Thursday, September 1, 2016

September's Programs ~ Something for Everyone!



So many different offerings this month! Check them out here...


             
               Thursday September 15th at 7:00 pm
Making Good from the Great War: The United States' Entrance into World War I

One hundred years ago, President Woodrow Wilson faced a monumental dilemma about how to respond to the war in Europe, which had been raging for more than two years.  In this illustrated talk, Kurk Dorsey, Professor of History at UNH and a specialist on US foreign policy, will describe how Wilson tried to make something good from the Great War, first by trying to mediate a peace without victory and then by choosing to intervene in the war on the Allied side.  His decisions continue to reverberate today, as the United States tries to figure how to, among other things, make the world safe for democracy. Dr. Dorsey is returning to the Hancock Town Library by popular demand as his lectures are well-constructed, engaging and informative. Dr. Dorsey’s research interests include US foreign policy, environmental history, and the history of Canada. Free and open to all.

                                                                                              Tuesday September 20th at 7:00 pm

Join Dan Szczesny at the Hancock Town Library for an evening of Pulp Fiction history and readings from some of New England's finest short story writers. We'll look at the history of pulp noir fiction, we'll talk about the new pulp newsroom anthology, Murder Ink, written by New England authors and then we'll sit back and hear some great fiction from some murderously good readers!  Dan is a long time journalist, author, editor and travel writer living in Manchester, NH. He's written four books and is the editor of Murder Ink: Thirteen Tales of New England Newsroom Crime (Plaidswede Books, 2016). Free and open to all.

Thursday September 22nd at 7:00 pm
The Hourglass Readers Perform Henrik Ibsen's An Enemy of the People

The Hourglass Readers will present a reading of the play An Enemy of the People by Henrik Ibsen. Catherine Behrens will direct a cast of 11, comprising Dan Patterson, Kim Dupuis, Clare Margand, Richard Behrens, Damien Licata, James Duffy, Peter Eisenstadter, Don Wilmeth, Chris Pratt, Briauna Clay, and Penelope Garcia. The play addresses social issues that are very timely in this election season. Moral dilemmas, whistle-blowing, professional responsibilities – this 1882 play by Ibsen is as relevant today as it was over one hundred years ago.  Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906) was an iconoclast who attacked social conventions that he found outdated and unsuited to modern democratic ideals. He was very controversial in his day, but has since been recognized as one of our greatest dramatists and is considered the father of realism.  Shaw, Wilde, Joyce, O’Neill and Arthur Miller, among others, were greatly influenced by him. The Hourglass Readers was founded in 2006 by Catherine and Frank Behrens.  The group is dedicated to performing readings of classical dramatic works in an abridged format, allowing actors and audiences to explore works not often performed. Free and open to all.

Tuesday September 27th at 7:00 pm
The Legacy of Macbeth: Shakespeare, Verdi, and Raylynmor Opera with Ann McEntee

“Double, double toil and trouble,
Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.”

What comes to mind when you read these words?  Three crones bent over a bubbling cauldron?  Toads jumping out of that cauldron?  The silhouette of a woman and a cat riding a broomstick across a moonlit sky? The words of Macbeth’s weird sisters conjure up a world of witchcraft and sorcery, a world in which “time is out of joint.”  That world continues to fascinate us 410 years after Shakespeare first staged it. 
This program will cover our cultural fascination with witches and a world upended by political ambition and treason while also examining how Shakespeare manipulated historic documents to create the tragedy.  It also takes into account the sociopolitical climate of James’s first years as England’s king and founder of the Stuart monarchy. Raylynmor Opera’s upcoming production of Verdi’s Macbeth traverses time and space to the present-day United States.  Ben Robinson, the opera company’s artistic director, has written a new English libretto based directly upon Shakespeare’s text.  Set during a presidential election cycle, Robinson’s “Macbeth” transforms the Macbeths into a candidate and his “first lady” and the wired sisters into television reporters, talk show hosts, and print journalists.  This contemporary staging encourages us to consider how and to what extent the media manipulates our perceptions of current events and individuals in the “news.”  It asks how the media has, and in particular social media, eroded the line that separates the public and the private self?  Like Verdi, and Shakespeare before him, Robinson’s production reveals how a culture’s agent of disruption—in our case—communication technologies—leads to the disintegration of the individual. Raylynmor Opera is based out of Keene, NH and is the only opera entity in New Hampshire devoted to providing a stage for the vocal and artistic talents of artists from this region. Ann M. McEntee, PhD, is a small-college theatre and communications professor who has written about Shakespeare and directed stage productions of Shakespeare’s work. Free and open to all.

A Note from Miss Jenn

Congratulations to all our Summer Readers! The kids team won! With a total of 1313 hrs read by our team and 1,162 hrs by the adults we were only 25 hrs shy of our summer reading goal! For those of you who did not yet see the video of Amy dressed as the peacock visit our facebook page!

September Art Series with Melody Russell

Melody Russell will be teaching 3 classes this September. Each class is limited to 12 students so sign up is required for each class.
            September 13th @ 3:30 Friendship Bracelets
            September 20th @ 3:30 Paperbeads
            September 27th @ 3:30 Fimo Creations and Beads

September 14th 3:30pm-4:30 pm Tween/Teen Advisory Board

Join us for the first meeting of the Teen Advisory Board! We will be working together to find out what we should to add to the Teen collection, what programs you want to see at the library. This is your chance to have a say in how things work in the teen section! This group is for ages 10-18 yrs old.

Saturday September 17th 11 am Paws to Read with Toven

Come read to Toven, a gentle Great Pyrenees dog! Toven, a registered reading therapy dog, comes to the library once a month and loves when kids read to him. Reading to a therapy dog is great for children who want to improve their out-loud reading skills. Come meet Toven, you will love him!


Monday September 19th @ 3:30 pm Paws to Read with Coffee

Come by the library and practice your reading with Coffee the Chihuahua! Coffee, a registered reading therapy dog, loves when kids practice their reading with him or tell him stories.  Also, if you bring 3 non-perishable items for the Food Pantry, you get to choose a free stuffed animal graciously donated by Douglas Cuddle Toys!

Wednesdays Beginning September 28th  - November 16th  from 3:30-4:30 pm
Spanish Club for Middle School Students with Diane Goodman

Are you interested in speaking Spanish and learning about different cultures?  Diane Goodman is a Spanish educator in the Keene District and has been teaching Spanish for the past 20 years. She believes in bridging gaps between people with music, language, art, poetry, games, literature, and culture. We invite you to join us at the Hancock Library for an 8 week conversational Spanish session for the fall semester. This is open to Middle School students from 5th through 8th grade and beginners are welcome. There is a $125 per student fee payable to Ms. Goodman. A minimum of ten students and a maximum of 15 are needed so please contact the library to register for this wonderful opportunity to learn Spanish today! 525-4411 or hancocklibrary@comcast.net.

Every Thursday @ 10:30 Family Storytime

This storytime is open to all ages. Come listen to some stories and dance with scarves!

Lego Club will return on October 4th at 3:30 pm!


No comments: