Seryn, an indie folk-pop band from Nashville, entertained tonight at the Westport Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts. The band, making its Levitt debut, released it latest album, “Silver Shadows,” in February. Band member Nathan James Allen (l) told the crowd they first saw pictures of the Levitt Friday night and were excited to be coming north for the concert. He said the Levitt ranked among the best venues they have played. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

The Westport Country Playhouse today announced its 2016 season.

Artistic Director Mark Lamos: 2016 “generous in variety and scale.” Bruce Plotkin photo

It features two Tony Award-winning plays in repertory, an Off-Broadway hit, a new thriller by a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, a witty comedy by Joe Orton, and a reimagined musical by Lerner and Loewe. 

The works will be staged next year from May through October. Under the artistic direction of Mark Lamos, 2016 will mark the Connecticut professional theater’s 86th season. The 2016 season subscriptions are now on sale.

“Our 2016 season is generous in variety and scale,” said Lamos, the Playhouse’s artistic director since 2009. “Instead of the usual five productions, we’ll be presenting six—two of them, for the first time since the Playhouse’s early years—in repertory.

Frannie Southworth with Heart & Soul entertained before a lively crowd tonight at the Westport Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts. Local musician Chris Coogan (l) joined the ensemble and so did Joey Levine (3rd l), a Westporter who co-wrote “Yummy, Yummy, Yummy I Got Love in My Tummy.”  (CLICK TO ENLARGE) J.C. Martin for WestportNow.com

Jeffrey Friedberg & the Bossy Frog Band performed tonight at the Westport Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts children’s series. The Bossy Frog Band includes Jeffrey on lead vocals, banjo and guitar, Alice the hula hooping fiddler, Joe on bass and costume characters Bossy Frog, Monkey and Crabby. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Tonight’s Westport Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts performance by Jeffrey Friedberg & the Bossy Frog Band drew a large crowd of youngsters and parents. It was part of the Melissa & Doug Children’s Series. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

By Susan Granger

The deranged action comedy called “American Ultra” has two things going for it: Jesse Eisenberg (“The Social Network”) and Kristen Stewart (“The Twilight Saga”). They’ll probably account for more box office clout than this dreadful stoner dirge deserves.

As it opens, bruised and battered Mike Howell (Eisenberg) is in jail. Why? Flashbacks reveal he’s a clerk at a Cash & Carry who draws a graphic novel called “Apollo Ape” when he’s not busy behind the register.

A laidback pothead, he lives with his supportive girlfriend, slovenly Phoebe Larson (Stewart), who works for a bail bondsman.

Mike bought an engagement ring and planned to take Phoebe to Hawaii to propose marriage but, at the airport, he suffered another one of his crippling, yet inexplicable anxiety attacks.

The Treehouse Comedy Club performed tonight at the Westport Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts. The group, which traces its origins to 1983 in Westport, is Connecticut‘s original and first full time comedy showcase. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

The Tizer Quartet performed at the Westport Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts tonight. The group was a 2011 Grammy nominee for Best Jazz Group. With a multi-genre, multi-national appeal that expands beyond just jazz enthusiasts, Tizer has a diverse resume – including performance slots alongside musicians Jethro Tull, Isaac Hayes, Al Jarreau, George Benson, Babyface, Bruce Hornsby and Robin Thicke. Sponsor of the performance was The Nevas Law Group of Westport. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Michael Mathis for WestportNow.com

Singer-songwriter Ellen Kempner, 21, Staples High School class of 2012, has released her first full-length album. She is known as Palehound and her “Dry Food” album was given four stars in Rolling Stone Magazine. NPR also favorably reviewed it, noting, “Kempner took to the guitar early, looking for an outlet as a precocious, self-described shy kid who felt like she didn’t quite fit in growing up in a socially claustrophobic New York suburb.” Kempner, who started playing the guitar at 7, had her earliest performances at Coleytown Middle School and performed locally at Toquet Hall throughout high school. The album is available on iTunes. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Photo by Chad Kamenshine

Westporters Ann Chernow (bottom row, c.) and Martin West (top, r.) hosted a dinner party at their home Saturday night to welcome Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ron Chernow (top, c.), whose Broadway musical adaption by Lin-Manuel Miranda of his 2004 “Alexander Hamilton” biography is a smash hit. Ron Chernow, a cousin of Ann Chernow’s late husband, Burt, said he was looking forward to attending the upcoming original cast recording session of “Hamilton.” Among other guests were actors Keir Dullea (top, l.) and wife, Mia Dillon (bottom, r.), and Alison Vanderbilt (bottom, l). (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo