Puppets, Dancers, Artists, Poetry, Arts and Crafts and Song Celebrate North Quabbin "Arts in Bloom"

Puppets, Dancers, Artists, Poetry, Arts and Crafts and Song Celebrate North Quabbin "Arts in Bloom"
Sponsored by Art for Life

Puppets designed by Manny King provided the backdrop for the day.

Photo: Heidi Strickland

On Saturday, May 7th, 2011 downtown Orange, Massachusetts sprang to life with a celebration of talents blossoming throughout the North Quabbin region with the Arts in Bloom Springtime Festival sponsored by the Performing Arts Division of Art for Life, 7 East Main Street in Orange, MA.

Along with the artists and artisans, gardeners and food tents, the program featured a community Maypole,  singer songwriter Richard Chase, the Millers River Morris Dancers, the Inside Out Dance Company and poetry reading by author Genevieve Fraser.  Organizer Candi Fetzer served as the MC for the day's entertainment.

Performers Bio’s 

Richard and daughter
Photo: William Johnson

RICHARD CHASE—Performing both locally & nationally for more than 20 
years, Richard is an avid writer & multi instrumentalist and has played in many 
musical situations covering a wide range of styles including rock, folk, classical, 
and blues. 


Richard regularly performs at many local venues and sightings of him are wide and varied. Performing his own music as a solo acoustic act, or with the support of his band is the heart and soul of the Richard Chase experience though many have seen him as a principle tenor in the Quabbin Valley Pro Musica group, actor in local theatre productions, or piano player in the contra dance bands Joy After Sorrow, & Noah's Raven. 

Ingrid Schatz

INSIDEOUT DANCE COMPANY -was founded by Brenda Schatz and Ingrid Schatz in 2008 to offer students of The Dance Studio the opportunity to expand their dance education and deepen their facility as dance artists. Ranging in age from 8 -18, InsideOut's 16 members are dance ambassadors, performing concert length choreography of ballet, modern, jazz, tap, and hip hop to diverse audiences throughout the North Quabbin Region. www.thedancestudio.org 

Candi Fetzer (left) announces poetry reading
by Genevieve Fraser (right)

GENEVIEVE FRASER - Genevieve Fraser is a poet, playwright, director and novelist who holds two degrees in Theater/Writing. Fraser is the artistic director of the Drama Circle sponsored by Art for Life in Orange. Her World War II nonfiction novel, "In the Claw of the Tiger" is based on the true story of survivors of the Bataan Death March and POW camps in the Philippines and Japan. 


MILLERS RIVER MORRIS MEN - Begun circa 1980 (AD), the Millers River Morris Men practice the nearly ancient tradition of Morris Dancing. We celebrate, assist and cooperate with the forces of nature that are brought forth in 
springtime - of course always in good humor. Members include: Will Szal, Isaac 

Richardson, Martin Brown, Tim White, Rick Walton, Richard Shaw, Bill Sullivan, Carl Kamp, Dave Richardson, John Richardson, Stefan Maier, Lester Scafidi, Nate Davis, and Rise Richardson. 

Organizers take a bow

A HUGE THANKS TO THE SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS: 


Art for Life [ a project of CF Pals & Millers River Café ] and 
North Quabbin Woods [ a project of the NQ Comm Coalition] 

A good time was had by all!

CF Pals - enhancing the quality of life for people diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis or with life threatening pulmonary ailments.