Newton Cultural Alliance

Theatre Ink presents: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
2021-12-10 19:30, 2021-12-11 19:30 (America/New_York) | Newton North High School, 457 Walnut St, Newton, MA, 02460, United States
An eclectic group of six mid-pubescents vie for the spelling championship of a lifetime. While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home lives, the tweens spell their way through a series of (potentially made-up) words, hoping never to hear the soul-crushing, pout-inducing, life un-affirming “ding” of the bell that signals a spelling mistake. Six spellers enter; one speller leaves! At least the losers get a juice box.
Purchase in-person tickets HERE. For virtual tickets, click HERE.

Boston Ballet presents: The Nutcracker
2021-12-11, 2021-12-12, 2021-12-13, 2021-12-14, 2021-12-15, 2021-12-16, 2021-12-17, 2021-12-18 and 8 more dates | Citizens Bank Opera House, 539 Washington St, Boston, MA, 02111, United States
Let your dreams come to life
Take time for joy with your family and friends at New England’s most beloved holiday tradition. With brave toy soldiers, dancing snowflakes, and a tree that grows to the sky, The Nutcracker conjures the childlike wonder in us all.
Slip away into the warm drawing room of the Silberhaus family and watch as Clara’s surroundings transform before your eyes. From the dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy to the iconic snow scene, this classical ballet set to the beloved music of Tchaikovsky continues to enthrall audiences of all ages.
The Nutcracker marks Boston Ballet’s return to the Citizens Bank Opera House, and the shared magic and excitement of this heartwarming production feels more meaningful than ever as the curtain rises again. Join us in dreaming of sugarplums, candy canes, and the bright season ahead.
All patrons must present proof of vaccination or proof of a recent negative COVID test before entering the venue and must wear a mask inside the theater at all times, regardless of vaccination status.
To purchase tickets and read the full COVID policy, click here.

Scandinavian Cultural Center presents: "The Men's Room" Screening
2021-12-11 13:00 - 14:30 | Scandinavian Cultural Center, 206 Waltham St, Newton, MA, 02465, United States
A wonderful Norwegian male choir is getting ready to warm up for Black Sabbath and to sing the last verse for their conductor.

Every Tuesday, 25 men in their prime get together in a bar in Oslo to sing in a choir and drink beers. They have joked that they have promised to sing at each other’s funerals and now it looks like the choir’s conductor will be the first to be sung out. The doctor has given him just a few months to live. Which is roughly the time that the male choir has to prepare for its biggest gig to date: a warm-up job for Black Sabbath. The countdown has started, while both the cancer-stricken conductor and the wonderful lads in the choir try to keep their spirits high with songs about the hardships of middle-aged men, while they also prepare to say farewell to each other. The joy of singing and community help them to open up to each other and their feelings. Rarely has a film been so funny and touching, and you are both warmed on the inside and reduced to tears at the same time. ‘The Men’s Room’ is a film that goes straight to the heart and stays there.
in Norwegian with English subtitles | 75 minutes
Saturday, December 11th | 1pm | $5; free for SCC members | Tickets here

Newton Free Library presents: Paul-André Bempéchat Performs Beethoven Sonatas
2021-12-15 15:00 - 16:00 | Facebook Live, United States
Paul-André Bempéchat will return to the Facebook Live stage to perform a selection of Beethoven’s sonatas!
(You do not need to have a Facebook account to attend.)
Paul-André Bempéchat is Music Fellow at Harvard’s Cabot House. A Juilliard and Sorbonne graduate, he has enjoyed a forty-year performing and teaching career on both sides of the Atlantic, having performed at venues as prestigious as Berlin’s Konzerthaus, the Vienna Festival, Jordan Hall and Alice Tully Hall.
Registration for this program will end two hours before the start time. The login information will be sent just after registration closes. Please be sure to check your spam folder in case it lands there.

Newton Theatre Kids presents: Fall Classes - Devising Ensemble
2021-12-16 18:30 - 20:00 | First Unitarian Universalist Society in Newton, 1326 Washington St, Newton, MA, 02465, United States
Join NTK’s all new Devising Ensemble! Our first program for middle schoolers gives participants the opportunity to explore new forms of performance and hone their artistic skills, all while creating an original piece of theatre as an ensemble. Specifically tailored to the interests of the students, this class is an excellent opportunity for young performers to expand their artistic horizons and learn more about their craft. ​Open to Students in Grades 6-8. ​Tuition: $385
Thursdays from 6:30-8 pm
September 9th through December 16th
​Taught by Abby Lass
Location for all classes: FUUSN – First Unitarian Universalist Society in Newton
1326 Washington St, Newton, MA 02465
We follow closings for all Newton Public school holidays and snow days.
We want theatre to be accessible to everyone.
If you are interested in learning more about Newton Theatre Kids scholarships, please email Melissa.

Zamir Chorale of Boston presents: Hanukkah Happens
2021-12-23 19:30 | Temple Emanuel, 385 Ward Street, Newton, MA, 02459, United States
Mark your calendars for our Hanukkah Happens concert featuring a full orchestra. Gala concert with Zamir orchestra, Josh Jacobson and Cantor Elias Rosemberg joining us for many old and recent favorites. The program will include Machtenberg’s “Shehecheyonu,” Bloch’s “Kedushah” (from the Sacred Service ), Jagoda’s “Ocho Kandelikas,” and a medley of melodies by Debbie Friedman arranged by Jeremiah Klarman.

Scandinavian Cultural Center presents: Push (2019) screening
2022-01-08 13:00 | Scandinavian Cultural Center, 206 Waltham St, Newton, MA, 02465, United States
WHY CAN’T WE AFFORD TO LIVE IN OUR CITIES?
PUSH is a new documentary from award-winning Swedish director Fredrik Gertten, investigating why we can’t afford to live in our own cities anymore. Housing is a fundamental human right, a precondition to a safe and healthy life. But in cities all around the world, having a place to live is becoming more and more difficult. Who are the players and what are the factors that make housing one of today’s most pressing world issues?
Saturday, January 8th | 1pm | $7; free for members | Tickets here | **proof of vaccination and masks required**

Newton Art Association presents: Demo with Irena Roman - Watercolor
2022-01-09 14:00 - 16:00 | Newton Art Association, Newton, MA
Irena Roman is a signature member of The American Watercolor Society, The Transparent Watercolor Society of America, The Watercolor USA Honor Society and The New England Watercolor Society.
A recipient of The American Watercolor Society’s High Winds Medal of Honor and the Ralph Smith Memorial Award Irena has also twice received the Watercolor West Award from The National Watercolor Society as well as three Gold medals and two Silver medals from the New England Watercolor Society. Her work has been displayed in the prestigious Shanghai Zhujiajiao International Watercolor Biennial, China. She was recognized in Creative Quarterly’s 100 Best International Juried Competition and was awarded Best in Show in the Global Association of Watercolor Artists 2018 International Competition.
Irena’s illustration work has been recognized in Communication Arts illustration annuals and in Print’s Regional Design annuals. She received a silver medal from the Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles and a Gold Medal from the Dallas Advertising Club. Her clients have included HarperCollins Publishers, Little Brown Publishing, The New Yorker magazine, Toray International, Japan, Hormel, and many others.
In addition to being a painter, Irena is a Professor at Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Boston.

Community Food Pantry Drive
2022-01-10 08:00 - 2022-01-15 12:00 | Scandinavian Cultural Center, 206 Waltham St, Newton, MA, 02465, United States
*Please consider participating in the Community Food Pantry Drive now through January 15th in honor of MLK Day. Sponsored by The Rotary Club of Newton and The Village Bank, canned items and other essentials are being collected to benefit Newton Food Pantry, Newton Centre Food Pantry, and the Arabic Baptist Food Pantry. For donation details and drop-off locations visit here.

Newton Free Library presents: A Night in the Amazon with Erica Ferencik
2022-01-11 19:00 - 20:00 | ONLINE, United Kingdom, E16 2DQ
Join Erica Ferencik for a night in the Amazon! Thirty-foot anacondas; puppy-sized spiders; SUV-length electric eels that can kill you with a glancing blow – these are some of the creatures that Erica encountered on her month-long journey of survival in the Peruvian rainforest while researching her book, Into the Jungle. Her incredible story is sure to thrill all!
There is nowhere on earth Erica Ferencik won’t go to take you out of your head and into the great wild world. An award-winning novelist, Ferencik writes adventure stories featuring women who brave not only internal struggles, but face extreme challenges in their environment: remote forests, steaming jungles and desolated icescapes.
If you wish to own a copy of Into the Jungle, it is available at Newtonville Books here.
Registration for this program will end two hours before the start time. The login information will be sent just after registration closes. Please be sure to check your spam folder in case it lands there.

New Art Center Presents: Friday Figure Draw
2022-01-14 19:00 - 22:00 | New Art Center, 61 Washington Park, Newton, MA, 02460, United States
Details: Friday, 1 Session
Times: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Enjoy a life drawing open studio with a live model, beginning with quick poses, and ending with an hour pose. The evening will be relaxed but professional, with music, a great model, and the opportunity to purchase wine or beer. No photography allowed. No instruction. For artists 21+, ID required. Bring your own art supplies (no oils); easels/chairs provided.

54th Annual Martin Luther King Day Celebration
2022-01-17 09:30 - 10:30 | MA
*The City of Newton presents a webinar event in honor of the 54th Annual Martin Luther King Day Celebration. The live virtual program is inspired by MLK Jr’s. book “Where Do We Go From Here: Community or Chaos.” The event will include remarks by Mayor Ruthanne Fuller, David Fleishman, and Kathy Lopes, a sermon by Reverend Alicia Johnson, and music by Katani Sumner, The Jubilee Singers, The Troubadours, and The Lovetones. Register here for the MLK Day Celebration link.

Newton Free Library presents: Creating Public TV Shows with Roberto Mighty
2022-01-18 19:00 - 20:00 | ONLINE, United Kingdom, E16 2DQ
Join filmmaker, Roberto Mighty, for a session in which he will talk about the process of creating and producing his three new TV shows that are airing nationwide on public television. Learn why World’s Greatest Cemeteries, getting dot OLDER and Legacy of Love are all labors of love for this former college professor who is a former Newton resident!
Roberto Mighty, MFA, is America’s first Artist-in-Residence at a National Historic Landmark cemetery, where he produced 29 short films about diverse historical figures, horticulture, landscape and funerary iconography. Roberto is also Host/Producer of getting dot OLDER, his new 13 episode, half hour public television series about baby boomers across America — slated for release by APT in January, 2022 . Roberto’s historical documentary about Martin Luther King and Coretta Scott King, Legacy of Love, was broadcast on WGBH in 2020. He is Founder and Principal of Celestial Media LLC, a new Film/TV/Multimedia studio specializing in creative, inclusive content for today’s audiences. Visit Roberto’s website. Image ©2021_Roberto Mighty. Credit: Shawn Read
Registration for this program will end two hours before the start time. The login information will be sent just after registration closes. Please be sure to check your spam folder in case it lands there.

Newton Theatre Company presents Macbeth
2022-01-21 20:00 - 22:00 | The Woman’s Club of Newton Highlands, 72 Columbus St, Newton, MA, 02461, United States
This winter, Newton Theatre Company will bring you one of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies– with a twist!
Macbeth
By William Shakespeare
January 21-23
The Woman’s Club of Newton Highlands
72 Columbus St, Newton, MA 02461

An all-woman ensemble takes on Shakespeare’s tragedy about the infamous Scottish king and queen and the dark consequences of their murderous ambition.
Click here to purchase your tickets!
