Category Archives: Entertainment

Roundup: Lynsey Addario, Staples Musicians, Female Entrerpreneurs …

Posted on March 19, 2024 | 1 comment

What do Lynsey Addario, Christiane Amanpour, Carl Bernstein and Robert Woodward have in common?

They — and 12 others — will be honored by Long Island University, as the first-ever Polk Laureates, “for outstanding contributions to American journalism in the spirit of George Polk.”

The April 12 event marks the 75th anniversary of its George Polk Awards in journalism. It’s at Cipriani 42nd Street, and will hosted by Anderson Cooper.

Lynsey Addario

The 16 honorees’ careers reflect the Polk Awards’ commitment to “outstanding investigative reporting.

LIU calls Addario — a 1991 graduate of Staples High School — a “fearless and resourceful combat photographer whose photo in 2022 of a Ukrainian family slain by a Russian mortar was just one example of compelling work in war zones across the world.”

In early 2022, Lynsey Addario’s photo of Ukrainian soldiers trying to save the father of a family of 4 — the only one who still had a pulse — after being hit by a mortar near Kyiv drew worldwide attention to the horrors of Russia’s invasion.

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Four very different women founders and investors offered insights and advice last night, to a large Westport Library crowd.

The event celebrated StartUp Westport‘s 1st anniversary, along with Women’s History Month.

Tracy Cho (Qeepsake, a family-story company), Marissa Fayer (DeepLook Medical, women’s health), Alison Gregory (AreaHub, environmental information) and Kathryn Winokur (Hally Hair, beauty products) described the joys and challenges of their work.

Moderator Galia Gichon — co-managing partner of Tidal River Fund — asked compelling questions about “angel investors,” mentors and more. The public had their chance too, with several entrepreneurs speaking up at the end.

Among the takeaways:

  • “You have to make hard decisions on the fly, and be comfortable with them.”
  • Female entrepreneurs are often asked, “What does your husband do?” Men are never asked that.
  • “You should support and invest, to help create the world you want.”
  • Only 2% of all venture capital funds go to women.

The next StartUp Westport event is April 30. ESPN CEO Jimmy Pitaro — a Westport resident — will be honored as Innovator of the Year. Click here for tickets, and more information.

From left: Alison Gregory, Marissa Fayer, Tracy Cho, Kathryn Winokur and moderator Galia Gichon, at last night’s StartUp Westport panel. (Photo/Dan Woog)

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Twelve Staples High School musicians have earned All-State recognition.

Congratulations to band members Deneil Betfarhad (trumpet), Ryder Levine (flute) and Zachary Newshel (timpani); orchestra members Isabel Jo (viola), Ludovit Pauliny (oboe) and Ayush Rudra (double bass), and choir singers Demi Betfarhad (bass), Josie Caricato (alto), Sofia Donroe (alto), Alex Esser (tenor), Alyssa Lee (alto and Andrew Maskoff (tenor).

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Every Westporter has an opinion on the future of the Cribari Bridge.

But what about the railroad bridge nearby?

On April 16 (7 p.m., Zoom), the state Department of Transportation hosts a virtual public information meeting concerning the mechanical and electrical rehabilitation of the Metro-North bridge over the Saugatuck River.

Registration is required. A Q-and-A session follows the presentation, which will be recorded. To learn how to join the meeting, provide comments and ask questions, click here.

This meeting will also be livestreamed on the CTDOT YouTube channel; no registration is required.

Construction is expected to begin in the fall of 2025.

Members of the public can submit comments and questions by April 30. Email Hareshkumar.Dholakia@ct.gov, or  call 860-594-3173. Reference State Project #0301-0177 in the email or voicemail.

Railroad bridge over the Saugatuck River. (Photo/Patricia McMahon)

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We can’t solve all of downtown’s parking issues at once.

But here’s a small first step: take away the 4 “Curbside Pickup” spaces in front of Lux Bond & Green.

Sure, COVID still lingers. But when was the last time someone actually had jewelry delivered from the store to their car, 5 steps away?

(Photo/Dan Woog)

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The Exchange Project — founded by Westport mom Carly Ridloff — is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint. Just exchanging clothing!

This Thursday, the Exchange Project’s “Sustainable Shopping Event” (March 21, 6 to 9 p.m., Nihcols MD, 1215 Post Road, Fairfield) is “a night of fabulous fashion and community focus.” It includes drinks, bites, skincare and (of course) sustainable shopping.

The idea is simple: Clean out your closets; select 10 or so items in perfect condition.

Drop your items at the designated drop location. Then go to the event, to mingle, and shop.

Attendees will receive skin treatments, skin scope evaluations, discounts on special products, gift bags, expert styling tips from local influencer/fashion guru Zac Mathias, and more.

Guests are encouraged to recycle empty beauty products in the New Nichols MD Recycling Program.

All unclaimed items will be donated to a women’s shelter selected by the event’s hosts.  

After launching in Westport in 2021, the Exchange Project has expanded to New York and Florida. For more information, click here.

To attend, and find out about the drop-off location, email stephanie4berman@gmail.com.

Carly Ridloff

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A few tickets remain for the Westport Woman’s Club “Death by Bathtub Gin” murder mystery dinner.

This Saturday (March 23, 6 p.m.), their Imperial Avenue clubhouse will be transformed into a Jazz Age speakeasy.

A professional troupe of Broadway actors will guide 100 guests through a hunt for the “murderer.” It may well be one of them.

The night includes cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and a 3-course Italian dinner, as the “murder mystery” unfolds.

Flapper dresses and tuxedos are welcome. A photo booth will have “jazzy” accessories for all. There’s a silent auction too.

Tickets are $150. Proceeds help fun scholarships, grants and food gift cards — continuing the Woman’s Club’s 100-plus years of service to the community.

Call 203-227-4240, or email wwc@westportwomansclub.org for tickets.

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Pianist/vocalist Johnny O’Neal and drummer Joe Farnsworth headline this Thursday’s Jazz at the Post (March 21, shows at 7:30 and 8:45 p.m.; dinner from 7 p.m.; VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399; $20 music cover charge; $15 for students and veterans).

Influenced by Art Tatum and Oscar Peterson, O’Neal began as a gospel pianist. He later became the house pianist at Birdland, and part of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers.

A highly regarded jazz drummer, Farnsworth is known for his blazing speed, precision and melodic playing.

Reservations are highly recommended: JazzattthePost@gmail.com.

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Staples High School graduate Jill Wellner died peacefully at her Fairfield home last week. She was 69, and survived nearly 6 years after being diagnosed with glioblastoma.

Her family says: “Jill bravely faced many life challenges and was dedicated to helping others. She worked at a number of high-profile health care organizations, including Bridgeport Hospital, Mount Sinai Hospital and the Veterans Administration.

“She was a talented change agent who proposed innovative ways to improve quality, access and profitability. She is most proud of being certified as a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt and passing this knowledge on to countless teams, students and colleagues.”

Jill studied at Wells College, Fairfield University the University of Connecticut before receiving her second master’s degree in epidemiology and public health from the Yale School of Medicine.

She served as an adjunct professor at the Yale School of Nursing, Sacred Heart University, Norwalk Community College and Salve Regina University.

She took joy from being with family and friends, especially fellow Staples alums.

She loved wine, traveling, the arts, and was fluent in French.

In addition to her husband Ken, Jill is survived by her daughter Jessica Daponte (Matthew), and siblings Anne Lynn (Bruce), John Kantor, and Reginald Kantor (Brigitte), along with many nephews, nieces and cousins.

Visitation is tomorrow (Wednesday, 4 to 7 p.m., Spear-Miller Funeral Home, 39 South Benson Road, Fairfield). A funeral service will be held Thursday at 10 a.m., in the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Smilow Cancer Hospital.

Jill Wellner

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Sure, this is manmade. But it looks almost natural enough to be part of our “Westport … Naturally” feature.

Richard Hyman spotted it at the far east end of Sherwood Island State Park, near Burying Hill Beach.

(Photo/Richard Hyman)

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And finally … spring arrives tonight, at 11:06 p.m.

This was our second straight Winter That Wasn’t. Not exactly a “long cold lonely” one.

I feel bad for the plow guys. But otherwise …

(As the days get longer, there’s more time than ever to support “06880.” Please click here to make a tax-deductible contribution to your hyper-local blog. Thank you!)

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Posted in Entertainment, Local business, Obituaries, Staples HS, Transportation

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New Playhouse Director’s Past Propels Its Future

Posted on March 18, 2024 | 3 comments

Moments before Mark Shanahan made his acting debut at the Westport Country Playhouse, Joanne Woodward told him to put both feet on a special spot backstage.

It was 2005, and the historic theater had just undergone a multimillion-dollar renovation. Several boards from the original 1931 stage had been incorporated into the new one.

Shanahan — a young actor being directed by the legendary star in “David Copperfield” — reverently stood where hundreds of legends, from Henry Fonda and Olivia de Havilland to Paul Newman and Woodward herself once walked.

Mark Shanahan, as David Copperfield.

Last year, as incoming artistic director, Shanahan watched other actors stand there.

This month, as he takes the reins as artistic director, he looks forward to watching many more do the same.

Part of his job is to attract those actors to the 93-year-old Playhouse. How well he does it — along with the shows he selects, and other programming he develops — will go a long way to determining how successful one of the nation’s premier regional theaters will be, at a time when even the biggest ones face tough times.

Less than a year after the Westport Country Playhouse came within days of closing forever, the future seems bright.

And different.

Mark Shanahan, at the Playhouse. (Photo/Dan Woog)

The decades during which the Playhouse served as the town’s summer entertainment center, a lucrative destination for the biggest names, and a launching pad for Broadway shows, is long gone.

It took Playhouse employees and board members a long time to realize how vastly things have changed. But a firm change of direction — including more diverse offerings, outreach to new audiences, and a shift in the mainstage calendar from summer to other months — has positioned the Playhouse for a new role, a new image, and chances for new success.

Shanahan was both a safe and bold choice. A near 20-year Playhouse veteran — as an actor, curator of its Script in Hand play reading series, and creator of the Westport Country Playhouse Radio Theater — he has also worked at enough other places, in enough diverse roles, to know that doing things the same way they were always done would not work in the post-pandemic, streaming-filled, zillion-option world of today.

The New York City native discovered acting in high school, thanks to an inspirational teacher. (“I had terrible stage fright,” Shanahan confesses.)

He studied theater and American civilization at Brown University, earned a master’s degree at Fordham, then did “a little bit of everything” — acting, directing, producing — around the country.

Noble Shropshire — one of several mentors — recommended him to the Playhouse. He knew it vaguely; when he was younger, his parents took him to plays there.

The Westport Country Playhouse — founded in 1931 — is one of America’s legendary regional theaters.

Shanahan did 2 shows in ’05 — “Journey’s End,” then “Copperfield” — and found it to be a “very warm, welcoming place. Woodward and her co-director Anne Keefe drew him in.

He worked other places. But he never really left.

Shanahan met his wife at the Westport Country Playhouse. He learned he would be a father when he was there. He became friends with countless Playhouse actors: men and women who shared his reverence for the history of the place, and honored all those who came before them.

“My experiences here have been personal,” Shanahan says. “I’ve worked at a lot of big theaters. But there is nothing like this place. It’s an institution, but its importance comes from its people.”

Shanahan has read about founder Lawrence Langner, and longtime executive producer Jim McKenzie. He knows how hard they worked — and the obstacles they faced, trying to create and maintain a summer theater.

The Playhouse’s early days. (Photo/Wells Studio)

Challenges included a depression, a world war, and television. They had to find the right shows and actors (plus costume and set designers, stagehands and musicians, apprentices and ushers); sell tickets; stick to budgets; keep actors and audiences happy — and much, much more.

“It’s hard,” Shanahan notes. “There’s a lot of pressure.

“Audiences are demanding. And they should be. But the people who love this work, work hard to make it happen.”

At the Westport Country Playhouse, they’re working harder than ever. Drastic cost-cutting measures last spring — when bankruptcy seemed near, and closing was a real possibility — included the elimination of more than half of all staff positions.

The small workforce now does more than ever. Shanahan’s “small but mighty” staff is “working their tails off” looking for and creating new programming, finding new sources of funding, marketing it all in new ways.

Early reviews are encouraging.

Recognizing that the theater was dark too many days, Shanahan and his deputies, managing director Beth Huisking and production manager Matthew Melchiorre are booking concerts, readings, films, special events and short runs to draw people in.

And, hopefully, give them reasons to return.

Mark Shanahan and Beth Huisking, in the Playhouse’s famous seats.

In February, 575 teenagers, and preteens and their parents came to a show featuring Taylor Swift songs.

Three nights later, a sellout crowd heard a Script in Hand reading of a show about football coach Vince Lombardi.

Five days after that, multiple Tony Award winner Audra McDonald drew a full house.

Each audience was different. Each night, many attendees said, “I haven’t been here in ages.” Or, “I’ve never been here.”

Other successful shows include an Ella Fitzgerald tribute, and 9 performances of Shanahan’s “A Sherlock Carol.”

“This theater can be anything, for anyone,” Shanahan says. “We just have to figure out what that can be. And who knows what it can be, unless we try?”

 

Mark Shanahan plans to use the Lucille Lortel Barn, adjacent to the main theater, for innovative, intimate programs. (Photo/Dan Woog)

The artistic director says proudly, “I’m meeting people on the porch whose grandparents brought them to the Playhouse, and people who have never been here before.

“That mix keeps me up at night. I’m thinking about what we can show them, and how we can give them a good reason to come back.

“I know we can’t please everybody. But there is a large audience that’s hungry to come together.

“Theaters are closing for many reasons. This is the last un-downloadable thing they can do. And they can do it with other people. It’s even more special than when I was a kid.

“We have a great board at the Playhouse. There are new, young people, and others on it a long time who are really energized. All of us are committed to giving people a great night out.”

And to ensuring that backstage, every actor — well known now, or will be in the future — has a chance to put their feet on the boards from that original 1931 stage, close their eyes, and think about everyone who also stood on the same stage.

And then walk out, and keep the magic of the Westport Country Playhouse alive for generations to come.

(“06880” is “Where Westport meets the world” — for arts, entertainment, history and more. Please click here to support our hyper-local work. Thank you!)

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Posted in Arts, Entertainment, Looking back, Westport Country Playhouse

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Roundup: Shearwater, STG Fun Run, MoCA Carnival …

Posted on March 17, 2024 | 10 comments

Shearwater Coffee Bar– the Westport outpost of the Fairfield shop, in what was formerly Bertucci’s and, long before that, the Clam Box — closed permanently yesterday.

Word on the street is that it will be replaced by Greenology, a New Canaan vegan spot.

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Staples Tuition Grants helps hundreds of graduates each year.

Now some Staples students want to help too.

The 1st annual Staples Tuition Grants Fun Run — for youngsters in grades 3 through 5 — is set for April 6 (8 to 10 a.m., Paul Lane Field at Staples). Registration is just $25.

All proceeds benefit STG. Last year the organization awarded $407,000 to 116 students, in grants ranging from $1,000 to $7,500.

The morning includes races, a bounce house, face painting, temporary tattoos, a bake sale and raffle.

Medals will be awarded to winners at each age level.

The STG Fun Run is the brainchild of Staples junior Alexis Krenzer. She wanted to do something good and fun for her community, with a theme of “kids helping kids.”

Alexis got Sara Hollard Sports to coordinate the races, and rallied other students to help. Over 30 volunteers will work with the children that day. Others have been involved, for example creating the logo.

Staples cheerleaders will lend their support too, while and SCI mentors — a group encouraging kids to learn about science — lead the bake sale.

Click here to register for the run. Information can be found on Instagram (@stgfunrun).

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Frederic Chiu — Westport’s favorite internationally know pianist — comes “home” to MoCA next Saturday (March 23, 4 p.m.).

He’ll join with funky family-friendly poet David Gonzalez, to give Camille Saint-Saëns’ “The Carnival of the Animals” a new twist.

The Tortoise, The Swan, Wild Horses and the rest of the musical menagerie will be “reborn” with the duo’s performance.

The work includes 14 separate pieces, each  suggesting a particular animal. It often serves as an introduction for young audiences to classical music.

Click here for tickets, and more information.

Frederic Chiu (Photo/Dan Woog)

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Earthplace’s 3rd annual Beer Garden & Tasting is not just for adults.

The Arbor Day “Toast to the Trees” event (April 27, 4 to 6 p.m.) includes sparkling beverages and arts and crafts for kids, and beer tastings for those over 21, along a self-guided trail walk.

Then everyone gathers in the Beer Garden for s’mores, lawn games, food trucks, and beers for purchase.

Click here for tickets, and more information.

 

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Fred Cantor is a man of many interests.

And many talents.

The Staples High School Class of 1971 graduate is an attorney, theatrical producer (“All Good Things”) and short film producer.

“The High School That Rocked!” explored the magical years when great bands — The Doors, Yardbirds, Cream, Remains — played at Staples.

Cantor’s latest documentary is “It’s a Hollywood Life!” The half-hour film focuses on longtime Westport resisdent Susan Granger’s 80-plus years connected to the movie business. (Spoiler alert: She started in childhood,  appearing with some of the biggest stars during the Golden Age of Hollywood.)

The Ridgefield Independent Film Festival will screen Cantor’s movie May 18. Immediately after, there’s a Q-and-A with Granger, Keir Dullea, Mia Dillon, and directors, Laurie Valentina Gomez Acosta and Maya Weldon-Lagrimas.

Click here for more information.

Susan Granger on set with Wallace Beery and her father, director Sylvan Simon, in a still from Fred Cantor’s documentary.

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Today’s very cool “Westport … Naturally” photo shows the unnatural shape of Compo Beach sand.

It’s been prepped for the summer months. Soon the trucks and tire treads will be gone. And all will be “natural” again.

(Photo/June Rose Whittaker)

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And finally … here’s a toast to today!

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Posted in Arts, Beach, Children, Entertainment, Restaurants

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Roundup: School Bus App, Dante & Brian Keane, St. Patrick’s & VFW …

Posted on March 16, 2024 | 7 comments

The first year with First Student — Westport’s new school bus company — has gone well.

Now, the long-awaited bus tracking app is live. FirstView can be downloaded on any smartphone, desktop or laptop.

The app lets families track the location and direction of their child’s bus. Other features include customizable bus proximity notifications; custom alerts and messages, and multi-stop views.

Click here to get started. Questions? Call 888-889-8920, weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., or email support@firstviewapp.com.

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You may come to “Dante: Inferno to Paradise” for the subject.

You’ll stay for the music.

Ric Burns’ new 2-part series on the 14th-century poet airs this Monday and Tuesday (March 18 and 19) on PBS. Dante’s “Divine Comedy” — his account of a life-changing journey through Hell, Purgatory and Paradise — is one of the greatest works of art in Western history.

The 4-hour show was filmed across 6 years in Italy, England and the US. it includes paintings, drawings, manuscripts, frescoes, and interviews with scholars, writers, poets, politicians, clergy and historians.

But the 4-hour show soars on the beautiful, deeply moving soundtrack. It was composed by Burns’ long-time collaborator, veteran Grammy, Oscar and Peabody Award winner Brian Keane.

The very accomplished composer/musician is a 1971 graduate of Staples High School.

Brian Keane

Keane’s hauntingly beautiful score brings alive Dante’s life and work, in a hallucinatory, almost cinematically vivid way. It captures the depth and breadth of Dante’s experiences in the 3 realms of the afterlife.

“Dante” will stream for free on PBS for 2 weeks after the broadcast. It will then go to PBS subscription, and eventually pay-per-view.

Excerpts of the music score ere premiered at the Westport Library Orchestra Lumos concert earlier this month. 

The single will be released March 22. The album follows a week later.

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St. Patrick’s Day is tomorrow.

But the VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399 celebration begins soon: Noon today (Saturday, March 16).

It includes an all-you-can-eat feast, featuring (of course) corned beef and cabbage; $3 green beer, $4 Space Cat and $5 Guinness specials.

The $25 ticket includes lunch/dinner.

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There is a new date for the fundraiser to provide new AEDs in all fire, police and Emergency Medical Service vehicles in town.

Automated External Defibrillators are portable devices that deliver electric shocks to the heart during cardiac arrest. The current ones are reaching the ends of their useful lives.

On April 24 (5:30 to 10 p.m., Autostrada), the Westport Firefighters Charitable Foundation hosts its 2nd annual Whiskey Tasting.

The evening includes drinks, light bites, and a silent auction. The target is $75,000.

Many of us know people whose lives have been saved by AEDs. Any of us could be next.

Click here for tickets, and more information.

AEDs — with clear instructions on how to use them — save lives.

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When Amazon Fresh planned to open in the old Barnes & Noble — that’s the long-vacant store in the Angelina’s Pizza plaza, for you newcomers — they ran into some issues with their sign.

Last year, they bailed. The site became a “zombie store” — one of a number of Amazon Freshes nationwide that were abandoned, after being announced with great fanfare.

Now, Big Y is poised to take over the spot (which, intriguingly, started life as a supermarket — Waldbaum’s).

Their request for signage will be heard at Tuesday’s Architectural Review Board meeting (7:30 p.m.; Zoom).

There is no indication that there will be any issues with this proposal.

And — unlike Amazon Fresh — it looks like this store will actually open.

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Speaking of the VFW (as we were above): The John Lamb Show runs there every Sunday, from 6 to 8 p.m. And it’s free!

The Staples graduate plays jazz, Paula Gallo sings pop numbers, and there’s comedy (Stephanie Bass appears tomorrow), a trivia game, and a raffle.

The weekly series debuted last month, and is quickly gaining a devoted following.

Click here for more information. Questions? Want to donate raffle prizes? Email JohnLambMusic@aol.com.

John Lamb

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Next month, astronomy buffs across the world head to Texas. That’s where, on April 8, they can see a total eclipse along the totality line.

But Westport will be part of the event too.

The Westport Astronomical Society and its amateur radio station club (K1WAS) — along with other amateur radio operators and balloon enthusiasts — will help launch high-altitude balloons with cameras, sensors and radio transmitters, to capture the eclipse from a vantage point high above the Earth’s surface.

The WAS project is a collaboration with the University of Bridgeport and the University of New Haven, through the Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project.

“We are thrilled to contribute to the scientific community’s understanding of this celestial event,” says WAS board member. Dan Wright. “These high altitude balloon missions will offer a perspective of the eclipse that is both breathtaking and informative, helping researchers study the Sun’s corona and the Earth’s atmosphere in new and exciting ways.”

Amateur radio operators and astronomy enthusiasts can follow the balloon’s location, and participate in related events and discussions. Details will be posted soon on the Westport Astronomical Society website.

The total solar eclipse, a rare event in which the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, will be visible across parts of North America. The sun is only 90% obscured in Westport and much of New England.

But the WAS will host a “watch party” at the Westport Library (April 8, 2 to 4 p.m.).

In Connecticut, the next partial solar eclipse is not until 2028. It will not obscure the sun anywhere near what we’ll see in April, though.

For that, you have to wait until May 1, 2079.

Mark your calendars now!

Here’s what the April 8 eclipse will look like. You saw it here first!

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Jolantha does not sound like an Irish name.

But Weston’s favorite pig is all decked for St. Patrick’s Day.

Swing by 70 Kellogg Hill Road Say hi. She’ll bring you luck!

(Photo/Hans Wilhelm)

One more sign that spring is near:

(Photo/Ben Gosseen)

Ivy Gosseen’s husband spotted today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature in their Regents Park yard.

She writes: “I love that there are clovers nearby, because we are just shy of St. Patty’s day!”

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And finally … in honor of next month’s Westport Astronomical Society event (story above):

(Today — and every day — “06880” serves up a potpourri of news, information and “stuff.” But we couldn’t do it without reader support. Please click here to help.  Thank you!)

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Staples Grads Give Rave, EDM Fans A CrowdVolt

Posted on March 15, 2024 | 3 comments

Do you want tickets to see Timmy Trumpet, Four Tet or Mura Masa?

Interested in a show at Terminal 5, Knockdown Center or Under the K Bridge?

If those artists and venues are incomprehensible to you, you’re not part of the rave and EDM* scenes.

But if you are, you know how hard it is to exchange tickets.

Fortunately, you’re about to get a jolt. A CrowdVolt, in fact.

That’s the name of a new start-up. Two of the 3 founders are Staples High School grads: Max Hammer and Josh Karol. Carter Bassler is helping out as an intern.

If successful, they’ll create a solution to the hassle of buying tickets off Facebook Marketplace, Reddit, or paying high fees on other sites. Right now tickets sell out early, and can’t be traded easily.

There’s no guarantee of success, of course. But they’re backed by Y Combinator — the most prominent start-up accelerator in the world.

From left: Josh Karol, Max Hammer and Aria Mohseni, at Y Combinator headquarters in San Francisco.

It’s funded 4,000 new enterprises — including Airbnb, DoorDash, Instacart and Stripe — at $500,000 each. Their combined valuation is $600 billion.

Every 6 months, over 10,000 companies apply to participate in Y Combinator’s next “batch.” The acceptance rate is 1.5 to 2 %.

CrowdVolt cleared that hurdle at the end of last year. When they got news they were accepted, Staples Class of 2016 grads Hammer and Karol quit their jobs — investment banking at UBS and software engineering at Millennium Management, respectively — and headed to San Francisco.

Since then, they’ve been immersed in intense work with the accelerator. They’re learning about the start-ups world, and meeting a network of already successful Y Combinator founders. When they and their fellow start-ups’ “batch” is done, they’ll head back to New York, and really try to fly.

CrowdVolt’s third co-founder currently in San Francisco is Aria Mohseni. A DJ and friend of Karol’s from Emory University, he was a roommate with Karol and University of Pennsylvania grad Hammer in New York.

Carter Bassler

Bassler, meanwhile, works remotely. The 2020 Staples alum is a senior at the University of Virginia, finishing his work as a computer science major. He met the others through his Staples friend Zach Karol, Josh’s brother.

“What StockX did for sneakers and streetwear, we’re doing for tickets,” Hammer promises. (The CrowdVolt name conveys the idea of large audiences, and electric excitement.)

Existing rave and EDM markets “claim to be 2-sided” for ticket buyers and sellers, he says.

“CrowdVolt wants to give more power to buyers. And when sellers know what they’re willing to pay, there will be more accurate pricing.”

Buyers can either “buy now” or bid. Sellers can “sell now” or ask for a higher price. All transactions are publicly viewable.

Furthermore, CrowdVolt says, “concerts are communal events meant to be experienced with others. So we’ve made buying and selling a social experience, with social media integration and messaging.”

The founders know the rave and EDM scene well. They attended over 80 shows last year alone. “We know the marketplace experience through the existing mediums is poor, so have opted to rebuild it ourselves,” they say.

Their time in San Francisco has been a whirlwind of activity. Working on a start-up can be isolating, so Y Combinator brings groups together. They learn from each other, and those who have already been through the process.

It’s a big adjustment from the structure of corporate life to starting a start-up, Hammer says. Y Combinator keeps them focused.

“They keep stressing: If you’re not coding or talking to customers, you’re wasting your time,” says Hammer.

The 3 founders in San Francisco do the back-end work. Bassler, in Charlottesville, takes care of the front-end.

CrowdVolt’s look is rave-inspired.

The youngest members of the current batch are still in high school. A few are in their 40s. Most, however, are the CrowdVolt founders’ age: 20somethings.

Hammer and his crew see rave and EDM as the beachhead to other genres, and markets beyond New York.

Since CrowdVolt’s February launch, they’ve handled $26,000 in transaction volume. Five thousand users have visited the site. Those numbers should soar, as spring and summer events come online.

Marketing has been through social media, street posters and word of mouth. CrowdVolt plans to host in-person events too.

Returning to New York will be exciting. They won’t be far from Staples — where all 3 were first inspired on the road to today.

Karol was introduced to coding as a freshman in Dave Scrofani’s class. Bassler’s freshman year programming teacher was Dr. Nick Morgan.

The hands-on skills they learned were some of the most important lessons from high school, the founders say.

For which all the Timmy Trumpet, Four Tet and Mura Masa ticket-buying fans in the tri-state area should be grateful.

*Electronic dance music. Duh.

(To see the app, or sign up in the New York area, click here. To join the waitlist for your city, click here. For more information, email founders@crowdvolt.com).

(Rave and EDM fans — and those of every other type of music — have a home at “06880.” We cover the entire local entertainment scene, and much more. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)

 

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Staples Players Produce A Peach Of A Show

Posted on March 14, 2024 | 2 comments

Staples Players directors David Roth and Kerry Long have had some challenging sets before.

They’ve created a New York neighborhood for “West Side Side Story,” a dystopian world for “Urinetown,” and the terrorizing plant in “Little Shop of Horrors.”

But “James and the Giant Peach” is deceptively difficult. A centipede falls off the giant peach. The peach has to land on the Empire State Building. Gulls attach spider webs, and fly.

Audience members for Players’ spring production will be familiar with the show. If they haven’t read the 1961 children’s novel by Roald Dahl, they’ve seen the 1996 film.

Next week, from March 21-24, they’ll be able to see a stage adaptation of it.

Beckwith Fipp, as James. (Photo/Kerry Long)

And that familiarity is especially relevant, because the musical was developed by Justin Paul and Benj Pasek. They’re the creative team responsible for “Dear Evan Hansen,” “La La Land” and “The Greatest Showman.”

Justin Paul is a former Staples Player himself. He graduated in 2003, after taking advantage of nearly every acting, performing and directing opportunity the high school offered.

“James and the Giant Peach” follows in the tradition of other spring Players shows, with dual appeal to adults and younger audiences.

Roth and Long have thought about doing one of Paul’s musicals for several years. They saw “James” — the first full-length Pasek and Paul collaboration — when it debuted at Goodspeed Opera House in 2010.

With its large cast size and accessibility, this is the right show, at the right time.

A large cast offers many Players a chance to shine. (Photo/Kerry Long)

“It’s very funny,” Roth says. “The music is great, in so many styles.”

He and Long are longtime Dahl fans.

They are fans of Paul and Pasek too.

“The play goes further than the book,” Roth says. “It uses music to explain themes that were not as developed — like the idea that ‘family’ doesn’t have be what you’re born into.

“Your family can be found. You never know who will end up being your family. That’s an idea that’s beautifully explored.

“And this is not just a ‘kids show,'” Roth emphasizes. “Everyone will get something different out of it.”

Despite the staging challenges — how do you get a giant peach on stage? — the directors and cast have had fun. Set designer Jordan Janota has worked hard, and creatively, fueling the young actors and musicians’ energy.

Lauren Pine, who led the orchestra for the fall production of “The Prom,” is making her Players’ vocal directing debut.

Yet this is not just a Staples Players production of a show created by a famous alum. Earlier this week, Paul returned to the stage where he got his start. He spent several hours talking about his career, and his days at the high school.

A compliment by a “random person” after his performance in “City of Angels” gave him the confidence to pursue musical theater as a career,” Paul said.

After his talk, he and the cast spent a couple of hours working on “James and the Giant Peach” he composed.

Justin Paul works with “James and the Giant Peach” cast members. (Photo/Kerry Long)

That’s only the most recent connection Paul had with the Staples production. Last fall, after “The Prom” closed, he was the one who announced that this would be the spring show. (Click here to see that video.)

This week’s visit will not be Paul’s last, either. He, his wife and 4 children will be at the Sunday, March 24 matinee. He’ll stick around after, to do a talkback with the audience.

Sitting, no doubt, under that giant peach at the center of the stage.

(“James and the Giant Peach” will be performed at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, March 21, 22 and 23; 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 23, and 1 and 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 24. Audience members can meet the characters after the Friday night, Saturday matinee and Saturday night shows. Click here for tickets, and more information.)

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Roundup: Antisemitism Forum, Capital Spending, Staples Insta …

Posted on March 13, 2024 | 1 comment

Tonight is the night for a forum on “Addressing Incidents of Antisemitism and Bias in our Schools” (Wednesday, March 13, 7:30 p.m., Temple Israel).

The event — including educators, clergy and community leaders — will provide an opportunity to share best practices for preventing and responding to identity-based bullying in public schools. A Q-and-A session will follow.

Originally scheduled for February, the forum was postponed by snow.

Click here to attend in person (pre-registration is required). Click here to watch via livestream. Click here to watch via livestream.

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Several big capital spending projects loom in Westport.

What are the rationales, goals and processes?

Town Hall and Westport Public Schools leaders share insights on March 26 (7 p.m., Westport Library) in a community conversation.

1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker and Superintendent of Schools Thomas Scarice will present their capital spending strategies and rationales. A panel of experts will discuss possible funding strategies, capital planning best practices, and the approval process for achieving capital spending goals. An audience Q-and-A session will follow.

The event is sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Westport, and the Westport Library’s Common Ground initiative.

Longshore is one of several large capital projects planned for the future.

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Congratulations to the Staples High School Model UN Club.

Inklings reports that 16 delegates attended the recent National High School Model UN Conference in New York.

Staples delegates represented South Africa in 8 committees, debating topics like healthcare and renewable energy.

Club president Tucker Peters and vice president Jameson Russell were given the Commission on Science and Technology for Development’s Awards of Distinction, the highest possible award.

Alessandra Spadea, Jori Altman, Mia Bomback and Graysen Peters earned Awards of Merit for their contributions in the UN Human Rights Council and International Organization for Migration, respectively.

Jacob Calandro and Julien McMahon received Awards of Excellence for the Commission on Crime Prevention and Justice.

Staples’ Model UN Club, at the real UN. (Photo/Mia Bomback)

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Speaking of Staples: What does the world see when they think of our high school?

If they’re one of the 83,000 followers of “thekingof5thave” — actually, Nicholas Pinsker — this is what they saw:

He’s not a Staples graduate. So how well — or poorly — did he describe our high school? Click “Comments” below. (Hat tip: Donna O’Donnell)

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From a quick glance at this photo, it looks like just some guy playing piano at last night’s Artists Collective of Westport pop-up gallery opening party.

(Photo/Dan Woog)

But look closely. “That guy” is Mark Naftalin. A spectacularly talented keyboardist, he played with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band — and was inducted with them into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015.

It did not take long for the large crowd to realize they were in the presence of greatness — musically, as well as artistically.

Attendees of all ages gathered around the piano, as the famed Westport resident played blues, boogie-woogie, and lots more — just like he was back on stage at Monterey.

Mark Naftalin: a master at work. (Photo/Tomoko Meth)

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The Gaelic American Club is in Fairfield.

But plenty of Westporters are members of the 75-year-old organization.

And sure, they’ll all be there this St. Patrick’s weekend to celebrate.

You’re invited too!

From Friday to Sunday (March 15-17; $10 non-members), Irish and non-Irish alike* will enjoy live music from a pipe band, with step dancers; corned beef sandwiches and more.

Click here for details.

*But isn’t everyone Irish on St. Patrick’s Day?

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As our national mental health crisis escalates, TAP Strength — the individualized coaching center in downtown Westport — is offering an intriguing discussion.

“Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy” features a discussion with Jennifer Boyd, a  physician assistant, ecopsychologist and Reiki master. TAP founder Dr. EJ Zebro will moderate.

The event is March 26 (6-7 p.m., 180 Post Road East). Proceeds from the suggested $25 donation will go to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

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Westporter Atara Nova’s unique “Cosmic Misfit” concert and one-woman show of all original music heads to Newtown’s Sticks & Stones Farms this Saturday (March 16, 7 p.m.).

Organizers say: “As the music from pulsating beats to haunting melodies unfold, you’ll embark on a journey woven with intricately layered harmonies and rhythms, each reflecting a chapter of Atara’s profound inner quest.

“The music tells a story of Wetiko, a deadly virus of the mind, and one celestial being’s quest to heal herself and her community.”

Tickets are $22 (sliding scale available). Click here to buy, and for information.

PS: If you haven’t heard of Atara Nova, you may know her as Atara Horrigan.

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We can never have enough dogs in our “Westport … Naturally” feature.

Ellen Wentworth captions this: “Ever feel this way?”

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And finally … in honor of Mark Naftalin, last night’s featured musician at the Artists’ Collective of Westport gallery opening (story above):

 (Today — as every day — “06880” is “Where Westport meets the world.” But we couldn’t do it without our readers’ support. Please click here to contribute. Thank you very much!) 

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Roundup: Justin Paul, Malachy McCourt, Jackson Pollock …

Posted on March 12, 2024 | 9 comments

Staples is not the only high school to produce “James and the Giant Peach.”

But it may be the only one whose cast spent a full afternoon with the composer, as they prepare for the opening curtain.

Then again, Staples is the only high school that Justin Paul — the songwriter — graduated from.

The 2003 alum returned yesterday to the stage where he got his start. Staples Players directors David Roth and Kerry Long — who worked with Paul on a number of shows, and introduced him to Stephen Schwartz (“Godspell,” “Pippin,” “Wicked”), now a longtime mentor and friend — led a Q-and-A session with Paul, as the cast and crew of “James and the Giant Peach” sat on stage.

Paul said he “found his people” in Staples’ 4 Building (the arts wing), where he sang; played in the orchestra, band and jazz band; conducted and wrote music, and danced (though, he stressed, not well).

Staples was also where Paul met Peter Duchan, another talented songwriter 2 years older who later collaborated with Paul and his writing partner, Benj Pasek. They met at the University of Michigan.

Paul — who majored in musical theater — discussed the many paths to work in the industry, and the importance of nurturing relationships.

Then he headed over to a keyboard, and led Players in a workshop with the songs — his songs — they’ll be singing from March 21-24. Click here for tickets, and more information.

Justin Paul (left), inside the “giant peach” on the Staples stage, with directors Kerry Long and David Roth. (Photo/Dan Woog)

Justin Paul, working with the cast of “James and the Giant Peach” … (Photo/Kerry Long)

… and posing with them, on the set. (Photo/Kerry Long)

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Speaking of the entertainment industry:

News of the death of Malachy McCourt yesterday, at 92, reminded me of his Westport connection.

Frank McCourt’s brother — who, the New York Times said, “fled a melancholic childhood in Ireland for America, where he applied his blarney and brogue to become something of a professional Irishman as a thespian, a barkeep and a best-selling memoirist” — was also an actor. His best known role was on “Ryan’s Hope,” he and I co-starred in a full-length movie.

Well, he was a star. I had a cameo. But still …

Back in the day, Westport filmmaker Sean Cunningham directed “Manny’s Orphans.”

He went on to much more fame with “Friday the 13th” and “Spring Break.” But this comedy, about a team of soccer-playing orphans and their rivals from an elite prep school (you’ll never guess who wins the big game!) was shot in Westport and Bridgeport.

Sean used plenty of local kids (and hired me to choreograph all the soccer scenes). But he added in a few actual actors, including Malachy McCord (he played Father Arch McCoy). New York Cosmos star Werner Roth was in the film too.

Click below to see one of the highlights. It’s the Big Game, and was filmed at Greens Farms Academy.

At 2:20, 7;21, 8:16 (and other spots), you’ll see Malachy.

And at 4:47, you’ll see a very young Dan Woog, blowing his whistle as the referee.

“Manny’s Orphans” did not win an Oscar.

But it didn’t have to. All these years later, it still lives on.

Rest in peace, Malachy McCourt!

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The Downtown Plan Implementation Committee meets this Thursday (March 14, 8:30 a.m., Town Hall Room 201).

The agenda includes:

  • Strategic priority review (parking lots reinvention)
  • Downtown lots design master plan (Parker Harding status; Jesup and Imperial; parking maps; EV charging; playground; wayfinding)
  • Other projects status (Avery Street pole removal)
  • Sustainability

The current plan for the Jesup (lower library) parking lot.

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In the middle of Women’s History Month, StartUp Westport looks forward.

Next Monday (March 18, 6:30 p.m., Westport Library), the public/private partnership to make our town a tech entrepreneur hub hosts Galia Gichon.

The financial services and angel investing expert will lead a forum on “Female Founders and Investors.” Prominent women will share their experiences in fundraising, investing, and launching early-stage startups.

Gichon is a longtime Westport resident and the co-managing partner of Tidal River Fund, an early stage investment fund. She has been featured in Newsweek, CNN, The New York Times and more.

For more information, click here.

Galia Gichon

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Also at the Library, this Thursday Westport photographer and artist Stacy Bass introduces a new series. SmART will feature in-depth conversations about art and artists

The first event (March 14, 7 p.m.) focuses on the relationship between artists (and married couple) Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner. Bass will speak with art historian/educator/curator/Pollock and Krasner expert Bobbi Coller. Examples of their artwork will be shown broadcast on the 18-foot refz Forum video wall.

Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner

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Circle of Care supports families of children with cancer through programs and services such as day-of-diagnosis care packages, dream room makeovers, and emergency financial assistance to help pay for non-medical expenses like housing, transportation, and food.

Since 2004 they have helped 3,600 families, and provided over $5 million in services. Many Westporters have been aided by Circle of Care, and many others volunteer.

The non-profit celebrates 20 years with an open house this Friday (March 15, 5 to 8 p.m., 144 Danbury Road, Wilton), a 5K benefit run May 5, and gala at the Loading Dock in Stamford June 13. For more information on Circle of Care, click here. visit their website.

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With Connecticut’s presidential primary near — and the general election coming in November — the registrar’s office will be open this Friday (March 15, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.., Town Hall Room 107) for people new to town or coming of age to register to vote.

They’re also open for registrations during regular office hours.

But this Friday, especially, anyone not otherwise qualified to vote is invited to ask questions about qualifications.

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Grammy Award-winning pianist Kevin Hays and drummer/composer Chase Elodia headline this Thursday’s Jazz at the Post (March 14, shows at 7:30 and 8:45 p.m.; dinner service at 7 p.m.; VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399; $20 music cover, $15 for veterans and students).

They’re joined by bassist Paul Pandit and saxophonist Greg “The Jazz Rabbi” Wall. Reservations are highly recommended: JazzatthePost@gmail.com.

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Speaking of “The Jazz Rabbi”: Greg Wall is the special guest at the next “This Is Your Life” program at the Senior Center (March 27, 1 to 2 p.m.).

The series is hosted by Rozanne Gates of The Legacy Project USA, a Westport-based business that documents the stories of people’s lives. She will interviewing Rabbi Wall about his life as rabbi at Beit Chaverim Synagogue, and a jazz musician.

The program is free. Call to register: 203-341-5099.

Greg “The Jazz Rabbi” Wall

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For a computer glitch reason, some “06880” readers did not receive Sunday’s lead story, about Wendy Modic succeeding Kammy Maxfeldt as the Birchwood Country Club golf pro.

The 2 women have succeeded in a largely male profession.

If you did not receive the story in your email, click here to read.

Wendy Modic

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Today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo is impressive — and a bit scary.

Max Waugh spotted this coyote (the size of a small wolf) on Reimer Road, just west of the Bedford Middle School entrance. (Hat tip: Carl Addison Swanson)

(Photo/Max Waugh)

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And finally … Eric Carmen, lead singer of the Raspberries who then went on to a solo career, has died. He was 74. Click here for a full obituary.

(Justin Paul, Malachy McCourt, Jackson Pollock — they’re all part of “Where Westport Meets the World.” Please click here to support your hyper-local blog. Thank you!)

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Roundup: Flooding, Northern Lights …

Posted on March 10, 2024 | 6 comments

Yesterday’s rain was an annoyance to many Westporters.

To residents of Saugatuck Shores, it meant another high tide flood.

This was the scene looking north on Canal Road:

(Photo/Matt Fortuna)

A few hours later, Canal Road looked like this:

(Photo/Yulee Aronson)

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The Brubeck Brothers Quartet rocked the Westport Library last night, for a special fundraiser. Proceeds support the Library’s vast array of free programs and offerings.

The Brubeck Brothers Quartet is led by Chris (bass and trombone) and Dan Brubeck (drums), sons of the jazz legend who lived in Wilton. They recorded their first album in 1966. Rounding out the group is guitarist Mike DeMicco and pianist Chuck Lamb.

Chris told stories about the family. Home movies added to the warm atmosphere.

The group has performed across North America and Europe, including Newport, Detroit, Montreal, The Hollywood Bowl, and Monterey Jazz festivals.

Now they can add the Westport Library to the list.

Brubeck Brothers Quartet, at the Westport Library. (Photo/Dinkin Fotografix)

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Last year, 7-year-old Evelyn Sullivan was a leading participant in the Westport Weston Family YMCA Race4Chase triathlon training program. It honors Chase Kowalski, a victim of the Sandy Hook shooting.

Head coach  Robin Myers worked with Evelyn and 18 other youngsters, strengthening their swimming, biking and running skills, while they enjoyed team building and learned about nutrition.

Evelyn and her mother Sarah raised over $700 for the Chase Michael Anthony Kowalski Foundation. Illness and bad weather kept her from her first 2 triathlons, but she’s resilient. She’s ready for this summer.

The Race4Chase program returns to the Y this summer — at no cost to participants. It runs 5 days a week from June 24 to August 2, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. For more information, and registration, click here.

Westport Y 2023 Race4Chase triathlon program participants.

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Sure, the new apartments going up on Wilton Road at Kings Highway North corner have everyone talking about the massive change coming to the already congested intersection, a few yards from wetlands.

But it wouldn’t be worth an “06880” photo without the massive amount of utility lines, hanging all around the site.

(Photo/Terry Brannigan)

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In the waning days of winter, “Northern Lights” come to the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport.

That’s the name of a concert this Friday (March 15, 7:30 p.m.). It features choral and bell music inspired by the Northern Lights, stars and sky, plus music and composers from northern countries.

Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door; click here to purchase. Children and students are free.

Northern Lights

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We’re a long way from Thanksgiving.

But yesterday was Turkey Day at St. Vincent’s Health Services on Long Lots Road.

Meredith Holod caught all the action, for our “Westport … Naturally” feature.

(Photo/Meredith Holod)

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And finally … in honor of yesterday’s flock (photo above):

 (“06880” is your hyper-local blog — and we rely on reader support. Please click here to make a tax-deductible contribution. Thank you!)

 

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Roundup: Westport Rotary Club, Slava Archie, Playhouse Boxing …

Posted on March 8, 2024 | 4 comments

On the exact (to the day) 100th anniversary of their founding, the Westport Rotary Club celebrated with a gala dinner last night, at the Inn at Longshore.

Rotarians from near and far, town officials and friends honored the club’s long and storied history, from the early days (largely, but not always, strait-laced), to the easing of membership rules and the admission of women, to the current strong and generous nature of the club.

(Everyone received a book by Ron Henkoff chronicling Westport Rotary’s first 100 years, too. Click here for details.)

Videos and slides showed the enormous, multi-million dollar impact Westport Rotary has had on Westport, and the world.

As the next 100 years begin, the Westport Rotary Club prepares for its centennial gift: lead sponsor of the renovation of the Compo Beach playground.

Congratulations to all who made last night (and the reason for the celebration) possible. Special shout-outs go to longtime Rotary organizer and advocate Rick Benson, and last night’s MC, former president Jeff Wieser. Well done, all!

Twenty Westport Rotary Club presidents — representing exactly 1/5 of the club’s 100-year history — gathered for a photo at last night’s celebration. The oldest living former president (1968), George Damman, sent video greetings from Florida. 

MC (and former president) Jeff Wieser models 100-year glasses. (Photos/John Videler for Videler Photography)

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The Long Lots School Building Committee posted this update yesterday:

The deadline for submission of Request for Proposals/Quotes qualification statements from interested construction managers and architects was February 22.

The committee met on March 5 to discuss the submissions. They agreed on which respondents would be invited to submit proposals and be interviewed by the LLSBC.

Each of the selected firms will be contacted this week. The interview process is expected to be completed over the next 2 weeks. The goal is to select a construction manager and architect by the end of the month.

The design phase can then begin.

The Long Lots School Building Committee is moving forward to select a construction manager and architect for the project.

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On Wednesday, Ukraine Aid International — the non-profit founded by Westporters Brian and Marshall Mayer, which organizes and delivers aid to residents and first responders — hosted a roundtable for officials and volunteers in Fairfield County towns that have sister city relationships with that war-torn nation.

Westport — whose sister city, Lyman, was UAI’s first such project — was well represented. Police Chief Foti Koskinas described his trip there last year, and emphasized the importance of his ongoing relationships with his counterparts in the Donetsk region.

Just hours earlier, he said, he had been texting with the Lyman police chief. The Ukrainian chief — who says often that Westport’s support inspires everyone in his town — proudly wears with a Westport Police Department patch.

Lyman police chief, with the Westport Police logo.

But the star of the event, held at the Ukrainian-American Club in Southport, was 4-month-old Archie Wauchope.

The son of Staples High School graduate Clyde Wauchope and his wife Katya, UAI’s director of development, he wore a bib that said — in Cyrillic letters — “Slava Ukraini! Slava Archie!”

In other words: “Glory to Ukraine! Glory to Archie!”

Archie Wauchope, his bib and his parents.

To learn more about Ukraine Aid International, and donate to Westport’s sister city Lyman, click here.

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As the Norwalk Transit District — which oversees the Westport Transit District — “re-envisions” bus service here, they invite Westport residents to a meeting March 12 (7 p.m., Town Hall auditorium).

The charrette-session format will include remarks from Transit District officials, then a chance for attendees to give feedback on improvements they’d like to see.

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“Supper & Soul” returns April 20.

The unique Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce Saturday night entertainment — dinner at one of 12 downtown restaurants, then a dance party with 8-piece funk and soul band West End Blend at the Westport Library — followed by post-concert happy hour pricing for drinks at any of the 12 participating restaurants (Arezzo, Basso, Capuli, Casa Me, Don Memo, Emmy Squared, Goji, Il Pastaficio, Mexicue, Nômade, Spotted Horse and Walrus Alley.

Tickets ($87) include the concert, dinner, tax and tip (drinks are not included). Tickets for the concert only are $35. Click here to buy, and for more information.

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Aargh!

There was another confusing date in yesterday’s item about beach emblem sales. Here is the re-corrected info. “06880” apologizes for the confusion:

Beach parking emblems go on sale online, and in the Westport Parks & Recreation Department office, at 9 a.m. next Monday (March 11) for Westport and Weston residents. The number of sales to Westport and Weston residents is not limited, and they are not required until May 1.

Sales of emblems to people not living in Westport or Weston begin online, and in the Parks & Rec office, at 9 a.m. next Wednesday (March 13). A limit of 450 will be sold.

If you have purchased emblems or registered for Parks & Rec programs in prior seasons, you already have an online account established. Click here to log into your account. Then choose memberships; in the search box, type “Resident.” This brings all Westport resident vehicle packages to the top page. Weston residents should type “Weston” in search box.

After verification (Parks & Rec may request a copy of your current registration, or updated proof of residency), online purchases will be mailed to you. It may take 14-21 days.

Office hours are weekdays, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Questions? Email recreation@westportct.gov.

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It was a madhouse — but fun — Wednesday evening, in the Staples fieldhouse.

Over 70 Westport Little League boys and girls practiced skills and did drills with the big Wrecker players.

Coach Jack McFarland and the Diamond Club oversaw the event. It was a grand slam!

This is the closest they got to “posing” for a photo at the Staples baseball event. (Hat tip and photo/Stacie Curran)

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When I say “boxing,” odds are you do not think “Westport Country Playhouse.” Or “The Westport Woman’s Club.”

But the 3 very different worlds meet on April 6. Rich Dean Boxing will present “Gloves For Good,” a night of boxing to support the WWC.

It’s a first-ever USA Boxing-sanctioned event, with boxers from Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.

The evening includes 10-plus bouts of boxing, live music, a silent auction, and a VIP dinner and drink service courtesy of Gabriele’s Steakhouse.

Click here for tickets, and more information. (Hat tip: Ross Levin)

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Longtime Westport resident Phyllis Markoff died Tuesday. From 1982-88, she served proudly as president of Temple Israel.

She is survived by her children John (Laurie), Cathy (Jim Bessent), Janet and Nancy (Jeffrey Burt); grandchildren Alisa (Andy), Bill (Anita), Briana, Lily, Jack (Hanna Wallace), Kane (Lana Holley) and Blaze, and great-grandchildren Aaron, Alec, Sophia, Lydia, Isabella and Axel. She was predeceased by her husband Del.

The family will hold a private memorial service next month.

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Today is International Women’s Day. In its honor, Westport-based non-profit Nest Egg Foundation is sponsoring a free online chat about women’s health and reproductive care (including in vitro fertilization).

The event begins at 3 p.m. today (March 8). Click here for the Zoom link.

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We see deer all the time. (And our “Westport … Naturally” feature includes lots of them.)

It’s far rarer to see an albino deer — even a partial albino, like the one Molly Alger spotted on Whitney Street.

(Photo/Molly Alger)

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And finally … in honor of the inaugural boxing exhibition taking place next month at the Westport Country Playhouse (story above):

(“06880” is your one-stop spot for news about beach stickers, buses, boxing, and much much more. Please click here to support this hyper-local blog. Thank you!)

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