2 Original FPAC musicals, Humbug! A Beggar’s Opera and ’Tis the Season!

The Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) presents two original FPAC musicals, Humbug! A Beggar’s Opera and ’Tis the Season!, for the holidays this year.

A family favorite since debuting as part of FPAC’s 2008 season, Humbug! is an original musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol starring the script’s writer, Nick Paone, as Scrooge. With musical hits of every genre and live accompaniment by a 10-piece band of professional musicians, Humbug! transports audiences from Dickensian England to contemporary America as the novel’s characters and storyline are cleverly reimagined with modern setting and dialogue. Newly restaged for THE BLACK BOX, FPAC’s new home and performance venue in downtown Franklin, Humbug! delivers a holiday gift of hilarity with a timely and timeless message.

FPAC's Humbug!

Paone has reinvented the Dickens story for a modern audience, producing satire with updated references to current events and pop culture. As Scrooge embarks on his transformative journey of self-redemption, he faces his nighttime visitors with unexpected twists and hilarious turns along the way. The plotline is supported by an entertaining and accessible score that includes creative treatments of Broadway and pop hits. A talented cast of 40 brings Paone’s fresh interpretation of Dickens’ work to the stage.

’Tis the Season!, an original large cast musical first presented by FPAC in 1995, returns by popular demand to entertain audiences with great merriment, fanfare and fun. The upbeat, jazzy extravaganza features members of the Kenny Hadley Big Band with contemporary arrangements of favorite holiday classics in musical styles ranging from swing, R&B and gospel to rock, pop and Broadway.

The show spotlights over 100 singers and dancers. Musical arrangements include Andy Williams’ It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year and Happy Holiday, songs from several popular television Christmas specials, Quincy Jones’ sensational version of the Hallelujah Chorus, and many surprises. Notes Director Raye Lynn Mercer, “’Tis the Season! is reminiscent of a good old-fashioned Christmas special with great singing, dancing and holiday fun. The show is guaranteed to entertain audiences of all ages.”

• FPAC presents ’Tis the Season! on Saturday, December 20 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, December 21 at 2 p.m. at the Thomas D. Mercer Auditorium, 224 Oak Street, in Franklin. 
• Performances of Humbug! are on December 12 at 7:30 p.m., December 13 at 2:00 and 7:30 p.m., and December 14 at 2 p.m. at THE BLACK BOX, located at 15 West Central Street.

Big Y and Waters Corporation are 2014 FPAC Holiday Performance Sponsors. For more information and tickets to FPAC holiday shows, visit www.fpaconline.com or call (508) 528-3370.

Franklin Downtown Partnership: Murphy Business Holiday Gathering

Murphy Business invites you to a holiday gathering

Knock Off Early - Party at Murphy Business! Please join us at our office for some holiday fun next Thursday, December 11th!  We're wrapping up  two weeks of collecting for the Franklin Food Pantry  that day and will be serving up whoopie pies from 3 - 6pm  (made by our friend Kerri at Making Whoopie).   Not into dessert?   Then come have a drink.  Just please make sure you bring along  a can of tuna, or better yet a couple of bottles of shampoo,  which is the pantry's #1 need.  No regrets necessary; just please advise if you're coming so we get enough Cheez Doodles (crunchy - duh).  Thanks!     Chris    PS: Please visit Making Whoopie on Facebook to see why so  many people like what they do...    Chris Bond Murphy Business 15 East Central St. Franklin, MA 02038 D: (508) 440-5670 C: (508) 380-7997

Help Others To Have A Merry Little Christmas

Help others to have a Merry Little Christmas Please grab a tag from around the Team Fitness club doors or on the tree and buy a gift for the child: example: Elaine-5yo-baby doll. Please place gifts under or around our tree. All gifts due by December 18th so we can get the gifts to the Santa Foundation on the 19th. Thank you again for helping the local families of Franklin. Purchase a gift card for $99.00 Get a gift card with $120 value. November 21 - December 24, 2014 Holiday 2014 Gift Card Special Team Fitness and CrossFit Franklin Limit 2 cards per person Cannot be used for membership dues. (Exception: a gift card may be purchased and given to a non-member to be used toward a NEW membership. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other special, sale or promotion. Gift cards can be used for all other services in Club: Personal Training, Small Group Training, CFour, Retail items, Smoothies and smoothie cards, Progenex, Kill Cliff, Fuel for Fire, Advocare.

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Hockomock Sports: FHS Basketball Season Preview

Hockomock Sports has published their preview of the  Boys and Girls Basketball teams for the Kelly-Rex division. The Franklin portion of both articles are captured here along with the links to read the full articles.

It's safe to say that Franklin is not just starting a new chapter in the program, but arguably a whole new book. Dean O'Connor and the field house are gone. CJ Neely takes over the program and the team will play in a new state of the art gym. One thing that remains the same is the winning standard. 

"I'm really looking forward to growing as a team and focusing on day to day progress," Neely said. "I expect our kids to really have to battle day to day for minutes which should make practices very competitive and enjoyable. If we stay focused on commitment to daily improvement I hope to be in contention in a highly talented and deep Hockomock league and make a strong tournament showing." 

FHS Panthers

Six-foot-seven Marcus Giese returns as not only one of the better post players in the league, but one of the best players period. He's tough to defend around the rim and he showed last year that he can has extended his range. On defense, his shot blocking ability is unmatched and makes it tough to score in the paint. Tim Prunier had a breakout sophomore year last season and will look to build on that while Dylan Reno will emerge as a key player on both ends of the court.

Read the full boys basketball preview article by Hockomock Sports here
http://www.hockomocksports.com/blog/hockomock-boys-basketball-kelley-rex-preview

The Panthers return all but two regular players from last season’s team, which lost the league title by a single game and reached the D1 Central semifinal in Franklin’s first year competing outside of Eastern Mass. Head coach John Leighton knows that his team enters the season with huge expectations, especially with star forward Lexi Martin back for her senior season and recently signed to play at Merrimack College. 

“Lexi signed and that’s nice because now she can focus on the season without having to worry about it,” said Leighton. Along with Martin, Franklin returns a cast of players that can all play major roles in the drive and kick system that Leighton runs. Julianne Pisani was the team’s leading scorer in the tournament with Martin out injured and will be joined in the backcourt by her twin sister Tracey, who was the HockomockSports.com Defensive Player of the Year last winter. 

Jillian Spolidoro adds size and shooting on the wing and junior Aubrie Kutil continues to develop into a weapon on the post. Alexandra Ethier and Olivia Adiletto will add scoring off the bench and Leighton expects junior Lauren Rudolph to return from an ankle injury that she suffered during the soccer season and add another shooter off the bench. 

As if that was not enough talent to work with, Leighton is also looking for Caroline Maguire, Meghan Georges and “dynamic” freshman Kiera Fernandes to contribute as well. After regularly making deep runs in the tournament, Leighton is hopeful that this year’s team can “break through” and bring a title home to its new gym.

Read the full girls basketball preview by Hockomock Sports here
http://www.hockomocksports.com/blog/hockomock-girls-basketball-kelley-rex-preview

Franklin Library: Book Sale - Dec 13-14

The monthly book sale will be held this weekend. Books on sale Saturday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Books by the bag on sale on Sunday from 9:00 AM to Noon.

Classical music performed by Betty Kushner from 9:00 to 10:00 AM on Saturday.

Franklin Library: Book Sale 12/13, Bag Sale 12/14

This post was shared from the Library page here
http://franklinpl.blogspot.com/2014/12/library-book-sale.html

FPAC Stages Holiday Musical Performance For Area Community Organizations

The Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) will host a special performance of the original holiday musical ’Tis the Season! for community youth, family and social services organizations on Friday, December 19, at 7:30 p.m. at the Thomas D. Mercer Auditorium, located at 224 Oak Street in Franklin.

FPAC will distribute complimentary tickets for the December 19 performance through community organizations, including the Hockomock Area YMCA, local Best Buddies chapters, and Franklin Food Pantry. For more information about ticket availability, representatives from nonprofit community service organizations are encouraged to call 508-528-3370 or email Alan Mercer at amercer@fpaconline.com.

Franklin Performing Arts Company

’Tis the Season!, an original large cast musical first presented by FPAC in 1995, is an upbeat, jazzy extravaganza featuring members of the Kenny Hadley Big Band with contemporary arrangements of favorite holiday classics in musical styles ranging from swing, R&B, and gospel to rock, pop, and Broadway. The show spotlights over 100 singers and dancers. Musical arrangements include Andy Williams’ It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year and Happy Holiday, songs from several popular television Christmas specials, Quincy Jones’ sensational version of the Hallelujah Chorus, and many surprises. Ring in the holidays with great merriment, fanfare and fun!


A distinctive suburban non-profit arts organization founded in 1991, FPAC supports educational arts experiences, quality entertainment, and outstanding performance opportunities for professional artists, community performers, and students of the arts. With a focus on youth development and a commitment to live music, FPAC productions draw performers and audiences from more than 100 communities throughout the region.

Tickets are available for purchase by the general public for regularly scheduled performances of ’Tis the Season! on December 20 at 7:30 p.m. and on December 21 at 2 p.m. For more information, call 508-528-3370 or visit www.fpaconline.com.

Franklin Performing Arts Company

In the News: break-in trio arrested

Two Franklin women and an Andover man, whom police say are suspects in at least 10 area house break-ins, are being held on $10,000 bail after their arraignment in Wrentham District Court Friday on charges related to a Plainville burglary last week, police said. 

Rachelle O’Handley, 27, of 431 Lincoln St., Franklin, Sandra Salazar, 26, of 606 East Central St., Franklin, and James Howard, 35, of 15 High St., Andover, pleaded not guilty to charges of breaking and entering during the daytime with intent to commit a felony, receiving stolen property of more than $250 and possession of a Class A drug, heroin, police said. 

All three are also on probation for previous offenses, according to court documents.

Continue reading the full article in the Milford Daily News here (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20141209/NEWS/141207062/1994/NEWS