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On Sunday, Feb. 23, at 1:30 p.m., the Plymouth Center for the Arts will present “An Afternoon with Marianne Leone.” The actor and writer – who lives in the area – will read from her recent memoir, “Five Dog Epiphany: How a Quintet of Badass Bichons Retrieved Our Joy.”
Leone, who’s written several books and many essays, also played Christopher Moltisanti’s mother in “The Sopranos” for four seasons.
For Leone and her husband, Academy Award-winning actor Chris Cooper, “retrieving their joy” was a tall order after the sudden death of their son Jesse in 2005. But along with her own infectious humor and unbridled spirit, a series of needy – and giving – dogs helped.
Jesse was born 10 weeks early and had cerebral palsy. Although he was non-verbal and used a wheelchair, he communicated through a computer, wrote poetry, and excelled in school. He also had a sharp sense of humor. Jesse, Leone said, was “always the first one to get the joke.”
The couple moved to Kingston from Hoboken, N.J., to ensure that Jesse, then age six, could be educated inclusively and be close to Boston’s cluster of top-tier hospitals. Massachusetts at the time was supposed to be ahead of other states when it came to inclusion for students with disabilities. But the couple faced stiff resistance from a special education director in Kingston. Leone was not deterred. She spent two years fighting for her son’s right to get an education alongside his peers. After six lawsuits and plenty of community support, she and Chris prevailed.
Their first dog came into the household after six-year-old Jesse, seated on a Santa’s knee, surprisingly uttered a single word: “Dog.” Leone said there was no doubt about what she and Chris had to do. They got a Bichon pup that Jesse named “Goody.” He fit nicely on Jesse’s lap.
When Jesse died at age 17, the couple’s world turned dark. While grieving, Leone had to cope with a series of deaths in her family and was diagnosed with a tumor. On top of all that sadness and strife, Goody died, too.
Since then, Marianne and Chris have had a succession of Bichons, in pairs. Goody came from a pet store (it was before she knew about the horrors of puppy mills, Leone said). The rest, Lucky, Frenchy, Titi, and Sugar, were rescues. They had all suffered from abuse and neglect and yet, Leone said, “these dogs are healers.”
“Jesse was such a gift,” Leone said. As actors working in a business that “infantilizes you” and enables narcissistic behavior, Leone said she and Chris had the benefit of learning from the world’s greatest teacher. Jesse, she said, was their “true north.”
“The dogs are a little bit of that energy,” Marianne added, and she often feels connected to Jesse through them.
Along with reading from her book, Leone will screen “Nuts,” a short film she and Cooper made themselves during the Covid-19 lockdown. It features Frenchy in a key role, along with several wild turkeys as extras.
The event at the North Street arts center begins at 1:30. Tickets are $15. Space is limited. You can sign up here.
Monday, February 10
The True Crime Book Club at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St., will meet in the board room from 6 to 7 p.m. The new library-led book club will discuss a different true crime selection each month. This month the selection is “We Keep the Dead Close: A Murder at Harvard and a Half Century of Silence,” by Becky Cooper. Copies of each book are available at the circulation desk four weeks in advance. Contact Maureen Coleman at 508-830-4250, ext. 230, for more information.
Take the “This New Old House,” tour and learn about how replica houses are constructed in the 17th Century English Village at Plimoth Patuxet Museums, 137 Warren Ave., from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Tickets are $10 for museum members, $15 for others. You can get them here.
“I’m Still Here” is showing at Plimoth Cinema at Plimoth Patuxet Museums, 137 Warren Ave., at least until Thursday, Feb. 13, with show times at 2, 4:30, and 7 p.m. The Oscar-nominated film from Brazil is based on the true story of the Paiva family’s political struggles during Brazil’s military dictatorship in the 1970s. “The Brutalist,” starring Adrien Brody continues showing until Thursday, Feb. 13, with film times at 2 and 6 p.m. Tickets are $12.50, $11 with a club card, $10 for seniors or members, and $8.50 for seniors with a club card.
Wednesday, February 12
The Plymouth Garden Club will hold its monthly meeting at the Chiltonville Congregational Church, 6 River St., at 1 p.m. Russell Norton will present a program on “Diseases of Trees and Shrubs.” Norton is a horticulturist for the Cape Cod Cooperative Extension and an educator for the UMass Extension Landscape, Nursery, and Urban Forestry. A traditional English tea will be served after the program. Guests are welcome to join for a $5 fee.
Thursday, February 13
Photographer Barry Schneier and Boston Globe arts correspondent James Sullivan will be at the Spire to showcase their coffee table book, “The Song Is Still Being Written: The Folk Music Portrait Project” for an evening of imagery, conversation and music. The show will feature performances by local artists Naomi Westwater and Kim Moberg, both of whom are featured in Schneier’s new book. Tickets are $15 and you can get them here. The event starts at 7:30 p.m. with doors opening at 6:30 p.m.
Friday, February 14
Krisanthi Pappas will perform at the Spire at 8 p.m. in a Valentine’s Day show featuring (what else?) love songs from Burt Bacharach and the Beatles. Pappas will sing and play piano. Steve Forrest will perform on guitar and vocals, Steve Skop on bass, and John DiSanto on drums. Tickets are $28.80 and $32, and you can buy them here.
The 1620 Winery at 55 Cordage Park Circle will host a Valentine’s Day experience for couples at its Tapas & Cocktails Lounge. The ticketed event will offer a special menu of tapas and cocktails, as well as the 1620’s wines. Reservations are required. You can make them here.
Enjoy a romantic dinner and movie at Plimoth Cinema, in Plimoth Patuxet Museums, 137 Warren Ave. The meal starts 5:30 p.m., followed by a 7 p.m. showing of the classic romantic comedy “P.S. I Love You.” Tickets are $75 for museum members, $80 for non-members. You can buy them here.
The Oscar Shorts will begin showing at Plimoth Cinema, 137 Warren Ave. – a mix of nominated live action, animated, and documentary short films. Check the cinema’s website for times and schedules.
Saturday, February 15
Join other crafters at a lotus lantern craft workshop in the Fehlow Meeting Room from 2 to 3:15 p.m. at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St. Make your own lotus lantern to take home. Younhee Shin of the Korean Spirit and Culture Promotion Project will accompany participants via Zoom Space is limited and registration is required. You can register here.
Pilgrim Hall Museum, 75 Court St., will celebrate Establishment Day with free outdoor festivities open to the public from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. The festivities will include costumed re-enactors of the New Plimmoth Gard who will brandish pikes, swords, and muskets to commemorate the anniversary of the establishment of Plymouth’s first colonial militia in the winter of 1620 and 1621. This annual event includes live musket volleys on the museum lawn and an opportunity to meet and interact with the re-enactors.
Multi-instrumentalist and composer Harry Manx will perform at the Spire at 8 p.m., with doors opening at 7 p.m.Manx fuses traditional blues with classic Indian ragas to create a distinctive sound. His first album received recognition in Toronto’s blues scene, and he was nominated for two Maple Blues Awards for Best Acoustic Act and Best Recording in 2001. Tickets are $28.80 and $32 and you can get them here.
Tuesday, February 18
Create your Mardi Gras mask to prepare for Fat Tuesday celebrations, at Uva Wine Bar, 46 Main St., from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Artist Nora Cannon will help you design a festive mask while you sip your favorite wine. This is part of the Mardi Gras festivities brought to you from the Plymouth Center for the Arts. Tickets for the mask-making are $35 and you can get them here.
Author Paul Clerici will give a presentation on the Boston Marathon in the Fehlow Meeting Room at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St., from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Clerici has written three books on the history and figures of the marathon, and will be available for book signings at 5:30 p.m., followed by a multimedia presentation from 6 to 7 p.m. Clerici’s books are titled “Boston Marathon History by the Mile,” “Images of Modern America: The Boston Marathon,” and “Boston Marathon Traditions and Lore.” There will be a Q & A session after the presentation. Registration is encouraged, and you can register here.
Wednesday, February 19
Take the kids to see the 2013 Disney hit “Frozen” at the Spire at 2 p.m., with doors opening at 1 p.m. The Snow Queen Elsa casts an icy spell, but her sister Anna teams up with a mountaineer named Kristoff and his reindeer Sven to break it. Children get in free; adults pay $5. Get tickets here.
Plimoth Patuxet Museums, 137 Warren Ave., will welcome the public to “An Evening Lit by Fire: A Plimoth Patuxet Walking Tour,” from 6 to 7:30 p.m. You will learn about Wampanoag winter traditions by the glow of firelight. In the Village, you’ll be welcomed into a cottage to be entertained with stories and songs. Tickets are $15 for museum members, $25 for general admission, and you can get tickets here.
The Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St., will host a paint night for anyone between 11 and 18 years old, from 6 to 7 p.m. You can join to paint a jellyfish on canvas using paint or acrylic markers. There will be snacks, too. You can register here.
Friday, February 21
The Mass. Department of Conservation and Recreation will host a free seal watching event at Ellisville Harbor State Park, 1861 State Road., from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Park staff will be at the beach to help you spot seals basking along the shore at low tide. Although wildlife sightings are never guaranteed, there’s a good chance of seeing seals if it’s a sunny afternoon. Park at the main dirt parking lot and follow signs to beach, about a half mile. Hot chocolate will be available, as well as a few other beach exploration activities in case the seals are shy. Bring binoculars, if you have them. Children ages 8 and older must be accompanied by an adult. In case of inclement weather, the event will be canceled. For more information, call 508-272-9376.
Learn about saving sea turtles from wintry conditions at the National Marine Life Center, 158 Center Hill Rd., from 6 to 10 p.m. Rescue volunteer Lisa Meeks will give a presentation on the sea turtles. Meeks has been a National Marine Life Center volunteer for over a decade, providing care for and serving as a volunteer with Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet Bay Sea Turtle Rescue team. The event is organized by the Southeastern Massachusetts Pine Barrens Alliance. Tickets are $10 and you can get them here.
Saturday, February 22
The South Shore Food & Wine Expo takes place at Memorial Hall, from 1 to 8:30 p.m. The Grand Tasting includes wines, food samples from South Shore chefs, a commemorative wine glass, and access to various vendors. The Vintner’s Lounge Experience in another area of the event features small production and super-premium red and white wines from around the world, with live music. Tickets for the Grand Tasting are $35 and $60 for the Vintner’s Lounge. You can buy them here.
The Boston-based Swinging Steaks will perform at the Spire at 8 p.m., with doors opening at 7 p.m. Since they signed with Capricorn Records in the ‘90s, the band has played Americana music – blending rock, country, and roots sounds. Tickets are $25.20 and $28. You can get them here.
Sunday, February 23
At an Afternoon with Marianne Leone at the Plymouth Center for the Arts, 11 North St., at 1:30 p.m., Leone will read a chapter from her new memoir. See the lead item in this column for more information.
“Sunday Fundays” at the Spire is back with the Shady Roosters from 2 to 5 p.m., with doors opening at 1:30. The event is presented by IndieFerm Brewing, and its beers will be on tap, along with as kombucha and other beverages. Tickets are $5, cash only, at the door.