The Swellesley Report

Since 2005: More than you really want to know about Wellesley, Mass.

Last chance to see Wellesley Theater Project’s “The Sound of Music”

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SPONSORED CONTENT: The hills are alive! After 15 years of award-winning youth theatre, join us for Wellesley Theatre Project’s very first all-ages community production of one of the most beloved musicals of all time, The Sound of Music!

The first weekend of performances was a resounding success that left audiences stunned by its professional production value and performances. You have three chances left to see this historic production—Thursday July 30th, Friday July 31st, and Saturday, August 1st, all shows at 7:30pm, at the Sorenson Center for the Arts at Babson College (219 Babson College Drive,Wellesley, MA 02481).

Wellesley Theatre Project, Sound
The Von Trapp children and Maria during “Favorite Things.” Photo by John Harmon of Sandy Sandwich Productions

Tickets are $30 for adults and $15 for students and seniors when purchased in advance at www.wellesleytheatreproject.org, or $35 for adults and $20 for students and seniors at the door.

Swellesley Report readers can receive $5 off by using code: Swellesley at checkout or at the door.

This exciting production had 91 people audition and has a cast of 31. Familiar faces include WTP’s Artistic Director, Ben Rush, WTP alumni, local community members, and other talented performers.

Wellesley Theatre Project, Sound
The Von Trapp family at Nonnberg Abbey fleeing the Nazi Regime. Photo by John Harmon.

Featuring a trove of cherished songs, including “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” “My Favorite Things,” “Do-Re-Mi,” “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” and the title number, The Sound of Music has won the hearts of audiences worldwide, earning five Tony Awards and five Oscars. The inspirational story, based on the memoir of Maria Augusta Trapp, follows an ebullient postulate who serves as governess to the seven children of the imperious Captain von Trapp, bringing music and joy to the household. But as the forces of Nazism take hold of Austria, Maria and the entire von Trapp family must make a moral decision.

Support the first community effort at Wellesley Theatre Project, with many more to come!

     

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MIT Museum, Cambridge

Wellesley Theatre Project brings community production of “The Sound of Music” to the stage

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wellesley theatre sound
Courtesy photo

 

Wellesley Theatre Project presented the first three performances of its inaugural community production of “The Sound of Music” this past weekend at Babson College’s Sorenson Center for the Arts. A departure from WTP’s typical youth-focused work, this musical tapped the talents of WTP staff, alumni, current students, and community members from across Wellesley and throughout the Greater Boston area.

“The Sound of Music,” with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, based on the book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, is set in Austria in the late 1930s and follows Maria, a spirited novice nun who becomes governess to the seven von Trapp children. The musical’s well-known songs, including “The Sound of Music,” “Do-Re-Mi,” and “Sixteen Going on Seventeen,” help tell the story of Maria’s growing connection with the von Trapp family before they face the threat of Nazi occupation.

The cast delivered strong musical performances, with the production placing a greater emphasis on singing than on dramatic acting.

Before the performance, Executive Director Hillary Drew welcomed the audience and reflected on what it took to bring the production to the stage. She shared that 91 people auditioned for the show, with 37 cast members selected, and noted that the production also features a 17-piece orchestra and more than 45 performers overall. Drew also pointed out that this summer marks WTP’s 15th anniversary, making the production a bit of a celebration of the organization’s success over the past decade and a half.

The production is directed by Chris Cavallo, with musical direction by David Wright. Katelyn Geary is associate musical director and conductor, and Erica Lundin is the choreographer.

“The Sound of Music” will be performed again on July 30, July 31, and Aug. 1 at 7:30pm, with a bonus 35-minute kids’ production set for Aug. 1 (purchase tickets online).

WTP provides year-round theater education for students from PreK through 12th grade as a nonprofit. They offer classes, productions, workshops, and summer camps. These range from one-week camps- for example, “Unicorns and Dinosaurs!” or “Bluey and Friends”- all the way to selective professional internships for high schoolers. This summer’s community production reflects the organization’s first significant work beyond youth programming.

Page Waterman, Natick
London Harness, Wellesley
Longfellow, Wellesley

Wellesley arts roundup, July

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Wellesley is fortunate to have a lively arts scene, with various opportunities to engage with or make art at any given time. Check out a concert, theater performance, or art reception this month. Here are just a few events happening around town.

Wellesley Theatre Project—3 classic shows

“SHREK”—Come visit the swamp this summer at Wellesley Theatre Project (WTP) as they bring a Dreamworks favorite to life in an exciting summer production of Shrek, The Musical KIDS! Performances will be held July 9, 10 and 11 at 5pm and July 11th at 2pm, at the Sorenson Center for the Arts at Babson College (219 Babson College Drive, Wellesley, MA 02481). Tickets are $18 for adults and $10 for students and seniors when purchased in advance at www.wellesleytheatreproject.org, or $20 for adults and $12 for students and seniors at the door.

“CINDERELLA” —On July 16th, and 17th at 5pm and July 18th at 2pm and 5pm, journey into the most iconic fairytale of all time at the Sorenson Center for the Arts at Babson College for WTP’s first session of Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Youth Edition! Tickets here.

“SOUND OF MUSIC”—On July 16th-18th, 30th, 31st, and August 1st at 7:30pm, join WTP for The Sound of Music, our inagural Community Production! Tickets here.

Art exhibit at Beth Urdang Gallery

Beth Urdang Gallery, Wellesley
J

GALLERY EXHIBIT: “Summer Selections:
DESCRIPTION: Paintings, Photographs and Sculpture
DATES: now through Sept. 12
LOCATIONS: 15 Central St. and 16 Grove St., Wellesley
HOURS: Tuesday – Saturday, 10:30am-5:30pm Central; Grove open by appointment
IMAGE (left): Joshua Jensen-Nagle, “Sunbathers at the Copacabana III”;
archival pigment print photograph; 41″ x 43″ 

Coming soon to the Davis Museum

The Davis Museum at Wellesley College has announced two special exhibits to run Sept. 25, 2026 – May 20, 2027.

“Excavating Antioch: The Archaeology of an Ancient City” follows Antioch-on-the-Orontes—now Ankara, Türkiye—will cross two periods: the ancient city, from the Hellenistic period through the twelfth century C.E., and its excavation in the 1930s. Through artifacts and archival materials, the exhibition will explore daily life in antiquity alongside the modern practices that unearthed and dispersed the city’s material culture.

“Shi: Stories in Stone” will offer cross-disciplinary perspectives on nature, science, art, and culture.

Not that we’re being dramatic, but we simply cannot survive without your help.

Arts Roundup—Giddyap, D-mac wins CMA award; Wellesley Symphony Orchestra, “Dance!”; WHS artists’ work on display in library; and more

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Wellesley is fortunate to have a lively arts scene, with various opportunities to engage with or make art at any given time. Check out a concert, theater performance, or art reception this month. Here are just a few events happening soon, here and beyond Wellesley.

Don’t see your arts event listed? Email us at theswellesleyreport@gmail.com

A standing ovation for Wellesley’s own D-mac

Kevin McDonaldThe Wellesley High School community has been puffed up with pride this week as Choral Director Dr. Kevin McDonald—affectionately known by his students as “D-mac”—was recognized out of thousands of music educators across the country. Dr. McDonald has been named one of only 30 recipients of the prestigious 2026 CMA Foundation Music Teachers of Excellence Award.

This recognition comes on the heels of an already stellar year; earlier this school term, he was also celebrated as a finalist for the GRAMMY Music Educators Award. His commitment to the arts has not only shaped the voices of his students but has now caught the attention of the highest levels of the music industry.

The celebration will culminate this autumn at The Pinnacle in Nashville, where Dr. McDonald will be honored among his peers and industry leaders during a milestone anniversary event. With a red-carpet moment on the horizon and a guest list featuring top artists and industry titans, it is a well-deserved moment in the spotlight for a teacher who gives so much to his community.

WHS artists’ work on display in library

Congratulations to the dozens of Wellesley students, and their teachers, who have been recognized as among the most artistic in Massachusetts through the annual National Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Art awards come in categories such as photography, jewelry and drawing, and writing. On display in the Wellesley Free Library are winning artworks from WHS students.

Also on display is the work of WHS Intensive Drawing and Painting students. Mr. Reddy challenged the artists to synthesize multiple sketches from the summer into a new, cohesive piece, and to create a piece exploring the topic of Then vs. Now.

Interested in exhibiting art at the WFL? Exhibit policy here.

Arrais Ballet to perform Midsummer Night’s Dream

Arrais Ballet, a ballet studio in Needham, will be presenting 3 performances of a Midsummer Nights Dream on May 9th and 10th at the Wellesley High School auditorium.

Paulo Arrais, a renowned arts connoisseur, retired as a Principal Dancer from Boston Ballet in 2023 and founded Arrais Ballet shortly thereafter. After a short two years Arrais Ballet has already earned recognition for training dancers, including pre-professional dancers, who go on to perform and compete at top levels nationally and internationally. This upcoming event will showcase the talent and dedication of its current performers, which include dancers from Wellesley.

Wellesley Symphony Orchestra, “Dance!”

Wellesley Symphony OrchestraDATE/TIME: Sunday, May 10, 2pm
LOCATION: The WSO is back at the beautifully renovated Mass Bay Auditorium, 5o Oakland St., Wellesley
TICKETS here
HIGHLIGHTS: Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912) – Four Waltzes; Gabriel Pierné (1863-1937) – Concert Piece, Harp, Op. 39; Claude Debussy (1862-1918) – Dances Sacres et Profanes, Emily Richardson, Harp; Alberto Ginastera (1916-1983) – Estancia: Four Dances; Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) – Petruchka

Ceramics show at Page Waterman Gallery & Framing

Page Waterman, NatickEVENT: Art exhibit by ceramic artist Amy Drury Sullivan
DATES/TIMES: Friday, May 15, 9am-3pm; Saturday, May 16, 9am-3pm
LOCATION: Page Waterman Gallery & Framing, 57 Eliot St (RT.16), South Natick
DESCRIPTION: Following the warm response to her first show last fall, Amy returns this spring with another beautiful collection of handcrafted ceramics — thoughtfully made pieces that balance artistry, texture, form, and everyday usefulness. Amy’s work reflects a lifelong connection to the arts and to craftsmanship rooted in home, family, and tradition.

Art Wellesley, Colossal Collage Maker Night

LOCATION: Wellesley Free Library, Wakelin Room 530 Washington Street
DESCRIPTION: Let’s create a colossal collage together. During community maker nights, participants use found papers to cut, glue, and assemble a botanical-themed collage. Think big, as in colossally big. Elizabeth Cohen and Jenny Schneider will expertly guide the process. The colossal collage will be hung at the Wellesley Free Library throughout June. This event is free and open to everyone. No art experience required.

Event is free, but space is limited—Registration required.

Wellesley Society of Artists

EVENT: Heatwave Awards Reception
DATE/TIME: June 10, 6:30pm-7:30pm
LOCATION: Natick Morse Institute Library, 14 E. Central St., Natick
DESCRIPTION: Please join the Wellesley Society of Artists for the awards reception and an opportunity to meet the exhibition artists.

End-0f-year Wellesley HS and MS arts performances

Wellesley HS arts

More information at https://www.wellesleypops.com/home

Beyond Wellesley—”Something Rotten” at Lyric Stage, Boston

Lyric Stage, BostonSomething Rotten, playing at the Lyric Stage in Boston through June 7, is a high-energy, madcap musical comedy, a well-executed romp through the Renaissance. As the saying goes, “Some are born great, some achieve greatness,”—and then there’s Nick and Nigel Bottom. The two brothers find themselves perpetually stuck in the shadow of the era’s undisputed rock star: William Shakespeare. Desperate to knock the Bard off his lofty perch, the brothers set out to create something entirely new. Their solution? Writing the world’s very first musical.

However, the path to innovation is rarely smooth. A lesson—think twice before you rely on a psychic to help you steal Shakespeare’s future bestseller. As the Bard himself  said, “It is not in the stars to to hold our destiny, but in ourselves.”

The 2.5-hour play (including one intermission) has it all. Intellectual property theft. A brewing clergy scandal that just might take down the Puritans. Love at first sight, of which the grownups disapproved. Tortured artists. And plenty of zany. Audiences not only receive a scholarly explanation of the genesis of the musical (um, sort of?), but are caught up in the kind of drama only thespians can create. Filled with double entendres, jealous playwrights, and a relentless quest to be the greatest wordsmith in London, no matter the cost, Something Rottten is fresh as can be.

Under the direction of Ilana Ransom Toeplitz, the production moves with a frantic, infectious pace. Shout-out to the live (but behind-the-scenes) orchestra, which breathed life into the clever music and lyrics by Wayne and Karey Kirkpatrick. 

Family heads-up—mild profanity and innuendo. Perfect for teens and up.

The Lyric Stage has  announced its 2026-27 line-up: All My Sons; Peter Pan Goes Wrong; Agatha Christie’s The Mirror Crack’d; King James; A Big, Beloved Musical.

Not that we’re being dramatic, but we simply cannot survive without your help.

New theatre company at Wellesley’s Temple Beth Elohim to launch with ‘Fiddler on the Roof’

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TBE Players
Rehearsing for “Fiddler on the Roof” (courtesy photo)

 

Wellesley’s Temple Beth Elohim is returning to the musical stage after more than a decade, with a new troupe aiming to build a lasting theatre tradition starting with “Fiddler on the Roof” in late April and early May.

A team of about 100 people are part of the TBE Players team bringing “Fiddler” to the synagogue as a celebration of Jewish tradition, resilience, and community. The musical is directed by Rachel Humphrey and Tess Rosen, produced by Jane Brown, and supported by Cantor Shanna Zell, staff liaison. Rehearsals take place a few days a week, and have been happening since February.

After moving to a Boston suburb during the pandemic, Humphrey joined Temple Beth Elohim in 2023 as the world re-opened. She found a community filled with theatre-lovers and experienced cast and crew members.

“Reportedly, there was a meaningful interest in starting some kind of theatre program in the synagogue for years before I came. Then I showed up, by happy coincidence… with experience running a synagogue-based theatre program, and an eagerness to try to start one here,” she says. “I didn’t know about the interest… I just wondered if they wanted my help. The rest is history!”

TBE PlayersHumphrey, who outside of TBE Players is a medical oncologist running a biotech firm, participated in theatre in high school and (after spending some time as a lead singer in rock bands) returned to the stage years later at a synagogue-based theatre group in Woodridge, Conn. She directed, produced, and/or acted in Woodridge performances, including “Fiddler,” and the last play she directed there was “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” in 2008.

It’s taken about a year to pull together the intergenerational TBE Players team, which includes both Temple Beth Elohim members and non-members, experienced cast and crew, as well as newcomers.

“When I first approached the synagogue staff to consider starting a theatre program, we all felt it was important to assemble a solid group of dedicated theatre-lovers to help ensure success,” Humphrey says. “That took time—as we made personal outreaches to folks we thought would be great additions to the team. It expanded from there by word of mouth as more people, including those who were trying theatre out for the first-time, began to join.”

The performances will also feature an assembly of talented musicians, who will be situated in an open pit to one side of the stage at Temple Beth Elohim, which will accommodate 300-plus show goers per performance.

The TBE Players will play “Fiddler on the Roof” straight—”no twists this time…”—sticking to the script, music, and choreography from the original in the 1960s. But Humphrey assures that “Fiddler,” even though it’s set in the early 1900s, will resonate for modern audiences with its themes of community and the importance of tradition and faith in a complex world.

“The themes… are just as relevant now as when the show first came out,” she says.

TBE Players’ “Fiddler on the Roof” at Temple Beth Elohim at 10 Bethel Rd., Wellesley

  • Thursday, April 30 | 7:00 pm
  • Saturday, May 2 | 7:00 pm
  • Sunday, May 3 | 4:00 pm

Tickets ($18) are available online and will be available at the door as well.

 

Theatre

Wellesley High drama students advance to state finals with ‘Fire in the Hole’

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For months, Wellesley High School’s black box theater became a 1920s Appalachian coal-mining town. In the play “Fire in the Hole,” union organizers are hanged, families suffer tragic losses, and the mining company controls nearly every aspect of life. This 30-minute one-act by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Robert Schenkkan is Wellesley High’s entry in this year’s Massachusetts Educational Theatre Guild (METG) competition, a statewide festival judged over multiple rounds.

Wellesley did advance, moving through the preliminary round at Wellesley High on Feb. 28 and into the semi-finals on March 14, performing alongside programs that had succeeded at their own preliminary sites weeks earlier.

METG works differently from a standard school production. METG companies prepare a single judged performance rather than multiple shows. This puts extra pressure on students and rehearsals, as there’s little room for mistakes. Director Skylar Grossman, who also oversaw last fall’s production of “Legally Blonde: The Musical,” has been working with the company since early winter, with a cast of more than 50 students.

The subject matter added its own layer of difficulty. “Fire in the Hole” is drawn from Schenkkan’s “The Kentucky Cycle,” which won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1992 and was nominated for three Tony Awards. The story follows Mary Ann Rowen, a mother who has lost four sons in the mines. When union organizer Abe Steinman arrives, she must confront betrayal and the challenge of leading her community.

The script is dense with period detail and moral weight, and compressing it into a 30-minute stage production while keeping the emotional logic is the kind of work that asks a great deal from young performers.

Behind the scenes, the technical crew faced their own set of demands, building a period world from the ground up with costumes, set pieces, and sound that had to be read clearly in a single unrepeated performance. Students working in tech and production carried responsibilities that extended well beyond a typical school show, considering creative and logistical sides of the production simultaneously.

This year, Wellesley also hosted the preliminary round for the first time since 2019. Alongside preparing their own entry, students organized and ran a competition site for five other schools. The hosting crew was drawn entirely from students across all four grade levels, none of whom had done it before. Grossman reflected on what that required: “This preliminary round was a standout for WHS… Even with the snow-day setbacks, hosting a successful site and moving on from the preliminary round is a massive feat.”

The weather-related issues he mentioned were significant. A benefit performance scheduled for Feb. 27 was cancelled when a storm closed the school, which meant that when the company finally performed “Fire in the Hole” in front of an audience, that audience included the competition judges. A rescheduled free performance was held on March 13 at Wellesley High, followed by a question-and-answer session with cast and crew, giving the community a chance to see the production after the competitive season had already begun.

The semi-finals, held March 14, brought together programs from preliminary sites across the state, each having already demonstrated enough in their first showing to keep going. For Wellesley, getting there meant navigating a storm cancellation, a hosted competition, and a subject matter that required the cast to inhabit a world and a set of stakes very different from their own.

Despite challenges, Wellesley High’s Dramatic Arts Company excelled and is advancing to the METG finals to be held March 26-28 at John Hancock Hall in Boston.

Interested in sponsoring student interns at Swellesley? Let us know: theswellesleyreport@gmail.com

Theatre

Wellesley High School Dramatic Arts Company to present “Fire in the Hole”

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Wellesley High School Dramatic Arts Company presents its Massachusetts Educational Theatre Guild One-Act entry, “Fire in the Hole” by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Robert Schenkkan (from “The Kentucky Cycle”). It focuses on the conflicts in a 1920’s coal-mining town.

2026 METG Preliminary Round is at Wellesley High School on Saturday, Feb. 28 and Wellesley High will take the stage at 1:30pm.  Ticket info.  Due to mature content, the show is not recommended for children under 13.

A free performance will be held Friday, March 13 at 7pm at Wellesley High, followed by Q&A (note: the event was rescheduled to this date from February 27 due to storm-related issues).

Come support the 50+ students who will perform, work backstage and host the other five competing high schools.

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Arts roundup—free tours at the Davis; Art Wellesley makers night; Acastock coming soon; a few Beyond Wellesley offerings

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Theater—Penelope

DATES: Feb. 11 – March 1
LOCATION: Lyric Stage Boston, 140 Clarendon St., Boston
TICKETS here
DESCRIPTION: A musical. His Odyssey. Her Story. The story you thought you knew, told by the woman who lived it. Based on Homer’s Odyssey. A generous glass of bourbon, a five-piece band, and ninety minutes is all Penelope (Aimee Doherty) needs to tell her side of the story as she embraces her heartache, loneliness, and resolve during the wait for her husband Odysseus to return from a seemingly endless war. Directed by Courtney O’Connor.

OUR TAKE: We recently attended captivating performance of the one-act, one-woman musical. Without intermission, Aimee Doherty commanded the stage, drawing the audience directly into the heart of Penelope’s decades-long vigil—her lonely wait, her palpable longing, and the crushing sense of responsibility she carries. Via ten musical numbers, Doherty masterfully portrays a woman single-handedly running Ithaca while grappling with the frustration of both her husband and then her son abandoning her. In addition to Doherty’s powerful, clear vocals, four other musicians (strings onstage, percussion tucked away in the wings) back her up as she rails against the unruly suitors who refuse to leave her courtyard. The Odyssey is having a moment, with the upcoming big-budget feature film adaptation directed by Chris Nolan, set for release by Universal on July 27th. More monsters, less singing in that one, we’d guess.

An upcoming show at the Lyric Stage Boston we think Wellesley families would like is Something Rotten. (Two brothers stuck in the shadow of a certain Renaissance rock star (Shakespeare), set forth to knock him off his perch by writing the world’s very first musical.)  Show run, May 1 – June 7

Wellesley College, Davis Museum
Wellesley College, Davis Museum

Free art tour at Davis Museum, Wellesley College

EVENT: Drop-in public tour at the Davis Museum
DATE/TIME: Saturday, February 14, 2pm
LOCATION: Davis Museum at Wellesley College
PARKING: at the Davis Parking Facility, 106 Central St, Wellesley
COST: Free
DESCRIPTION: Drop-in public tour: “The Immortal Magu: A Sixteenth-Century Painting Up Close.” Thematic tour designed by Wellesley students from a range of academic majors.

Colossal Collage community event with Art Wellesley

DATE: DESCRIPTION: During Art Wellesley’s community maker night, participants will use found papers to cut, glue, and assemble a botanical-themed collage. Art Wellesley will provide all material. Participants are welcome to bring additional collage materials.. When it comes to this project, think big. As in colossally big. No art experience required. The completed Colossal Collage will be hung at the Wellesley Free Library through June.

WHS Performing Arts: Acastock Concert

DATE/TIME: Fri Mar 6, 7pm–9pm
LOCATION: Katherine L. Babson, Jr. Auditorium, Wellesley High School, 50 Rice St.
DESCRIPTION: This always-popular annual a cappella show is presented by Wellesley High School Performing Arts. Special guest stars contribute to the talent overload the WHS students already bring. Led by WHS director of choral music, Dr. Kevin McDonald.

EVENT: King Tut exhibit
DATES: opens Feb. 13
LOCATION: The Saunders Castle at Park Plaza, 130 Columbus Avenue, Boston, 02116
TICKETS here
ALL AGES, Children 3 and under enter for free.
DESCRIPTION: An unforgettable adventure into the tomb of Tutahkkham. Walk through ancient chambers and uncover the secrets of Egypt’s most iconic pharaoh, from breathtaking golden artifacts to a state-of-the-art VR journey into the pharaoh’s tomb. If your kids aren’t obsessed with King Tut already, there will be after this experience.

EVENT: Theater performance, “To Kill a Mockingbird”
DATES: Feb. 27 – Mar. 22
LOCATION: Umbrella Arts Center, 40 Stow St., Concord, MA
TICKETS: here
DESCRIPTION: Adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, To Kill a Mockingbird opens in a sleepy Alabama town in the midst of the Great Depression, where Scout and her brother, Jem, live with their widowed father, lawyer Atticus Finch. While the children act out stories and muse about their mysterious neighbor, Boo Radley, the facade of their seemingly peaceful town begins to crack when a young Black man is accused of a terrible crime. Based on the book by Harper Lee. Directed by Scott Edmiston

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