Upcoming events: SVAC holds kids art camps; ‘Secret Garden’ premieres; GMUHS screens film on U.S. addiction treatment; and Rockingham Library hosts writers’ workshops, chess, geneology groups

For more upcoming events, click here for The Chester Telegraph calendar. To be included in our Upcoming events briefs, email Susan Lampe-Wilson at calendar@www.chestertelegraph.org. Photos welcome. No PDFs, please.

Dec. 23: Kids art camps at SVAC’s Createplace in Manchester

Hands-on crafting at SVAC’s new downtown Manchester CreatePlace

Hands-on crafting at SVAC’s new downtown Manchester CreatePlace

The Southern Vermont Arts Center’s School Break Kids Camps returns this year with a twist: the camps are being held in SVAC’s new Manchester Center facility, CreatePlace, at 32 Center Hill Road.

A collaboration between the Arts Center and Stacy Gates, of Create with Bogate, and sponsored by Lana and Ben Hauben of Manchester Designer Outlets, CreatePlace will host a slate of mini crafting workshops especially designed by Gates to appeal to kids in kindergarten through grade five.

The camps run from 1–4 p.m. on the following dates:
Dec. 23: Modern Tin Art
Dec. 24: Handcrafted Notebooks
Dec. 29: “Frozen” Themed Crafts
Dec. 30: Abstract Art Making
Dec. 31: Cardboard African Mask Making
Jan. 1: Architecture & Cityscapes
Jan. 2: “Angry Bird” Crafts

Each camp costs $35 per day, per child, with discounts for siblings, multi-day attendance and SVAC members. Register for camps by calling Stacy Gates, at 802-367-1300.

In addition to the Kids Camps, CreatePlace offers open studio time and drop-in crafts activities for children and adults daily. For a complete rundown of CreatePlace offerings, visit svac.org/calendar; for more information on the camps and CreatePlace, email Stacy Gates at sgates@svac.org or call the studio at 802-367-1300. For more information on the Southern Vermont Arts Center, visit svac.org or call 802-362-1405. SVAC is located at 930 SVAC Drive, off West Road, in Manchester.

Jan. 4: Opera Theatre of Weston premieres ‘The Secret Garden’

The newly revised version of The Secret Garden will make its world premiere from Jan. 4–11, 2015 at the Paramount Theatre in Rutland and at the Weston Playhouse. Composer Nolan Gasser and lyricist Carey Harrison have been busy all year tweaking scenes and adding notes to the original manuscript especially for the Opera Theatre of Weston.

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Opera Theatre of Weston will present the enchanting family opera “The Secret Garden.”

Mary Westbrook-Geha conducts the professional cast and orchestra for the 2 p.m. full-length matinees on Jan. 4 in Rutland and on Jan. 10 and 11 in Weston.

Four local students will portray the animals in the story: Mary Anderson of Chester will dance the transformative role of the Robin; Morgan Wallace of Rutland (Fox), Anna Pace of Manchester (Fawn) and Evangeline Bulick of Dorset (Squirrel) will join the chorus in the garden scenes.

The Secret Garden is a tale of triumph over tragedy and the healing power of nature that is geared to the entire family. When orphaned Mary Lennox comes to live at her uncle’s great mansion on the Yorkshire Moors, she finds it full of unsettling secrets. The gardens surrounding the odd property are Mary’s escape. When Mary discovers the key to the mysterious walled-in garden, she unlocks a hidden world where unexpected friendships and a new life bloom.

This is a huge coup for the tiny opera company, which has previously taken on successful Vermont premieres  such as The Little Prince.

The opera’s performance schedule is as follows. All shows begin at 2 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 4,: Paramount Theatre, 30 Center St., Rutland

Saturday Jan. 10: Weston Playhouse, 703 Main St. in Weston

Sunday Jan. 11: Weston Playhouse, 703 Main St., Weston

Ticket prices are $30/$15 for the Paramount Theatre, Rutland and may be purchased by visiting http://www.paramountvt.org/tickets.php or by calling 802-775-0903. For the Weston Playhouse, ticket prices are $30/$22/$15 and may be purchased by visiting http://operatheatreofweston.com/Tickets.php or calling 802-824-3821. For more information, please contact Opera Theatre of Weston at (802) 824-3821, e-mail otw@sover.net or visit our website at www.operatheatreofweston.com

AnonymousJan. 7: Film about famous addicts, poor U.S. treatment at GMUHS

A feature film about the 23.5 million Americans living in long-term recovery and the emerging public recovery movement will be shown at Green Mountain Union High School Auditorium, 716 VT Route 103 S., at 6 p.m.  Wednesday, Jan.  7.  This is part of GMUHS’s Community Series program.

This link connects to the movie trailer: http://www.theanonymouspeople.com.

The Anonymous People features interviews with more than 30 people among the millions in long-term recovery from drug and alcohol addiction who are making the courageous decision to speak out publicly.

They, and the film, question why the United States has criminalized and too often given superficial treatment to a chronic illness – addiction.  As a result, addiction now comes with an annual price tag of $350 billion.  The American approach has put most of the burden of long-term addiction treatment on anonymous, free, 12-step programs. Those programs have done a good job, but no other health problem is treated this way.

The Anonymous People also shines a light on prominent people who are not very anonymous and are living publicly as people in long-term recovery themselves: Award winning actress Kristen Johnston, former NBA star Chris Herren; Tara Conner, Miss USA 2006; former U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy; veteran news anchor Laurie Dhue; Tom Coderre, chief of staff to Rhode Island Senate president and many others.  They have chosen to “come out” with their recovery in an effort to counter the existing public perception of other people just like them.

For more information contact Cortney Slobodnjak at GMUHS at 875-4155 or 875-2146 X 276.

Elayne Clift to offer workshop on writing your life stories

Elayne Clift to offer workshop on writing your life stories

Jan. 10: Events at Rock Library

The Rockingham Library at 65 Westminster St. in Bellows Falls invites the public for weekly groups on Thursdays and a Saturday writers workshop.

From 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 10, the Rockingham Library presents the writers workshop Life Stories: Memories of Love, Action and Thought.

Through prompts and facilitated exercises, award-winning author Elayne Clift will guide participants as they write and share stories. Attendees should come prepared to compose, share, laugh and discover their inner writer. Brown-bag lunches and laptops are welcome. This workshop is free and open to the public, however space is limited, so registration is recommended. To register or for more information, call 802-463-4270, email anne@rockinghamlibrary.org, go to www.rockinghamlibrary.org, or stop by the library.

Most Thursday mornings from 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. the library hosts a Genealogy Group. The group welcomes those interested in exploring their lineage. People may drop in and join them on any Thursday. Genealogy enthusiast Wayne Blanchard guides participants on a quest to discover their family roots with the many free databases available at the library. Beginners and seasoned genealogists are welcome.

Thursday afternoons bring a Chess Group that meets 2–4 p.m. The public is encouraged to learn the basics or to enjoy a challenging game. All levels are welcome for this relaxed group. Players will be matched with others of their skill level.

All programs are free and open to the public. For more information, call 802-463-4270, email anne@rockinghamlibrary.org or go online to rockinghamlibrary.org.

— Compiled by Susan Lampe-Wilson

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About the Author: This item was edited from one or more press releases submitted to The Chester Telegraph.

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