Sandwich Arts Alliance hosts celebration of female artists for Women's History Month

In honor of Women’s History Month, the Sandwich Arts Alliance is hosting “Celebrating Women in the Arts, by Women, for Women, about Women,” a weekend-long celebration of female artists.

“This is our first time doing this,” said Melinda Gallant, a member of the Sandwich Arts Alliance’s board of directors and coordinator for the performing arts group. “We hope we have good attendance, obviously, but we want to make this an annual event. We want people to know in Sandwich that we have a lot of women in Sandwich. They're doing great things in the arts and this is our way of focusing on them, highlighting them and applauding them for what they do.”

The weekend consists of four events: a reception for the exhibition “Women in the Arts” on March 15, a “Women in Music” concert and performance from “Fat A-- Cancer Bitch” Christine Ernst on March 16 and a scripted reading of “Face East,” a play from Woods Hole playwright Bronwen Prosser on March 17.

The reception takes place at 5 p.m. on March 15, kicking off the weekend’s festivities. The exhibit consists of works from female members of the Alliance. Light refreshments will be served and harpist Katie Koglin will be playing throughout the evening.

An awards ceremony will also be held for those selected by judges as the best in show for several categories.

On March 16, the “Women in Music” concert begins at 2 p.m. featuring three musicians — Diana Di Gioia, Shannon Davis and Leslie Gage — performing a mix of original works and covers encompassing several genres such as rock, jazz and pop and a conversation about songwriting.

“I liken it to why Taylor Swift writes her songs,” Gallant said. “It's about their songs, why they write them and how they write them.”

Following the concert, Ernst takes the Old Glass Town stage at 7 p.m. to perform her one-woman show “Lucky Thirteen.” The show pokes fun at the ups and downs of life, reminding us all we can’t take everything so seriously.

“She's poignant, she's funny and man does she hit the nail on the head sometimes,” Gallant said about Ernst.

Audience members will receive a cookie and a magnet as a souvenir following the show and be able to chat with Ernst as well.

Closing out the weekend’s celebrations is a scripted reading of “Face East,” a comedic coming-of-age play about a young woman trying to find her purpose while living in her childhood treehouse in her parent's backyard, directed by Nina Schuessler at 2 p.m. on March 17.

When asked about the importance of uplifting women in the arts, especially during Women’s HIstory Month, Gallant said she feels it’s a difficult time for women in our current political and social climate and it’s imperative that we “emphasize the multifaceted women's talents that women have.”

“Women are being kind of ostracized or being pigeonholed,” she said. “Some rights are being taken away and I don't care what your beliefs are about various things but I think it's very important, I mean, we have a month given to us right? International Women's Month, that now is the time to highlight what women do here on Cape Cod.”

All events will be held at the Sandwich Arts Alliance Center, located at the historic Sandwich Town Hall (130 Main St.). Admission to the “Women in the Arts” exhibition and to the “Women in Music” concert is free (a freewill $5 donation will be collected following the concert) and tickets for “Lucky Thirteen” and “Face East” are $25. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.sandwichartsalliance.org/.

“We want younger women and high school girls and men and women and everybody in between to come to this and just see how much talent we have right here in Sandwich,” Gallant said.

Other fun happening this week on Cape Cod

Harwich Police Department hosts Special Olympics Massachusetts Polar Plunge

In collaboration with the Law Enforcement Torch Run, the Harwich Police Department is hosting its annual polar plunge in support of the Special Olympics Massachussetts at 11 a.m. on March 16 at Red River Beach in Harwich.

Participants can join online at www.specialolympicsma.org/. On-site registration and check-in begins at 10 a.m. and participants under 18 must have a parent or guardian present to sign a waiver. Waivers can be downloaded online prior to the plunge.

For more information, contact PolarPlunge@SpecialOlympicsMA.org.

Stephen G. Waller talks about 'A Moving Meditation: Life on a Cape Cod Kettle Pond' in Osterville

You may not see them on a map but dotted around the Cape are kettle ponds, small bodies of fresh water formed by glaciers thousands of years ago. In his latest book, “A Moving Meditation: Life on a Cape Cod Kettle Pond,” local author Stephen G. Waller provides an in-depth look at the history and ecosystem of one of the many, Centerville’s Long Pond.

Waller will discuss the topics touched on in his new book during a lecture at 1 p.m. on March 16 at the Osterville Village Library. The event is free to attend but attendees are asked to register with Amy Wolfe, manager of programming services and patron planning for the Osterville Village Library. To register or for more information, contact Wolfe at awolfe@clamsnet.org or call the library at 508-420-0550. The Osterville Village Library is located at 43 Wianno Ave. in Osterville.

Spring Ring 2024 at Harwich Community Center

The 9th Cape Cod “Spring Ring,” concert is set to take place at 2 p.m. on March 16 at the Harwich Community Center.

The show, directed by Raleigh Ringers artistic director David Harris, features 75 handbell ringers from across New England. Pieces will be performed harmoniously under Harris’ direction plus a few pieces will be performed by each participating choir.

The show is free to attend but a freewill donation will be collected at the end. The Harwich Community Center is located at 100 Oak St. in Harwich. For more information about the show, contact capesidemusic@comcast.net.

Try a plant-based recipe at book signing by Cape Cod Healthcare's Dr. Kumara Sidhartha

In celebration of his new book, “All My Secrets: Messages of Health From Your Body Decoded,” Chief Health Equity and Wellness Officer for Cape Cod Healthcare, Dr. Kumara Sidhartha is hosting a book signing, presentation and Q&A at 11:30 a.m. on March 17 at Friendship Hall, part of Unity on Cape Cod.

Guests will be able to try one of the 30 recipes outlined in Dr. Sidhartha’s book and ask questions about the book, plant-based eating and any other health-related topics.

The event is free to attend and is presented by the EarthCare Ministry Team at Unity on Cape Cod. Unity on Cape Cod is located at 147 Walton Ave. in Hyannis.

Frankie Rowley covers entertainment and things to do. Contact her at frowley@capecodonline.com/.

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Sandwich Arts Alliance celebrates local female artists