As part of the Westport Library’s WestportREADS project, there was a panel discussion today at Westport’s VFW Post. Participants included veterans and the creative team that created the performance work “War Stories” discussing the process and the integration of veterans back into society. The event was led by artist Nina Bentley (r), writer Sonya Huber, and the project creator, Peter Van Heerden, executive director of the Quick Center for the Arts. This year’s WestportREADS selection is “Regeneration,” Pat Barker’s 1991 novel about the experiences of soldiers during World War I. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

The Westport Center for Senior Activities today presented its fourth film, “The Heiress,” in the five-film “Overcoat” Winter Film Series, led by Doris Jacoby, honored longtime film and theater aficionado. “The Heiress” is a 1949 drama directed by William Wyler and starring Olivia de Havilland, Montgomery Clift. and Ralph Richardson. The final film of the series, “The Band’s Visit,”  a 2007 Israeli film and currently attracting additional fanfare as a Broadway play, will be presented on Saturday, Feb. 3. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

A standing room only crowd tonight attended a presentation at the Westport Historical Society (WHS) titled “Johnnie Get Your Gun.” The event, a collaboration by the WHS, the Westport Public Library, and WestportREADS, was led by Westporter Robin Jaffee Frank, former chief curator (2011-2016) of the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Arts, Hartford. Frank presented American artists’ responses to World War I and showed period relics including the famed “I Want You,” poster and Norman Rockwell’s Life magazine cover which reassuringly depicted happy doughboys singing George M. Cohan’s popular song “Over There.” The WestportREADS selection, “Regeneration” by Pat Barker, focuses on World War I history. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

The Westport Cinema Initiative (WCI) has scheduled a family fun day with the screening of “The Secret Life Of Pets” on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at Christ & Holy Trinity’s Branson Hall.

A scene from “The Secret Life of Pets.” (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

In addition to the film, the event will feature an art project, as well as popcorn, according to Sandy Lefkowitz, WCI director.

“Please bring your own favorite toy animal friend to share with you in an art activity, a movie, popcorn and water,” said Lefkowitz. “Lots of giveaways.”

“There will be animal guests from Guiding Eyes for the Blind and EARS (Emergency Animal Response Service) animal rescue to join us before the movie to help set the mood,” she added.

To not much surprise, Westport’s Justin Paul and partner Benj Pasek today were nominated for an Oscar for Original Song for their tune “This Is Me” from the P.T. Barnum biography picture “The Greatest Showman.” 

Justin Paul (l) and Benj Pasek accept their Golden Globe Award on Jan. 7 for “This Is Me.” (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Golden Globes photo via Twitter

On Jan. 7, they won a Golden Globe for the song. Last year they triumphed at the Golden Globes with “City of Stars” from “La La Land” and went on to win an Oscar. This year’s Oscar ceremony is on Sunday, March 4.

If they repeat with an Oscar win, Pasek and Paul, a 2003 Staples High School graduate, would be the first songwriters to score consecutive victories in the category since Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer won for “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” (1961) and “Days of Wine and Roses” (1962).

The song nomination from “The Greatest Showman” was the sole nomination for the musical about the circus impresario P.T. Barnum, which many critics dismissed when it arrived in theaters just before Christmas.

By Susan Granger

A few years after his first adventure, “Paddington 2,” the red-hatted, blue-raincoated, marmalade-scarfing bear (voiced by Ben Whishaw) has settled into a new life in London’s Windsor Gardens with his adoptive parents, the Browns (Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins).

Since his beloved Aunt Lucy (Imelda Staunton), an Anglophile who still lives in Darkest Peru, is celebrating her 100th birthday, Paddington wants to send her a rare book of famous London landmarks, described as a “popping book” by Mr. Gruber (Jim Broadbent), the antiques dealer.

But before Paddington can earn enough money, the expensive book is stolen by prissy Phoenix Buchanan (Hugh Grant), an aging actor who has been reduced to doing dog food commercials.

What dastardly devious Phoenix knows that Paddington doesn’t is that the seemingly innocuous pop-up book is really a secret treasure map, so he frames Paddington for the theft.

Westport Historical Society staff members (l-r) Mimi Burroughs, Ramin Ganeshram, and Nicole Carpenter hang a banner promoting the new exhibit “The Curious Case of Ed Vebell,” which opens with a reception Sunday, Jan. 28 at 2 p.m. and runs through April 16. Carpenter curated the show with Nick Foster of the Wilton Historical Society. The exhibit showcases the peculiar and remarkable life of famed Westporter Ed Vebell, known internationally as an illustrator, Olympic fencer, and adventurer. Larry Untermeyer for WestportNow.com

The Juilliard String Quartet performed tonight to a sold out crowd at the Westport Arts Center. They played a program of Hadyn, Beethoven, and modern Scottish composer James MacMillan. The classical music string quartet, founded in 1946 at the Juilliard School in New York by William Schuman, has received numerous awards, including four Grammys and membership in the National Academy Recording Arts and Sciences’ Hall of Fame. In February 2011, the Juilliard Quartet received the NARAS Lifetime Achievement Award for its outstanding contributions to recorded classical music. The next performance in the 2017-18 Concert Series is the Calidore String Quartet on March 2. Tickets are available at http://www.westportartscenter.org. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Leslie LaSala for WestportNow.com

By James Lomuscio

President Donald J. Trump’s reported remarks concerning immigration from some Caribbean and central African nations took center stage at today’s 12th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration.

Author Ibram X. Kendi addresses today’s Martin Luther King Day celebration at the Westport Country Playhouse. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

“I’m particularly excited that many Americans are turning away from this s—hole-saying president,” author Ibram X. Kendi told a packed crowd at the Westport Country Playhouse.

“When we hear that, instead of condemning what he said, let’s look at ourselves and make sure we are not him,” Kendi said.

He went on to say that the election of President Barack Obama was an example of racial progress, the election of Trump, “racist progress.”