What’s Happening at Arsenal Yards: Comedy, Scavenger Hunt, Networking & More

The retailers and restaurants Arsenal Yards has a variety of events coming up, starting with a Valentine’s Day activity. Also check out a comedy show, a scavenger hunt and a networking event. February 14, 6-8:30 p.m. – Valentine’s Day at Central Rock Gym: https://www.arsenalyards.com/events/24951/valentines-day-with-central-rock-gym/

February 21, 9 p.m. – Comedy Show at Tori Jiro: https://www.arsenalyards.com/events/24982/comedy-show-at-tori-jiro/

February 20-24 – February School Vacation – Scavenger Hunt: https://www.arsenalyards.com/events/24986/february-break-scavanger-hunt/

March 6, 4:30-5:30 p.m. – Ulta Salon Open House (Networking Event): https://www.arsenalyards.com/events/24966/salon-open-house/

Pianist Performing Benefit Concert for Helen Robinson Wright Charitable Fund

Pianist John Kramer will perform at Watertown’s First Parish Church on Saturday, March 4 at 7:30 p.m. The concert will benefit the Helen Robinson Wright Charitable Fund. The concert features music written by Black composers, including Florence Price, William Grant Still, Nathaniel Dett, Margeret Bonds, and Louis Mareau Gottschalk. Kramer is a performer, composer and arranger who has played throughout the United States and in France. He is the music director at Winchester Unitarian Society and is a member of the Berklee College of Music faculty. First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church is located at 35 Church St.

Small Saves Deals with the Deep Freeze in This Week’s Comic

James DeMarco grew up in Watertown and became a goaltender at age 5. It’s his life’s passion to stand between the pipes and keep the puck out of the net. Combining this with the love of cartooning Small Saves emerged in 1991 and took on a life of his own. “To play goal–then come home and draw Small Saves — is my ideal definition of a good day.”

New Rep Theatre Announces Two New Pipeline Project Residencies

New Repertory Theatre is pleased to announce the selection of two new artist residencies for its second round of Pipeline Projects. Selected from over 40 submissions from local artists, these artists represent exceptionally innovative and relevant works for our time. The selected artists are Nikta Sabouri, an Iranian-American freelance theater director, dramaturg, actor, and translator based in Boston and Iranian-American writer, actor and singer Isabelle Sanatdar Stevens. Nikta Sabouri’s project will be the first English translation of the 60-minute play Testament of Bondar Bidakhsh, a dramatic account of the fall of the Vizier to Yama, the King of Persia. This high-ranking official constructed a magical cup to give Yama infinite knowledge and absolute power, which ultimately led to their mutual downfall.  

The Testament of Bondar Bidakhsh is the third play in the “Naqqali Trilogy” book by Bahram Beyzaie.

More Artists Added to New Rep’s Love Weekend Concert

The following information was provided by New Repertory Theatre:

New Repertory Theatre (New Rep) announced more artists performing in The Love Sampler afternoon shows, part of Valentine’s Love Weekend on Saturday, February 11 and Sunday, February 12, at the Mosesian Center for the Arts in Watertown.   

The hour-long Love Sampler, on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. in the Black Box Theatre, celebrates love from different cultures and perspectives, showcasing theater and music from a variety of remarkable local talent, including: 

Terri Deletetsky and Maria Hendricks come together with an amazing musical collaboration which aims to reclaim our spiritual spaces. 

Valerie Stephens returns to the stage; this time In her role as actress writer storyteller. Here I Am is a solo moment of truth about aging with a little myth-busting in the process. 

Michael John Ciszewski will be sharing a portion of his third solo show, The Lovefool.  

Following The Love Sampler, internationally-acclaimed,pianist/keyboardistand multi-instrumentalist Yukihiro Kanesaka presents tributes to two of the most soulful, artistic voices of our time, by two of the Boston area’s greatest vocal talents:  

Donny Hathaway, featuring Leon Beal Jr. on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 7 p.m. and 

Roberta Flack, featuring Athene Wilson on Sunday, Feb. 12 at 2 p.m. 

Tickets are $20 for the Saturday afternoon shows, and $25 for the Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon shows. They are on sale now and can be purchased online at: newrep.org. 

ALSO COMING UP AT NEW REP: The Normal Heart, June 21 – July 9, A Raisin in the Sun, September 6 – October 1 in repertory with DIASPORA! September 13 – October 15. 

For more information or interviews with the artists or members of the New Rep artistic team, please contact: mariabasescu@newrep.org or 802-380-7028. 

About New Repertory Theatre

New Repertory Theatre (New Rep) has been an award-winning professional theatre company for 38 years, staging productions and events that speak to the vital ideas of our time. New Rep is emerging from the pandemic with a renewed commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility, and accountability (IDEAA) infusing every aspect of the company’s work as it seeks to build community collaborations and give voice to the diverse interests of those communities. 

More information on New Repertory Theatre at www.newrep.org. 

See What Happening with Small Saves in This Week’s Cartoon

James DeMarco grew up in Watertown and became a goaltender at age 5. It’s his life’s passion to stand between the pipes and keep the puck out of the net. Combining this with the love of cartooning Small Saves emerged in 1991 and took on a life of his own. “To play goal–then come home and draw Small Saves — is my ideal definition of a good day.”

Two Watertown Artists Instrumental in Bringing Teen Exhibit to ICA Boston

Watertown’s Shivani Sharma, left, and Ruth Henry, center, speak withy Liz Rodgers at the opening reception for “The Stories that Make Us.” The following information was provided by Sue-Ellen Hershman-Tcherepnin:

Friday evening Jan. 27 saw the opening of The Stories that Make Us, an exhibition of artwork by high school students that explores personal stories about migration, belonging, and overcoming adversity. Key organizers of the event were 2022 Watertown High School grad Shivani Sharma and former-Watertown Middle School teacher Ruth Henry. They represented of the I Learn America Initiative (www.ilearnamerica.com).

New Rep’s 2023 Season Features 3 Plays, Including 2 Tony Winners

New Repertory Theatre is pleased to announce its 2023 Season, as the company continues to build on its nearly 40-year legacy of excellent, provocative theatrical productions that speak to the vital issues of our time. The 2023 season includes two Tony Award-winning masterpiece plays that grow more resonant every day, and a world premiere from local talent that speaks directly to Boston and its past, present, and future. Larry Kramer’s Tony Award winning autobiographical drama, The Normal Heart, will open June 21 for a three-week run through July 9. Set in New York City in the early 1980’s, Larry Kramer’s powerful, passionate and controversial play was the first to treat seriously the poignant and devastating subject of AIDS. The Normal Heart traces Ned Weeks, a gay activist writer, through his fight for visibility and justice for the gay community. An angry, unremitting and gripping piece of political theatre.