Scenes from Wednesday night’s meeting of the Westport Artists Collective at its new home at the Westport Country Playhouse. Membership has grown to about 150 area artists. Lynn U. Miller for WestportNow.com

By Susan Granger

When you’re hot, you’re hot. Following his debut success with “Get Out” (2017), Jordan Peele’s new horror thriller “Us” has already grossed $70 million, tripling its $20 million budget.

In 1986 at California’s Santa Cruz beachside amusement park, young Adelaide (Madison Curry), clutching a candied apple, has a terrifying experience after wandering into an eerie ‘funhouse of mirrors.’ It’s so traumatic that she’s never discussed it — with anyone.

Cut to the present, when vacationing Adelaide (Lupita Nyong’o), her husband Gabe Wilson (Winston Duke), teenage daughter Zora (Shahadi Wright Joseph) and young son Jason (Evan Alex) wind up at the same beachside amusement park.

Back home that night, a menacing family of four, clad in red jumpsuits and carrying huge scissors, suddenly appear in their driveway, trapping the Wilsons inside. It turns out they’re the Wilsons’ zombielike, tethered doppelgängers.

The cast takes a break during rehearsal for tonight’s Script in Hand reading of “Tricks of the Trade” at the Westport Country Playhouse at 7 p.m. Written by the late Sidney Michaels, who lived in Westport, the reading will be directed by Anne Keefe, Playhouse associate artist and curator of the play reading series. Pictured: (standing) Anne Keefe (l) and Alexandra Rappaport, stage directions; (seated) Matthew Greer (l) and Elise Kibler. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

The “Supper & Soul” dinner and concert series continues Saturday, April 6, with meals at any of eight restaurants followed by an 8 p.m. “New Grass” concert at the Newbury Center, the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce (WWCC) announced.

According to WWCC Executive Director Matthew Mandell, the $75, single-ticket event entitles participants to a three-course meal at one of eight downtown restaurants, a concert at the Seabury Center and the option to return to any of the same restaurants for happy-hour drinks.

The Colorado band, Head for the Hills, will perform the “New Grass” concert, a sound described as a fusion of Rock, Americana, R&B and Bluegrass.

According to Mandell, the band has played around the country, making a Northeast swing through Connecticut.

The Westport Country Playhouse will host a 2019 Season Kickoff event on Saturday, March 30, from 4 to 6:30 p.m., offering a fun atmosphere with food trucks and beer tastings.

In addition, the Playhouse box office will be open during the event for special, day-of/in person-only ticket discounts. Admission is free and open to the public, an announcement said.

A preview of the 2019 season’s five productions will be hosted by Mark Lamos, Playhouse artistic director, from 5:15 p.m. to 6:15 p.m., with special guest appearances.

Plus, director and choreographer Marcos Santana will appear with “In the Heights” cast members who will sing selections from the Tony Award-winning musical, conceived by “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda.

More than 100 guests today attended the Westport Woman’s Club (WWC) Spring Fashion Show charity event at its clubhouse, 44 Imperial Ave. The fundraiser, featuring Westport’s Playhouse Square merchants, generated proceeds to benefit Fairfield County nonprofit grants and need-based student scholarships, according to event chair Ana Hitri. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Tonight’s inaugural art opening by the Westport Artists Collective in the Barn Gallery at the Westport Country Playhouse attracted several hundred guests. The pop up art show will be open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. with artists talks on Saturday at 3 p.m. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

Members of The Artists Collective of Westport will have their inaugural pop up show at their new home in the Barn Gallery at the Westport Playhouse on Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. Refreshments, and the piano stylings of Karl Schulz, will complement the work of 15 artists from the Collective, and one artist from Homes For the Brave in Bridgeport. Lead by Nina Bentley, the Collective has been running art classes at this home for homeless vets for the past few years. Pictured (l-r) after hanging almost 70 works of art for the exhibit are Susan Fehlinger, Dan Long, Miggs Burroughs, Nina Bentley, Tammy Winser and Katherine Ross. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo