The Wellfleet Public Library is hosting a free virtual poetry reading on Zoom with Heather Corbally Bryant, Tzynya Pinchback, and Lynne Viti, on Thursday, July 16, at 7 p.m. To register, email [email protected] with “Poetry” in the subject line.
Wellfleet Public Library
“I Remember Wellfleet” Online Zoom Event
The Wellfleet Public Library is hosting “I Remember Wellfleet” online via Zoom on Wednesday, July 15, at 7 p.m. It’s a Wellfleet Historical Society event in which participants share their stories and memories of Wellfleet, including the Strawberry Festival, Fourth of July Parade, and the life of Richmond Bell. To register, email [email protected].
our picks for the week of July 9 through July 15
Indie’s Choice
Outer Cape Calendar
Mixed Media Maleness
Catch the “Modern Male II” show at Steve Bowersock Gallery at 373 Commercial St. in Provincetown, featuring artworks of all media submitted from across the country. The curators were gallerist Steve Bowersock and journalist Jeanne McCartin.
Guild Goes Outdoors
The Eastham Painters Guild outdoor shows will resume on Thursday, July 9, on the lawn of the 1869 Schoolhouse Museum at 2375 Route 6 in Eastham. For the next few weeks, the hours are Thursdays and Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Masks are required. Find a full summer schedule and catch the virtual exhibit at easthampaintersguild.com.
Reading de la Cité
East End Books Ptown is hosting a free virtual reading with Alex George, author of The Paris Hours, on Friday, July 10, at 5 p.m. The book tells the story of a single day in Paris in 1927. Pre-registration is required; visit eastendbooksptown.com.
Wherefore Wampanoag
Nauset Fellowship Unitarian Universalist of Eastham is offering a Zoom screening of We Are Still Here, about Jessie Little Doe Baird and the revival of the Wampanoag language, on Sunday, July 12, at 10 a.m. The film will be introduced by its director, Anne Makepeace. Email [email protected] to register. Informal socializing will begin at 9:30 a.m.
In Lucy’s Honor
Tales of Cape Cod and History at Play is presenting I Now Pronounce You Lucy Stone, a one-woman performance by Judith Kalaora via Zoom, honoring the abolitionist and women’s rights activist, who was the first woman from Massachusetts to earn a college degree. It can be viewed virtually on Monday, July 13, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at talesofcapecod.org.
Fire and Ice
The Eastham Public Library will host “Dragons: Return of the Ice Sorceress,” a virtual storytelling and science event for children held via Zoom on Tuesday, July 14, at 5 p.m. Registration is free at easthamlibrary.org.
Uncaged Spirits
The Fine Arts Works Center in Provincetown is rounding up a gaggle of poets — Marie Howe, Nick Flynn, Robert Pinsky, and Kelle Groom — who will participate in a virtual reading of works inspired by Patty Larkin’s latest CD, Bird in a Cage, on Tuesday, July 14, at 6 p.m. Tickets are $25 and available at fawc.org.
Liz Goes Local
The Provincetown Public Library is offering a free virtual cooking program with Chef Liz Barbour, owner of the Creative Feast, featuring a slide show and two recipes using locally grown ingredients. It will take place via Zoom on Wednesday, July 15, at 3 p.m. Pre-registration is required at provincetownlibrary.org, under “Events.”
Corn on the Cobb
The Truro Historical Society has planted its Three Sisters Garden on the lawn of the Cobb Archive at 13 Truro Center Road in tribute to the Wampanoag peoples. The three sisters — corn, beans, and squash — represent crops that were essential to many Native American communities. Visit the Cobb Archive on Wednesday, July 15, at 4 p.m. for a live history talk with Marcus Hendricks of the Wampanoags. Email [email protected] to register. The fee is $10. Bring a lawn chair.
Unforgettable
The Wellfleet Public Library is hosting “I Remember Wellfleet” online via Zoom on Wednesday, July 15, at 7 p.m. It’s a Wellfleet Historical Society event in which participants share their stories and memories of Wellfleet, including the Strawberry Festival, Fourth of July Parade, and the life of Richmond Bell. To register, email [email protected].
Book talk with Adrienne Brodeur
Please join local author Adrienne Brodeur in conversation with Library Director, Jennifer Wertkin. They will be discussing Brodeur’s memoir, Wild Game: My Mother, Her Lover, and Me.
At the tender, impressionable age of 14, Brodeur was awakened at midnight by her larger than life mother, Malabar, letting her in on an exciting secret: her husband’s best friend had just kissed her. In the thrall of her mother’s charms, and desperately wanting to win her love and attention, Brodeur helped facilitate her mother’s affair from that moment on, becoming an enthusiastic participant in an elaborate smoke-and-mirrors routine that lasted over a dozen years.
To attend this virtual program, email Jennifer Wertkin at [email protected]. Please put “Wild Game” in the subject line.
our picks for the week of July 2 through July 8
Indie’s Choice
Outer Cape Calendar
Party to Go-Go
The Crown & Anchor in Provincetown, in collaboration with Live From Provincetown, will be celebrating Independence Day online with its Freedom Virtual Beach Party 2020 on Saturday, July 4, at 4 p.m. It will be hosted by Roxy Pops, have live go-go dancers, and music by DJ GSP. Part of the proceeds will benefit the Provincetown Business Guild. Visit the Crown & Anchor Facebook page to join the festivities.
Virtual Stage
The Arts Foundation of Cape Cod has partnered with TD Bank to create a free online concert series. Upcoming performances include Sarah Burrill and Kami Lyle on Sunday, July 5, at 11 a.m.; Monica Rizzio on Wednesday, July 8, at 7 p.m.; and Bert Jackson’s Wicked Trio Plus on Sunday, July 12, at 11 a.m. Get the full summer schedule at artsfoundation.org under “Events & News,” and visit AFCC’s Facebook page to stream live.
Isn’t She Loverly?
Mark Cortale Productions continues with the Art House series of Broadway headliners online, hosted by Seth Rudetsky at the piano. Melissa Errico, dubbed by Opera News as the “Maria Callas of American musical theater,” and best known for her Tony-nominated breakthrough as Eliza Doolittle in the 1993-94 revival of My Fair Lady and her Sondheim Sublime album, will do a virtual concert and interview on Sunday, July 5, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 at thesethconcertseries.com.
Teach-in
The Provincetown Art Association and Museum is offering its free “Art Reach” program for children ages 10 to 15 virtually via Zoom this year. The workshop, led by Hannah Capra and Maeve Noone-Price, is held in six sessions, Wednesdays from 1 to 3 p.m. on July 8 through Aug. 12. For further information or to register, email Tessa Bry Taylor, curator of youth education, at [email protected].
Gallantly Streaming
The Wellfleet Public Library is hosting a virtual book talk with Adrienne Brodeur, author of Wild Game: My Mother, Her Lover, and Me, on Thursday, July 9, at 7 p.m., and a virtual poetry reading with Lynne Viti, Tzynya Pinchback, and Heather Corbally Bryant on Thursday, July 16, at 7 p.m. For the Zoom link to both events, email [email protected].
On a Role
Eventide Theater in Dennis is presenting a series of online classes, including “Auditioning Techniques for Professional (and Aspiring) Actors,” with Lily Harrington, on Saturday, July 11, at 2 p.m.; and “Fundamentals of Directing,” with Michael Rader, on Saturday, July 18, at 2 p.m. The fee for each is $25 ($20 for members). Purchase tickets at eventidearts.org.
Poetry Talk
Payomet Performing Arts Center is presenting a free online Live Early Stages event featuring poets Joy Priest and Bernardo Wade in conversation on Sunday, July 12, at 11:30 a.m. Priest is a recent Fine Arts Work Center fellow and author of Horsepower; Wade is an M.F.A. candidate in creative writing at the University of Indiana, and will have his work featured on the online literary magazine Cosmonauts Avenue. Register at payomet.org.
Sunset Beach
Every day through Monday, Sept. 7, the Sunset Series at First Encounter Beach is releasing 10-minute videos on the Eastham 400 YouTube channel, posted 15 minutes before sunset, which will include a tidbit of Eastham history from Ian Saxine’s book, The Story of the “First Encounter” at Nauset.
Rise and Shine
Bob Keary and Harrison Fish will host a new morning show, produced with Live From Provincetown, called Wake Up! In Provincetown, streaming from the Provincetown Brewing Co. taproom and featuring live performances, interviews, and games. Check the Wake Up in Provincetown Facebook page for updates.
our picks for the week of June 18 through June 24
Indie’s Choice
Outer Cape Calendar
Island Treasure
The Friends of Herring River invite you to take a free virtual tour of Wellfleet’s Bound Brook Island on their website, herringriver.org/Videos. Originally created for a live audience presentation, the video offers a history of the area, its importance to early settlers, and some background on the Herring River restoration.
Musical Preludes
Joe Marchio, music director at the First Congregational Church in Chatham, is hosting a series of pre-concert talks ($10 each) on Tuesdays at 11 a.m. through Aug. 18. On June 23, he’ll discuss Richard Strauss’s Die Fledermaus. To register and get a Zoom link, go to artfuljourneysllc.com/pre-concert.
Square Deal
The Provincetown Art Association and Museum’s annual “12×12” auction is going virtual. Members may submit a work that is 12-by-12 inches, either by shipping it to PAAM by June 27, or dropping it off at the museum at 460 Commercial St. between noon and 2 p.m. on Monday, June 22; Wednesday, June 24; Friday, June 26; or Saturday, June 27. The online exhibition and silent auction will go live from July 10 through Aug. 23. Visit paam.org for details.
One Act Only
Wellfleet playwright Candace Perry is offering a two-hour online class for $25 on how to write a short play through the Eventide Arts Master Class series on Saturday, June 20, from 2 to 4 p.m. Sign up at eventidearts.org.
Just a Shot Away
The Youth Film Festival will come to its culmination this weekend (Friday, June 19, through Sunday, June 21) with the streaming of 25 shorts by young filmmakers from the Cape and across the state, presented by Wellfleet Preservation Hall. There will also be an awards presentation Sunday at 5 p.m. Catch an eyeful at wellfleetpreservationhall.org.
Private Beach
Make a note on your July 4 weekend calendar: Mussel Beach Health Club is hosting a virtual “Freedom Beach Party 2020” with DJ George Spiliopoulos on Thursday, July 2, from noon to 6 p.m. Proceeds will benefit the Provincetown Business Guild — details to be announced.
Join the Club
The Provincetown Public Library is offering a virtual Provincetown 400 Book Club, hosted by mystery writer Jeannette de Beauvoir. The first meeting is on Thursday, June 18, at 6 p.m.; the topic will be Geraldine Brooks’s Caleb’s Crossing. Visit the provincetownlibrary.org and click on “Events” — you’ll find the club on the calendar.
Green Gardens
The Wellfleet Public Library will host a virtual Climate Resilience Workshop, “No-Till Backyard Farming,” with Ben Fairbank on Saturday, June 20, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Participants will learn how to create a sustainable ecosystem in their gardens. Email [email protected] to sign up.
Hit the Books
The Eastham Public Library’s summer reading program launches on Friday, June 19. Children who sign up should read as many books as they can by Aug. 13 to win prizes. For adults, there is a virtual book talk on “New England at 400,” by Eric D. Lehman, on Thursday, June 25, at 2 p.m. via Zoom. Find the listing on the library calendar at easthamlibrary.org to register.
Performing Pairs
Payomet Performing Arts Center’s Tiny Tent offers a free live-stream concert, “Jazz and More,” with Eleanor Dubinsky (cello, vocals) and Dario Acosta Teich (guitar) on Wednesday, June 24, at 7 p.m. They will play original songs, Latin American music, and, of course, jazz. Also at the virtual tent: a family acrobatics class with Cirque by the Sea stars Teddy Ment and Eleanor Getz on Tuesday, June 23, at 6 p.m. Set up mats and padding at home and be safe! For pay-what-you-can tickets, go to payomet.org.
LIBRARIES
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Print books return to circulation at Outer Cape libraries
All four Outer Cape libraries began curbside services last week, although Provincetown library staff are calling it “street-side,” because they don’t have a curb.
Directors Amy Raff of the Provincetown Public Library, Tricia Ford of the Truro Public Library, Jennifer Wertkin of the Wellfleet Public Library, and Debra DeJonker-Berry of the Eastham Public Library have been meeting weekly via Zoom to coordinate their curbside services. “We’re acting in concert with each other,” Ford says, “that way one library isn’t overwhelmed.” They released a video with instructions on the Wellfleet Public Library YouTube channel on June 1.
Here’s how it works: Patrons may order materials through clamsnet.org, email, or phone and arrange a time for a pickup. Unfortunately, delivery between libraries, which is a statewide service, hasn’t started back up yet, so if you want a volume unique to the Wellfleet library, you’ll have to make the trek there to get it.
Materials are quarantined for 72 hours between patrons and sanitized. For pickup, in Provincetown, Wellfleet, and Eastham, they are placed in labeled bags and left for masked patrons to pick up from a table, bin, or book truck.
Truro, on the other hand, is doing curbside delivery straight to your car. Ford says that Truro is also splitting its six employees into two groups that work on alternate days, so not all staff have to self-isolate in the case of an outbreak.
The 72-hour quarantine for books is a recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Mass. Library Association. “Most reports say that the virus will last on paper for 24 hours,” Raff says, “but pretty much everything in the library is covered in plastic.” Studies suggest that Covid-19 can survive on plastic for up to 72 hours.
While bibliophiles are unable to peruse the shelves in person, all libraries are offering a “reader’s advisory,” which allows patrons to call and ask for recommendations. “I think in this culture of Covid, we’re missing browsing,” Wertkin says, “We don’t have the luxury of lingering anywhere, even at the grocery store.” The Provincetown library is also doing a reader’s advisory blog series.
Wertkin says that on the first day of curbside, over 50 people used the service at the Wellfleet library. The other libraries reported smaller but promising numbers. While all of the libraries have seen an uptick in their digital services, including e-books, it seems that people are missing the tangible quality of print books.
What are they reading? According to the librarians, a little bit of everything. Cookbooks, best-sellers from back in March, biographies, mysteries. They are also checking out CDs, DVDs, and audiobooks.
Libraries were permitted to open for curbside services as part of phase one of Gov. Charlie Baker’s reopening plan. Though browsing inside the library, with restrictions, is allowed in phase two (begun on Monday), it is unlikely that the libraries will reopen this summer.
“The nature of a library is touching everything,” Wertkin says. Disinfection would be a monumental task.
And because they are in seasonal communities, Cape libraries have unique conditions. In the summer, the Provincetown library, for instance, would normally have 650 visitors per day. DeJonker-Berry of the Eastham library says, “With populations changing on a weekly basis, and the many uncertainties surrounding us, erring on the side of caution is not erring at all, because the risk is too high.”
Though curbside services may satisfy a book fix, the libraries themselves are prized destinations on the Outer Cape that are missed by many. Raff says the library is “the place you can go that is not home and not work.”
That said, all four libraries are doing a virtual summer reading program, as well as other online events. And DeJonker-Berry, for one, hopes some virtual substitutes might survive the pandemic. “There’s lemonade here,” she says. “One of the things that is lemonade is that the skills we’re learning in terms of providing virtual programming are going to allow us to reach people who, for whatever reason, could not come out physically to library programs.”
currents
This Week in Wellfleet
Meetings Ahead
All meetings are held online. Go to wellfleet-ma.gov and click on the meeting you are interested in for instructions on how to participate.
Tuesday, June 2
- Select Board with Emergency Management Team, 10 a.m.
Wednesday, June 3
- Cape Cod Regional Government Assembly of Delegates, 4 p.m.
- Conservation Commission, 4 p.m.
Conversation Starters
Covid-19 Update
As of May 25, Wellfleet had two active cases of Covid-19, four cleared cases, and one death as a result of the coronavirus.
Library Curbside Pickup
The Wellfleet Public Library is beginning to open up again, starting with curbside pickup for books. Readers can call ahead to check out a book, and then pick it up outside. The library will have a maximum of two staff members in the building at one time to comply with social distancing. Library Director Jennifer Wertkin asks readers to be patient in the early stages of the pickup service. Each book returned will have to be “quarantined” before it is loaned to someone else, so there may be waiting lists for popular books.
Graduation Parade
On Friday, June 5, at 11 a.m., the recreation dept. along with the fire dept. is conducting a parade through town to celebrate Wellfleet high schoolers graduating this year, said Becky Rosenberg, the recreation director. The parade will begin at the center of town and proceed down Holbrook Avenue. Each graduating student will be given a place to stand along the route.
Community Preservation Grants
The Wellfleet Community Preservation Committee is accepting grant applications for projects that benefit housing assistance or employment opportunities to help Wellfleet locals during the Covid-19 pandemic. All projects must fall within the criteria for CPC funds, that is, they must somehow relate to housing, historic preservation, open space, or recreation. Applications approved by the CPC will be listed as articles at the upcoming town meeting on October 5. Funds will be made available after town meeting approval. To apply, visit the CPC website or request an application by email to [email protected]. Applications are due July 15. —Devin Sean Martin
our picks for the week of May 28 through June 3
Indie’s Choice
Outer Cape Calendar
Animal Magnetism
As part of Payomet Performing Arts Center’s “Early Stages” series, on Friday, May 29, at 10 a.m., Wellfleet musician and poet Alex Brewer, the host of Preservation Hall’s monthly Feed Your Love Open Mic, will share animal-inspired poems by his favorite authors, along with original poetry and music. The event is free and will be live-streamed via Payomet’s Facebook series (click on “Events”).
Square Footage
Members of the Provincetown Art Association and Museum take note: the annual “12×12” exhibit and auction will take place in 2020, coronavirus or no. Though details are still being ironed out — including a plan for no-contact drop-offs of finished work — you can pick up a free Masonite panel at the museum’s Bangs Street parking lot on Thursday, May 28, and Friday, May 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., weather permitting. Please wear a mask and gloves and maintain your distance. One panel per artist.
Walk This Way
The Cape Cod Hope Walk, a fund-raiser benefitting the Huntington’s Disease Society of America, is marching on, virtually. On June 13, participants will walk in their neighborhoods or on treadmills, and raise money online. Those who raise $100 or more will get a T-shirt. Google “Cape Cod Virtual Team Hope Walk” to find the Huntington’s site to donate or register.
Culture Club
The Museum of Modern Art in New York is offering an extraordinary selection of free online courses, including “In the Studio: Postwar Abstract Painting,” “Fashion as Design,” and “Seeing Through Photographs.” They are taught by MoMA curators, directors, and conservators, and you can take them on your own time with flexible deadlines. They take anywhere from 10 to 24 hours to complete, depending on the subject. To sign up, visit coursera.org/moma.
Performance Art
The Cape Cod Theatre Company/Harwich Junior Theatre’s online classes for kids and adults teach much more than just acting. Topics include standup comedy, singing, filmmaking, and arts administration. The courses have suggested donations in the range of $20 to $60 and last three weeks. For details, go to capecodtheatrecompany.org.
Scream Team
A Provincetown tradition continues, Grotta Bar or no Grotta Bar: Guitarist Sue Goldberg is back from Covid hell and has joined Billy Hough on keyboards and vocals for live-stream album-pastiche performances by Scream Along With Billy. Shows are announced on the Scream Along with Billy Facebook page.
Trivial Pursuits
Provincetown Brewing Co. hosts the virtual trivia game, “Brews Clues with Bob & Harrison,” every Monday at 7 p.m. Also featured are such special guests as Jon Richardson, Liza Lott, and Mackenzie. Join the fun at the Provincetown Brewing Co.’s Facebook page.
All Keyed Up
The Facebook page Live From Provincetown posts links to virtual piano bar sing-alongs led by such local legends as Jon Richardson, Peter Donnelly, Bob Egan, and Todd Alsup. Keep checking in to sign up: dates are not posted far in advance.
A Sci Dish of Coleslaw
Coleslaw, one of Boston’s premier drag queens, known for her inimitable shows at the Museum of Science’s planetarium, is hosting a free live-streaming series called “Coleslaw’s Corner: Science in Drag,” during which she interviews scientists, with some games and surprises thrown in. The premier event is on Thursday, May 28, at 7:30 p.m. To join in, visit the Facebook page for the Museum of Science, Boston, and click on “Events.”
Read Me
Storytime returns! The Wellfleet Public Library is hosting “Stay-at-Home Storytime” every Friday morning at 10:30 a.m. with youth services librarian Anna Nielsen. Tune in through the Wellfleet Public Library Facebook page. For details, email [email protected].
our picks for the week of May 7 through May 13
Indie’s Choice
Outer Cape Calendar
Power Pointe
Along with the Metropolitan Opera, another major Lincoln Center institution, the New York City Ballet, has gone virtual as well. Now through May 29, the company is offering free screenings of selected ballets in its repertoire for 72 hours every Tuesday and Friday. On Friday, May 8, catch a performance of Alexei Ratmansky’s Concerto DSCH, set to music by Shostakovich, at nycballet.com.
Mother, May I?
The Provincetown Theater presents Mosquito Story Slam virtually for a new evening of live personal storytelling on the theme of “Your Mother” on Saturday, May 9, at 7 p.m. Tune in for free at provincetowntheater.org/virtual-programming/. The Slam is also asking viewers to “tell us something your mother would say” before Saturday in an email to [email protected] so it can be read during the show. Provincetown Theater is also hosting a new interactive “Community Conversation” on Tuesday, May 12, at 4 p.m. with a panel of local notables online.
For the Birds
Mass Audubon’s annual Bird-a-thon has gone virtual during the crisis. This fund-raiser is a bird-watching competition between teams taking place on May 15-16, but to participate, you need to join a team now. Search for “Mass Audubon Bird-a-thon,” follow the link, and help count species and raise millions!
A Whole New World
The Nauset Fellowship Unitarian Universalist church in Eastham is featuring a Zoom talk on Sunday, May 10, at 10 a.m. with Andrew Gottlieb, executive director of the Association to Preserve Cape Cod, who will share “A New Perspective on a Reordered World.” It’s free, but you’ll need to register beforehand by emailing info.nfuu.org.
Going Solo
The deadline for submissions to the Wellfleet Public Library’s virtual art show, “Isolation: Inspiration,” is Friday, May 8. Artwork will go online on Monday, May 11. For instructions on how to email your art, go to wellfleetlibrary.org and click on “Virtual Events” up top.
Tiny Tent Events
Payomet Performing Arts Center in Truro is offering virtual fare during the epidemic. This week, join Cirque by the Sea aerialist Gabrielle “Teddy” Ment for a virtual stretch and flexibility class via Zoom on Tuesday, May 12, from 6 to 7 p.m. Tickets are “pay what you can” at payomet.org. Then, on Wednesday, May 13, at 6 p.m., join Provincetown indie rock singer-songwriter Anne Stott on Payomet’s Facebook page for a free performance.
Virtual Waters Edge
Support your local movie art house, that is, Waters Edge Cinema, by viewing new movies online (for $12) via its website, watersedgecinema.org. Currently, the art documentary Beyond the Visible: Hilda af Klint is showing, as well as Brian Cox in the drama The Etruscan Smile; the documentary Capital in the 21st Century, based on economist Thomas Piketty’s best-selling book about income inequality; the gay twenty-something comedy Straight Up; Brian Dennehy in Driveways; and more.
What’s Up, Doc?
Wellfleet Preservation Hall, among other virtual events (such as the fund-raiser “Cooking With Ceraldi!” and an Art in the Hall show of Peter Watts’s paintings), is screening first-run documentaries during “Doc Days,” through May 14. Featured are Capital in the 21st Century (also at Waters Edge Cinema, above) and Pahokee, about four impoverished Florida teens during their last year in high school. Tickets are $12 at wellfleetpreservationhall.org.
GALLERY
Outer Cape Households Make It Work
Carving out space for the new work/life balance
Working from home. Like it or not, it’s a new reality for many of us. And while some may be lucky enough to have a dedicated space with an actual desk, others are getting creative with what they have. We asked readers to send pictures of their workspaces. We’re adding other examples on the Independent’s website to show how more of our Outer Cape neighbors are making their homes into offices and classrooms.
So far, every conversation about workspaces turns up a helpful tip or two on how to preserve professional and personal sanity: look for an underused corner, think small, keep clutter under control, add a few creature comforts, and situate near natural light. And when all else fails, go for the right kind of distraction by getting outside.
Want to add your working-from-home picture and advice to our online gallery? Email [email protected].
If your image is going to be beamed out there, it’s a good idea to think about the background people will see. Liesel Wilbers is a school social worker in West Yarmouth. To work from her Wellfleet home, she repurposed her personal vision board to create a cheerful background for videos she sends to students and families.
When Anne Stout, who works for the Chatham Bars Inn, realized she’d be working for weeks from her home in Eastham, she bought what she calls her Murphy desk: a fold-up desk with nooks for storage that can be neatly stowed out of sight at the end of the day.
The Rev. Kate Wilkinson, minister of the Unitarian Universalist Meeting House of Provincetown, delivers her sermons from a home altar, here adorned for Easter, that she composed in her basement.
Eastham Library Director Debra DeJonker-Berry likes the unstructured feeling of working from the sofa. The beautiful view through a big window helps. The downside of a cozy spot? Dogs do have a tendency to move in on your creature comforts.
Myya Beck’s multitasking space meets the demands of teaching kindergarten to her son, Beckett, while operating her Wellfleet business, Heart Core Studio remotely.
Amy Raff, director of the Provincetown Library, sets up a spot in her kitchen to work. What draws her there is the natural light. This room offers bright windows that lift her spirits on these days spent in isolation.
Co-owner of Truro Vineyards Kristen Roberts does it all at the kitchen island.
David Simpson and Kathy Fletcher, who run the nonprofit AOK out of their Wellfleet home, find inspiration from facing desks.
Rob Doane, Community Development Partnership CFO, keeps his hand-built desk scrupulously neat, and has headphones within reach.
Anna Nielsen, youth services librarian at the Wellfleet Library, keeps the essentials nearby in her home office.
our picks for the week of April 9 through April 15
Indie’s Choice
Wagner and Mozart
The Metropolitan Opera continues its daily streaming of live performances from the past through April 19. Each day, from 7:30 p.m. till 6:30 p.m. the next day, a different opera will become available for free. From Thursday, April 9, to Friday, April 10, for example, a 2013 production of Wagner’s Parsifal is free, as is a 2018 performance of Mozart’s Così fan tutte from Sunday, April 12, to Monday, April 13. The easiest way to access the free operas is to search for “Nightly Met Opera Streams,” which is a page on the Met’s website: scroll down to the schedule and click on the opera of the day.
Napi’s Collection
The Provincetown Art Association and Museum is closed to the public through May, but its newest exhibit, “Director’s Choice: In Memoriam: Napi Van Dereck,” curated by PAAM CEO Christine McCarthy, is on view virtually. It’s a well-presented, glorious selection of works from the collection of Helen and Napi Van Dereck, all of it historic Provincetown art, which are being shown in honor of Napi’s recent passing. To access the exhibit, go to paam.org under “Exhibitions.” You can manually scan through the exhibit or download the Lingar app.
There Will Be a Quiz
For parents with kids who are curious about science, the Center for Coastal Studies is offering a generous selection of quizzes (on the ocean), games (matching hatchlings), experiments (on coastal erosion), and online presentations (babysitting baby squid) on its website, coastalstudies.org. To find “Online Activities for Kids,” click on “Connect and Learn” at the top of the home page.
P’town Call-in Q&A
Local government can be elusive during the current shutdown, but the Town of Provincetown has scheduled a “Call-in Question and Answer Session” on Wednesday, April 15, from 7 to 8 p.m. For updates, go to the town’s Facebook page and click on “Events.”
More Art Online
Provincetown artist Derek Macara and his friend Charles Flint have set up a thoughtfully interactive art show on view through May 2 called “Shelter: A Virtual Exhibit of Provincetown Artists.” It’s easy to navigate and the art can be observed up close. To get to the exhibit, go to kunstmatrix.com and do a search up top for “Derek Macara.”
Happy Drive-by Birthday
Here’s a message from the Town of Truro’s Recreation & Beach Dept.: “We can’t imagine trying to celebrate your special day in isolation. Which is why the Town of Truro would like to offer to have our Birthday Caravan drive past your Truro address to wish them a happy birthday. This program is open to Truro residents or children attending Truro Central School.” To sign up, go to truroma.myrec.com, click on the “Programs” icon, then “Birthday Caravan.”
Virtual Music Lessons
The Wellfleet Public Library’s website, wellfleetlibrary.org, is being reworked, but if you scroll down the home page, you’ll find a heading for “Artist Works” in the bottom left. Click on it, and you’ll be linked to a video gateway for self-paced music lessons by respected artists, from Classical Mandolin to Jazz Piano, Hip-hop Scratching to Bluegrass Vocals.
Youth Film Fest Deadline
Local filmmakers may find social distancing to be a severe obstacle, but obstacles are just a springboard to creativity (in theory, at least). Why that’s important: the deadline for entries for the Wellfleet Preservation Hall Youth Film Festival is April 30. Filmmaker applications are available online at wellfleetpreservationhall.org.
Arts Briefs and Listings
Arts Briefs for March 26 through April 1
Doors Are Closed, but Libraries Still Offer Services
The library is a lifeline for people who need internet access, public information, books, movies, or social contact. So, with all four Outer Cape libraries closed, what resources are available to library patrons?
Amy Raff, director of the Provincetown Public Library, emphasized that people should check the library website for updates, as information changes frequently. She can be reached by phone at 508-487-7094 during regular business hours, or email her at [email protected].
The Eastham Public Library will be staffed to answer phone calls from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday, and the Wellfleet Public Library will answer phone calls from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Saturday. Library staff can answer questions and provide help setting up library cards, accessing online services, and providing tech help. Those wishing to reach the Truro Public Library can send an email to [email protected].
Patrons cannot check out books at this time. The Mass. Library Association cited curbside checkout services as creating an “undue risk for whole communities,” because materials cannot be sanitized.
CLAMS cardholders can check out e-books using the Libby app. If you do not have a library card, you can register online for free and access all library services at clamsnet.org.
The free wi-fi at the libraries continues to be available 24 hours a day without a password. All are welcome to use the wi-fi from the parking lot or by sitting outside the library while maintaining social distance.
All late fees will be waived during this period of closure.
Debra DeJonker Berry, director of the Eastham Public Library, said that she hopes to have some staff-led interactive programming on social media soon. She encourages people to use the many streaming services and resources for entertainment and education available through CLAMS. —Molly Newman
Ilona Royce Smithkin to Celebrate Her 100th
Artist, cabaret chanteuse, bohemian fashion icon, and Provincetown landlord Ilona Royce Smithkin will turn 100 years old on Friday, March 27.
Ilona, who lives year-round in the top-floor apartment at Karilon house on Commercial Street, has asked friends and well-wishers to call by phone and not visit, due to the current COVID-19 health crisis.
She was born in Poland and studied art in Berlin and Antwerp, and, after emigrating to the United States in the late 1930s, at the Art Students League of New York. She has painted countless portraits of the denizens of Provincetown and Greenwich Village, where she had a rent-controlled apartment that she gave up a few years ago.
Famous for her neon red hair and red eyelashes, which she made herself, and her exuberant personality, Ilona was one of the subjects of Advanced Style, a 2014 fashion documentary about older women. She was also known for her “Eyelash Cabaret,” performed with Zoë Lewis on piano. Her artwork has been on sale for years at the Karilon Gallery/Angela Russo Fine Art.
The name of the seven-bedroom Karilon house where Ilona lives is a portmanteau of her name and her friend Karen Katzel’s. They own the cottages and apartments at Poor Richard’s Landing next door.
Curtis Speer, who took the photograph of Ilona above, said he got to know her by taking her figure drawing class at the Provincetown Art Association and Museum. When he asked Ilona one Tuesday if he could photograph her, she told him, “If you wait until Friday, I will wear my eyelashes for you.”
“I wish her the very best, a happy birthday,” Angela Russo told the Independent. “I hope she lives another 100 years.”
Paul Lisicky to Give Live-Stream Reading
Paul Lisicky will read from his new book, Later: My Life at the Edge of the World, at East End Books Ptown on Friday, March 27, at 5 p.m.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the town’s shelter-in-place mandate, the store itself is closed but the reading will be streamed live on East End Books Ptown’s Facebook page.
Later is about Lisicky’s time in Provincetown in the early 1990s. It was published by Graywolf Press on March 17.
Children’s Art Goes Drive-by in Truro Center
TRURO — An exhibit of art by the Sustainable CAPE Children’s Community Garden Group, “Fabulous Fungi,” couldn’t be squelched by the coronavirus pandemic. Since all exhibition spaces have been closed, Sustainable CAPE set up the exhibit outdoors, at the corner of Depot and Truro Center roads, in front of Conservation Framing.
The artwork, depicting various species of mushrooms, was created by local children in the Community Garden Group, which met weekly at the Truro Public Library until it was closed due to the health crisis. A sign on the road said it all: “Social distance with a smile.”
WOMR Will Not Be Silenced
PROVINCETOWN — The threat of coronavirus may have stopped the volunteer DJs on WOMR, Outermost Community Radio, from coming in to the studio. But the show must go on, so many are learning how to prerecord shows from home.
John Braden, the station’s executive director, said he and the operations manager have put together lots of shows recently, but the technology exists to combine music and then drop in public service announcements and comments by the host from the comfort (and isolation) of home. Co-hosts are using the online platform Zoom to prerecord together from their homes, he added.
Operations Manager Matthew Dunn, a.k.a. Matty Dread, who hosts the show Soul Funky Train, also has the technology to do live shows from his house and he will try it soon, Braden said on Friday.
The importance of radio stations has been elevated now that so many people are stuck inside and there is the need to stay current in a constantly changing environment.
“We’re getting a lot of positive feedback,” Braden said. —K.C. Myers
Seventh Season of Twenty Summers Postponed
PROVINCETOWN — The five-week 2020 Season of Twenty Summers, originally scheduled from mid-May to mid-June, has been postponed due to the COVID-19 crisis and tentatively rescheduled from Sept. 25 through Oct. 17.
The announcement was made over the weekend in an email to supporters from Kristina Kearns, the event’s executive director.
Most of the events of Twenty Summers are held at the Hawthorne Barn on Miller Hill Road in Provincetown. There are talks with writers, artists, architects, reporters, and designers, as well as musical performances and artist residencies. This spring would have been the seventh season of Twenty Summers.
In the announcement, Kearns suggested that enthusiasts of Twenty Summers programming can view past performances and talks on video at 20summers.org.
our picks for the week of March 12 through March 18
Indie’s Choice
Outer Cape Calendar
Thursday, March 12, 6 p.m.
Fiction fellow Nora Corrigan and poetry fellow Francisco Márquez will read from their work at Fine Arts Work Center, 24 Pearl St. in Provincetown. Free.
Thursday, March 12, 6-7 p.m.
“Experience Ireland” is a presentation by Irish historian, musician, and dancer Sean Murphy at Eastham Public Library, 190 Samoset Road. Free.
Thursday, March 12, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
W.H.I.M Craft Night debuts at Wellfleet Preservation Hall, 335 Main St. Come for a night of crafting. Registration $12 at wellfleetpreservationhall.org or 508-349-1800; materials fee $8.
Friday, March 13, 9-11 a.m.
Participants in the Foods to Encourage program will receive an extra bag of fruits and vegetables, free recipes, samples, and ideas for healthy eating, every two weeks at Provincetown Council on Aging, 2 Mayflower St. Free.
Friday, March 13, 2 p.m.
Get Tech Help With Mia, hands-on assistance with computers, library resources, apps, phones, and more. Wellfleet Public Library, 55 W. Main St. Free.
Friday, March 13, 7-8:30 p.m.
Follow the dazzling Flight of the Woodcock at Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, 261 Route 6. Pre-registration required: $12 at massaudubon.org/wellfleetbay or 508-349-2615.
Sunday, March 15, 4-7 p.m.
Enjoy a Green Tea Dance with the sounds of DJ Lizzy Pitch at Pilgrim House, 336 Commercial St., Provincetown. No cover.
Sunday, March 15, 4 p.m.
Test your recall for the less-than-essential at Sunday Trivia at Truro Vineyards, 11 Shore Road. Winning teams earn a gift card. No cover.
Monday, March 16, 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Take a seminar on “The Charm of Alertness: Focusing on the Image and Concrete Detail in Your Writing,” with Fine Arts Work Center fellow Kevin Fitchett, Mondays through March 30 at the Provincetown Council on Aging, 2 Mayflower St. Free.
Tuesday, March 17, 1:30 p.m.
Rick Cochran will give a reading from his newest murder mystery, Bound Brook Pond, set in Wellfleet in 1952, at Wellfleet Council on Aging, 715 Old King’s Highway. Free.
Tuesday, March 17, 6-7 p.m.
The library book group will discuss O Pioneers! by Willa Cather at Eastham Public Library, 190 Samoset Road. Free.
Wednesday, March 18, 10 a.m. (refreshments at 9:30)
Lorraine Ballato will give a talk on “Shrubs, the New Perennial,” as part of the Wellfleet Gardeners Meeting at Wellfleet Public Library, 55 West Main St. Free.
Wednesday, March 18, 3-4:15 p,m.
“Unlearn the Self,” a talk by C. Sumner Phillips, on reflecting on our passions and moving forward with less weight, is at Provincetown Council on Aging, 2 Mayflower St. Free.
Wednesday, March 18, 4 p.m.
“Are You Ready for Medicare?” is a talk given by Deb Ford of New York Life at Wellfleet Council on Aging, 715 Old King’s Highway. Free.
Wednesday, March 18, 4-5 p.m.
The HOW Book Club, presented by Helping Our Women in honor of Women’s History Month, will discuss Fun Home,by Alison Bechdel, at Provincetown Public Library, 356 Commercial St. Free, with copies available at the circulation desk.
Wednesday, March 18, 6-8 p.m.
Winter Wednesdays features the drop-in classes Storytelling Through Media: Lighting Basics; Graphic Design: Basic & Beyond; The Art of Calligraphy: Final Project, Part I; Ayurveda: Eating & Nutrition — Herbs & Home Remedies; Bookbinding & Zine-making: Making an Addition, Round 2; The Art of Dying — Celebration of Life; Talk (Wood)Shop; Future-proofing Cape Cod: Visions of a Sustainable Future; and Improv 101: Game; at the Provincetown Schools, 12 Winslow St. Free, with free parking, cab service, and childcare. Go to winterwednesdays.org.
Wednesday, March 18, 6:30 p.m.
Katie Ledoux hosts team trivia night at the Squealing Pig, 335 Commercial St., Provincetown. No cover.
our picks for the week of March 5 through March 11
Indie’s Choice
Outer Cape Calendar
Thursday, March 5, 5-6:30 p.m.
An artist’s reception for the exhibit “Richard Perry: Scapes (land, sea, tree, and sky),” will take place at Eastham Public Library, 190 Samoset Road. Free.
Friday, March 6, 2 p.m.
Get Tech Help With Mia, hands-on assistance with computers, library resources, apps, phones, and more at Wellfleet Public Library, 55 W. Main St. Free.
Friday, March 6, 2-4 p.m.
Join a Spirituality Retreat for Artists, with Kathleen Henry, at the Unitarian Universalist Meeting House of Provincetown at 236 Commercial St. Free.
Friday, March 6, 5-6:30 p.m. & Saturday, March 7, 5-6:30 p.m.
You’ll need to pre-register to take part in Mass. Audubon’s Owl Prowls (Friday: adults; Saturday: children and families). Learn about local owl species, then head outside to listen for them, at the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, 291 Route 6. Friday: $12; Saturday: $10 at massaudubon.org/wellfleetbay or (508) 349-2615.
Saturday, March 7, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
The opening reception of the art exhibit “Carrot Cake: We All Make It Differently,” curated by the students of Art on the Edge, Art Reach 101, and Reaching Forward programs of the Provincetown Art Association and Museum, is at 460 Commercial St. Free.
Saturday, March 7, 2-4 p.m.
Sarah Naciri gives a lecture and tea-tasting, “Aromatic Kitchen Medicines: Deepening Our Relationship With Common Culinary Herbs,” at the Truro Public Library at 7 Standish Way. Free.
Saturday, March 7, 2-5 p.m.
Join Center for Coastal Studies biologist Lisa Sette and benthic ecologist Agnes Mittermayr for a Guided Walk through the dunes and marsh of Hatches Harbor. The walk is free, but registration is a must at coastalstudies.org: click “Connect and Learn” and “Event Calendar.”
Saturday, March 7, 2-5 p.m.
The Provincetown Playwright’s Lab meets on the first and third Saturdays of every month. Bring in your scripts (to be read and given feedback) to the lobby of the Provincetown Theater, 238 Bradford St. Free.
Sunday, March 8, 3-5 p.m.
There will be an opening reception for “Susan Anthony: Collages,” at Wellfleet Council on Aging, 715 Old King’s Highway. Free.
Sunday, March 8, 4 p.m.
Test your recall for the less-than-essential at Sunday Trivia at Truro Vineyards, 11 Shore Road. Winning teams earn a gift card. No cover.
Sunday, March 8, 5-7 p.m.
Have an activist evening at Do Something Sundays, with Indivisible Outer Cape, at Provincetown Brewing Co., 141 Bradford St. No cover.
Monday, March 9, 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Take a seminar on “The Charm of Alertness: Focusing on the Image and Concrete Detail in Your Writing,” with Fine Arts Work Center writing fellow Kevin Fitchett, Mondays through March 30 at the Provincetown Council on Aging, 2 Mayflower St. Free.
Tuesday, March 10, 10 a.m.
“Elder Services 101” is a presentation by Elder Services of Cape Cod and the Islands on the services that it offers, at Provincetown Council on Aging, 2 Mayflower St. Free.
Wednesday, March 11, 6-8 p.m.
Winter Wednesdays features the drop-in classes Bookbinding & Zine-making: Making an Addition, Round 1; Improv 101: Vulnerability; Future-proofing Cape Cod: Millennium Camera; The Art of Dying — Natural Burials; Storytelling Through Media: Video; Talk (Wood)Shop; Graphic Design: Basic & Beyond; Ayurveda: Eating & Nutrition — Cooking & Community; and The Art of Calligraphy: Creating a Greeting Card; at the Provincetown Schools, 12 Winslow St. Free, with free parking, cab service, and childcare. Go to winterwednesdays.org.
