SEPTEMBER 19 - 25, 2019 WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM
CULTURE • ARTS • DINING • VOICES
FREE
Arts Fall
Preview
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WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM
S E P T E M B E R 19 - 25, 2019
IN THIS ISSUE
S E P T E M B E R 19 - 25, 2019 • V O L U M E 45 I S S U E 4 Find us on Facebook.com/worcestermag Twitter @worcestermag Instagram: Worcestermag
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the cover
Fall Arts Preview Story on page 8 “Beautiful - The Carol King Musical” comes to Worcester for six shows Photo courtesy of Joan Marcus, Design by Kimberly Vasseur
S E P T E M B E R 19 - 25, 2019
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City Voices...................................................................................4 In Case You Missed It ... .........................................................7 Cover Story .................................................................................8 Artist Spotlight .......................................................................23 City Life ......................................................................................24 Lifestyle......................................................................................25 Table Hoppin’ ..........................................................................25 Dining .......................................................................................26 Next Draft .................................................................................28 Listen Up....................................................................................29 Film .............................................................................................30 Film Capsules ..........................................................................30 Calendar ....................................................................................32 Adoption Option ....................................................................36 Games .........................................................................................37 Classifieds .................................................................................38 Last Call .....................................................................................39
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CITY VOICES
WORCESTERIA
FIRST PERSON
Who’s afraid of rent control?
Remembering love’s light
BILL SHANER
he picture titled “Sacred Vows bless the future” shows my mother and father, standing before the alter in Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. You can see the light pouring like living water into the church on the
RENT CONTROL: Rent control is the policy which shall not be named in Massachusetts, unless your name is Konnie and ends with Lukes. Ever the idiosyncratic politician, Lukes asked the city administration to consider rent control in the form of an order on this week’s council agenda. This column was written before the meeting, given a new Monday deadline, but in the order Lukes requests “a legal opinion regarding the process of instituting a residential rent control program and the resulting impact of such a program.” I’ve watched enough council meetings to know how this is going to go. The mayor will politely refer it to legal, where it will stay for months, never to be heard from again. If anyone stands to speak after Lukes, it will be to condemn the idea on the basis of it was Lukes who pitched it. I can just see the eye roll from City Manager Ed Augustus Jr. in my mind’s eye. Rent control is a great idea and kudos to California for taking action last week. Unfortunately, Worcester, and Massachusetts at large, is far too conservative to embrace such an idea.
MAURO DEPASQUALE
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left of the alter. That light struck me in a profound way. It suddenly resonated, deep within me, a revelation that the light, pouring in from an opened door, is the light of their (my mom & dad’s) future. The Light of God’s loving gift to them, this innocent loving Italian American
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AN EMERGENCY: While we’re on the subject of good ideas that
Worcester and Massachusetts at large are too conservative to embrace, lets talk about the idea of a climate emergency. A coalition of activists this week put a petition on the city council, by way of District 4 Councilor Sarai Rivera, to declare a climate emergency by way of a resolution. Now, I think the council will indeed sign on to the petition. I’m about 90 percent sure on that. And they’ll probably get up and talk about the need to embrace renewable energy and ban plastic bags and straws and all the other milquetoast Democrat offerings for a threat which is quite literally existential. It would be nice to see bolder offerings from this council, like investing in public transit for once and getting rid of single-family zoning and banning lawn fertilizer (I don’t actually know if a municipality can do that but I do know it’s a straight line between lawn fertilizer and poor water quality). Unfortunately concern for the environment will always be dwarfed by the concerns of the single-family homeowner with our form of government. Again, oh well.
GREENDALE ESTATES: While we’ve heard nothing from the ownership at the Greendale Mall, the city is apparently meeting with “potential buyers,” and one seems to be interested in turning the mall into housing. Or at least that’s what City Manager Augustus tells the Telegram. Ever cagey with the details of a potential deal, Augustus only indicated interest in a mix of uses, one of which is possibly housing. I swear, if this ends up being another luxury housing project geared toward the completely made-up “creative class,” I’m going to … complain about it in this column. THE BUS STOP BLUES: As we head toward the School Committee
election in November, keep an eye on the city school buses. It may emerge as a key campaign issue. The current committee is split on what to do and bus service has been pretty bad lately. Lots of complaints about late and even no-show buses out there. Superintendent Maureen Binienda and her allies are supporting the bus subcontractor, Durham, and the status quo of keeping the bus service as is. Others, including Jack Foley and challenger Tracy Novick, are making the case that the buses would run more efficiently at a cheaper cost if they were district run. Novick, in a recent video press release, asked the question of why the superintendent and crew is so willing to support the bus subcontractor, when a report shows that moving to district-run transportation would save $2.1 million. Who is it that this administration is working for, she asked.
“Sacred Vows bless the future” PHOTO COURTESY OF MAURO DEPASQUALE
couple. It is a white, pure light, a new future, a new beginning, a new journey that will shape and bring meaning to their lives and all of us. In their future, at that very moment, we were all already there, walking through those very same church doors, blessing ourselves with the holy water, as we still do every Sunday. You are there. Their children, grandchildren and, for sure, their great grandchildren. We are all continuously searching for meaning in our lives, looking to this world and to God for answers. Sometimes the answers are closer than you think. Look at that picture and imagine the life of that light that never passes away, it still flows into our church every day, feel the warmth of that living light. Let’s recognize that we are all surrounded in its love. God called both my mother and my father home. Their love, however, has produced a beautiful family that continues to grow today. It is fitting to remember in love’s light. Mauro DePasquale is a musician and the executive director at WCCA TV 194, “The People’s Channel.”
CITY VOICES
LETTER
‘Socialism’ complaint wrong and misleading PAUL KOLLIOS
market policies. Mr. Kozberg should understand that true Socialism requires the his is regarding Mr. Ken total control and management, by Kozberg’s article in “First the State, of all the nation’s means Person” of the August edition of Worcester Magazine. of production, i.e. transportaHis attempt at equating history’s tion, oil, manufacturing, mining, farming, etc. This is not presently most vicious and brutal governadvocated by any political figures, ments and leaders with present day Democratic Party presidential left or right. Further, socialistic candidates and their views is a se- types of programs and institutions rious distortion of those views and have benefited most Americans for scores of years; such as Social governance under socialism. Security, education, fire fighting, Germany’s Nationalist Socialists (Nazis) of the 1930s and 1940s, law enforcement, Medicare, childcare, etc. Mao’s Chinese Socialists and the And, to answer Mr. Kozberg’s Soviet Socialists post WWII were examples of abusive, autocratic fas- request to provide financially for any new or continuing programs, cist regimes, the exact opposite of progressive, democratic socialism. I suggest a restructuring of our taxation formula to garner more To label all Democratic candisupport from the very, very rich. dates as simply socialist is wrong A reversal of the recent one and and misleading. They are lawyers, teachers, business people, political half trillion dollar tax cut favoring the extremely wealthy would be a leaders and Iraq War combatants, good start. who advocate for democratic and constitutional government, and Paul Kollios lives in Oxford. a more progressive form of free
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Hey, you. Yeah, we’re talking to YOU. You look like you have something to say. So this is your chance: Worcester Magazine is looking for contributors to our weekly First Person column! We’re seeking essays from our readers about whatever facet of Worcester life they want to share. And not just politics: We want to hear about things in this city we might not otherwise ever know: Things that make the city uniquely yours. Tell us your story, and the story of the people around you. To submit for consideration, please send a 750 word essay to WMeditor@gatehousemedia.com with the words “First Person” in the subject line. Let us know what’s on your mind.
S E P T E M B E R 19 - 25, 2019
WORCESTER MAGAZINE’S LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY
Want to Write For First Person?
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CITY VOICES
POETRY TOWN
The Woo Poem ASHLEY WONDER
I didn’t fall in love with The Woo buried, cemetery.
until the biggest pieces of my heart were
Childhood memories bring
trauma we articulate until when grown.
Like worshipping in the hood, accustomed to homeless Weekends spent with many cookouts on Preston
St. Andrews Church, and we all grew falling asleep to a sermon or praise songs. my favorite aunt on Indian Lake, Too Benefit streets where laughter
And the best fireworks
that filled a child’s heart.
When your mixed of Black, Ghetto and middle class apartments. We all have memories of Jerry’s Ice Cream musical concerts
German-Irish you learn to love both June street and Washington Heights. Truck at Elm Park, Juneteenth Festivals or free because anything
Free is always
a good feeling.
The older we get the
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Stoney O’Brian’s where many and the thickest grinders.
more you cherish what is no more. Wyman Gordon Steelworkers enjoyed a quick beer
Street names that bought only Mama’s and It’s remembering the Park or first shattered. Or meeting the love of your life family joke for years. It is finding your way what’s familiar. It’s leaving and coming Always holding a piece of home with you from?”
generations of black families together until great Aunties hold its glory. one of the Seven Hills your heart was at a gas station that would be the realizing you out grow back for holidays or to bury your father. when they ask, “where you’re
Maybe for some it will be the bursting heart, and smile. Ashley Wonder is a poet and educator living in Worcester.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ...
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An offshoot of the raucous Federation of Belligerent Writers, Wednesday Night Mayhem, held every other Wednesday at Beatnik’s, is an open live-writing competition where the competitors take on a character, and the audience dances, throws things and votes for the winner. Which actually might also make municipal elections more fun, come to think of it. City Council meetings could use more luchadores. I’m just saying. Photos by Steve Lanava
WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM
Wednesday Night Mayhem
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COVER STORY
Off to a good stART Introducing our fall arts preview
VICTOR D. INFANTE
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trolling up and down Park Avenue Sunday for this year’s stART on the Street festival, under the heat of what seems to be summer’s last, glorious gasp, it was hard not to believe that Worcester is a great place for a lover of the arts. At one end of the street, a metal sculpture of a phoenix blazed real flames at the WorcShop maker space display, while at the other, the comedians of WOOtenanny staged comedy shows in the back of a rented truck. Between those points, visitors were immersed in a world of arts and crafts that seemed near endless in its variety, from kitschy cool pop culture shout-outs to beautiful and breathtaking and sublime works of fine art. The smell of food from local restaurants wafted in the air, and crowds lingered from their wandering at the sound of an eclectic array of musicians, including Evil Felipe, Ghost of the Machine & Death Over Simplicity, the Womps, Sunta Africa, All the Time Always, Twelveyes, James Keyes and perennial busker Big Jon Short. No, there’s probably no better exemplar of what Worcester arts have to offer than stART, and while it’s amazing to see so much of it in one place, the truth is you can dive into the Worcester arts scene one way or the other nearly every day of the week. Visual arts lovers can visit the Worcester Art Museum or smaller galleries such as ARTSWorcester or the Sprinkler Factory. Popular music fans might find big shows at the DCU Center or the Palladium, or try lessknown fare at the likes of Ralph’s Rock Diner, Electric Haze or Beatnik’s. Broadway touring companies come to The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts, but there are numerous smaller, local companies, many of which do some exciting work. There’s poetry, hip-hop, dance, comedy, drag and pretty much anything you’d want,
right here in the Worcester area, but it’s not always gathered together on one city street. You have to look for it, and to do that, you probably need a guide. Worcester Magazine strives to be that guide week in and week out, shining a light on shows and events that are worthy of your attention, regardless of their size. We want to let you know when a major artist is here, or alert you to something weird and wonderful you might otherwise miss. We want you to enjoy and appreciate the many gifts this city has to offer This, then, is our Fall Arts Preview, where we look ahead at some of the most noteworthy events scheduled for the next few months. We’re only scratching the surface, of course, but we hope we’re giving you here a few places to start.
Fall Arts & Culture Highlights The 4th Annual Massachusetts Tattoo Convention returns to the DCU Center, 50 Foster St., Worcester, Sept. 20-22. The 19th annual Harvey Ball will be held at 7 p.m. Sept. 27 and will honor local entertainer Dale Lepage with the Harvey Ball Smile Award. The evening will include music by LePage, DJ Joslyn Fox and the Central Mass Dance Academy, and a runway show. The ball will be held DCU Center. The third New England Dahlia Show will be presented by the New England Dahlia Society Sept. 28 and 29 at Tower Hill Botanic Garden, 11 French Dr., Boylston. The Commonwealth Vintage Dancers present The Victoria and Albert Ball, a recreation of a 19th-century ball in grand European style. Attendees are invited to wear costumes from
A vendor serves cotton candy at Sunday’s stART on the Street festival. CHRISTINE PETERSON
the time (1840-1861) or modern formal wear and the dances will be taught; music by Spare Parts. The event will be held at 7 p.m. Sept. 28 at Mechanics Hall, 321 Main St., Worcester. Tickets are $40. The Great New England BBQFest at Wachusett Mountain in Princeton runs 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 28 and 29. The weekend also includes live music, craft fair and farmers’ market, contests and cooking demos. The WOOtenanny! comedy festival will run from Sept. 30 through Oct. 6 at venues all across the city, including Nick’s Bar and Restaurant, Beatnik’s, WooHaHa! Comedy Club, George’s Coney Island Hot Dogs and the Comedy Attic at Park Grill & Spirits. “Widow’s Point” and the documentary “The Man Behind the Mask,” which follows Kip Weeks, star of the horror classic “The Strangers,” are the headlining films of the 8th annual Shawna
Shea Film Festival opening Oct. 2 in Worcester with a Short Film Program and continuing Oct. 3-5 at starlite gallery, 39 Hamilton St., Southbridge; and Oct. 3 and 4 at the Ruth Wells Center for the Arts, 111 Main St., Southbridge; and Oct. 5 at the Southbridge Hotel & Conference Center, 14 Mechanic St., Southbridge. “My Name is Opukaha’ia” brings to life the story of a Native Hawaiian man who inspired the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions to send Protestant missionaries to the Hawaiian Kingdom. The event will be held at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 5 at Old Sturbridge Village, 1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge. Tickets cost $10-$12. Luann de Lesseps’ glamorous life as a model, author, philanthropist, actor and one of TV’s “The Real Housewives of New York City” provides fodder for her cabaret show, “Countess Luann and Friends.” The event will be held
at 8 p.m. Oct. 11 at The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts, 2 Southbridge St., Worcester. Tickets cost $45-$75. “Between the Day And The Night” is a non-narrative performance based on found fotoage of French artist Georges Rouault burned 315 of his paintings in a factory furnace. The performance will be held at 8 p.m. Oct. 12 and 13 at the Sprinkler Factory, 38 Harlow St., Worcester. Much like she did in “The Carol Burnett Show,” Carol Burnett will take questions from the audience and show clips from her shows during “An Evening of Laughter and Reflection” at The Hanover Theatre. The event will be held at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 17, and tickets cost $68-$250. Join Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and more for Disney on Ice’s Road Trip Adventures. The show runs from Oct. 25 to Oct. 27 at the DCU Center, 50 Foster St., Worcester. Rickets cost $15-$50.
COVER STORY
Brew Woo Harvest Fest is back for a second round of seasonal samplings, delicious food trucks, and funky artisan vendors. A 21+ event. No children/babies are permitted. The festival will be held form 1-6 p.m. Oct. 26 at the DCU Center. Admission is $35-$65. “Raise Your Spirits,” and your glasses, in a child-free evening at EcoTarium. Enjoy the interactive exhibits and collections, along with a cash bar and food for sale. The event will be held form 6:30-9:30 p.m. Nov. 1 at the EcoTarium, 222
pianos: a vintage 1902 Steinway Model “C” concert grand piano and the newer Steinway Model “B” concert grand. The event will be held at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 26, at Tuckerman Hall, 10 Tuckerman St., Worcester. Composer Osvaldo Golijov’s created a song cycle based on his interpretation of the book “Falling Out of Time,” by David Grossman. The Silkroad Ensemble will present the world premiere of Golijov’s work at the College of the Holy Cross, followed by a national tour. The show will be held 7:30 p.m. Oct.
The Dance Theatre of Harlem PROMOTIONAL PHOTO
Literary Highlights Poet Lea Graham will read from her recent collection of poems that were written during her time work-
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The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra with Garrick Ohlsson will perform for Music Worcester at 8 p.m. Oct.18 at Mechanics Hall, 321 Main St., Worcester. For the Duo-Piano Gala, celebrated area musicians Paul Buono, Malcolm Halliday, Kallin Johnson, Sima Kustanovich, Olga Rogach, Myron Romanul and Ian Watson play the Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra’s two
WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM
Classical Music Highlights
31 at the Brooks Concert Hall, College of the Holy Cross, 1 College St., Worcester. $20; $10 for Holy Cross faculty and staff; $5 for students Fresh from its summer tour of English cathedrals, the Worcester Chorus will perform works from the rich Anglican musical heritage, including pieces by Parry, Stanford, Vaughan Williams and other major British composers. Directed by Chris Shepard and accompanied by organist Mark Mummert. The show will be at 8 p.m. Nov. 8 at Wesley United Methodist Church, 114 Main St., Worcester. Tickets cost $25, $15 for students and $7.50 for youths. Worcester Men of Song Barbershop will present the harmony concert, “It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas,” from 2 to 5 p.m. Nov. 24 at Mechanics Hall, 321 Main St., Worcester.
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Harrington Way, Worcester. $20, $14 for members. Music Worcester will present Dance Theatre of Harlem, a multi-ethnic company whose repertoire includes classics as well as contemporary works to celebrate African American culture. The show will be held at 8 pm. Nov. 15 at The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts, 2 Southbridge St., Worcester. Tickets cost $39-$65; students and youth, $25.
COVER STORY
Crossing a ‘Line’ John Pagano eyes disillusionment with Sprinkler Factory exhibit BILL SHANER
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ohn Pagano’s new exhibit at the Sprinkler Factory is titled “Out of Line,” a double entendre reflecting the art itself and what it aims to encapsulate.
Pagano, the exhibit captures “my disillusionment with the way things are turning out in the world right now.” “Out of Line” opened earlier this month, on Sept. 7, and closes on Sept. 29. The gallery is open 5-8:30 p.m. Fridays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays and 1-6 p.m. Sundays.
John Pagano FILE PHOTO/STEPHEN DIRADO
On one hand, the roughly 40 paintings on display rely on heavy, dark lines. On the other, “out of line” reflects a feeling that things in our society are just generally askew. For
Though always different, Pagano’s work loosely falls under the category of abstract expressionist, a school of art formed by legends C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 12
COVER STORY
F A L L A RT S
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ing at the Hotel Vernon in Kelley Square. The reading will be part of the Dirty Gerund Poetry Series at 9 p.m. Sept. 23 at Ralph’s Rock Diner, 148 Grove St., Worcester. Acclaimed poet Rachel McKibbens was the judge of this year’s Frank O’Hara Prize for the Worcester County Poetry Association, and will read her work alongside winner Carolyn Oliver and runners-up Jacqueline Morrill, Jennifer Freed and bg Thurston from 3 to 5 p.m. Sept. 29 at the First Unitarian Church, 90 Main St., Worcester. Storyteller and teacher Sebastian Lockwood will perform one of the oldest surviving tales in world literature: “The Epic of Gilgamesh,” at 2 p.m. Oct. 6 at the Worcester Art Museum. Worcester County Poetry Association president Rodger Martin will read porms form his new collection, “For All The Tea In Zhongguó,” at 2 p.m. Nov. 16 at the Worcester PopUp, 20 Franklin St., Worcester.
Poet Rachel McKibbens PROMOTIONAL PHOTO
begin at 7:30 pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Shows begin at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. A number of favorites from the city’s drag scene are the creative minds behind “Scream: Live on Stage!” The show is being billed as “The horror parody you never wanted, but desperately need in your life,” and will be held at 8 p.m. Oct. 4 and 5 at Bull Mansion in Worcester. The Factory of Terror reopens for holiday fun Oct. 4-31 at 201 Grafton St., Worcester. General admission is $21.99 and up. The Haunted Speakeasy, hosted by chanteuse and comedian “The Sleepy Hollow ExperiNiki Luparelli, is always one of the ence” will once again ghoulishly best parties in town, with eclectic guide guest through Old Sturperformances and a recommended bridge Village’s countryside dress code of 1920s and ’30s fashion, Halloween spookiness or just all black, this promises to be a ghoulishly good time. The event will be held at 8:30 p.m. Oct. 19 at Bull Mansion, 55 Pearl St., Worcester. $25-$60. Actors Bruce Campbell and Ray Wise, and bands the Insane Clown Posse, A scene from “The Sleepy Hollow Municipal Waste Experience” at Old Sturbridge Village. and Napalm Death are among PHOTO/BREEANNE CLOWDUS the many familiar faces at this year’s where they will encounter Ichabod Rock and Shock Festival, held Crane, Katrina Van Tassel, Brom Oct. 11-13 at the DCU Center and Bones and quite possibly the Head- the Palladium. less Horseman. The event will from Sept. 27 through Nov. 3, and shows
Halloween Events
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COVER STORY
PA G A N O
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such as Jackson Pollack, Franz Kline and Robert Motherwell. It’s meant to be felt as much as seen — art in which the meaning differs from person to person, and may be either immediately apparent or take hours to digest. In that way, Pagano’s work is hard to talk about, but a marked difference from past shows is the type of material Pagano has chosen to work with. In this exhibit, there are paintings on powdered graphite, paintings on two sides of clear acetate, and paintings that feature die-cut patterns. Experimentation is the point, he said. The idea is to follow through on whatever comes to mind in an honest way. “I’ve given up on pleasing everybody. Trying to be everything to everyone,” he said. “I’m going to be in my studio, I’m going to do the work I’m going to do. I’m not going to paint to satisfy what I think people want. I do what I do and I do it honestly.” On a sunny afternoon last week, Pagano took me into his studio on the third floor of a warehouse build-
ing in South Worcester. He offered me a paper cup of watermelon juice and a cigarette, and he made coffee from a machine by a mini-fridge in the corner of the main room. His studio is three rooms, each filled with scraps of paper, raw materials, sculptures half finished mounted to the wall with tacks, art both finished and unfinished. One room is for sculptures, one room is for painting, and one is in the middle. In the painting room, a quote nailed high up on the wall read “If you don’t go too far, you haven’t gone far enough.” On a quick tour, Pagano described the process of bringing work from one room to another, letting the space inform the process. He likened the walk to following an umbilical chord. He wore a gray long-sleeve shirt tastefully ripped, slim-fitting blue jeans and tennis shoes. Sitting by a slightly cracked warehouse window, he’s quick to launch into stories and tirades only tangentially related but somehow apropos to the question at hand. When asked how he feels the new exhibit differs from past work, he talks about signatures. Everyone’s signature evolves, he said. In grammar school, it’s straight. By the time C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 14
COVER STORY
A ‘Beautiful’ friendship
‘Carole King Musical’ kicks off Hanover Theatre’s Broadway series “Beautiful - The Carole King Musical” comes to Worcester for six shows. COURTESY OF JOAN MARCUS
most unimaginable heights with her album “Tapestry” (1971), one of the most successful albums ever. Working in an office at the fabled 1650 Broadway in New York City, where some of the most famous songs in American music history were written, King and Goffin become friends with the songwriting team (and romantic partnership) of Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, who are in the office next door. “Beautiful” won two 2014 Tony Awards and the 2015 Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album. Since the national tour’s launch in September 2015, “Beautiful” has played 1,442 performances in 94 cities over 182 weeks to nearly 2.5 million patrons while still also running on Broadway.
Lambert is playing Mann in the current tour, which is scheduled to get underway Sept. 20 in Utica, New York. He was talking on the phone during a break from rehearsals in New York City just before the cast and crew would head to the Stanley Theatre in Utica for tech rehearsal week. “People know the songs, but don’t necessarily know who the songwriters were,” he said. “I knew the songs growing up, but I never knew Gerry and Carole wrote ‘Up on the Roof,’ and Barry and Cynthia wrote ‘You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’’” (with Phil Spector). The former was initially a hit for The Drifters, while the latter was the Righteous Brothers’ biggest world-wide single. Besides those songs, “Beautiful” has such numbers as “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” (King-Goffin; a hit for The Shirelles), “Walkin’ in the Rain” (Mann-Weil, a hit for The Ronettes), and “Tapestry” classics like “I Feel the Earth Move,” “Natural Woman” and “Beautiful.”
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hings can be beauteous, and even beautifully boisterous, when the show “Beautiful — The Carole King Musical” comes to town. “Every audience is completely different,” said longtime cast member James Michael Lambert. “The audience is also part of the show in terms of how they react. It’s electrifying. They come with this open heart. They sing along with the tunes. They sigh. They woot. They laugh. We’ve had audience members scream joyous screams. We’ve had sing-a-longs. We’ve had every single experience, and great music for two and a half hours.” There will be a lot of hits for the audience to take in as the new North American touring production of the Broadway show “Beautiful” comes to The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts for a six-performance run Sept. 26-29. “Beautiful” opens the The Hanover Theatre’s 2019-20 Broadway series. The musical follows Carole King’s remarkably prolific early years as a songwriter in the 1960s, which included being a hit machine team with her first husband, the late Gerry Goffin, leading up to becoming a solo recording artist and climbing to al-
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you reach high school, maybe it’s first initial, full last name. Later in life, say after college, a signature can be near unintelligible but still somehow unique to the person signing. That process of slow transmutation is how Pagano said he approaches his work. “You do it really quick, you don’t think about it, but so much unconscious information goes into that signature,” he said. “You know, you put yourself into that signature. You don’t predict where it’s going, and that’s kind of the way I work.” The exhibition is Pagano’s fourth at the Sprinkler Factory, and his first showing in 18 months. The exhibition is hung by Tim Johnson, someone Pagano praised as taking time to consider lighting, space and the shape of the room to create a “cohesive, linear experience.” Similar to his approach to art, what Pagano hopes folks take from the exhibition is at the same time straightforward and complex. “I hope they feel like this is something I can do. This is something that’s exciting to me and I hope they try doing it.” If Pagano had a class, he said, the first thing he would do is tell the class he has nothing to tell them. “Just trust yourself and do it,” he said.
Fall Visual Arts Highlights In “Our Parents, Ourselves,” photographers David Hilliard
and Sage Sohier each document a parent over the course of decades, examining aging, father-son bonds, and masculinity as well as ideas of beauty and femininity across generations, maternal bonds, and self. The exhibit is running now through Jan. 5 at the Fitchburg Art Museum, 185 Elm St., Fitchburg. The “Hijos De Carnival” Art Exhibit will present work by Puerto Rican artists from 6-11 p.m. Sept. 19 at the Worcester PopUp, 20 Franklin St., Worcester. There will also be a screening of the film, “Colonization is Extinction,” with director Nelson Denis, at 6 p.m. Sept. 20 at the PopUp. “Blackstone Print Studio: Freedom of the Press” will be on view Oct. 18 through Nov. 16 at the ARTSWorcester Davis Gallery 44 Portland St., Worcester. 4th Annual American Craft Fair at Tower Hill will be presented in collaboration with the Worcester Center for Crafts and feature more than 30 juried artists representing the finest in American craftwork. The event runs Oct. 19-20 at Tower Hill Botanic Garden, 11 French Dr., Boylston. Admission is $16; $11 for seniors; $6 for ages 6-18; free for ages 5 and younger. “Photo Revolution: Andy Warhol to Cindy Sherman” explores the symbiotic relationship that developed between photography and contemporary art at the end of the 20th century. The exhibit runs Nov. 16 through Feb. 16 at Worcester Art Museum, 55 Salisbury St., Worcester. There will be an opening reception for “If We Go, We Go Together, 15 years of screenprints by Daniel Danger” 8 p.m. Nov. 2 at the Sprinkler Factory, 38 Harlow St., Worcester.
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The King-Goffin Mann-Weil friendship is depicted as competitive
in the show, while both writerromantic relationships have separate ups and downs with one of partnerships reconciling while a partner in
the other declares “It’s Too Late.” “There is fierce competition, but they do support each other. It’s uplifting rivalry,” Lambert said. “It’s
about love and compassion, successes and failures. It’s a story about songwriters. You’re seeing a side to a story you don’t usually see. We not only have the songs but the show is so beautifully written by Douglas McGrath. No pun intended. It’s incredibly smart writing.” Lambert joined the touring production of “Beautiful” in 2016, and has been a swing, covering seven
roles including Mann, as well as being part of the ensemble. “It was a challenge, but like the most incredible challenge,” he said. He was cast as Mann for the 201920 tour. “It just keeps getting better.” Meanwhile, the touring company has several new cast members including Kennedy Caughell as King,
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Performers portraying The Shirelles, whose hit “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” was written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin. COURTESY OF JOAN MARCUS
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James D. Gish as Goffin, and Kathryn Boswell as Weil. Lambert has had the opportunity to meet King, Mann and Weil in person. “Carole is everything you would think she would be. She’s so gracious and very complimentary. She’s like a radiant light,” Lambert said. Mann is “a wonderfully caring man.” King, Mann and Weil, “they’re (all) very vibrant. When you meet them you can’t ignore them at all. They hold their place inside a room. There’s a sweet compassion. Their arms are very wide open and giving and loving,” Lambert said. Lambert is originally from Temecula, California, and growing up seemed to be heading for a different kind of role in the spotlight — as a baseball shortstop. He was good enough that there was talk of Lambert being drafted by a Major League Baseball team out of high school. But while nursing a wrist injury he enrolled at UCLA, discovered its theater department, and changed teams. “I really fell in love with art and acting,” he said. “I found that being an artist I was able to have more to say about the world, how we’re adapting,
and what we’re doing, where we’ve been from. I see the importance of sports as well but I think I was more passionately drawn to art.” He graduated from UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television, and later moved to New York City. “And here we are,” he said. He’s done TV and film, and other musical shows have included “Mamma Mia!” and the musical adaptation of “Happy Days” directed by the late Garry Marshall. “Beautiful” opened on Broadway Jan. 12, 2014, and will play its final performance at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre Oct. 27. However, the national tour is going strong. “Beautiful” will play in at least 105 markets in the 2019–2020 touring season. A number of them will be premiere engagements, Lambert noted, including in Worcester. “We’re really excited to take this show on the road,” Lambert said. The 2019-20 Broadway Series at The Hanover Theatre will feature seven Worcester premieres of new or recent touring productions of awardwinning musicals and comedies beginning with “Beautiful.” The rest of the lineup is as follows. “The Play That Goes Wrong” (Oct. 31-Nov. 3) — It’s the opening night of “The Murder at Haversham Manor” but things aren’t going well
King and Goffin wrote “Up on the Roof,” which became a hit for the Drifters. COURTESY OF JOAN MARCUS
as lines are forgotten and props start falling from the wall. Will the production literally bring the house down? 2015 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Comedy.
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“A Bronx Tale” (Jan. 16-19) — A young man (Calogero) in the 1960s must choose between the father who raised him and the local mob-boss father figure who fascinates him. The musical ran on Broadway for 700 performances from 2016-18. The book for the musical is by writer and actor Chazz Palminteri, who first brought “A Bronx Tale” to life as a one-man show off-Broadway in 1989 based in part on his own experiences. The story was made into a 1993 movie, “A Bronx Tale,” generally considered to be a modern classic. Robert De Niro, who directed the movie and and played the role of Lorenzo, the father, co-directed the Broadway show which has music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Glenn Slater. Worcester native Lucia Giannetta played the role of Rosina, Lorenzo’s wife and Calogero’s mother, during the Broadway run. “Roald Dalh’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” (March 3-8, 2020) — It’s a “Golden Ticket” as Roald Dahl’s treasured tale has been given a new look and a new score for the stage but also includes songs from the original “Willy Wonka” film including “I’ve Got a Golden Ticket,” “Pure Imagination” and “The Candy Man.” “Bandstand” (March 19-22, 2020) — A group of veterans back home in the United States after World War II struggle to fit into their old lives but form a band to compete in a national patriotic radio contest in New York City. 2017 Tony Award for Best Choreography.
“An American in Paris” (April 23-26, 2020) — Inspired by the 1951 movie that starred Gene Kelly as an American finding romance, the musical with fabulous Gershwin numbers (including “I Got Rhythm,” “The Man I Love” and “They Can’t take That Away From Me”) won four 2015 Tony Awards. “Miss Saigon” (May 27-31) — Celebrating 30 years since its debut on the West End in London, “Miss Saigon” (by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, with lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby Jr.) is inspired by Puccini’s opera “Madama Butterfly” and similarly tells the tragic tale of a doomed romance. In this incarnation, a young Vietnamese woman falls for an American G.I. just as Saigon is falling in 1975. The show ran on Broadway from 1991 to 2001 for 4,092 performances and was successfully revived in 2017. The current touring production revival has a cast of 42 and features stunning spectacle and sets. Several subscription plans are available. For more information, visit www. thehanovertheatre.org/subscriptions or call the box office at 877-571-7469.
Other Selected Fall Theater Productions “There’s a Monster in My Closet”: Oct. 4, 5, 6. Gateway Players Theatre. www.gatewayplayers.org.
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“Miss Saigon” COURTESY OF MATTHEW MURPHY
“Deathtrap”: Oct. 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 30. The Bradley Playhouse, 30 Front St., Putnam, Conn. www. thebradleyplayhouse.org. “Don’t Dress for Dinner”: 8 p.m. Oct. 4, 5, 11, 12; 2 p.m. Oct. 13. $22; $15 for ages 16 and younger. Theatre at the Mount, Mount Wachusett Community College, 444 Green St., Gardner. www.mwcc.edu/tam. “Spitfire Grill, The Musical”: 8 p.m. Oct. 11, 12, 18, 19; 2 p.m. Oct. 13, 20. $20; seniors and students, $18; youth 11 and younger, $10. Stageloft
Repertory Theater, 450A Main St., Sturbridge. www.stageloft.org/. “Once on This Island”: Oct. 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20. New Players Theatre Guild, 15 Rollstone St., Fitchburg. www.nptg.org. “The Woman in Black”: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 17, 18, 19, 25, 26; 2 p.m. Oct. 20, 27. $20; $17 for seniors and students. Calliope Productions, 150 Main St., Boylston. www.calliopeproductions.org. “Wait Until Dark”: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 18, 19, 25 and 26; 2 p.m. Oct. 27. $20; senior (65+) and children 12 and younger, $15. Barre Players Theater, 64 Common St., Barre. www.barreplayerstheater.com.
“The Haunting of Hill House”: 7:30 Oct. 25, 26, Nov. 1, 2; 2 p.m. Oct. 27, Nov. 3. $15; $12 for seniors and students. Pasture Prime Productions, 4 Dresser Hill Road, Charlton. “A Murder Is Announced”: Nov. 15, 16, 22, 23, 24. Gateway Players Theatre. www.gatewayplayers.org. “A Christmas Story, The Musical”: 8 p.m. Nov. 29, 30, Dec. 6, 7; 2 p.m. Dec. 1, 8. $22; $15 for ages 16 and younger. Theatre at the Mount, Mount Wachusett Community College, 444 Green St., Gardner. www. mwcc.edu/tam. Contact Richard Duckett at richard. duckett@telegram.com. Follow him on Twitter @TGRDuckett.
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On the Way up Joyner Lucas aids single moms, takes Wortown hip-hop to the Garden VICTOR D. INFANTE
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t might seem ironic, but the biggest show in Worcester hip-hop this season is actually happening in Boston. Grammyaward nominated rapper Joyner Lucas, a Worcester native who has remained heavily involved with his community, will be among the openers for R&B singer Chris Brown at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 20 at the TD Garden, 100 Legends Way, Boston. Other openers on Brown’s “IndiGOAT” tour include Tory Lanez, Ty Dolla $ign and Yella Breezy. Lucas’ public presence since the Grammy Awards has been primarily marked by two things. The first is a torrent of new music releases, videos and tracks from his forthcoming project, “ADHD,” dropping at
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a whirlwind pace, including the controversial “Devil’s Work,” which drew criticism from local Catholics over the video being shot in a church, and “ISIS,” a collaboration with the rapper Logic, which marked the end of a long-standing beef between the two artists. The other thing that has kept Lucas in the public eye has been a penchant for philanthropic sprees, including paying for the funeral of a local shooting victim. His pace on both fronts has slowed as he’s toured with Brown, but both sides of his persona have emerged again in
mental illness, and its repercussions: “I feel like I’m dying inside,” he raps, escalating on the chorus to the rapid-fire, intricate rap stylings for which he’s best known, “Why do I think crazy?/Someone save me/You can’t blame me/It’s my ADHD, yeah.” There’s a push and pull between reaching for help and simultaneously rejecting it which elevates the song into something viscerally affecting. On the charity side, Lucas has, for the month of September, been giving away $500 a day to randomly selected single mothers, in order to
The Avett Brothers, the last time they performed at the DCU Center.
recent days. On the music front, Lucas released a music video for the title track of his “ADHD” project. It’s a moody and personal-feeling song, one which broods on struggles with
help them with basic needs such as groceries. “Today I seen a single mother in the grocery store trying to buy some food but didn’t have enough,” wrote
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Lucas, on his Facebook account. “She almost had to put the food back until I stepped in. I took care of it. Fortunately I have been blessed and fortunate enough to help others. This prompted me to want to do something special this month specifically for single mothers. I know there’s a lot of you who struggle trying to do it on your own. A lot of fathers are absent and don’t help. This month I’m giving away $500 a day for the whole month to all single mothers
for comments, but a person on his management team acknowledged that the effort was a “deeply personal” one for Lucas, who famously took his own mother with him to the Grammy Awards this year. In a lot of ways, Lucas is just the most visible tip of the Worcester hip-hop iceberg, with artists such as Lou Gonz, Danny Fantom, Leon Legacy, Ghost of the Machine and Death Over Simplicity putting out a steady stream of fantastic music this year. Indeed, if one wants to see a raw and unpolished glimpse of the hip-hop community from which
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who need help with food. Drop your cash app name below and dm me your story. I will choose at random and screenshot the payment to show you I’m a man of my word. I love yal so much and want to help.” Screenshots of payments have appeared in a steady stream across Lucas’ social media presence. The rapper did not respond to requests
Lucas emerged, one can check out the Singer, Rapper, Producer Cypher event hosted by Jeremy Lundin at 7 p.m. Sept. 27 at Exclusives Clothing, 39 Pleasant St., Worcester. The event will feature work by emerging artists Stylez Z, Icebabyyy, producer Deevo, Scooby and DT Brown. The event is free, and open to artists joining in. C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 21
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CITY LIF E
ART IST
SPO TLI GHT
artists Fair warning, ousemedia.com. s WMeditor@gateh tion digital copie local artist, emailde a small bio and high resolu tion and what will , or know of a If you are an artist your work, you’ll need to provie what will run, based on resolu sh in order to publi We reserve the right to choos art. of some of your newsprint. on reproduce best
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Let us feature your artwork in Worcester Magazine’s Artist spotlight! Email WMeditor@gatehousemedia.com for more information!
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s as well as art schoo and aristo had all kinds lf going on to in gallery shows and event creative poets, painters e found herse of ry tors, dancers, over the count herself with the same types she is today. Aime now shows all the artist that und BFA in 2006. She als. She continues to surro surrealistic world. receiving her al being that and arts festiv ous colors of her quin, a magic l and at various music e her to paint the lumin with the idea of the Harle playfu l, are sexua ng inspir people which has been worki it. These esoteric Harlequinsour world and their own to she now of years unds For several that surro boundaries and the world ing beyond the can change itself us in their thoughts of travel s: following event Greenfield. . sometimes devio sly elastic points of views om/coletteaimee or at the in 13-15 Sept. al: reach tremendou of her work at rawartists.c Aug. 24, Wormtown Festiv Check out more town Spencer: Party in down Spencer Street
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Popular Music Fall Highlights Music Worcester kicks off its 161st season with “An Evening with Audra McDonald” in her Mechanics Hall debut, at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 2 at Mechanics Hall, 321 Main St., Worcester. Tickets are $65-$125; $25 for students and youth. REO Speedwagon brings its classic Midwestern rock n’ roll to The Hanover Theatre with fan favorites such as “Can’t Fight This Feeling,” “Keep On Loving You” and “Take It On the Run.” Boston rocker Charlie Farren opens. The show will be held at 8 p.m. Oct. 3 at The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts, 2 Southbridge St., Worcester. Tickets cost $45- $195. The Avett Brothers return to the DCU Center, with special guest Lake Street Dive, at 7:30 p.m. Oct.
Audra McDonald PROMOTIONAL PHOTO
4 at the DCU Center, 50 Foster St., Worcester. Tickets start at $36.50. GHOST brings “The Ultimate Tour Named Death” Oct. 21 to the DCU Center, 50 Foster St., Worcester. Tickets cost $29.50 to $49.50. The Trans-Siberian Orchestra returns Nov. 17 for two shows at the DCU Center. Tickets start at $49.50. Walt Weiskopf, perhaps best known for his work with Steely Dan, will perform for the Fall Brown Bag Concert Series at 1 p.m. Nov. 20 at Mechanics Hall, 321 Main St., Worcester. The event is free.
CITY LIFE If you are an artist, or know of a local artist, email WMeditor@gatehousemedia.com. Fair warning, in order to publish your work, you’ll need to provide a small bio and high resolution digital copies of some of your art. We reserve the right to choose what will run, based on resolution and what will reproduce best on newsprint.
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
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Bill Dussault is a local photographer who loves taking pictures of the sights and scenes of the Worcester area. He especially love the architecture of some of Worcester’s older buildings. See more of his work at fineartamerica.com.
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Graphic memories
Cartoonist Travis Dandro draws on Leicester childhood for ‘King of King Court’ JOHN SEVEN
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artoonist Travis Dandro lives in Maine these days, but his memories of Leicester are vivid enough to fill a book
with them. He did exactly that with his recently published graphic novel, “King of King Court.” Recounting his childhood and teen years in Leicester, it’s a comics autobiography delving into his life in a dysfunctional,
sometimes dangerous, family. Dandro grew up under the care of a number of adults who, overwhelmed by their own problems, routinely failed to put the safety of their children at the forefront of their
concern. Filled with scary incidents brought on by various forms of adult self-destruction and violence, including drugs, alcohol, crime and domestic abuse, Dandro’s childhood was defined by grown-ups acting out their despair while he tried to make some sense of it. Dandro’s treatment of such dark, harrowing subject matter has earned him rave reviews from outlets such as The Boston Globe. For Dandro, that’s just part of the reward of telling his story. Dandro says that the best thing the graphic novel has given him is real healing from his trauma. Dandro’s childhood weighed on him and pushed down harder through the years. He chose to revisit that period of his life in comics form following a nervous breakdown and therapy that allowed him to speak openly about his childhood for the first time, but also added to his emotional stress. “Therapy just made my anxiety worse,” Dandro said. “I was waking up with panic attacks and became dependent on Valium in order to get back to sleep. Eventually, the medication lost its effectiveness so I just stayed awake. That’s when I started drawing the book.” “The King of King Court” opens with 6-year-old Travis out for the day with his grown-up buddy Dave, but there’s more to Dave than Travis understands. Shortly after, Travis’ mom reveals that Dave is actually Travis’ real father. That’s when the real trouble begins for Travis. “When I was 6 Dave was one of my favorite people in the world and we were really close,” Dandro said. “That ended after he got deeper into drugs and started becoming more violent. After Dave went to prison, I felt greatly relieved and I didn’t think about him again after that.” Dandro portrays that tumultuous period through the eyes of a little kid. But even though Dave went to prison, he didn’t disappear, and Dandro’s book chronicles that too. His father made fumbling attempts to reconnect, but Dandro, protecting himself emotionally, rebuffed these efforts. “Working on the book brought about a feeling of guilt regarding Dave that I wasn’t really expecting,” said Dandro. But Dandro says that creating “The King of King Court” helped him in ways that counseling and medica-
tion never did. It allowed him to analyze his life from a safe place, and draw strength from that experience. “I compare the making of this book to exposure therapy,” he said. Dandro fills the book with dream sequences, some terrifying, that were developed from sessions where he daydreamed about being a kid and put whatever came to his mind on the page. This let his subconscious have a voice in the narrative. None of the sequences are based on any real dreams he had as a kid — except for one incident in the book involving the “Mona Lisa.” That was real. Sort of. “That was an actual experience, although she didn’t actually reach out and grab me,” Dandro said. “My very first memory is of being terrified of the copy of the ‘Mona Lisa’ my aunt had hanging in her living room. I remember my mom carrying me into the room while I was kicking and screaming. Once she put me down I ran and hid under the kitchen table. It was that creepy smile and the way her eyes seemed to follow me. The Mona Lisa still freaks me out a little.” One of the most crucial truths presented in the book is the impact that comics have had on Dandro’s life. He depicts himself retreating into drawing comics as a defense against his childhood terrors and also as a healing action that allows him to have some control over his life. That’s a lesson he hasn’t forgotten. “Comics have made all the difference in my life,” he said. “I have been making comics since I was 10. Whenever I would struggle with things or get frustrated with life, I always had comics to save me.” Comics has been at the center of his pursuits as an adult. He’s been drawing them for college newspapers across the country since 1996, when the University of Maine picked up his “Mr. Gnu” comic strip. On his Patreon, a platform for artists, he regularly provides backers with new comics, and his work has appeared in two editions of “The Best American Comics.” “When I’m not drawing comics I’m usually thinking about comics,” Dandro said. “I haven’t had a lot of time to draw this past year but I’ve been planning out my next book in my head the whole time. It’s like a rubber band being pulled back and when I finally sit down to draw, the ideas will fly out.”
CITY LIFE
LIFESTYLE
Festival SZN SARAH CONNELL SANDERS
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orcester is flush with festivals. Murals, food, jazz, harvest — you plan it, we’ll show up. This town loves a party. For me, the mark of a good festival is an unwavering sense of community. Organizers go to great lengths to make attendees feel like they’re getting an inside look at something or someone exceptional. Whether it’s a chance to meet the maker at stART on the Street, or an opportunity to toast your favorite brewer in an intimate setting, a great festival radiates the sensation of exclusivity while catering to dedicated crowds.
Worcester Wine Festival
Take, for example, the Worcester Wine Festival, which drew more than 1,500 attendees to the grand tasting at Union Station last Saturday. Guests received a glass
upon entry and then sifted through 400 hand-curated wines poured by industry experts. Frank Family Vineyards lured the largest crowd with its 2016 Napa Valley Cabernet. Its tasting notes rivaled William Carlos Williams with lines like: “Seamlessly woven in black cherry and cocoa … hazelnut, baked plum, and cloves.” I don’t speak “wine” fluently, but by the end of the day I thought I did. Self confidence is a superpower in the wine world.
WOOtenanny! A Comedy Festival
After the wine festival on Saturday, we crossed Kelley Square to check out Shaun Connolly’s Sort of Late Show at Nick’s Bar and Restaurant. I watched a grown man encourage his rugby teammates to pour beer into his sneaker before he polished off every ounce of shoe-juice while they chanted, “Shoot the boot!” It was precious. If you are prone to this brand of un-
predictable humor, there’s more on the way. This year’s WOOtenanny Comedy Festival will include 24 shows set to take place from Sept. 30 through Oct. 6. Comedy-oke will combine comedy and karaoke on Tuesday, Oct. 1, at Nick’s. Connolly will record his first original comedy album on Thursday, Oct. 3, at Coney Island. One Liner Madness takes a competitive approach with bracketstyle elimination on Saturday, Oct. 5, at Nick’s. If you’ve ever laughed, or never laughed, you need more WOOtenanny in your life.
Worcester Craft Beer Week
Worcester’s five breweries jokingly refer to themselves as “the five families.” Although they’re organized, there’s nothing criminal about it. Wormtown Brewery, Redemption Rock Brewing, Greater Good Imperial Brewing Co., 3cross Fermentation Cooperative and Flying Dreams have joined forces
Liza Gallia of Frank Family Vineyards at the Worcester Wine Festival on Saturday, Sept. 14. SARAH CONNELL SANDERS
to bring us a week’s worth of beerrelated programming. The Great Mass Collab will kick the festivi-
ties off on Saturday, Sept. 21, on the Worcester Common Oval with
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From left, Kurt Parliment, Sharon Nist, Anne Edgington (holding Buffy the chicken), Christie Higginbottom and Jerome Edgington are ready for the Leicester Harvest Fair.
Local chef participating in Newport festival
Executive chef Jared Forman, coowner of deadhorse hill restaurant in Worcester, is among chefs invited to participate in the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival, Sept. 19-22 in Newport. Forman will take the stage at 7 p.m. Sept. 20 for the gala at Rosecliff mansion. The award-winning chef C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 27
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entries, including award-winning pickles, jams, vegetables, flower arrangements and baked goods, go up for bid from 2 to 4 p.m. at a silent auction. I will join with other food judges to taste entries before the festival begins. It’s an early morning gig, and there are always exciting new flavor combinations on the tables, especially in the pickling category. Garlic and jalapeno, yum! Enjoy all the festival has to offer.
WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM
he 20th annual Leicester Harvest Festival is scheduled Sept. 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the Leicester Town Common, rain or shine. Free to the public. Artisans’ demos, children’s games, face painting, food and craft vendors and more are planned throughout the day. Free hayrides will be from 10 a.m. to noon, sponsored by Cornerstone Bank. A historical walking tour of Leicester Common, including Swan’s Tavern, will begin at noon, sponsored
by the Leicester Historical Commission. Other festivities: Live Celtic music by The Doolin Lads is set from 10 a.m. to noon, sponsored by Cornerstone Bank; folk music by Yankee Notions, noon to 2 p.m.; Slo-Grass, 2 to 4 p.m., sponsored by Cooper’s Hilltop Farm in Rochdale and the Leicester Arts Council. Festival parking be available at the Middle School, 70 Winslow Ave., and Leicester High School, 174 Paxton St., with a courtesy shuttle to the Common. Amateur home bakers, brewers, gardeners and artists are invited to compete. No entry fee; open to the public. If interested, bring entries to the Town Hall, 3 Washburn Ave., from 4 to 7 p.m. on Sept. 20. New categories for 2019 include Whoopie Pies and Ugliest Vegetable. For a complete list of categories and rules, visit the Leicester Harvest Festival’s Facebook page. Judging will take place the morning of the festival and entries will be on display until 2 p.m. Donated
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Leicester Harvest Festival this weekend
CITY LIFE
DINING
Pepe’s Taqueria thriving in Tatnuck Square 645 Chandler St., Worcester • (508) 796-5796 SANDRA RAIN
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epe’s Taqueria isn’t an exact replica of El Patron; it’s more of a close relative. The new Mexican restaurant, located in Tatnuck Square, was conceived by the Cazares brothers, whose mother has made a name for herself with a combination of hospitality and guacamole at her own establishment, El Patron. Like Cazares family recipes, there’s no secret formula for customer
satisfaction — just a lot of hard work. Employees at Pepe’s Taqueria aim to please and they never stop moving. I dined at Pepe’s Taqueria on two occasions for this review, once with a large group and once for a date. Both of my experiences were punctuated by attentive service. If you grew up in Worcester, it may take you a few visits to stop seeing the bones of Papa Gino’s. The base board and faux brick have remained the same, as have the kitchen’s swinging double doors. Alternately, the tiled mosaic tables and a gallery of Frida Kahlo paintings begin to write a new chapter. Guests can sit outside beneath a charming collection of hanging flower pots or inside where the walls erupt in shades of jade, tangerine and fuschia. Margaritas at Pepe’s Taqueria arrive with crazy straws. I know, I know — the turtles. But, they’re fun and festive. Fresh margaritas are only $2 extra and feature Jose Cuervo, agave and lime juice squeezed to order. The pineapple chili marg and the jalapeño marg offer a sharp kick.
Pepe’s Taqueria does not skimp on chips, limes or napkins. The salsa contains little slivers of carrots for an added crunch. Order the warm white queso and a bowl of guac. Most of the serving dishes are plastic, but Pepe’s Taqueria does dips proud. Ask for a trio of homemade sauces and you’ll find the tomatillo friendly. Apply the chile oil with care. Order a burrito and you’ll eat for a week. El Patron’s famous “drenched burrito” appears on the menu as a “wet burrito” at Pepe’s Taqueria, covered in sour cream, queso dip and tomatillo sauce. The California burrito contains french fries. I fancy the salad burrito, stuffed with lettuce, pico de gallo, guac, chipotle mayo and grilled chicken. All of the tacos come with doublestacked corn tortillas along with generous doses of onion and cilantro. Pepe’s Taqueria lets you mix and match all of its tacos, which cost between $2.50 and $3. Barbacoa, slow-cooked shredded beef, is a staff favorite served on crispy deep fried tortillas. The fish tacos can be ordered fried or grilled with lime slaw and chipotle mayo. Pepe’s Taqueria is casual, inexpensive, family-friendly and outright merry. I look forward to watching the menu begin to deviate from El Patron and develop its own personality with time. On my last dinner date at Pepe’s Taqueria, the bill came to $29.96. Explanation of Stars: Ratings are from zero to five. Zero is not recommended. One is poor. Two is fair. Three is satisfactory. Four is good. Five is excellent.
Food: HHH1/2 Ambience: HHH Service: HHHH Value: HHHH
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L I F E S TY L E
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offerings from more than 40 Massachusetts breweries. Head to the after-party with a view on the roof of Union Station garage beginning at 6 p.m. You can meet the brewers on
Wednesday, Sept. 25, at BirchTree Bread Co.’s pizza night from 6 to 8 p.m. On Thursday, the breweries are operating free shuttles between their locations from 6 to 10 p.m. The week winds down on Saturday, Sept. 28, with a cutthroat beer scavenger hunt beginning at 1 p.m. Let’s get festive.
The Worcester Wine Festival drew more than 1,500 attendees to the grand tasting at Union Station on Saturday, Sept. 14. SARAH CONNELL SANDERS
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If you have any tidbits for the column, call (508) 868-5282. Send email to bhoulefood@gmail.com.
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Pulse Magazine’s annual Chili and Chowder Fest is set for Sept. 21 at Compass Tavern, 90 Harding St., Worcester. Hours are from 1 to 5 p.m.; Tickets, $15 per person; $5, children ages 5-12. There is free admission for children under 5. Visit http:// worcchilichowderfest.com for more
Note: Several items from last week’s Table Hoppin’ column in Worcester Magazine were eliminated as a result of space issues. The complete column appeared online on the Worcester Telegram & Gazette’s website. With new earlier Worcester Magazine deadlines, “tidbits” for the column need to get to me at least a week before publication date. Call with any questions.
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Chili and Chowder Fest set for Sept. 21
Earlier deadlines
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will showcase his “rustic-elegant approach to seasonal American cooking.” Food and Wine magazine’s culinary director Justin Chapple will headline the Grand Tasting on Sept. 21. Chapple hosts the magazine’s weekly morning show, “Mad Genius Live,” and video series “Mad Genius Tips.” He is author of “Just Cook It!” (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018) and “Mad Genius Tips” (Oxmoore House, 2016). For more information, visit www. newportmansionswineandfood.org. The event supports the ongoing landscape restoration efforts of The Preservation Society of Newport County, a private nonprofit organization accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and dedicated to preserving and interpreting the area’s historic architecture, landscapes and decorative arts.
information. Local restaurants will compete for the title of Worcester’s Best chili or chowder. Participants include Mill Street BBQ Company, The Dogfather, Compass Tavern, the Flying Rhino Café and Watering Hole, Pepe’s Italian Restaurant, the College of the Holy Cross, Lock 50, Vintage Grille and Savor Catering at DCU Center, all in Worcester; Puffins Restaurant in Millbury and Center Tree Bar & Grill in Rutland. Enjoy food tastings, live music and more. Note: Adult beverages will be available for purchase. Pulse Magazine, Worcester Pepsi, Restaurant Super Store, Arctic Summer, Corona and Modelo are event sponsors.
CITY LIFE
THE NEXT DRAFT
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Amid success, Wormtown sees chances for personal growth
Scott Metzger, an influential voice in Texas for craft beer, has been named Wormtown Brewery’s new general manager. COURTESY OF SCOTT METZGER
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his year, Wormtown Brewery released “Don’t Worry,” a new IPA it hopes will one day rival sales of its flagship ale, “Be Hoppy.” Together, the beers riff on the popular Bobby McFerrin song, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” But, as it toasts yet another year of double-digit growth, Wormtown is not operating by that mantra. Last week, the 10-year-old brewery hired Scott Metzger, an influential force in Texas craft beer, to serve as its first general manager. The hire
shows Wormtown does worry about its future, even amid its rapid ascent in Massachusetts craft beer. On the heels of a 16,000-squarefoot expansion, Wormtown expects to have produced 35,000 barrels of beer by the end of 2019, up around 5,500 from 2018. Over the last four years, the brewery has gone from a staff of four to 30. And next month, it will open a second brewery and taproom at Patriot Place, adding at least a dozen more employees. The brewery, though, has not let all of this good news distract from planning for the future, nor has its success trumped introspection. Amid all this growth, Wormtown’s
ownership has found it harder to focus on the people that keep the brewery running, whether brewing the beer, pouring it or marketing it. Managing partner David Fields said his time has been so consumed by the expansion of the brewery that he and the other owners cannot give their employees the attention they deserve. Communication has suffered. Ideas have fallen through the cracks. They brought in Metzger to address this gap in management. “We know what equipment we need, what brands we need, and what we need from distributors; we have a good feel for that portion
of our growth,” Fields said. “Where Scott comes in is, now that we have a staff of 30-plus people, he will help make sure everyone gets what they need and their ideas are heard. He will help us invest as much in our people and their support as we have in the physical expansion of our brewery.” When Fields became a managing partner at Wormtown in 2014, he had a humble goal: Bring the brewery’s production up to 15,000 barrels of beer by the time he reached 55. Fields was 43 then, and Wormtown had not yet left Peppercorn’s Grille & Tavern on Park Avenue, where it brewed about 2,600 barrels annually. The next year, the brewery moved to Shrewsbury Street, upping its production to 7,500 barrels while expanding its distribution. And the growth, quick and calculated, only continued from there. The brewery would surpass 15,000 barrels before Fields celebrated his 46th birthday. “We’re bigger than any of us would have ever imagined in our wildest dreams,” he said. So as it surges forward, Wormtown is hiring Metzger to make sure its staff is not left behind. “At the ownership level, we had so much on our plate, because the business was growing so fast, our team was expanding so fast and our facility was expanding so fast,” Fields said. “It’s hard to continue to provide a talented and passionate team with everything they need, whether it be information about the brewery or training.” There have been instances where information about new equipment or projects would not filter down to employees, Fields said. There are also ideas from team members that get lost in the shuffle, or projects that take too long to complete. Metzger, Fields said, will help improve communication in the brewery and oversee new projects. “We’re not making this decision to manage our future growth, but rather to manage the growth we’ve already achieved, and to manage the growth of our team as much as the growth of our brewery,” he said. “We know we can grow the brewery, but can we grow our culture and support
our people as well as we can support our beer? This hire is as much about our people as it is about selling more beer.” When I first read about Metzger’s hire, I wondered why a Worcester brewery chose to bring in someone from Texas for such a crucial position. Why not pick a candidate from its backyard, one perhaps more familiar with the local beer scene? Then I learned about Metzger’s background. For more than a decade, he has played a pivotal role in expanding options for craft beer in the Lone Star State, championing changes that have helped influence the laws in other states, as well. In 2008, he co-founded Freetail Brewing Co., growing it into San Antonio’s largest brewery. His advocacy for Texas craft beer on the state level includes helping to push changes to Texas laws that expanded breweries’ options for selling beer. And later, the Brewers Association, the national trade group for U.S. breweries, recognized his work, appointing him to its board of directors. Metzger, who left Freetail last November, said he is impressed not only by the pace at which Wormtown has grown, but also by the way it has achieved that growth. “If you polled 100 people, from breweries to distributors to retailers, they would say that model is the textbook way to build a brand,” he said. When he starts at Wormtown Sept. 25, he will begin his first day “with a blank slate,” he said, focused on listening and learning, not deliberating or dictating. “I don’t want to go in with any preconceived notions, in terms of here are the 10 things we can do to grow or improve. I think the people there already have a lot of great ideas,” he said. “My role will be helping to facilitate and guide those great ideas. It’s up to me to understand those ideas and lend input on how we could improve them or make them more efficient. Mostly, it’s helping the staff already there turn their ideas into realities.”
CITY LIFE
LISTEN UP
The Casters deliver old-school rock with ‘Shave Your Soul’ VICTOR D. INFANTE
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WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM
Down” and the countrified “Life Is a Mountain,” both of which inject the album with new waves of energy. But there’s also a feeling at this point of everything being stripped away, a feeling that sets the stage for the penultimate song, “My Second Wife.” It’s a song that’s equal parts funny and tragic, radiating bad decisions and a sort of rambling spirit, one for which happiness is always somewhere else. It’s a joyously played song, but that sentiment seeps into the album’s closer, “I Will Only Let You Down,” a song that positively bleeds with heartache and a sense of confession. It’s a heavy, emotional end to what is frequently a breezy album, but it’s well-earned and extremely satisfying.
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here’s something delightfully retro about The Casters’ recent Album, “Shave Your Soul.” It feels like a late ’70s rock throwback, filled to overflowing with a sort of bright-eyed belief in music and a weariness at almost everything else. It’s a bright, emotional album, but it’s also a restless one, and perhaps it’s that dichotomy that makes it interesting. No one’s re-inventing the musical wheel here: This is straight–up rock executed skillfully and played with full-hearted earnestness. The band, which will perform at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 21 at Timberyard Brewing Company in East Brookfield, kicks off the album with “Strong Sharp Pull,” a deceptively upbeat song that feels positively cheerful, despite lines such as “I’ve got scars, I’ve got bruises, I’ve got broken bones/ Somewhere down the line I fell in love with your ghost/These walls will fall with me, this is my broken home.” It’s some pretty good musical sleight of hand, having the listeners cheering and slapping their knees to the persona’s misery. The band, which comprises Jared Fiske on guitar and vocals, Sean McKinstry on guitar and vocals, Rob Adams (Fiske’s father) on lead guitar, Ben Kowal on drums, Nick Smith on bass and Jessica Adams on backing vocals and percussion, play with a sort of effortless cohesion. On “Ariana,” there’s a sort of melancholy flow from the verses into the chorus, into which the melody crashes like waves on a rock. The understated pull of guitar playing steadily over light percussion makes “How You Gonna Use Me” deeply affecting, with lines such as “And you’re making me nervous/
Like a regular Jesus/Like they were right all along/They were right all along” opening up the album’s lens to capture a wider picture. When a guitar solo careens out of the bridge, it’s almost startling. The album plays a lot with tone, the high–reaching brightness of “Took the Poison Like Medicine” contrasts directly against the heavy, rocked-out blues of “Wild Thistle” and its sidewinder Southern guitar. “Simple Things” is a lovely and smoky little love song, while the heavier “Verifiably So” feels weighty, its bitterness spilling out of the song: “I’ll call you a liar, verifiably so/Watch me stuff my pockets full of stick and stone.” Everything comes to a head in the cool-breeze feel of “The Long Way
CITY LIFE
FILM
There’s something to be said about bad films JIM KEOGH
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hen I began freelancing for The Evening Gazette in 1986, I sometimes reviewed as many as four movies in a weekend, which meant I saw a lot of bad movies. In “Shanghai Surprise,” the lack of chemistry between Madonna and Sean Penn on screen helped explain their eventual divorce off it. In “The Clan of the Cave Bear,” Daryl Hannah played a Cro-Magnon with blond highlights by Clairol. In “Cobra,” crime fighter Sylvester Stallone told a crime committer, “You’re the disease. I’m the cure,” before unleashing a healing spray of gunfire. My editor, the late, great Gerry Goggins, would call me with my assignments, and I came to recognize a particular pattern with how he did it. If Gerry described a movie for me as “something called,” as in “You’ll be reviewing something called ‘Howard the Duck,’” I knew I was in for a long day at the theater. I could practically hear the apology in his voice. The first movie I reviewed, “American Anthem,” didn’t star an actor, it starred Olympic gymnast Mitch Gaylord playing an Olympic gymnast, a stretch to be sure. I don’t remember much about the film, though I’ve retained a gauzy sense of its sheer terribleness. This is the nature of being a critic. Sometimes you dine on gourmet
cuisine, and sometimes you eat slop. I started with slop. I see fewer movies than I used to, and I enjoy the luxury of being selective. At a recent wedding I was chatting with someone who’d just seen “Angel Has Fallen,” about a man wrongly accused of engineering the attempted murder of the president. I’d watched the trailer, knew Gerard Butler and Nick Nolte play son and father, and I also knew my eyes would never behold those two acting together in this particular film. My time on this planet is limited, and I’d rather spend it doing other stuff, including seeing better movies. That said, I feel a little guilty about shunning the very worst movies. They may not lift the soul, but they do build character. Last year, I intentionally reviewed “Holmes & Watson” despite a tsunami of bad press preceding it. The film delivered on its promise as one of the unfunniest comedies in recent history, and did so with gusto — even the ampersand in the title seemed desperate. I saw “Holmes & Watson,” I wrote about it, and I didn’t die from it. Nothing else matters. Did I know this summer’s “Dark Phoenix” would be atrocious? Yes. But I’d seen all the other X-Men movies and I needed to close the loop. Matthew McConaughey made two stinkers this year, “Serenity” and “The Beach Bum.” I chose to see “The Beach Bum.” Did I choose wisely? I did not.
Madonna and Sean Penn star in “Shanghai Surprise,” although they’d probably both rather you forgot about that. METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER STUDIOS
I did not. There is no film critic’s equivalent of the Hippocratic Oath, though perhaps there should be (the Ebertonian Pledge?). In it, we would vow to endure the bad and the ugly rather than submit ourselves only to the
good. We would promise to tell the truth when a movie emperor wears no clothes. We would commit to the notion that “something called” movies have their purpose in the cinematic firmament, even if that purpose is a complete and utter
mystery. I’m not saying I’ve reversed course on seeing “Angel Has Fallen.” But “Rambo: Last Blood” opens this week, and if Sylvester Stallone is still the cure, I just may have to go in for a check-up.
(1:49) PG. “A Dog’s Journey” — The pooch with a purpose forms a new attachment and vows to watch over her in this sequel. (1:48) PG. “Dora and the Lost City of Gold” — The teen explorer from the animated series leads her friends on a jungle adventure in this live-action tale. With Isabela Moner, Eugenio Derbez, Michael Pena, Eva Longoria, Temuera Morrison. (1:42) PG. “Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw” — Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham grudgingly team to battle a cyber-genetically enhanced anarchist wielding a bio threat in this globe-spanning spinoff of the speedfueled action series. (2:14) PG-13. “The Goldfinch” — Adaptation of Donna Tartt’s Pulitzer Prize-winning best-seller about a young man dealing
with the tragic death of his mother in a bombing at a New York museum when he was just 13. With Ansel Elgort, Oakes Fegley, Aneurin Barnard, Finn Wolfhard, Sarah Paulson, Luke Wilson, Jeffrey Wright, Nicole Kidman. Written by Peter Straughan. Directed by John Crowley. (2:29) R. “Good Boys” — Bad decisions lead a trio of sixth-graders down a comical path of age-inappropriate misadventures. (1:32) R. “Hustlers” — Former strip club workers plan to take down a group of Wall Street players. With Constance Wu, Jennifer Lopez, Julia Stiles, Keke Palmer, Lili Reinhart, Mercedes Ruehl, Lizzo, Cardi B. Written and directed by Lorene Scafaria; based on a magazine article by Jessica Pressler. (1:50) R. “It Chapter Two” — It’s 27 years
FILM CAPSULES “47 Meters Down: Uncaged” — Four teen girls exploring undersea ruins are menaced by sharks in this sequel. With Sophie Nelisse, Corinne Foxx, Sistine Stallone, Brianne Tju, John Corbett, Nia Long. (1:29) PG-13. “Aladdin” — Live-action adaptation of Disney’s 1992 animated musical based on the timeless fantasy tale about a charming thief, a beautiful princess and a big blue genie. (2:08) PG. “Angel Has Fallen” — Gerard Butler’s Secret Service agent returns, this time framed for the attempted assassination of the president. With Morgan Freeman, Jada Pinkett Smith, Lance Reddick. (2:00) R. “The Angry Birds Movie 2” — The irritable avians of the popular game app return in this animated sequel. Voices of Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad,
Constance Wu and Jennifer Lopez in “Hustlers.” ANNAPURNA PICTURES
Leslie Jones, Bill Hader, Rachel Bloom, Awkwafina, Sterling K. Brown, Danny McBride, Peter Dinklage, Dove Cameron, Lil Rel Howery, Nicki Minaj. (1:36) PG.
“The Art of Racing in the Rain” — A clever dog voiced by Kevin Costner narrates the story of his owner, an aspiring Formula One driver. With Milo Ventimiglia, Amanda Seyfried.
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CITY LIFE
later and the evil returns to Derry, Maine. James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa, Jay Ryan, James Ransone, Andy Bean, Bill Skarsgard, Jaeden Martell, Wyatt Oleff, Jack Dylan Grazer, Finn Wolfhard, Sophia Lillis, Chosen Jacobs, Jeremy Ray Taylor. Written by Gary Dauberman, based on the novel by Stephen King. Directed by Andy Muschietti. R. “John Wick — Chapter 3 — Parabellum” — The super-assassin played by Keanu Reeves is back, pursued by other hired killers looking to collect a $14 million bounty. (2:10) R. “The Lion King” — The young Simba has a series of adventures on the way to claiming his birthright in this computer-animated remake of
Gottsagen, John Hawkes, Bruce Dern, Jon Bernthal, Thomas Haden Church, Jake Roberts, Mick Foley. (1:33) PG13. “Ready or Not” — A new bride is forced by her eccentric in-laws to play a twisted and deadly game. With Samara Weaving, Mark O’Brien, Adam Brody, Henry Czerny, Andie MacDowell. (1:35) R. “Rocketman” — Mild-mannered English piano player Reginald Dwight transforms into rock superstar Elton John in this musical fantasy biopic starring Taron Egerton. (2:01) R. “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” — Teens in a small town in the 1960s discover a book of terror tales that start to come true. With Zoe Margaret Colletti, Michael Garza, Gabriel Rush, Austin Abrams,
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Dean Norris, Gil Bellows, Lorraine Toussaint. PG-13. “The Secret Life of Pets 2” — A sequel to the computer-animated comedy reveals more of the antics our animal companions get up to when we’re not around. (1:26) “Spider-Man: Far from Home” — The young web slinger’s trip to Europe with his school friends is interrupted by Nick Fury and some elemental creatures. (2:08) PG-13. “Toy Story 4” — The gang goes on a road trip and reunites with Bo Peep in the fourth entry in DisneyPixar’s beloved computer-animated franchise. (1:40) G. “Where’d You Go, Bernadette” — A Seattle woman with a seemingly perfect life suddenly disappears in this comedy-drama based on Maria Semple’s best-selling novel. With Cate Blanchett, Billy Crudup, Kristen Wiig, James Urbaniak, Judy Greer, Troian Bellisario, Laurence Fishburne. (1:44) PG-13.
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the 1994 animated Disney musical. (1:58) PG. “Men in Black: International” — A new generation of alien-busting agents searches for a mole in their midst. (1:55) PG-13. “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” — Leonardo DiCaprio is a has-been TV star and Brad Pitt plays his longtime stunt double in writerdirector Quentin Tarantino’s 1969-set multi-narrative tale set during the closing days of the studio system’s Golden Age. (2:39). “Overcomer” — A high school coach and family man in an economically struggling town finds inspiration in a young girl who tries out for the cross-country team. With Alex Kendrick, Aryn WrightThompson, Shari Rigby, Priscilla Shirer. (1:59) PG. “The Peanut Butter Falcon” — A young man with Down syndrome chases his dream of becoming a professional wrestler. With Shia LaBeouf, Dakota Johnson, Zack
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Samara Weaving in “Ready or Not.”
CITY LIFE
THINGS TO DO COMPILED BY RICHARD DUCKETT, VICTOR D. INFANTE AND NANCY SHEEHAN
Thursday, Sept. 19 Story Time — Terrific 2’s & 3’s: 10:30-11:30 a.m. Sep. 19, Boylston Public Library, 695 Main St., Boylston. For information: (508) 869-2371, lstretton@cwmars.org. Back to School Slime at Goddard Branch: 4-5 p.m. Sep. 19, Worcester
Smart and funny
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The occasional Thought Bomb series tends to put forward some of the coolest edgiest collections of comedians, poets and musicians around, and the installment set for Saturday is no exception. In one routine, for instance, host Nora Panahi talks about being bi-racial, which means she can pick and choose between being Iranian or being white, depending on what’s convenient. Karmenife X’s tale of a horrible date is outrageously funny, and still manages to poke at deeper cultural wounds, and Boston poet Melissa Lozada-Oliva’s send-up of poet Taylor Mali is less about him, and more about the policing of young women’s language. Throw in comedian Kendra Dawsey, Worcester electronic music artist Itoarazi and band Hammer and Snake, and you have a night that’s as smart as it is fun. What: Thought Bomb When: 8:30 p.m. Sept. 21 Where: Ralph’s Rock Diner, 148 Grove St, Worcester How much: $10
Public Library Goddard Branch, 14 Richards St., Worcester. For information: lsheldon@mywpl. org. Apple-palooza: 4:30-5:30 p.m. Sep. 19, Boylston Public Library, 695 Main St., Boylston. For information: Registration required at boylstonlibrary.org/events. Southeast Asia Artists-inResidency: Third Thursday Artist Talk: 6-8 p.m. Sep. 19, Worcester Art Museum, 55 Salisbury St., Worcester. For information: information@worcesterart. org. Artist talk with Richard Streitmatter-Tran and Jennifer Teo in their studios at WAM. Hijos del Cañaveral — Art Exhibit: Casa Boriken and Pa’Lante Worcester exhibit Puerto Rican artists showcasing the culture and history of Puerto Rico through art, 6-9 p.m. Sept. 19, Worcester PopUp, 20 Franklin St., Worcester. Thursday Book Club: 6:30-7:30 p.m. Sep. 19, Boylston Public Library, 695 Main St., Boylston. For information: (508) 869-2371, efurse@cwmars.org. The book discussed will be “Lolita” by Vladmir Nabokov. Bike Night Featuring Fellowship of the King: 6:30-10:30 p.m. Sep. 19, Halligan’s Bar And Function Hall, 889 Southbridge St., Auburn. The Yo Daddy Doe Variety Show: hosted by CoffeeHouse Craig, 7 p.m. Sept. 19, Strong Style Coffee, 13 Cushing St., Fitchburg. Danny Duncan — Virginity Rocks World Tour: 8 p.m. Sep. 19, The Palladium, 261 Main St., Worcester. $25-$100. Michale Graves with Sinful Lilly, Howl! and The Negans, 8 p.m. Sept. 19, Drafter’s, 35 Chase Ave., Dudley. $15. Duo Comedy Hypnosis Show: with Dan Candell and Michael DeSchalit, 8 p.m. Sept. 19, WooHaHa! Comedy Club, 50 Franklin St., Worcester. $20.
Friday, Sept. 20 Wayside Youth & Family Golf Tournament: 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Sep. 20, Blackstone National Golf Club, 227 Putnam Hill Road, Sutton. Cost: $150. To raise money for The Wayside Youth & Family Support Network. 11th Massachusetts Green Careers Conference: 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Sep. 20, MA Division of Fisheries & Wildlife, 1 Rabbit Hill Road,
History takes flight Living history flies into Worcester Sept. 20-22 as the “Wings of Freedom Tour” will enable people to see and experience rare, fully restored World War II bomber and fighter aircraft at Worcester Regional Airport. Aircraft visiting include a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber, a B-24 Liberator heavy bomber, a North American B-25 Mitchell, a P-51 Mustang fighter, P-40 Tomahawk, P-40 Warhawk, and several more. Visitors are invited to explore the aircraft inside and out, as well as take a 30-minute flight on the B-17, B-24 and B-25. There is also flight training available on the P-40 Warhawk and P-51 Mustang fighter. Presented by The Collings Foundation of Stow. What: “Wings of Freedom Tour” When: 2 to 4 p.m. Sept. 20; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 21 and 22. (Flight experiences normally scheduled before and after) Where: Worcester Regional Airport, 375 Airport Drive, Worcester How much: Viewing and tours, $15; $5 children under 12. Flight experience (30 minutes) $450 on either B-17 or B24; $400 B-25. P-41 Warhawk flight training $2,200 for 30 minutes; $3,200 for 60 minutes. P-51 flight training $2,400 for 30 minutes; $3,400 for 60 minutes. For reservations and information on flight experiences, call (800) 568-8924 or visit collingsfoundation.org
Westborough. Cost: $45. For information: JenBoudrie@gmail. com, (508) 481-0569. Jackson Emmer: songwriting workshop, 9 a.m. to noon, Sept. 20, Union Music, 142 Southbridge St., Worcester. Back to School Slime at Tatnuck Magnet Branch: 4-5 p.m. Sep. 20, Worcester Public Library Tatnuck Magnet Branch, 1083 Pleasant St., Worcester. For information: lsheldon@mywpl.org. REC 2019 Fall Harvest Celebration!: 5:30-7:30 p.m. Sep. 20, YouthGROW Farm, 63 Oread St, Worcester. Cost: Free. Hijos del Cañaveral — Art Exhibit: Casa Boriken and Pa’Lante Worcester exhibit Puerto Rican artists showcasing the culture and history of Puerto Rico through art, 6-9 p.m. Sept. 20, Worcester PopUp, 20 Franklin St., Worcester. Forge a Railroad Spike Knife with Jason Scott: 6-9:30 p.m. Sep. 20, The WorcShop, 243 Stafford St., Worcester. Cost: $80-$95. For information: theworcshop@gmail. com DIY Leather Pouch with Russ Jennings: 6-9 p.m. Sep. 20, The WorcShop, 233 Stafford St., Worcester. Cost: $150-$180. For information: theworcshop@gmail. com. Friday Night Fights at the Station: 6:30-11 p.m. Sep. 20, Union Station, 2 Washington Square, Worcester. Cost: $10-$75. Shearns Boxing Promotions presents an evening to benefit Why Me. Author Pablo Medina: reads from his novel, “The Cuban Comedy”:
7-8 p.m. Sep. 20, Bedlam Book Cafe, 138 Green St., Worcester. For information: (508) 459-1400, bedlambookcafe@gmail.com. Fifth Annual Applefest Gala: 7:30-11:30 p.m. Sep. 20, Juniper Hill Golf Course, 202 Brigham St., Northborough. Cost: $60. Sentimental Journey — A Doris Day Tribute Show: featuring Jennifer Antkowiak and Tom Lamark, with special guests Dale LePage, Nicole Watson and more, 8 p.m. Sept. 20, Nick’s Bar & Restaurant, 124 Millbury St., Worcester. $10. Catapult — Mouzart & Magic Shadows: shadow illusion performance company, 8 p.m. Sept. 20, The Hanover Theatre for the
Performing Arts, 2 Southbridge St., Worcester. $22-$28. Comedian Harrison Stebbins: 8 p.m. Sept. 20, WooHaHa! comedy club, 50 Franklin St., Worcester. $20. Comedian Chris Pennie: 8 p.m. Sept. 20, The Comedy Attic at Park Grill & Spirits, 257 Park. Ave., Worcester. $15. Fender Road (Featuring Gary Suter and Paul ‘Fender’ Lirange): 8-10 p.m. Sep. 20, Chuck’s Steak House/ Margaritagrill, 10 Prospect St., Auburn. Free. Comedian Harrison Stebbins: 8 p.m. Sept. 20, WooHaHa! Comedy Club, 50 Franklin St., Worcester. $20.
Folk favorite John Henry’s Hammer Coffeehouse at First Unitarian Church in Worcester has a reputation stretching back to its origins in 1978 as a premier listening room for local, regional and national folk acts. Its 2019-20 concert series gets underway Sept. 21 with singersongwriter Cosy Sheridan. After winning contests at The Kerrville Folk Festival and The Telluride Bluegrass Festival in 1992, Sheridan has been on the road ever since, playing clubs, concert halls and coffeehouses across the country. She’s been called “frank, feisty, sublimely and devilishly funny,” and plays a percussive bluesy guitar style. “My Fence & My Neighbor” was No. 4 on the folk radio charts in 2018. Sheridan also teaches classes in songwriting, performance and guitar at workshops and adult music camps, and is director of the Moab Folk Camp in Moab, Utah. What: Cosy Sheridan When: 7:30 p.m. Sept. 21 Where: John Henry’s Coffeehouse, First Unitarian Church, 90 Main St., Worcester How much: $20; $10 students with ID. Tickets at the door or at brownpapertickets.com
CITY LIFE
As with any event hosted by local chanteuse and comedian Niki Luparelli, the 2nd Annual Miss Worcester Pin-Up Pageant promises to be far more than a run-of-the-mill beauty pageant. Last year’s winner was Bombsell Becky, of Federation of Belligerent Writers fame, and the runner-up was local drag favorite Victoria Obvious. Throw in an eclectic mix of burlesque performers, drag queens, comedians, actors and a few folks who just look great done up as Bettie Page, and you have yourself a wildly unpredictable evening.
Catapult is a shadow illusion performance company that silhouetted onto millions of TV screens as 2013 finalists on “America’s Got Talent.” Its storytelling and trips to fantastical worlds made simply out of light and the human body have now captivated audiences around the world. “Mouzart,” newly commissioned by Austria’s prestigious Mozart Festival, tells the story of a musical mouse living in Mozart’s house. What: Catapult: Mouzart & Magic Shadows When: 8 p.m. Sept. 20 Where: The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts, 2 Southbridge St., Worcester How much: $22 and $28. (877) 5717469; thehanovertheatre.org
The art of labor An opening reception for two new immersive solo exhibitions at Fitchburg Art Museum will be held Saturday. “Danela Rivera: Labored Landscapes (where hand meets ground)” and “David Katz: Earth Wares” explore concepts of labor and the relationship among Earth, the body and cultural heritage. Rivera’s exhibition showcases three projects that capture the breadth of her work, while Katz’s new clay sculptures and a site-specific installation reflect his investigation of the vessel as symbolic form. The exhibitions run through Jan. 12. What: Opening receptions for ‘Labored Landscapes’ and ‘Earth Wares’ When: 3 to 5 p.m. Sept. 21 Where: Fitchburg Art Museum, 25 Merriam Parkway, Fitchburg How much: Free with admission
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What: 2nd Annual Miss Worcester Pin-Up Pageant When: 7 p.m. Sept. 21 Where: Bull Mansion, 55 Pearl St., Worcester How much: $10-$25
Magic Shadows
WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM
Not just another pageant
the opening of the new Fitchburg Art Museum exhibitions Daniela Rivera: Labored Landscapes (where hand meets ground), David Katz: Earth Wares, Adria Arch: Reframing Eleanor, Sohier/Hilliard: Our Parents, Ourselves. Saturday, September 21, 3-5pm Delain, Amorphis and Anneke van Giersbergen: 6 p.m. Sept. 21, Palladium, 261 Main St., Worcester. $18-$90. Caribbean Dinner Dance/Hispanic Heritage Month Benefit for SAC: 7-11 p.m. Sep. 21, Knights of Columbus, 484 Lancaster St., Leominster. Cost: $10-$500. Square Loop, Bobbing For Apples and Cassava: 7 p.m. Sept. 21, Hotel Vernon, 16 Kelley Square, Worcester. Comedian Graig Murphy: 7 p.m. Sept. 21, WooHaHa! comedy club, 50 Franklin St., Worcester. $20. CaRMaH Feline Film Festival 2019: 7-9 p.m. Sep. 21, Hudson Town Hall, 78 Main St., Hudson. Cost: $15, $20 at the door. 2nd Annual Miss Worcester Pin-Up Pageant: 7-10 p.m. Sep. 21, Bull Mansion, 55 Pearl St., Worcester.
S E P T E M B E R 19 - 25, 2019
Simhalasarthabahu Tale”: 1-2 p.m. Sep. 21, Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Art Gallery, Bob Marley the comedian was born and raised in Maine and has College of the Holy Cross, 1 parlayed his New England-style humor and everyday comic obCollege St., Worcester. servations into more than 20 comedy albums, several films, For information: a Comedy Central special and numerous TV appearancprosenbl@ es as a guest standup comic. After living in Los Angles holycross.edu. for several years, he, his wife and three children have This exhibition returned to Maine to live and Marley has become a frequent and popular visitor to these parts. highlights Nepal’s artistic What: Bob Marley heritage as When: 8 p.m. Sept. 20 (doors at 7:30 p.m.) a rich and Where: Mechanics Hall, 321 Main St., Worcester enduring How much: $32.50. eventbrite.com/e/comediancontinuation bob-marley of Indic Buddhist performers. Free. Saturday, Sept. 21 traditions and features paintings, 2nd Annual Compass Rose illustrated texts, sculptures, and Steampunk Festival: featuring With Child — Otto Dix/Carmen ritual implements on loan from performances by Tyra Penn and Winant Exhibition: opens 10 major institutions that were Her Army of Snakes, Nathaniel a.m.-4 p.m. Sep. 21, Worcester crafted by Newar artisans over Johnstone, Frenchy and the Punk Art Museum, 55 Salisbury St., the last millennium. Dharma and and more, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. Worcester. Cost: $8-$18. For Punya: Buddhist Ritual Art of 21, Roseland Cottage, 556 Route information: information@ Nepal will be centered on how the 169, Woodstock, Connecticut. worcesterart.org. Buddha’s teachings were arrayed 6th Annual Batman Day: featuring Bessie Smith Marathon: 10 a.m.-8 as much for worldly householders artists Mike Lilly and Bob Almond, p.m. Sep. 21, WCUW’s Frontroom, as otherworldly seekers. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 21, That’s 910 Main St., Worcester. For Open Mic Poetry Share: 2-4 p.m. Entertainment, 56 John Fitch information: whotclub@gmail. Sep. 21, Booklovers’ Gourmet, 55 Highway, Fitchburg. Free. com. Music begins at 10 am, and East Main St., Webster. 6th Annual Batman Day: featuring continues until 8 pm. Between Cooking with Colin: Energy Bites, artists Derek Rook and Alex song sets, the Worcester Hot plus Cookbook Signing: 2-3:30 Barbosa, noon to 5 p.m. Sept. 21, Club will provide details about p.m. Sep. 21, Worcester Public That’s Entertainment, 244 Park Smith’s life and career, the Library, 3 Salem St., Worcester. Ave, Worcester. Free. relationship of Smith’s music Register online at mywpl.org or Author Mal Duane: signs and to recording industry norms, call 508-799-1655x3. discusses “Broke Open,” 10:30 a.m.and the role of the blues in Jazz Outdoor Digital Photography: 12:30 p.m. Sep. 21, Booklovers’ Age culture. In addition, a film 2-4 p.m. Sep. 21, Worcester Public Gourmet, 55 East Main St., program will run continuously Library, 3 Salem St., Worcester. Webster. For information: (508) from noon through 8 pm in the Register online at mywpl.org or community room in National Grid’s 949-6232. call (508) 799-1655x3. Worcester Chili & Chowder Fest Worcester Sustainability Hub, Opening Reception for all Late 2019: 1-5 p.m. Sep. 21, 90 Harding which is across the street from Summer/Fall Exhibitions: 3-5 St, 90 Harding St., Worcester. Cost: WCUW. Movies will include the p.m. Sep. 21, Fitchburg Art $5-$15. Tickets are $15. Kids only Bessie Smith performance Museum, 185 Elm St., Fitchburg. 5-12 are $5, and 5 and under are caught on film, performances by For information: 9783454207, admitted free. her contemporaries, and related vdezorzi@fitchburgartmuseum.org, Storytelling Session: “The modern takes on early blues go.evvnt.com/492515-0. Celebrate
No, the OTHER Bob Marley
CITY LIFE
THINGS TO DO Cost: $10-$25. For information: missworcesterpinup@gmail.com. LUSUS with Man1k1n and Attraction To Tragedy: 6:30 p.m. Sept. 21, Raven Music Hall, 258 Pleasant St., Worcester. $10. Comedian Chris Pennie: 8 p.m. Sept. 21, The Comedy Attic at Park Grill & Spirits, 257. Park Ave., Worcester. $15. Brumbletones: 8:30 p.m.-12 a.m. Sep. 21, Halligan’s Bar And Function Hall, 889 Southbridge St., Auburn. Cost: $5. Thought Bomb with Karmenife, Melissa Lozada-Olivia and Hammer and Snake: hosted by Nora Panahi, 8:30 p.m. Sept. 21, Ralph’s Rock Diner, 148 Grove St, Worcester.
Monday, Sept. 23 “This Is Us” Themed Trivia at the Red Heat Tavern: 7-9 p.m. Sep. 23, Red Heat Tavern, 227 Turnpike Road, Westborough. Cost: Free. Dirty Gerund Poetry Series: hosted by Alex Charalambides, 9 p.m. Sept. 23, Ralph’s Rock Diner, 148 Grove St., Worcester.
Tuesday, Sept. 24
Story Time - Fantastic 4s & 5s: 10:30-11:30 a.m. Sep. 24, Boylston Public Library, 695 Main St., Boylston. For information: (508) 869-2371, lstretton@cwmars.org. The Thirsty Lab Poetry Reading with Jonathan Blake: 7-9 p.m. Sep. 24, The Thirsty Lab, 206 Worcester Sunday, Sept. 22 Road, Princeton. Hosted by Susan Roney-O’Brien. Listen! A Poetry Reading: 7 p.m. Great American Read Book Club: Sept. 22, Nick’s Bar and Restaurant, 7:15-8:30 p.m. Sep. 24, Worcester 124 Millbury St., Worcester. Public Library, 3 Salem St., Worcester. For information: (508)
‘Storyteller’ songs
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S E P T E M B E R 19 - 25, 2019
Elis Paul — singer-songwriter, poet and troubadour originally hailing from a potato farming family in northern Maine — has been performing warm, memorable songs telling extraordinary stories about everyday people for 30 years. His 20th album released in May, “The Storyteller’s Suitcase,” documents personal memories of love, family and community. What: Ellis Paul, with special guest Rachel Kilgour When: 8 p.m. Sept. 21; doors 7:30 p.m. Where: Circle of Friends Coffeehouse, 262 Chestnut St., Franklin How much: $30. circlefolk.org
CITY LIFE
The miracle of childbirth Worcester Art Museum tackles a theme seldom seen in art works with a new show, “With Child: Otto Dix/Carmen Winant,” which opens Sept. 21 and runs through Dec. 15. The show centers on the painting “Pregnant Woman,” by German artist Otto Dix, acquired by the museum in 2016. Contemporary artist Carmen Winant created a special piece for the show, a multi-media installation of found images of actual women in labor and giving birth. Opening-day tours will be 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Sept. 21 with Leander Dix, grandson of Otto Dix, and Winant. Tour participation is limited; first-come, first-served. What: ‘With Child: Otto Dix/Carmen Winant’ When: Sept. 21 and runs through Dec. 15 Where: Worcester Art Museum, 55 Salisbury St., Worcester How much: Included with admission. More info at worcesterart.org.
799-1655, wplref@mywpl.org. This month’s book is “The Lovely Bones,” by Alice Sebold. The Cobra Kings: 7:30 p.m. Sept. 24, Greendale’s Pub, 404 W. Boylston St, Worcester.
Wednesday, Sept. 25
Bessie Smith (1894-1937) was the Empress of the Blues, and her impassioned performances modernized popular music. The Worcester Hot Club will host a Bessie Smith Marathon in WCUW’s FRONTROOM from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 21. Over a 10-hour time span, you can hear every recording Smith made. Between song sets, the Worcester Hot Club will provide details about Smith’s life and career, the relationship of Smith’s music to recording industry norms, and the role of the blues in Jazz Age culture. In addition, a film program will run continuously from noon through 8 p.m. in the community room in National Grid’s Worcester Sustainability Hub, across the street from WCUW. Movies will include the only Bessie Smith performance caught on film, performances by her contemporaries and related modern takes on early blues performers. The Worcester Hot Club is an informal gathering of fans of hot music — focusing on jazz, blues, gospel and folk traditions, mainly from the first half of the 20th century. What: Bessie Smith Marathon When: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 21 Where: WCUW, 910 Main St., Worcester; and National Grid’s Worcester Sustainability Hub, 912 Main St. (noon to 8 p.m.) How much: Free
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Story Time — Terrific 2s & 3s:
Celebrating a legend
WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM
Thursday, Sept. 26
10:30-11:30 a.m. Sep. 26, Boylston Public Library, 695 Main St., Boylston. For information: (508) 869-2371, lstretton@cwmars.org. PAWS to Read: Session 2: 3:304:30 p.m. Sep. 26, Worcester Public Library Burncoat Branch, 526 Burncoat St., Worcester. For information: lsheldon@mywpl. org. Lecture by John Guy, Metropolitan Museum of Art: 4:30-5:30 p.m. Sep. 26, Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Art Gallery, College of the Holy Cross, 1 College St., Worcester. For information: (508) 793-3356, prosenbl@holycross.edu. This lecture is held in conjunction with the exhibition Dharma and Punya: Buddhist Ritual Art of Nepal
S E P T E M B E R 19 - 25, 2019
Healing Moral Injury: workshop, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sep. 25, Assumption College, 500 Salisbury St., Worcester. Cost: $50. No charge for veterans and Assumption College students. Participants will learn about what moral injury and why it is so debilitating, the causes of moral injury, and pathways to healing from moral injury. Workshop leaders are: Tony Riello, Worcester Vet Center Mary Heck, Manchester Vet Center Beverly Prestwood-Taylor, Brookfield Institute Jennifer Baublitz, Assumption College adjunct professor Kevin Lambert, NEADS Jeannine Germain, Clear Path. Story Time — Bouncing Babies: 10:30-11:30 a.m. Sep. 25, Boylston Public Library, 695 Main St., Boylston. For information: 508869-2371, lstretton@cwmars.org, https://go.evvnt.com/502767-0. Infants and toddlers aged 0-2 are invited to this musical program specially designed to engage the tiniest library users while developing early literacy skills. Registration Required. You can register at: boylstonlibrary.org/ events ArtsWorcester Artist Talk: noon2 p.m. Sep. 25, Davis Art Gallery, 44 Portland St., Worcester. For information: info@artsworcester. org, https://go.evvnt.com/4929830. Nastasia Lawton-Sticklor: Tea Time exhibition artist LawtonSticklor considers the intricacies of form and history through the lens of her camera. Dysfunctional
exhibition artist Sarah Williams explores language through ceramic art. Both exhibitions can be viewed through October 5. Rainbow Lunch Club: noon-2 p.m. Sep. 25, Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester, 90 Holden St., Worcester. For information: (508) 756-1545 ext.404 or wlen@ eswa.org. Offering LGBTIQA seniors age 60+ a nutritious meal and an opportunity to socialize with friends and enjoy various activities including programs, entertainment and educational series. $2.50 suggested donation for those age 60+; $5.50 for younger individuals. Volturno Worcester September 25 Pasta Class: 6-9 p.m. Sep. 25, Volturno Privato, 72 Shrewsbury St., Worcester. Cost: $75. The Short Story Workshop: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Sep. 25, Charlton Creative Arts Center, 4 Dresser Hill Rd, Charlton. Cost: $42. For information: info@ sceniclandscapes.org, (888) 2847460. Jim Porcella sings Sinatra: 7 p.m. Sept. 25, Padavano’s Place, 358 Shrewsbury St., Worcester. Matt Brodeur: 7 p.m. Sept. 25, Art’s Diner, 541 W. Boylston St., Worcester. Clark University Geller Jazz Nightclub 2019: featuring Manuel Valera with the New Cuban Express, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 25, The Grind University Center, 950 Main St., Worcester. Wacky Wednesday Jam: 8:30 p.m. Sept. 18, Greendale’s Pub, 404 W. Boylston St, Worcester. Duncan Arsenault and friends: 9 p.m. Sept. 18, Vincent’s, 49 Suffolk St., Worcester.
and co-sponsored with the Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J. Center for Religion, Ethics, and Culture. The exhibition highlights Nepal’s artistic heritage as a rich and enduring continuation of Indic Buddhist traditions. Kataklysm, 25 Ta Life, Exhorder, Hatchet, Krisiun and Begat the Nephilim: 6 p.m. Sept. 26, Palladium, 261 Main St., Worcester. $23. Woodstock: A 50th Anniversary Celebration: 6-7:30 p.m. Sep. 26, Fitchburg Public Library, 610 Main St., Fitchburg. For information: (978) 829-1780, fplref@cwmars. org. “Bluegrass, Newgrass, Oldtime and Americana Music” author Craig Harris leads a presentation that includes archival audio/video, behind-the-scenes stories, joyful singing, guided music-making, and a half-century of memories. Last Bike Night Featuring DaFunk: 6:30-10:30 p.m. Sep. 26, Halligan’s Bar And Function Hall, 889 Southbridge St., Auburn. The Yo Daddy Doe Variety Show: hosted by CoffeeHouse Craig, 7 p.m. Sept. 26, Strong Style Coffee, 13 Cushing St., Fitchburg. Beautiful — The Carole King Musical: 7:30 p.m. Sept. 26, The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts, 2 Southbridge St., Worcester. $39-$88.
CITY LIFE
ADOPTION OPTION Welcome to Adoption Option, a partnership with the Worcester Animal Rescue League highlighting their adoptable pets. Check this space often to meet all of the great pets at WARL in need of homes.WARL is open seven days a week, noon-4 p.m., 139 Holden St. Check them out online at Worcesterarl.org, or call at (508) 853-0030.
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WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM
S E P T E M B E R 19 - 25, 2019
EAST DOUGLAS PHOTOGRAPHY
Meet Princess: Princess came all the way from Queens, New York City, to be abandoned in a carrier at Walmart in Worcester. This 8-year-old has a microchip, so we tracked down her past. Princess hopes her future is a happier, loving home. She is affectionate on her terms. If you pat her too much, she’ll whip around to reprimand you. We put her in an office, because she didn’t like other cats. We think she prefers to be your only pet. Princess was more relaxed in an office and very talkative. She’ll teach you her quirks, so you’ll know when to leave her alone.
GAMES
J O N E S I N’
“Evened Out” – following the sequence. by Matt Jones
Across 1 6 10 14 15 16 17 19 20 21 22 26 27 28 29 30 32 34 39 40 43 46 47 50
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51
65 66 67
Down
D.C. figure Dessert, in England Confiscates Pirate, in old slang “That’s awkward” Flippant “Victory is mine!” character Small units of liquor Ping-pong surface “Wild” star Witherspoon “Saving Private Ryan” extras 59 Beavers’ sch. 60 Rapper Lil ___ X 61 Just short
Last week's solution
©2019 Matt Jones (jonesincrosswords@gmail.com) Reference puzzle #954
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1 “Before I forget,” in texts 2 Cinders
42 43 44 45 47 48 49 52 53 54 58
WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM
55 56 57 58 62 63 64
3 Eastern European language, such as in Dvorak’s “Dances” 4 Sacred emblem 5 Like some retired racehorses 6 Broadcasters 7 Yogurt brand named after a Queensland beach town 8 Newman’s ___ 9 Old horse 10 Catcher’s position 11 Queensland resident, e.g. 12 “Beauty and the Beast” antagonist 13 Sounds in car chase scenes 18 Made on a loom 21 It may start out dry in a box 22 Tree with needles 23 Fish eggs 24 Pair, in Paris 25 Bon ___ (indie band with the 2019 album “i,i”) 31 Homer’s outburst 32 Half of MCCII 33 Part of PBS, for short 35 Antique photo tone 36 Appearance 37 “Got it” 38 Entered with much pomp 41 Painting medium
S E P T E M B E R 19 - 25, 2019
Fun By The Numbers Like puzzles? Then you’ll love sudoku. This mind-bending puzzle will have you hooked from the moment you square off, so sharpen your pencil and put your sudoku savvy to the test! Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!
Enough, in Italy Shortly, to Shakespeare Gives in to gravity Groove for a letter-shaped bolt Setting for “The Music Man” Paris’s ___ d’Orsay Concerned question “Back in the ___” (Beatles song) Nixes, as a bill Edit menu command Where harmful skin exposure may originate Electrified particle Moines intro 270 are required to win the White House (abbr.) Nine of diamonds feature? “American Pie” actress Tara Some karaoke songs Interstellar emissions studied by NASA Former “America’s Got Talent” judge Klum Word on a red sign Pompous type Architect who passed in 2019 “Call of Duty: Black ___” Most recent Summer Olympics host Unwisely responding to an online troublemaker Pageant prop “Yup” “Cantos” poet Pound Intermediaries Stack of paper Map dot Basketball Hall-of-Famer ___ Thomas Concordes, e.g. Egyptian canal Really, really tiny
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WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM
S E P T E M B E R 19 - 25, 2019
LEGALS Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Trial Court Probate and Family Court Worcester Probate and Family Court, 225 Main St. Worcester, MA 01608 Docket No. WO19P2912GD CITATION GIVING NOTICE OF PETITION FOR APPOINTMENT OF GUARDIAN FOR INCAPACITATED PERSON PURSUANT TO G.L. c. 190B, §5-304 In the matter of: Eugene C Ballou Of: Worcester, MA RESPONDENT Alleged Incapacitated Person To the named Respondent and all other interested persons, a petition has been filed by Dept. of Developmental Services of Worcester, MA in the above captioned matter alleging that Eugene C Ballou is in need of a Guardian and requesting that Marion B Jackman of Leicester, MA, Brian D Jackman of Leicester, MA (or some other suitable person) be appointed as Guardian to serve Without Surety on the bond. The petition asks the court to determine that the Respondent is incapacitated, that the appointment of a Guardian is necessary, and that the proposed Guardian is appropriate. The petition is on file with this court and may contain a request for certain specific authority. You have the right to object to this proceeding. If you wish to do so, you or your attorney must file a written appearance at this court on or before 10:00 A.M. on the return date of 10/01/2019. This day is NOT a hearing date, but a deadline date by which you have to file the written appearance if you object to the petition. If you fail to file the written appearance by the return date, action may be taken in this matter without further notice to you. In addition to filing the written appearance you or your attorney must file a written affidavit stating the specific facts and grounds of your objection within 30 days after the return date. IMPORTANT NOTICE The outcome of this proceeding may limit or completely take away the above-named person’s right to make decisions about personal affairs or financial affairs or both. The above-named person has the right to ask for a lawyer. Anyone may make this request on behalf of the above-named person. If the above-named person cannot afford a lawyer, one may be appointed at State expense. WITNESS, Hon. Leilah A Keamy, First Justice of this Court. Date: September 06, 2019 Stephanie K. Fattman, Register of Probate 09/19/2019 WM
PUBLIC AUCTION NOTICE Notice is hereby given pursuant to the provisions of MLC 225 sec. 39A the following vehicle will be sold September 28, 2019 at a sale to satisfy our garage lien thereon for towing and storage charges and expenses of sale and notice: 2010 Toyota Camry VIN #4T4BF3EK5AR083035 The sale will be held at Early’s on Park Ave. Inc. 536 Park Avenue Worcester, MA 01603
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Prayer to the Blessed Virgin (Never known to fail) O most beautiful flower of Mt. Carmel, fruitful vine, splendor of Heaven, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin, assist me in this my necessity, O Star of the Sea, help me and show me where you are my mother. O Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth, I humbly beseech thee from the bottom of my heart to succor me in my necessity, (make request). There are none that can withstand your power, O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee (three times). Holy Mary, I place this cause in your hands (three times). Say this prayer for three consecutive days and you must publish it and your request will be granted to you. TP
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LAST CALL
Michael “Birdcap” Roy artist M ichael Roy, the Tennessee-based artist better known as Birdcap, completed a new mural at Burncoat Middle School last week. Roy’s visit was part of POW! WOW! Worcester’s “back2school” programming, which allowed Worcester Public Schools students to interact directly with a group of internationally acclaimed muralists. The following interview was conducted by seventh-graders from Burncoat Middle School.
PHOTO COURTESY KEVIN LA
Why did you choose to base your latest mural off of a more traditional work of art? I like ancient Greek stuff. I have a solo show coming up in November in Chicago and all of the pieces reference ancient Greek mythology. This was a way for me to warm up.
When did you begin drawing? I think everyone starts drawing at the same time. You can draw before you can write. You can draw before you can even talk. And so it’s more like, “When did you decide to keep drawing?” I was lucky enough to get into an arts magnet school in Mississippi. At 15, I moved to the school and lived in a dorm there. I got really serious about it. No one in my family was an artist. They thought it was a very bad idea. We had lots of fights about it. They didn’t want me to draw just because they cared so much. They didn’t know anybody who made a living drawing, so it seemed kind of crazy to them. But it’s all good now; I buy
them big Christmas presents. What inspires your style? A lot of mythology. I grew up having to go to church a whole lot and then Saturdays I’d watch cartoons all day. I think my work is a combination of serious stories from church and mythology, and then the experience of eating cereal and watching cartoons. Have you ever messed up on a mural and were you able to fix it? Yeah, I mess up on a mural every five minutes. But, that’s why paint is great. As long as you do the last line correct, it looks like you did every line correct. You should be really forgiving with yourself, especially if it’s spray paint or acrylic paint because you can go over it a hundred times. It’s just the last line that matters.
Who are your favorite muralists? I like them all. My favorite type of people are usually people who come up with their own cartoons and their own styles. I have a lot of respect for Max Sansing, who painted here last year. If you’re a muralist, I automatically like you more than most people. Are all of your creations meaningful, or are some just for fun? They definitely don’t all have meaning. Some days I’ll wake up and I have something to say and I try to say it in my work. But, if I wake up and I don’t got nothing to say, I still have to draw because it’s my favorite thing. Some days are quiet. Some days are loud. – Sarah Connell Sanders
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Do you ever agree to paint in a different style if someone is paying you?
Are you proud of all of your murals? Of course I’m not proud of all my murals. I’ve been painting for a long time. So, you know, I look
at a mural that’s seven years old and it feels like I did it seven years ago. It’s always tough to look at old work.
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Do you intend to convey a specific message to your audience through your murals? I hope so. I grew up in this weird little town in Mississippi where a lot of people were angry about a lot of things. Artwork for me was the way to make things optimistic or hopeful. A lot of my work features bad guys facing a main character who is trying to do the right thing.
I just finished a job for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital where I painted murals of children’s drawings — all these kids who are fighting cancer. They gave me their drawings and then I went and painted them on walls, but it had nothing to do with me. I was just the arm for the sick kids. It was super fun and really crazy to try to draw water colors created by 6-yearolds. It was intense but it was also enjoyable for me because it felt like I was doing a cool thing for cool people. I’ll paint something different from my own work if there’s a good reason. That reason could be $1 billion or it could just be kids who want to collab.
S E P T E M B E R 19 - 25, 2019
What was your first mural? My first mural was a couple months after a hurricane called Hurricane Katrina. We lost our house. A lot of people lost their houses. And so, I was staying at a refuge center. They had a lot of bunk beds and we were all living in the bunk beds. We were there for like two months, me and my family, and they asked if I wanted to paint a mural on the side of the wall. I was drawing a lot at the time. I was like 17 or 18. I said yes and I painted it. It was about the hurricane. It doesn’t look anything like my work now, but that was my first mural.
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S E P T E M B E R 19 - 25, 2019