Newton Festival of the Arts events into June 2018

NEWTON, MA — The three-month celebration of arts across media began in April and will continue into June. This is the fourth year of the Newton Festival of the Arts organized by the Mayor’s Office for Cultural Affairs and Newton Community Pride.

“An extravaganza of art experiences and programs will take place at venues across the city in the next three months. Programs span the many facets of “art” including music, theater, Russian opera, food, poetry, storytelling, dance, author readings and discussions. An innovative augmented reality scavenger hunt challenges Newtonites to visit all 13 villages, collect the phrase visible in each village, figure out the connection between all the statements, and submit their answers to collect a prize," Janet Razulis, president of Newton Community Pride, said.

The Festival of the Arts has served as a catalyst for the cultural life of the city. It has been a great showcase for our many artistic organizations, fostering new relationships and collaborations, and has introduced citizens to all sorts of artistic expressions in their home town.

Enhancing the Festival atmosphere are 98 colorful banners designed by Newton artist Franklin Marvel, sponsored by our generous business community, and displayed on utility poles across the City and at City Hall. The Village Bank and its President Joe De Vito is the Festival’s prime sponsor for the 4th year.

For more information on all Festival events go to www.newtoncommunitypride.org

April Highlights

The Festival kicked off with Newton Open Studios, a fine art and craft show where artists opened their studios to the public on April 7-8.

On April 12 at the Newton Free Library, Bill Novak author of “Die Laughing” will share stories and anecdotes. Novak is a co-author of The Big Book of Jewish Humor and a bestselling ghostwriter for prominent business and political leaders (Tip O’Neill, Oliver North, and Nancy Reagan). Also in April music will be performed by such diverse groups as the Boston Association of Cabaret Singers and the New Philharmonia Orchestra playing Beethoven Rocks with guest conductor Jorge Soto. This is a family-friendly afternoon of Beethoven’s greatest hits! Pro Arte Orchestra, Newton Family Singers and the Suzuki School of Newton will also perform.

The Rotary Club of Newton again promotes new talent with its “Newton Has Talent 2018” Show on April 28 at the Jewish Community Center. The Highland Glee Clubholds its 2018 Spring Concert on Sunday, April 22 at the Newton Cultural Center, Newton City Hall. The annual Lasell College Fashion Show: Runway is in Auburndale on Friday, April 27 and Saturday, April 28.

On Sunday, April 29, Newton Community Pride holds its 19thannual day of volunteer service called NewtonSERVES,www.newtoncommunitypride.org/newtonserves. An expected 1,200 residents will fan out across the city to work on dozens of spring clean-up and beautification projects.

On the same day, Cappella Clausuraperforms “Eve and Adam,” a new take on an old story. It’s at the Eliot Church on Centre St. at 4pm.

May Highlights

On May 5 from 9:00-11:00, the late Sidewalk Samwill be remembered with a public chalk art program and tribute by his family at Langley Rd. and Centre St. During the 1970’s and 1980’s, Robert Guillemin (Sidewalk Sam), a Newton native, drew thousands of colorful chalk art and invited others to join him.

From chalk art to augmented reality, the Festival has something for everyone. “This year we will introduce technology in the Festival so that it becomes an instrument of creating greater community engagement and connection especially with younger generations,” said Linda Plaut, director of the Mayor’s Office for Cultural Affairs and organizer, along with a devoted Festival committee. Appearing above the 13 Villages of Newton in May, 13 phrases in augmented reality, Skywrite Newton.

Designed by internationally exhibited multimedia artist Will Pappenheimer, viewers download a free app and focus their cellphones or tablets in each of the 13 Villages to hunt for a phrase in the sky during this augmented reality demonstration. Prizes will be awarded for being among the first to collect all the phrases and figure out the connection between them. Hard to imagine? See for yourself! Go to the Festival website for instructions in May. Skywrite Newton is presented in conjunction with Bostoncyberarts.org.

The Artful Piano Project involves nine pianos painted by Newton artists, and then placed together on the Newton Center Green on Saturday, May 5 for an unusual nine piano concert. Thereafter, the pianos will be moved to village centers where they are available for anyone to play and enjoy during the spring. The pianos will be in West Newton, Auburndale, Newtonville, Newton Center, Waban, Chestnut Hill (The Street), Newton Highlands, Newton Upper Falls and Nonantum. The Artful Piano project the past three years has been organized by Maria Beatriz Arvelo.

Also, on Saturday May 5 from 1-3pm, top jazz musicians fill the air at the Waban Library for the Newton Piano Summit. The Summit features Dominique Eade, Tim Ray, and Dayramir Gonzalez. Organizer Chris Pitts said that if music were an Olympic sport, all the artists presented would have their share of gold.

On May 12 the Commonwealth Choraleunder Music Director David Carrier, with Mark Feldhusen, as well as new composers, performs Brahms, Bernstein, Elder, and Paulus.

Because the Festival of the Arts is about professional artists and also participation by all residents, several such participatory opportunities are planned. On Saturday, May 19 at 10am bring your paints, easel and a chair and join the Newton Watercolor Society for a Paint-Outexperience at the Johnny Kelley Statue (Commonwealth Avenue and Walnut Streets).

Newton’s award-winning Commonwealth Lyric Theater,(1st prize winner for the best opera production of 2017 by National Opera Association), is led by Artistic Director Alexander Prokhorov. On May 20that 3pm in the Newton Cultural Center, City Hall, Commonwealth Lyric debuts a new opera production - two comic baroque works, celebrating women, love and coffee "La Serva Padrona/Coffee Cantata.”

On Saturday, May 26, string musicians of all levels and expertise can join the Festival of the Arts One Day String Orchestra conducted by Marshunda Smith at the Newton Cultural Center at City Hall. Bring a music stand, download the music from the Festival website and prepare to play beautiful music with a string orchestra.

Dance Highlights

Two icons of the dance world in Newton, Joanne Langione and Paulette Harwood, will be honored for their 40 years of teaching and inspiration to thousands of Newton children. J.C. Monahan of NBC Channel 10, a student of Paulette’s as a young girl, will present Paulette with an award on May 26. Paulette was a soloist at Radio City Music Hall in the corps de ballet and performed at the Diamond Horse Shoe and Copacabana nightclubs in New York City.

Joanne Langione will receive her award fromShawn Mahoney of Newton, a former dancer with Boston Ballet and Twyla Tharp. He will present the award to Joanne at a June 2 recital. Shawn’s first teacher was Langione at her studio in the basement of Pomeroy House in Newton Corner. In 1976, Joanne opened The Dance Center establishing the school as the first family center for dance in Newton.

To provide the public an opportunity to participate in dance, on April 29 at 4pm at the West Suburban YMCA, Mario Alberto Zambrano, will teach a dance class in Gaga. It is a movement language and pedagogy developed by Batsheva Dance Company director and teacher Ohad Naharin. Gaga classes have inspired many dancers to express a renewed passion for dance after taking Gaga classes.

June Highlights

New to the Festival this year is NewtonPorchFest, an afternoon of free music performed outside more than 50 homes. Auburndale is the inaugural village with the hope that the project will spread to other villages next year. More than 100 cities across the country hold PorchFests and now Newton is holding one thanks to the Auburndale community and music activists. Newton PorchFest will be held on Saturday, June 2 (rain date June 3).

The Street’s annual Pops Concert with Newton’s New Philharmonia Orchestrais June 2nd from 11:3- 2:30. Enjoy picnic specials and family friendly fun on The Green.

Hear Students of Color from Newton North and Newton South High Schools share writings and stories about their lives in a candid, heartfelt way. A joint collaboration with Quinn Etchie of the City of Newton Health and Human Services Department, and the Newton Theatre Company with Artistic Director Melissa Bernstein. The Monologue Project: Voices of Color brings perspectives and experiences of local teens to the stage.

Performances are in Newton Cultural Center Auditorium at City Hall June 1 at 7:30 p.m., June 2 at 7:30 p.m. , June 3 at 2 p.m.. Free admission.

The last planned event is the 7th annual Strawberry Festival on June 7 at 5:30 p.m. at the recently restored Allen House in West Newton.

About the Newton Festival of the Arts

The Festival, in its 4th year, brings together dozens of organizations for a three month celebration of arts and culture in all of their forms. The Festival is organized by Newton Community Pride and The Mayor’s Office for Cultural Affairs.

Go to the www.newtonartscalendar.org website for complete information about the Festival of the Arts.

Follow Festival events on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Contacts:

Linda Plaut, 617-796-1540, lplaut@newtonma.gov

Howard Sholkin, 617 513-1183, hsholkin@gmail.com