Month: July 2024

Wide Open…

a juried exhibition of recent work by 43 artists from 7 states.

Opening Reception: Sunday, July 14, 5-7 PM
Dates:  July 11- August 25 

Cultural Center at Rocky Neck, 6 Wonson St., Gloucester,  MA
Gallery Hours: Thursday 12-7 PM;  Friday-Sunday, 12-5 PM

Humor in art serves many purposes – as a light moment in dark times, as a commentary to illuminate or challenge, or simply as a small treat, a bit of candy.  Employing a rich variety of media and techniques, including painting, photography, sculpture, installation and stop motion animation, these artists poke fun, elicit cheap laughs, and expose truths.  Popular culture icons, the animal kingdom, contemporary social issues, and the human condition are all fair game. Come, figure out what’s so funny, and laugh with us.

About the juror: Colleene Fesko is a Boston-based fine art and antiques appraiser and broker specializing in 19^th through 21^st century American and European paintings, prints, works on paper, and sculpture. Her experience includes serving as a consultant with Christie’s American Painting Department, and two decades at Skinner Auction of Boston.  

The public is invited to celebrate What’s So Funny at the Opening Reception on Sunday, July 14, 2024, 5-7 PM.  View the art, meet the artists and enjoy light refreshments, beverages and ever-lively conversation. 

Exhibiting Artists:

John Bassett, Jennifer Blesso, Katie Bull, Mike Cangemi, Betsy Carter, Katherine Coakley, Yhanna Coffin, Michael Costello, Debra Damon, Andrew Dixon, Cheryl Dyment, Liz Sibley Fletcher, Rebecca Flores-Mantilla, Seth Goldfine, Laura Green, Blyth Hazen, Kata Hull, Emily Lombardo, Brendan MacAllister, Andy Matlow, Judith-Grace Miller, Evan Morse, Judi Muscara-Orfanos, Greg Orfanos, R.Ellis Orrall, Sarah Marcella Parella, Christy Park, Jennifer Pinck, Jonathan Pinto, Howard Pohl, Dennis Poitras, Hans Pundt, Judy Robinson-Cox, Tom Robinson-Cox, Mia Rosenblatt Tinkjian, Lynn Sausele, Andrew Steinberg, Dana Telsrow, Suzanne Ulrich, Jake Ursino, Karen Watson, Christine Whalen-Waller, James Wickey.

Related Events:  “Laughs from the Past” Movie Night, August 3 at 8 PM, The Cultural Center at Rocky Neck.

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The Rocky Neck Art Colony (RNAC), a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization, nurtures excellence in the arts through exhibitions, workshops, residencies and vibrant cultural events for its members and the public. On picturesque Rocky Neck in Gloucester, Massachusetts, RNAC operates three exhibition  spaces, open to the public for free, The Cultural Center at Rocky Neck (6 Wonson Street); The Salted Cod Arthouse (53 Rocky Neck Ave.), a partnership gallery and café; and Cove Gallery (37 Rocky Neck Ave.), open seasonally in the former gallery of local artists Gordon and Judith Goetemann. Check the website, www.rockyneckartcolony.org, for hours, openings and special events. For more information, see the website or call 978-515-7004

Kids Eat Free 

Every Wednesday

Dine in only, with adult entree

We are open July 3rd! Join us for dinner!!!

Machaca Tacos & Tequila

14 Rogers St Gloucester, MA

You know that band everyone was talking about that crushed fiesta Thursday? They didn’t take a break and played 3 straight hours and packed the place? It was these guys right here! And they’re back for July 3rd, 9-12am! @alexanthonyband let’s gooooooo

The Oars

JULY 1, 2024 ~ THE CUT LIVE ~ 

It’s 4th of July Week and while we’ll be taking a little time to unwind, we also have a couple FANTASTIC shows in store!!

Wednesday: The Fishtown Horribles Parade will be passing by our doorstep right at the corner of Main Street and Pleasant Street around 7pm (the parade runs on a schedule all its own, so this is our best guess). Make a reservation for dinner and step outside to watch the parade go by! We have a huge bar and the red, white and blue drinks will be flowing!
Friday: The Marc Sandman Memorial Concert – Gone 25 Years, But Not Forgotten. Show at 8:30pm. There are a VERY limited number of tickets left to this show. Music: Rock, Funk, Indie
Saturday: Heavy Metal Horns. Doors at 7:00pm. Show at 8:00pm. There are still some tickets available for this show. Music: Blues, Pop, Rock, Funk, Soul.

MARC SANDMAN TICKETS

HEAVY METAL HORNS TICKETS

WE HAVE NEW SUMMER HOURS: WEDNESDAY – SUNDAY | 4PM – 12AM

WE WILL BE CLOSED ON THURSDAY, JULY 4TH

THE CUT | 177 Main Street | Gloucester, MA

Visit Our Website

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This Week at The Cut!

My Margarita Monday post got away from me in the Fiesta chaos, so here you go just one day late (but–Tequila Tuesday!). We stopped by the Hideaway on Bearskin Neck in Rockport for our most recent Margarita Monday stop. This lovely little respite is relatively new and is located behind the Bearskin Neck Motor Lodge. It’s a nice escape from the bustle of Bearskin Neck in the summertime. Light snacks are available as well as libations. It’s a window service / seat yourself kind of location…very low key. It’s also quite a pretty view. Give a try next time you are down there.

JUNE 30, 2024 ~ SAWYER FREE LIBRARY ~ 

Summer fun officially kicks off on Tuesday, July 9, at 10:00 am with an interactive live animal presentation by Wildlife Encounters Ecology Center 

School is out, and summer has officially begun! To celebrate, Sawyer Free Library is launching an exciting calendar of free events and programs to inspire, educate, and entertain people of all ages.

This summer’s reading program, titled “2024: Read, Renew, Repeat,” offers a diverse and enriching experience for the entire community. By focusing on conservation, the Sawyer Free Library encourages participants of all ages to discover the joy and power of reading while developing a sense of environmental consciousness. Through engaging activities, interactive workshops, reading challenges, and more, participants will learn about the critical role of conservation in maintaining the health and vitality of our planet.

“At Sawyer Free Library, we believe that reading can inspire change and foster a deeper understanding of the world around us,” said Sawyer Free Library Director Jenny Benedict. “Our summer reading program promotes learning and educates participants of all ages about the importance of conservation and the actions we can take to protect our natural environment – right in our own neighborhoods and backyards.”

The Library’s innovative incentives and activities encourage kids and teens to stay active and read for fun, helping them avoid the summer slide, where critical skills learned during the school year are lost over the summer. To get started, young people and their families can pick up their Summer Reading Information and Activity Logs at the Library, which includes program information, the event calendar, and a reading log. Children can track their summer reading with their “Read, Renew, Repeat” time-tracking reading logs. Register from now until August 1, and read (or be read to) for at least 500 minutes throughout the summer to earn prizes, including tickets to the Topsfield Fair. Registration is available in person or online.

Summer fun at Sawyer Free Library for children and families officially kicks off on Tuesday, July 9, at 10:00 am with an interactive live animal presentation by Wildlife Encounters Ecology Center taking place at Captain Lester S. Wass American Legion Post 3 located at 8 Washington Street. During this event, attendees will meet some of the world’s most amazing animals and learn about their habitats, adaptations, environmental roles, and how we can all help the animals with whom we share this planet.

Younger library-goers will move and groove during “Love Our Planet Earth” musical story time with Ruthanne Paulson on Friday, July 26, and August 23. Throughout the summer on Thursday mornings, they can play with soil while sharing stories and gardening with Backyard Growers in the Library’s raised gardens.

Children and their families will be wowed by the environmental-themed magic show EcoMagic with Mike Bent’s Abrakidabra on July 19. They can then learn about the snakes of New England with the Cape Ann Vernal Pond Team on Saturday, August 10, and explore soil and decomposers using a worm bin with the MA Horticulture Society Plantmobile on August 24 as part of their award-winning traveling science program.

Elementary and early middle school aged students are invited to unleash their creativity with local paper artist and teacher Katherine Morrison in a bookmaking workshop on July 12. All materials will be provided for his hands on and creative program. 

The Library will also host fun local field trips for children and their caregivers, including visits to Maritime Gloucester on July 29 and Hammond Castle on Tuesday, August 13. And everyone is invited to a midsummer celebratory outdoor concert featuring the energetic and interactive band “Ants on a Log” in collaboration with Manchester-by-the-Sea and Rockport Public Libraries on Monday, August 5, at Maconomo Park in Manchester.

It is a busy summer for tweens and teens at the Sawyer Free Library, too. Students entering grades 6-12 can track their “Summer Reading and eco-friendly actions” on the Library’s Summer Reading Bingo Board, which is available on the Library’s website. They can also earn raffle tickets for every book they read to qualify for cool prizes, including an Instax Mini 9 Instant Camera.

Middle and high schoolers are encouraged to check out the Library’s full summer schedule of weekly programs, including “Unlocking Your Musical Journey: A Songwriting Workshop” with award-winning singer-songwriter Briana Cash on July 11, and Reverse Glass Painting with Pop-Up Art School on July 16. There will be two Dungeons and Dragons meet-ups on July 23 and August 7, a Teen Bowling Night on July 9, an Ice Cream Float Party on July 25, Henna Temporary Tattoos for Teens and Tweens on Thursday, August 1, and a Teen Board Game Night on August 7.

SFL also knows that summer reading is for everybody, whether you read at the beach or on your commute to work, so adults can join the fun by rating the books they read this summer to win prizes. Fill out the Summer Reading Book Rating form, which is available online or at the Library. For each book rated, you earn entry into a raffle for a $25, $50, or $75 Cape Ann Gift Certificate. 

In addition to the myriad of resources and programs the Library offers adults—weekly device advice assistance, job search help, historical resource assistance, and more—there will also be summer-themed special programs and reading lists available, from local author talks and community creations programming to art and gardening workshops, and much more. Plus, library cardholders can use their library card to book free or discounted passes to many local cultural attractions.

Thanks to the generous support of the Massachusetts Library System, the Boston Bruins, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, and the Gloucester Cultural Council, a local agency supported by the Mass Cultural Council, program participation is free. Registration is now open for all children, teens, and adult programs.

Sawyer Free Library’s summer operating hours at 21 Main Street are Monday and Wednesday from 8 am to 6 pm, Tuesday from 8 am to 6:15 pm, Thursday from 10 am to 7 pm, Friday from 10 am to 5 pm, and Saturday from 10 am to 1 pm, and 24/7 online at sawyerfreelibrary.org.

For more information about “Summer at the Sawyer Free Library” and to register for programs, visit sawyerfreelibrary.org or call 978-325-5500.

Sawyer Free Library Launches Summer Reading Program “2024: Read, Renew, Repeat” 

Comfortable, Hides Your Belly, Accentuates Your Arms This Is A Steal At $35

Link to purchase- https://gloucesterapparel.square.site/product/lightweight-performance-cocktail-short-sleeve-polo/59

Check out this forecast from Cape Ann Weatherman

https://www.lobstercraterace.com/

A quick break from the Gloucester celebrations between St Peter’s Fiesta and July Fourth.

Submitted by Juni Van Dyke

First photo shows detail of “The Fort”. by Pauline Dion.

Second photo shows detail of “Portuguese Hill” by Judy Menicocci, Gerri Lovasco,

Ida Spinola, Jenny Parisi, Ed Hanson, Conni Troisi, Ross Means., and Lois Stillman.

Both are part of a collection of seventeen large quilts honoring the many Gloucester neighborhoods and were created by over forty Gloucester Citizens under the guidance of Juni VanDyke.

The collection of quilts resides in the permanent collection of The Cape Ann Museum.

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A post shared by WCVB News Center 5 (@wcvb5)

Swooping In…

World Premier of playwright Aurora Real de Asua’s breakout new comedy at Gloucester Stage from July 5 – 28

Gloucester Stage Company is thrilled to announce the next production in its 2024 season, WIPEOUT by Aurora Real de Asua. As part of its rolling world premiere through the National New Play Network, this breakout new play will run at Gloucester Stage from Friday, July 5 to Sunday, July 28.

Directed by the talented Shana Gozanskyº and starring Karen MacDonald (Gary), Cheryl D. Singleton (Claudia), Noelle Player (Wynn), and Thomas Bilotta (Blaze), WIPEOUT follows the story of Gary, who desires one thing for her seventy-seventh birthday: to go surfing. The only hiccup? She’s never touched the water. But with the assistance of a spirited teenage surf instructor and her two best friends, Gary is poised to conquer the unknown. Set on surfboards against the backdrop of the Pacific Ocean, WIPEOUT is a poignant comedy about friendship and the unpredictable tides of life.

“As a young surfer, I’d be paddling hard, getting ready to catch my wave, only to find a blissed-out grandmother already hanging ten. That’s what I love most about surfing. Anybody – any body – can do it. The ocean is our great equalizer,” said playwright Aurora Real de Asua. “It has a way of revealing the truth, of disintegrating the boundaries we place around ourselves and each other. This play is my love letter to the joys of surfing, the power of the ocean, and the tenacity of female friendship.”

“We are honored to be a part of the National New Play Network’s Rolling World Premiere, partnering with Rivendell Theatre in Chicago, IL, and B Street Theatre in Sacramento, CA,” shared Gloucester Stage’s Artistic Director, Rebecca Bradshaw. “What is special about this collaboration is that each company has had a different director, design team, and cast – but have all worked from the same text. Aurora worked with each ensemble to hone the script and find nuances between each audience and performance. She will join us in Gloucester for the final leg with tools and lessons she’s learned along the way – what a gift! We are grateful for a process like this as it underscores our commitment to supporting playwrights and fostering new works.”

WIPEOUT has already garnered great attention. It was workshopped at prestigious venues, including Manhattan Theatre Club and Williamstown Theatre Festival, before arriving on Gloucester Stage’s shore.

“I feel quite lucky to be the last production in this rolling premiere. Aurora has learned so much from her other collaborators, including the generous audiences who have attended performances and readings. I’m so grateful for Aurora’s endless curiosity and openness about how to design a play that takes place in the ocean. I am excited to share what we’re creating,” shared the production’s Director, Shana Gozansky. “At its core, this play celebrates living and all the wisdom from our experiences – no matter a person’s age. It’s one of those plays that feels like a privilege to be a part of, and I hope audiences feel the same after seeing our production.”

WIPEOUT‘s creative team includes Jenna McFarland Lord (scenic design), Jen Greeke (Costume Design), Kat Zhou (lighting design), Aubrey Dube (sound design), and Carolyn Ferris (prop design).

WIPEOUT will run from Friday, July 5, through Sunday, July 28. All performances, unless noted, are Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 pm, Friday and Saturday at 8:00 pm, and Saturday and Sunday at 3:00 pm at Gloucester Stage Company, located at 267 East Main Street, Gloucester. Tickets are now on sale and available at GloucesterStage.com.

The 2024 Season at Gloucester Stage has been made possible by the Shubert Foundation. WIPEOUT is made possible in part by Suzanna Natti and Alan Willsky.

PERFORMANCE TIMES AND LOCATIONS:  Unless noted, all performances are Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 pm, Friday and Saturday at 8:00 pm, and Saturday and Sunday at 3:00 pm at Gloucester Stage Company, located at 267 East Main Street, Gloucester.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW: Tickets to the Gloucester Stage 2023 season are on sale now. Single Ticket prices range from $15 to $67, with discounts available for seniors, military families, college students, youth under 18, young professionals under 35, Card to Culture (E.B.T. and W.I.C.), and Cape Ann residents. For detailed ticket information, visit http://www.gloucesterstage.com.

Season Packages start at $200 for four tickets for any mainstage performance and include early access to seating, no fees, and free ticket exchanges. Packages can be purchased or renewed by calling the Box Office at 978.281.4433 or visiting gloucesterstage.com/subscribe.

For additional information, contact the Box Office at 978.281.4433 or boxoffice@gloucesterstage.com. Located at 267 East Main Street, Gloucester, the Box Office is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 am to 5 pm.

ºStage Directors and Choreographers Society (S.D.C.) Union Member     *Actors Equity Association (A.E.A.) Union Member