Another Full House For MoCA Westport Concert Series
Last Thursday at MoCA Westport, vocalist Vanisha Gould, a Jazz at Lincoln Center Emerging Artist, performed in the Museum's gallery for a packed house. Accompanied by Kayla Williams on the viola and Chris McCarthy on piano, Vanisha played a range of originals and music from the Great American Songbook.
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The Greater Connecticut Youth Orchestra, led by guest conductor Michael Breaux, opened for Vanisha.
Attendees were also able to experience the current "Spark" exhibition" currently on view at the Museum, featuring the works of PreK-Grade 12 students in the Westport Public Schools.
Next up in the Music at MoCA concert series is trumpeter Summer Carmargo on July 8, 2023. Carmargo is also a Jazz at Lincoln Center Emerging Artist who currently performs with the Saturday Night Live House Band and is the first ever triple crown winner in the history of Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Essentially Ellington competition. Tickets are available on mocawestport.org.
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Westport Playhouse Celebrates Community With Open House
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In conjunction with Connecticut’s Open House Day, opened the doors of the theater Saturday to celebrate the community for a free event. The Playhouse offered self-guided backstage tours and set model and costume displays.
Above, right is Ivy, 6 years old in blue and her sister Piper, 4 years old, in pink playing the Sunrise Rotary “Duck in a Bucket” game.
In the Playhouse courtyard there were beer tastings, kids' activities, and more.
There was delicious food from Beyond the Salt food truck, cool brews from Athletic Brewing (non-alcoholic) and Rhythm Brewing, and ice cream from Jim’s Ice Cream Truck, all available for purchase.
Westport Sunrise Rotary was also on hand with their "duck in a bucket" game for kids and were offering tickets for the Great Duck Race. (see WestportLocalPress, "Ralphie Comes To Riverside Park")
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The Playhouse offered a 20% discount on single tickets to their next production Dial M for Murder! In addition a raffle was held for two tickets to their sold out Patti LuPone concert, "Don't Monkey With Broadway"
Connecticut Open House Day, now in its 19th year, is an annual event held on the second Saturday of June, provided by the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development. The purpose of this event is to inspire Connecticut residents to learn about all the experiences in their own backyard, anticipating that this will convert them into ambassadors who will recommend these experiences to other visitors.
Following an April production of the musical “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” the Playhouse’s three-production, 2023 season continues with a new adaptation of “Dial ‘M’ for Murder,” the suspenseful thriller of blackmail and revenge, running from July 11 through July 29; and “School Girls; or, The African Mean Girls Play,” a buoyant and biting comedy exploring the universal similarities and glaring differences facing teenage girls across the globe, playing from October 24 through November 11. The complete schedule is available at westportplayhouse.org. All play titles, artists, dates, and times are subject to change.
For ticket information, visit www.westportplayhouse.org/visit/box-office/ or call the box office at (203) 227-4177, toll-free at 1-888-927-7529, or visit Westport Country Playhouse, 25 Powers Court, off Route 1, Westport. Stay connected to the Playhouse on Facebook (Westport Country Playhouse) and on YouTube (WestportPlayhouse).
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
"Little Ralphie" Comes To Saugatuck's Riverside Park
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Most people in town are familiar with the annual Great Duck Race hosted by Westport Sunrise Rotary which returns on Saturday June 24th for it's 14th year. Many people are also familiar with the giant, 30 foot inflatable yellow duck named Sunny, named after the Sunrise Rotary which appears in various places in town to promote the event. The Sunrise Rotary has provided Sunny with a little brother "Little Ralphie" only 12 feet high named after the late Ralph Kreuger. Ralph, a noted Sunrise Rotarian who came up with the idea it was to purchase Sunny to aid the organization in drawing attention to The Great Duck Race, one of the Sunrise Rotary's big fund raising event.
"Little Ralphie" this weekend was stationed at Riverside Park, inviting people to join in the fun, help local charities and hopefully win some great prizes including a $5,000 first and $1,000 second prize, with the next eight winners each receiving $500.
As many know, thousands of yellow ducks will be released on a specially constructed sluice, with each duck being assigned a number. Each ticket purchaser has a corresponding number and the first 10 duckies to cross the finish line win the cash prizes. To join the fun tickets can be purchased online at: Sunrise Rotary Duck Race Tickets . tickets may also be purchased at the Westport Farmers Market held Thursdays from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at 50 Imperial Avenue, Westport, Webster Bank, 244 Post Road East, Westport or from your friendly Westport Sunrise Rotarians who can be found around town at various sites and events.
Also At Riverside Park
The newly renovated Riverside Park which now is now nicely landscaped and has multiple picnic tables and several benches facing the Saugatuck river is being visited frequently.
A couple enjoying one of the river view benches watches as kayakers paddle upriver and a pair of youngsters lead their mom to one for a post-game pizza.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Staples Boys Lacrosse Repeats State Championship Defeating Fairfield Prep
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Sacred Heart University seems to be the Staples boys lacrosse’s happy place. This is where they won the CIAC State title last year and this is where they repeated that championship victory by defeating top seed Fairfield Prep Jesuits. The Wreckers turned an early lead by Prep into a 13-6 Staples victory.
The usual Wreckers scoring machine came to play with senior Tyler Clark, who is also a stand-out football player led with four goals, with the other usual offensive powerhouse players Leo Sequenzia, Ben Burmeister, Gavin Rothenberg and Sam Eigen each firing past the Prep goalie twice. Finding the net once each were Michael Nealon and Tristan Schaefer.
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