazz. Shown here is trumpeter Miles Davis. Also pictured are singers Billie Holliday and Sarah Vaughn.

"Sinuous" by Eva Hild.

In a room set off by silver and blue beaded curtains by Felix Gonzalez-Torres is another collection of artworks, the Ives Family Collection. Here, the physical form is explored. Eva Hild’s clay “Sinuous,” is graceful and flowing, a fluid concept of shape.

Picasso, "Rape of the Sabine Women."

In the same room, is Pablo Picasso’s “The Rape of the Sabine Women,” 1965, a statement against violence and dominance. Picasso’s work was described at the time as “a profound break with the past,” and it is included in this collection to show that yet another “profound break with the past” is underway.

"Sound Suit" by Nick Cave

“Sound Suit,” by Nick Cave, made of fabric with applique, found sequined materials, beading, crocheted and knitted yarns. Cave is a dancer and creates sound suits that he actually dances in, accompanied by the sound of the costume. “The elongated headdress and obscured face transform the wearer into a dazzling otherworldly creature.”

"Grater Divide," by Mona Hatoum

Nearby was “Grater Divide,” by Mona Hatoum, a room-divider size cheese grater, opened to show three panels. Though perhaps not a room divider for every home, it brings a smile.

Josiah McElheny, "Enlessly Repeating Twentieth Century Modernism"

Lovely to look at and intriguing to behold is Josiah McElheny’s “Endlessly Repeating Twentieth Century Modernism,” a large cube with views of glass bottles, their images stretching to infinity. McElheny blows the glass bottles and the mirrors to create the illusions. The mirrors reflect only the bottles, not the curious visitors.

From "Blood from a Stone" by Kate Gilmore

Kate Gilmore’s 8-minute film, “Blood from a Stone,” shows a daintily dressed woman hauling heavy (75 pound) white cubes to a series of shelves above her head. Once placed, the boxes begin to drip white paint, creating their own artistic expression. The film represents women’s struggles, and evokes similar films of difficult tasks by women artists of the 1970s.

There is much, much more. For a preview visit the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Linde Family Wing for Contemporary Art.

Kate Whouley, author of the just-published “Remembering the Music, Forgetting the Words: Travels with Mom in the Land of Dementia” (a wonderful book–see my review in the Enterprise on Friday, September 9), has written remembrance on the September 11 terrorist attacks, a gentle statement on the devastating impact of the attacks and the small, but important ways that people cope: Eating Cake on 9/11 (published in Obit, an online magazine about Life, Death, and Transition).

Kate had planned a business trip to New York on September 11, 2001, but changed her plans at the last minute. She has reserved the evening for a cook-out and cake to celebrate her mother’s 67th birthday, but was shaken by the events of the day and wanted to cancel the festivities.

“Should we still have the cook-out tonight?” I asked my mother when I called to report Tina [Kate's friend--an airline stewardess based in Boston] was fine—or at least on the ground.
I hoped she’d postpone.  In the face of so much loss, it felt wrong to fire up the grill and keep on living. Maybe by the weekend, I thought, we won’t feel so numb, so sad. But my mother did not favor a change of plans.

“This is not a time,” she said, “for us to sit in our separate houses.”

Her mother, even then in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, couldn’t have phrased it better. The nation came together after 9/11 in mutual shock and grief. And patriotism, as flags waved from every post.

Many lives were devastated on 9/11, and almost everyone has a 9/11 story. For me, it is also a story of being with others. In 2001, I worked, as I do now, as a freelance editorial consultant, primarily writing indexes for books and websites. On September 11, I had an index due for a publisher in Manhattan. I was in the midst of an e-mail conversation with the editor when I heard on the radio (WUMB–folk music, only rarely interrupted by news) that a plane had struck the World Trade Center. I assumed it was a small plane, tragically off course, but turned on the television to see what had happened.

I immediately became physically sick; I watched the events unfold on the television from the door of the bathroom for a time, unable to move. Eventually I got back to the computer, where I learned that the editor had watched the plane from her window and saw the terrifying impact, the flames, the smoke, stunned by the unreality of it all.

Somehow I finished the project I was doing for her, but I must admit I had a sense of hopelessness about it. It seemed to be the end of the world.

It was a Tuesday, and on Tuesday evenings I had a standing rehearsal with our trio: 2 flutes and a cello. We were playing Haydn’s London Trios. I played first flute, Paul played second flute, and Eric played cello. I loved these trios, still love them. They are easy, as chamber music goes, but Paul and I were having problems staying together. Eric, a much better cellist than we were flutists, was patient and helpful. He played with a strong, rich certainty, and I always had the feeling I was playing amid a wonderful “cello forest” of sound.  (At the time I had just recently started cello lessons myself, and now I play the cello on these trios with another group of musicians.)

I wondered whether we should still meet, given the horrors of the day. I knew I wanted to play, but wondered if it was appropriate to do so. Neither Paul nor Eric called or e-mailed to cancel, and I did not contact either one of them, fearful that one would cancel. I went to rehearsal. Both were there. I don’t remember if we talked much about the attacks, but I do know it felt good to play the music, even imperfectly, even just for ourselves.

This year, I plan to go to a concert–the Boston String Quartet is playing at the Cape Cod Museum of Art on Sunday, September 11, at 4 PM, and it sounds like it might be just the thing for me. The Boston String Quartet will present their program, WorldSong, described as “fresh and original blend of music from throughout the world….a mix of music including Zydeco, Taiwanse folk, American fiddle, Bulgarian, gospel, salsa, and more. (See link below for their performance of “Winter in Buenos Aires from Piazzola’s “Four Seasons.]

It is a sad anniversary, but there is much to be gained in the coming together.