Coriolanus

National Theater Live has announced its next full-length play scheduled for streaming, Coriolanus starring Tom Hiddleston in the title role, for which he received an Olivier Award nomination and won the Evening Standard Award for Best Actor (2014). I’m really looking forward to this one because I missed it the first time around when it was broadcast as part of National Theater Live in movie theaters. Also starring Alfred Enoch, Deborah Findlay, and Mark Gattis, you can check it out on the National Theater at Home’s YouTube page on June 4.

National Theater Live and Other Things

The National Theater will be streaming free full-length plays every Thursday as part of National Theater at Home. The streamed plays can be accessed on the National Theater’s YouTube page National Theater at Home. Each play will be available for one week.

Currently playing is Twelfth Night featuring Tamsin Greig and directed by Simon Goodwin.

Tune in April 30 and May 1 for Frankenstein, directed by Academy Award winner Danny Boyle, featuring Benedict Cumberbatch and Johnny Lee Miller in alternating roles of Frankenstein and his creation.

On May 14 Ralph Fiennes and Sophie Okonedo star in Antony & Cleopatra, directed by Simon Godwin.

The multi talented Gigi Edgley has been hosting talks and watch parties on Twich. She posts information about this and other projects on her Twitter @GigiEdgley, Instagram, and Facebook accounts as well as her website gigiedgley.com. Be sure to give her a follow and tune in!

Phryne Fisher fans rejoice! Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears is now playing on Acorn TV. If you don't have Acorn TV already, you might be able to gain access through your local library. With a library card from a participating library you can sign up at RB Digital to check out limited, free access to a multitude of British tv shows and movies through Acorn TV.

Lastly, Sunday May 3, the Letter Writers Alliance (LWA) is hosting a Virtual Letter Writing Social at 3pm Central time here: Virtual Letter Writing Social. As a reminder the LWA's shop is open until July 31 after which it will be permanently closed so stock up on those writing supplies while you can!

20 Albums in 20 Days: Days 1-3

I'm having fun participating in this meme on Facebook: 20 Albums in 20 Days

Rules are simple. Post 20 albums in 20 days that have made an impact on you. Post the album cover, no explanation. My rule is you can change the rules to suit you.

I thought it'd be fun to share the album covers on here, too. So here are Days 1-3. Feel free to play along!






 

A Month of Letters

Feb. 1 is the start of Letter Month (A Month of Letters challenge: http://lettermo.com). The challenge is simple. For the month of February mail at least one item (a letter, a postcard, an envelope full of stickers, whatever!) every day the post office is open. Write back to everyone who has written you; your reply counts as one of your mailed items.

I look forward to this every February!! A month of marvelous mail! There are a lot of lovely letters from 2019 that I've yet to answer so ...that's my focus for this month. That said I enjoy exchanging letters and plan on corresponding with many of my usual LetterMo pals and saying "hello" to others as well. Those whose addresses I already have are fair game.

Who else is participating in Letter Month! At the very least your mailbox will be happier!

Favorite Films of the Past Decade

Back in 2009 I listed what I considered the best movies of the decade. I decided to do the same this time around, but this time instead of the "best," this list is my favorites of the ones that I saw during the 2000s. So, without further ado and in no particular order, here are my

Favorite Films of the Past Decade

1. King's Speech
2. Tangled
3. Frozen
4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
5. The Artist
6. Hugo
7. The Avengers (1, 3, and 4)
8. Guardians of the Galaxy
9. Captain America
10. Dr. Strange
11. too many other Marvel movies to mention
12. Skyfall
13. The Hobbit
14. Brave
15. Kingsman: The Secret Service
16. The Hunger Games
17. Jurassic World
18. Passengers of 7D
19. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
20. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Mayflower Essay Contest

As part of the 400th Anniversary of the Mayflower's voyage to Plymouth, the New England Historic Genealogical Society at American Ancestors is sponsoring a Mayflower inspired essay contest for Massachusetts children in grades 5-12.

Children choose one of three topics for their essay. Deadline is June 10, 2020. More details are on the American Ancestors Essay Contest page.

Books I Read in 2019

I'd previously mentioned in my 2019 Year in Review that I would post the books I read in 2019 so here they are:

1. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
2. The Sisters of the Winter Wood by Rena Rossner
3. The Knowing by Sharon Cameron
4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
5. Painless Geometry by Lynette Long, PhD
6. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
7. Geometry for Dummies by Mark Ryan
8. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
9. Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders by Neil Gaiman
10. The Princess Bride by William Goldman
11. Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
12. Circe by Madeleine Miller
13. Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers
14. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
15. Matilda by Roald Dahl
16. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
17. The Dollmaker of Krakow by R.M. Romero
18. The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout

January Goals 2020

1. Cake

2. Tea Party

3. Game Day

4. Free Taste of Chocolate Festival in Harvard Square

5. Prep for the Month of Letter Writing Challenge

6. Submit something somewhere

7. Read two books

My “goals” for January. If I complete two, I’ll be happy. Three or more will leave me ecstatic. Notice how Cake is the #1 priority. (hee hee!)