‘Random Acts’ returns with online format

The 24-hour play festival “Random Acts” will Zoom into living rooms this weekend, featuring five-minute plays written, cast, rehearsed and performed in 24 hours – this time all online. 

Playwrights will virtually gather on Friday night to receive their guidelines and then will be sent off to create seven short plays in 12 hours. Then the finished plays will be handed off to directors and actors early Saturday morning, when they will be cast and then rehearsed, also virtually, until the “curtain” goes up at 8 p.m. via Zoom.

The event is presented by Writers and Actors, INK, a group dedicated to the development of new plays, and The Actors Studio of Newburyport.

To receive the Zoom link, email hailey.klein@gmail.com. There is a suggested donation of $15, with all proceeds benefiting The Actors Studio. 

Online cabaret to support work of NAGLY

MassOpera stars will come together on Saturday, July 25, at 8 p.m. for “A NAGLY Virtual Cabaret.” 

Hip-hop artist Jass Bianchi, tenor Wes Hunter, baritone Todd McNeel Jr. and soprano Abigail Whitney Smith will present a program of showstoppers, pop tunes and original music. 

It’s free to watch, but there are also options to support the work of the Salem-based nonprofit North Shore Alliance of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual. Transgender and Queer Youth, including sponsoring a song and having the performer do a personalized shoutout for $100 and dedicating a song for $25. Visit givingtools.com/give/249.

To tune in to the show, visit NAGLY on YouTube, youtube.com/channel/UCbFujBBtv28O7EfDXNu17Kw, or Facebook, facebook.com/NorthShoreagly.

Discover the ‘Magic of Place’ for authors and artists

New England sites associated with beloved authors and artists will be highlighted in a Zoom program on Tuesday, July 28, at 7 p.m.

Presented by the Newburyport Public Library, “Magic of Place: How New England Shaped its Artists and Writers” will feature writers Patricia Harris and David Lyon, who will discuss and show photos of a dozen places. They will range from scenic landscape properties like Daniel Chester French’s Chesterwood in Stockbridge to Louisa May Alcott’s home in Concord to the Winslow Homer studio on Prout’s Neck south of Portland.

Harris and Lyon are the authors of more than 30 books on travel, food and art. Participants may sign up via newburyportpl.org/events or by calling 978-465-4428, ext. 242.

Stage 284 launches Virtual Cabaret Series

Stage 284, the theater program at The Community House in Hamilton, is launching a new Virtual Cabaret Series with three online shows: July 16 at 7 p.m., Aug. 20 at 7 p.m. and Sept. 17 at 7 p.m.

Hosted by artistic director Katie Clarke and Stage 284 performer Cai Radleigh, the series celebrates a decade-plus of local musical theater showcasing crowd favorites from Stage 284’s most popular productions.

Registration or tickets are not required, but there is a suggested donation of $10 per person or $20 per household. All proceeds benefit Stage 284’s Scholarship Fund. For more information, visit stage284.com or email katie@communityhouse.org. 

Get a sneak peek of reimagined film festival

The Newburyport Documentary Film Festival is going virtual this September, and to kick off the new format‍, a “sneak peek” screening will be held Sunday, July 19, at 7 p.m.

“The Last Out” is a film portraying three young Cuban baseball players who leave their families and risk exile to train in Central America to chase their dreams of playing in the major leagues. 

Directors Sami Khan and Michael Gassert will participate in an online question-and-answer session following the screening.

Tickets are $8. To purchase, visit nbptdocufest.org/films/the-last-out.

Museum to highlight tales from Marblehead

The story behind a children’s series based in Marblehead will be shared during a Zoom talk on Thursday, July 23, at 7 p.m.

Dave Crowley will talk about his book “Azor of Marblehead: Maude Crowley’s Remarkable Obsession,” which explores the series written by his mother between 1948 and 1960.

The books were treasured by adults for their warm evocation of unique Marblehead characters, for their humor, and for the wit and intelligence of the boy Azor himself. Children read them in Marblehead schools, some producing drawings based on scenes in the books.

Maude Crowley, who based the stories on 6-year-old Dave and his friends, died in 2000 at age 93.

Presented by the Marblehead Museum, the talk is free. To register, visit marbleheadmuseum.org or call 781-631-1768. ‍ 

Artists open studios for mini tours

The Cape Ann Artisans are hosting Summer Mini-Tours on Saturdays, July 18 and Aug. 15, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Seven artists will open their studios in Gloucester and Rockport following COVID-19 best practices, using outdoor spaces to safely welcome visitors. Participants include ceramic artists David Archibald, Cynthia Curtis, and Erin O’Sullivan and Scott Place of Twin Lights Studios, along with painter Jillian Demeri, sea glass jeweler Jacqueline Ganim-DeFalco, glass artist Beth Williams and Pam Stratton Mosaics. 

After a long winter of making new works, they are eager to use their combined indoor and outdoor spaces and gardens for the mini tours. For example, Curtis will open up an entire end of her gallery to the outside by using a newly installed garage door.

Artists are taking appointments for visitors who want to reserve a specific time. All guests are asked to wear face coverings, use hand sanitizer and practice social distancing.

For more information, including a map of locations, visit capeannartisans.com.

Game show fun at ‘Balderdash Academy’

Newburyport High School’s facade serves as the inspiration for Balderdash Academy, a fictional private boarding school that is the setting for a new online comedy panel game show.

Originally conceived by co-founders Bob LeBlanc of Newburyport and Steve Corning of Maine as a live variety show, “Balderdash Academy” was adapted to an online format in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

New episodes are posted regularly on YouTube and feature a mix of interview, chat, improv and game show with an emphasis on lighthearted comedy. The storyline follows faculty members as they talk to guests and compete for the coveted Balderdash Academy Reigning Champion banner.

To check out the show and for more information, visit balderdashacademy.com.

Rockport Art Association opens its doors

The Rockport Art Association & Museum, at 12 Main St. in downtown Rockport, has reopened with a new exhibit titled “Welcome Back!”

The show, which runs through Aug. 2, features approximately 90 artworks, including painting, photography and sculpture. Visitors need to wear masks, and there is a rigorous schedule for daily cleaning.

The museum’s current hours are Wednesdays through Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Rockport Art Association will also host a show of the Massachusetts chapter of the National Association of Women Artists from July 25 through Sept. 7. Many North Shore artists are part of this organization’s membership.

For visitors not comfortable attending shows in person, all major exhibits will also be available for online viewing and sales through the website at rockportartassn.org. 

Take in Shalin Liu concerts in your living room

A new virtual music series is now being presented weekly by Rockport Music.

“Concert Window” features performances from the Shalin Liu Performance Center stage, with a couple of special performances from artists in other locations.

The concerts will all be held on Fridays at 7 p.m. The schedule is as follows:

July 17: George Li, piano

July 24: Chee-Yun, violin, and Henry Kramer, piano

July 31: Grisha Goryachev, guitar

Aug. 7: Stephen Prutsman, piano (from his home)

Aug. 14: Rum Runners String Band

Aug. 21: Mari Martin & the Lucky Boys

Aug. 28: David Finckel, cello, and Wu Han, piano

The series will be free to view, shared via Facebook, YouTube and rockportmusic.org. 

Pentucket students featured in virtual art show

The Pentucket Regional Middle and High School Art Festival is now available to view online.

The virtual exhibit features more than 280 pieces created by students in grades seven through 12 and includes paintings, digital art, photography and sculptures. 

The projects are grouped by each grade’s art class and can be explored through guided or self-guided tours at artsteps.com/view/5ecfa4ec119e17560ad5c1c6/3. 

Additionally, the Virtual Senior Art Exhibit is also available to view online, either as a slideshow at sites.google.com/prsd.org/prhsvisualarts/home or via YouTube at youtube.com/watch?v=KWpXZQRAQVc.

Seniors designed their own exhibits and chose meaningful pieces from art classes taken throughout their time at Pentucket Regional High School to display. Artists include Groveland residents Lydia Baldini, Samantha Bellville, Nathan Conway, Brooke Daniels, Molly Forget, Katherine Rosa and Mikayla Tilden; West Newbury residents Alexa Berkley and Madeline Conover; Merrimac residents Samuel Bissitt, Sasha Davis, Kayla King and Maggie Peterson; and Haverhill resident Grace McIntyre. 

41st annual Garden Tour blooms online

In lieu of its traditional garden tour held each summer, the Museum of Old Newbury is putting together virtual tours featuring four local gardens.

Each segment features a combination of video and photographs of the gardens in peak bloom, with narration by Bill Hallett and images by Bob Watts and Dan Fionte. 

The first installment, available now, spotlights a lush garden in Rowley with a particular appreciation for composting. That will be followed by two segments highlighting backyard retreats in Newburyport, on July 30 and Aug. 30. A final installment on Sept. 15 will take the viewer from garden to table.

The free presentations will be available on the Museum of Old Newbury’s website, as well as on its Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

Popular car show motors on in a new format

The Misselwood Concours d’Elegance will be back this year with a new look — or several new looks.

While the main event, typically presented each July on the grounds of Endicott College in Beverly, cannot be held due to COVID-19 public health concerns, there will be alternative live and virtual events presented instead.

The Misselwood Concours Virtual Show will judge cars in 12 classes. The virtual show will start on Sunday, July 19, with winners revealed on Facebook and Instagram each day leading up to the grand finale on Sunday, July 26.

For those wanting to see the cars in person, the new Misselwood Rally Series will take place on Saturdays, July 18, Aug. 22 and Sept. 19. It is open to any pre-1990 classic car or motorcycle, with registration required and space limited to 60 vehicles. The 60-mile routes will be different for each part of the series.

“This is something we’ll plan on doing each summer from now on,” said Darren Stewart, chairman of the Misselwood Concours d’Elegance. “Not only are we able to involve more car owners, but the Endicott students will be on campus for the final tour in the series as we finish by driving through main campus.”

All money raised from events will support the Endicott College Concours Scholarship, which assists current students and has raised close to $200,000 in the last 10 years.

The familiar in-person gathering will return next summer, scheduled for July 16-18, 2021.

For more information, visit misselwoodconcours.com.

Explore the Peabody Essex Museum

The Peabody Essex Museum in Salem now features a range of digital content at its website that allows visitors to explore its collection remotely.

Podcasts discuss recent exhibits and museum history, while stories reflect on the value and impact of art. There are also suggestions for crafts and activities for the whole family.

Clicking on the “Explore Art” button at pem.org allows viewers to examine highlights from several periods and categories in the museum’s international collection, while postings of art and objects at facebook.com/peabodyessexmuseum respond to each day at hand.

The museum will reopen to the public on Saturday, July 18. Hours will be Thursdays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and tickets can be purchased at mypem.org/events or 978-542-1511.

Check in on an osprey family

Essex County Greenbelt Association’s osprey pair, Annie and Squam, have once again returned to their nest on the salt marsh near Lobsta Land Restaurant in Gloucester and have produced three chicks this season.

Greenbelt’s live-streaming osprey cam is trained on the nest where the pair has been present since 2017. Annie and Squam, as they were named last year, laid eggs for the first time in 2019, fledging one chick named River. The pair has been attracting renewed attention since returning to the nest in early April.

Already in 2020, 25-30 dedicated volunteer citizen scientists have been busy, rain or shine, watching close to 50 nesting pairs and have submitted over 400 online nesting activity reports.

To watch the live osprey cam and view a virtual history of Greenbelt’s Osprey Program, visit https://ecga.org/Osprey-Program. To report osprey activity or learn more about the program, contact Rimmer at dwr@ecga.org or 978-768-7241, ext. 14.

Rocky Neck Art Colony debuts online show

Rocky Neck Art Colony has launched its inaugural online exhibition, titled “Beyond Likeness,” a juried show exploring the portrait. The works on display examine the genre of portraiture with an array of mediums and compositions, including traditional and dramatic portraits in oil, watercolor, colored pencil, charcoal and Polaroid emulsion, among others. 

The virtual exhibit runs through July 19 and showcases more than 30 well-known artists, including Cynthia August, Darien Bird, Linda Bourke, Lizbeth Cabral, Matt Cegelis, Michele Champion, Marija Djakovic, Leon Doucette, Larry Elardo, Phyllis Feld, Nina Fletcher, Erin Garrett-Metz, Moriah Gilbert, Dina Gomery, Hamilton Hayes, Tamara Krendel, Otto Laske, Christopher Lovely, Raymond Magnan, Karen Matthews, Elizabet Menges, Vanessa Michalak, Ruth Mordecai, Rebecca Nagle, Sara Oseasohn, Ruthie Schneider, Kathleen Somers, Helen Tory, Juni Van Dyke, Karen Watson, Christine Whalen-Waller and Heidi Caswell Zander. 

For view the show and for more information, visit rnacexhibitions.com.  

Cape Ann Museum puts offerings online

Cape Ann Museum seeks to continue its mission to tell the stories of the community and its contributions to American art and industry even though its doors remain temporarily closed.

The Gloucester museum has launched the CAM Video Vault, which features 60 lectures, programs and archival material dating back to 1992. These include exhibit and program lectures by curators, artists, community leaders, educators and others, featuring discussions of past art shows, well-known artists with Cape Ann roots, natural environments and habitats in the region, and local maritime history.

To help at-home educators and parents, the museum has also added educational content, including art-making activities, reading adventures, and virtual tours and experiences. It is also sharing “Stories From the Stacks,” based on the collection in the museum’s library and archives.

To access the content and for more information, visit capeannmuseum.org. 

Music Man keeps entertaining children

Wenham musician Brian Doser performs children’s music live on Facebook every weekday at 10 a.m.

Doser, better known as The Music Man, normally performs a drop-in music program for children three days a week at The Community House in Hamilton.

He is joined by his daughter Hannah, who sings and plays various instruments, for the 45-minute segments.

Doser has also been offering shows geared toward adults on weekends, featuring popular cover songs and some original tunes.

To check out his shows, visit facebook.com/briandosermusic.    

Keep up with Maritime Gloucester

Maritime Gloucester is now offering weekly virtual features, including Maritime Mondays, Throwback Thursdays and Front Line Fridays.

Mondays will feature a look at the collections and what’s happening on the waterfront and harbor. Thursdays will celebrate the organization’s 20th anniversary with memories from the past two decades. And Fridays will honor Maritime Gloucester members who are working on the front lines during the pandemic, from nurses and doctors to police and firefighters to teachers and delivery people.

To view the features and for more information, visit maritimegloucester.org, where you can also check out live webcam views of the railway and harbor.    

A wealth of American art to discover at the Addison

The Addison Gallery of American Art on the campus of Phillips Academy in Andover is said to have one of the most comprehensive collections of American art in the world, including more than 23,000 objects spanning the 18th century to the present.

All of those items can now be viewed at the museum’s website by searching for particular works, artists, themes or periods. There are suggestions at the website for art-related projects and activities that families can do together and a link to virtual tours of 10 great museums around the world.

In addition, the exhibits currently on display at the Addison can be viewed in a virtual tour on the website, where visitors can also watch interviews with museum staff.

Check it out at addison.andover.edu.

Whale watches, museum tours with Discover Gloucester

Discover Gloucester is sharing a selection of virtual tours that offer entertainment, art, history and education from the comfort of your own home.

Cape Ann Museum may be toured virtually at facebook.com/camuseum/videos/487062198670695/. The museum’s Vimeo page offers access to past lectures, such as “Judith Sargent Murray: A Complicated Woman,” available via capeannmuseum.org/video-links/. There is free access to the museum’s library and archives, which boasts digital resources available to researchers such as Fitz Henry Lane Online and the Digital Commonwealth, the historical collections from libraries, museums and archives across the state. Go to capeannmuseum.org/research/news-library-archives/digital-resources for more details.

Cape Ann Whale Watch, which offers guaranteed whale sightings for every whale-watching tour out to Stellwagen Bank off the coast of Gloucester, is offering virtual tours at seethewhales.com/index.php?link=virtual, or catch some whales at seethewhales.com/index.php?link=videos. 

Virtual crafting at Haverhill library

The Haverhill Public Library is holding a virtual crafting hour through Zoom on Fridays at 2 p.m. The meetings let crafters working on projects at home connect with others and draw inspiration from their work.

To receive the Zoom invite to access the sessions, visit haverhillpl.org, or contact Brendan Kieran at bkieran@haverhillpl.org to learn more.

Bringing the Beverly library home

Beverly Public Library is connecting with the community through social media.

Offerings include Facebook Live sessions of “Tea Time Children’s Classics,” featuring readings of chapters from classic children’s literature, on Tuesdays at 4 p.m. and “Musical Mondays,” with rhymes, songs and special guests, on Mondays at 10 a.m.

The library has also been using Zoom to host various book and film discussion groups. To check out the events, visit facebook.com/beverlypubliclibrary or beverlypubliclibrary.org. 

If you have an event to add to this roundup, please email the details to Sonya Vartabedian, managing editor of features, at svartabedian@northofboston.com.