RECALL: Fisher-Price Recalls Learning Pots & Pans Toys Due to Choking Hazard

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Fisher Price of New York, today announced a voluntary recall of about 15,000 Learning Pots & Pans™ Toys. Missing screws in the blue toy pan can cause the clear plastic cover to come loose and release small balls, presenting a choking hazard to young children. Fisher-Price has received five reports of the plastic covers detaching and releasing the small balls. No injuries have been reported. This recall involves Learning Pots and Pans™ toy sets with stackable pots and pans, a lid and shape-sorting blocks. The toys have light and sound features that operate on three AA batteries. Model number G6685 is located on the bottom of the blue pan. They were sold at discount department and toy stores nationwide from October 2007 to August 2008 for about $20 and manufactured in China
Consumers should immediately take these recalled toys away from children and examine the bottom of the blue pan. The pan should contain six screws. If all six screws are installed, no further action is necessary. If any screws are missing, the consumer should contact Fisher-Price to arrange for the return of the blue pan for a replacement. For additional information, contact Fisher-Price at 888-521-0820 anytime, or visit http://www.service.mattel.com/

Reader Wins Camp Rock Soundtrack CD

Congrats to Paula Flaherty Bolotin of Whitinsville, a reader of many years of Bay State Parent magazine. She is the winner of the magazine's & Buena Vista Records Camp Rock CD contest! Her favorite Bay State Parent magazine features are Day Trip Destination, Parenting 1-2-3, & Tween to Teen.

CAMP ROCK, which aired on the Disney Channel, earlier this summer, stars the latest tween & teen sensation the JONAS Brothers (whose new album hits stores next Tuesday) and singer-songwriter-actress Demi Lovato. Camp Rock is the story of a talented yet unsure teen who yearns to share her songs with the world and of a tempestuous young superstar who's lost his passion for music and is sent packing by his band mates. Together, at a camp for aspiring young music artists, they learn to believe in themselves and to value the freedom to be who they really want to be. The movie's soundtrack is available at retail outlets.

Congrats to all the readers who entered the contest.

To enter current contests, visit http://www.baystateparent.com/common/contests.html

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CONTEST WINNERS: Betsy Bubblegum DVDs

Congrats to the following Bay State Parent magazine readers. Each will receive a copy of the DVD Betsy Bubblegum's Journey Through Yummi-Land.
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*Laura Adams of Lowell. A reader of the magazine online. Her favorite features are Pondering Parenting, Mom's Plate Date, and the calendar.
.**Heidi Boyle of Webster. A reader for the last 4 years, her favorite feature is Day Trip Destination.
** Pam Koskovich of Natick. A reader for 5 years, her favorite features are the calendar & Adoption Insights, and the featured articles.
** Karen Peters of Leominster. A reader for 5 years, her favorite features are the calendar and Day Trip Destination.
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The DVD is the first-ever movie featuring the Yummi-Land Girls. The DVD also contains several special features including a build your own sundae game, a gooey guessing game, a sing-a-long, and sweet secret surprises.If your are unfamiliar about Yummi-Land, here is quick synopsis about it and the DVD movie: When Betsy Bubblegum arrives in Yummi Land for the first time, she is overwhelmed by the super-delicious sights and scents. Flowery fragrances, fruity flavors, and sweet sounds tempt Betsy to explore the mouthwatering metropolis! After returning with her Uncle, Mayor Marshmallow, Betsy meets the Candy Pop Girls, the Flower Pop Girls, and the Ice Cream Pop Girls. Even as she makes new friends and helps out with a major Yummi-Land event, Betsy discovers her own unique talents.The movie is about 45 minutes. Manufacturer's recommended age is 4 an older.
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Congrats to everyone who entered!
To see current contests offered to Bay State Parent readers, visit http://www.baystateparent.com/common/contests.html

CONTEST WINNERS: WALL-E CD

Congrats to the following Bay State Parent magazine readers. Each will receive a copy of the soundtrack to the Disney animated summer movie hit -- Wall-E.

**Heidi Boyle of Webster. A reader for the last 4 years, her favorite feature is Day Trip Destination.
**Mary Jaquith of Franklin. Her favorite feature is Day Trip Destination, too.
**Jen Lee of Newton. A reader for 3 years, her favorite features are Parenting 1-2-3 and the Calendar.
**Patricia Minton of Shrewsbury. A reader for two years, her favorite feature is the calendar.
**Stacy Smith of Waltham. Her favorite features are Working Mom & the calendar.
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The Walt Disney Records CD features a score written by 8-time Academy Award-nominated composer Thomas Newsman and the original song Down to Earth written and performed by Peter Gabriel. (It's my personal favorite song on the CD.) The soundtrack also includes two songs from Hello Dolly performed by Michael Crawford (It Only Takes A Moment and Put On Your Sunday Clothes and the Louis Armstrong classic La Vie En Rose.
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To see current contests offered to By State Parent readers, visit http://www.baystateparent.com/common/contests.html
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Saturday Explorations at Mass Audubon's Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary

This Saturday, Aug. 9 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. the Massachusetts Audubon Society's Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary in Topsfield is hosting a Thank You, Sunshine program for families with children age 5 and older.
This program combines a hike with fun activities and explorations. Make solar pizza ovens, learn how solar panels produce electricity, and explore different ways we can use the sun’s energy. Cost & pre-registration: $9 adults, $7 children (discount for Mass Audubon members available). For more information or to register call 978-887-9264 or visit the sanctuary's web site at www.massaudubon.org/ipswichriver
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MOMS Club of Millbury-Sutton Monthly Social: Tuesday, Aug 12

The MOMS Club of Millbury-Sutton will hold its monthly social on Tuesday, August 12, at 10 a.m. Join moms, dads and children for fun in the sun. There will be activities for the kids and light snacks. All are welcome. For more information on this event or the MOMS Club of Millbury-Sutton e-mail info@MOMSClubOfMillburySutton.com or go to www.MOMSClubofMillburySutton.com

CONTEST WINNERS:

The following 5 were contest winners for a copy of the Spiderwick Chronicles DVD.
Shyiesha Brown, Worcester
Cam Smith, Natick
Trinity Carlson, Barre
Grace Knutson, Oxford
Sydney Davey, Sturbridge
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To enter current Bay State Parent magazine contests visit: http://www.baystateparent.com/common/contests.html
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Bob's Discount Furniture Opening 30th Store in Bellingham Today

Today, Bob's Discount Furniture, with stores in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island, will hold a grand opening of its 30th Bob's Discount Furniture at the Crossroads Shopping Plaza in Bellingham, at 10 a.m. toady.
"We're thrilled to be opening our 30th location! This is truly a milestone as we continue to be the region's fastest growing furniture retailer. Bellingham is such a great area to celebrate this event. By offering pure value, our customers have remained customers over and over again, and I look forward to welcoming our new Bellingham area customers on Thursday, August 7th," said Bob Kaufman, president, Bob's Discount Furniture.
The new location is situated near Exit 18 off I-495 in the Crossroads Shopping Plaza, 221 Hartford Avenue, Route 126, Bellingham, Massachusetts, phone 774-328-3333.
The store is open on Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Today, Bob Kaufman, president and TV personality, Bob's Discount Furniture, will make an in-store appearance to meet and greet the public.
On Saturday, August 9th, Bob's Discount Furniture TV personalities Cathy Poulin and William Newton along with the new Bob's Discount Furniture Community Outreach Van will make a special appearance and welcome customers. Coffee mugs, balloons and T-shirts will be given away while customers can also enjoy free food and beverages at the store's Café and along with entertainment in the video arcade.

For more information, visit www.mybobs.com.
About Bob's Discount Furniture Charitable Foundation: Through the Bob's Discount Furniture Charitable Foundation and its many charitable contributions and sponsorships, Bob, Cathy and all of Bob's Discount Furniture employees support hundreds of nonprofit organizations. Among the many supported charities are Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters, American Cancer Society, March of Dimes, Salvation Army Marshall House Youth and Family Emergency Shelter, National Conference for Community Justice, American Red Cross, Connecticut Children's Medical Center and many more. In March 2006, Poulin participated in the "Dance for a Cause" competition in Hartford to raise money and awareness for the National Pajama Program and Lil' Iguana's Children's Safety Foundation. Poulin was also awarded Woman of the Year for 2006 by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. In April 2008, Kaufman was presented with the prestigious 2008 Biomedical Achievement Award from the American Red Cross as the "Bob Squad" was recognized for collecting over 20,000 units of blood during its 11 years of promoting blood drives. For more information about the foundation and Bob's Discount Furniture, visit www.mybobs.com/charity.
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CONTEST: Sunday is Final Day to Win an Autographed EcoTarium Book

Siegfried the Stegosaurus, who went AWOL from the EcoTarium to take a ramble through downtown Worcester, is now safely back home, and a book chronicling his adventures was unveiled earlier this summer -

The book about Siegfried's odyssey was born when Ann "Cookie" Nelson, who designs the EcoTarium's annual fund materials, learned from EcoTarium President Stephen Pitcher that this year the museum would have a new exhibit, DinoTracks. "Whatever happened," she asked Steve, "to Siegfried, the dinosaur that my children loved when the museum was on Elm and Cedar Streets?" She learned that until very recently, Siegfried, a life-sized sculpture, had been exiled to a spot in the woods on the EcoTarium's grounds, but that now he was located in a more prominent position near the museum entrance.

What if Siegfried, discontented at being alone in the woods, had decided to walk away from the EcoTarium and explore Worcester, visiting the city's famous landmarks? That thought has turned into a colorful children's book written by Cookie Nelson and illustrated by Michael McMenemy, a Worcester artist and graduate of the Pratt Institute whose whimsical illustrations brought Siegfried and the sights of Worcester to life. And what did happen to Siegfried when he ran away? He investigated Mechanics Hall, the Worcester Art Museum, the restaurants of Shrewsbury Street and lots more. To find out all the exciting details, you have to read the book!

EXCLUSIVE CONTEST: The EcoTarium has generously offered 5 autographed copies of Ann Nelson's new book Siegfried the Stegosaurus to Bay State Parent magazine readers.

5 readers, drawn at random, will each win an autographed copy.

To enter, please fill out the form at: http://www.baystateparent.com/common/entry_form.html

Please select Siegfried book in the pull down menu.

The deadline to enter is Sunday, Aug. 10 at 11:59 p.m., EST.

Winners will be announced on the magazine's blog.

Books will be mailed to winners, upon verification.

Contest is limited to Massachusetts residents only.

About the EcoTarium: EcoTarium, A Museum of Science & Nature, is a unique indoor-outdoor museum offering three floors of interactive exhibits, wildlife habitats, interpretive nature trails, a digital planetarium, and a narrow- gauge railroad. The museum, located at 222 Harrington Way in Worcester is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sundays 12 to 5 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults and $8 for seniors, college students and children ages 3-18. Parking is free. For information, visit http://www.ecotarium.org/.

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Most Creative Peanut Butter Sandwich Could Win Your Child a $25,000 Scholarship

The makers of Jif peanut butter will be accepting entries for the 7th Annual Jif Most Creative Peanut Butter Sandwich Contest™ now through November 14, 2008.
Encouraging kids to invent new creative peanut butter sandwich recipes is a great way for parents to foster creativity in their children. At the same time, moms and dads you will be spending quality time with your child and having fun in the kitchen.
Sandwiches will be judged on the following criteria: creativity, taste, appearance, nutritional balance, and ease of preparation.
The grand prize is a $25,000 scholarship fund.
Four runner-ups will each receive a $2,500 scholarship fund.
For complete rules and how to enter visit http://www.jif.com/
Last year’s winner was Samuel Sosa, 11, of Riverside, California.
He created the “Crunchy Chinese Fortune Cookie Sandwich,” made of Jif Creamy Peanut Butter, celery and apple on wheat bread crimped into the shape of a fortune cookie.
The “fortune cookies” are served with a dipping sauce of Jif Creamy Peanut Butter, coconut milk, soy sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice, sesame oil and chili powder.
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STUDY: Positive Parenting Associated With Less Aggression in Early-Maturing Teen Girls

Adolescent girls who go through puberty early and have parents who do not nurture them, communicate with them, or have knowledge of their activities appear more likely to display aggressive behavior, according to a report in the August issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
Early puberty in girls is related to conduct problems, delinquency and substance use, according to background information in the article. Many of these problems persist through adolescence and into early adulthood.
“As adults, early-maturing girls demonstrate lower academic and occupational achievement and report lower relationship quality and life satisfaction,” the authors write. “It is thus important to identify protective factors that may mitigate negative effects of early maturation on girls’ adjustment.”
Sylvie Mrug, Ph.D., of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and colleagues interviewed 330 fifth-grade girls (average age 11) and their parents from three metropolitan areas.
The girls reported how often they engaged in aggressive behavior, such as hitting, teasing and spreading rumors to hurt others; whether they displayed delinquency (fighting at school, getting injured in a fight or inflicting injuries); how often their mother was affectionate and how often they did things together; whether their parents had talked to them about violence, tobacco and sex; and whether and when they had started their periods. Parents responded to seven items measuring the extent to which they knew their child’s friends and how he or she spent her free time.
One-fourth of the girls had matured early, defined as beginning their period one year before the average age for females of their racial and ethnic group. Those who did were more likely to be delinquent, but not aggressive. However, those who matured early and also had low levels of parental nurturance, communication and knowledge were more likely to be aggressive. “Also, early maturation only predicted physical aggression when combined with low maternal nurturance,” the authors write.
Early-maturing girls may be at higher risk of aggression or delinquency because they are more likely to be accepted by and form relationships with older boys, who are more likely than younger children to engage in undesirable behaviors, the authors note.
“Parental nurturance may decrease girls’ susceptibility to negative peer influence,” they write. “Also, parental nurturance may help girls cope with challenges associated with early puberty. By listening to their daughters’ difficulties and providing support and encouragement, nurturing parents can help them develop better coping skills and diffuse negative emotions that might otherwise manifest as aggression.”
Parental communication and knowledge may also protect girls from aggressive behavior, they continue. “By discussing difficult peer situations (e.g., provocation, peer pressure) and ways of dealing with them, parents may help their daughters develop a repertoire of adaptive responses that will minimize the need for inappropriate (i.e., aggressive) behavior,” they write. “In addition, knowing how their daughters spend free time may help parents identify and prevent negative peer and other influences.”
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STUDY: Less Time Spent in Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Associated With Being Overweight Among Children & Teens

Children and teens who get less sleep, especially those who spend less time in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, may be more likely to be overweight, according to a report in the August issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.
The obesity rate has more than tripled among children aged 6 to 11 years in the past 30 years, and approximately 17 percent of U.S. adolescents are now overweight or obese, according to background information in the article. Obesity results from an imbalance between calorie intake and energy expenditure from physical activity, but little is known about other factors that can alter this balance. A number of studies have documented an association between fewer hours of sleep and higher body mass index (BMI) in both adults and children.
Xianchen Liu, M.D., Ph.D., of the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, Pittsburgh, and colleagues studied 335 children and adolescents age 7 to 17 years (average age 10.8). For three consecutive nights, participants’ sleep was monitored through polysomnography, which assesses total sleep time, time spent in REM, the time it takes to fall asleep and other variables. Weight and height were measured to calculate BMI.
A total of 49 participants (14.6 percent) were at risk for becoming overweight and 45 (13.4 percent) were overweight. Compared with children at a normal weight, those who were overweight slept about 22 minutes less per night and had lower sleep efficiency (percentage of time in bed that an individual is asleep), shorter REM sleep, less eye activity during REM sleep and a longer wait before the first REM period.
After adjusting for other related factors, one hour less of total sleep was associated with two-fold increased odds of being overweight and one hour less of REM sleep was associated with three-fold increased odds.
“Although the precise mechanisms are currently under investigation, the association between short sleep duration and overweight may be attributed to the interaction of behavioral and biological changes as a result of sleep deprivation,” the authors write. Sleep loss causes changes in hormone levels that may affect hunger, and also provides an individual with more waking hours in which to eat. In addition, sleep loss contributes to fatigue the following day, which may decrease physical activity and calorie expenditure.
“Given the fact that the prevalence of overweight among children and adolescents continues to increase and chronic sleep insufficiency becomes more prevalent in modern society, family- and school-based sleep interventions that aim to enhance sleep hygiene and increase sleep duration may have important public health implications for the prevention and intervention of obesity and type 2 diabetes in children,” the authors conclude. “
Furthermore, our results demonstrate an important relationship between REM sleep and high BMI and obesity, suggesting that the short sleep–obesity association may be attributed to reduced REM sleep time and decreased activity during REM sleep.”

STUDY: U.S. Immigrant Childfren May Be Less Physically Active Than US-Born Children

Immigrant children in the United States appear to be less physically active and less likely to participate in sports than U.S.–born children, according to a report in the August issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
“Because of a dramatic increase in the prevalence of childhood obesity and diabetes mellitus during the past two decades, physical activity has assumed an increasingly prominent role in disease prevention and health promotion efforts in the United States and is considered one of the 10 leading health indicators for the nation,” according to background information in the article. This has resulted in a closer monitoring of physical activity and sedentary behavior levels in children and adults in the U.S.
With immigrants now accounting for 12.6 percent of the total U.S. population, “it is important to know how patterns of physical activity, inactivity and sedentary behaviors for this increasing segment of the population differ from those of the majority native population,” the authors note.
Gopal K. Singh, Ph.D., of the Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Rockville, Maryland., and colleagues analyzed data from the 2003 National Survey of Children’s Health, a telephone survey measuring regular physical activity, inactivity, television watching and lack of sports participation in U.S. children.
Of the total participants, more than 11 percent of U.S. children were found to be physically inactive, while 73.5 percent engaged in physical activity three or more days per week.
More than 42 percent of children did not participate in sports and 17 percent watched three or more hours of television per day.
“Physical inactivity and sedentary behaviors varied widely among children in various ethnic-immigrant groups,” the authors write. “For example, 22.5 percent of immigrant Hispanic children were physically inactive compared with 9.5 percent of U.S.-born white children with U.S.-born parents.” Immigrant children were more likely to be physically inactive and less likely to participate in sports than native children; “they were, however, less likely to watch television three or more hours per day than native children, although the nativity gap narrowed with increasing acculturation levels.”
“Given the health benefits of physical activity, continued higher physical inactivity and lower activity levels in immigrant children are likely to reduce their overall health advantage over U.S.-born populations during adulthood,” the authors conclude. “To reduce disparities in childhood physical activity, health education programs designed to promote physical activity should target not only children from socially disadvantaged households and neighborhoods but also children in immigrant families.”
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Shakespeare in Harvard Square This Weekend

The Harvard Square Business Association Presents Shakespeare in the Square today through Sunday, Aug. 3. Actors from the Shakespeare Project, American Repertory Theatre, and Revels bring exceptional, out of the box, profoundly original Outdoor Elizabethan Theatre to Harvard Square!

FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS:
American Repertory Theatre Performs Shakespeare Slams!
Shakespeare Slams is a modern-day, plugged-in Shakespearian mash-up featuring 18 performers from the American Repertory Theatre's A.R.T. Institute for Advanced Theatre Training in a multidisciplinary, electric, energetic approach to the Bard's verse. Marrying Shakespeare with a wide range of contemporary music, movement, and culture, Shakespeare Slams seeks to bring the lives of Shakespeare's characters to a diverse 21st century audience.
When: Friday, August 1st 6 pm, Saturday, August 2nd 4:30 pm, Sunday, August 3rd at 7:45 pm.
WHERE: Winthrop Park (corner of JFK and Mount Auburn Street).
PRICE: Free!

Actors' Shakespeare Project Presents Love's Labour's Lost:
Actors' Shakespeare Project will present an encore presentation of their highly successful interpretation of Love's Labour's Lost in conjunction with the Harvard Square Business Associations' Shakespeare in the Square. Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost is a sweet and hilarious dance of courtship. Four young lords swear an oath to give up the company of women for three years and devote themselves to study. Soon after, the Princess of France arrives with her three friends and the four lords are instantly smitten. The women decide to torment the men, and boy, are they easy marks! In ASP's rendition of this classic comedy, six actors play sixteen roles-dancing back and forth between male and female, pursuer and pursued!
WHEN: Friday August 1st at 7:15pm, Saturday 2nd at 7:30pm and Sunday 3rd at 3:00 pm
WHERE: Winthrop Park (corner of JFK and Mount Auburn Street).
PRICE: Free!

REVELS REPRESENTS at SHAKESPEARE IN THE SQUARE
The area immediately around Shakespeare's Globe Theatre was filled with musicians, jugglers, dancers and other disreputable street performers. Revels is proud to represent the earthy side of Shakespeare in the Square, and under the leadership of the disgruntled former Shakespeare employee and Morris dancer, Will Kemp, will provide entertainment for the groundlings. Expect lusty music from Tom Zajac and friends, fine singing from Tapestry with Doug Freundlich, instrumental fireworks from Renaissonics, as well as Morris and Sword dancing and expert heckling of the actors.

Shakespeare in the Square Event Schedule

Friday, 8/1/08
5:00pm - 7:30pm: Commonwealth Morris Men and Orion Sword Dancers perform around Harvard Square.
6:00pm - 6:45pm Shakespeare SLAMS - American Repertory Theatre's A.R.T. Institute.
7:15pm - 9:45pm Loves Labour's Lost - Actor's Shakespeare Project.

Saturday, 8/2/08
2:45pm - 4:15pm Renaissonics Performance.
4:30pm - 5:15pm Shakespeare SLAMS - American Repertory Theatre's A.R.T. Institute
7:30pm - 10:00am Loves Labour's Lost - Actor's Shakespeare Project

Sunday, 8/3/08
1:30pm - 3:30pm Commonwealth Morris Men around Harvard Square
3:00pm - 5:30pm Loves Labour's Lost - Actor's Shakespeare Project
5:00pm - 7:00pm Orion Sword Dancers around Harvard Square
6:00 pm - 7:30 pm Tapestry and Tom Zajack Trio performs
7:45pm - 8:30pm Shakespeare SLAMS - American Repertory Theatre's A.R.T. Institute

Shakespeare in the Square Restaurant and Shopping Events from Aug 1-3, please see www.harvardsquare.com for special menus and offers.

About our Distinguished Local Performing Companies:
The AMERICAN REPERTORY THEATRE (A.R.T.), one of the country's most celebrated resident theatres and the winner of numerous awards, including the Tony Award and the Pulitzer Prize, was recently named the third best theatre in the country by Time magazine. Over its twenty-eight-year history the A.R.T. has welcomed Major American and international theatre artists whose singular visions generate and define the theatre' s work, presenting a varied repertoire that includes new plays, progressive productions of classical texts, and collaborations between artists from many disciplines. The Company has performed throughout the country, and worldwide in twenty-one cities in sixteen countries on four continents. The A.R.T. recently inaugurated its second stage at Zero Arrow Theatre, also in Harvard Square.

The A.R.T. INSITITUE FOR ADVANCED THEATRE TRAINING was established in 1987 by the A.R.T. as a training ground for the professional American theatre. In 1998, the Institute began an exclusive collaboration with the Moscow Art Theatre (MXAT) School. The union of the two schools has created an historic program that provides unparalleled opportunities for training and growth. Upon graduation, students receive a Certificate of Achievement from the A.R.T. at Harvard University and a Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) degree from the MXAT School. Institute students have toured their productions throughout Europe, performing in Russia, Italy, Germany, and Switzerland.

ACTOR'S SHAKESPEARE PROJECT: The Actors' Shakespeare Project was founded in 2004 by Benjamin Evett and actor-colleagues with the intention of creating a resident acting company in Boston that would produce Shakespeare in intimate, stripped-down productions that celebrate the relationships between actors, audience and text. Since then ASP has produced 13 plays in venues all over Boston and Cambridge to critical acclaim and the company's productions have been honored with three Elliot Norton awards. In 2006, Ed Siegel of the Boston Globe wrote, "This is Shakespeare the way it's supposed to be performed. The troupe plays to the crowd hilariously, speaks Elizabethan verse beautifully, and posits a smart interpretation of the play. Actors' Shakesp eare Project has to be listed as a local treasure." Jeremy McCarter of New York Magazine called ASP's King Lear "A triumph of classical acting" and in spring 2008, The Wall Street Journal's Terry Teachout called ASP "one of America's finest Shakespeare troupes."
For More information: www.actorsshakespeareproject.org or 617-547-1982
*Member, Actors' Equity Association

REVELS: Now, in its 38th year of performances, Revels is a non-profit performing arts company producing Music Theater, recordings and educational materials.
At the heart of each Revels production are the singers, actors, dancers, and storytellers who preserve the arts and traditions of their own cultures. Through its respect for the customs of many cultures, Revels has created its own traditions. Widely known for the annual Christmas Revels, our organization celebrates the cycles of life and the seasons through the arts. Revels' productions of Spring Sing, RiverSing, and SummersDay Revels bring together a community of professional actors, musicians, designers, and directors, along with a volunteer chorus of children and adults. Celebration is at the core of Revels and audience participation is an organic consequence of that impulse.

August Issue At Your Favorite Location Starting Today!

Costume Party & Book Release Party at Barnes & Noble in Worcester on August 1

Tomorrow, August 1, from 9 p.m. to 12;30, the Barnes & Noble at Lincoln Plaza In Worcester is hosting a release party for Stephenie Meyer's new book Breaking Dawn. The bookstore will be having a costume wedding party. There will be a prize for best costume. Bella and Edward excluded. The event is free. For additional information call 508-853-2236

REVIEW: Super Scientific Circus

By Laura Richards

On Friday I dropped my three year old son off at my parent’s house and took my husband and 6 ½ year old twin sons to see the North Shore Music Theater’s Super Scientific Circus. The show is recommended for children ages 4 and up due to the concepts involved and some loud noises. When we arrived, the parking lot was teeming with kids and over a dozen yellow camp school buses. The theater said this show is one of their most popular children’s performances each year. After a quick snack at the concession stand, we entered the theater which is circular and no seat is more than 50 feet from the stage thus an excellent venue for kids. Plastic booster seats are readily available for kids who need them. The show began with the very high energy, and crazy-haired, Mr. Fish who bounded onto the stage promising the audience a show of magic and circus tricks all of which could be explained by science. The show had a circus theme but one should not expect a traditional circus per se with many participants and activities taking place at once. My twins were expecting a real circus of sorts but this show consisted only of Mr. Fish and his assistant, Trent the Mime, though was no less entertaining. Mr. Fish brought out a living 'human' robot and examples were made in a fun, engaging way that robots cannot do anything without the use of the humans who created them. Mr. Fish and Trent used a wonderful blend of comedy and slapstick humor to get the sometimes complex principles of science down to the kid level. They demonstrated the center of gravity and balance point, friction, sonic booms, speed of sound, centripetal and centrifugal force through spinning dinner plates, huge beach balls, metal rods, boomerangs and the old trick of pulling a tablecloth off of a table piled high with items. They even used a bullwhip to demonstrate the speed of sound. Audience participation was garnered through clapping and several volunteers were brought onstage to assist. At one point, Mr. Fish had to leave the stage and asked the audience to watch Trent to make sure he didn’t touch anything. My kids went wild over this and loved screaming “Nooooo” along with everyone else as Trent attempted to touch things. The duo stressed throughout that the power of imagination is often more important than knowledge and that science is fun and can explain almost everything. If you exercise your mind you gain knowledge. The show wound down in energy at the end with an entrancing demonstration of bubbles and things kids can do at home with a plain drinking straw and some bubble fluid. A perfect conclusion to a rip-roaring hour of scientific fun.

This was the only performance this year at The North Shore Music Theater http://www.nsmt.org/
For future performances check out http://www.superscientificcircus.com/

Travel North & Attend the Curious George Festival on Aug. 8-10 in Waterville Valley, N.H.

Waterville Valley Resort's Curious George Cottage Family Festival will delight kids of all ages from Friday, Aug. 8th through Sunday, Aug. 10th.
The 2nd annual festival hosted by the Margret and H.A. Rey Center will include three full days of activities and events for the whole family.
For visitors interested in an active and nature filled adventure, the festival features a full-day hike, nature discovery walk, the Curious Gourds Garden, and all that the Waterville Resort has to offer including ice skating, boat rental, and chair lift ride up Snow's Mountain.
The festival is also host to many cultural activities whether art, theatre, or culinary.
The Brookside Gallery in the Rey Center will display works by local artists. "Chalk-Talks" combines art and discussion with Nat Scrimshaw, artist-in-residence, as he sketches for a new series of books that will feature Hans and Margret Rey's "lost" Whiteblack the Penguin as he explores the world and learns about different places and their ecologies and people. There are Curious George TV Show and movie viewing opportunities and an opportunity to meet the famous monkey. For a star-studded atmosphere, guests can view the night sky during the "Astronomy with Christa McAuliffe Planetarium" event. Star gazing was one of H.A. Rey's favorite activities.
Festival theatre opportunities include performances of Shakespeare in the Valley's: Taming of the Shrew; Waterville Valley Follies; and Bionic Bard among others.
For a sweet treat guests can enjoy a banana pancake breakfast with Curious George and a dessert reception with Louis Borden author of "The Journey that Saved Curious George." There is also a lobster bake for a taste of New England.
The Margret and H.A Rey Center creates a rich intellectual and creative environment for families visiting Waterville Valley by maintaining the Curious George Cottage. The Curious George Cottage was once home to Margret and H.A Rey, the creators of the world's most beloved monkey, Curious George.
For a full festival schedule, ticket information, and more information visit http://www.blogger.com/www.reycenter.org or call 603-236-3308.

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And, be curious and stay with a special package with two nights lodging, admission to the Character Lunch, Movie Viewing, and Nature Walks, plus a Curious George souvenir. Additional fees charged for some of the other event activities. Prices from just $73 per person, per night (based on quad occupancy).
The Waterville Valley Summer Unlimited package includes all the fun people cherish in New England each summer: boating, mountain biking, tennis, golf, access to the White Mountain Athletic Club, use of the Waterville Valley shuttle, a scenic chair lift ride up Snow's Mountain, and access to the Waterville Valley Recreation's open gym program. In addition, families staying for at least three nights can send their children between the ages of six to 12 to one day of Kids Camp. An all-inclusive price for activities provides guests an opportunity to save at least 50 percent on their family vacation through this package. It is also valid at the many summer activities at the Rey Center's Curious George Cottage, and productions of the North Country Center for the Arts Children's Theatre.
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Win A CoCo Key Ultimate Staycation

CoCo Key Water Resorts is giving away the bank or rather, eight exciting tropical vacation experiences valued at more than $1,000 each in the “CoCo Key Ultimate Staycation Challenge.”
With record high gas prices and the headaches of air travel, a family vacation close to home, or “staycation” as it is commonly referred to, never sounded so good. As a fun and exciting way to celebrate the staycation experience, CoCo Key Water Resort is launching a search for the most creative and resourceful ways families have staycationed in the past. Vacationers can tell their stories online at www.CoCoStaycation.com.
Gone are the days of the weeklong vacation. Families are opting to save their precious time and hard earned dollars by taking a one or two night local trip. But just because consumers are staying near home this summer, doesn’t mean that they can’t experience that vacation they always wanted. “We understand that families are looking for economical ways to vacation,” said Elizabeth Beutel, Director of Sales and Marketing at CoCo Key Danvers. “CoCo Key Water Resort is that hot, new, affordable vacation experience located right here in your own backyard.”
How to Enter: Consumers are invited to go online to www.CoCoStaycation.com and in a 100-word essay, tell CoCo Key Water Resort the most creative way their family has staycationed in the past and why they desperately need to escape to the tropics this summer. Winning essays will appear on the CoCo Key Water Resort Web site. Consumers may also enter via US Mail. Entries, along with complete contact information (name, address, city, state, zip, phone, age and nearest CoCo Key Water Resort) may be sent to:
CoCo Key Water Resort
Attn: Staycation Challenge
3400 West Euclid Ave. #224
Arlington Heights, IL 60005
One entry per family per household. For complete official rules and regulations visit www.CoCoStaycation.com. Deadline to enter is July 30, 2008.

Ultimate Staycation Prize Package: Eight families will win the ultimate staycation – which includes an unforgettable trip to CoCo Key Water Resort, VIP treatment and a host of other prizes. One winning family will be selected for each of the CoCo Key Water Resorts (a total of seven across the country). Winners will receive a prize package valued at over $1,000, which includes: A two night stay for a family of four at their nearest CoCo Key Water Resort
VIP treatment including: Ground transportation to/and from CoCo Key Water Resort
Upgraded room (where available)
$100 food credit
$50 towards arcade play
A CoCo Key gift pack for the family
Meet and greet session with CoCo, including a family photo
10 water park passes for that next staycation

One grand prize winner will be chosen from all entries submitted from across the country. The winning family will receive a prize package valued at over $2,200, which includes:
· The prize pack above
· Plus, unlimited day visits for a family of four for one full year to a CoCo Key Water Resort near them and a $200 gas card!


About CoCo Key Water Resort: CoCo Key Water Resorts, created in partnership with Wave Development LLC and Sage Hospitality Resources, are the newest water resort development throughout the United States, offering a Key West paradise for family adventure getaways. Managed by Sage Hospitality Resources, one of the nation’s leading hotel management companies, CoCo Key Water Resort developments are currently open at: Sheraton Chicago Northwest, Arlington Heights, IL; Clock Tower Resort, Rockford, IL; Cherry Valley Lodge, Newark, OH; Sheraton Ferncroft/Boston Resort, Danvers, MA; Holiday Inn Central, Omaha, NE; Sheraton Cincinnati Hotel, Cincinnati; and Sheraton Sports Complex Hotel, Kansas City, MO. Additional CoCo Key Water Resort developments are underway at Waterbury, CT; Mt. Laurel, NJ and Fitchburg, MA.

CHARITABLE EVENT: August 1-15 Haircuts Help Disadvantaged Children

Hair Cuttery Shares a Haircut
At Hair Cuttery, they believe a new haircut on the first day of school can be a big confident boost to a child. Through the company's Share A Haircut program, they partner with local social service agencies to provide back-to-school haircuts to children in need in the community.
Bring your child into any Hair Cuttery salon from August 1-15, and for every haircut a child (age 18 years old or younger) receives, the salon will donate a free haircut to a disadvantaged child in the community.
Over the years, Hair Cuttery has donated more than 380,000 haircuts!
The company has more than 900 salons nationwide. Massachusetts locations include:

CAMBRIDGE
CHICOPEE
DANVERS
FRAMINGHAM
HUDSON
MEDFORD
REVERE
SAUGUS
SPRINGFIELD
WAREHAM
WEST SPRINGFIELD
WESTBOROUGH
WESTFIELD
WOBURN
WORCESTER
For more information, visit www.haircuttery.com
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August Back-to-School Issue Off to the Printers Today

Between the Lions at Boston Children's Museum Friday, July 25 at 4 p.m.

Between the Lions, the seven-time Emmy Award winning children's television series and 2007 & 2008 recipient of the International Reading Association's Broadcast Media Award will be performing a puppet Show with Cleo and Lionel .
This live show, featuring two members of the Lion family, includes puppet performances, songs, jokes, and audience participation. Join us on KidStage for a special treat.
Tickets are limited and will be available 1-hour prior to the performance.
Between the Lions is best for ages 4-7.
Visit www.bostonchildrensmuseum.org for more information or 617-426-6500

North Shore Music Theatre Holding Auditions for Teen and Other Performers

Award-winning North Shore Music Theatre is holding auditions for its production of 42nd STREET which will be presented at the theater October 28 through November 23, 2008. All auditions will be held in the Theatre Arts & Education Building behind the theatre at 62 Dunham Rd., Beverly. For specific directions, please visit our website at http://www.nsmt.org/.
Adult Auditions at North Shore Music Theatre - Friday, August 1: Male and female adults 19 and older can audition for ensemble and principal parts of 42nd STREET by appointment only. AEA and non-AEA auditions will be held starting at 11:30 am on Friday, August 1. Principal and ensemble actors should bring appropriate dancewear and tap shoes, and should be prepared to sing 16 bars of an up tempo song. Actors will need to bring their own sheet music marked with the starting point and stopping point; an accompanist will be provided. Adult auditioners should email Assistant to the Producers Mark Jacobsen at mjacobsen@nsmt.org to schedule an audition appointment.
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Teen Auditions at North Shore Music Theatre - Friday, August 1: Male and female teens between the ages of 12 and 18 who are excellent tap dancers are encouraged to attend an open chorus call for the opening number of 42nd STREET on Friday, August 1 at 2 pm. Auditioners should bring appropriate dancewear and tap shoes (singing is not required).
Rehearsals for the teen ensemble are October 9 – 27, and will not conflict with regular school hours. The exact day and time commitment is to be announced, but participants must be available for the entire rehearsal process, no exceptions. Performances of 42nd STREET are October 28 through November 23, 2008.
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Auditions for 42nd STREET will be run by North Shore Music Theatre Artistic Director and Executive Producer Barry Ivan and Choreographer Michael Lichtefeld.
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Operating since 1955, NSMT has evolved into the largest non-profit producing theater in New England, with approximately 350,000 patrons annually. NSMT has gained a national and regional reputation for artistic achievement, specifically in the areas of developing new works and providing outstanding theater arts and education programs. NSMT has received numerous industry awards. With its celebrated Theatre for Young Audiences program, a school touring program, and year-round classes for children, NSMT has become one of the region’s leading providers of theater arts and education.

Peabody Essex Museum Host Japanese Festival on Saturday, July 26

The Peabody Essex Museum in Salem is hosting an afternoon of Taiko drumming and Obon dancing as part of its 2008 Japanese Festival from 2 to 4 p.m.
Obon dancing is enjoyed throughout Japan in the month of August, when family members gather to honor their ancestors. Join members of Odaiko New England for a taiko drumming performance and an opportunity to learn Obon dancing with middle school students from Ota, Salem's sister city, in Tokyo, Japan. For additional information, including admission prices and directions, visit http://www.pem.org/

Catch Between the Lions LIVE!

Since 2000, the popular PBS KIDS series Between the Lions has been helping children learn how to read, and this summer, the Lions are hitting the road yet again to engage live audiences in read-alouds and performances and to celebrate the show’s upcoming eighth season on the air.
On Thursday, July 24, mother of the pride, Cleo, and cub Lionel will be joined by executive producer Chris Cerf when they visit several locations in Boston and Burlington on the first leg of the show’s 2008 summer road tour.
The Between the Lions Lions are scheduled to make public appearances, live, on Friday, July 25th at the main branch of the Boston Public Library and at the Boston Children’s Museum. On Saturday, July 26, the Lions perform at the Burlington Mall. Franklin Prk Zoo, and at WGBH's Theatre.
“Cleo and Lionel can’t wait to visit with their fans, says Sirius Thinking executive producer Chris Cerf. The children they meet are so excited about meeting them in person an d reading along with them. And since the regular episodes of the Between the Lions television show are not performed in front of a live audience, it's a special thrill for all of us involved in the series to get out around the country and interact with our viewers."
After a rest from their travels, cast and crew will set out on the second leg of their tour and visit Tulsa, Oklahoma City and San Antonio from September 8-13. In the summer of 2007, kids, their parents, teachers, and caregivers enthusiastically welcomed the crew in Baltimore, Atlanta, Birmingham and New Orleans. The producers plan to continue the grass roots tours over the next two summers, providing opportunities for more children to meet the Lions up close, and to demonstrate directly to their families the value of using BETWEEN THE LIONS as a way to teach reading skills. According to independent studies, kindergarten students who watched BETWEEN THE LIONS improved their reading skills and outperformed students who didn’t watch by four to one.

July 25:

10m.: Boston Public Librarym700 Boylston St

4 p.m. Boston Children's Museum (included with the cost of admission)

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July 26:

10 a.m.: Burlington Mall, 75 Middlesex Turnpike

1 p.m.: WGBH Yawkey Theater (attendees should sign up at http://support.wgbh.org/btlevent)1 Guest Street, Boston, MA 02135

4 p.m.: Franklin Park Zoo (included with the cost of admission) One Franklin Park Road, Dorchester, http://www.franklinparkzoo.org/

About Between the Lions: BTL is produced by WGBH Boston, Sirius Thinking, Ltd., and Mississippi Public Broadcasting. The series is funded in part by The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Education's Ready To Learn grant, and by the Barksdale Reading Institute. National corporate funding is provided by Chick-fil-A, Inc. The BTL team is committed to making quality television available to all children. Each episode is accessible to blind and visually impaired viewers through WGBH Boston's innovative, Emmy Award-winning Descriptive Video Service (DVS). The series is closed captioned by the Caption Center at WGBH for viewers who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

Storytelling Event at Cornertsone Books on July 26th

This Saturday, July 26 at 1 p.m. at Cornerstone Books , on Lafayette Street, in Salem, Lawrence-native Tabatha will bring her energetic and interactive storytelling presentation. Perfect for Early Readers (ages 4-8), she also will speak about (and sign copies of) her series of nature books. For more information on this free event, e-mail info@cornerstonebooks-salem.com
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Movies on The Mystic River: Tomorrow Shrek the Third at Dusk

Assembly Square is hosting movies on the Mystic starting this week through Aug. 17.
Come stretch out your summer weekends with Federal Realty and the City of Somerville as it shows FREE family favorites including Shrek the Third, Happy Feet, Antz, Jumanji, and Back to the Future on the big screen at Assembly Square. Mark your calendars now for Sunday evenings starting through August 17th.
Tomorrow night, there will be a special showing of Shrek The Third, tomorrow evening, July 22nd.
Movies will be shown at dusk (approx. 8:30pm). Bring your beach or lounge chairs to the lot adjacent to Assembly Square (behind Assembly Square Marketplace parking lot) to join in the family fun. Food and soft drinks are available for purchase at all movies.
Movie Schedule:
7/22 Shrek The Third (Special Tuesday Night Showing)
7/27 Happy Feet
8/3 Antz
8/10 Jumanji
8/17 Back To The Future

.For more information on the Assembly Square Marketplace,visit http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001bDh5eA0AAHF60Pb4ETUky59WlS-TIo2LNFf8e3-Kvl44pdf7wlc0CGYwaAQIJRjeatwWQuYuzNCp79FB0BwLCn-qY9u_kP0c5S3AWgnXWEA6ZdcpOsO9VQ==
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Beauty & Beast at Walpole High July 25th & 26th

A tale as old as time -- Beauty & the Beast -- is being brought to life by Walpole Children’s Theatre this weekend. This classic tale is directed by Elizabeth Smith. Shows are at Walpole High on Common Street.

July 25 - two shows -- 10 a.m. and 7 p.m

July 26 - two shows -- 2 and 7 p.m.

Tickets: $11 Premium Seating and $9 General Admission, with $8 Seniors & kids under age 12
For tickets call the WCT Box Office 508-668-9722
For additional information visit http://www.walpolechildrenstheatre.com/

WEEKEND PICK: Life is good Festival on Boston Common Saturday!

From sack races and seed-spitting to an old-fashioned tug-of-war you'll find all the backyard activities you need at the 2008 Life is good festival on Boston Common Saturday. Bay State Parent magazine is one of the media sponsors of the event. Stop by -- we'll be near the sack races -- and say hello!
The FREE festival, which benefits charity, begins at 11 a.m. and ends at 6 p.m.
100% of all funds raised -- including those from 2008 World's Greatest Backyard Athlete Competition -- plus sale of Life is good products and personal donations that day will go to the Life is good Kids Foundation.
There is a lot of entertainment planned, including several musicians. And this outdoor concert is-FREE!

At 11:30 a.m. - Steve Songs performs for an hour

At 1 p.m. see Double Dutch & Hula Hoop demonstrations

At 2 p.m. - Check out Electric Youth

At 3 p.m. - Listen to Melvin Sparks Funk & Groove Trio

At 4:30 p.m. - the World Greatest Athlete Finals take place

At 5 p.m. -- Listen to Robert Randolph Pedal Steel Driven Blues for an hour

The festival, produced in conjunction with the Boston Parks and Recreation Department, benefits Project Joy, a Boston-based non-profit organization whose mission is to use the healing power of play to transform children impacted by violence, poverty and loss into healthy and joyful players in the game of life.


Life is good's festival features:

* The Olympic Village: This is the site of the 2008 World’s Greatest Backyard Athlete competition.

* Jaketown: Features games aplenty, including lacrosse, speed pitch, soccer kick, Frisbee toss, basketball, tug-o’-war, volleyball, etc.

* Chillville: Features arts and crafts, face painting, and a kids stage.

* The Joy Zone: Features kids’ games hosted by Project Joy, including a 50-foot multi-colored parachute.

For additional information, visit www.lifeisgood.com
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Jordan's Furniture Hosts Summer Adoption Mixer Saturday to Find Adoptive Home For Children in Foster Care

Jordan’s Furniture Hosts “Summer Adoption Mixer” to Find Adoptive Homes for Children in Foster Care. Summer Adoption Mixer – A free carnival for children in need of adoption and families approved to adopt a child or sibling group from foster care

WHEN: Saturday, July 19 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
WHERE: Assumption College, 500 Salisbury St., Worcester, (start in Laska Gymnasium)
WHO: Hosted by Jordan’s Furniture’s CEO Eliot Tatelman in collaboration with Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE) and Massachusetts Department of Social Services (DSS)
ATTENDING: = 105 children currently in state foster care awaiting adoption
= 79 prospective adoptive families
= 174 social workers and staff from state and private agencies to facilitate connections

FEATURES: BBQ lunch, entertainment, carnival activities for prospective adoptive parents to meet waiting children in a fun, informal setting and orientation workshops for prospective parents, beginning at 9 a.m.

* In Massachusetts, 2,400 children currently in foster care have the goal of adoption
* 600 still have not been matched with families
* Older, school-aged children, sibling groups, children of color and/or children with special needs tend to wait the longest for families

“Jordan’s has been a part of the adoption and foster care community for over 10 years now,” says Jordan’s Furniture CEO Eliot Tatelman. “Once we saw how many kids, especially older kids, were looking for families, we started to do whatever we could to help. We are excited to see the magic happen at our adoption event. These connections can change the life of both the children and the families. It is what it is all about and is much more rewarding than just selling furniture!”
Last year, over 300 teens in Massachusetts aged out of foster care to fend for themselves. Adoption improves cognitive, educational, health, social, and economic outcomes.
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WEEKEND PICK: Lady Bug Festival Sunday a Garden in the Woods

Last weekend, Garden in the Woods had a grand opening celebration for the return visit of David Rogers' dinosaur-sized bug sculptures into its 45 acres. The sculptures made a visit in 2004.
This weekend, your family can see the sculptures and explore more than 1,500 varieties of native plants as the Framingham garden hosts a Ladybug Weekend.
Join in on a ladybug release in the meadow garden and learn about insects with “warning colors." Make a craft. See the ladybug sculpture by Rogers. Have you children take a photo in front of it. Admission is $8 for adults (non-members) and $4 for children ages 3-18.
For additional information visit, http://www.newfs.org/
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Start of a Baby Boom???

More babies were born in the United States last year than ever before, according to a report by the National Center for Health Statistics. About 4,315,000 children were born in 2007, that is 15,000 more births than the peak time of the baby boom in 1950s.
Years leading up to 2007 showed slight increases in the number of births, not the substantial growth of the baby boom years, which were 1946 through 1964, according to the statistics.
To read the complete report visit http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr56/nvsr56_21.htm

RECALL: Lip Gloss & Jewlry Set Sold Exclusively at Wal-Mart Due to Rick of Lead Exposure

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with FAF Inc of Rhode Island, today announced a voluntary recall of 30,000 “Faded Glory” Lip Gloss, Locket, and Bracelet Sets. The lobster claw clasp on the bracelet contains high levels of lead, which is toxic if ingested and can cause adverse health effects. Injuries: None reported. The recalled three-piece sets contain a rectangle-shaped lip gloss container, a heart-shaped locket necklace, and a charm bracelet. The following models are included in the recall:
Item Model Number UPC
Frog Set 6709-4250 72783357703
Monkey Set 6709-4251 72783357704
Cat Set 6709-4252 72783357705
“Faded Glory”, the model number, and UPC are printed on the product’s hangtag.
Sold at: Wal-Mart stores nationwide from May 2008 through June 2008 for about $6 and manufactured in China.

Consumers should immediately take the bracelet away from children and return the set to any Wal-Mart store for a full refund. For additional information, contact F.A.F. Inc. at 800-949-3311 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, or visit http://www.faf.com/

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REVIEW: The Surprising Story of the Three Little Pigs

By Jennifer Lucarelli Shimer

Since I was a little girl, I have heard the stories of the Three Little Pigs, The Three Billy Goats Gruff, and Goldilocks and The Three Bears. But never have I seen such a wonderful story of all three tales put together in once fantastic children’s show.
This morning, I took my 4-year-old son Thomas along with my 1-year-old son Derek to see Foothills Theatre production of The Surprising Story of the Three Little Pigs and it was a wonderful show. My sons had never experienced live theater before and certainly never heard the story of the Three Pigs like this.
And as a special treat, we sat only a few rows from the stage (it’s a small theater setting, perfect for little ones), and boy did my sons enjoy that. Thomas sat quietly in his seat mesmerized by the antics of the pigs, the wolf, the goats, the troll, and goldilocks and the three bears.
The show was funny, age appropriate, and entertaining for children of all ages, and even with some jokes thrown in for the adults in the audience, as well. Derek, my 1-year-old, even enjoyed the twist on an old classic tale as well as all the laughing and running around of the actors.
And as a special treat after the show, the entire cast was available to meet the children and sign autographs. That is definitely something you can’t experience on Broadway. And each of the actors was engaging with the children after the show – and boy did Thomas love meeting all the characters after the show.
While I’ve seen theater productions growing up and even as an adult, the Children’s Theater productions at Foothills are a great way to introduce little ones to the theater and entertain them as well. I can’t wait to see Mother Goose, which will be playing July 22nd to August 2nd.
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The Surprising Story of the Three Little Pigs plays at Foothills Theatre in Worcester through Saturday, July 19th. Tickets are $10. www.foothillstheatre.com
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FREE Community Concerts in Massachusetts

Make it a regular date with your family. Pack a picnic supper to enjoy while learning about jazz, blues, folk, classical, and many other musical styles. Not only is it quality, educational family time, it's free!
Bay State Parent magazine (www.baystateparent.com) has rounded up a sampling of the region's sweet serenades. If your community is not listed, please call your local town hall for concert information and then e-mail us at calendar@baystateparent.com



Concerts on the Common. Town Common, 75 Great Rd., Bedford. Thursdays, 7 p.m. Rain location: John Glenn Middle School Auditorium, 99 McMahon St.781-275-6310. www.bedfordrecreation.org.

Blackstone Valley Community Concert Band. Sun., July 13, Riverbend Farm in Uxbridge, 3:30 p.m. Thurs., July 24, Whitinsville Town Common, 6:30 p.m. Rain location: Northbridge Middle School Wed., July 30, Grafton Town Common, 7 p.m. Rain location: Grafton Municipal Building Sat., August 9 at the Sutton Town Common, 7 p.m. Visit www.UniBank.com for schedule updates.

Fort Point Channel Lunchtime Concert Series. Club Passim's Culture for Kids presents a FREE Outdoor Summer Music Series. Fridays, 12 - 1 p.m. on Children's Wharf, Boston: July 18 and August 1, 8, 22, & 29 Plus, free ice cream, compliments of Hood Dairy. For a complete list of performers visit www.bostonchildrensmuseum.org *Please note 7/25 & 8/15 concerts are scheduled for 6 p.m.

Special Live Concerts. Rowes Wharf, Boston Harbor Hotel, Boston. Fri., June 20 - Fri., Aug. 29. Summer Soul Tuesdays, 6 - 10 p.m., features different R & B and soul singers and their bands. Summer Swing Wednesdays, 6 - 10 p.m., features entertainment of various themes, ranging from a tribute to the legendary performers of big band to the sultry swing of jazz. Blues Barge Thursdays, 6 - 10 p.m., is held on a floating stage anchored behind the Boston Harbor Hotel. Hear some of the hottest local and national blues artists. Free. 617-439-7000. www.bhh.com.

Harborwalk Sounds. The Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston (ICA) and the Berklee College of Music, waterfront Putnam Investments Plaza at the ICA, Boston. Thursday evenings through Sept. 11, from 6 - 8:30 p.m. Rain Location: Indoors the ICA. Features rising stars in jazz, world, Latin and more. Relax on the harbor with a delicious drink from the Water Café and hot sounds from the coolest music school around. 617-478-3100 or www.icaboston.org.

Summer Concerts at Elma Lewis Playhouse in the Park. Franklin Park Coalition, near the Franklin Park Zoo, behind White Stadium, Boston. Free summer concerts every Tuesday at 6 p.m. starting July 8. Opening night features renowned folk singer and Civil Rights activist, Odetta. Beginning July 15 concerts will be Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. for children and evenings at 6 p.m. for the whole family. Go to www.franklinparkcoalition.org for a full summer program. 617-282-2881.

Concerts at the Hatch Shell. Charles River, Boston. Sat., July 12: WODS Oldies in Concert, 7 - 9:30 p.m.;Wed., July 16: Landmark Orchestra Concert Series - "Green Masterpieces", 7 p.m.; Wed., July 23: Landmark Orchestra Concert Series -"Gospel & Gershwin", 7 p.m.; Sat., July 26: WODS Oldies in Concert, 7 - 9:30 p.m. Wed., July 30: Landmark Orchestra Concert Series - "The Rite of Spring"; Sun., Aug. 3: Harvard University Band, 7 p.m.; Wed., Aug. 6: Landmark Orchestra Classical Concert Series Opera Highlights, 7 p.m. Free. www.hatchshell.com.

2008 Concert Series. Sundays in Coggshall Park, Fitchburg. 2 - 4 p.m. On the day of a concert, enter the park through the Electric Avenue entrance only. Exit will be via the two Mount Elam Road exits. Rain Dates: July 17 and Sept. 21. www.discoveryfitchburg.com

Concerts on the Common. Framingham. Fridays, July - August, 6:30 p.m. 508 532-5960. www.framinghamma.gov/parks/
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Summer Concert Series. Senior Center Lawn in front of the Bandstand, Main St., Holden. Sundays 6 - 8 p.m. www.townofholden.net

Voices of the Andes Concert. Wood Park, Park St., Hudson. Wed., July 16, 6:30 p.m. Free concert of soothing South American music. Rain location: Hudson Town Hall, 78 Main Street. www.upwitharts.org

Family Night at the Bandstand 2008. The Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra Milford Musicians Pavilion. Milford Town Park, corner of Congress & Walnut Streets, Milford. Tuesdays, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. 508-478-5924. Rain dates the following Thursday

Art in the Parks. Needham Town Common. Thursdays, 7 p.m. Rain Location: John Eliot Elementary School Performance Center. Please note the change of location for this year, only, due to construction at Memorial Park www.needhamma.gov

Sunday Evening Heritage Festivals. Newton Centre Green, Newton. Sundays at 6:15 p.m. July 6: Rumbafrica - Boston's premier African dance band; July 13: InkasWasi - Combining music from the Andes and American with dancers in colorful Peruvian attire; July 20: Winiker Orchestra - Bill & Bo will trace highlights in American popular music from Ragtime to Hip Hop and all in between!; July 27: Black Sea Salsa - 15- piece band playing an original blend of Armenian music and Afro-Cuban jazz; Aug. 3: Clarence Thompson, Sr. and The New Spirits - Leading light's of Boston's gospel music with influences from the R&B and soul music Also Bob Bachelder's Totem Pole Orchestra will perform at Pellegrini Park in Nonantum on Wed., July 30, at 6:30 p.m. Rain location for July 30 is the adjacent gym. All other concerts cancelled in the event of rain. 617-527-8283; 617-527-8283. www.newtonpride.org.

Sunday Evening Concerts on the Common. Walter J. Dempsey Memorial Bandstand on the Town Common , Corner of Washington & Nahatan Streets, Norwood. Sundays, 7 - 9 p.m. Rain or shine. www.norwoodma.gov

Lakeside Concert Series. Memorial Park Beach Bandstand, Sharon. Wednesday nights, 7 p.m., throughout the summer. July 16- Dale & The Duds Classic Hits; July 23- Sharon. Community Band Selection of Family Favorites; July 30- Kadima Band Popular Jewish Songs; Aug. 6 - Four Guys in Tuxes Swing, Society and Classic Rock. E-mail: mlothrop@townofsharon.net

Southbridge Summer Concert Series for 2008. Free summer concerts at the Rotary (Route 131) in Southbridge on Sunday evenings. Concerts start between 5:30 and 6 p.m, July 6 - August 31. July 13 - Route 66 & Liz; July 20 - Macey & Hart; July 27 - East Woodstock Cornet Band; August 3 - Famingoes. www.southbridgeinfo.com

Sweet Summer Nights Music Series. Sweetwilliam Farm, Upton. Free weekly outdoor concerts Fridays 7 - 8:30 p.m. Features fine local and regional and national performing artists. Fun for the entire family. Spectacular sunsets! Bring a picnic dinner and blanket. 508-529-2000. Visit www.sweetwilliamfarm.biz for schedule.

Concerts on the Canal. River Bend Farm Visitor's Center, 287 Oak St., Uxbridge. Sundays, 3:30-5 p.m. Starts July 13. 508-278-7604.

Concerts on the Common. Sundays, 6 p.m. West Boylston. www.westboylston.com

Concerts at the Clark. 225 South St., Williamstown. Held at the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute's expansive south lawn on Tuesdays at 6 p.m. in July. Jae's at the Clark will sell barbeque fare and the galleries remain open until 6 p.m. on concert evenings. Rain Location: auditorium. Free. 413-458-2303 or www.clarkart.edu.

Storytime at the Movies in Millbury This Weekend

Families, you are invited to StoryTime this weekend! Kids of all ages are invited to have fun by joining Showcase Cinemas for Kidtoons StoryTime at Blackstone Valley 14: Cinema de Lux located at 70 Worcester Providence Turnpike in Millbury. Monthly, Showcase Cinemas will offer a new popular story the whole family will enjoy. On Saturday, July 12 & Sunday, July 13, at 11.30 a.m, an animated storyteller will encourage children and parents to use their imagination by bringing their favorite characters to life. Plus, kids are invited to participate in creative activities and will get a FREE slice of pizza!
For additional information visit nationalamusements.com
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Celebrate Bastille Day Sunday in Harvard Square

The region's largest Bastille Day celebration, free and open to the public, takes place on Holyoke Street in Harvard Square, Cambridge on Sunday, July 13!
Parents can celebrate with a shady beer garden and exciting food and product vendors all day long and enjoy a traditional waiters race (La Course des Garçon de Café) along Holyoke Street (Grand Prize is 2 Free Round Trip Jet Blue Tickets). Plus, dance under twinkling lights to just what the kids are listening to in the streets of Paris with DJ Kamal from the Boston French Party.
From 3 to 5 p.m., there are specific children's events --- Face Painting, Flag Making, Chalk Art, Kid-friendly Food, Jugglers, Magicians, and Balloon Art.
At 5 p.m. there is a French Children's Parade led by Curious George.
The Traditional French Waiters Race (La Course des Garçon de Café) takes place at 5:15 p.m..
From 5:30 to 8 p.m. there is dinner and dancing performance options. They include:
Afrobrazil - http://www.afrobrazil.org/
Cirkestra - www.myspace.com/cirkestra
From 8 to 9 p.m., families can dance to the sweet Louisiana sounds of the Hot 8 Brass Band - www.myspace.com/hot8brassband
Sandrine's Bistro is the culinary and cultural co-host for this event.
Joining them in the event is Chez Henri, Brasserie Jo, The Elephant Walk, Rialto, and Petit Robert, who will provide traditional French Food outside on Holyoke Street for the evening!
Sponsors of this gala celebration are: the Harvard Square Business Association, Sandrine's Bistro, Maison Marques & Domaine Wines, and Nestle Waters.
In addition, the Katrina Ritaville Express will be displaying a FEMA trailer along Mt. Auburn Street in an effort to educate the public about the continued suffering of the survivors of the 2004 hurricane disasters. For more information, please visit: http://www.findingourfolk.org/ / http://www.krvexpress.org/ / http://www.katrinaaction.org/
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Avoid the Heat and Check Out Thomas The Tank Engine At the Movies This Weekend

Families, avoid the heat and head indoors to Showcase Cinemas this weekend for Kidtoons!
Blackstone Valley 14: Cinema de Lux and Showcase Cinemas in Lowell, Randolph, Revere, & Woburn are offering G-rated movies for kids every Saturday & Sunday morning at 10 a.m. this summer.
The July feature is Thomas the Tank Engine: The Great Discovery. Admission price is only $3.50.
For more information about this event and upcoming movies scheduled visit
www.nationalamusements.com
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Mini Golf Fundraisers To Help Children Who Need Homes

The Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange invites the public to play miniature golf this Sunday, July 13 and Monday, July 21 as a way to help children in foster care find permanent homes. Local mini-golf courses are donating 5% - 10% of their proceeds to MARE from designated Mini-Golf for MARE days, scheduled for:

Sunday, July 13 – Bogey Lanes, E. Brookfield
Monday, July 21 – Funway USA, Foxboro

“We hope everyone will brush up their mini-golf skills and visit these great facilities,” said MARE executive director Lisa Funaro. “Over 600 children in Massachusetts foster care right now are waiting to join a permanent, caring family. Thanks to the support of these golf courses, you can make this the summer you help a child find a home.”
The participating miniature golf courses include the following:

Bogey Lanes, “Where the FUN is,” can be found at 199 North Brookfield Rd., East Brookfield, , 15 miles west of Worcester and 35 miles east of Springfield. Bogey Lanes offers a variety of family-friendly activities, including candlepin bowling, 6 pool tables, ice cream bar, and a 17-game arcade, as well as an 18-hole miniature golf course. For more information visit http://www.bogeylanes.com/.

FUNWAY USA, “America’s Playground,” is located on Route 1, just a mile north of Gillette Stadium, at 2 Washington St., Foxboro. Funway features miniature golf, go-karts, batting cages, bumper boats, moon walk, rock wall, obstacle course inflatable, a bungee run inflatable and a bungee trampoline. Visit http://www.funwayusa.net/ for more info.

About the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange: The Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE) is a private non-profit agency, founded in 1957, to find “a permanent place to call HOME” for harder-to-place children waiting in foster care, including older children ages 6 – 18, children of color of all ages, sibling groups, and children with emotional, physical and intellectual challenges. MARE works in cooperation with the Massachusetts Department of Social Services (DSS) and private agencies.
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To learn more about Mini-Golf for MARE or about adoption from foster care, call 617-54-ADOPT (617-542-3678), toll-free at 800-882-1176 or visit http://www.mareinc.org/.
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WEEKEND PICK: Gigantic Bugs Invade Framingham on Saturday

Come to BIG BUGS at Garden in the Woods in Framingham on Saturday and get a bug’s eye view of the world when you stand nose to knee with a 18-foot, 1200-pound praying mantis and 12 other enormous and beautiful wood sculptures by New York artist David Rogers.
(The exhibit is in Framingham through Oct. 31) Enjoy a picnic and buzz over to the nursery to buy a butterfly garden and other cool native plants, gifts, books, and bug-themed toys. Take photos and share your images at bigbugsart@newenglandWILD.org

Saturday is the Grand opening celebration, featuring MEET THE BEATLES –with HELP! New England’s own Beatles Tribute Band, performing live in honor of BIG BUGS. Join in to make this the greatest celebration of rock history meeting natural history ever. All this takes place in a summer paradise filled with 1,500 native wildflower species and including 200 rare species at New England Wild Flower Society's Garden in the Woods, a world-renowned 45-acre botanical garden and living museum.
For nearly 20 years, "HELP!" has delighted audiences with its authentic Beatles sound, vintage costumes and instruments, and repertoire that spans the entire recording career of the "fab four." “We play Beatles music because we love it”, says Marc Hertzberg, Bandleader of ‘HELP!’, and dedicated conservationist. “Bringing the Beatles to the Beetles is an exciting way to support the plant conservation work of the Society and have a great party too.”
Families will thrill to meet live costumed characters “ANT MINI”, “ODO” the dragonfly, and “DANI” the monarch butterfly on garden walks, together with the enormous BIG BUGS on Saturday too. Opening day festivities begin at 10 a.m. and run until 4 p.m.

Which BIG BUG is also a beetle? Throughout the exhibit's run visitors will learn the answer and lots of exciting nature facts every day, and at theme weekends through the exhibit, with special family activities, buggy crafts, and a great time for everyone. There is a full roster of buzz worthy courses at the Society’s education programs throughout. New England Wild Flower Society's offers the largest native plant education program in the nation.
“Insects play a vital role in a garden, but are unnoticed, so I put them on such a large scale that you can’t help but notice them,” says Rogers. His popular exhibition is a smash hit across America and returns to New England in this exclusive showing.
Make BIG BUGS your summer’s centerpiece for a grand celebration of the Web of Life and enter the exciting world of plant and insect relationships with dozens of special events.
Learn more at about your visit, photo gallery, events, and bug-related classes.
See BIG BUGS July 12-September 1, 9-7 daily; September 2-October 31, 9-5 daily, rain or shine. Admission, including opening day concert and theme weekends is $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and students with identification, $4 for children 3-18, and free for members and children under three. 508-877-7630, www.newenglandwild.org.
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PHOTO: BIG BUGS Spider and Web by David Rogers at Garden in the Woods. (c) New England Wild Flower Society/Lisa Mattei

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July 7-13 is Girl Scout Week at Dairy Queen

July 7-13 is DQ Girl Scout Appreciation Week! This month, Dairy Queen introduced a Girl Scouts Thin Mint Cookie Blizzard®. Made of creamy soft-serve blended with Girl Scouts Thin Mint Cookie pieces and a crème de menthe topping, the Girl Scouts Thin Mint Cookie Blizzard will be available during July 2008 at participating Dairy Queen locations (call your neighborhood Dairy Queen for info.) This is the first time Dairy Queen has introduced a thin Mint Cookie Blizzard.

New Massachusetts Booster Seat Law Goes Into Effect Tomorrow, July 10

In April , Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick signed Senate Bill 2018, dubbed the Booster Seat Bill. The new law goes into effect tomorrow, July 10.
This enhancement of the Massachusetts Child Passenger Safety Law requires that all children riding in passenger motor vehicles must be in a federally approved child passenger restraint that is properly fastened and secured until they are 8 years old or over 57” tall. This will significantly increase the number of children who will be required to ride in a booster seat.
The Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s Highway Safety Division with its partners is working to implement the new child passenger safety law and ensure all children are safer when riding in motor vehicles.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, motor vehicle crashes are one of the leading causes of death among children ages 3 to 14.
A major component of the implementation of the new law will be child safety seat checkpoints offered around the Commonwealth. Checkpoints are important because most parents do not properly restrain their children in vehicles. At checkpoints nationally certified technicians inspect child safety seats and educate parents and guardians about how to correctly use their children’s seats.
If you need more information on how to obtain or properly install child passenger restraints, or would like to attend a checkpoint, call the state's Child Passenger Safety Hotline at 1-877-392-5956, TTY 1-617-725-0261, or go to www.mass.gov/childsafetyseats.