"Little Women" set performances at THE BLACK BOX on June 6 to June 8

For the final production of our 2024-25 season, FPAC is excited to present the musical adaptation of Little Women June 6-8 at THE BLACK BOX! 

 

Based on Louisa May Alcott’s life, Little Women follows the adventures of sisters Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy March. Jo is trying to sell her stories for publication, but the publishers are not interested – her friend, Professor Bhaer, tells her that she has to do better and write more from herself. Begrudgingly taking this advice, Jo weaves the story of herself and her sisters and their experience growing up in Civil War America. 

 

at THE BLACK BOX on June 6 to June 8

Little Women embodies the complete theatrical experience, guaranteeing a night filled with laughter, tears and a lifting of the spirit. The powerful score soars with the sounds of personal discovery, heartache, and hope – the sounds of a young America finding its voice. 

📚Directed by Ali Funkhouser with Musical Direction by Hallie Wetzell! 

🎟️Tickets on sale NOW at FPAConline.com or by calling the box office at 508-528-3370!  Or directly -> https://theblackboxonline.com/little-women/

What is happening in May at THE BLACK BOX?

What is happening in May at THE BLACK BOX?

 

 

Check out what’s on the calendar for May at THE BLACK BOX! 

 

 

Tickets available at THEBLACKBOXonline.com or by calling the box office at 508-528-3370!  

 

 

Shared from -> https://www.facebook.com/share/1Dvg5pMbeX/

FPAC Golf Tournament - June 10

Take a day off work for a charitable cause, and test your skills in 18 holes of golf at the New England Country Club! 

Compete with friends, family, and co-workers for on-course hole contests (50/50 Hole, Closest to the Pin, Longest Drive) and raffle prizes!

New England Country Club, 180 Paine St, Bellingham, MA 02019

Single Entry: $125, Foursome: $580

Participants must register online by June 1st.

https://fundraiser.support/FPACGOLF2025

FPAC Golf Tournament - June 10

What's happening in Franklin, MA: Saturday, March 22, 2025 ???

Saturday, March 22

* "Look Up" Gallery (Franklin Public Library during open hours) 

9:00am Thrifty Threads (Franklin Federated Church)

9:30am Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) (Franklin Public Library)

10:00am Winter Farmers Market (Fairmount Fruit Farm)

10:00am Franklin Historical Museum (always free) 

10:30am  Kat Chapman Concert! (Franklin Public Library)

12:00pm "A Mile for the Mind" (Franklin Sculpture Park)

1:00pm Saturday Sessions with George (Pour Richard's Wine & Provisions)

1:00pm Open House Downtown Preschool (Downtown Preschool)

7:00pm Jennifer Tefft (live music) (Bucatino, North Falmouth)

7:00pm An Evening of Short Plays (Dean College Main Stage Theater)

7:30pm (sold out) FPAC: Mel Brooks "The Producers" (THE BLACK BOX)

** NO Town Meetings today   **

-------------

Why are there multiple calendars?

What's happening today in Franklin? 

Respectfully, the Library and Senior Center calendars are too full of events to include all their events so we tend to focus on the major events. Town and School meetings are also kept separate. Links for all the calendars are shared here:

Find the full Community event calendar  https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication:  https://bit.ly/Submit2Calendar

The Library calendar of events ->    calendar link

The Senior Center calendar of events ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar.aspx?CID=37&showPastEvents=false

The Town meeting calendar is found  https://www.franklinma.gov/Calendar.aspx
The School district calendar is found  https://franklinpublicschooldistrictma.sites.thrillshare.com/o/fpsd/page/school-calendars

FPAC Announces Cast for Mel Brooks’ The Producers

The Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) is excited to announce the cast of Mel Brooks’ The Producers running March 14-23 at THE BLACK BOX in Franklin, MA. The production is directed by FPAC Artistic Director Raye Lynn Mercer, with choreography by Associate Director Broadway’s Clay Rice-Thomson (Moulin Rouge!, KING KONG, Matilda, Newsies), and music direction by Hallie Wetzell. 

The Producers is a Mel Brooks comedy full of adult humor and innuendo. Audience discretion is advised.

(L-R) Nick Paone, Paul Rescigno, Katie Mariko Murray

Leading the cast are FPAC’s Nick Paone as Max Bialystock and NYC’s Paul Rescigno as Leo Bloom. They are joined by NYC’s Katie Mariko Murray (Disney’s Frozen on tour) as Ulla, Anthony Fett (Disney’s Beauty and the Beast on tour) as Roger DeBris, Robert Mintz as Carmen Ghia, and Franklin favorite Timothy Ayres-Kerr as Franz Liebkind.

The ensemble is made up of artists from NYC, the Boston-Providence-Franklin area, and Musical Theater students from Dean College: Andrew Scott Holmes, Casey Harkness Andrade, Melissa Baratta, Elijah Bondar, Marissa J. Browning, Nya Dekrines, Heather Dorler, Shaina Dunn, Charley Eastman, Kim Frigon, Julia Lavoie, Alex LeBlanc, David Livingston, Conor Meehan, Caroline Merten, Anissa Perona, Myranda Rose Silva, Kellie Stamp, Jason Robert Warner, and Isis Wilson.

Joining the ensemble on stage at THE BLACK BOX are FPAC Student Apprentices from the Franklin School for the Performing Arts: Elena Baker, Ani Corkran, Helena Cornwell, Devin Curley, Brodie DeAngelis, Devin DeAngelis, Baree Frigon, Kayla Hoben, Hailey Hulbig, Madeleine Jacomme, Katherine LeBlanc, Matthew Packard, Kate Settle, Angelina Willey, and Michael Wirkus.

The plot of The Producers is simple: a down-on-his-luck Broadway producer and his mild-mannered accountant come up with a scheme to produce the most notorious flop in history, thereby bilking their backers (all "little old ladies") out of millions of dollars. Only one thing goes awry: the show is a smash hit. The antics of Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom as they maneuver their way fecklessly through finding a show, hiring a director, raising the money and finally going to prison for their misdeeds is a lesson in broad comic construction. At the core of the insanely funny adventure is a poignant emotional journey of two very different men who become friends. With a truly hysterical book co-written by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan (Annie) and music and lyrics by Mr. Brooks, The Producers skewers Broadway traditions and takes no prisoners.

FPAC is an Actors’ Equity Small Professional Theater company based at THE BLACK BOX in downtown Franklin. Each season, FPAC produces musicals, plays, ballets, and more featuring Broadway stars, professional actors, local artists, and students of the arts.

Tickets for The Producers are available at FPAConline.com/tickets or by calling the box office at 508-528-3370. Follow Franklin Performing Arts Company and THE BLACK BOX on Facebook and Instagram for updates on programming.

Kimberly Akimbo comes to Boston with FSPA Broadway Faculty Members

This cast features FSPA Broadway Faculty Members Emily Koch  @embkoch as Debra and Jim Hogan @jimhogan220 as Buddy  

"A new musical about growing up and growing old (in no particular order), KIMBERLY AKIMBO is the winner of 5 Tony Awards including BEST MUSICAL. It features Tony Award-winning book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire (Shrek), a Tony Award-winning score by Jeanine Tesori (Fun Home), choreography by Danny Mefford (Dear Evan Hansen) and direction by Tony-nominated director Jessica Stone.

Kimberly is about to turn 16 and recently moved with her family to a new town in suburban New Jersey. In this “howlingly funny heartbreaker of a show” (The New Yorker), Kim is forced to navigate family dysfunction, a rare genetic condition, her first crush … and possible felony charges. Ever the optimist, she is determined to find happiness against all odds and embark on a great adventure."

Shared from ->    https://www.instagram.com/p/DGgoOJvxBAR/

Tickets available ->    https://www.emersoncolonialtheatre.com/events/kimberly-akimbo/

Dean College Announces Partnership with the Award-Winning Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC)

Dean College is excited to announce a synergetic partnership with the Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC), downtown Franklin’s Actors Equity professional theater. This alliance will enrich the educational experience of Dean students studying musical theatre, acting, or dance; provide a professional affiliation for Dean’s Schools of Performing Arts; and support FPAC’s seasonal programming of musicals, plays, and dance performances. 

Dean College Announces Partnership with FPAC

Through this partnership, internship opportunities will also be available for Dean students at FPAC’s THE BLACK BOX and the affiliate Franklin School for the Performing Arts (FSPA).

FSPA was founded by Raye Lynn Mercer in 1985 to serve the region’s performing arts students and has evolved over the past 40 years into the premier performing arts school in the MetroWest area of Boston. 

In 1991, the non-profit FPAC was launched by Mercer to produce shows, bringing together professional performers, emerging artists, and students. FPAC opened THE BLACK BOX in downtown Franklin in 2014 and became an Actors’ Equity Small Professional Theatre in 2021. The company now boasts an impressive network of Broadway performers and New York-based professionals who frequently perform and teach in Franklin. 

As the Broadway in Franklin sponsor, Dean will also be integral in bringing FPAC’s exciting roster of Broadway professionals to Franklin, who will participate as performers, master class instructors, and mentors for young artists.

“We are fortunate and grateful to have FPAC and FSPA located just steps away from our Dean campus and have enjoyed decades of friendship with Raye Lynn and her excellent performing arts organizations,” said Mark D. Boyce, interim president of Dean College. “Our students have often been cast in FPAC productions, and this formal partnership will just expand on the experiential learning we can provide for these talented, young artists.”

The Dean/FPAC partnership will provide the following benefits to students in Dean’s Schools of Performing Arts:

• students will receive credit toward their requirements and gain professional experiences to prepare them for careers in the performing arts
• complimentary and/or discounted tickets to FPAC performances
• a reciprocal relationship for sharing costumes and properties
• opportunities to attend auditions for FPAC’s season of shows
• Dean students who are cast will have the chance to perform with the company while maintaining their academic schedules
• and participation in master classes offered as part of FPAC’s Artist in Residence programs.

“Our mission has always been to provide superlative training, quality entertainment, and outstanding performance opportunities for professionals, students, and emerging artists,” said Mercer. “By partnering with Dean College, the Franklin Performing Arts Company will gain talented and dedicated young performers who will benefit from hands-on experience in the industry. Our company appreciates the support of Dean College, and we’re enthusiastic about this valuable partnership.” 

Dean College is a private, residential New England college grounded in a culture and tradition that all students deserve the opportunity for academic and personal success. A uniquely supportive community for more than 150 years, Dean has woven together extensive student support and engagement with exceptional teaching and innovative campus activities. Our graduates are lifetime learners who thrive in their careers, embrace social responsibility and demonstrate leadership. This is The Dean Difference.

Shared from -> https://www.dean.edu/news-events/story/dean-college-announces-partnership-with-award-winning-performing-arts-organization/

Dean College (@DeanCollege) posted at 2:44 PM on Tue, Feb 25, 2025:
We're excited to partner with the esteemed Franklin Performing Arts Company to continue to enrich the experiences of our performing arts students at Dean. Read on to learn more: https://t.co/esXXYZ2nvX https://t.co/K9Xntv5j6J
(https://x.com/DeanCollege/status/1894473540180529616?t=D04KQ-3g3PHyhwk3nn_zPg&s=03)

"FPAC in NYC" - Can't go in person? You can get a Live Stream Ticket, and enjoy the show from your home

We’re so excited for our 5th “FPAC in NYC” concert at The Green Room 42 in NYC on February 16th at 9:30 PM! We can’t wait to reveal our lineup of singers…

5th “FPAC in NYC” concert

Join FPAC performers, alums, and guests as they celebrate the Franklin Performing Arts Company! Hosted by your Broadway buddy Ben Cameron (Wicked, Footloose, Aida)! Directed by FPAC Artistic Director Raye Lynn Mercer with Music Direction by Caleb McCarroll. 

Tickets on sale now at https://thegreenroom42.venuetix.com

FPAC has a long history of bringing Broadway talent to Franklin, Massachusetts for roles in musicals and plays, special concerts, and more. 

The February 16th show brings the Franklin Performing Arts Company to New York City! The Broadway stars, FPAC favorites, and emerging artists featured in the lineup have all graced THE BLACK BOX stage in Franklin.

Shared from -> https://www.instagram.com/p/DFd4wfaRc4V/

Family Concert Series: Princess Folk - Feb 2, at 2 PM

Family Concert Series: Princess Folk

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2025

2:00 PM in THE BLACK BOX

Franklin Performing Arts Company presents Family Concert Series: Princess Folk

FREE and Open to the Public!

Your favorite Disney Princess hits paired with choruses & folk songs of the real (and unreal) cultures they come from featuring: sailors, spinners, dwarves and vikings!

Directed by Tim Ayres-Kerr

Performed by the Dean Vocal Ensemble!

This program is funded by a grant from the Franklin Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

Franklin Cultural Council

Shared from -> https://www.facebook.com/share/1XbuKEj4wK/ 

Family Concert Series: Discover the World of Classical Music - Sun, Jan 26 - 2 PM (FREE)

Franklin Performing Arts Company presents Family Concert Series: A Violin Adventure into Three Musical Worlds! Performed by FSPA Violin Instructor Irina Fainkichen! 

Discover the World of Classical Music

FREE and Open to the Public!

If you’ve ever wondered what music is or how it can make you feel, join us for a fun and interactive children’s concert! Meet Irina, a violinist and FSPA’s violin teacher and her daughter Rachel, a scientist and a pianist, as they guide you on an exciting musical journey. Together, we’ll explore the magical world of classical music, where sounds can make us dance, sing, and march to the rhythm of life.

From lively melodies to gentle lullabies, experience how music can express emotions and tell stories without words. This concert is the perfect introduction to classical music for young listeners, filled with energy, fun, and plenty of surprises!

Come, bring your curiosity, and let the music lead the way!

This program is funded by a grant from the Franklin Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

Shared from -> https://theblackboxonline.com/discover-the-world-of-classical-music/

What's happening in Franklin, MA: Sunday, January 12, 2025 ???

Sunday, January 12

1:00pm Franklin Historical Museum (always free)

1:15pm Second Sunday Speaker (Franklin Historical Museum) 

2:00pm FPAC: To Tell a Story About the Earth (THE BLACK BOX)

2:30pm Chess Group (Franklin Public Library)

**  NO  Town Meetings today   **

--------------

Why are there multiple calendars?

What's happening today in Franklin? 

Respectfully, the Library and Senior Center calendars are too full of events to include all their events so we tend to focus on the major events. Town and School meetings are also kept separate. Links for all the calendars are shared here:

Find the full Community event calendar  https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication:  https://bit.ly/Submit2Calendar

The Library calendar of events ->    calendar link

The Senior Center calendar of events ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/node/39/events/upcoming

The Town meeting calendar is found  https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar
The School district calendar is found  https://franklinpublicschooldistrictma.sites.thrillshare.com/o/fpsd/page/school-calendars

FPAC to Present a New Play by Miranda Rose Hall

The Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) is excited to present To Tell a Story About the Earth, a new play by Miranda Rose Hall in development by LubDub Theatre Co January 10-12 at THE BLACK BOX. The production will be directed by NYC’s Eliza Palter. 

After a disastrous first production, a fledgling theater company has decided to call it quits. But when the local librarian requests a new performance for Earth Day, the young artists have a decision to make, and questions abound: what's the deal with this weird fish? Who built the room we're standing in? Isn't there supposed to be a storm tonight? Part scripted play, part guided introduction to devising methods, part environmental investigation, and part fill in the blank, To Tell a Story About the Earth prompts ensembles everywhere to create and share an original show about the natural world close to home. 

To Tell a Story About the Earth ensemble cast

The ensemble is led by FPAC’s Kellie Stamp as The Librarian. Stamp is joined by Dean College Theatre students Aiden Day as Taylor and Kylie Parsons as Jo. The cast is rounded out by FPAC Student Apprentices from the Franklin School for the Performing Arts Matthew Packard as Sam, Aida Ryan DiChiara as CJ, and Liam Nolan-Hayun as Riley. 

Director Eliza Palter’s credits include Antigone (New Relic Theatre), The Nest (The Quickening Room), The Convent of Pleasure (NRT), As You Like It (NRT), and LEAN OUT (Union Hall). She has directed, devised, and assisted shows with LubDub Theatre Company (NYC), Theatre J. (DC), The Transmigration Festival of New Works (Cincinnati), Svandovo Divadlo (Prague), and Cherry Lane Theatre (NYC). Palter is also the founder and artistic director of New Relic Theatre, a production company that stages adaptations of classical plays and ancient texts. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre & Performance Studies and Anthropology from Georgetown University. 

FPAC’s 2024-25 season will continue with Mel Brooks’ The Producers March 14-23 and conclude with the musical adaptation of Little Women June 6-8 at THE BLACK BOX. 

FPAC is an Actors’ Equity Small Professional Theater company based at THE BLACK BOX in downtown Franklin. Each season, FPAC produces musicals, plays, ballets, and more featuring Broadway stars, professional actors, local artists, and students of the arts. Tickets are available at FPAConline.com or by calling the box office at 508-528-3370. Follow Franklin Performing Arts Company and THE BLACK BOX on Facebook and Instagram for updates on programming.

FPAC Holiday Productions to Present ‘Tis the Season! - 2 shows on Dec 21

On December 21 at 2:00 PM and 7:30 PM, the holidays are jolly and bright as 'Tis the Season! returns to entertain audiences with great merriment, fanfare, and fun. 

An original large cast musical first presented by FPAC Holiday Productions in 1995, 'Tis is an upbeat, jazzy extravaganza with contemporary arrangements of favorite holiday classics in musical styles ranging from R&B, gospel, and Motown to Rock, Pop, and Broadway.

FPAC Holiday Productions to Present ‘Tis the Season!; photo courtesy of Paul Vicario

‘Tis the Season! is directed by FPAC Artistic Director Raye Lynn Mercer with Music Direction by Hallie Wetzell. It also features exciting choreography by Mercer, Kellie Stamp, and Clyde Nantais. 

FPAC Holiday Productions are presented at the Franklin High School Auditorium. Tickets are available at FPAConline.com or by calling the box office at 508-528-3370. Follow Franklin Performing Arts Company and THE BLACK BOX on Facebook and Instagram for updates on programming.

MetOpera Ballet Dancer to Star in The Nutcracker with FPAC Holiday Productions

FPAC Holiday Productions will kick off December with the holiday classic: The Nutcracker, presented December 7 and 8 at the Franklin High School Auditorium. Experience all the festive magic and colorful splendor of The Nutcracker as FPAC stages its cherished annual production of the holiday classic with live orchestra conducted by Austin Davy, special guest artists and more than 100 area dancers. 

The Nutcracker remains a highly anticipated and treasured part of the FPAC season - a popular holiday tradition for more than 20 years. The world-famous ballet, set to Tchaikovsky’s beloved score, delights the imaginations of audiences young and old with a professional production at a reasonable price.  

Paula Alvarez

Metropolitan Opera Ballet Dancer Paula Alvarez will dance the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy. Alvarez, from Mexico City, started training at the Academia de Ballet San Angel Inn where she completed the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance (ISTD) syllabus with Distinction. Upon graduating high school, she moved to New York City to train at the Joffrey Ballet School under the direction of Era Jouravlev. 

There she had the opportunity to perform leading roles in classical ballets such as Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote and The Nutcracker as well as Voices of Spring Pas de Deux by Fredrick Ashton. She started her career as a Soloist at Menlowe Ballet in California where she danced for 3 seasons. During quarantine, she got her CPYB teacher certification and has been working for Joffrey Ballet School as Master Faculty, choreographer and guest dancer, since September 2021. She danced for New York Theatre Ballet performing several soloist roles of The Nutcracker all over New York State. 

Paula’s story has been featured in major international newspapers. During the 2022-2023 season she joined the Metropolitan Opera in Lincoln Center to be a part of the 2019 revival of La Traviata and she is excited to continue working with the MetOpera Ballet as part of their classical production of Turandot in 2024.

James Monroe Števko returns to FPAC Holiday Productions as The Cavalier, having previously danced the role in Franklin in 2021. He is a NYC-based dancer who started dancing at the late age of 18 and was dubbed a "Late Bloomer" by Dekalb's Daily Chronicle eventually leading to his principal acting debut in the award-winning Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish as Mendl. 

Previously, he has danced at: The Metropolitan Opera, seven seasons at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, The Met Gala with Katy Perry, Milwaukee Ballet and City Ballet of San Diego. He teaches regularly and is a mentor to new graduates hoping to move to NYC in a new program, Off the Lane. 

FPAC Holiday Productions are presented at the Franklin High School Auditorium. For tickets and more information, visit www.FPAConline.com or call the box office at 508-528-3370. 

Raye Lynn talks about the FSPA 40th Anniversary & the FPAC season underway at THE BLACK BOX (audio)

FM #1308 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1308 in the series. 

This session shares my conversation with Raye Lynn Mercer, founder and director of the Franklin School for the Performing Arts (FSPA) and Artistic/Executive Director of the Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC). We had our discussion in the Franklin TV & Radio Studio on Wednesday, October 23, 2024.

 

Our conversation covers 

• 40th anniversary of Franklin School for the Performing Arts (FSPA)

• Franklin Performing Arts Company’s new season

• Fundraising efforts (The Gala, Culinary Cabaret, Golf Tournament, etc.)

• The role of arts & culture in the Franklin economy

The recording runs about 39 minutes, so let’s listen in. Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1308-fspa-40th-the-black-box-season-10-23-24/

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Franklin School for the Performing Arts (FSPA) -> https://www.fspaonline.com/ 

Visit Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) online at -> https://fpaconline.com/ 

The audio recording mentions: 38 Years at 38 Main -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2022/09/raye-lynn-mercer-shares-some-stories-of.html 

Fun pathways with Raye Lynn & Susana Cordon -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2023/09/talking-about-fun-pathways-at-fspa-with.html

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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial. 

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

• And if you have interest in reporting on meetings or events, please reach. We’ll share and show you what and how we do what we do

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/  or www.franklin.news 

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

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You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

Raye Lynn talks about the FSPA 40th Anniversary & the FPAC season underway at THE BLACK BOX (audio)