Monthly Archives: February 2015

“We’re Off to See the Wizard” at Lyme-Old Lyme MS, Friday, Saturday

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Screen Shot 2015-02-23 at 12.20.28 AMThe Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School (LOLMS) Drama Club presents its 2015 musical production, “The Wizard of Oz,” this coming Friday and Saturday, Feb. 27 and 28.

More than 60 middle school students are involved in the cast and crew of this iconic stage production.  Fans will recognize the lines and lyrics of the 1939 American musical fantasy film by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, which was based on L. Frank Baum’s 1900 novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Dual leads will perform the roles of Dorothy, her side-kicks Scarecrow, Tin Man and Friendly Lion, and also Glinda the Good Witch, the Wicked Witch of the West and the Wizard.  The show also includes the Munchkins, winged monkeys, residents of Oz and the whole cast of characters from the classic film.

This all-student production also includes the rare Jitterbug dance scene that was deleted from the popular film version.  The play is directed by LOLMS Choral Director Laura Gladd (Lyme-Old Lyme High School Class of 2007), assisted by Jennifer Skelly and Heather Saia.

Performances are at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 27, and Saturday, Feb. 28.

Tickets can be purchased for $8 in advance at The Bowerbird, 46 Halls Rd. in the Old Lyme Marketplace and at the LOLMS Office, 53 Lyme St., Old Lyme during school hours from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.  Tickets also can be purchased on the door before the shows.

Wildcat Girls Make Late Surge to Steal Victory, Advance to Semis in Shoreline Conference

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Photo by Sloane Sweitzer. The game’s top scorer Julia Strycharz (#10) reaches for the ball.

The Lyme-Old Lyme Wildcats (16-5) suddenly soared to victory over North Branford in the first round of Saturday’s Shoreline Conference.  With the score tied at 41-41 with three minutes left on the clock, overtime was looking a distinct possibility, but then the ‘Cats surged forward scoring 12 points in a row to win decisively with the scoreboard reading 53-41 at the buzzer.

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Photo by Sloane Sweitzer. Strycharz (#10) was in action all over the court.

It was particularly sweet victory because North Branford had defeated Old Lyme twice during the regular season.

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Photo by Sloane Sweitzer.

Don Bugbee’s third-seeded girls now face number two seeds Cromwell in a semi-final game at Coginchaug High School in Durham next Tuesday with a 6 p.m. tip-off.  Cromwell beat Old Lyme during their only meeting in the regular season.

The Lyme-Old Lyme High School girl's varsity basketball team posed for this photo prior to yesterday's victory over North Branford. Photo by Jodi Strycharz.

The Lyme-Old Lyme High School girl’s varsity basketball team posed for this photo prior to yesterday’s victory over North Branford. Photo by Sloane Sweitzer.

Go Wildcats!

Lyme, Old Lyme Hold Second Solarize Workshop Tomorrow

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Dave McCullough stands in front of his solarized home in Old Lyme.

Dave McCullough stands in front of his solarized home in Old Lyme.

Residents of Lyme and Old Lyme are invited to a joint Solarize workshop next Monday, Feb. 23, at 6 p.m. in the Old Lyme Town Hall auditorium.  The event has been rescheduled from Monday, Feb. 2, when it postponed for the second time due to another winter storm.  It will bring together informed town residents, solar installers, solar finance experts, and representatives of the Connecticut Green Bank.

The Solarize campaigns in the two towns have generated strong interest with over 120 residents registering their properties for a free solar evaluation. This workshop will provide information for both newcomers to the process, as well as those who are already actively involved in evaluating their options.

Computers and solar coaches will be available to help residents sign into the online marketplace platform and get started with their free evaluation.

There are 15 communities in Round 5 of Solarize – with a goal to more than double the amount of solar in each community. Over 40 communities have already participated in Solarize campaigns, resulting in over 2,000 homeowners signing contracts for solar.

More information about Solarize Lyme and Old Lyme can be found by visiting www.solarizect.com/Lyme and www.solarizect.com/OldLyme.

For those seeking help with the online marketplace platform, call Kimberly Le at 617.302.6523.

In the event of a snow cancellation, the meeting will be held the following week, Monday, March 2, at 6 p.m.

(Ice) Dammed If You Don’t …

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An example of a roof ice dam in Willimantic, Conn.

An example of a roof ice dam in Willimantic, Conn.

Ice dams form when water from melting snow refreezes at the eaves or gutters. Water can then pond above the ice dam and even leak into the building. This is almost always a sign that (1) the attic is not properly insulated, (2) the roof is not properly ventilated, and (3) if there is leakage, the membrane beneath the shingles is not working.

In an ideal situation, proper insulation does its work to keep heat inside the house, and the roof is merely a means to keep rain or snow out. If your attic is not a living space, lots of insulation between the ceiling below and the attic space ensures that very little heat gets up there. Proper ventilation of the attic space then ensures that the roof never gets warm enough to melt snow on top of it.

Even if the room directly beneath the roof is a living space, the same principles apply. In this case, it is much harder to install enough insulation, but there should be a space between the insulation and the roof’s inside sheathing so that cold air can flow from eave vents up through that space to carry away any heat that gets through the insulation.

Modern materials such as “snow and ice membrane” provide a very good seal beneath the shingles. If your roof is old, it may have tarpaper, which degrades and becomes brittle. If so, it may be time (this summer) to have your roof stripped down to the sheathing and to have lots of membrane and good flashing installed. It may be possible to have soffit vents and adequate roof ventilation installed at the same time.

But in the meantime, if you have ice dams, it is important to drain the pond above the dam. Unfortunately it is almost impossible to do this with heat or an ice pick. Here’s a suggestion of a good temporary fix: make “sausages” by filling a stocking or similar porous tube with either rock salt or calcium chloride crystals and lay this across the ice dam so that it melts a channel through the dam to drain the pond.

Good Luck!

Rick Holloway is a longtime member of the Chester Energy Team. Look up the E-Team on the www.chesterct.org town site or Facebook.com/ChesterCTEnergyTeam

All Three Performances of ‘Motherhood Out Loud’ Cancelled at Ivoryton Playhouse This Weekend

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Pictured from top left are Beverley Taylor and Michael Cartwright. From bottom left – Atticus Nischan, Jeanie Rapp, Kase Vradenburgh, Vanessa Vradenburgh, Elle Vradenburgh. Photograph by Anne Hudson

Gathered for a photo are some of the Motherhood Out Loud performers and their children. From top left are Beverley Taylor and Michael Cartwright and from bottom left, Atticus Nischan, Jeanie Rapp, Kase Vradenburgh, Vanessa Vradenburgh, Elle Vradenburgh.  Photograph by Anne Hudson

1:30pm Update: Due to the threat of bad weather this weekend, all three performances of Motherhood Out Loud have been cancelled.

CANCELLED:  Friday, February 20 at 7:30pm in partnership with Women and Family Life Center
CANCELLED:  Saturday, February 21 at 7:30pm in partnership with Community Foundation of Middlesex County to support the Sari A. Rosenbaum Fund for Women & Girls
CANCELLED:  Sunday, February 22 at 2:00pm in partnership with Child and Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut

Call the Ivoryton Playhouse at 860.767.7318 for ticket refunds.

“Mom!”  “Mommy!!”  “Ma!!!”  How many times a day does a mother hear these words?  Being a mother is one of the most rewarding, hilarious, joy-filled and heartbreaking jobs in the world.  Come and celebrate all things Mom during a staged reading of Motherhood Out Loud at the Ivoryton Playhouse on Feb. 20, 21 and 22 to benefit local agencies that promote programs for women and children.

Motherhood Out Loud features a great variety of pieces by women reflecting upon the diversity of the parenting experience in America today, yet at the same time, the universality of it.  From the wonder of giving birth to the bittersweet challenges of role reversal and caring for an aging parent, it is all shared with tremendous candor, heart and humor.

Conceived by Susan R. Rose and Joan Stein, Motherhood Out Loud is written by a collection of award-winning American writers including Leslie Ayvazian, Brooke Berman, David Cale, Jessica Goldberg, Beth Henley, Lameece Issaq, Claire LaZebnik, Lisa Loomer, Michele Lowe, Marco Pennette, Theresa Rebeck, Luanne Rice, Annie Weisman and Cheryl L. West.

Henley is a Pulitzer-Prize winner, Rebeck is the creator of the television series SMASH, and Pennette was Executive Producer of Desperate Housewives and Ugly Betty and is Executive Producer of Kirstie Alley’s television show.  Luanne Rice is the New York Times best-selling author of 33 novels, who has a home in Old Lyme.

Directed by Maggie McGlone Jennings (who has directed several shows at the Playhouse), the play features local actors who are well known in the shoreline community.  The cast includes Beverley Taylor (a regular on the Playhouse stage), Jeanie Rapp (known to local audiences as the artistic director of Margreta Stage), Vanessa Daniels and Michael Cartwright.

This special production is a partnership between the Ivoryton Playhouse and several different organizations that promote programs for women and children. Friday, Feb. 20, is in partnership with Women & Family Life Center in Guilford; Saturday, Feb. 21, is in partnership with the Sari A. Rosenbaum Fund for Women & Girls at the Community Foundation of Middlesex County; and Sunday, Feb. 22, is in partnership with Child & Family Agency of Southeastern CT. The Ivoryton Playhouse is proud to partner with three different organizations to raise funds to help those in need in New Haven, Middlesex and New London Counties.

Performance times are Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m; Sunday at 2 p.m.  Tickets are $40 and are available by calling the Playhouse box office at 860-767-7318 or by visiting the Playhouse’s website at www.ivorytonplayhouse.org

The Playhouse is located at 103 Main St. in Ivoryton.