New Rep Announces Casts & Design Team for “Raisin in the Sun” & “Diaspora!”

The cast of New Rep’s “Raisin in the Sun” includes Damon Singletary (right) as Walter Lee Younger, and Jon Vellante as Karl Lindner. (Courtesy of New Rep)

Following its highly acclaimed, sold-out, three-week run of The Normal Heart, New Repertory Theatre (New Rep) is excited to announce the now complete casts and design team for its upcoming productions of A Raisin in the Sun and Diaspora! The shows will run in repertory, with A Raisin in the Sun beginning its three-week run Sept. 5 through Oct. 1, 2023, and DIASPORA! running from Sept. 12 through Oct.

See Which Bands Will Play at the Watertown Arts Market

The third annual Watertown Arts Market is just two weeks away, and there will be many vendors, businesses, and musical acts throughout the day. The Arts Market will be held on Saturday, Aug. 19, from 12-5 p.m. at Filippello Park (Grove Street entrance). It is free to attend and vendors will be selling art, food, drinks, and other items.

Music at the 2023 Watertown Arts Market

12 p.m.: Boston Jazz Voices

1 p.m.: Willow Flute Ensemble

2 p.m.: School of Rock

3 p.m.: 90 Mile Portage

4 p.m.: Lucretia’s Daggers

About the Watertown Arts Market

The Watertown Arts Market is a family-friendly outdoor event with a diverse selection of artists, authors, creatives, musicians, performers, arts and cultural organizations, and businesses. Each artist and organization will host a table or perform at the event.

Small Saves Bloopers 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.”

Exhibit Featuring Artworks of Saroyan Artworks Opens at Armenian Museum

This watercolor by William Saroyan was donated to the Armenian
Museum of America by Joan Agajanian Quinn; it was drawn on the back of a menu from “The
Ararat” restaurant in New York City on February 21, 1969. (Courtesy of Armenian Museum of America)

The following announcement was written by Elias Trout and provided by the Armenian Museum of America:

Following the donation of Ruben Amirian’s “Homage to Mesrop Mashtots,” a 14-foot composite work celebrating the Armenian alphabet, art collector and Museum Trustee Joan Agajanian Quinn has gifted two watercolors by literary genius William Saroyan and two drawings from his son Aram Saroyan to the Armenian Museum of America. All five works are now on display in the new exhibit “My Name Is Saroyan,” inspired by Armenian literary culture both past and present. “After the success of our 2022 exhibition ‘On the Edge: Los Angeles Art 1970s-1990s from the Joan and Jack Quinn Family Collection’ at the Armenian Museum, the Quinn family is happy to broaden the Museum’s collection of contemporary artists with these donations,” explains Quinn. “We continue to be impressed with the way the Museum displays Armenian art which spans the time frame from ancient to modern times.

Q&A: Watertown’s Jen Trynin Nearly Became a Rock Star, Now She Embraces Her Literary Side

Watertown’s Jen Trynin, a former rock musician who is now writing about her life, also runs Earfull with her friend Tim Huggins, the original owner of Newtonville Books. (Courtesy of Jen Trynin)

What’s it like to almost become a rock star, and then walk away from it? That’s the unique experience Jen Trynin had in the 90’s when her song “Better Than Nothing” suddenly grabbed the attention of every major record label. But after signing, she actually decided to put her professional music life on the back burner and embrace her more literary side. This summer she has a new story out in Ploughshares, the prestigious literary magazine published by Emerson College.

Multiple Family Events at Coming Up at Gore Place

Gore Place has plenty going on in August, including several events aimed at families — even parents with infants. The following information came from Gore Place:

Tot Time

Tuesdays, August 1, 15, and 29

Tot Time is now every other Tuesday! Come and play at the Nature Playscape and explore age-appropriate art, science, engineering, and nature play projects with our educator. Activities are open-ended and allow children to do as little or as much as they like. Each session has different activities as well as some returning favorites.

See What Small Saves is Up to 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.”

New Rep Theatre & Watertown Library to Host City’s First ‘Multicultural Fest’

The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Library and New Rep Theatre:

New Repertory Theatre and the Watertown Free Public Library are pleased to continue their history of collaboration, to present the first ever Multicultural Fest at Noche de Dominó, on Thursday, August 3rd from 4-8 p.m. The event will take place at Saltonstall Park in Watertown, MA. 

The Multicultural Fest will feature an eclectic range of performances, artisans/vendors, domino tables, crafts, a short Zumba session, pick-up soccer in the field, and delicious eats by food vendor Flavor Boom! It is free and open to the public. All ages are welcome! The Multicultural Fest Planning Team is comprised by Maria Hendricks (Resident Artist for New Rep), Cal Callahan (New Rep Education Coordinator ), María Mayobre (WFPL Volunteer/Dominoes Teacher) and Allie Fry (Programming Librarian for Watertown Free Public Library.) 

Multicultural Fest reflects New Repertory Theatre’s ongoing commitment to community outreach initiatives and collaborations, and to presenting diverse talent from underrepresented communities. Building on the recent success of Watertown Zine Fest and the Watertown Pride Extravaganza, the Watertown Free Public Library aspires to help create City-wide events that reflect and amplify the diverse voices of the Watertown community.