One-woman show spotlights British impresario
Let’s hear it for the women who make history.
That’s the philosophy of History at Play, the immersive living-history experience that chronicles the lives of legendary women who changed society.
It was created by Judith Kalaora, who writes solo pieces and portrays historical females like Dolley Madison and Hedy Lamarr. Kalaora also brings in acclaimed actors and historical interpreters to add more personalities to her stable of historic figures, notables who appear virtually every other Friday at 7:30 p.m., in a livestream performance.
HAP jumps the pond Friday, Jan. 22, traveling to 18th-century England and the creation of a theatrical empire with “Mrs. Baker, Governess General of Kentish Theatre.” The performance features Kate Mechedou, an actress and historical interpreter, portraying Sarah Baker, a British theater impresario. Kalaora will host the performance.
Baker was a dancer and single mom who used her business acumen to become one of the most successful selfmade women of her day. The performance begins in 1776 as the widowed Baker assumes control of a ragtag collection of performers. Viewers will experience the delight as her empire grows. But, as with all success, her troubles grow in direct proportion. Ultimately, we encounter an older — but not necessarily wiser — Mrs. Baker as she reveals her secret: How could a humble dancer afford to build a successful theater empire? She muses on her own legacy, including inspiring one of Britain’s greatest writers, as the audience asks itself, “Who is responsible for creating a myth?”
The performance lasts 45 minutes and is followed by a real-time audience Q&A.
Pay-Per-HAP Livestream Series brings the vibrancy of theatrical history and educational escapism direct to your screen! HAP’s 2021 Pay-Per-HAP livestream programming is presented on the second and fourth Friday of every month, at 7:30 p.m. (GMT-5). Episode access is granted at a pay-what-you-can rate of $10-$25, available at www.eventbrite.com/o/history-at-play17409523528. Episodes are viewable for 48 hours. Bonus materials, including primary sources, reputable information and merchandise giveaways are shared after every episode! There are no refunds/date transfers. Patrons receive a link to view the program 24 hours before the event via email.
Other schedule winter/spring performances include:
• Feb. 12, “Cato & Dolly: A New American Play” (written by Patrick Gabridge), starring HAP troupe members, Boston.
• Feb. 26, “Crispus Attucks, Revolutionary Recollections,” starring Jon F. Rice, Chicago.
• March 12, “Not Your Momma’s History,” starring Cheyney McKnight, New York City.
• March 27, “Mrs. Nathanael Greene (Lady Caty),” starring Carin Bloom, Charleston, S.C.
In the wings
CONSERVATORY CLASSES: All manner of classes, from “Folk & Fairytale” to “Teen Improv” to “West African Dance,” are scheduled this winter into spring at Hanover Theatre Conservatory for the Performing Arts in Worcester. More than two dozen theater-arts classes are on the docket for kids, teens and adults, plus an array of dance classes that started in September but are accepting new midyear students. In light of the recent rise in COVID-19 cases, conservatory staff decided to push out the start of the spring term. It now runs Jan. 25-May 22, and they will continue to monitor the situation and make adjustments accordingly. Visit tickets.thehanovertheatre.org/conservatory/Online/default.asp for classes and reservations.
PALINDROME AT HOME: The characters in the upcoming “Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead” sound similar to the Peanuts gang — only they are experiencing teen angst and anxieties after CB’s dog dies from rabies and he begins to question the existence of an afterlife. Presented virtually by the Dramatically Incorrect Theater Group & Dance Company of Lowell, performances are Friday-Saturday, Jan. 22-23, at 7:30 p.m. Other dilemmas confronting CB include a burnt-out best friend, a little sister gone goth, an institutionalized ex-girlfriend and pals too inebriated to offer solace. Drugs, suicide, eating disorders, teen violence, rebellion and sexual identity collide and careen toward an ending that’s both haunting and hopeful. To see the show, visit www.facebook.com/ events/2617933421831894 for reservations.
SAVE THE DATE: Acclaimed jazz pianist Ethan Iverson performs a livestream concert Saturday, Jan. 23, from Blackman Hall at Indian Hill Music in Littleton. To learn more and purchase tickets, visit indianhillmusic.org/performances/live-from-indian-hill/ethaniverson.