Let me start this blog post by saying that I am a huge Sondheim fan.  I know that pretty much everyone who enjoys musical theatre is a Sondheim fan, but I feel that I need to say it.  I have listened to Into the Woods countless times, watched the stage version on Netflix, and fallen in love, time and again, with both the score, and the way the Original Broadway Cast worked their magic on it. That being said, I was cautiously excited to hear that it would be made into a film.  I saw the way that Les Mis became mainstream, and I could suddenly discuss it with my non-musical friends, and I hoped that this Sondheim adaptation would need end up like the slim downed, anemic version of Sweeney Todd released in 2007. 

My best friend, her mother, and I skipped up to the really nice movie theater near us, the one with the Lay-Z-Boy recliners instead of movie theater seating, only to be disappointing that the Christmas day showings had all sold out! "Don't these people know that I love this musical more than a majority of the people who have tickets, the people who have never heard it, the people who wouldn't know Sondheim from a sonogram?!?!?!!?" I was dismayed and lost, but we found another theater, one with less comfortable seats (though they still let us bring our blankets in) and made it without a moment to spare. 

The movie began, and I was hoping for that familiar hit, followed by "Once upon a time", but they started right in with the speaking.  The music came in very shortly after, and we were off.  Like I said, I was in love with the original cast, the comic overly dramatic voice of the bakers wife, the beauty of Bernadette Peters' balance of the good and bad of the witch, and the chubby little blonde "Little Red".  None of these characters were to be found.  We had a much drier, almost sad bakers wife, played by Emily Blunt, a witch played so masterfully by Meryl Streep that you could see the turmoil in her eyes, and a little red that had all the wit and fire, with a more realistic look, reminding us that while innocent, she was not quite so delicate and fragile. 

There was music cut here and there, but ultimately the show had to be streamlined, I know of productions where the audience left at the end of act I thinking it was a long one act musical.  The lack of the reprise of "Agony" left me longing for the comic relief preparing us for the less happy second act, and the narrations and lessons that everyone shares through song were certainly missed, but overall the film delivered. 

I had in my mind exactly what each of these characters would sound like.  None of them really channeled their OBC counterparts, but as an actor that's what we strive for, and this cast managed to recreate these characters, bringing them to life in a completely new way, while still delivering in all regards. 

There were certainly standouts, Emily Blunt as the bakers wife both sounded beautiful and acted the role impeccably.   Joanna Gleason certainly gave us the brash, loud, domineering bakers wife, who seemed just as likely to smack the baker over the head as to kiss him, while Blunt delivered us a tender loving wife, though I did miss Gleason's "I NEED YOUR SHOES!"

Meryl Streep nailed the role I was most concerned about before seeing the cast lists.  Bernadette Peters borders on perfection in my mind, and her witch was so flawlessly played.  Streep certainly took the character in another direction, one that would not have worked as well on stage but translated beautifully up close.  Her rendition of "The Last Midnight" was easily one of my favorite moments of the entire film, she perfectly balanced the anger and sadness portrayed by the text and score. 

Anna Kendrick as Cinderella was the casting I was most concerned about, even after having seen her kill in Camp and in Pitch Perfect.  She always portrayed a more contemporary commercial sound to me, not the light, slightly operatic tones called for by the role of Cinderella, but she really pulled through, mixing in her own vocal style, to find a happy medium and delivered a stellar performance.  "On the Steps of the Palace" was another incredibly well done scene, a very unique take on it that, again, employed a magic that film can capture, to take the scene out of time, a very brilliant take. 

All in all Into the Woods was done justice by this film.  Sondheim doesn't always translate well to the masses, his use of leitmotif is often missed, the delicate intricacies of his harmonies and the disjunction in the nature of his melodic lines are often misunderstood by audiences looking for something requiring slightly less thought throughout, but the beauty of the score will capture anyone who cares to spend the time listening. Making it to see this show was a star on the top of my Christmas Tree, and while it will never replace in my mind the perfection of the original production, or the joy I get seeing it on stage, I will be adding this to "sure I'll watch that again" list. 

While NBC made a valiant effort with their live performance of The Sound of Music, they missed the mark on a few things that really make musical theatre magical to so many of us.  PBS took the torch and rekindled the live televised performance with their broadcast of the New York Philharmonic's "Concert Version" of Sweeney Todd.  Right from the beginning, the broadcast let us know, that just like the original production of Sondheim's "black operetta", this production would break all the rules of what the audience would expect.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is one of the twentieth century's most brilliant works of music and theatre.  Breaking from the tradition of the "feel good family musical", Sweeney Todd tells the story of a deranged barber and his partner in crime, a baker woman named Mrs. Lovett, who kill patrons and turn their bodies into Mrs. Lovett's Famous Meat Pies.  A black operetta is a sublime description of the score, described as such by Sondheim himself, and this production pays homage to the beauty and complexity of the writing.

The characters are caricatures of Victorian London, the struggling working class, the crazed beggar, the wrongfully imprisoned, the crooked officer and judge, the altruistic sailor, the sweet ingenue, and the longing child.  The costuming, staging, and "set design" for this particular production take the Victorian complexities, and combine them with a contemporary grit, bringing to light how universal these characters are.  The simple placement of a leather jacket and a paper poster advertising "MEAT PIES" speaks volumes about where society sits in the present day.

Ultimately what shines in Sweeney Todd is the music.  Bryn Terfel sings the title role against Emma Thompson as Mrs. Lovett.  The lead roles are filled with accomplished actors and musicians including Broadway legend, Audra McDonald as the beggar woman.  The New York Philharmonic brougt the gorgeous score to life, and took no back seat to the vocalists.  Sondheim's score tells as much about the plot progression in the music as it does in the lyrics through the use of brilliant orchestration and a use of leitmotif unmatched in musical theatre.

This production is not one for the kids, nor those looking for a happy ending.  Sweeney is often crude, brash, and at points disturbing, but rich and beautiful at the same time.  This performance is beautiful and brilliant, truly a triumph of creativity.

Watch the performance on PBS here!

Another fall is here, and instead of worrying about the changing leaves, our actors on stage are learning to keep an eye out for street rats, snakes, and sand storms! No we have not relocated to the LCA to the Middle East, but we transform our minds into Agrabah three days a week for rehearsal!

After our first week of rehearsal, I am astounded at the talent we have in our young actors, and can't wait to dig in further! They transported us with the opening tune "Arabian Nights" and their amazing voices filled the LCA with the sounds of, dare I say, "A Whole New World"!

You do not want to miss this magical family favorite!

Performances:
November 21st - 7 PM
November 22nd - 2 PM
November 23rd - 4 PM

Tickets:
$10 Adults
$8 Seniors
$5 children
Tickets on sale to the public October 27th, available at the front desk of the South Shore Emilson YMCA

Just two weeks from now, students will be counting down the hours until their audition for our Fall production of ALADDIN JR. Tyler Cavanagh, the production director, will have already spent one evening enjoying the songs and scene reads of young thespians and will be anticipating two more audition days of excitement and puzzle-building. Casting a show is like building a puzzle- many theatre artists believe 80% of directing is casting! Piecing together a cohesive, complimentary team that will work together to tell the story of the show is a challenge and a thrill.

Last Spring we chose to start planning for a production of ALADDIN JR and Tyler has had ideas bouncing around his creative noggin all summer long. We never could have anticipated the loss of the great Robin Williams who created the iconic role of the Genie in the 1992 Disney classic. As an elementary student, to me Genie was hilarious, tender, and everyone's idea of a perfect BFF. Watching ALADDIN as an adult, he still is. From what you can read about Williams' real life character, it seems he was much the same- sincere, generous, encouraging to all he met, and, of course, hilarious. There are so many films in which Robin Williams created truly iconic characters, but most of all his true character will be missed. We are glad to be producing this show this Spring and for the opportunity to pay tribute to such a legend.

Do you have an actor in your life who is between the ages of 6 & 18? We'd love to have them in this fabulous production! Auditions are scheduled for Thursday, 9/11 and Friday, 9/12 from 4-6PM and Saturday, 9/13 from 2-4PM. To sign up for an audition email Tyler Cavanagh at tcavanagh@ssymca.org and let him know the child's name, age, and your date or time preferences. Feel free to contact us with questions and don't miss the performances November 21-23!

Summer is a busy, crazy, wonderful, fun, wild time at Laura's Center for the Arts! Fortunately we have the opportunity to bring in an amazing group of camp staff who are from a variety of backgrounds.  One such staff is back for her second summer with us, and we couldn't be more excited to have her on our team!

 Madison "Madi" tower is home from her first year at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, and is assisting with our dance and theatre camps, as well as stepping into the role of lead instructor for our Teen Theatre Intensive.  Madi has been consistently held in regards by the campers, their parents, and her coworkers, often taken on leadership roles instinctively.  Madi's specialty classes such as improv and Broadway dance are always full of laughter and without fail put on a great performance at the end of the camp session.  She loves the diversity of arts that the campers here are exposed to and the creative environment fostered by the staff!

Madi hopes to go on the become a dramaturge or to work with a film production company.  Fortunately we will be able to say this up and coming theatre professional got her start here at Laura's Center for the Arts.

"Art is about creation and adding something new to the world" - Madi Tower

Our tag line for the summer is creativity starts here.  After a successful two weeks of "Explore the Arts" camp, the art center has EXPLODED with young actors, dancers, and artists! This group of campers is at Laura's Center for the Arts Monday through Friday for a full two weeks, creating, laughing, and learning.  

Creative Kids art camp has been working diligently, reprising the papier-mâché turtle project, working on individual projects, and creating really cool self portraits!  Campers took initiative to come up with new and interesting concepts and making their projects their own!

Dance camp has been working on learning choreography for "Happy" and "Holding Out for a Hero".  The high energy numbers have resulted in hours of smiles and laughs!  The campers also have been working as a group to choreograph "Applause" as a group! 

Theatre camp is well under way with its production of Cinderella!  The campers all learned about how to audition, and recieved their roles! It is a great sight to see a group of thirty youth cheer and clap for each other, even when for those who got the role that they wanted! The music and blocking we have been working on looks and sounds amazing already!

We are gearing up for a performance of percussion after a successful first week of our summer concert series with the Plymouth Philharmonic. For our second week, we invite the younger guests to come a little early and create some home made instruments! Below are some ideas, so feel free to make some at home before the performance, or join us to make some at 6 PM on Wednesday, July 9th!



Why not start with these great crocodile clickers? Click here for a link to the original post! 

Clickers not your style? Follow this link for detailed instructions on making shakers out of recycled bottles and rice! This project involves a lot of supplies, but don't be afraid to get creative! If you shake it and it makes a fun noise, you've done a great job!

These little guys are homemade lamellophones or finger pianos. Who doesn't have a ton of extra bobby pins hanging around? This is a great chance to explore how different materials make different noises! More detailed instructions after the jump! 

So get your instruments ready, and join us for an interactive concert of percussion by the Plymouth Phil at Laura's Center for the Arts this Wednesday at 6:30 (interactive activities and seating start at 6)

Laura's Center for the Arts kicked off our summer camp season with "Explore the Arts" camp.  This camp allowed campers the freedom to choose between a performance workshop, working on Green Eggs and Ham from Seussical, learning several ways to make a monster from Beth Gilmore, or learning how we design and paint our sets for our upcoming theatre camp productions.  In addition to their normal classes we took two days to bring in professional artists to run workshops with the campers. 

Tuesday we had the incomparable Maggie MaClellan, a local artist, working on papier-mâché with the kids.  She brought in pre-made turtle shells, created using recycled newspaper and masking tape, and taught the campers her process of sculpting the newspaper and wrapping it in the tape, creating the arms, legs, tail, and head.  They then covered the turtle forms in paper we had decorated earlier in the morning.  Even the most squeemish campers eventually got used to "the goo" and we ended up with a menagerie of turtles, some looking like they had been hit  by a graffiti artist, and some modeled after Maggie's own creation, wrapped in old bits of map. 

Turtles created by the campers!

On Thursday we were visited by Brent Beissel from the Bosse School of Music.  Brent spent a few hours teaching the basics of rhythmic notation with the campers.  He gave them all a chance to experience different types of drums, shakers, bangers, and things that go bump in the orchestra! The campers left that day knowing a lot more about how to count their Tas and TiTis than most adults!!
 

More information about Maggie and her works can found here

More information about the Bosse School of Music can be found here

A summer tradition in the making, the Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra will be sending it's small chamber ensembles to performing in your own back yard at the Plein Aire Pavilion, the outdoor amphitheater at Laura's Center for the Arts!

This year we will be hosting four concerts, completely free (though donations are always very appreciated) and open to all members of the community and beyond! So pack your picnic basket, bring a chair or blanket, and come on by to get your Phil!

Join us this Wednesday, July 2nd, to kick off the summer series with the Phil's Brass Ensemble, opened by the South Shore YMCA Young Singers!!

Saturday, June 14th 10AM-4PM at The Pinehills Village Green

Hello, Dear Friends!

We here at Laura’s Center for the Arts are huge fans of both art and the outdoors. And wouldn’t you know it, just as the weather is finally warming up the Pinehills in Plymouth is hosting its tenth annual Art on the Green event this Saturday, June 14th. 

Art on the Green will be featuring the work of more than 80 artisans spaced throughout five tents including painters, sculptors, jewelry designers, wood workers, weavers, photographers, and more.  The event will also showcase a new exhibition the Wicked Etsy Village where you can find local Etsy artists and shop owners selling handmade goods just in time for Father’s Day (wink, wink).

Decorate a tie for Dad in the Kids' Corner Tent.
The $5 donation goes to help The Home for Little Wanderers

Speaking of Father’s Day, the Kids' Corner Tent lets kids design a tie for Dad for just $5 or create an original masterpiece for $3.  And don’t forget to check out the free face painting!

Also, there are great dining options available including The Market’s a la carte BBQ sit-down lunch on the Al Fresco Dining Patio, Mama Mia’s express curbside tent or full dining options, East Bay Grille at Pinehills Golf Club for patio dining with stunning views of the driving range, and Rye Tavern for a gourmet brunch or dinner. Don’t forget to top it off with a stop at Let’s Scream 4 Ice Cream for a choice of 18 different ice cream flavors!

The event kicks off at 10AM and runs until 4PM with free parking, free shuttle service, and free music including steel band Magic of Steel and street teams from Boston area stations Radio 92.9, WROR 105.7 and Magic 106.7 

Free face painting in the Kid's Corner Tent!

I have been to this event every year for the past five years, and I’ve always found unique, high quality gifts and stunning (and affordable) works of art.  Even if you’re not shopping, the opportunity to talk to the artists about their craft is worth the trip. And I did mention it’s free, right?

So, I’ll see you this Saturday on the Village Green at the Pinehills. For more information check out the Pinehills website.

P.S. The weather is supposed to be gorgeous! So load the kids in the car and grab your sunscreen!

As an employee at the Y, impact is a word we hear a lot.  Whether we are focused on what impact we can have, being praised for the impact that we have had, or feeling the impact that our members and coworkers have had on us, it is the core what makes our programming what it is.

Recently I had the opportunity to visit the Sollar Wellness Center at New England Villages.  New England Villages offers both residential and day programs for adults with intellectual disabilities, and welcomed us with open arms to observe their programs.  I sat in on a music class one day and an art class on my next visit.  Believe me when I say that I have witnessed some of the most impactful programming out there.

One of the goals of the Fine and Performing Arts department is to create an inclusive environment, and through observing these classes I know we are an enormous step closer to making that goal a reality.  I was able to help someone paint Popsicle sticks, and meet Elvis/Fred/Prince Charles, he had many names throughout the course of the class but ultimately I made a new friend. 

Seeing the staff and the arts program participants at New England Villages really opened my eyes to a community that many people in our society do not understand.  It was beautiful seeing these staff interact with their students, whether it was a joke, a moment of encouragement, and moment of support, or just a shared moment of bliss.

In the end, I got to create some art with people who felt the impact that art had on them, but more importantly, I met some people who have mastered the art of making an impact.

 If you take classes in the mornings here at the LCA, chances are you've seen me around. I've been introduced to individuals and scattered classes throughout my time here, but I thought this would be a perfect way to give the visitors of the LCA a chance to really get to know me.

 My name is Antonia Rincon, Nia for short, and I've been interning at the LCA for just about a month. I moved to Norwell about a year and a half ago from Pittsburgh, and this coming fall I plan on moving to New Orleans to attend college at Loyola University. I love anything involving the arts, from visual to preforming, and I'm thinking about minoring in it in some way in college. I'm an optimistic, laid back person who loves to goof around and make people smile. I firmly believe that having a good laugh can change your whole day. More often than not when you come in you'll find me working with the kids or doing office work on the computer.

 I was given the opportunity to do this through my school, Norwell High. Each senior is given the option to seek out and secure an internship based on their likes and future plans. Because I plan on going to college for anthropology, my psychology teacher was my first choice. However, the project I had in mind was too unstructured, and was ultimately denied. It just so happened that my art teacher, Mrs. Jennifer Greenberg, was meeting with the directors of the LCA the very next day. She told them about my interest in the arts and before you know it I was meeting with Beth and Kimberly for the first time in my art room.

 As you can tell, the meeting went very well and I officially started my internship on April 7th. Having never worked in a setting like this before, I was amazed at how deeply involved in the arts my advisers were. They really believe that teaching the next generation through creativity and positive reinforcement is key to happy healthy living. I learned so much observing the first Music and Me class taught by Tyler, and every other class thereafter. I have even made one or two little friends during my time observing. I basically help out wherever i'm needed. I've also been given the opportunity to see all the work that really goes into running a non profit organization. The Y doesn't just give back to it's members, but to anyone seeking a good time or a safe place to go. They have even given me a chance to display my own work here during our most recent gallery opening.

 I take AP sculpture at Norwell and I love showing off my work. Through the LCA, my pieces got to be seen by many generations from many different towns. My concentration for my art is mainly using mainly mirror shards to create movement and reflection on stationary objects. Not all of my work incorporates this, but I try to make sure all my pieces look like a cohesive collection.

 So far I've loved the work that I've been doing here, and i'll be extremely sad when I have to go back and face the real world of school and college decisions, but until then i'm just enjoying my time and soaking up all the information that I can. 

Since LCA opened in January, 2013, the Plymouth Philharmonic has been wonderfully supportive of our programming and aspirations. We were thrilled to partner with them last summer for the "Tuesdays with Phil" summer concert series here in the Plein Aire Pavilion- LCA's outdoor amphitheater. Families brought picnics, kids did cartwheels on the lawn, and the gorgeous summer evenings were filled with brass, percussion and more. Now, we're glad to share that the Phil is coming back to Hanover for another summer series in 2014.

Write it on your calendars, because just like last summer these concerts are not to be missed. This July, the Phil will be at LCA on 4 consecutive Wednesdays: July 2, July 9, July 16 and July 23. Each concert will begin at 6:30 PM, with doors opening at 6 PM for you to set up your picnics. The kick-off evening of the series on July 2 will be a special Independence Day concert!

In the meantime, the Phil's SPRING POPS concert is going to be a rather theatrical treat. Craig Shulman is joining the full orchestra for an evening of "Heroes, Monsters and Madmen." The concert is on Saturday, May 10 at 8PM and you can purchase tickets here.

As always, feel free to contact us with any questions and we look forward to seeing you in the Plein Aire Pavilion soon!

A friend of mine lost his childhood home to a fire. It happened in the middle of the night, but no one was injured. When he tells people about it he recalls his father, stark naked, running around trying to rescue things from the blaze- moving cars away from the heat of the flames, etc.- oblivious to his nakedness.

I can't imagine the loss. I am such a homebody and when my house is in mere upheaval I can hardly sit still. I think of all the memories and mementoes we would lose- the baby outfits and wedding photos, the books and journals.

So, I was struck when I saw this article last week. Beth has been writing this awesome series of blog posts visiting local artists' studios and the years of work and reflection represented in those spaces is incredible. An artists' studio is a home in itself. The article is by visual artist Julian Bell who lost his entire life's work in a studio fire last month. Can you imagine? Yet, I thought his reflection on the reality of the loss was quite beautiful:

That last line- "there is a world again to confront"- that's the truth, isn't it! No matter what we hit up against, there is always the need to move forward, to pick up the brush or the script and once again confront this world in which we live. 

I went to Jim Moran’s home recently to do a quick drop off a painting that had recently shown at Laura’s Center for the Arts.  It had been a long day for me and I found myself fighting off some heavy eyes while driving through the farmland of rt. 106.  Such heavy eyes, that I was thinking about how it would probably be a good idea to find a parking lot to take a quick nap in.  Luckily I was able to make it without the nap on the side of the road, and soon found myself parked in front of Jim's house. I ran up to the front door where I was quickly greeted with a smile and an offer of a cup of coffee. How did he know this was just what I needed?  

I of course accepted the offer and was welcomed into Jim’s home which is filled with his amazing artwork, and I mean FILLED.  Yes, there are a few pieces on the walls, but the living room was overflowing with beautiful paintings getting ready to head off to another gallery.  Each of Jim's paintings seem to be filled with more bold shapes and bright colors than the next.  You can see some of these paintings in person this Friday at The Artist Studio & Gallery at Patriot Place where Jim is showing as a member of the Southern New England Artist Community (SNAC).

I also got a look into his studio space which is covered in a jumble of art, reference material, and supplies -- as any well-loved studio space is.  The large pieces that were leaned up against several of the walls are called “The Seven Doors of Heaven,” and are filled with rich textures and details containing a vast amount of well researched symbolism.  Jim's work is the type of art you can get lost in, constantly finding new details that push the piece into a new light.

You can see his work this weekend at Patriot Place.  They will be there Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  Go see his work on Saturday and Sunday and come see the opening happening here at LCA tonight!!

Tonight at LCA we will celebrate the work from six local high schools.  Students and teachers from Marshfield, Whitman-Hanson, Scituate, Duxbury, Hingham, and Norwell will have work on display.  Come celebrate with us! We also have some awesome items we'll be raffling off.

See you there!

I was an undergraduate student studying acting, constantly immersed in a new role, a new persona, and I was on my way to the arts and communication building on campus when I stumbled upon a conversation being had about actors. One peer was sharing his skepticism that he could continue participating in theatre. The "vanity" of it was unsettling him. There was just so much focus on the self and he didn't want to live that way.

There are moments in life when you say something and then immediately realize it to be true- it comes out before you've cognitively acknowledged it. 

Before I knew I was butting in, I heard myself articulating the reality that actors are not vain and acting is not mere focus on the self. Good actors are honest. They LOSE themselves in a different persona- they allow themselves to disappear into someone else- and in doing so they acknowledge the humanity in us all. In playing a villain honestly, I realize my own innate ability to BE a villain. I am capable of these actions. I hold this potential within myself. I will never forget the compliment an audience gave a dear friend once- they boo-ed him during curtain call. He played the villain that convincingly. He allowed himself to disappear from view that fully. And we all learned about the nature of good and evil because of his courage.

Good actors are not vain. Good actors are honest and brave.

But it is not surprising that this assumption prevails, is it? Meryl Streep revealed this week that as a student she thought she was "too ugly to be an actress," and that she thought it was "vain to be an actress." Terms like "drama queen" don't paint a desirable reputation for those who build their careers in the performing arts. When I refer to someone as "dramatic," it is most often not a compliment. It is a difficult balance to strike- the reality that in acting, our medium is ourselves, yet WE are not the ones on display when we strut the boards. We're vessels and storytellers, not self-promotors.

And that's what we try to teach our theatre students here at LCA: not to self-promote and indulge in vanity, but to find humanity in their characters, to learn about the human condition through art, and to "hold a mirror up to nature" as the Bard taught us in Hamlet.

What do you think? What does it take to be a good actor?

Starting this week, the LCA is offering a multitude of classes for both kids and adults to enjoy.

Among them we have is the "Mission: Theatre Exploration." This brand new workshop taught by Tyler Cavanagh will teach theatre basics and develop the love of the stage through skill based teaching. Students will be able to participate in large group numbers that encompass singing, dancing, blocking, and choreography. This class is offered to 7-12 year olds on Tuesdays at 4:00 PM. 

We also have the "Tap/Ballet Combo" class taught by Christine Degrasse on Mondays at 3:00 PM. Kids ages 5-7 are welcome to come and learn basic tap and ballet steps, as well as to just have fun moving and dancing to the music!

Another great workshop is the "Illustration and Animation" class taught by Steve Belcher. On Saturdays at 11:00 AM, 8-12 year olds have the opportunity to be creative through characters! Using writing, drawing, and animation techniques, students will be able to see their unique character creations come to life in short animations! 

Classes start Monday April 14th (TODAY!), but anyone who wants to participate has until the first day of the individual class to sign up. We look forward to having plenty of creative fun in these classes, and we hope to see lots of new and old students! 

How to Raise a Child

We recently staged Seussical JR at LCA and one of the most consistently potent songs to me is "How to Raise a Child," sung by Jojo's parents. In it they ask, "who has the instructions on how to raise a child!?" 

An opinion piece in last Friday's New York Times delved into the abyss of the wondering the very same question. How do we raise "moral" children- children who will become adults who care, are generous, and learn from their mistakes? Check out the article for the full details of Adam Grant's response- which is very well-researched and links to lots of different studies around this very topic. Two highlights of his piece were seemingly quite useful factoids to stow away in our parenting toolboxes:

I love tips like this one- especially when backed with scientific research- because it is a simple matter of verbiage. Word choice can mean everything. Here's the scoop: "To get 3- to 6-year-olds to help with a task, rather than inviting them “to help,” it was 22 to 29 percent more effective to encourage them to “be a helper.” Cheating was cut in half when instead of, “Please don’t cheat,” participants were told, “Please don’t be a cheater.”" I can completely see how this would work psychologically. Cheating might not seem so bad to an 8 year old, but being a full-out cheater? No, thank you! It comes down to this: "When our actions become a reflection of our character, we lean more heavily toward the moral and generous choices. Over time it can become part of us."

This second tip took me a little off guard. I have an aversion to the idea of causing guilt in any child. As my husband would say, "let me pack me bag if I'm going on a guilt trip." Yet, when placed up against shame, the implications make sense. When discipline is done in such a way to cause shame, it leads the child to avoid and ignore the wrong-doing, whereas guilt leads them to amend the wrong. One stifles while the other motivates. "The beauty of expressing disappointment is that it communicates disapproval of the bad behavior, coupled with high expectations and the potential for improvement: “You’re a good person, even if you did a bad thing, and I know you can do better.”" The potential for improvement, reconciliation, a better future despite our current mistaken actions? That is an idea I can get behind.

So, what do YOU think? Do you have any parenting tips you stand by- or any you adamantly disregard? We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

Images by Rotu Modan, taken from the online New York Times edition of Raising a Moral Child by Adam Grant.

Brayden and Kristen, in the Multipurpose Room after class

Anyone who has been to Laura's Center for the Arts on a Monday morning has probably had the chance to meet Brayden Hum.  This energetic and friendly little guy is a regular for the Monday morning Music and Me class with his mom, Kristen Stewart.  Kristen has worked for the Y for a number of years, over at what Brayden refers to as "Mommy's Y" or the main branch here at the Emilson Y, but Brayden joins us over here at the LCA, which he has cutely dubbed "Tyler's Y".

I got a chance to sit down and talk with Brayden and Kristen a bit about what they've been doing at Tyler's Y...I mean the LCA. Brayden asked a lot of questions, as he usually does, so it was a fun chance to get sit and talk to him!

Kristen and Brayden have participated in Music and Me as well as our Toddler Art class.  Kristen felt that it was important to expose Brayden to a variety of things, and music was one that she felt was not her forte, so they signed up for music class, and Brayden had such a good connection that they have been signing up ever since!

Brayden's favorite part of class is when we sing "I Saw a Little Bunny", a simple finger play that proves a challenge for the fine motor skills of the class, but as we progress we get more and more two finger bunnies! Kristen's favorite part of class is when Brayden, who is often quieter in class, sings the songs at home "just like Tyler".  The repetition of the class is designed just for that purpose, to teach the students (and parents) songs and music games they can do at home!

Brayden loves to help clean up! He's a great helper!

In the future Kristen would like to see us running programs that include literature incorporated into the program, much in the way that it had been in Toddler Art and in the way that we do in Musical Mavericks, and to see us taking some of our classes onto the outdoor stage as the weather gets nicer.  Coming to work to dance and sing songs outside...? I like the sound of that!

Kristen loves the space and the artwork that changes on a monthly basis, allowing her and Brayden to be exposed to things that they otherwise wouldn't.  So come on over and check out what we have going on at Laura's Center for the Arts, and if you're here on Monday morning, be ready for Brayden to ask you questions!

Slime!... or Gak!... or Flubber!... or Goop! or... one of the other millions of names I've heard for this ooey gooey material that is easy to make at home with just a couple of ingredients.  Last Friday I whipped some up for the toddlers in my "Explore the Arts" class and after some slight hesitation, they were on board with the stuff. The amazing thing about this material is that although we are calling it "slime," it actually isn't messy to play with so this is something that can be done without much worry of a mess right at your kitchen table.

Here is what you need:

• Elmer's Glue (8 oz bottle)
• Borax (a powdered soap, sometimes hard to find in grocery stores so here is a link to some you can order online.)
• Large mixing bowl
• Spoon
• Cup
• Measuring cup
• Food coloring
• Water

When I made this I followed these directions pretty loosely, adding things as I saw fit to get the consistency I wanted.

1. Empty the entire bottle of glue into the mixing bowl.  Fill the empty bottle with warm water and shake.  Pour the glue-water mixture into the mixing bowl and stir well with a spoon.
2. Add some food coloring and stir.
3. Into your cup add 1/2 cup of warm water along with a teaspoon of Borax.  Stir until slightly dissolved.
4. While stirring the glue mixture in the bowl, slowly add the water-Borax mixture in your cup.  This will begin to change the glue mixture into something a little bit more rubbery.  Once you have most of the glue mixture moving towards a rubbery state, ditch the spoon and dig in with your hands!
5. Continue mixing with your hands, adding more of the Water-Borax solution to make it more rubbery and more glue to slime it up a bit.
6. Play!
7. Cover, this stuff will dry up when left to the open air. A plastic bag will do the trick.

There are so many fun ways to play with slime with a toddler.  Just exploring with out much intervention at all will keep kids entertained for at least 10 minutes, which can be an impressive amount of time for some of our little ones.  To push this play time a little bit longer I introduced some simple baking tools, rolling pins and cookie cutters.  Another fun thing to do is to hide things inside of the slime for your child to dig out.  Anything from smooth pebbles to small plastic dinosaur toys will work for something like this.  We also played with the slime by stuffing as much of it as we could into little cups (I had some left over play-dough cups from some that had dried out) and were pleasantly surprised at the noise that came out of the cup, "It tooted!" exclaimed one of our toddlers on Friday with bright excited eyes.  And ya, it did, so we all just had to laugh and agree with him on that one.  Keep this slime covered when you are finished it and it should last you for a little while.  A plastic bag will do, but I have seen it stored inside of those plastic Easter eggs which can be added fun if you have a dinosaur hidden inside of your slime.

Enjoy and post any pictures of your slime making to our facebook page facebook.com/SSYARTS

There are feathers in the arts center. So. Many. Feathers. They have breezed into every corner and doorway, settled down in bathroom stalls, and slid under the door to my office while I was out. Why the feathers? Well, a herd of birds and jungle creatures have been setting up shop here every evening this week and they shed like crazy! Capachione School of Performing Arts (CSPA) is currently in residence at LCA, putting up their production of Seussical. We're excited to be partnering with them on the creation of the set since we have just a couple more weeks before our own production of the same play hits the stage here. How perfect is that? It is also very cool to see how another director and another group of talented kids have taken on this show. Theatre creates community wherever it goes and we're happy to expand the little community we've created with CSPA.

CSPA, based in East Bridgewater, opened in 1986, and they offer classes, take part in theatre competitions and, of course, put up their own theatre productions regularly. If you're interested in checking them out at LCA this weekend stop by today or tomorrow for their 7PM performance or Sunday for the performance at 6PM.

OR hold out for our very own production opening on Friday, April 4 at 7PM. These kids from all over the South Shore are incredibly talented and you don't want to miss hearing them belt out the fun, quirky, beautiful music of Seussical. Tickets are on sale now at the Emilson YMCA front desk and will be available at the door too (if we don't sell out!).

Meghan Dinsmore’s studio is located on the 3rd floor of the E.T. Write building in Rockland, MA and is a part of the 4^thFloor Artist Association.  She has been an art teacher at Marshfield High for 9 years while continuing her studio practice and showing her artwork at a number of places, including Laura’s Center for the Arts in August 2013.  Dinsmore received both her undergraduate and graduate degrees at Boston University in Painting and Art Education and has continued her education through workshops and classes at some of the top arts colleges in New England such as Massachusetts College of Art and Design and New Hampshire Institute of Art.  

The first thing you’ll notice when you walk into Meghan Dinsmore’s studio is the huge variety of artwork.  This is in part because she shares her large space with her husband Dan Talbot and friend Shannon McDonald.  That is not the whole story on the variety though; Dinsmore’s work alone could easily be mistaken for the work of multiple artists.  She is not bound by style, which is a liberating idea, although it of course is not quite as simple as that.  I think that there is a certain stigma in the art world about not zeroing in on one style and there is evidence of this in the repeated questions Dinsmore must field relating to this topic.  “Why do you bounce around so much?”, “what is your true style?”, and “you made that too?” are familiar conversation starters for this exploratory artist.  Dinsmore is interested in form and in shattering form, a process which must be fundamentally fluid and diverse.

pen and ink drawing in a 7x12" sketchbook

Dinsmore tells me, “it is important to me that I know the rules before I break the rules.” Look at these beautiful peeks through her sketchbook.  Each done in about 45 minutes, they serve as a daily warm up.  Working as a high school art teacher, Dinsmore says “these daily drawings are great motivators for my students.  When they say they don’t have time to finish something, I can point to these drawings and tell them I only needed 45 minutes, so do they.  At the same time though, these drawings keep my on my toes with their expanding skill level.  Being their teacher, I feel like I need to stay one step ahead of them which isn't always easy with some of the talent in my school. Keeping current with my practice helps me do that.”

Some bird explorations with pen and acrylic wash on wood panel
Approximately 6x6"

Portraits in acrylic
Each approximately 3x4'

These large painted portraits are another example of Dinsmore flexing her art muscles and pushing herself to see what she could do.  After taking about 10 years off of doing “college style paintings,” mainly large scale realistic works, she was questioning whether or not she could still pull it off.  She decided to grab a few of the people closest to her and test it out.  Turns out she could still do it, and do it really well at that.  She was now assured that she “knew the rules,” and was ready to take a jump.

Brayer drawings in acrylic on paper
Each is 22x30"

This next series of pieces was done based off of memories and photos.  Here, Dinsmore is interested in capturing what a faded memory looks like. After a workshop at New Hampshire Institute of Art on passing over brushes and instead painting with brayers, she had the perfect tool for this series.  A tool that could glide paint across a surface while maintaining a hardness to prevent too much detail from creeping in.  This is, in a way, how we experience memories- fluid, changing, and the further away they are, the less clear.  This series was based off of some photos dug up in an old family treasure trove and each have charming stories to go along with them.  The painting of the shirtless man is based off of a photo of Dinsmore’s grandfather, taken while he was stationed overseas in the military during World War II.  He took the photo himself and sent it home to her grandmother with a note reading, “For my honey, to look at and sigh.” We only have this one endearing piece of the story and Dinsmore does not fill in any gaps for us visually.  She likes that, “you can put your own interpretation into these paintings, and they could be anyone’s grandfather in any place.” 

This series of brayer drawings is where I think Dinsmore’s work really pulls together.  And by “together,” I don’t mean that the brayer drawings are her “true style."  What I mean is that I can see the full circle of her process from an important and new angle: time.  You’ll notice, in the daily sketches the viewer gets a quick and clear look at what is directly in front of this artist no matter how mundane it may be.  The drawings are completed in a short amount of time and their closeness to us in time means that they are recent memories and so their depiction is vibrant.  The large scale portraits take us slightly further back in time, as Dinsmore is working from instances that are not quite as immediate as what is sitting directly in front of her.  These paintings are vivid and easily read, but pay attention to the background.  Things get blurred and distorted in the back with a more playful feeling in color and texture.  There is even a bit of work with brayers.  Then we come to the brayer drawings and are pushed further away in both time and in realistic representation.  These pieces give us a peak at what they are about while allowing us to fill in the rest of the information for ourselves.  This is how Dinsmore works intuitively. By looking at her vast body of work we are able to find these connecting threads.

I think a better question to ask this artist is not anything to do with the disconnectedness of her work.  Perhaps a more insightful questions is, "how are you going to explore these ideas next?"

All through school, I loved talent shows. My first talent show performance was a ballet routine with my older sister. In middle school I sang a solo and performed a comedy sketch with friends. In high school I relegated my performing to theatrical productions, but still took the stage as the talent show emcee for two years in a row. Talent shows were my jam. I think I loved them so much because they are inevitably quirky- a first grader dancing ballet right before a high school rock band takes the stage- and that quirkiness is awesome. Its worth celebrating, because its who we are: a quirky community, full of unique and surprising talent. 

So, I think its wonderful that very soon Laura's Center for the Arts will once again host the South Shore YMCA’s second annual talent show. Last year was a great event and there's no doubt that this year will be another afternoon worth celebrating. What talent could you contribute to the show? Do you sing in the shower, dance around your living room, or make people laugh? Here’s your chance to show off those hidden talents! Not to mention, all proceeds go to the Annual Support Campaign- even more reason to join the fun. Space is limited, so register now! Open to all ages!

Auditions: Thursday, March 6, 5PM - 8PM
Rehearsal: Saturday, March 15, 9AM -12PM
Performance: Sunday, March 16, 4PM*
Participation Fee: $25 per act
*Tickets for performance are $5.00 for individual/$25 for family and will go on sale March 1st.

Contact Linda Montoya with questions: lmontoya@ssymca.org
Appropriate music and dress is required, acts are limited to 2 ½ minutes. One person per group is required to register.

Anyone who has participated in any of the music or theatre classes at Laura's Center for the Arts has encountered bubbles.  Lots of bubbles.  Recently we discovered an awesome bubble recipe that has been used to make all the bubbles used in class and we wanted to share that with you!!  So put on your lab coats (or an apron will do) and get ready to mix up a batch of fun!!

The Ingredients:

I used standard tap water, Palmolive Dish Soap, and Glycerin (which is availble with the baking supplies at AC Moore)

Directions:

The recipe is very simple.  Empty out about a half cup of the water, and replace it with dish soap.  Add about 2-3 tablespoons of the glycerin, and shake.  The bubbles will work immediately but it's better to let the chemicals combine for 24-48 hours before using.  Try experimenting with different scented soaps, or even adding food coloring to the bubbles to create a funky colored bubble!

All that's left is to grab your favorite bubble wand, put on your favorite music, and blow some bubbles!

Let us know your favorite songs to blow bubbles too or send us pictures of you playing with your D.I.Y. bubbles! 

Looking for something to do around here to take your mind off of this endless Winter?  Why not head into the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston with the family to explore the mind of William Kentridge.  The video installation is called "William Kentridge: The Refusal of Time," and explores humans' evolving perception of "time."  Kentridge put together this work alongside professor of History of Science at Harvard University, Peter Galison.  The pair worked at making sure they struck the correct balance of art and history; a balance that is excellently struck with vibrant dance and music alongside a comprehensive run down of our understanding of time starting back at our earliest, celestial based thinking.
How does your family experience time as opposed to each individual family member's experience of time?
What kind of funky dance moves can you create to go along with the music in Kentridge's video?

Our January edition of ArtsReach went off without a hitch!  I think that we are really hitting our stride with the way program is designed and it is so great to see ArtsReach start to catch on with the kids.

We've matched the kids up into mentor/mentee pairs to promote collaboration and joint discovery.  These kids were great about this new aspect of the program and our mentors did a fabulous job of taking ownership over their important role.

This month we made artwork that responded to the work of Karie O'Donnell who is our gallery artist this month.  As a Brant Rock native, Karie creates artwork that is inspired by the sea.

 After we were finished making artwork everybody brought their piece back into the gallery space to share the decisions they made with the group.  We got into discussion about what "mixed media" means as well as what it is to create artwork as a response to another piece.  "Is it copying?" "Is it tracing it and then coloring it differently?" It can be both of those things and more!  A lot of the work made that day had a bit of a tropical feel to it, which you can't blame them for with these bitter days we've been having.  Even though their art seems as though it is from the tropics, and Karie's work is based more firmly in Marshfield, it is still the sea no matter where you find it.

Thanks for coming ArtsReach participants!! Hope to see you again next month for the February edition of ArtsReah where we will be looking at artwork made from artists from the group called SNAC.