The Westport Country Playhouse will host a 2017 Season Kick-off Block Party today from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Guests at last year’s Westport Country Playhouse season block party got a chance to view set design models for past productions. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

It will feature food trucks, beer tastings, a photo contest, activities, prizes, music, special ticket offers, and a look at the Playhouse’s “backstage experience.” Admission is free and open to the public.

“Come party with the Playhouse,” said Hope Ventricelli, Playhouse marketing assistant. “To celebrate the start of our 2017 season, we’re throwing open the doors to the theater and offering lots of fun things to do, including self-guided tours.

Local food trucks, including Booth Bay Lobster Company, Skinny Pines Pizza, and Tipsy Cones, will be on site with their specialties available for purchase.

The owner of 26 Evergreen Ave. is the newest recipient of a Westport Historical Society (WHS) historical plaque. Bob Weingarten (l), WHS plaque historian, presented the plaque to Liz Crawford who has lived in the house since 1996 when she relocated to Westport. According to Weingarten, the house, known as the Restaino House c. 1925, was built by the Carmela Restaino.  Weingarten said records show Restaino purchased the land at the end of 1923 but did not build the house until receiving a mortgage of $4,000 from Lydia Sniffen in June 1925.  The property is in the Evergreen Avenue Historic District. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Scenes from tonight’s 13th annual Taste of Westport event to benefit CLASP Homes at the Westport Inn. More than 20 Westport area restaurants offered samplings of their specialties, accompanied by a selection of wines and cocktails, and finished with tasty desserts. Green Eyed Lady entertained. CLASP Homes creates and supports family environments for people with autism and other intellectual disabilities. WestportNow.com photos

The owners of the house at 2 Turkey Hill Circle are the newest recipients of a Westport Historical Society (WHS) historical plaque. Bob Weingarten (c), WHS plaque historian, presented two plaques, one for each of two separate structures on the property, to Grace Ann Hennemuth (l) and her mother, Roxie, whose husband Bruce was not available for the photo. The Hennemuths own and have resided in the house since 1987. According to Weingarten, the unique house was constructed by joining two garden cottages together in c. 1935 by Clarissa Mills. The first cottage was built in c.1893 by Charles Rapallo adjacent to his house at 41 Turkey Hill Road South. The second cottage was built by Clarissa Mills in c. 1920. Clarissa Mills built an artist studio (not shown in photo) in c.1926. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

The Pearl at Longshore Restaurant tonight launched the Gallery @ Pearl to showcase local artists. It is curated by Cathy Colgan, who has spent the past decade organizing assorted cultural and art-related events in the downtown Westport area. The first featured artist is local photographer Janet Samuels (l), pictured at the opening reception with First Selectman Jim Marpe and Lois Backon, Pearl co-owner.  (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

By Susan Granger

Tackling the “Me-centric” revelatory culture of Google, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, etc., James Ponsoldt’s timely thriller “The Circle” delves into the ubiquitous perils of contemporary technology.

When Mae Holland (Emily Watson) goes to work for The Circle, a massively powerful social media company in the San Francisco Bay Area, she’s thrilled. Beginning as a ‘guppy,’ she’s assigned to a customer service desk, where she’s expected not only to excel but also to participate in off-hour and weekend events with co-workers.

Run by a management team consisting of charismatic visionary Eamon Bailey (Tom Hanks) and businessman Tom Stenton (Patton Oswalt), The Circle is touting a new social interface app, TruYou, a single-identity password solution which eliminates anonymity, along with SeeChange, a tiny, inconspicuous webcam that can be attached to any surface to emit constant surveillance.

“Knowing is good, but knowing everything is better,” claims evangelistic Eamon Bailey.

Add a Tony Award nomination to the achievements of Westport’s Justin Paul, a 2003 Staples High School graduate.

Justin Paul (l) with writing partner Benj Pasek at the Oscars in February. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo from ABC-TV

He was nominated today for in the Best Original Score category for his work on Broadway’s “Dear Evan Hansen,” along with writing partner Benj Pasek. The show also was nominated in the Best Musical category.

Paul recently won an Oscar for Best Original Song for “City of Stars” from “La La Land.”

Paul’s competition for Best Original Score includes “Come From Away,” Music and Lyrics: Irene Sankoff and David Hein; “Groundhog Day,” Music and Lyrics: Tim Minchin, and “Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812,” Music and Lyrics: Dave Malloy.

A family today views the art project honoring Westport’s past and present in the east tunnel at the Metro-North Westport station. The project, launched 16 months ago in cooperation with the Westport Police Department, features light box lenticular views combining past and present images of Westport landmarks by Westport artist Miggs Burroughs. According to him, 16 light boxes were planned, but the project has stalled because of lack of funding. Those interested in donating should contact him at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Scenes from tonight’s opening reception of the Westport Woman’s Club Art Show. Th exhibit, whose proceeds go toward club scholarships, features works by 14 local artists. It continues Sunday noon to 4 p.m. WestportNow.com photos