Members of Connect-Us, the Bridgeport-based, Westport-supported nonprofit offering after school opportunities for youngsters in need, pose today with the playwright and cast of the Westport Country Playhouse drama “Thousand Pines” about a school shooting. The youngsters viewed a matinee performance and afterward took part in a discussion about the play. Later, they rapped, danced, and sang their responses to the presence of guns in their lives. CLICK TO ENLARGE) Helen Klisser During for WestportNow.com

Despite a heavy rain, a sold-out crowd tonight attended the Staples Players’ opening night production of “Legally Blonde The Musical” starring Camille Foisie as Elle Woods and Tobey Patton as Emmett Forest. The 73-member cast wowed the crowd with an evening full of song and dance that brought standing ovation curtain calls. Additional performances are Saturday and Nov, 15, 16, 17 at 7:30 p.m., and Nov. 11 & 17 at 3 p.m. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Lynn U. Miller for WestportNow.com

The Staples Players present “Legally Blonde The Musical” Friday and Saturday and Nov, 15, 16, 17 at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 11 & 17 at 3 p.m. Based on the movie, “Legally Blonde The Musical” follows the transformation of Elle Woods as she tackles stereotypes and scandal in pursuit of her dreams timely—message. David Roth (SHS ’84) and Kerry Long (SHS ’97) co-direct the cast of 73..Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for students, $15 for seniors (matinees only) at the Staples Auditorium. More info at http://www.staplesplayers.com. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Photo by Kerry Long.

The cast takes a break during rehearsal for tonight’s Script in Hand reading of “I Hate Hamlet,” at Westport Country Playhouse at 7 p.m. The comedy conjures the ghost of actor John Barrymore played by four-time Tony Award-winner Boyd Gaines. Written by Paul Rudnick, the reading is directed by Anne Keefe, Playhouse associate artist and curator of the popular play reading series. Tickets are $20 each. Pictured: (front, l-r) Matthew Amendt, Mary Beth Peil, Kathleen McNenny, Boyd Gaines, Allison Altman, and Mark Shanahan; (rear) Anne Keefe and Stephen Emerick, stage directions. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

By Susan Granger

Confession: Rock music is not my thing, so perhaps I’m the only person on the planet who didn’t know who Freddie Mercury or Queen was — until now — and Rami Malek’s magnificent performance in “Bohemian Rhapsody” blew me away.

Named after Queen’s innovative, six-minute, genre-melding musical masterpiece, this film chronicles the rise-and-fall of the band’s flamboyant, yet enigmatic frontman.

In 1970, young Farrokh Bulsara was a baggage-handler at Heathrow Airport whose conservative, working-class, Indian Parsee family fled from war-torn Zanzibar to Middlesex, London.

Born with four extra incisors, leading to an obvious overbite, Freddie brazenly told his future bandmates, “More space in my mouth means more range.” Since they needed a lead singer, he was immediately accepted by guitarist Brian May (Gwilym Lee) and drummer Roger Taylor (Ben Hardy) later joined by bassist John Deacon (Joe Mazzello).

Playwright Matthew Greene (c) tonight celebrates the world premiere opening night with the cast of his creation, “Thousand Pines,” at the Westport Country Playhouse. The play is a story of three families who, through interactions in separate Thanksgiving Day dinners, share a common humanity struggling with grief, healing, and forgiveness in the wake of a shooting at Thousand Pines Junior High School. Greene, a California native, earned a B.A. in theater at Brigham Young University and currently lives in New York City. He is celebrating with the cast (l-r) Andrew Veenstra, Katie Ailion, Kelly McAndrew, William Ragsdale, Anne Bates and Joby Earle. The play runs through Nov. 17. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Scenes from today’s first day of CraftWestport at Staples High School, the fundraiser for the Young Woman’s League of Westport. The event continues Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

“Thousand Pines,” a story of common humanity, healing, and forgiveness in the wake of a shooting at Thousand Pines Junior High School, previews tonight at the Westport Country Playhouse.  Written by Matthew Greene and directed by Austin Pendleton the production opens on Saturday and runs through Nov. 17. Pictured: (l-r) William Ragsdale, Katie Ailton, Anne Bates, Job Earle and Kelly McAndrew. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com