for the ARTS record
THEATRE WORKSHOP TO HOLD CHILDREN'S AUDITIONS May marks the beginning of children's auditions for Theatre Workshop of Nantucket summer productions. Auditions are held in the upstairs performance space at the Methodist Church. On May 16 at 5:30 p.m. an informational meeting will be held regarding casting opportunities for youth eight to 18 in "Seussical the Musical." Children ages seven to 13 may audition for "Pinocchio" and "The Little Mermaid" at 6 p.m. on May 15 and 16 and at noon on May 17. Teens 14 and older wanting to audition for "Grease" may try out at 8 p.m. on May 15 and 16 and at 2 p.m. on May 17.

ARMCHAIR THEATRE Theatre Workshop of Nantucket's Armchair Theatre will be at the home of Rose & Lew Rubin, 4 Westerwick Way (left on Heller from Hummock Pond Rd, 1st right on Westerwick). Amanda Torchia directs "Bang, Bang, You're Dead" by William Mastrosimone. Bring a dish to share (main dish, salad, or dessert) & a beverage (coffee provided). Potluck at 6; reading at 7 approx. For further information or directions, call Grace Noyes 508- 228-5485 or Peter Greenhalgh 508-228-2807 or Karin (508-228-3286).

FOLKDUOATATHENEUM

Nantucket Atheneum Weezie Library for Children will present a concert by the acoustic folk music duo Yankee Notions on Friday, May 16 at 6:30 p.m. as part of the free monthly Family Night program. The concert will be in the Atheneum Great Hall. Free tickets are available at the Weezie Library beginning on Saturday, May 10. Yankee Notions will also perform at Our Island Home on Friday morning, May 16.

Yankee Notions performs traditional and contemporary music of New England. Whether it's an old song in praise of the farmer's life, a rollicking sea chantey, tandem telling of a tall tale, toe-tapping dance tunes or a recent song about the character and characters of New England, Yankee Notions promises to "please the ear, enrich the mind and warm the heart."

The duo consists of Jim Douglas on vocals, guitar, and concertina, and Tim Van Egmond on vocals, hammered dulcimer, and limberjack (a small wooden puppet that taps out a rhythm on a paddleboard). The two have released an album together entitled "Bridges." In addition, Douglas has published two song collections and made a number of solo recordings of songs and stories, one of which won the American Library Association's prestigious Notable Award. Van Egmond has recorded three albums and appeared on National Public Radio's "APrairie Home Companion" as a member of the contra dance band "Swallowtail." Van Egmond is also known for his solo performances as a folksinger and storyteller. Performing together for over twenty years, the two have entertained audiences of all ages throughout New England, including appearances at Old Sturbridge Village, Mystic Seaport, the Mayflower II in Plymouth and The Museum of Our National Heritage.

This program is presented by the Nantucket Atheneum. Sponsors are Mr. and Mrs. Paul Crowley.

SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL THIS SUMMER If you enjoy the classics and theater, it is not too soon to clear your calendar for the Fourth Annual Shakespeare Festival sponsored by the 35-year-old Nantucket Arts Council. The festival opens on Sunday, July 13 and extends to Sunday, July 20.

Reminders will be forthcoming as the festival approaches, however NAC president Reggie Levine wants patrons to know that this year's schedule is free to the public. It includes "Much Ado About Nothing" at Children's Beach at 6 p.m. on July 13, 14 and 15, performed by the Seaside Shakespeare Company.

"The Tempest" will be presented by the Provincetown-based Shakespeare on The Cape players at Bennett Hall at 8 p.m. on July 18 and 19. Alecture by Shakespeare scholar and author Marjorie Garber of Harvard University will take place at 7:30 p.m. on July 17 at the Atheneum library.

Children's Theatre Workshops will be held at Bennett Hall on July 19. They are funded by the Nantucket Golf Club Foundation. "Music in Shakespeare's Time" will be presented on July 20 at the First Congregational Church. This production is directed by Robert Behrman and features island soloists. Finally, a Shakespeare Film Festival will be held on July 15 and 16 at the Unitarian Church at 7 p.m. and again at the church at 3 p.m. on July 19.

Before the festival kicks off, an event called "Shakespeare in the Garden" will be hosted to raise funds to continue the festival and keep it free to the public. That event will be on Thursday, June 26 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at NAC board member Beverly Hall's home in Madaket. The special evening will include a performance of scenes from "Twelfth Night," a silent auction, jugglers, music and a buffet. Invitations will be sent mid-May and interested patrons of the arts may call 325-8588 to request an invitation.

HARTFIELD TO SPEAK ON PRESERVING HISTORY The Nantucket Historical Association will present author Ronne Hartfield, whose lecture, Preserving History: APublic/Private Dialogue, will focus on her own writing projects in preserving family history on Thursday, May 8, in the Whaling Museum, 13 Broad St., at noon. Free.

Apublished poet and writer, she earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Chicago in History, Theology and Literature and is the recipient of an honorary doctorate from DePaul University. Hartfield is also the author of Another Way Home: The Tangled Roots of Race in One Chicago Family," which is enjoying its fourth printing.

No stranger to the island, Hartfield serves on the Advisory Board of the Harvard University Graduate School of Arts Education and is a Life Trustee of the Rhode Island School of Design. She consults widely and is an internationally recognized expert in arts and multicultural education. Hartfield will provide insight into the process of her writings, with special emphasis on how to preserve family histories before the stories are lost forever. Case in point: while she was researching her book, she traveled with a genealogist to her mother's birthplace, a valuable tool in securing correct and in-depth information she may not have been able to locate on her own.

As a follow-up to her Thursday lecture, on Saturday, May 10, Hartfield will lead an informal, hands-on workshop as a guide for preserving your own family histories. This program will help participants direct their efforts to organize the construction of family-history materials (genealogical information, oral history, family, and public documents) and provide tips for utilizing them to tell your own family's

story. I