Drama Competition Preview

Every year the Massachusetts Education Theater Guild holds a statewide drama competition. For the past six years running Martha’s Vineyard has been represented at this festival, going all the way to the final round once.

This year the first round matchups take place on March 5 at Joseph Case High School in Swansea. However, a preview performance will be performed this Sunday, Feb. 27 at 4 p.m. at the Katharine Cornell Theatre in Vineyard Haven.

To us Islanders Linda Fairstein is, first and foremost, one of our best known summer Chilmark residents. To the rest of the world, she’s the best-selling author of the Alexander Cooper series, featuring Assistant D.A. Cooper of the Special Victims Unit in Manhattan.

In actual life Ms. Fairstein served as the Assistant D.A. in the Special Victims Unit in Manhattan. So when her fictional character files a particular brief or points out that it’s a point of law that the public is entitled to attend a court hearing she knows whereof she speaks.

It’s called the MV 20 Miler and it was started 14 years ago by Bill Brown as an opportunity for runners to tune up for marathons and — no less important — to raise funds for Martha’s Vineyard charities. It’s also a huge boost for Vineyard businesses. “We get people from all over the country, Ohio, California, Florida,” says organizer Kathy O’Sullivan. “We filled the Vineyard this weekend. It’s February — are you kidding me?

Dandelion Gone to Seed

A sphere of silvery transparency,

at the top of a silvery stem.

Perfect in its static death.

But the next wind will blow it into seedlings,

will sing every tiny seed of it into a cloud

that drifts to earth,

to make another flower,

in another spring.

— Margaret Freydberg

I had to get my hair done. After six months on the Vineyard, serious hair repair was going to be necessary to get my flaxen mane back on track. Unlike on the Island, where I go to a simple establishment with an equally simple price tag, in Palm Beach the more high-end professional job is paramount — and about $200 more expensive.

INSPIRING TEXT

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

A word of appreciation to James H.K. Norton for his Commentary Page piece titled Mayhew, Tear Down This Wall. He inspired us with the quest for liberty that characterized some of our early Vineyard citizens, connecting their proud story to our challenging times.

Jerome Davidson

Chilmark and

Great Neck, N.Y.

•

PRAISE FOR FIREFIGHTERS

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

The Sound of Shared Purpose

Last week’s Gazette carried a story about marine scientist Jesse Ausubel. Near the end of the piece there was a reference to a project Mr. Ausubel is about to undertake: An international effort to halt all forms of man-made noise in the ocean for a few hours.

Perhaps we landlubbers would do well to attempt a similar period of silence.

Elegy for Swans

New Finance Director

David M. Espindle has been appointed finance director of Island Elderly Housing (IEH).

Mr. Espindle brings more than 30 years of executive management experience in the financial services industry to IEH. Before moving to the Island, his most recent position was executive vice president, chief operating officer, and treasurer of a leading Community Credit Union based in Lowell.

On Saturday, March 5 KCT Concerts opens up its 2011 season with Willy Mason performing at the Katharine Cornell Theater.

KCT Concerts has a history of bringing to the Island incredible musical acts including last year’s headliners Paddy Keenan, Oisin MacDiarmada and Richie Stearns, to name just a few.

Of course, Willy Mason doesn’t have to be brought to the Island. He lives here. And yet the man is global. Later this spring he will be back touring Europe as he did last summer with Norah Jones.