Scenes from today’s 12th annual Martin Luther King Day Celebration at the Westport Country Playhouse. It featured Ibram X. Kendi, winner of the 2016 National Book Award for Nonfiction for “Stamped from the Beginning,” about the history of racist ideas in America. There were also musical performances by Chris Coogan and the Good News Gospel Choir, and Weston High School Jazz Ensemble. Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Ibram X. Kendi was the featured speaker at today’s 12th annual Martin Luther King Day Celebration at the Westport Country Playhouse. In an address titled “How to be an Anti-Racist,” Kendi referred to reported recent racist remarks by President Trump. “I’m particularly excited that many Americans are turning away from this s—-hole saying president,” Kendi said. “When we hear that, instead of condemning what he said, let’s look at ourselves and make sure we are not him.” An author and historian at American University, he won the 2016 National Book Award for Nonfiction for his book, “Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America.” (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

By Susan Granger

Steven Spielberg’s “The Post” celebrates journalistic independence and courageous Katharine Graham, who put free speech ahead of friendship and business when she battled Richard Nixon’s vindictive White House over publication of what became known as the Pentagon Papers.

When insecure Kay Graham (Meryl Streep) inherited stewardship of The Washington Post after her husband’s suicide, she became the first female publisher of an American newspaper. Back then, the Post was just considered a regional publication.

In 1971, Defense Department analyst Daniel Ellsberg (Matthew Rhys) leaks top secret information to The New York Times, revealing a massive cover-up about the futility of the Vietnam War.

Furious over being scooped, Editor Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks) senses an opportunity to elevate the Post’s national position when one of his reporters obtains a copy of the controversial study. But irascible Bradlee and his staff have only one day to sort out relevant information that the Times had for months.

Due to an actor’s illness, Westport Country Playhouse canceled tonight’s performance of “Woody Sez: The Life and Music of Woody Guthrie.” In place of the show, the remaining cast members hosted an admission-free hootenanny. Attendees were invited to B.Y.O.I. (bring your own instrument). Those with instruments took the stage while those without instruments enjoyed the 90-minute jam from the audience. Leading the hootenanny was David M. Lutken (c. with guitar), who portrays Woody Guthrie in “Woody Sez,” playing through Sat., Jan. 20. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Beth Huisking for WestportNow.com

The Contemporary World Studies class at Staples High School, seeking to raise awareness surrounding women in the media, is sponsoring a one-day film festival at Toquet Hall on Wednesday, Jan. 24.

Two films will be shown— “Frozen” from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and “Wonder Women” from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.

“Both have strong female leads and female directors,” said class member Liv Ronca.

She added: “We are hoping for a large turnout at this event, as we will be taking donations that will be sent to the large organization, Women’s Media Center.”

Westport artists Miggs Burroughs’s interpretation of an Emily Dickinson poem using photos of members of the community expressing the poem one word or phrase at a time in American Sign Language, is returning to Westport at the Saugatuck Congregational Church.

Pictured hanging the show are Miggs Burroughs (l) and Dan Long who is a deacon at the church and member of the church’s Art Committee. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

The opening reception is Friday in Hoskins Hall from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The exhibit of 30 images, ran for three months to great acclaim at the Westport Library over the summer, and then moved to the EBK Gallery in Hartford during November and December.

The show will run until the end of February.

Tonight is the opening performance at the Westport Country Playhouse of the recent off-Broadway musical, “Woody Sez: The Life and Music of Woody Guthrie.” The limited engagement runs through Jan. 20.  Featured in the title role is David M. Lutken, the show’s deviser, who won Helen Hayes and Joseph Jefferson awards for his performance. Pictured: Lutken (front) with (l-r) Katie Parton, David Finch and Leenya Rideout. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

By Susan Granger

Perhaps even more fascinating than the kidnap drama “All the Money in the World” is how 80 year-old director Ridley Scott replaced scandal-riddled Kevin Spacey with 88-year-old Christopher Plummer as billionaire J. Paul Getty. After refilming 22 scenes, Scott seamlessly edited old reaction shots with the new footage.

In 1973, bohemian, 16-year-old John ‘Paul’ Getty III (Charlie Plummer) was kidnapped in Rome. His frantic mother, Gail Harris (Michelle Williams), was desperate to deliver the $17 million ransom the kidnappers demanded, but his grandfather declined to pay.

Instead, obstinate Getty summoned an ex-C. I. A. agent, Fletcher Chase (Mark Wahlberg), the family ‘fixer,’ skilled in security and crisis management, to track Paul down.

(A pioneering oil tycoon, rapacious Getty was at that time the richest man in history. He paid no taxes because his global estate was in a charitable trust, allowing him to invest in art work and antiquities, many of which are on display at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles.)

Westport’s Justin Paul and partner Benj Pasek tonight won a Golden Globe Award with their tune “This Is Me” from the P.T. Barnum biopic “The Greatest Showman.”

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

The composers, who last year triumphed in the Golden Globes with “City of Stars” from “La La Land” and went on to win an Oscar, appear favorites to repeat at the Oscars this year with their latest effort.

If they do, 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).

Among all feature films contending in Best Original Song, animated and documentaries aside, “This Is Me” is the sole song to have been nominated at both the Critics’ Choice Awards and Golden Globes.