Photographer Kim Roderiques of Chatham has two main passions in life: animals and children. In creating her Dec. 12 fundraising event “Pirouettes, Pliés & Pets” that will benefit both children and animals, she brings these two passions together and adds a third element: dancers. “It’s this unbridled joy when you mix animals with dancers,” Roderiques said in a telephone interview last week. “All of a sud...

It’s still dark out but there’s a bird chirping outside my window. Several, actually. One is making a steady, monotonous chirp, probably a house sparrow. The other is a bit more melodic, trying on different calls, most likely our resident young mockingbird. He has stood, or flown, steadfast against all rivals so far, including an older but apparently not feistier opponent who tried for several days to oust him. ...

The easiest way to describe the home-grown musical “Wrinkles” is a comical marriage of “A Chorus Line” and “The Golden Girls.” The musical, which gives a voice to aging women, first premiered at Cape Cod Theatre Company two years ago to sold-out audiences. Open to input and changes, Cape Cod playwrights and lyricists Wilderness Sarchild and Naomi Turner returned to Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater to workshop t...

Lobsterman Rob Martin was out with a crewman years ago when the fellow tried to gaff a seagull that landed on the boat. Martin told him to cut it out. Not only was it illegal, it was bad luck. Moments later, the stern man was gone. “He went flying out the back of the boat,” said Martin, adding that he told him “I told you so” after fishing him out of the water. Martin is not superstitious, for instance h...

CHATHAM – The Women’s Club of Chatham got a crash course in women’s safety in September, and also learned a little about what it’s like to be the only female officers on the Chatham and Harwich Police Departments. Sergeant Sarah Harris of the Chatham Police and Sergeant Amy Walinski of the Harwich Police Department joined forces on Sept. 23 during a special meeting of the Women’s Club where they spoke with rou...

ORLEANS – Surf's up! Surf films, that is. The 2019 Orleans Surf Film Festival kicks off Friday with a slate of events celebrating surf culture. The two-day festival will be held at the Hog Island Brewery at 28 West Rd. Celebrating the surf culture of Cape Cod, the festival includes a selection of surf-related films, including local shorts and features. As of late last week, a list of films was not yet av...

It doesn’t take much to make me feel humbled by nature. Standing by a sea riled up by wind and current, listening to tall trees swaying and creaking or watching rivulets of rainwater spread and flow anywhere they want, when they want; all these things give me pause. Throw in a sunset or two, a starlit night or the flight of birds through the dunes and I’m convinced. This nature thing is way, way bigger and more p...

It’s not often that you have the opportunity to be present when someone’s dream comes true. Maureen Condon wanted to write a play that made a difference. “Crude, The Climate Change Musical” is Condon’s dream, because she “believes in the power of the arts to shape the future.” She’s already seen her musical as an official selection of the New York Musical Festival, and now the world premiere has been held at the ...

Anyone who grew up with the Addams Family can recall the characters, music, costumes, and humor. This famous family has returned to the Chatham Drama Guild for several encore performances that are sure to bring laughter, fun, and families together this month. “It’s a true family affair because we spend so much time together,” said Rebecca Banas, who stars as the smart, classy and often funny Morticia Addams. T...

If pleas from our children, warnings from the UN, and daily evidence of increasing weather disruptions don't convince us of climate change, how about a musical? That's what inspired Cape Cod playwright Maureen Condon to write "Crude—the Climate Change Musical," which has its world premiere Thursday, Oct. 10 at the Cape Cod Theatre Company, home of the Harwich Junior Theater. With a background in science wri...

As the weather becomes colder, our attentions turn to seasonal treats like mulled cider, fall foliage, and spooky Halloween tales. A classic American ghost story is Washington Irving’s 1820 short story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” and the Academy of Performing Arts’ adaptation, by Vera Morris, is more fun than scary, making it ideal for the whole family. The Dutch-settled village of Sleepy Hollow, N.Y., is i...

If there's one subject Cape Codders can relate to, it's water. Our lives cycle in and around local rivers, ponds, bays and sounds. How we connect to water is a subject as varied as the people. Next weekend the Blue Institute of Cape Cod will host two programs in Harwich that illuminate our connection to water. The first, on Friday evening Oct. 18, showcases the winners of the recent "Words on Water" writing co...