Arts & Culture

Filming begins in Acton on Pointing Fingers, murder mystery and love story with autism theme

January 25, 2025

“Magical.” That is how Acton’s Michael Bergmann described the first week of filming Pointing Fingers, the movie his son Dan Bergmann wrote and stars in. Michael, an experienced film maker, is directing the movie, and his wife, sculptor Meredith Bergmann, is director of photography. The first shoot happened this month right here in Acton, at the Bergmann’s 206-year-old house on Piper Rd. Twenty-nine-year old Dan has minimally speaking autism, and the murder mystery/love story he wrote in 2022 features a man and a woman, Francis and Claire, who are both minimal speakers. Francis is played by Dan, and Claire is…

Review: Nashoba Valley Chorale considers, “What is This Thing Called Love?”

February 8, 2025

by Meg Stafford

What is this thing called love? In a departure from their usual more classical programming, The Nashoba Valley Chorale (NVC) addressed this iconic question by performing modern madrigals composed by John Rutter in honor of jazz great George Shearing’s birthday, Songs of the Rose by Lauridsen, and a…

Treasure hunt book includes clues in Acton

January 17, 2025

by Kim Kastens

In the 1980’s, readers became obsessed with a picture book, Masquerade, in which the text and illustrations concealed clues to the location of a golden treasure that the author had hidden somewhere in Great Britain. Masquerade spawned a whole genre of book-based treasure hunts, with clues based in…

Review: Acton-Boxborough Winter Concert highlights music, tradition, and a surprise performance

December 21, 2024

by Jen Lewy

The Acton-Boxborough Regional High School’s Winter Concert on December 17 filled the auditorium with holiday spirit, showcasing the talents of over 275 student musicians. The evening brought together beloved seasonal classics, impressive performances, and an unexpected treat that capped off the event on a joyful note. A celebratory…

Short stories by Joan Leegant featured at Congregation Beth Elohim book discussion

December 7, 2024

by Matthew Liebman

Two unprepared teenagers trapped in a small restaurant in the old city of Jerusalem. A skeptical and unlikely grandfather invited to a Hanukkah party by his daughter. These are the kinds of situations in which Joan Leegant’s sometimes disaffected characters find themselves, in her recently published collection of…

Music review: Nashoba Valley Chorale sings Vaughn Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem

November 22, 2024

by Meg Stafford

“Music and the arts are a reflection of our times. Life may seem hopeless and dark, but there is hope for the future. The cacophony of war gives way to the harmony of peace.” These words from Alex Rogers, the president of the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra, opened the…

Pond exhibit pairs arts and nature

September 21, 2024

by Meg Stafford

Pairing sculpture with the outdoors is as natural as pairing earth and water, fire and air, or the moon and the stars. And experiencing this delightful adventure at Linda Hoffman and Blase Provitola’s Old Frog Pond Farm in Harvard is a fine example. Now in its 18th year,…

Children’s book illustration exhibit opens at Acton Memorial Library

September 14, 2024

by Kim Kastens

A new exhibit, featuring the work of four local picture book illustrators has opened in the Meeting Room of the Acton Memorial Library. The work, by Priscilla Alpaugh, Chris Beatrice, Sarah Brannen and Ioana Hobai, will be on view throughout September and October. According to the exhibition description…

Music feast with Audra McDonald at Groton Hill

September 14, 2024

by Meg Stafford

There are times when a performance is so captivating that the audience is bonded together, and with the performer, by an undeniable gravitational pull. Such was the case as Audra McDonald charmed us on Friday, September 6 at Groton Hill Music. A pro from start to finish, she…

The Silver Unicorn to hold eight author events in September

August 30, 2024

by Greg Jarboe

September will be a busy month at The Silver Unicorn Bookstore. They have eight author events on their calendar. Several of these are book launches for local authors in their store at 12 Spruce Street, Acton, and one special event is being held at the Maynard Fine Arts…

A man with grey hair, beige pants, and a blue t-shirt rests his hand on the top of a large granite sculpture of a dog head, with other granite boulders behind.

Making boulders come to life at the YV Museum

August 30, 2024

by Meg Stafford

The reception for this year’s three-week artist residence sculpting at the enormous stone field at the YV Museum in Acton on August 25 was attended by an enthusiastic 35 people. In its 13th year of the residence where artists select a boulder to carve from the huge boulder…

YV Art Museum in Acton holds sculpture symposium

August 23, 2024

by The Acton Exchange Team

A three-week art symposium is underway at YV Art Museum on Quarry Road in Acton. This is the museum’s thirteenth annual “New Art Archaeology Symposium”, held this year August 4 to August 25. Participating artists David Adilman, Marin Murakoshi, Yin Peet and Dankha Zomaya are creating sculptures on…

Boozy book fair brings out a crowd

August 9, 2024

by Miriam Lezak

A hot summer night, beer, themed cocktails, and piles of brand new books… what could be finer? An annual collaboration between True West Brewery and Silver Unicorn Bookstore, both in West Acton, brings a large selection of books and an outdoor bar to the patio in front of…

India’s Independence Day celebrated at Acton Town Hall

August 9, 2024

by Sahana Purohit

On Sunday, August 4, Acton Town Hall was abuzz with celebration as the community gathered for the flag-raising ceremony commemorating India’s Independence Day. Hosted by Acton Indian Americans and the India Association of Greater Boston, this marked the fifth consecutive year of residents proudly raising the Indian flag…

Fleetwood Mac tribute band performs July 12 as NARA Park concert series continues

July 26, 2024

by Karen Herther

A summer Friday saw the sun setting on NARA Park in Acton as Tusk, a highly regarded Fleetwood Mac Tribute band, performed for a crowd of over a thousand concertgoers on July 12. The Town of Acton Recreation Summer Concert Series continued after a record number of attendees…

And the bands play on: Pink Floyd tribute band performs July 19

July 26, 2024

by James Conboy

About one thousand concertgoers (a small fraction of the Independence Day concert) enjoyed perfect weather and a full moon as they watched the Pink Floyd tribute band Into the Floyd, and a full production laser light show, from the grassy hillside at NARA Park on July 19. The…

Two smiling women and a man pose in Room 204 of Town Hall. The women are wearing summer dresses, and the man (Town Manager John Mangiaratti) is wearing a sport coat. He looks very warm.

Juneteenth presentation recalls the end of slavery in the United States

June 21, 2024

by Bettina Abe

The Town of Acton hosted a Juneteenth presentation on June 11, 2024 by Nikki Turpin, director of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at Chapel Hill Chauncy Hall school in Waltham, MA and program director for the Robbins House in Concord. The program was held in Room 204 at…

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Arts & Culture

Filming begins in Acton on Pointing Fingers, murder mystery and love story with autism theme

Review: Nashoba Valley Chorale considers, “What is This Thing Called Love?”

Treasure hunt book includes clues in Acton

Review: Acton-Boxborough Winter Concert highlights music, tradition, and a surprise performance

Short stories by Joan Leegant featured at Congregation Beth Elohim book discussion

Music review: Nashoba Valley Chorale sings Vaughn Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem

Pond exhibit pairs arts and nature

Children’s book illustration exhibit opens at Acton Memorial Library

Music feast with Audra McDonald at Groton Hill

The Silver Unicorn to hold eight author events in September

Making boulders come to life at the YV Museum

YV Art Museum in Acton holds sculpture symposium

Boozy book fair brings out a crowd

India’s Independence Day celebrated at Acton Town Hall

Fleetwood Mac tribute band performs July 12 as NARA Park concert series continues

And the bands play on: Pink Floyd tribute band performs July 19

Juneteenth presentation recalls the end of slavery in the United States

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