There was a discussion tonight following the screening of the documentary by Westport filmmaker Jarret Liotta “Community & Country: A Spirit of Service” at Town Hall.  Taking part were (l-r) veterans Leonard Everett Fisher, Pat Scott and RJ Feliciano, Liotta, WSHU Senior Reporter Ebong Udoma and (at podium) veteran Joe Schachter. The film, a production of The Westport Library and Westport Historical Society, will be reshown at venues around town in coming months. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dawn Manning Shmaruk for WestportNow.com

Actors paused today during a rehearsal for tonight’s Westport Country Playhouse Script In Hand reading of “You Know I Can’t Hear You When the Water is Running,” a collection of four unrelated one-act comedy plays by Robert Anderson. The original production opened on Broadway in March 1967 and ran for 756 performances before closing in January 1969. The reading will be directed by Anne Keefe, Playhouse associate artist and curator of the play reading series. Pictured: (seated, l-r)  Kristen Hahn and Kathleen McNenny holding her dog, Cinders, who is not in the play; (standing, l-r) Anne Keefe, David Beach, Boyd Gaines, Michael McCormick and Peter Chenot, stage directions. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

The Westport Library and Remarkable STEAM today welcomed Dale Dougherty, founder of the Maker Movement, Maker Faire, and Make: Magazine, to the library. He discussed the inspiration behind creating the Maker Movement and its impact on schools, libraries and communities. The launch of Maker Faire in the Bay Area in 2006 demonstrated the popularity of making and interest among legions of aspiring makers to participate in hands-on activities and learn new skills at the event. In 2016, there were 200 Maker Faires in 38 countries worldwide. Maker Faire Westport attracted 10,000 attendees in 2017, putting it in the top 10 percent of Maker Faires worldwide. Pictured (l-r) are Westport Library Executive Director Bill Harmer, Westport Library Manager of Experiential Learning Alex Giannini, Dale Dougherty, and Mark Mathias, founder and president, Remarkable STEAM. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

It happened five days ago, but word just got out that child prodigy Ethan Walmark, 12, a Coleytown Middle School student, performed Wednesday at the inaugural Autism Awareness Gala Fundraiser at Washington’s John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He presented four songs to wild applause and standing ovations. In a post performance interview he was asked, “Now that you’ve played The Kennedy Center at age 12, what else do you hope to accomplish?” Without skipping a beat, Ethan replied, “Finish sixth grade.” Asked in what other venue he’d love to perform, he responded, “The Hollywood Bowl.” He is pictured with sister Eliza and mom and dad Michael and Alison.  See a YouTube video of his performance HERE. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

By Susan Granger

Beginning with a quote from Oscar Wilde: “We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars” — “Wonderstruck” is the visually captivating story of two curious 12-year-olds — a half-century apart — who run away to New York City to find answers to elusive questions about their past.

In 1927 in Hoboken, New Jersey, lonely Rose (Millicent Simmonds) lives with her strict father (James Urbaniak). She’s deaf, and her great joy is going to the movies to see her silent-screen idol, Lillian Mayhew (Julianne Moore), who is now starring on Broadway and whom she thinks is her mother. Her story is evocatively told in stylized black-and-white with no spoken dialogue.

In 1977 in Gunflint Lake, Minnesota (in vibrant color), Ben (Oakes Fegley) is mourning the death of his single mother, a librarian named Elaine (Michelle Williams), when he finds an old bookmark from Kincaid Books in Manhattan with the note, “Elaine, I’ll wait for you. Love, Danny.” Just then, he’s struck by lightning, which leaves him deaf but, nevertheless, determined to find the man who may be his father.

As the puzzling plot unfolds, their parallel lives are bound to intersect. But how?

Mark Lamos (l), Westport Playhouse artistic director and director of the current production of “Romeo and Juliet” today hosted a directors’ forum comprised of prominent Shakespeare play directors following the Sunday matinee performance. Joining him were Oskar Eustis, (2nd l) artistic director of the Public Theater and Shakespeare in the Park, Jack O’Brien, three-time Tony winner and former artistic director of the Old Globe Theater, Evan Yionoulis, Obie winner and professor at Yale School of Drama, and Shakespeare scholar Milla Riggio (r) of Trinity College. “Romeo and Juliet” runs through Nov. 19. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Tickets are on sale for the Staples Players production of “Newsies,” which opens Friday and runs for two weekends. Staples is one of a select few high schools handpicked to pilot the two-time Tony Award-winning show. David Roth (SHS ’84) and Kerry Long (SHS ’97) co-direct the cast of 69 who will appear in eight performances. Visit http://www.staplesplayers.com for ticket information and performance schedule. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Photo by Kerry Long

Today was the final day of the summer Westport Farmers Market at the Imperial Avenue parking lot and Staples High School students in the advanced culinary class led by Cecily Gans (c) were on hand to demonstrate their skills. Three of the students will attend classes next year at the Culinary Institute of America. The winter Farmers Market begins Saturday, Nov. 18 at Gilbertie’s Herb Garden, 7 Sylvan Lane. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com