"The Taming of the Shrew" in the open on the Dean quad Fri, Sat, and Sun

The best way to experience Shakespeare is to see a performance in person. To see an outdoor performance is an opportunity that is rapidly approaching for folks here in Franklin.

The Star Players of MA is collaborating with Dean College to perform "The Taming of the Shrew" in the open on the Dean quad.

This free performance is scheduled for the Friday, Saturday and Sunday before the Franklin Cultural Festival kicks off July 29th.

• Friday, July 24 - 7:00 PM 
• Saturday, July 25 - 7:00 PM 
• Sunday, July 26 - 2:00 PM

The Taming of the Shrew

Photos from dress rehearsal

Taming of the Shrew #1

Taming of the Shrew #2

Taming of the Shrew #3

In case of the rain, the performance will move inside to the Chapel in Dean Hall.

For a quick recap of "The Taming of the Shrew" check the wikipedia entry here
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Taming_of_the_Shrew

Franklin Cultural Festival - Sunday Stage Performances - Aug 2

The Circle of Friends Coffeehouse will set up stage outside THE BLACK BOX to provide a round of good music Sunday, Aug 2 from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

Circle of Friends Coffeehouse

Also around the parking lot at the same time will be the 8 restaurants offering a "Taste of Franklin" with a $2.00 minimum for 1 signature taste. You can sample from: 3, BAMBOO HOUSE,  ELIZABETH’S BAGELS, MAC DELI, THE CAKE BAR, THE CURRY HOUSE, THE ROME, and the UNION STREET GRILL 


Carolyn Waters - website 

Carolyn Waters

Stefilia's Stone - website

Stefilia's Stone

Jamie Barrett (Franklin music teacher) - website

Jaime Barrett

Jesse Hanson - website

Jesse Hanson

Kim Jennings  (originally from Franklin) - website

Kim Jennings

Lydia Warren - website

Lydia Warren

Schedule subject to change, any changes will be updated here as soon as known 

The full schedule of performances and events for the first annual Franklin Cultural Festival can be found here http://www.franklinsculturalfestival.org/

THE BLACK BOX Summer Concert Series presents The Kenny Hadley Big Band

THE BLACK BOX Summer Concert Series Jazz in July  welcomes The Kenny Hadley Big Band Friday, July 24, 2015 8:00 PM Kenny Hadley Big Band The critically acclaimed 16-piece juggernaut, led by drummer Kenny Hadley, boasts masterful musicians with performance ties to Big Band legends Woody Herman, Count Basie, Stan Kenton, Maynard Ferguson, Buddy Rich and more. The Kenny Hadley Big Band has shared the stage with such notables as the Count Basie Orchestra and the Duke Ellington Orchestra and has hosted guest soloists including Clark Terry and Louie Bellson.  Click here for Tickets Tickets will also be available at the door Cash Bar for Beer and Wine

Franklin Performing Arts Company uses Vendini for ticketing, marketing, and box office management.

Franklin Performing Arts Company - PO Box 16, Franklin, MA, 02038, (508) 528-8668
Vendini, Inc. - 660 Market Street, San Francisco, CA, 94104, 1 (800) 901-7173

View as a web page.

MassBudget: Massachusetts Third in Nation for Child Well-Being, But Many of Our Children Face Difficult Challenges

Massachusetts Third in Nation for Child Well-Being, But Many of Our Children Face Difficult Challenges        Children in Massachusetts lead the nation in educational achievement, and are at or near the top in a number of measures of health, but one in six children live in poverty and an increasing number of our children are growing up in very high poverty neighborhoods. These findings and detailed data on a wide array of measures of child well-being are presented in the Annie E. Casey Foundation's 2015 KIDS COUNT Data Book released today. The Data Book contains significant good news, particularly on education. In addition to our children leading the nation in reading and math proficiency, we are making real progress on reducing the number of students dropping out. Now 14% of our students don't graduate on time - that's too many, but it's down from 18% on 2008. But we remain a long way from providing each of our children with the support they need to succeed. For example, we lead the nation in the share of our children who are proficient in reading by fourth grade. But still more than half of our students - 53% - are not reading proficiently by fourth grade. We know that our economy and our society are stronger when every child has the opportunity to thrive (more info: Roadmap to Expanding Opportunity).  While Massachusetts ranks at the top in educational attainments and near the top in child health, on measures of family economic well-being we rank 17th. Raising the incomes of low and middle income families remains an important challenge for our Commonwealth (more info: The State of Working Massachusetts). The recent increase in the minimum wage, and the scheduled increases over the next two years should help - as will the likely to be enacted increase in the earned income tax credit. There is, of course, more that could be done to help working parents succeed in the workforce be better able to support and nurture their children. Working parents need affordable child care, a transportation system that lets them get to work, and often education and job training to improve their skills. There is strong evidence that when the income of low wage families increases, their children are helped not just in the short term, but also in the long term: they do better in school and earn more as adults (more info: Massachusetts's Earned Income Tax Credit). Read the 2015 Data Book HERE.  See all of our Kids Count Resources HERE.  MASSACHUSETTS BUDGET AND POLICY CENTER 15 COURT SQUARE, SUITE 700 BOSTON, MA 02108 The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget) produces policy research, analysis, and data-driven recommendations focused on improving the lives of low- and middle-income children and adults, strengthening our state's economy, and enhancing the quality of life in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center | 15 Court Square | Suite 700 | Boston | MA | 02108

Franklin Cultural Festival Schedule - Sunday, August 2

Sunday, August 2 

Circle of Friends stage (on THE BLACK BOX property )

12:00 PM to 5:00 PM

• Lydia Warren
• Jamie Barrett
• Jesse Hanson
• Kim Jennings
• Stefilia’s Stone
• Carolyn Waters 

Taste of Franklin (on THE BLACK BOX property )

12 Noon – 5:00 PM

• 3 
• BAMBOO HOUSE 
• ELIZABETH’S BAGELS 
• MAC DELI 
• THE CAKE BAR 
• THE CURRY HOUSE 
• THE ROME
• UNION STREET GRILL 

COST: $2.00 minimum for 1 signature taste

also on THE BLACK BOX property

12:00 PM to 4:00 PM - Ceramic bowl fundraiser for the Franklin Food Pantry

Franklin Historical Museum 

12:00 PM to 4:00 PM - Wool Spinning, Rug and Straw Braiding, Historical Film 

Franklin Methodist Church 

12:00 PM to 4:00 PM - FAA Art and Photography;  Robots and Magical Machines 

Inside THE BLACK BOX

12:00 PM to 4:00 PM - FAA Art and Photography by the FAA  


5:00 PM: CLOSING CEREMONY, THE BLACK BOX 

Franklin Cultural Festival - Arts Happen Here

The full schedule of performances and events for the first annual Franklin Cultural Festival can be found here  http://www.franklinsculturalfestival.org/

Economic Development Committee meeting - July 27 - 5:00 PM

From Town Councilor Matt Kelly

"We have set up the next EDC meeting for Monday the 27th. 

Here is the schedule:

• 5:00 p.m. Kearsarge Energy, Lease for Solar Proposal
• 5:45 p.m. Solect Energy Development, Lease for Solar Proposal
• 6:30 p.m. Baystone Development. Purchase and Develop Proposal

Each company will have 10 to 15 minutes to present their proposed projects, and then Town Officials will ask questions".

Franklin aerial photo of the Pond St Property

The RFP response documents can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/07/pond-st-rfp-responses-available-for.html

Prior meeting notes can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/p/meeting-notes.html

Franklin Library: Discover India through Dance - July 22, 1:00 PM

The Franklin Public Library will host a program on "Discover India through Dance". Scheduled for Wednesday, July 22 at 1:00 PM.

Franklin Library: Discover India through Dance

This was shared from the Franklin Library page
http://franklinpl.blogspot.com/2015/07/discover-india-through-dance.html

Another in the series of summer programs sponsored by the Friends of Franklin Library.