Vermont Public Community Calendar

THE CHILDREN
by LUCY KIRKWOOD
directed by SARAH ELIZABETH WANSLEY
MARCH 25 - APRIL 12, 2026

In a remote cottage on the lonely British coast, two retired nuclear scientists have settled into a peaceful existence. Outside, the world is unraveling in the aftermath of a devastating nuclear disaster. When an old friend arrives with an unsettling proposal, they must confront the choices of their past and the moral dilemmas of their future. A gripping, suspenseful drama that The New York Times calls “bristling with chills,” The Children is an urgent and haunting exploration of environmental responsibility, legacy, and the price of survival.

THE CHILDREN
by LUCY KIRKWOOD
directed by SARAH ELIZABETH WANSLEY
MARCH 25 - APRIL 12, 2026

In a remote cottage on the lonely British coast, two retired nuclear scientists have settled into a peaceful existence. Outside, the world is unraveling in the aftermath of a devastating nuclear disaster. When an old friend arrives with an unsettling proposal, they must confront the choices of their past and the moral dilemmas of their future. A gripping, suspenseful drama that The New York Times calls “bristling with chills,” The Children is an urgent and haunting exploration of environmental responsibility, legacy, and the price of survival.

THE CHILDREN
by LUCY KIRKWOOD
directed by SARAH ELIZABETH WANSLEY
MARCH 25 - APRIL 12, 2026

In a remote cottage on the lonely British coast, two retired nuclear scientists have settled into a peaceful existence. Outside, the world is unraveling in the aftermath of a devastating nuclear disaster. When an old friend arrives with an unsettling proposal, they must confront the choices of their past and the moral dilemmas of their future. A gripping, suspenseful drama that The New York Times calls “bristling with chills,” The Children is an urgent and haunting exploration of environmental responsibility, legacy, and the price of survival.

THE CHILDREN
by LUCY KIRKWOOD
directed by SARAH ELIZABETH WANSLEY
MARCH 25 - APRIL 12, 2026

In a remote cottage on the lonely British coast, two retired nuclear scientists have settled into a peaceful existence. Outside, the world is unraveling in the aftermath of a devastating nuclear disaster. When an old friend arrives with an unsettling proposal, they must confront the choices of their past and the moral dilemmas of their future. A gripping, suspenseful drama that The New York Times calls “bristling with chills,” The Children is an urgent and haunting exploration of environmental responsibility, legacy, and the price of survival.

The groundbreaking dance theater work returns 30 years following its premiere during the AIDS epidemic.

This powerful work continues to resonate today, evoking a spirit of survival. Created during the contentious and terrifying AIDS epidemic in the US, "Still/Here" broke boundaries between the personal and the political and exemplifies a form of dance theater that is uniquely American, vital and timely.

Raw, poetic and deeply human, "Still/Here" confronts mortality while celebrating resilience. The movement in "Still/Here" is deeply expressive, combining fluid gestures, arresting stillness and sudden shifts in dynamics to embody the emotional complexity of survival and vulnerability. The work is simple and sophisticated, interweaving spoken text, video portraits, dance and the abstract nature of gesture into a powerful meditation on living with terminal illness and facing the unknown. Gretchen Bender's visual concept and multimedia environment is joined by music from Kenneth Frazelle (sung by Odetta) and Vernon Reid. Long-time collaborators include Liz Prince (costumes) and Robert Wierzel (lighting).

At the heart of "Still/Here" are the "Survival Workshops: Talking and Moving about Life and Death," interviews conducted in the early 1990s with people grappling with life-threatening conditions. Their gestures inform the choreography, their words the lyrics, their images the stage. They will always be "Still/Here". This work is dedicated to them.

THE CHILDREN
by LUCY KIRKWOOD
directed by SARAH ELIZABETH WANSLEY
MARCH 25 - APRIL 12, 2026

In a remote cottage on the lonely British coast, two retired nuclear scientists have settled into a peaceful existence. Outside, the world is unraveling in the aftermath of a devastating nuclear disaster. When an old friend arrives with an unsettling proposal, they must confront the choices of their past and the moral dilemmas of their future. A gripping, suspenseful drama that The New York Times calls “bristling with chills,” The Children is an urgent and haunting exploration of environmental responsibility, legacy, and the price of survival.

The groundbreaking dance theater work returns 30 years following its premiere during the AIDS epidemic.

This powerful work continues to resonate today, evoking a spirit of survival. Created during the contentious and terrifying AIDS epidemic in the US, "Still/Here" broke boundaries between the personal and the political and exemplifies a form of dance theater that is uniquely American, vital and timely.

Raw, poetic and deeply human, "Still/Here" confronts mortality while celebrating resilience. The movement in "Still/Here" is deeply expressive, combining fluid gestures, arresting stillness and sudden shifts in dynamics to embody the emotional complexity of survival and vulnerability. The work is simple and sophisticated, interweaving spoken text, video portraits, dance and the abstract nature of gesture into a powerful meditation on living with terminal illness and facing the unknown. Gretchen Bender's visual concept and multimedia environment is joined by music from Kenneth Frazelle (sung by Odetta) and Vernon Reid. Long-time collaborators include Liz Prince (costumes) and Robert Wierzel (lighting).

At the heart of "Still/Here" are the "Survival Workshops: Talking and Moving about Life and Death," interviews conducted in the early 1990s with people grappling with life-threatening conditions. Their gestures inform the choreography, their words the lyrics, their images the stage. They will always be "Still/Here". This work is dedicated to them.

The Montpelier Contra Dance happens every 1st, 3rd, and 5th Saturday at the Capital City Grange Hall. We dance to live music with contra dance bands and callers from around New England and beyond. Beginners, singles, and all ages are welcome; all dances are taught. We use gender neutral role terms. There's a newcomers lesson at 7:45 pm and dancing 8-11pm. Some months on 3rd Saturdays there is a Waltzing Session 7-7:45. Check the website or Facebook page. Please bring clean soft-soled shoes. More info at www.montpeliercontradance.org. $12 adults, $5 kids/low-income, $20 dance supporters. Cash preferred. Venmo or CC accepted. Questions? 802-225-8921 or cdu.tim@gmail.com.

A forgotten dance that bridges generations, defies gender norms and pulses with life.

In "Save the Last Dance for Me", Italian creative artist Alessandro Sciarroni revives the Polka Chinata—a nearly extinct courtship dance performed exclusively by men in villages near Bologna beginning in the early 20th century.

The piece was created in collaboration with Giancarlo Stagni, a Filuzziani dance master who rediscovered the form through archival footage from the 1960s. When Sciarroni encountered the dance in December 2018, it was practiced by only five people in all of Italy.

These performances by dancers Gianmaria Borzillo and Giovanfrancesco Giannini will be followed by workshops designed to share and revive this vibrant popular tradition on the verge of extinction.

Sciarroni is perhaps the most intriguing performative artist currently active in Italy. His enormously varied body of work addresses issues around personal and communitarian identity through the reconfiguration of performing practices that are often far from what is conventionally thought of as dance. Preferring to characterize himself as a creative artist rather than as a choreographer or dancer, Sciarroni was nevertheless awarded the Golden Lion Prize for Lifetime Achievement by the Venice Biennale of Dance in 2019.

Performances:
Fri, Apr 24 at 2 & 5 p.m.
Sat, Apr 25 at 2 p.m.

A forgotten dance that bridges generations, defies gender norms and pulses with life.

In "Save the Last Dance for Me", Italian creative artist Alessandro Sciarroni revives the Polka Chinata—a nearly extinct courtship dance performed exclusively by men in villages near Bologna beginning in the early 20th century.

The piece was created in collaboration with Giancarlo Stagni, a Filuzziani dance master who rediscovered the form through archival footage from the 1960s. When Sciarroni encountered the dance in December 2018, it was practiced by only five people in all of Italy.

These performances by dancers Gianmaria Borzillo and Giovanfrancesco Giannini will be followed by workshops designed to share and revive this vibrant popular tradition on the verge of extinction.

Sciarroni is perhaps the most intriguing performative artist currently active in Italy. His enormously varied body of work addresses issues around personal and communitarian identity through the reconfiguration of performing practices that are often far from what is conventionally thought of as dance. Preferring to characterize himself as a creative artist rather than as a choreographer or dancer, Sciarroni was nevertheless awarded the Golden Lion Prize for Lifetime Achievement by the Venice Biennale of Dance in 2019.

Performances:
Fri, Apr 24 at 2 & 5 p.m.
Sat, Apr 25 at 2 p.m.

The Montpelier Contra Dance happens every 1st, 3rd, and 5th Saturday at the Capital City Grange Hall. We dance to live music with contra dance bands and callers from around New England and beyond. Beginners, singles, and all ages are welcome; all dances are taught. We use gender neutral role terms. There's a newcomers lesson at 7:45 pm and dancing 8-11pm. Please bring clean soft-soled shoes. More info at www.montpeliercontradance.org $12 adults, $5 kids/low-income, $20 dance supporters. Cash preferred. Venmo or CC accepted. Questions? 802-225-8921 or cdu.tim@gmail.com.

The iconic work gets new wings in a mystical and technologically transformed experience uniting dance and orchestra.

Filippo Ciabatti, DSO director
John Heginbotham, DDE director

Famous for its rich rhythms, Russian folkloric melodies and dissonant strains, Stravinsky's 1910 work for the Ballet Russes broke boundaries. Now, two Hop Ensembles collaborate to reimagine the tale of rebirth as a pair of simulcast performances. The Dartmouth Symphony Orchestra will perform the entire "Firebird" in Spaulding Auditorium, enriched by a live projection of choreography by the Dartmouth Dance Ensemble. At the same moment (and on the other side of the Hop) audiences will be immersed in the reworked dance, accompanied in real-time by the dynamic orchestral score.

The iconic work gets new wings in a mystical and technologically transformed experience uniting dance and orchestra.

Filippo Ciabatti, DSO director
John Heginbotham, DDE director

Famous for its rich rhythms, Russian folkloric melodies and dissonant strains, Stravinsky's 1910 work for the Ballet Russes broke boundaries. Now, two Hop Ensembles collaborate to reimagine the tale of rebirth as a pair of simulcast performances. The Dartmouth Symphony Orchestra will perform the entire "Firebird" in Spaulding Auditorium, enriched by a live projection of choreography by the Dartmouth Dance Ensemble. At the same moment (and on the other side of the Hop) audiences will be immersed in the reworked dance, accompanied in real-time by the dynamic orchestral score.

WONDER! A WOMAN KEEPS A SECRET
by TALENE MONAHON
directed by AILEEN WEN MCGRODDY
adapted from The Wonder: A Woman Keeps a Secret by SUSANNA CENTLIVRE (1714)
MAY 13 - 31, 2026

A family vacation on the high seas goes awry when a famous painting is discovered missing and the culprit is suspected to be one of the passengers aboard the Aqua Royale: Paris to Portugal. Loosely adapted from Susanna Centlivre’s 1714 farce of the same name, Wonder! A Woman Keeps a Secret follows a colorful cast including a pair of jealous lovers, an iceberg-phobic captain, a frustrated musical revue performer, a scheming mother-in-law, and an enterprising toilet maid as they try to make it to Lisbon with a boat-load of secrets. Set sail for a side-splitting, laugh-’til-you cry adventure!

Regular Tickets: $37-$80
Student / Youth (Under 25): $28
Pay-What-You-Can Preview (May. 13): $10+

WONDER! A WOMAN KEEPS A SECRET
by TALENE MONAHON
directed by AILEEN WEN MCGRODDY
adapted from The Wonder: A Woman Keeps a Secret by SUSANNA CENTLIVRE (1714)
MAY 13 - 31, 2026

A family vacation on the high seas goes awry when a famous painting is discovered missing and the culprit is suspected to be one of the passengers aboard the Aqua Royale: Paris to Portugal. Loosely adapted from Susanna Centlivre’s 1714 farce of the same name, Wonder! A Woman Keeps a Secret follows a colorful cast including a pair of jealous lovers, an iceberg-phobic captain, a frustrated musical revue performer, a scheming mother-in-law, and an enterprising toilet maid as they try to make it to Lisbon with a boat-load of secrets. Set sail for a side-splitting, laugh-’til-you cry adventure!

Regular Tickets: $37-$80
Student / Youth (Under 25): $28
Pay-What-You-Can Preview (May. 13): $10+

WONDER! A WOMAN KEEPS A SECRET
by TALENE MONAHON
directed by AILEEN WEN MCGRODDY
adapted from The Wonder: A Woman Keeps a Secret by SUSANNA CENTLIVRE (1714)
MAY 13 - 31, 2026

A family vacation on the high seas goes awry when a famous painting is discovered missing and the culprit is suspected to be one of the passengers aboard the Aqua Royale: Paris to Portugal. Loosely adapted from Susanna Centlivre’s 1714 farce of the same name, Wonder! A Woman Keeps a Secret follows a colorful cast including a pair of jealous lovers, an iceberg-phobic captain, a frustrated musical revue performer, a scheming mother-in-law, and an enterprising toilet maid as they try to make it to Lisbon with a boat-load of secrets. Set sail for a side-splitting, laugh-’til-you cry adventure!

Regular Tickets: $37-$80
Student / Youth (Under 25): $28
Pay-What-You-Can Preview (May. 13): $10+

WONDER! A WOMAN KEEPS A SECRET
by TALENE MONAHON
directed by AILEEN WEN MCGRODDY
adapted from The Wonder: A Woman Keeps a Secret by SUSANNA CENTLIVRE (1714)
MAY 13 - 31, 2026

A family vacation on the high seas goes awry when a famous painting is discovered missing and the culprit is suspected to be one of the passengers aboard the Aqua Royale: Paris to Portugal. Loosely adapted from Susanna Centlivre’s 1714 farce of the same name, Wonder! A Woman Keeps a Secret follows a colorful cast including a pair of jealous lovers, an iceberg-phobic captain, a frustrated musical revue performer, a scheming mother-in-law, and an enterprising toilet maid as they try to make it to Lisbon with a boat-load of secrets. Set sail for a side-splitting, laugh-’til-you cry adventure!

Regular Tickets: $37-$80
Student / Youth (Under 25): $28
Pay-What-You-Can Preview (May. 13): $10+

WONDER! A WOMAN KEEPS A SECRET: Conversation with the Creatives

Friday, May 15
Following the 7:30 PM Preview Performance

Join us after the show for a conversation with the creatives on the development process for the world premiere of Wonder! A Woman Keeps a Secret! Don’t miss out on a fun and exciting peek into the alchemy of how we bring new works from page to stage here at Northern Stage.

Admission is Free to the Public.

WONDER! A WOMAN KEEPS A SECRET
by TALENE MONAHON
directed by AILEEN WEN MCGRODDY
adapted from The Wonder: A Woman Keeps a Secret by SUSANNA CENTLIVRE (1714)
MAY 13 - 31, 2026

A family vacation on the high seas goes awry when a famous painting is discovered missing and the culprit is suspected to be one of the passengers aboard the Aqua Royale: Paris to Portugal. Loosely adapted from Susanna Centlivre’s 1714 farce of the same name, Wonder! A Woman Keeps a Secret follows a colorful cast including a pair of jealous lovers, an iceberg-phobic captain, a frustrated musical revue performer, a scheming mother-in-law, and an enterprising toilet maid as they try to make it to Lisbon with a boat-load of secrets. Set sail for a side-splitting, laugh-’til-you cry adventure!

Regular Tickets: $37-$80
Student / Youth (Under 25): $28
Pay-What-You-Can Preview (May. 13): $10+

The Montpelier Contra Dance happens every 1st, 3rd, and 5th Saturday at the Capital City Grange Hall. We dance to live music with contra dance bands and callers from around New England and beyond. Beginners, singles, and all ages are welcome; all dances are taught. We use gender neutral role terms. There's a newcomers lesson at 7:45 pm and dancing 8-11pm. Some months on 3rd Saturdays there is a Waltzing Session 7-7:45. Check the website or Facebook page. Please bring clean soft-soled shoes. More info at www.montpeliercontradance.org. $12 adults, $5 kids/low-income, $20 dance supporters. Cash preferred. Venmo or CC accepted. Questions? 802-225-8921 or cdu.tim@gmail.com.