Nov 102016
 

Interactive theatre is the calling card of History Alive, Inc. productions, most notably Cry Innocent which you may have seen during Halloween in Salem, but also with a relatively newer production called Goodnight, Captain White. This comedy murder mystery will have its final performances of the winter season Nov. 18-20 at the historical Hawthorne Hotel.

gncw-castIt’s 1830. “All friends and well wishers are invited to attend” the retirement party of Captain Joseph White’s favorite ship, the Caroline. But this magnanimous invitation lures a host of enemies and ill-wishers into the perfect opportunity to murder the rich, old captain.  Allegiances twist and turn. Foibles are exposed, depravities revealed.

Then it is up to the audience (that means YOU) and an under cover Daniel Webster to figure out who-dunnit and how. The creators of Cry Innocent give Salem— as odd as this sounds, but you have to be there— a crime to laugh about.

Those who love Salem history and also a good laugh will have this one more weekend to take in Goodnight, Captain White before History Alive, Inc. puts the play to bed for a long winter’s nap.

That’s correct. We said history. This tale is based upon the real-life murder of Capt. Joseph White, a 19th century shipmaster and trader from Salem, MA,

Performances of the interactive who-dunit will be in the library of the historic Hawthorne Hotel, November 18th, 19th and 20th . Shows are at 7:30pm on Friday and Saturday and 5:30pm on Sunday.

“We’ve had so much fun with a great, sold-out run this year, including a fund raiser for the Saltonstall School’s play ground and an immersive weekend at the gorgeous Jeremiah Lee Mansion in Marblehead,” Kristina Wacome Stevick, History Alive, Inc’s artistic director reflected. “But we’re developing a new piece, a world premier, and we want to turn our attention there for the winter.”

But what would hibernation be without a big meal beforehand? Therefore, from this late November run, $10 from each ticket will be donated to the Salem Pantry, which serves Salem’s children who struggle with food insecurity.

The November shows of Goodnight, Captain White will also feature a new performer in the ensemble, improv. comedian Zach Reynolds from Portsmouth, NH.

“Preparing for Captain White has been a high-energy, collaborative process,” he explains. “The whole cast is hilarious, and with Sarah Mann’s direction we’ve been able to make the ingenious script come to life in surprising and side-splitting ways. I’ve loved getting to know my character, Frank, and discovering how such an apparently dimwitted guy can have a duplicitous, conniving dark side.”

The play will resurface once in late June as part of Cry Innocent’s 25th anniversary celebration, a festival which will highlight the spin-off projects and new work forged by Cry Innocent ensemble members past and present. It will then travel to Edinburgh, Scotland and the South Shore where there are additional historical connections to the story.

Tickets for the shows of Goodnight, Captain White, by Mark Stevick can be purchased at goodnightcaptainwhitehh.bpt.me.

Share
Oct 272016
 

be-safeHalloween is no longer just for kids and adults with kids. October 31st in Salem Ma has had a tradition of proving just that. This year, even being on a Monday night, we expect record crowds of adults to converge on Washington Street like a horde of zombies for completion of our month-long Haunted Happenings celebration.

According to the National Retail Federation (NRF) “Millennial consumers (ages 18-34) are now the most likely of all adult generations to participate in Halloween. They’re also one of the top spenders on Halloween costumes, spending an average $42.39 compared with $31.03 for all adults.”

This youthful population segment has big plans for those costumes too: their intent to attend parties is up 10.9% from 2006, reports the NRF.

Winifred Sanderson: Sisters, All Hallow’s Eve has become a night of frolic, where children wear costumes and run amok!

Sarah: Amok! [dances around]  Amok, amok, amok, amok, amok.

And… that brings us back to Salem Ma. We are having a party. Millennials and every other older generation are invited but we want this night of fun and frolic to be a safe one.

This is a link to Halloween Night’s Be Smart, Be Safe, Have Fun suggestions flyer that we urge you to read and make use of. Simple advice is offered, such as if you have to drive here, park someplace else, like Beverly or Danvers. Don’t bring liquor. Don’t bring real swords. Don’t bring fake swords or anything that looks like a weapon. They WILL BE confiscated.

The second part of the flyer has the day & evening festivities schedule, from Shock Top Beer Garden, ( 21+) on Federal St. at Washington Street, to all the different bands at various locations in the Downtown District, to the 10:15pm Halloween Finale Fireworks at Washington Street & Bridge Street.

After the closing fireworks show, please be respectful as you leave town. You may not know this but many parts of the Downtown District are residential. There are people trying to get some sleep because they ARE going to work Tuesday. That brick structure you are leaning up against may look like an empty office building, but it is really a refurbished apartment complex.

And if you are using social media to share with all your friends not lucky enough to be here, consider using the tags #SalemMA and @hauntdhappnings in your pictures & tweets.

Have a great time, we made this party for you!

Share
Oct 192016
 

moon-landingMoon Landings were frequent enough to generate parties and conversations a plenty during the late 1960s and early 1970s. The Peabody Essex Museum invites you to relive some of those days during its next PEM/PM late night party, Moon Landing, this Thursday, Oct. 20 from 6-9pm.

The moon has been the subject of art, literature, music, movies and TV as much if not more than most any other topic. It’s always been there, up in the sky. What better topic for the monthly festivities at the PEM where the community is invited.

“Come celebrate the moon with a tantalizing night of lunar festivities. Listen in on discussions about the importance of the moon, hear from artists featured in the new Art & Nature Center Exhibition ‘Lunar Attraction’ and interact with minerals found on the moon. From the race to make a base on the moon to cheese and werewolves, this lunar celebration is sure to be out of this world!”

While you are possibly doing the Moonwalk dance or mooning over someone at the party (but please don’t moon anyone), here are some recent data:

  • Moon Distance: 224,833 miles
  • Most Current Full Moon: Oct 16 12:23 AM
  • Next New Moon: Oct 30, 2016 1:38 PM
  • Next Full Moon: Nov 14, 2016 8:52 AM

Speaking of Moon Landings, just in case you need a conversation starter, here are the dates of the six manned American Moon Landings and the actual time spent on the ground (in case it comes up in a trivia question):

  • Apollo 11: July 20, 1969, stay of 21 hours and 36 minutesmoon-blog-post
  • Apollo 12: November 19, 1969, stay of 31 hours and 31 minutes
  • Apollo 14: February 5, 1971, stay of 33 hours and 31 minutes
  • Apollo 15: July 30, 1971. stay of 66 hours and 55 minutes
  • Apollo 16: April 21, 1972, stay of 71 hours and 21 minutes
  • Apollo 17: December 11,1972, stay of 75 hours

PEM members, college students and Salem residents (with ID) free, nonmembers $12.

The Peabody Essex Museum is located at 161 Essex St, Salem, MA., United States, North American continent, Western Hemisphere, Planet Earth.

Share
Oct 132016
 

We mentioned this on our Facebook page, as probably other community organizations have commented in posts on their Facebook or Twitter accounts, but we think it really merits repeating: avoid driving to Salem this weekend.

We don’t have any hard statistics, just real time observations which lead us to believe that there are a lot more people checking out and enjoying all that Salem Ma has to offer this year. Parking is hard to find. Streets are getting backed up with traffic.

bubble-man-at-fmThe idea is to spend a day in Salem Ma and have fun. We want that to be what you take away when you leave.

So, leave the car at home. Take the train. Or ride in on any number of MBTA buses  that pass through the Witch City. Or travel aboard the Boston Harbor Cruise ferry. There is a lot going on. As a perfect example, here is an advisory from the Salem Police Department in reference to this weekend:

  • Saturday, October 15: Salem YMCA Witch City 5K road race starts at 9am at the Salem Willows. No road closures are planned, however anticipate traffic delays along the following roadways: Memorial Dr, Essex St, Rte 1A, Rte 114 including Hawthorne Blvd, Derby St, and Fort Ave, ending at Restaurant Row.
  • Sunday, October 16: Witch Ride Motorcycle Ride has been rescheduled for Sunday October 16. Rte 114 and Rte 1A will be impacted, but not closed to traffic, from Marblehead to New Derby St. Rte 1A, including Derby St, will be closed to traffic between Lafayette St and Congress St. Congress St will also be closed to traffic. Anticipate road closures and traffic delays from noon to 3pm. There will be a no parking tow zone on Derby St between Lafayette and Congress St from 11am to 3pm.
  • Saturday & Sunday, October 15 & 16: There will be no on-street parking on Essex St from Hawthorne Blvd to New Liberty St from 6am to 10pm. This section of Essex St will also be closed to through traffic from 9am to 10pm. Access to Museum Place garage will be via Brown St only.

Although every effort to keep roads open will be made, please be aware that any roads necessary to maintain public safety will be closed without notice. Officers will be posted in key intersections at peak times to assist with traffic when possible.

Many businesses and organizations in Salem go to great effort to provide entertaining & informative diversions for you, we just want to make sure you have an easy way to get to them all!

Share
Oct 032016
 

While October 1st technically starts Salem’s month-long celebration of Halloween, the real kick-off has been the Annual Salem Chamber of Commerce Haunted Happenings Grand Parade. This year, the 21st annual parade will be held Thursday, Oct. 6th from 6:30pm-8pm.

chamber-halloween-paradeThe Salem Chamber of Commerce cordially invites you to participate as a walker, to become a volunteer, or just attend this year’s event, which will feature the theme “100 Years of Parks and Play.”

The term “children of all ages” could not better describe the participants as thousands of Salem’s students from kindergarten to college and our local business owners will be ready to march from Shetland Park to the Salem Common.

Along the way you will see colors, lights, sounds and faces of kids basking in the limelight that for that given moment they are the center of attention. They represent all that is fun about Salem.

The Annual Salem Chamber of Commerce Haunted Happenings Grand Parade will be starting from Shetland Properties on Congress Street then turning left onto Derby Street, right onto Central Street, left onto Front Street, right onto Washington Street, right onto the Essex Street Pedestrian Mall and ending at the Common.

This will necessitate certain road closings from 6pm until 9:30pm.

  • Congress Street will be closed from Harbor Street to Derby Street.
  • Derby Street will be closed from Congress Street to Central Street.
  • Commuters will not be able to use Route 1A between Dodge St. and Brown Street which includes Derby Street, Hawthorne Boulevard and Washington Square at the Common entrance.
  • Front Street and Washington Street between New Derby Street and Church Street will be closed.
  • Essex Street will be closed at Washington Street.

When it all stops at the Common, it does not end as there will be a continuing celebration with local favorite DJ Doug entertaining the crowd.

For the latest developments, please check the Salem Chamber of Commerce Haunted Happenings Grand Parade Facebook page

It is a parade, it is a party, it is a traveling brochure of things to come during Haunted Happenings in Salem Ma. this month. And by attending, you will be a part of it!

Share