Ode to Otis

Every year in the Spring, the Friends of Otis Library hold a book sale in the basement of Otis Library downtown.

I absolutely love going. It doesn't matter that I haven't read most of the books I got last year, I want more. They hold a 3 day event finishing up on Sunday, which in my opinion is the best day to go.
When you walk in on Sunday, they hand you a plastic bag and you can buy as many books as will fit inside this bag for $4. What's not to love about that right?
Last year, I walked out with 12 books. This year my book haul was about the same, even picked up some German books for my mother.
But the Pièce de résistance was the vinyl records they had displayed on a center table. My father initially picked up 3 boxes (containing approx 5 records) of Beethoven from Deutsche Gramophone. I took a look at the table and was stupefied. Of all the albums that were on this table, how could he only pick up the 3 Beethovens?
Given the choice of only picking one, I had no idea which to pick. How do you choose between Haydn, Debussy, Brahms, Mozart, Bach, Stravinsky, Rachmaninoff, Strauss, Schumann, Chopin, Prokofiev, and Berlioz?
I made mention that if I had a way to carry them, I would take them all. But since we had walked from our house near Norwich Free Academy down to the library, that was not exactly a plausible act.
However, one of the women working the event overheard me and offered to hold them for to get my car. So we said heck yes!
She offered us the deal of a life time 28 Boxed Sets from Time Life and Deutsche Gramophone for $26.

Now my mother on the other hand was not as impressed with our purchase because she still doesn't really love the other 6-7,000 records my father has in our living room, even after 22 years. But who cares! We just made a fantastic deal and we were bringing those records into the house one way or another.

I can't wait to listen to some of them, but first my father needs to show me how to use his record player since I've never even touched it (in fear of some disaster)

Anything Goes

When I was in high school, a friend of mine talked me into going with them to a rehearsal for the school play. They were working on the stage crew and asked me if I wanted to help too. My options were crew or go home, and well at that point I would do anything to keep from having to go home. I sat and watched the rehearsal for the first play (of quite a few) that I would love working on. Anything Goes.


You've never seen it? Lordy are you missing out. First of all, its music and lyrics are written by Cole Porter.

Cole Porter is an Indiana-born composer and American songwriter who's great success was in the 1920s and 30s with musicals including: Paris, The New Yorkers, Jubilee, Anything Goes, Kiss me Kate, Can-Can, and Silk Stockings.


Still not sure who I'm talking about. Ok, maybe you've never heard of these plays, perhaps you've only heard songs from them and never knew they were from a play.

Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love)
keep in mind his work was from the 20s and 30s so it's not all exactly P.C.
Anything Goes
I Get a Kick Out of You
Don't Fence Me In
It's De-lovely
Let's Misbehave


Anywho, as I was saying, Anything Goes... The story concerns madcap antics aboard an ocean liner bound from New York to London. Billy Crocker is a stowaway in love with heiress Hope Harcourt, who is engaged to Lord Evelyn Oakleigh. Nightclub singer Reno Sweeney and Public Enemy #13 Moonface Martin aid Billy in his quest to win Hope.

Sound exciting? Not sure why I'm rambling on about it?

Well if you'd like to see this musical, you have your chance. The Colchester Community Theater is putting on Anything Goes at Bacon Academy High School  Friday, Feb 17 at 7pm, Saturday, Feb 18 at 2pm & 7pm, and Sunday, Feb 19 at 2pm.
Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for seniors and children 12 and under.
Tickets are available at Colchester Parks & Recreation Dept in the Town Hall or at the Wild Geese Gift Shop (191 Broadway, Colchester, 860-537-4010)
Tickets are available at the door on performance days, however audience members are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance.

Now if my co-worker's brother was not in the cast, I never would have known about such an event. But I'm glad she told me, I hope to see a packed house for the performance I will thoroughly enjoy.