August 17th @ 7 p.m.
GERTRUDE LAWRENCE-THE GHOST OF THE CAPE PLAYHOUSE
With musician/ historian/recitalist/lecturer/ scholar Robert Wyatt. Gertrude Lawrence was one of Great Britain’s brightest theatrical stars during the first half of the 20th century. A lifelong friend and colleague of Noel Coward, Lawrence ‘s forte was sophisticated musical comedy, where she exuded a lively, charismatic stage presence that easily overcame her shortcomings as a singer. She was sometimes criticized for a small vocal range and a tendency to sing flat, but her emotional commitment and flat-out star power earned her the approval of most of the musical legends she worked with: the Gershwins, Cole Porter, Kurt Weill and Rodgers & Hammerstein. Her connection to Cape Cod came later in her career when she married producer and aficionado Richard Aldrichin 1940. Their life together was dear and rewarding and Aldrich published Mrs. A: An Intimate Biography of a Great Star, the definitive book on Lawrence’s life and career in 1955.
SPONSORS: CHARLES MACMILLIN & DIANNE MAHONEY
August 24th @ 7 p.m.
Race through the Skies
FeaturingNational Book Award winner Martin W. Sandler
In 1903, the Wright brothers made three brief flights, and no one was there to watch them. Six years later, Wilbur Wright traveled to Europe to evangelize about aviation and raise money for patents--and the world got aviation fever. That summer, a group of champagne companies organized the first ever international air meet in Rheims, France. They knew they could throw a great party and sell a lot of champagne. They didn't know that this single week would change the course of aviation history. Through remarkable photographs, firsthand accounts, and lively narrative, Marty Sandler tells the story of how the Grande Semaine d'Aviation de la Champagne marked the public introduction to flight.
Aug. 31- IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK
HISTORIC HOUSE MUSEUMS OF CAPE COD, MARTHA’S VINEYARD & NANTUCKET with author Marcia Belmonte Young
Come learn about the many house museums on Cape Cod and the Islands. These historic properties range from first period houses built in the 1600s to mansions built for high society. Some are well-known and some are definitely off the beaten path. Marcia Young grew up in Framingham, Massachusetts and spent summers on Cape Cod. She is a graduate of Georgetown University and Boston College Law School. She loves visiting house museums and exploring the stories they hold. Her first guidebook, Visit House Museums: Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard & Nantucket, is available on Amazon.
SPONSORS: BOB & ALEX FRAZEE
