Showing posts with label FPAC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label FPAC. Show all posts

Sunday, December 7, 2025

What's happening in Franklin, MA: Sunday, December 7, 2025 ???

Sunday, December 7

10:00am Girl Scout Cookie Sale (Shaw's)

1:00pm Franklin Historical Museum (always free)

1:00pm Franklin in Miniature/Train Town exhibit (Franklin Historical Museum)

1:00pm Musical Bingo (Teddy Gallagher's Irish Pub)

2:00pm The Nutcracker (Franklin High School)


** NO Town Meetings today   **



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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

Saturday, December 6, 2025

What's happening in Franklin, MA: Saturday, December 6, 2025 ???

Saturday, December 6

8:30am Girl Scout Cookie Sale (United States Postal Service)
9:00am Christmas Fair & more (St John's Episcopal Church)
9:00am Thrifty Threads (Franklin Federated Church)
9:00am Fallen Hero: Harry R. Bean (Veteran Walkway, Franklin Town Common)
9:30am Wreath and Holiday Arrangement Sale (Daddario’s Hardware Store) 
10:00am Franklin Historical Museum (always free)
10:00am Train Town Franklin #3 - opens (Franklin Historical Museum)
10:30am Mike Bent's Ho Ho Hocus Pocus Magic Show! (Franklin Public Library)
3:00pm Maker Moment Silk Scarf Painting (Franklin Public Library)
7:30pm Ellis Paul, Alice Peacock opening (ticketed concert) (Circle of Friends Coffeehouse)
7:30pm Faculty Dance Works  (ticketed event) (Dean College Main Stage Theater)
7:30pm The Nutcracker (ticketed event)(FPAC, Franklin High School)
8:00pm Karaoke at The Raillery (Raillery Public House)

** NO Town Meetings today   **



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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


Sunday, November 30, 2025

Viral TikTok 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 6 and 7 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 Steven Lipsitt, 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. 

Ballet Dancer Louis DeFelice
Ballet Dancer Louis DeFelice
Ballet Dancer Louis DeFelice, who has gained notoriety for his viral dance-themed TikToks will dance the role of The Cavalier. DeFlice studied under Stanislav Issaev and graduated from the Kirov Academy in Washington, DC. He was most recently a company member with New Jersey Ballet, performing as a principal in Robbins’ Fancy Free, a soloist in Balanchine’s Rubies, and originating a part in the premier of Lauren Lovette’s Jewel Box. He also tours in Europe and the US as a guest artist in shows including The Nutcracker and Swan Lake. He is from Columbia, South Carolina and is the co-founder of the dance wear company Barre Trash.

Joining him as The Sugar Plum Fairy is Mari Takayama. Originally from Japan, Takayama currently resides in NYC where she has performed principal and soloist roles with the Eglevsky Ballet, Connecticut Ballet, City Dance NY, Neville Dance Theatre, and was a trainee with the American Repertory Ballet dancing the lead role of Clara in “The Nutcracker”. Prior to moving to the US, she graduated from the ballet course at Senzoku Gakuen College of Music in Japan with two scholarships. During her college years, she organized and choreographed ballet, musical, and contemporary performances. Mari has participated in various intensive programs, including those at American Ballet Theatre, Miami City Ballet, American Academy of Ballet in New York, Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, D.C., and Bolshoi Ballet Academy. Her repertoire includes roles such as Sugar Plum Fairy, Clara, and Dew Drop Fairy in ‘The Nutcracker,’ as well as roles in ‘Flames of Paris,’ ‘Dracula,’ ‘Paquita,’ ‘Don Quixote,’ and ‘Giselle.’

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. 

Sunday, November 23, 2025

What's happening in Franklin, MA: Sunday, November 23, 2025 ???

Sunday, November 23

1:00pm Franklin Historical Museum (always free)

1:00pm Mean Girls performed by FHSTC (Franklin High School)

1:00pm Musical Bingo (Teddy Gallagher's Irish Pub)

2:00pm Peter and the Starcatcher (THE BLACK BOX)



**  NO  Town Meetings today   **

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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

Friday, November 21, 2025

What's happening in Franklin, MA: Friday, November 21, 2025 ???

Friday, November 21

10:00am Knitting Group (Franklin Public Library)
1:00pm Thrifty Threads (Franklin Federated Church)
6:00pm Jennifer Tefft (live music) (Quarterdeck)
7:00pm Mean Girls performed by FHSTC (Franklin High School)
7:30pm Peter and the Starcatcher (THE BLACK BOX)
8:00pm Ken Barney (live music) (Eagle Brook Saloon)


For additional details on Library events -> 

For additional details on Senior Center events ->   

Library & Senior Center events
Library & Senior Center events



**    Town Meetings today   **

FOFE Meeting

Friday, November 21 Time: 9:00 AM


Council on Aging Meeting

Friday, November 21 Time: 1:30 PM



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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

Saturday, November 1, 2025

Do you have your tickets to the FPAC GALA on November 8 ???

Broadway’s Ben Cameron returns for a night out at THE BLACK BOX in downtown Franklin! 

Delight in a vibrant fundraising extravaganza of cocktails, dinner by 3 Restaurant, live and online auctions, interactive raffles, and performances by Broadway, NYC, and FPAC artists.

Gala proceeds support FPAC programming and THE BLACK BOX while encouraging the development of emerging artists. The Gala helps FPAC bring world-class talent to perform in downtown Franklin, amplifying the cultural fabric of MetroWest Boston.

CLICK HERE to purchase tickets and choose your meals. Tickets purchased after 5 PM October 31, 2025 will have limited meal options on a first-come, first served basis.



Thursday, October 30, 2025

Cast Announced for FPAC’s Peter and the Starcatcher

Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) will present the Tony-winning play Peter and the Starcatcher November 21-23 at THE BLACK BOX directed by Ali Funkhouser. The play upends the century-old story of how a miserable orphan comes to be The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up (a.k.a. Peter Pan). From marauding pirates and jungle tyrants to unwilling comrades and unlikely heroes, Peter and the Starcatcher playfully explores the depths of greed and despair, and the bonds of friendship, duty and love.

Cast Announced for FPAC’s Peter and the Starcatcher
Cast Announced for FPAC’s Peter and the Starcatcher

The 12-person cast features NYC actors Robbie Rescigno as Black Stache, Paul Rescigno as Smee, Emiliano Morales (Chicago tour) as Bill Slank/Hawking Clam, and Gabriel Argate as Mrs. Bumbrake; Massachusetts-based Michael Baratta as Lord Aster, Conor Meehan as Alf, and Nick Paone as Grempkin/Fighting Prawn; and Dean College Musical Theater Senior Jason Robert Warner as Captain Scott. 

They are joined by Student Apprentices from the Franklin School for the Performing Arts Owen Charles as Boy, Ricky Fraser as Ted, Colette Lelievre as Molly, and Matthew Packard as Prentiss. FPAC Student Apprentice Baree Frigon will understudy Molly and serve as the production’s Assistant Choreographer. 

Featuring a dozen actors portraying more than 100 unforgettable characters, Peter and the Starcatcher uses ingenious stagecraft and the limitless possibilities of imagination to bring the story to life: A young orphan and his mates are shipped off from Victorian England to a distant island ruled by the evil King Zarboff. They know nothing of the mysterious trunk in the captain’s cabin, which contains a precious, otherworldly cargo. 

At sea, the boys are discovered by a precocious young girl named Molly, a Starcatcher-in-training who realizes that the trunk’s precious cargo is starstuff, a celestial substance so powerful that it must never fall into the wrong hands. When the ship is taken over by pirates – led by the fearsome Black Stache, a villain determined to claim the trunk and its treasure for his own – the journey quickly becomes a thrilling adventure. 

Before the Friday and Saturday evening performances of FPAC’s Peter and the Starcatcher, audiences are invited to swing by The Mermaid for a drink 6:00-7:00 PM. When this add-on ticket is purchased, patrons will gain access to a pre-show experience that transports them to a seaside English pub. To the sounds of the waves and live sea shanties, patrons will enjoy drinks and snacks before the show. Pub admission is 21+. The add-on ticket to this pre-show experience includes admission to The Mermaid, an appetizer, soft drink, and reserved seating for the purchased ticket. Drinks and additional food will be available for purchase.

FPAC is an Actors’ Equity Small Professional Theater company based at THE BLACK BOX in downtown Franklin, MA. Each season, FPAC produces musicals, plays, ballets, and more featuring Broadway stars, professional actors, local performers, and emerging artists. Tickets for Peter and the Starcatcher are available at FPAConline.com or by calling the box office at 508-528-3370.

Thursday, October 2, 2025

FPAC’s Annie to feature Broadway Dog

When the Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) presents the beloved, family musical Annie this October 17-26 at THE BLACK BOX in Franklin, MA, young local actor Colette Lelievre will star opposite Bailey, a dog from Berloni Theatrical Animals who has years of professional acting credits. Bailey’s appearance as Sandy is brought to FPAC by the Parkman Family Foundation.

Bill Berloni was a 20-year-old apprentice at the Goodspeed Opera House when a producer offered him his big break: a chance to act professionally and gain his Equity Card. In return, all he had to do was find and train a dog to play Sandy in the original production of Annie. What Berloni didn’t know was that this was a bigger challenge than it seemed. 
Bailey
Bailey

Animal performances in movies or television can be stitched together using different takes, different camera angles, even different animals. To perform in a featured role, an animal actor would have to be trained to ignore the distraction of the audience and respond to the same cues the same way night-after-night, just like his human counterparts. 

It had never been done before. Berloni found his dog at a local animal shelter – beginning his career-long commitment to using rescued animals. Through a combination of persistence, patience and trial-and-error, he developed his revolutionary humane training techniques – learning how to teach actors and animals alike to create a successful performance. Annie became a huge hit and Sandy became “the longest running dog on Broadway,” never missing a performance in more than seven years.

Since then, Berloni and his handlers have provided animals of all species and sizes, found in shelters, humane societies or rescue leagues, for Broadway, off-Broadway, national tours, regional theatres, special events, the New York City Ballet, motion pictures, television and commercials. When their careers are over, the animals return to Berloni’s Connecticut farm. 

He is widely recognized as an expert in animal behavior and for his dedication to rescue work. In addition to his work as a trainer, Bill is currently behavior consultant to the Humane Society of New York. He has a BFA in theatre, and is a published author and actor.

Bailey, who will perform as Sandy with FPAC, was rescued by Bill Berloni from Puppy Love Rescue in Louisiana. He is a Poodle mixed with something large. His theater credits include Finding Neverland, the national tour of Peter Pan, Because of Winn Dixie at Goodspeed Musicals, and Annie at theaters all over the U.S. Joining Bailey for FPAC’s production is Berloni Animal Handler John Grimsley. Grimsley has been a dedicated member of the William Berloni Theatrical Animals team since 1979. His credits with Theatrical Animals include numerous Broadway and Off-Broadway productions such as Camelot, Alice in Wonderland, Annie Warbucks, Paper Doll, Whistle Down the Wind, and The Wizard of Oz, as well as 37 productions of Annie. He has also handled animals for television, film, commercials, and the Tony Awards.

FPAC is an Actors’ Equity Small Professional Theater company based at THE BLACK BOX in downtown Franklin, MA. Each season, FPAC produces musicals, plays, ballets, and more featuring Broadway stars, professional actors, local performers, and emerging artists. Tickets for Annie are available at FPAConline.com or by calling the box office at 508-528-3370. 

Friday, September 26, 2025

Cast Announced for FPAC’s Annie

Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) will present the beloved, family musical Annie October 17-26 at THE BLACK BOX in Franklin, MA. The production stars young local actor Colette Lelievre in the title role. Lelievre is a Bellingham, MA resident who attends Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School and the Franklin School for the Performing Arts. 

L to R: Colette Lelievre, Maria Sylvia Norris, Nick Paone, Zoë Iacovelli
L to R: Colette Lelievre, Maria Sylvia Norris,
Nick Paone, Zoë Iacovelli
Joining Lelievre onstage are NYC’s Maria Sylvia Norris (Beetlejuice on tour) as Miss Hannigan, Robbie Rescigno as Rooster, and Ali Funkhouser as Lily St. Regis, as well as local FPAC favorites Nick Paone as Daddy Warbucks and Zoë Iacovelli as Grace Farrell. 

The cast features Bailey from Bill Berloni Theatrical Animals as Sandy. Bailey’s appearance as Sandy is brought to FPAC by the Parkman Family Foundation. The Orphans will be played by Kylie Adams, Tawny Adams, Katie Cornwell, Halley Henderson, Bella Pereira, Eliza Rodenhiser, Maja Thaker, Zoey Tucker, and Abby Winsor. 

The ensemble, comprised of NYC and Boston/Providence talent as well as collegiate actors from programs including Dean College, includes Melissa Baratta, Michael Baratta, Gia Mae Chessa, Charley Eastman, Andrew Scott Holmes, Conor Meehan, Emiliano Morales, Andy Saehan Shin, Kellie Stamp, Lindsay Tomas, Jason Robert Warner, and Isis Wilson. 

They will be joined by Student Apprentice Performers from the Franklin School for the Performing Arts Ani Corkran, Baree Frigon, Hailey Hulbig, Owen Charles, Ricky Fraser, Arabella Girouard, Penny Keenan, Suri Pahari, and Savannah Schlieman. 

Based on the popular comic strip by Harold Gray, Annie has become a worldwide phenomenon and was the winner of seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The beloved book and score by Tony Award winners, Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin, features some of the greatest musical theatre hits ever written, including “Tomorrow.” 

Directed by Raye Lynn Mercer with Music Direction by Hallie Wetzell, the production  features choreography by Broadway’s Clay Rice-Thomson (Moulin Rouge, KING KONG, Newsies, Matilda). 

Before Friday and Saturday evening performances of FPAC’s Annie, audiences have the option to step into Hannigan’s: a 1930s speakeasy. When an add-on ticket is purchased, patrons will be sent instructions to find and enter this secret establishment including the password. Inside, patrons will be greeted by the prohibition-era staff and enjoy drinks, snacks, and live music. Speakeasy admission is 21+. 

If patrons are attending the show with kids, they can follow Mr. Bundles to The Orphanage (the Orange Studio at the Franklin School for the Performing Arts) for supervised games and activities until 7:00pm. Only kids with a ticket to that night’s performance are permitted. The activities/supervision option is recommended for kids 12 and under, but all are welcome. The add-on ticket to this pre-show experience includes the password to Hannigan’s (it changes every night), an appetizer, soft drink, and reserved seating for the purchased ticket. Drinks and additional food will be available for purchase.

FPAC is an Actors’ Equity Small Professional Theater company based at THE BLACK BOX in downtown Franklin, MA. Each season, FPAC produces musicals, plays, ballets, and more featuring Broadway stars, professional actors, local performers, and emerging artists. Tickets for Annie are available at FPAConline.com or by calling the box office at 508-528-3370. 

Friday, August 8, 2025

FPAC Audition Alert: Auditions for Non-Equity Local Adults

Audition Alert: Auditions for Non-Equity Local Adults for Annie & Peter and the Starcatcher will be held by appointment on Thursday, September 4th from 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM at THE BLACK BOX.

FPAC Audition Alert: Auditions for Non-Equity Local Adults
FPAC Audition Alert: Auditions for Non-Equity Local Adults
Sign up at FPAConline.com/auditions. Additionally, non-AEA actors may be seen, time-permitting, at our Full Season EPAs (8/27 NYC, 9/5 Franklin).

Please bring a headshot/resume.

FOR ANNIE:
Prepare 16-32 bars in the stye of the show. Please bring sheet music. Accompanist provided.

FOR PETER AND THE STARCATCHER:
Please prepare a brief monologue OR you may read from sides provided at the audition.

*If auditioning for both shows please sign up for 2 slots in the same 10 minute time frame (by using the quantity drop down feature.)
If this option is not available, please email FPACcasting@gmail.com




Tuesday, July 29, 2025

FPAC Searching for Kids to Star in ANNIE and PETER AND THE STARCATCHER

The Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) is seeking young local actors ages 8-18 to complete their casts for their October production of Annie and November production of Peter and the Starcatcher at THE BLACK BOX. 

Children’s Auditions for both shows will be held on September 6th from 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM at THE BLACK BOX located at 15 W. Central Street in Franklin, MA. Those auditioning for Annie are asked to prepare 16-32 bars of a musical theater song and those auditioning for Peter and the Starcatcher are given the option of preparing a brief monologue or reading one provided at the audition. Sign-ups for audition time slots are open now at FPAConline.com/auditions

FPAC Searching for Kids to Star in ANNIE and PETER AND THE STARCATCHER
FPAC Searching for Kids to Star in ANNIE
and PETER AND THE STARCATCHER
Those auditioning for both shows are asked to sign up for two slots in the same “group” when possible. For full character descriptions and instrument information, visit FPAConline.com/auditions. All questions regarding the audition/casting process can be emailed to FPACcasting@gmail.com

Annie will be directed by FPAC Artistic Director Raye Lynn Mercer, choreographed by Broadway’s Clay Rice-Thomson (Moulin Rouge, Matilda, Newsies, King Kong), with music direction by FPAC’s Resident Music Director Hallie Wetzell. The production runs October 17-26 at THE BLACK BOX. Peter and the Starcatcher will be directed by NYC’s Ali Funkhouser and run November 21-23 at THE BLACK BOX. 

FPAC is a professional regional theater (Actors’ Equity SPT Tier 1). The casts and creative teams are made up of Broadway stars, professionals from NYC and Boston, local talent, and student apprentices. All performers 18 (high school) and under cast in FPAC productions appear as “Student Apprentices.” 

The FPAC Student Apprentice program gives students of the arts a chance to share the stage with and be directed/choreographed by Broadway stars and New York, Boston, and local professional artists. A learning experience in the world of professional regional theater, Student Apprentices are sometimes called upon to assist FPAC’s Stage Management team and crew with things like technical rehearsals, upkeep of THE BLACK BOX space, and more. 

Based on the popular comic strip by Harold Gray, Annie has become a worldwide phenomenon and was the winner of seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The beloved book and score by Tony Award winners, Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin, features some of the greatest musical theatre hits ever written, including “Tomorrow.” 

Peter and the Starcatcher is a play with music that upends the century-old story of how a miserable orphan comes to be The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up (a.k.a. Peter Pan). From marauding pirates and jungle tyrants, to unwilling comrades and unlikely heroes, Peter and the Starcatcher playfully explores the depths of greed and despair… and the bonds of friendship, duty, and love.

Tickets for FPAC’s entire 2025-26 Season will be available soon at FPAConline.com or by calling the box office at 508-528-3370. 

Friday, July 25, 2025

Auditions for roles in FPAC’s productions of Annie and Peter and the Starcatcher!

 Announcing auditions for kids ages 8-18 for roles in FPAC’s productions of Annie and Peter and the Starcatcher

Auditions for roles in FPAC’s productions of Annie
Auditions for roles
Auditions will be held on Saturday, September 6th from 10:00am-1:00pm at THE BLACK BOX (15 W. Central St.). 

Sign-ups for audition slots will open Friday, July 25 at FPAConline.com/auditions

If you are auditioning for both shows, please sign up for 2 consecutive time slots. Callbacks for both shows and an invited dance call for Annie will be held later in the day. 

All performers 18 (high school) and under cast in FPAC productions appear as “Student Apprentices.” For more information on FPAC’s Student Apprentice program, email FPACcasting@gmail.com 

Auditions for roles in FPAC’s productions of Annie
Auditions for roles


Auditions for Adult Roles (AEA and non-AEA) and the rest of FPAC’s Season will be available soon!



Sunday, June 22, 2025

Franklin Performing Arts Company announces their next season


ANNIE | OCT. 17-26 | 
Based on the popular comic strip by Harold Gray, Annie has become a worldwide phenomenon. Directed by FPAC Artistic Director @rayelynnmercer with choreography by Broadway’s @clayricethomson (Moulin Rouge, Matilda, Newsies, King Kong), & Music Direction by @halliejw . Featuring “Sandy” the dog from Berloni Theatrical Animals!

Franklin Performing Arts Company announces their next season
Franklin Performing Arts Company
announces their next season
PETER AND THE STARCATCHER | NOV. 21-23 | 
Directed by @alifunk , the play upends the century-old story of how a miserable orphan comes to be The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up (aka Peter Pan). Featuring 12 actors portraying over 100 characters, Peter and the Starcatcher uses ingenious stagecraft & the limitless possibilities of imagination to bring the story to life.

STEEL MAGNOLIAS | JAN. 23-25 | 
Before the iconic 1989 film broke box office records nationwide, Louisiana salon owner Truvy first set up shop on the stage. Directed by Robbie Rescigno, through laughter, tears, & a thick fog of hairspray, the colorful cast of regulars and employees that frequent Truvy’s establishment face trials & triumphs armed with their greatest strength: each other.

INTO THE WOODS | MAR. 13-22 | 
Directed by Raye Lynn Mercer, the story follows a baker & his wife, who wish to have a child; Cinderella, who wishes to attend the King’s Festival; & Jack, who wishes his cow would give milk. Everyone’s wish is granted, but the consequences of their actions return to haunt them later with disastrous results. 

ONCE | JUN. 5-7 | 
Directed by Raye Lynn Mercer, on the streets of Dublin, an Irish musician and a Czech immigrant are drawn together by their shared love of music. Over the course of one fateful week, an unexpected friendship & collaboration quickly evolves into a powerful but complicated love story, underscored by emotional music including the Oscar-winning “Falling Slowly.” 

FPAC Holiday Productions will mount our annual production of The Nutcracker DEC. 6-7 & Humbug! DEC. 20-21!

Tickets available soon online at https://theblackboxonline.com/


Friday, June 6, 2025

What's happening in Franklin, MA: Friday, June 6, 2025 ???

Friday, June 6

9:00am Kennedy Concert (John F. Kennedy Memorial School)
Library & Senior Center events

10:00am Knitting Group (Franklin Public Library)

12:15pm Horace Mann Middle School Student Poetry Reading  (Franklin Senior Center)

12:30pm Annual Tee-Off for Tri-County Golf Tournament (Wentworth Hills Country Club)

1:00pm Thrifty Threads (Franklin Federated Church)

2:00pm Farmers Market (Franklin Town Common)

3:00pm Joe Marino (live music) (Franklin Town Common)

5:00pm FHS Graduation (Franklin High School) Note time changed to potentially get ahead/away from storms 

7:30pm FPAC: Little Women (THE BLACK BOX)

For additional details on Library & Senior Center events ->   
** NO Town Meetings today   **


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


What's happening today in Franklin?
What's happening today in Franklin? 
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