MUSIC
CLASSICAL ONSLAUGHT: Their numbers are legion, some 275 young musicians from three dozen communities, and when the North Shore Youth Symphony Orchestra marches into the Firehouse, they’ll be playing in any number of configurations and perform in a number of styles, but the focus of their performances will be the “little” instruments — piccolo, flute and, to balance things out, oboe. The string sextet will play Scarlatti’s “Concerto,” the wind trio will play Arnold’s Divertimento for Flute, Oboe and Clarinet. Featured performer Catarina Bongiorni, oboe, will be performing the Haydn Concerto in C Major for oboe with piano accompanist. Nicholas Goodwin, piccolo, will perform Concerto for Piccolo and Orchestra by Lowell Liebermann. Op. 50. Also on the busy set list will be a trumpet/trombone quartet. The concert begins at 3 p.m. March 21 at the Firehouse. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for students. Info: 978.462.7336, firehouse.org.
A MERE FOUR DECADES: Local guitar wizard Jack Mears has spent the last 45 years pursuing that perfect, if elusive, combination of tone, technique and taste — and says he’s almost there. Another half-century or so and he’ll have the thing nailed. In the meantime, he put together an all-star ensemble — drummer Steve Dow, bassist John Davies and pianist Anthony Rozakas — for his upcoming gig at the Firehouse. The show will feature a little bit of everything — jazz, R&B, rock. The show starts at 8 p.m. March 20. Tickets are $15. Info: 978.462.7336, firehouse.org
LOOK *AND* TOUCH: Let’s just come clean and say it: Classical concerts can be pretty boring for the kids, all that sitting around and being quiet and not even being allowed to fidget without getting dirty looks. Well, Music at Eden’s Edge makes cultural life just a little bit easier for families with the next in its family concert series, which takes place at 3 p.m. March 21 at at the historic First Religious Society, Unitarian Universalist Church, 26 Pleasant St., Newburyport. You’ll get an interesting musical program, plus a cleverly disguised learning opportunity during intermission — a chance to get up close and personal with the musicians and their instruments. Try a string instrument, meet a flute, and talk to the performers. And after the show, food and schmooze. Performers will be Orlando Cela, flute; Maria Benotti, violin; Mark Berger, viola; Neil Fairbairn, bassoon; and Sarah Freibert, cello. Tickets are $20, $15 for students, $60 for families. Info: 978.270.4463, edensedge.org.
ELEMENTAL, MY DEAR WATSON: Earth, Wind, Fire is a groundbreaking R&B band from way back in the day, winning six Grammys and an invitation into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. “Earth...Wind...Fire,” on the other hand, is an evening of clarinet trios by female composers performed by a female trio. The program will include works by Vally Weigl, an Austrian Jew brought to this country after the outbreak of World War II by the Quaker Society of Friends, and Nino Rota, perhaps best known for her scores of films by Fellini. The program brings together three very different instrumentalists with perspectives that have been shaped by different experiences — Mary Towse-Beck, pianist; Karen Luttik, clarinet; Dorothy Braker, cellist. The performance, part of the nonprofit’s Women’s History Month programming, tales place at 8 p.m. March 26 at the Actors Studio of Newburyport, The Tannery, 50 Water St., Mill #1, Suite #5, Newburyport. Tickets are $15 for adults, $13 for students and seniors. Proceeds benefit the Actors Studio. Info: 978.465.1229 or newburyportacting.org. Order online at mktix.com.
ELEMENTAL, MY DEAR WATSON: Earth, Wind, Fire is a groundbreaking R&B band from way back in the day, winning six Grammys and an invitation into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. “Earth...Wind...Fire,” on the other hand, is an evening of clarinet trios by female composers performed by a female trio. The program will include works by Vally Weigl, an Austrian Jew brought to this country after the outbreak of World War II by the Quaker Society of Friends, and Nino Rota, perhaps best known for her scores of films by Fellini. The program brings together three very different instrumentalists with perspectives that have been shaped by different experiences — Mary Towse-Beck, pianist; Karen Luttik, clarinet; Dorothy Braker, cellist. The performance, part of the nonprofit’s Women’s History Month programming, tales place at 8 p.m. March 26 at the Actors Studio of Newburyport, The Tannery, 50 Water St., Mill #1, Suite #5, Newburyport. Tickets are $15 for adults, $13 for students and seniors. Proceeds benefit the Actors Studio. Info: 978.465.1229 or newburyportacting.org. Order online at mktix.com.
THEATER
HAUNTING PRODUCTION: Cape Ann Theatre Collaborative has its coming out party March 19 with a production of “The Weir” by contemporary Irish playwright Conor McPherson. The story is set in a small pub in rural Ireland. Local guys swap spooky stories in an attempt to impress a young woman who recently moved into a nearby “haunted” house — until she turns the tables with a tale of her own. The company was founded in January. The show will be staged at 7:30 p.m. March 19-20 and 26-27, and at 2 p.m. March 21 and 28 at Gorton Theater, 267 E. Main St., Gloucester. The cast includes David McCaleb, Michael McNamara, Rory O’Connor, Michael O’Leary and Kierstin Searcy. Dublin native Pauline Miceli directs. Tickets are $15. Info: 978.879,3172.
MORE FRANK: The “new” adaptation of “The Diary of Anne Frank,” already more than a decade old at this point, has muddied the theatrical waters since Wendy Kesselman updated — “restored,” is probably a more accurate term — the story of eight people hiding from the Nazis in a concealed storage attic, told by a 13-year-old girl who, despite it all, still believes that “people are truly good at heart" It’s darker, it’s “more Jewish,” it's much rougher, which is to say more accurate, historically, that the ordinals, cleaned-up version of the diary. The Valley Players stage the Kesselman adaptation from March 20 to April 3 at the Amesbury Playhouse, 194 Main St., Amesbury. Info: 978.388.9444.
GO, GO, GO LITTLE QUEENIE: A one-woman show written and performed by Eve Caballero and directed by Kim Crow, “Queenie” looks at a quirky and loveable homeless woman, who shares her strife and redemption. The show, a New England premiere, takes place at 8 p.m. March 20 and 3 p.m. March 21 at the Actors Studio of Newburyport at the Tannery, 50 Water St., Mill #1, Suite #5. Tickets are $15 for adults, $13 for students and seniors. Info: 978.465.1229 or newburyportacting.org.
ELENA, ELEANOR: ... Eleanorum? Sounds like one of those irritating Latin declensions that ruined my life — or my grade point average, anyhow, in high school. But, no, we’re talking about Elena Dodd, who will be playing her almost-namesake Eleanor Roosevelt. Yes, she’s the same actor playing the same character as last year’s performance at the Actors Studio, but this time she’ll be talking about her life as wife, mother and First Lady. The show takes place at 8 p.m. March 27 and 3 p.m. March 28 at the Actors Studio of Newburyport at the Tannery, 50 Water St., Mill #1, Suite #5. Tickets are $15 for adults, $13 for students and seniors. Info: 978.465.1229 or newburyportacting.org.
GO, GO, GO LITTLE QUEENIE: A one-woman show written and performed by Eve Caballero and directed by Kim Crow, “Queenie” looks at a quirky and loveable homeless woman, who shares her strife and redemption. The show, a New England premiere, takes place at 8 p.m. March 20 and 3 p.m. March 21 at the Actors Studio of Newburyport at the Tannery, 50 Water St., Mill #1, Suite #5. Tickets are $15 for adults, $13 for students and seniors. Info: 978.465.1229 or newburyportacting.org.
ELENA, ELEANOR: ... Eleanorum? Sounds like one of those irritating Latin declensions that ruined my life — or my grade point average, anyhow, in high school. But, no, we’re talking about Elena Dodd, who will be playing her almost-namesake Eleanor Roosevelt. Yes, she’s the same actor playing the same character as last year’s performance at the Actors Studio, but this time she’ll be talking about her life as wife, mother and First Lady. The show takes place at 8 p.m. March 27 and 3 p.m. March 28 at the Actors Studio of Newburyport at the Tannery, 50 Water St., Mill #1, Suite #5. Tickets are $15 for adults, $13 for students and seniors. Info: 978.465.1229 or newburyportacting.org.
DANCE
IN A DOLL’S HOUSE: Or, as we say in Norwegian, Et dukkehjem. Not that Ibsen, that old sourpuss, has anything to do with this show — a tale of magical dolls, unrequited love and, somewhat surprisingly, happy endings, as Franz and his fiancée Swanilda become enthralled with the mysterious Dr. Coppelius and his mystical dolls. The Methuen Ballet Ensemble’s production of “Coppelia” begins at 3 p.m. March 28 at the Firehouse. Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 for students and seniors. Info: 978.462.7336, firehouse.org.
WHO YOU JIVING WITH THAT COSMIC DEBRIS: We’ve always been a little scared by dance, especially modern dance. So ephemeral, so difficult to get your mind around, but sometimes they get you with the name or the description. Like “Bubble of Debris,” an experimental duet by Jenny Carlson and Julie Pike Edmond, that, so the release tells us, incorporates plaster body casts into the piece. Which is something that you’ve got to see, right? Even if you don’t get the two inadvertent Zappa references. “Bubble” is one of eight pieces on the North Shore Dance Alliance program, which showcases new work by a range of North Shore choreographers and companies. The show begins at 8 p.m. March 26 and 27 at the Firehouse. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for students, seniors and SDAH members. And, as they say, break a leg. Info: 978.462.7336.
FILM
Q UIET IN FRONT: It rude to talk during the movies, but afterwards? Yeah, that’s fine. And that’s what they do when the last of the credits blow by at The Screening Room on the first Monday of every month. It’s an informal film club. There’s no pressure. Just sit and chat — or listen. The chat is hosted by the Newburyport Film Club — the folks behind the Newburyport Documentary Film Festival. And there should be plenty to talk about April 5, when they’ll talk about “A Single Man,” which grabbed three Golden Globe nominations. It’s about a closeted gay man mourning the death of his lover. He decides that by the end of the day he will kill himself. The next 24 hours are fateful. He teaches a class, sees his neighbors and kids, chows down with his best friend. It runs April 2-15. Info: 978.462.3456 or newburyportmovies.com
THE PRINTED WORD
BOOK ‘EM, DANO: Asking book-lovers to donate books, even for a good cause, can be problematic. So many value judgments, so little time. It seems easier to let the books pile up than to decide which to banish. But, over the years, we’ve come up with a solution: Grit your teeth and get rid of the ones you’ve finished and the ones you know you’ll never read, like “Critique of Pure Reason.” Donate them to, well, let’s say the Great Old Book Sale. Then get to the sale early and buy twice as many books. Doesn’t really help you much, but it does help the Friends of the Newburyport Library, which will be accepting donations from March 27 to 12 p.m. March 31, The sale opens with Members Night on March 31, and ends with $2 Bag Day on April 3.
ONLY YOUR HAIRDRESSER KNOWS FOR SURE: Hairdressers are like bartenders. Kinda. Because people tell them stuff they would never tell anyone else because they know about the code of honor they are required to take before clipping or tipping. That’s why Richard Nocera, a hairdresser for four decades, knows so much about vaginas. Well, actually, despite the name of his new book — “Women Own All the Vaginas” — he’s offering insight into male sexuality, including the most difficult question of all: Why are men such idiots? Or, as he puts it, why do men do what they do? The book untangles our illusions about manhood, marriage, and monogamy through an exploration of the drives and desires that motivate men. He’ll be talking dirty (not really) at 3 p.m. March 20 at The Book Rack, 52 State St., Newburyport. It’s free. Info: womenownallthevaginas.com.
Q UIET IN FRONT: It rude to talk during the movies, but afterwards? Yeah, that’s fine. And that’s what they do when the last of the credits blow by at The Screening Room on the first Monday of every month. It’s an informal film club. There’s no pressure. Just sit and chat — or listen. The chat is hosted by the Newburyport Film Club — the folks behind the Newburyport Documentary Film Festival. And there should be plenty to talk about April 5, when they’ll talk about “A Single Man,” which grabbed three Golden Globe nominations. It’s about a closeted gay man mourning the death of his lover. He decides that by the end of the day he will kill himself. The next 24 hours are fateful. He teaches a class, sees his neighbors and kids, chows down with his best friend. It runs April 2-15. Info: 978.462.3456 or newburyportmovies.com
THE PRINTED WORD
BOOK ‘EM, DANO: Asking book-lovers to donate books, even for a good cause, can be problematic. So many value judgments, so little time. It seems easier to let the books pile up than to decide which to banish. But, over the years, we’ve come up with a solution: Grit your teeth and get rid of the ones you’ve finished and the ones you know you’ll never read, like “Critique of Pure Reason.” Donate them to, well, let’s say the Great Old Book Sale. Then get to the sale early and buy twice as many books. Doesn’t really help you much, but it does help the Friends of the Newburyport Library, which will be accepting donations from March 27 to 12 p.m. March 31, The sale opens with Members Night on March 31, and ends with $2 Bag Day on April 3.
ONLY YOUR HAIRDRESSER KNOWS FOR SURE: Hairdressers are like bartenders. Kinda. Because people tell them stuff they would never tell anyone else because they know about the code of honor they are required to take before clipping or tipping. That’s why Richard Nocera, a hairdresser for four decades, knows so much about vaginas. Well, actually, despite the name of his new book — “Women Own All the Vaginas” — he’s offering insight into male sexuality, including the most difficult question of all: Why are men such idiots? Or, as he puts it, why do men do what they do? The book untangles our illusions about manhood, marriage, and monogamy through an exploration of the drives and desires that motivate men. He’ll be talking dirty (not really) at 3 p.m. March 20 at The Book Rack, 52 State St., Newburyport. It’s free. Info: womenownallthevaginas.com.
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