FPAC’S Free Family Concert Series Presents The New England Percussion Ensemble

Franklin Performing Arts Company’s annual Family Concert Series kicks off this season with the New England Percussion Ensemble on Sunday, January 8 at 1 p.m. at THE BLACK BOX, 15 West Central Street, in downtown Franklin. 

A treasured FPAC tradition for more than two decades, Family Concert Series events are especially geared to children in length and format and provide young audiences with a fun introduction to the world of live music. Offered free to the public, the special concerts feature talented, professional musicians in an engaging and entertaining way.

New England Percussion Ensemble

The New England Percussion Ensemble specializes in presenting creative and energetic audience-interactive enrichment programs to youngsters. Their “Language of the Ancients” program is a journey through time, explored with imagination, inventiveness and creativity, to discover the many melodic, rhythmic and tonal possibilities of percussion. An audience hands-on ensemble concludes the program.

FPAC’s 2017 Family Concert Series is sponsored by Berry Insurance. For more information, call (508) 528-3370 or visit www.FPAConline.com or www.THEBLACKBOXonline.com.

Franklin is where arts happen in all seasons!

snowy Franklin Town Common

Enjoy the holidays with family and friends!

Thank you and Season Greetings!

Dear Friend of FPAC and Patron of THE BLACK BOX,         Thank you for attending one or more of our shows at THE BLACK BOX in 2016!  I hope you were able to enjoy The Nutcracker, A Glass Slipper Christmas or Humbug!, presented by the Franklin Performing Arts Company in and out of THE BOX this December, as part of your holiday season celebration.      As 2016 comes to a close, we hope that you will consider a tax-deductible gift to the Franklin Performing Arts Company in support of FPAC programming and THE BLACK BOX.  There are many ways to contribute! You can join one of our Annual Circles or raise your circle level if you are already a member.  You can name a chair or make a gift to our capital campaign and facilities fund. Click here for more information.       Perhaps in 2017, you will join us as a volunteer or audition for a show!  Our extensive calendar includes many fantastic musicals, plays, special events and nights of great music.  Please consider THE BLACK BOX your go-to place for entertainment, and bring friends to an upcoming performance!      We appreciate your consideration of the arts as the focus of your philanthropic end-of-the-year giving.  With the generous support of the community-at-large, we look forward to a successful new year filled with music, dance and theater at our downtown venue.      Thank you and happy holidays!      Raye Lynn Mercer      Executive Director      Franklin Performing Arts Company      FPAConline.com      THEBLACKBOXonline.com

Franklin Performing Arts Company uses Vendini for ticketing, marketing, and box office management.

Franklin Performing Arts Company - PO Box 16, Franklin, MA, 02038, (508) 528-8668
 
Vendini, Inc. - 660 Market Street, San Francisco, CA, 94104, 1 (800) 901-7173

View as a web page.

FHS Drama Club to perform 2 one-act plays, “The Giver” and “Gathering Blue”

From Pantherbook we share:

"On Wednesday December 21st and Thursday December 22nd, FHS drama club will be performing two one-act plays, “The Giver” and “Gathering Blue”. Both plays are set in dystopian societies with “Gathering Blue” being the sequel to “The Giver”. This week I spoke to the cast to get their insight on both plays. 

When asked about her experience in “The Giver”, Riley Halliday, who plays Fiona, said, “it has been an all around great experience, I love working with a smaller cast because we have all become very close”. Melissa Reinerston who plays Kira in “Gathering Blue” described the two separate plays as being “…especially challenging…because rehearsals felt divided, but both shows have come together really well”.

The shows are $5 dollars for students and $12 for adults and will be performed in the FHS auditorium at 7 o’clock.

Continue reading the article online
http://franklinpanthers.us/student-life/2016/12/19/drama-club-to-put-on-shows/

FHS Drama Club

FPAC presents Humbug!

FPAC’s large-cast holiday musical, Humbug!, will be presented on Saturday, December 17 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, December 18 at 2 p.m. at the Franklin High School auditorium, located at 218 Oak Street. 

A family favorite since debuting as part of the company’s 2008 season, Humbug! is an original musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. With music hits of every genre and live accompaniment by a 10-piece band of professional musicians, Humbug! transports audiences from Dickensian England to contemporary America as the novel’s iconic characters and storyline are cleverly reimagined with modern setting and dialogue. Humbug! stars the script’s writer, Nick Paone, as Ebenezer Scrooge.

Humbug! is an original musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol

Founded in 1991, FPAC presents the holiday musicals as part of the company’s 26th season. With a focus on youth development and a commitment to live music, the nonprofit FPAC supports educational arts experiences, quality entertainment, and outstanding performance opportunities for professional artists, community performers, and students of the arts. Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation is FPAC’s 2016 Holiday Sponsor.

For tickets and more information, visit www.FPAConline.com or call (508) 528-3370.

Families Share the Stage In FPAC’S Humbug!

When the curtain rises on Franklin Performing Arts Company’s Humbug!, a contemporary musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, several local families will share the stage. The FPAC original features 11 sets of parents and their children as part of a large ensemble cast of some 125 professional artists, community performers and students of the arts. 

“Live theater creates a space where we can come together and have a collective experience,” says Mireille Eastman, who performs in the production along with her husband, Charley Eastman, and all three of their children. “We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be involved in Humbug! as a family. Sharing our passion for live theater with our children has brought us all closer together.” 

The Eastman Family appears in Humbug!

Charley and Mireille starred opposite one another in FPAC’s 2014 production of Mark Twain’s The Diaries of Adam and Eve. They are cast as husband and wife in Humbug!, playing Fanny May and Freddy Mack. Among the couple’s theater training, Charley earned a BFA in Acting from the University of Connecticut at Storrs while Mireille received a BA in Theater from Hunter College, with additional training at William Esper Studio and the Actors Movement Studio. Charley’s FPAC credits also include Annie (Rooster), The Tempest (Prospero), The Dumb Waiter (Gus) and The Zoo Story (Jerry). Mireille has performed on stage in New York and in various film and video productions.

Daughter Ameline, age 8, is in Humbug’s Children’s Ensemble, while son Emmett, age 9, and daughter Phoebe, age 11, are in the Youth Ensemble. The kids have taken dance, voice and musical theater classes at the Franklin School for the Performing Arts (FSPA), and Ameline and Emmett participate in FSPA’s new AfterSchool program.

“Emmett, who tends to be our toughest critic, turned to us after rehearsal one day and said, ‘Daddy, I really like being in the show. It’s a lot of fun.’ That is high praise from a nine-year-old boy! And Ameline already wants to know when she can audition for the next show.”

Youth development in the arts is a special focus of FPAC, founded in 1991 by Executive Director Raye Lynn Mercer. Productions provide ongoing opportunities for families to connect through the arts, with multiple generations sharing rehearsals and time on stage together.

“FPAC provides a safe intergenerational space, where we can all work hard and play hard, reaching a finite goal,” Mireille notes. “The experience allows us to interact as peers under the careful direction of Raye Lynn Mercer and volunteer our time and energy for something creative and beneficial for the community.”

The Eastmans are involved in a number of community initiatives in addition to FPAC, including Meals on Wheels, the Franklin Arts Association, and the Franklin Federated Church, where Charley is Pastor.

“All of these touchstones will be part of our life in Franklin and our children’s childhood,” says Mireille.

Other families performing in Humbug! this season include Kristen, Tony and Griffin Wilkins of Walpole, as well as the following Franklin residents: Janene and Madison Asgeirsson; Charlotte and Michelle Berry; Ed, Jocelyn and Wendy Jones; Greg, Madison and Sydney Leach and Michele Webster; Holly and Tatiana McAlpine; Debra, Matthew and Shane Packard; Chuck and Mackenzie Peters; Guy, Hannah and Madison Rezendes, with grandfather Steve Crowley; and Jaiden, Lindsey, Melissa and Peter Wyner. 

A family favorite since debuting as part of FPAC’s 2008-09 season, Humbug! is conceived, written and directed by Franklin’s Nick Paone, who also stars as Scrooge. The musical features Dickens’ familiar characters and story, but re-imagines the classic tale in contemporary America for a modern audience with updated references to current events and pop culture. The storyline is supported by musical hits of many genres with live accompaniment by a 10-piece band of professional musicians.

Humbug! will be performed on Saturday, December 17 at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday, December 18, at 2 p.m. at the Franklin High School Auditorium, 218 Oak Street. Raye Lynn Mercer co-directs the production, with musical direction by Hallie Wetzell and choreography by Kellie Stamp, Mercer and Paone. Tickets are $30-$34 and may be purchased at www.fpaconline.com, or at 508-528-3370. Remaining tickets will be sold at the door. Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation and Waters Corporation are FPAC 2016 Holiday Sponsors. Northern Trust is a Performance Sponsor. 

'A Glass Slipper Christmas' or 'A Celtic Christmas Concert'?

There are choices for Christmas entertainment in Franklin this weekend and there is opportunity to catch both shows!

• Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at THE BLACK BOX

With a twist on the Cinderella fairy tale classic, A Glass Slipper Christmas debuts this season at THE BLACK BOX, located at 15 West Central Street in downtown Franklin. Performances are on December 9 and 10 at 7:30 p.m., with a Sunday matinee on December 11 at 2 p.m. The production follows in the tradition of a British panto, a type of show that retells a well-known fairy tale in an exaggerated style filled with audience participation, popular music, slapstick comedy, jokes, dances, and more. Audiences are invited to cheer for the hero, boo at the villain, and sing along with some of their favorite songs. The panto also entertains with double entendre, references to modern culture, and open satire of other works. 

For tickets and more information, visit www.THEBLACKBOXonline.com or www.FPAConline.com or call (508) 528-3370.

• Saturday at the Circle of Friends Coffeehouse

The Circle of Friends Coffeehouse presents a Celtic Christmas Concert on Saturday, December 10th at 8PM featuring Robbie O'Connell and Rose Clancy. Together they create a delightful musical tapestry to celebrate the season.  The music has a distinct Celtic flavor and extends from the little known Kilmore carols of Wexford to the Irish-American vaudeville stage. They explore both the Christian and Pagan traditions surrounding the Winter Solstice in a mixture of songs and instrumental pieces that create a delightful musical tapestry to celebrate the season.

Please call (508)528-2541 or visit http://www.circlefolk.org/ to purchase tickets or for more information.

Franklin's Town Common in light snow

LET'S LAUGH TODAY in Franklin is on Wednesday, December, 7

Trade all your holiday stress for laughter on Wednesday, December 7th from 7:30pm to 8:30pm at he Meetinghouse of the First Universalist Society in Franklin, 262 Chestnut Street, Franklin. 

Come and enjoy this unique exercise of guided laughter exercises combined with gentle breathing that brings more oxygen to the body's cells. This oxygen boost gives enhanced vitality, energy and a feeling of real well-being. Any age and any level of physical ability can participate in this uplifting experience! 

New laughers are always welcomed! $5 donation to the church, $10 maximum per family. Please bring your water bottle because laughing is dehydrating. 


Led by Certified Laughter Yoga Teachers, Linda and Bill Hamaker. www.letslaughtoday.com. 

If you have any questions, just call them at 508-660-2223 or e-mail billandlinda@letslaughtoday.com.

A Celtic Christmas with Robbie O'Connell and Rose Clancy Dec 10

View this email in your browser A Celtic Christmas Celebration featuring Robbie O'Connell and Rose Clancy Dec 10th 8PM $25 The Circle of Friends Coffeehouse presents a Celtic Christmas Concert on Saturday, December 10th at 8PM featuring Robbie O'Connell and Rose Clancy. Together they create a delightful musical tapestry to celebrate the season.  The music has a distinct Celtic flavor and extends from the little known Kilmore carols of Wexford to the Irish-American vaudeville stage. They explore both the Christian and Pagan traditions surrounding the Winter Solstice in a mixture of songs and instrumental pieces that create a delightful musical tapestry to celebrate the season. Robbie O'Connell was born in Waterford, Ireland and grew up in Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary. A nephew of the Clancy Brothers, he began touring with his uncles in 1977 and recorded 3 albums with them. In 1979 he moved to Franklin, Massachusetts. He has also toured extensively with Mick Moloney and Jimmy Keane, and also with Eileen Ivers and Seamus Egan in the Green Fields of America.  In 1992 he appeared at Carnegie Hall with the Clancy Brothers and was also seen by an estimated 500 million people worldwide on the telecast of a live tribute to Bob Dylan at Madison Square Garden, a performance which Rolling Stone magazine described as "breathtaking". http://www.robbieoconnell.com/ Fiddler Rose Clancy was born in New York into a musical family hailing from County Armagh, Ireland, an area immersed in traditional Irish music. Rose's musical career began at an early age performing with her family's musical group, The Clancy Tradition. Rose learned traditional music from her father, Eugene Clancy of the Irish Ramblers, in the "at my father's knee" tradition. The Circle of Friends Coffeehouse is a non-profit organization affiliated with Franklin's First Universalist Society. Concerts are presented in a smoke free and alcohol free environment at the Society's handicapped accessible Meetinghouse, 262 Chestnut St. in Franklin, and begin at 8:00 PM; doors open at 7:30 PM. Beverages and gourmet desserts will be available. Tickets for these shows are $25.  Please call (508)528-2541 or visit http://www.circlefolk.org/ to purchase tickets or for more information. Upcoming Shows Jan 7        Christine Lavin and Don White Jan 28      Peter Mulvey Feb 11     Joe Crookston

Circle of Friends Coffeehouse · First Universalist Society · 262 Chestnut St · Franklin, MA 02038 · USA

Ellis Paul plays on Saturday, Dec 3 http://www.franklinculturaldistrict.org/2016/11/reminder-ellis-paul-at-circle-of.html

Victims of Gravity at 2016 Franklin Cultural Festival (video)

Turning back time (or #TBT) to that Saturday in July when THE BLACK BOX had two stages going for a full day of musical performances.

“Vehicle” covered by Victims of Gravity on the Circle of Friends outdoor stage at THE BLACK BOX for the 2016 Franklin Cultural Festival








For more about the Victims of Gravity
https://www.facebook.com/Victims-of-Gravity-325131732559/

Victims of Gravity (photo by Jake Jacobson)

The 3rd Annual Cultural Festival will be held in Franklin July 26 through July 29, 2017. Subscribe for email updates

Reminder: Ellis Paul at Circle of Friends - Dec 3

The Circle of Friends Coffeehouse hosts Ellis Paul on Saturday, Dec 3. Laurie MacAllister is a special guest and Michele Kelly will open the evening concert.

ELLIS PAUL in concert with special guest Laurie MacAllister of Red Molly and Michele Kelly December 3rd, $25

For additional info and tickets, visit http://circlefolk.org/

A Ballet for The Ages: Growing Up With The Nutcracker

The Nutcracker is a holiday season tradition for countless young dancers whose annual turn in the Christmas fantasy marks a celebrated rite of passage. The chance to take part in the enchanting production, full of pageantry and splendor, engages the starry-eyed child dancer, while more advanced ballerinas relish opportunities to be cast in progressively more challenging roles.

Franklin’s Shaina McGillis, 18, made her Nutcracker debut with the Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) in 2004 at the age of six. A polichinelle coming out from Mother Ginger’s giant hoop skirt, it was her first time performing on stage. Now a senior at Franklin High School and a veteran of 12 FPAC Nutcrackers, Shaina dances her 13th consecutive year in FPAC’s production this season. She has played most of the ballet’s roles, including little mouse, party girl, little Chinese, marzipan, Clara, Chinese demi-soloist, Chinese soloist, kissy doll, soldier doll, Spanish and Arabian corp, Russian, rose flower, Mouse Queen, candy cane soloist, Nutcracker, Spanish soloist, and Dew Drop. 

Franklin's Shaina McGillis is pictured, center, in this 2015 production photo, dancing the role of Dew Drop

“Particularly for students who start dancing The Nutcracker at younger ages, the ballet becomes tradition, a treasured part of their holiday season,” says Director/Choreographer Cheryl Madeux, who formerly danced with the Joffrey Ballet, Hartford Ballet and American Ballet Theatre companies. “As dancers continue to train year after year, they develop the maturity, physically and emotionally, to take on more demanding and age-appropriate roles.”

Shaina’s parts in the ballet’s magical snow scene reflect her progression, dancing first as a snow maiden, then as a snowflake and snow princess, and this year as Snow Queen. “The snow scene is exciting,” she says, “and very cool with the live orchestra. There’s a lot going on, and there are many dancers on stage. The snow can be slippery under point shoes. It’s well rehearsed, but you have to be very aware.”

Cast in multiple roles, Shaina will also dance the parts of Spanish soloist and Dew Drop this season. “It’s great to have the opportunity to grow into it,” she says of Dew Drop and the chance to reprise the coveted role. “It’s more artistically challenging, and it’s tiring physically. The stamina is hard.”

Shaina will be joined on stage by her dad, Jim McGillis, who will perform the role of Clara’s father, Herr Silberhaus. This is Jim’s sixth consecutive year as Party Parent in the festive Christmas Eve scene that opens the ballet’s first act. Jim, who used to coach Shaina in soccer, stepped into his Nutcracker role to share a different experience with his daughter when she stopped playing soccer to focus on her ballet training.

“It’s a real team effort,” says Shaina’s mom, Anne McGillis, noting how the sport and ballet production share a spirit of collaboration. “Jim appreciates the athleticism, too, and the way in which the dancers make what is so physically challenging look so effortless.”

“Everyone has to work together,” she continues, “and Ms. Madeux promotes such a positive attitude among the dancers. They really support each other.”

Shaina adds, “Ms. Madeux expects a lot from us, and that makes us work harder.”

A student in the Ballet Conservatory program at the Franklin School for the Performing Arts (FSPA), where Ms. Madeux is Ballet Director, Shaina also studies jazz, tap and contemporary dance at FSPA. Her training has included summer intensive programs at the Joffrey Ballet in San Francisco, Complexions Contemporary Ballet in New York City, and Ballet West Academy in Salt Lake City. Shaina plans to continue dancing in college and aspires to dance professionally.

Reflecting on her last season in FPAC’s The Nutcracker, she says, “It will be bittersweet. It went by so fast.”

FPAC presents The Nutcracker on Saturday, December 3 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, December 4 at 2 p.m. at the Franklin High School auditorium, 218 Oak Street. With special guest artists, world-class musicians and more than 100 area dancers, the fairytale ballet features Festival Ballet Providence company dancers Vilia Putrius and Mindaugas Bauzys in the roles of the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier and a professional orchestra under the direction of maestro Peter Cokkinias.

“There’s so much excitement around it – the music, the costumes, the choreography – as it all comes together,” Shaina says of the production.

For tickets ($30-$34) and more information, visit www.FPAConline.com or call (508) 528-3370. Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation is FPAC’s 2016 Holiday Sponsor.

Franklin Historical Museum: miniature metal art exhibit closes on Sunday

The current exhibit of metal artwork by Abraham Megerdichian will be closing at the Franklin Historical Museum on Sunday, November 27. 

At 1 PM the same day, Robert Megerdichian will give a new presentation about his father’s life and his art. 

Robert Megerdichian presenting in October when the exhibit opened

Additional information and photos of the exhibit. The pictures do not do justice to the art work of the miniature metal pieces.

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/10/the-box-tagged-in-armenian-these-are.html

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/09/reminder-miniature-metal-artwork.html




The Franklin Historical Museum is open from 10:00AM to 1:00 PM on Saturday, and from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM on Sunday. Admission is free.

For more about the Museum visit them online  http://franklinhistoricalmuseum.org/

Two Original FPAC musicals, A Glass Slipper Christmas and Humbug!, preformed in December

Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) celebrates the holiday season with two original FPAC musicals, A Glass Slipper Christmas and Humbug! The productions are family friendly, festive, and full of fun.

With a twist on the Cinderella fairy tale classic, A Glass Slipper Christmas debuts this season at THE BLACK BOX, located at 15 West Central Street in downtown Franklin. Performances are on December 9 and 10 at 7:30 p.m., with a Sunday matinee on December 11 at 2 p.m. The production follows in the tradition of a British panto, a type of show that retells a well-known fairy tale in an exaggerated style filled with audience participation, popular music, slapstick comedy, jokes, dances, and more. Audiences are invited to cheer for the hero, boo at the villain, and sing along with some of their favorite songs. The panto also entertains with double entendre, references to modern culture, and open satire of other works.

FPAC’s original holiday musical, Humbug!, is a contemporary
adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.

FPAC’s large-cast holiday musical, Humbug!, will be presented on Saturday, December 17 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, December 18 at 2 p.m. at the Franklin High School auditorium, located at 218 Oak Street. A family favorite since debuting as part of the company’s 2008 season, Humbug! is an original musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. With music hits of every genre and live accompaniment by a 10-piece band of professional musicians, Humbug! transports audiences from Dickensian England to contemporary America as the novel’s iconic characters and storyline are cleverly reimagined with modern setting and dialogue. Humbug! stars the script’s writer, Nick Paone, as Ebenezer Scrooge.

Founded in 1991, FPAC presents the holiday musicals as part of the company’s 26th season. With a focus on youth development and a commitment to live music, the nonprofit FPAC supports educational arts experiences, quality entertainment, and outstanding performance opportunities for professional artists, community performers, and students of the arts. Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation is FPAC’s 2016 Holiday Sponsor. 

For tickets and more information, visit www.THEBLACKBOXonline.com or www.FPAConline.com or call (508) 528-3370.

Jim Henry along with Stephanie Marshall and Susan Cattaneo of The Boxcar Lilies at 2016 Franklin Cultural Festival (video)

Turning back time (or #TBT) to that Saturday in July when THE BLACK BOX had two stages going for a full day of musical performances.

"Till the Siren Blows Again" performed by Jim Henry along with Stephanie Marshall and Susan Cattaneo of The Boxcar Lilies on the Circle of Friends outdoor stage at THE BLACK BOX for the 2016 Franklin Cultural Festival

Jim Henry along with Stephanie Marshall and Susan Cattaneo of The Boxcar Lilies

Jim Henry http://www.jimhenry.net/

Stephanie Marshall and Susan Cattaneo of The Boxcar Lilies http://www.boxcarlilies.com/


The 3rd Annual Cultural Festival will be held in Franklin July 26 through July 29, 2017. Subscribe for email updates

Circle of Friends Coffeehouse: Ellis Paul in concert December 3

View this email in your browser ELLIS PAUL in concert with special guest Laurie MacAllister of Red Molly and Michele Kelly December 3rd, $25 Ellis Paul returns to the Circle of Friends Coffeehouse on Saturday, December 3rd.  Ellis is one of the most significant stars in the modern history of folk music. He is a critically-acclaimed singer, songwriter, poet, and troubadour originally hailing from a potato farming family in northern Maine. He is the recipient of fifteen Boston Music Awards, second only to multi-platinum act, Aerosmith. Over the course of twenty years, Ellis Paul has built a vast catalog of music which weds striking poetic imagery and philosophical introspection with hook-laden melodies. He has bridged the gulf between the modern folk sound and the populist traditions of Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger more successfully than perhaps any of his songwriting peers. www.ellispaul.com His music has been shared with a wider audience as well, through commercials, documentaries, TV shows and in the soundtracks of several blockbuster films, among them three by the Farrelly Brothers -- "Hall Pass" (starring Owen Wilson and Alyssa Milano), "Me, Myself, & Irene" (starring Jim Carrey) and "Shallow Hal" (starring Jack Black and Gwyneth Paltrow). Peter Farrelly summed up the sentiments of all those who have come to know and appreciate Paul's music by referring to him as "a national treasure." "Ellis Paul is a master storyteller. He combines the sensibilities of Bob Dylan and Bill Morrissey and delivers it with a passion that sets him apart in the company of a new breed of songwriters." - Performing Songwriter Magazine "Despite his success and sense of history, Mr. Paul remains an artist with his eye on the future and an interest in discovering the transformative potential in his music." - The New York Times Ellis will be joined at this very special show by Laurie MacAllister of Red Molly. Her voice has a richness, range and pureness that sets her apart from her contemporaries. http://www.redmolly.com/ Local favorite Michele Kelly of Dear Prudence will open the show. The Circle of Friends Coffeehouse is a non-profit organization affiliated with Franklin's First Universalist Society. Concerts are presented in a smoke free and alcohol free environment at the Society's handicapped accessible Meetinghouse, 262 Chestnut St. in Franklin, and begin at 8:00 PM; doors open at 7:30 PM. Beverages and gourmet desserts will be available. Admission is $25. Please call (508)528-2541 or visit http://www.circlefolk.org/ to purchase tickets or for more information.  Upcoming Shows Dec 10      A Celtic Christmas with Robbie O'Connell and Rose Clancy Jan 7        Christine Lavin and Don White Jan 28      Peter Mulvey

Circle of Friends Coffeehouse · First Universalist Society · 262 Chestnut St · Franklin, MA 02038 · USA

The Nutcracker - "a journey full of surprises and wonder"

The Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) proudly presents The Nutcracker, bringing special guest artists, a 27-piece orchestra, and more than 100 area dancers to one suburban stage. FPAC invites audiences to fall under Drosselmeyer’s dreamy spell and join Clara and her Nutcracker Prince on a journey full of surprises and wonder. 

A popular holiday tradition for more than two decades, The Nutcracker remains a highly anticipated and treasured part of the FPAC season. Set to Tchaikovsky’s beloved score, the timeless ballet delights the imaginations of audiences young and old with festive magic and colorful splendor. FPAC presents The Nutcracker on Saturday, December 3 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, December 4 at 2 p.m. at the Franklin High School auditorium, 218 Oak Street, in Franklin. 

Snow Queen

The production features a professional orchestra under the direction of Peter Cokkinias, who celebrates his 13th year as music director/conductor of FPAC’s Nutcracker orchestra. Guest artists Vilia Putrius and Mindaugas Bauzys, company dancers with Festival Ballet Providence, will perform the roles of the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier. Rosario Guillen, a student of the Boston Conservatory at Berklee, will dance the part of the Nutcracker/Prince, with Aaron Andrade of Lincoln, Rhode Island, playing the role of Dr. Drosselmeyer. A choir will sing the ethereal choral parts that accompany the enchanting Snow Scene that closes the ballet’s first act.

FPAC’s The Nutcracker also showcases the talents of scores of area students, ages 6 and older, from many regional communities and local dance schools. Performers cast in featured roles include Mia Antunovic of North Attleboro as Clara (Saturday) and Kissy Doll (Sunday); Alli Tomsik of Medway as Clara (Sunday) and Kissy Doll (Saturday); Ty Gavin of Bridgewater as Fritz; Shaina McGillis of Franklin as Dew Drop (Saturday), Snow Queen (Sunday) and Spanish Soloist (Sunday); Sarah Strock of Holliston as Snow Queen (Saturday), Spanish Soloist (Saturday) and Candy Cane Soloist (Sunday); Lauren Szczepanowski of Franklin as Mouse Queen, Candy Cane Soloist (Saturday) and Dew Drop (Sunday); Haley Desjarlais of Medway as Arabian Soloist; Naomi Fitzgerald of Walpole as Harlequin (Saturday) and Marzipan Soloist; Alex Beckman of Northbridge as Harlequin (Sunday) and Marzipan Soloist; Mairead Nee of Walpole as Chinese Soloist (Sunday); Emma Nicholson of Franklin as Soldier Doll; and Julia Kimball of Canton as Soldier Doll.

FPAC’s The Nutcracker is choreographed and directed by Cheryl Madeux, who formerly danced with the Joffrey Ballet, Hartford Ballet and American Ballet Theatre companies. Additional choreography is by Casey Harkness Andrade and Clyde Nantais. Marina Van Winkle is rehearsal assistant for Cherubs and Marzipan Corp.

Founded in 1991, the nonprofit FPAC supports educational arts experiences, quality entertainment and outstanding performance opportunities for professional artists, community performers and students of the arts. With a focus on youth development and a commitment to live music, FPAC celebrates its 26th season. Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation is FPAC’s Holiday Performance Sponsor. Tickets are $30-$34. For tickets and more information, visit www.THEBLACKBOXonline.com or www.FPAConline.com or call (508) 528-3370.

3 Performance choices today in Franklin

Dean College is performing "Into the Woods" at 2:00 PM and 7:30PM

• ticket information 

Circle of Friends Coffeehouse features The Kennedys with Nalani and Sarina at 8:00 PM

• ticket information

THE BLACK BOX features Beth Leavel at 8:00 PM

• ticket information

 
 

Performance choices today in Franklin

Heath Nisbett at 2016 Franklin Cultural Festival (video)

Turning back time (or #TBT) to that Saturday in July when THE BLACK BOX had two stages going for a full day of musical performances.

Here is a sample of the performance by Heath Nisbett on the indoor stage at THE BLACK BOX

Heath Nisbett (photo by Jake Jacobson)

For more about Heath, visit his profile online
http://network.online.berklee.edu/public_profile/heathn



The 3rd Annual Cultural Festival will be held in Franklin July 26 through July 29, 2017. Subscribe for email updates