Events for: 2010-2011

Do you believe in magic? Bonaparte will make a believer out of you with his dazzling, interactive style of magic. This award-winning entertainer astounds and amazes audiences of all ages with his unique blend of magic, comedy, origami, balloon sculpture and much, much more.

The New England Shakespeare Festival brings its production of Twelfth Night to our park! Originally titled "Twelfe Night, or what you will," Shakespeare's madcap comedy of music and revelry, mistaken identity, outlandish characters, and the "verie Midsommer madnesse" of love is one of his most beloved works.

Paula Koppel, a geriatric nurse for more than 25 years, will discuss what is currently known about the biology of aging, including the impact of genetics. The discussion will include how specific lifestyle habits can biologically slow down the aging process and prevent disability.

Dennis McNally received his Ph.D. in American History from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst in 1977 for a biography of Jack Kerouac, which was then published by Random House in 1979 under the title Desolate Angel: Jack Kerouac, The Beat Generation, and America. Having been selected as The Grateful Dead's authorized biographer in 1980, he became the band's publicist in 1984. In 2002 he published A Long Strange Trip; The Inside History of the Grateful Dead with Broadway Books, which achieved the New York Times Best Seller list. Dennis is working on a book about the American bohemian tradition from Thoreau through Mark Twain and thence to Bob Dylan.

It took less than a year for the United States of America to fall apart. In April 1860, the Democratic Party met in Charleston, South Carolina, to select a candidate for the U.S. Presidency. By April 1861, Charlestonians saw a vastly different spectacle: a new country, the Confederate States of America, opened fire on the U.S. flag. Only weeks later, Massachusetts troops had to force their way through Baltimore, at the cost of several lives, including Lowell's own Luther Ladd and Addison Whitney, to save the nation's capitol from capture. This talk will chart this year of turmoil in order to understand what pushed Lowell residents and others to the brink of civil war.

Justin Locke takes an amusing look at the amazing power of "dumb luck," "fool's courage," and the surprising discovery that doing things completely counter to the standard conventional wisdom can be the most effective way of achieving astonishing results. The less you know the more you learn. Who knew?

An economist by training, he joined the Bank in 1985 as a member of the research department. In his research Rosengren has made significant contributions in the fields of banking and monetary policy. A focus of his research has been on how financial problems can impact the real economy. This program is the first of four "Lunchtime Lectures at the Inn & Conference Center" included in the Parker Lectures schedule for 2010-11. The community series is co-sponsored by the Parker Lectures Committee, UMass Lowell Center for Arts and Ideas, and Middlesex Community College. A complimentary buffet lunch is included, but reservations are required and seating is limited to 100. The program begins promptly at 12 noon. To reserve a seat, contact paul_marion@uml.edu or call 978-934-3107

Guitarist Aaron Larget-Caplan performs exotic dances, tangos, and serenades by Isaac Albeniz (Spain) and Astor Piazzolla (Argentina), New Lullabies by New England composers, and a prelude and fugue or two by Bach.

Join Aaron on a tour of Spanish history, geography, language and poetry through Spanish classical and flamenco music. Lively stories, dialogue, guitar techniques and musical interactions introduce 400 years of classical music from exotic Spain and Latin America. Ole!

John Stark's immortal words "Live Free or Die. Death is not the worst of evils" ring throughout New England and especially in New Hampshire where John Stark lived until the age of 94. Born in Londonderry in 1728, General Stark was known for his strong opinions, battlefield strategies and leadership capabilities honed during the French and Indian War when Stark was a member of Roger's Rangers.

Life didn't do Kenny Tingle any favors. In The Girl in the Italian Bakery, follow his journey from childhood in a tough housing project in Lawrence Massachusetts, to his introduction to crime and the years he spent in foster homes. Although he never has trouble meeting girls, the one girl he longs for always seems out of reach. The Girl in the Italian Bakery is the remarkably true story of always keeping hope, even when there is little left to hope for.

Dean Baker is co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington, D.C. He is frequently cited in economics reporting in major media outlets. He writes a weekly column for the Guardian Limited (UK) and his blog, Beat the Press, features commentary on economic reporting. His latest book, Taking Economics Seriously, thinks through what we might gain if we took the ideological blinders off of basic economic principles, False Profits. This is one of this season's "Lunchtime Lectures at the Inn & Conference Center." See October 18 program note above for details about reserving a seat for the lecture and lunch.

Mish Michaels is an Emmy Award winning broadcast meteorologist and environmental reporter. When Mish was in kindergarten, an F2 tornado ripped through her apartment complex just outside of Baltimore, Maryland. It is her earliest childhood memory, and she's been searching the skies ever since. Mish has been affiliated with the Meteorology Department at UMass Lowell for over a decade, where she has taught a course called "Meteorological Communications." Rescheduled from last year.

Health care will continue to be a "hot topic" over the next several decades. As the U.S. demographics continue to shift, providing culturally competent health care becomes critical in order to decrease health disparities, improve access to care and decrease the financial burden associated with illness care. Yet, the current healthcare work- force does not adequately represent the ethnic and cultural diversity of the country. Programs focused on the recruitment and retention of diverse individuals in college and university health related programs are greatly needed.

This is one of this season's "Lunchtime Lectures at the Inn & Conference Center." See October 18 program note above for details about reserving a seat for the lecture and lunch.

Tom Sexton, a Lowell High graduate and Alumni Hall of Famer and former Poet Laureate of Alaska, will read from his work in progress, The Final Chapter, which is a collection of sonnets about growing up in Lowell in the 1940s and 50s. He will also read from his new book, I Think Again of Those Ancient Chinese Poets, a collection of eight-line poems, and discuss the craft of poetry.

Squashed between Maine and Massachusetts, New Hampshire claims just 17 measly miles of coastline. It has only one port. So how come Portsmouth, N.H. (population 20,000), is widely considered one of America's top heritage destinations today? Award-winning author J. Dennis Robinson rockets you through 400 years of New Hampshire seacoast history with attitude. Before Lexington and Concord, for example, Paul Revere took his first ride to Portsmouth, N.H. And who saved the Pilgrims from starving in 1623? That's right, a guy from New Hampshire. Forget what you learned in school, Robinson says, because this stuff wasn't in your textbook but it's all true.

It's hard to talk about changing education, never mind transforming it. Education is, after all, the one institution to which we entrust our children for the larger part of a day. Discussions about changing education run the gamut of emotions, raise tensions and reveal deeply held beliefs whether accurate or not. This is one of this season's "Lunchtime Lectures at the Inn & Conference Center." See October 18 program note above for details about reserving a seat for the lecture and lunch.

The concert centers around the fascinating music of Cambodian-American composer Chinary Ung, while the Angkor Dancers explore a mix of court and folk dance in which monkeys court mermaids and giants battle divine princes. Conducted by Kay G. Roberts, Prof., UMass Lowell Dept. of Music.