Preparation was underway today for the Thursday 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Westport Woman’s Club exhibit of student artwork sponsored by the by the Drew Friedman Community Arts Center. The artwork was created in classes at local nonprofits and taught by members of the Westport Artists Collective. During the event, four scholarships of $5,000 each will be awarded to Staples High School students. The Drew Friedman entity donated funds to five area nonprofits for the purpose of creating and/or expanding art programming, and the exhibit is the result with over 100 pieces of art. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

By Susan Granger

“Deadpool 2” opens on Friday, and this subversive sequel is long, loud — and very funny.

The foul-mouthed, facially disfigured, yet indestructible anti-hero Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) is still madly in love with Vanessa (Morena Baccarin) and they’re thinking of having a baby, when tragedy strikes. Vengeance is inevitable.

Dressed in form-fitting red-and-black spandex, Wade does battle with the villainous, time-traveling cyborg Cable (Josh Brolin), assembling his X-force crew, including Colossus (Stefan Kapicic), Weasel (TJ Miller), Blind Al (Leslie Uggams), Dopinder (Karan Soni) and Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand), adding sarcastic Domino (Zazie Beetz), a newcomer whose gift is being extremely lucky.

Plus, he’s determined to protect orphaned Russell (Julian Dennison), a troubled teenager who happens to be a fire-fisted mutant and views Wade as a surrogate father figure.

The Y’s Women of Westport Weston today hosted Boadway stars and Westport residents Kelli O’Hara Naughton and Megan Osterhaus Bolan at their meeting at Temple Israel. Longtime friends since their early years in Oklahoma, they attracted a large turnout as they recounted their paths to stardom, including sharing what O’Hara said was a New York “tiny hole of an apartment.” O’Hara sang one of her favorites, “Make Someone Happy” from the 1960 play “Do Re Mi” by Adolph Green, Betty Comden, and Jule Styne. And they performed a duet from the play “Wicked.” O’Hara thanked the attendees for providing a venue where “we have this chance to do a duet for the first time in our 25 year friendship.” (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Paul Winter and his My Brazil quartet played to a sold-out crowd at Westport’s Unitarian Church tonight. It was a benefit concert for KEYS, Kids Empowered by Your Support, which provides music instruction to inner-city children in Bridgeport. Rob Silvan, director of KEYS, spoke at the intermission. The Litchfield-based Grammy-winning saxophonist and bandleader has performed in 52 countries. The concert was presented by the church’s Voices Café, which puts on concerts once a month for the community. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Jane Sherman for WestportNow.com

Irene Penny in front of her work “Welcome to the Revolution” with fellow artist and co-event coordinator Amy Kaplan at tonight’s gallery opening event, “Revelations Popup Gallery Benefiting Clasp Homes.” It features 16 local artists and will run through Sunday, May 20 at 153 Post Road East. In addition to benefiting Clasp Homes, the exhibit’s mission is to connect the community and enliven and enrich the downtown scene through local art and culture, and unify organizations with different goals that all share a love for Westport and its history of arts and engagement. In addition to Penny and Kaplan, the artists exhibiting works in the show are Trace Burroughs, Judith Lambertson, Kat Evans, Sue Benton, Larry Gordon, Karen Vogel, Miggs Burroughs, Jane Lubin, Mary Harold, Arpad Krizan, Susan Fehlinger, Nina Bentley, Lee Walther, and Tom Bernstern. Trace Burroughs was co-coordinator of the event. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

Part of the crowd that turned out tonight for the opening recpetion for “Revelations Popup Gallery Benefiting Clasp Homes” at 153 Post Road East. Featuring 16 local artists, it will run through Sunday, May 20. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

There was an opening reception tonight for the Westport Historical Society’s latest exhibit, “Remembered: The History of African Americans in Westport.” Broadway set designer Jordan Janota and builder Alicia D’Anna along with graphic artist Christopher Knight from the Crown Heights Collective lent their creative expertise to the exhibit, which was produced with community partner TEAM Westport, the town’s diversity action committee. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

An outdoor ceremony tonight was part of an opening reception for the the Westport Historical Society’s latest exhibit, “Remembered: The History of African Americans in Westport.” The exhibit was produced with community partner TEAM Westport, the town’s diversity action committee, and Harold Bailey, TEAM Westport chair, was among the speakers. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com