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“The Minutes” @ The Umbrella

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photo credit: Jim Sabitus

“Intensely compelling…one of the best shows this season. [I]ngeniously staged by Edmiston…THE MINUTES is an allegorical masterpiece by Letts and one which would have probably made Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling proud…or jealous that he did not write it himself.” – Kevin T. Baldwin, METRMAG

The Umbrella Arts Center is proud to present the Greater Boston premiere of The Minutes by award-winning playwright Tracy Letts (August: Osage County), called one of the most thrilling on Broadway in recent years. Nominated as Best New Play by the Tony Awards and Outer Critics Circle in 2022, and for the Pulitzer Prize in drama, The Minutes is part biting comedy, part Hitchcockian mystery, and at its dark heart an unflinching allegory about small-town politics and real-world power.

This new production is helmed by Scott Edmiston, three-time Norton-winning director, hailed as “one of Boston’s finest directors” by the Boston Globe, who calls Letts’ play “completely original and outrageous…both funny and dark, located somewhere between The Office and The Twilight Zone. It’s brilliant in the way that it uses comedy to dramatize some serious issues facing our country today. It takes a hard look at the growing movement to deny or rewrite some of the unpleasant truths about America’s past. What are some of the myths about ourselves and our nation that we find hard to admit — and why?”

LIVING CONCORD SPECIAL

  • Thursday, March 14, 2024 Performance Only – Use this Living Concord Link to save 10% on tickets with special code “LIV01742”. This performance will also feature a special post-show talkback with members of the Concord DEI and Concord 250 committees discussing local topics surrounding historical interpretation and how it relates to themes in the play.

SPECIAL ENGAGEMENTS

  • Sunday, March 10, 2024 3:00PM – Kid-Care Performance* – The Umbrella is pleased to offer a Kid-Care Show Program, giving parents and caregivers an opportunity to attend select performances while their child(ren) engage in art activities inspired by the production. This program aims to provide better access to arts and culture events and create a shared experience opportunity for families. Spaces are limited and can be reserved alongside ticket purchases.
  • #DinnerAndAShow Thursday Night Out Packages! Thursdays in Concord are now a fun and easy entertainment Date Night thanks to optional pre-show dinners here at The Umbrella provided by Nosh restaurant and the Concord Market! Coming straight from work? Park free at The Umbrella, then take a load off and enjoy a delicious catered dinner, pick up beverage at concessions, and explore our free art galleries at your ease until it’s time for curtain! Details on our chef-planned menus for The Minutes coming soon!

 

Films at the Umbrella, Curated by Concord Film Project

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Enjoy the best of classic, independent, and foreign films curated by The Concord Film Project. The film series returns on Sunday, March 26 at 4pm with the first opportunity for Kid Care – read more about that below.

Concord Film Project | Sunday, March 26 at 4pm

Given is the simple yet powerfully contemplative story of a unique family legacy come full circle. Told through the visceral experience of a 6 yr. old, Given follows legendary surfers Aamion and Daize Goodwin from their island home of Kauai through 15 different countries in the quest for surf and to fulfill a calling handed down through generations. Set in wave after wave of stunningly visual earthscapes, Given blooms into a tender yet stirring exploration of a young boy’s understanding of life through his familial bonds and their reverence for nature. Deeply moving, Given offers us the humbling contrast of a small voice voyaging through a big world as it finds its way home again.

Directed by Jess Bianchi | Not Rated

Runtime 72 minutes

Doors open at 3:00pm for food and drink;  Kid Care activities become available at 3:30pm | Film starts at 4:00pm

Film tickets are $10.

ABOUT KID CARE SHOWS

The Kid Care Show childcare program for students ages 5-12, gives parents the opportunity to watch a film while their child(ren) engage in art activities inspired by the film. This program will occur in Room 222 and pre-registration is required. Drop-Off will occur 30 minutes before the start of the film/performance. During drop-off parents will select a snack & drink option for their child(ren) to enjoy during the program. If your child(ren) has any allergies or behavioral notes, please inform the teacher during drop-off. Pick-up will occur directly following the conclusion of the film/performance.

 

Dinner option is an additional $21. Additional concessions available for purchase. This month’s dinner is from Saltbox.

ABOUT KID CARE SHOWS

The Kid Care Show childcare program for students ages 5-12, gives parents the opportunity to watch a film while their child(ren) engage in art activities inspired by the film. This program will occur in Room 222 and pre-registration is required. Drop-Off will occur 30 minutes before the start of the film/performance. During drop-off parents will select a snack & drink option for their child(ren) to enjoy during the program. If your child(ren) has any allergies or behavioral notes, please inform the teacher during drop-off. Pick-up will occur directly following the conclusion of the film/performance.

Link for tickets/meals/Kid Care

An Evening with Laura Benanti at Umbrella Arts!

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MARCH 10 & 11 at 7:30PM

“Broadway wunderkind Laura Benanti isn’t just a smashing vocalist; the woman is a comic genius…See her in any way you can!”

– Kevin Taft, EDGE Media

The “glamorously witty” (Associated Press) Tony® Award-winner and five-time Tony® Award nominee joins The Umbrella in an intimate concert performance — two nights only!

Want to know more about the Broadway star? Check out the links below!

  • See Laura’s recent interview on Good Morning America about her role on the new hit Amy Schumer series, Life and Beth, the challenges of motherhood, and how her relationship with her daughter has inspired her.
  • Get a sneak peek of Laura singing in this music video for, “Wives and Lovers”, off her solo album. The proceeds from this music video go to the wonderful organization Birth Queen, educating, supporting, and empowering Black women, parents and birthing people, enriching the Black birth experience and saving lives!

LEARN ABOUT LAURA:

Hailed by The New York Times for her “effortless” vocals, and by the New York Post for her ability to “whip up laughs out of thin air,” Laura Benanti is a highly celebrated stage and screen actress.

Ms. Benanti has an impressive television roster including Hulu’s Life & Beth, created by and starring Amy Schumer, the hit series Younger, HBO Max’s Gossip Girl reboot, and the upcoming second season of HBO Max’s The Gilded Age. Other television credits include guest starring roles on Cinema Toast, created by Jeff Baena and produced by the Duplass Brothers, ZIWE featuring comedian Ziwe Fumudoh, both for Showtime, as well as Inside Amy Schumer on Paramount+ (among many others. Benanti has also made widely acclaimed appearances on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert as Melania Trump.

In film, Benanti starred in Netflix’s Worth opposite Michael Keaton, Stanley Tucci and Amy Ryan, Here Today opposite Billy Crystal and Tiffany Haddish, and was featured in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tick,Tick…Boom!

In the theater, Ms. Benanti took Broadway by storm at the age of 18 as Maria in The Sound of Music and has subsequently starred in ten more Broadway shows (musicals, straight plays, comedies and dramas) including Into the Woods, Nine (opposite Antonio Banderas), Gypsy (for which she won a Tony Award), She Loves Me, My Fair Lady, and Steve Martin’s Meteor Shower opposite Amy Schumer and Keegan Michael Key.

Additionally, Benanti co-authored a comedic board book for mothers entitled M is for MAMA (and also Merlot): A Modern Mom’s ABCs, co-written with Metropolitan Opera Star Kate Mangiamelli, and created and executive produced the HBO Max special Homeschool Musical: Class of 2020 based on her viral social media movement: #sunshinesongs. Benanti released a self-titled audio album for Sony Music Masterworks and tours the world performing solo concerts alongside highly celebrated musicians and orchestras.

Ms. Benanti is currently filming the Sony Pictures comedy No Hard Feelings opposite Jennifer Lawrence and Matthew Broderick, as well as The Shade based on the award-winning short of the same name.

“You can’t pin Laura Benanti down. Her shape-shifting sense of humor is immediately enchanting, but it turns out to be her secret weapon. She can feel like a goofy sister and then you blink and she’s breaking your heart. She’s dry and deadpan and then she’s full-throat laughing at something sad that happened to her. It’s disarming in the best way and the key to unlocking her talent. Her many facets keep the ground shifting and keep us from putting her in a box. It’s what makes her a great actor. By constantly surprising, she makes it seem like she can do anything.”

– Exeunt NYC, Review of Laura Benanti at Feinstein’s/54 Below

 

Spotlight on Ceramics Artist in Residence, Katie Bosley Sabin

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The Umbrella is pleased to welcome our new Ceramics Artist in Residence, Katie Bosley Sabin! Katie is a talented ceramicist who earned her MFA in Ceramics from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln and has previously been a resident at the Archie Bray in Helena, MT, Mudflat Studios in Boston, MA, and Northern Clay Center in Minneapolis, MN.

Sabin specializes in crafting porcelain vessels that combine dynamic forms and dimensional surfaces to create a captivating presence. In her residency, she plans to test mid-range clay and glaze recipes and transition to a lower firing temperature to allow more freedom in the range of objects she can make. Join us for Katie’s artist talk on February 3 at 4pm to learn more about her background and her career as an artist and educator.

Go to Katie Bosley Sabin’s profile to learn more about her work and Ceramics Artist residency!

“Lost & Found” Exhibition Opening Reception and Juror’s Talk at The Umbrella Arts Center

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On view in The Umbrella Main Gallery, Lost and Found is a group art exhibition that presents a diverse array of artists transforming found objects into artworks. To celebrate the opening of this exhibition, a Juror Talk and Artists Reception will be held Sunday, December 11, 4PM, FREE and open to the public.

Juror Jessica Straus calls the exhibition “a praise-song to the ordinary. Lifted out of the continuum of daily life these objects have come to represent the complexities and richness of the human condition. Ranging from whimsical to haunting, the 3D artworks in this collection examine our relationships with familiar, unfamiliar and defamiliarized things, and beg the question…might objects have souls?

“The artist’s love affair with found objects may have begun a few hundred years ago with the ‘Wunderkammer’,” Straus posits. “In these Cabinets of Curiosities, beautiful, soulful objects were amassed and lovingly arranged in a way that elevated their status” and gave them new life. Inspired by how fine artists of the early 1900s such as Picasso, Schwitters and Duchamp could incorporate objects physically within works of art, Straus is interested in an artist’s sensation of an object “beckoning to them; asking to be used and even rescued.”

It’s that allure or “pull” that marks the artworks in Lost and Found, and the sense the artists have a deep connection to the object, and are helping it tell its story.

The impressive lineup of artists – many of whom are widely exhibited members of the NE Sculptors Guild – include Christopher Abrams, John Anderson, Lisa Barthelson, David L. Black, Linda Bond, Jessica Burko, Laura White Carpenter, Jeanne Ciravolo, Merill Comeau, Thomas A.D. Cornell, Daniela DesLauriers, Russell Dupont, Yvonne C. Espinoza, Laura Evans, Audrey Goldstein, Nicholas M. Goodhue, Jared Green, Peter Decamp Haines, Joe Hedges, Shira Karman, Cynthia Katz, Lisa Kellner, Michelle Lougee, Billy T. Lyons, Steve Novick, Jeanne Williamson Ostroff, Ponnapa Prakkamakul, Abbie Read, Emily Rose, Robert Rovenolt, Marilu Swett, Caron Tabb, Martha Wakefield, Leslie Wilcox and Carolyn Wirth.

The exhibition is on view through December 30, 2022 at The Umbrella Arts Center at 40 Stow Street in Concord Center.  Gallery hours are 10AM-9PM, 7 days a week.

See TheUmbrellaArts.org/Lost-and-Found

Go Out Doors – Neighbors

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“Go Out Doors” inspires discovery and exploration of outdoors spaces and trails, and the intersection/action of place, community, spirit, and nature.

“Go Out Doors” is an expansive and evolving regional public art campaign that promotes healthy outdoors activity, environmental appreciation, and inter-town regional tourism throughout Greater Boston and Metrowest.

Inspired by the En Plein Air exhibition on NYC’s High Line, Go Out Doors – Neighbors builds upon and extends The Umbrella Arts Center’s summer 2020 installation of artfully upcycled doors originally commissioned for the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail in West Concord’s Cultural District. The exhibition intended to encourage a reconnection to nature for communities then emerging from COVID-19 isolation, at-home schooling, and telecommuting. Gorgeously decorated, recycled doors crafted by regional artists became surprising waypoints of delight while traveling bike paths and walking trails. Some emphasize local wildlife and environmental themes; others are fun and whimsical, stressing exercise and companionship.

Go Out Doors – Neighbors projects have continued to spread, with new art doors installed or planned in Northborough, Carlisle, Westford, Concord, Arlington, Lexington, Medford, Groton, Minute Man National Historical Park, and eight villages in Newton including Auburndale; Newton Centre; Newton Highlands, Newton Upper Falls, Newtonville, Nonantum, Waban and West Newton. For a non-exhaustive, interactive Google map of past, current and upcoming artdoor installations, click the map shown here.

 

+ GOOGLE CALENDAR+ ICAL EXPORT

Details

Date:
June 23
Event Tags:
, 
Website:
https://theumbrellaarts.org/go-out-doors-neighbors-2021

Organizer

The Umbrella Arts
Phone:
978-371-0820
Email:
info@theumbrellaarts.org
Website:
https://theumbrellaarts.org/

Venue

Concord, MA 01742 United States + Google Map

Umbrella Presents “The Old Man and The Old Moon”

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Epic Sea-Faring Musical Continues Umbrella Stage Season
Spectacular Stagecraft, Musical Storytelling, Makes for a Rousing Adventure

 

Adventure lovers of all ages are invited to set sail on a high-energy, family friendly epic that combines live, narrative folk music, puppetry, and theatrical effects for a unique, fantastical theater experience as The Umbrella Stage Company continues its 2021/2022 season with the The Old Man and The Old Moon, Nov. 12 – Dec. 5!

 

The Old Man has kept his post as the sole caretaker of the moon for as long as he (or his wife, the Old Woman) can remember. When she is drawn away by a mysterious melody sparking memories of their shared past, the Old Man must decide between duty (and routine) and love (and adventure). Luckily for audiences everywhere, he chooses the latter, and what follows is an imaginative sea-faring epic, encompassing apocalyptic storms, civil wars, leviathans of the
deep, and cantankerous ghosts, as well as the fiercest obstacle of all: change. Hailed by The New York Times as “a story of time and tides and quests, the sort of fable on which mythologies and religions are founded,” The Old Man and The Old Moon is a fantastical tale with rollicking folk music by the innovative PigPen Theatre Co., and “asks us to appreciate the finer arts of wild storytelling, while speaking to the childish mind in all of us.”

“We are thrilled to bring The Old Man and The Old Moon to The Umbrella this season,” said Producing Artistic Director Brian Boruta. “As we planned our return to the stage, I wanted to find stories that were uniquely theatrical. The beautiful, yet simple stagecraft and the way the story is told harkens back to the very beginnings of theater itself – how do we create something out of nothing? Audiences of all ages will be left feeling that this story was meant to be seen in
a theater, and experienced live and in person.”

 

Directed by the award-winning Julia Deter, it stars Jonathan von Mering*, Gregory Boover*, Emily Serdahl*, Jennie McGuinness, Jay McCarthy, Kayla Shimizu, Lily Steven, Griffin Ostrowski and Erica Risti, each of whom also play instruments, and features dazzling sets, lighting, and stagecraft to tell an unforgettable story of love and devotion.

 

ABOUT THE SEASON
The Old Man and The Old Moon will be presented at The Umbrella Arts Center’s MainstageTheater144, 40 Stow Street, Concord, with limited seating capacity to allow for optimal social distancing. Facemasks are mandatory, and proof of full vaccination or negative Covid test is required for attendance.

The 2021-2022 season lineup also includes: an updated, relevant new presentation of the satirical The Colored Museum; an original world premiere play commission created by Hortense Gerardo; and the joyous musical comedy Head Over Heels, from the visionaries behind Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Avenue Q, fueled by music from the Go-Gos.

Buy tickets today!

$10 off tix to The Old Man and The Old Moon Nov 12-14 shows booked online – Use Code MOON10

Winter Market Goes to Town!

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Each year, The Umbrella Arts Center comes alive with festive holiday energy during Winter Market, which brings thousands of visitors to Concord during the first weekend of December. But for this extraordinary 2020 season, we’ve reimagined it as an opportunity to safely connect artisans, retail and hospitality businesses with holiday celebrants.

 

Instead of hosting a market at 40 Stow Street, “Winter Market Goes to Town” connects area businesses hosting Umbrella Artists to enliven four Concord retail districts with art. Downtown, the Depot, Nine Acre Corner, and West Concord will become a moveable festival of holiday arts, attracting shoppers and tourists from throughout the region — not just for a weekend, but throughout an extended holiday retail season!

 

Be sure to check out all of those on list (addresses list below) and see a glimpse of a few here:

 

Barbara Willis’ scarves and Lonnie Harvey’s monoprints panels are on display at Sarah Campbell in Concord Center (Photo courtesy Lonnie Harvey):

 

 

Lois Andersen’s Concord paintings are on display at Graem Nuts & Chocolate, “Winter Market Goes to Town”:

 

 

Head to Comina and you’ll see Carole Parrish’s work:

 

 

What a wonderful opportunity for our community to see & support the work of these gifted artists while also shopping local this holiday season to support our local shops.

 

 

Albright Gallery
32 Main Street, Concord, MA
Wayne Geehan
Ilse Plume

Artinian Jewelry
39 Main Street, Concord, MA
Jean Lightman

Colonial Inn
48 Monument Square, Concord, MA
Denise Kracz

Comina
9 Walden Street, Concord, MA
Carole Parrish

Concord Cheese Shop
29 Walden Street, Concord, MA
Sarah Paino

Concord Teacakes
59 Commonwealth Avenue, Concord, MA
Deb Loverd

Debra’s Natural Gourmet
98 Commonwealth Avenue, Concord, MA
Deb Richardson

Dunkin Donuts West Concord
1191 Main Street, West Concord, MA
Linda Grom

Frame-ables
111 Thoreau Street, Concord, MA
Max Payne
Hilary Taylor

Graëm Roasters
49 Main Street, Concord, MA
Lois Andersen

Joy Street
49 Commonwealth Avenue, Concord, MA
Julie Hagan

Lucy Lacoste Gallery
25 Main Street, Concord, MA
Suzanne Hill

Patina Green
59 Main Street, Concord, MA
Pierre Chiha

Sara Campbell
41 Main Street, Concord, MA
Barbara Willis
Lonnie Harvey

The Concord Museum
53 Cambridge Turnpike, Concord, MA
Paul Ruhlmann
Margaret Savage

Trail’s End
97 Lowell Road, Concord, MA
Louise Arnold
Anne Denna
Cynthia Katz

Verrill Farm
11 Wheeler Road, Concord, MA
Jill Goldman-Callahan
Carol Krauss

Winter Solstice Celebration

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Many Celebrations this Winter Solstice

 

Flickering firelight illuminates small hands gluing, weaving, and cutting. Are these elves in the North Pole? Nope, these are the kids and families participating in this year’s Winter Solstice Celebration!

 

You may recall last year’s blow-out Solstice at the Old Manse. Families, friends, and strangers who became friends gathered around the fire pit singing carols like “Deck the Hall” and “O Tannenbaum.”  Voices of the Earth, the Arts & Environment chorus, lit hundreds of candles handed out to the crowd. Everyone heartily drank warm cider and roasted marshmallows on the fire. This year, you can guess, is slightly different. We won’t be at the Old Manse. But we still plan to celebrate the Solstice! Instead of gathering in one spot on one day, we’re celebrating over many days.

 

Ninjas in Nature is hosting a Winter Ninja Festival to enjoy the freedom of running around outside and the satisfaction of building your own fire.

 

 

In our winter self-care workshop, gather what brings you warmth and joy during dark months and create reflective collage art before hibernating at home.

 

Finally, families can craft their own solstice ornaments at Concord Market. Glue, cut, and weave lily stem stars. Twist and tie fabric evergreen trees. Wrap cranberry wreaths to hang on the tree. Don’t forget to visit Concord Market and pick up some hot cocoa or cider to enjoy!

 

Join us around the community fire this Solstice for all these outdoor, winter workshops. To learn more about and sign up for our collection of Winter Solstice activities, visit the Arts & Environment class page. Who knows how you’ll light up this Winter Solstice!

 

The Umbrella Arts Center announces new series of fall classes!

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The Umbrella @ Home Offers Flexible Online Art Class Options
#StayHome #StaySafe #StayCreative – Since its spring closure due to COVID-19, The Umbrella Arts Center has directed its energies to transforming its expansive array of arts programs – from classes, summer camps and stage productions to gala events and public festivals — into virtual, asynchronous or social-distanced outdoors formats.

For this fall, instead of emphasizing a return to in-person classes, the organization has continued to invest in and refine The Umbrella @ Home offerings, delivering virtual arts education experiences through a variety of distance-learning methods and platforms.

Using a combination of Zoom, asynchronous video demos, DIY activity kits and other tools, The Umbrella’s teachers have created dozens of course offerings for all ages in Painting, Fiber, Drawing, Design and Dance/Movement. The Umbrella’s expanded Ceramics program offers virtual and video instruction, as well as local curbside clay pickup and drop-off kiln firing services at 40 Stow Street. Performing Arts offerings range from jazz and Bollywood dance classes and private theater audition coaching. And, The Umbrella Arts & Environment program has expanded its popular outdoors arts and nature exploration programs.

To inspire its community to remain creative through the pandemic, the organization is also inviting all class participants, teachers and community artists share their favorite creations in a fall exhibition, #DiscoverYourArts Showcase.

Fall I session adult classes start as early as September 11. Explore and register for the variety of classes at TheUmbrellaArts.org/Classes or contact 978-371-0820 x204.