I've Looked at Clouds..., White Horse Beach, Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

It was one of those winter days - cold as cold can be, the wind whipping the bare branches and flags wildly, the clouds racing across the sky like in a cartoon, changing every few minutes.



A good time for the foolish and/or hearty to head to the beach.



The closer I got the colder and windier it became.



There is good reason that I and this lone walker were the only humans visible - we alone could appreciate the stark and fleeting beauty.

Winter sometimes offers its special charms here in New England.

"Open Mic Night," Spire Center for Performing Arts, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

Our local performing arts venue, the Spire Center for Performing Arts, in downtown Plymouth, hosts an "Open Mic Night" each Tuesday through June beginning at 7pm. Signups begin at 6pm. Each act  gets about 15 minutes (3 tunes) to perform - whether original or cover tunes, poetry, or stand-up. All ages and styles are welcome. More info at this link.

Here's a random sampling from a couple recent Tuesdays:



The setting for these up-close-and-personal-events is in the main lobby of the venue.  The regular 225-seat performance hall is in the background.























Come out to the Spire on Tuesday evening and showcase your talent or, lend support and encouragement to those who do.



Support the performing arts in our community or wherever you live in the world!

Snow and Sunshine, Priscilla Beach Theatre (PBT), Priscilla Beach, Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

I recently published (and included again below) a snowy picture of Priscilla Beach Theatre with a gray, cloudy sky. The thing about clouds, they never last for long. Here's the blue sky view.







The earlier gray sky perspective - I think I like this moody, wintry, more New England-ish look. Regardless which look, when I see PBT in any season, I am transported and can hear and see and feel the performers in my mind and heart. I do so look forward to the coming season once again. These mostly twenty-something actors and actresses, so well-trained and already experienced, so full of youth and life and promise and optimism - it cuts right to the heart of a curmudgeonly old man like me. It's living magic, night after night on this stage.

You can contact PBT online at this link or by phone at 508-224-4888 for ticketing and info. The line-up for this coming season follows next. The curtain rises to open the season on May 3rd!

2019 PBT Barn Stage Productions - Adult Cast Series

"Life Could Be A Dream" in May,
"Heathers the Musical" in June,
"Hairspray" in July,
"Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" in August,
"[Title of Show]" in September,
"Young Frankenstein" in October.

2019 PBT Barn Stage Productions - Children's Workshop Series

"Seussical Jr" in May,
"Godspell, Jr" in July,
"Junie B. Jones, Jr" in July,
"Little Red Robin Hood" in August,
"Frozen Jr" in August.

Come out and support this local jewel of the performing arts that Owners, Guardians, and Producers Bob and Sandy Malone operate for our enjoyment and enrichment!

My past performance seasons blogs may be reviewed at this link.

"Greg Abate Quintet," Spire Center for Performing Arts, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

I recently enjoyed another great show at the Spire Center for Performing Arts in downtown Plymouth (pictured above).



The Greg Abate Quintet (Mr. Abate is second from left) delighted the crowd with a wide range of jazz, bebop, and standards.



A graduate of our nearby world-renowned Berklee College of Music in Boston in the 1970's, Mr. Abate has traveled the world for many years delighting crowds with his musicianship both as a soloist and as a member of many different bands and groupings.



It is such a treat to have the world-class performers that the Spire brings to our stage here in Plymouth!

"The Greater Plymouth Performing Arts Center, Inc. (GPPAC) is a nonprofit organization founded in 2010 and dedicated to performing arts and educational programs which support the vibrant arts community in the greater South Shore region. The organization founded The Spire, a venue to serve as a mecca for the arts and showcasing music, theatre and dance performances as well as education that supports the performing arts." Source: Spire Website.

Come out and support the performing arts in our town - America's Hometown! Or, wherever you may live in the world.

Priscilla Beach Theatre Greatest Hits of 2018 - "Guys and Dolls," Priscilla Beach, Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

This Greatest Hits series will present a very few of my favorite images from each of the 2018 performance season's six major productions on the iconic Priscilla Beach Theatre Barn Stage. The evocative and emotive star-power of these young performers really struck me as extraordinary.

Bob and Sandy Malone, owners, guardians, and producers of Priscilla Beach Theatre (PBT) brought this production of "Guys and Dolls" to their Barn Stage in July 2018. The production was directed by Ron Fassler.

At each final dress rehearsal at Priscilla Beach Theatre (PBT), I capture hundreds of images. From those, I will pick a cross-section that portrays many/most of the scenes and the performers. Those I publish in blogs. Many of the performers will then use those images to help build their portfolios. A very few of the images, however, stick in my mind and heart - they capture a special moment of beauty and/or emotion.

Those special moments I include here in this post.



























If you want to see all the images from this production again, follow this link to my earlier blog posts. Check back in coming weeks as I post more Greatest Hits blogs about the other major shows from last season.



The Barn Stage, a 240-seat venue, is in its 82nd season and is cited as the oldest summer stock barn theatre still operating in America. The original barn was built in 1875. The current owners, Bob and Sandy Malone, completed a modernization and renovation effort in 2014-15 and also installed new seats and new state-of-the-art sound and lighting systems at that time.

You can contact PBT online at this link or by phone at 508-224-4888 for tickets and information. If you live nearby, please support this jewel of the performing arts in our community. If you live elsewhere, support the performing arts wherever that might be in the world.

Snow, Ice, Moon, Sky and Monsters, Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

So here we are at the end of February and the neighborhood kids have yet to be able to skate on the pond this year. The small fringe around the pond is water and the ice just isn't thick enough in addition to being covered with crunchy snow.



On another night around 9pm, the full moon provides the only illumination.



On another day the sun shines brightly but, it is below freezing inside this unheated sunroom and even colder outside in the wind.



Cold, hot, or in between, I like to be reminded of a beautiful sunrise looking towards Stage Point from above Manomet Beach. (Thanks to a generous neighbor for use of this image).



But meanwhile, back on the pond, here's the monster part of this blog post: these odd patterns have been showing up recently on the ice. It looks like maybe the retinas of some monster eyeballs. And they are starting to spread.......



....aargh, the monsters are taking over the pond. Run for your lives! (Or, if you are into science, here's an explanation at this link). Personally, having just finished re-watching the Lord of the Rings trilogy, I prefer the monster explanation.

"Joe Louis Walker," Spire Center for Performing Arts, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

The stage is set and ready to go for another beautiful performance at The Spire Center for Performing Arts in downtown Plymouth.

On this evening, I was able to experience the extraordinary talent of Joe Louis Walker, a life-long musician who is a Blues Hall of Fame inductee and a four-time Blues Music Award winner. He and his band were really outstanding during this performance at the Spire.



Joe Louis Walker.







Late in the set, Mr. Walker came down from the stage and wandered among the audience playing the harmonica, shaking hands and greeting folks, while his band provided the backing.



He had such a genuine personality and friendliness and the crowd, most of whom knew his tunes and his talent were warmed by this gesture of connection. It was a special moment for all.



Retirees like me are often encouraged to learn to play a musical instrument to help keep the mind sharp and add a high level of challenge to their lives as they age. So, a few years back, I started learning to play a nylon string acoustic guitar. I religiously play at least an hour a day along to some of my favored tunes.

As I play at home, alone, along to these artists, I often think - wow, I'm gettin' good - I should be on stage. And then, I go see Joe Louis Walker and his band - and I am humbled by his greatness and skill. No, I'm not ready for the stage.







What a spectacular night!



Mark T. Small, a very talented blues performer in his own right, was the opening act.



The Spire is in downtown Plymouth in a former church building.

"The Greater Plymouth Performing Arts Center, Inc. (GPPAC) is a nonprofit organization founded in 2010 and dedicated to performing arts and educational programs which support the vibrant arts community in the greater South Shore region. The organization founded The Spire, a venue to serve as a mecca for the arts and showcasing music, theatre and dance performances as well as education that supports the performing arts.

Tremendous acoustics, sightlines, and an architecturally beautiful interior are The Spire’s trademark. The 225-seat performance hall features superior acoustics, custom state of the art lighting and sound systems and original period architectural details offering patrons an exceptional performing arts experience." Source: Spire website.

Support the performing arts here in Plymouth - or wherever you may live in the world.

A Beautiful Spot on Planet Earth, White Horse Beach, Priscilla Beach, Manomet Beach, Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

White Horse Beach and Priscilla Beach, low tide on a mid-winter day.

I have set foot on many beaches in my lifetime. (I'm not sure why I feel such a pull to them since I don't swim well and my pasty white skin burns easily, nevertheless......). In North America - on the United States east coast from Maine down to Florida and on the west coast from Alaska down to California and the Hawaiian islands. In Central America - on Mexico's east and west coasts, and in Costa Rica. In the Caribbean - on the Virgin Islands and Bahamas. In South America - in Ecuador. In the Pacific Islands - on Tahiti and Moorea and New Zealand. In Europe - on England, Wales, Spain, Portugal, France, and Italy.

Each has its own special beauty and majesty but, to me, none is significantly more beautiful and wonderful than right here at home in Manomet - White Horse, Priscilla, and Manomet Beaches.

I am lucky to call it home.



Manomet Beach.



And as if spectacular beaches weren't enough, just 1500 feet from the shoreline is the iconic Priscilla Beach Theatre. It just can't get much more perfect than this.

Life willing, I think I'll stay a while longer...................

A Different Season, Priscilla Beach Theatre (PBT), Priscilla Beach, Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

While the cold blanket of winter may surround it, the promise of the coming season at Priscilla Beach Theatre still shines through.  Only about 70 days until opening night on May 3, 2019!

Soon, the PBT stage will resonate with the voices, songs, and dances of talented casts, supported by an equally talented team of staff and musicians. Here's the line-up for this coming season:

2019 PBT Barn Stage Productions - Adult Cast Series

"Life Could Be A Dream" in May,
"Heathers the Musical" in June,
"Hairspray" in July,
"Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" in August,
"[Title of Show]" in September,
"Young Frankenstein" in October.

2019 PBT Barn Stage Productions - Children's Workshop Series

"Seussical Jr" in May,
"Godspell, Jr" in July,
"Junie B. Jones, Jr" in July,
"Little Red Robin Hood" in August,
"Frozen Jr" in August

Come out and support this local jewel of the performing arts and truly a labor of love of Owners, Guardians, and Producers Bob and Sandy Malone!

You can contact PBT online at this link or by phone at 508-224-4888 for ticketing and info.



Past seasons may be reviewed at this link.