These flawed, funny cabbies have character
August Wilson’s play Jitney takes Arena Stage audiences on a hilarious, heartfelt, soul-searing, tragic and deeply human ride through life, as lived by the drivers, and other frequenters, of an unlicensed cab station in the African-American Pittsburgh Hill District in 1977. Jitney is the eighth play in the Pulitzer Prize-winning Wilson’s cycle of 10 plays about the lives of African... READ MORE
Entrepreneurship gets better with age
You may not realize it, but if you are 50 years or older and thinking about starting a new business, you are in good company — and just might have a bright, wealthy future. “Studies have found that the fastest growing group of entrepreneurs are people older than 50 years — and especially women,” said Kerry Hannon, author and personal finance expert. Hannon will be the keynote... READ MORE
Family dynamics plus mystery in “Proof”
One of the most wonderful things about theater is that it isn’t math. That said, there is a sort dramatic arithmetic to theater, an equation where the figures are living, breathing human beings and the final answer (hopefully) results in a standing ovation, as was the case at the opening performance of Proof, at Everyman Theatre through October 6. Proof earned the Pulitzer Prize for... READ MORE
A winning artist paints the town at night
“Set up your easel and paint the town!” the Howard County Arts Council told artists during the Paint It Ellicott City event this summer. Local landscape painter Bruno Baran sometimes works from photographs. But on a sweltering Saturday in June he situated his easel on a sidewalk in historic Ellicott City and painted the old town directly from life. The painting he produced, named... READ MORE
Nia fitness method adapts to all levels
When 72-year-old Carla Magarity moved to Richmond from Los Angeles, where she had lived for 35 years, she was thrilled to spend more time with her daughter and grandchildren here. A health insurance broker, she had been flying back and forth for years until deciding to retire. And Magarity wasn’t worried about finding a group of friends to connect with when she settled here. During her ... READ MORE
Try stand-up for a second act
A funny thing happened to Rich Madzel on the way home from Brooklyn one night: He decided to open a comedy club. The idea came to him about a year ago on the New Jersey Turnpike, as he and his wife were returning to Columbia, Maryland after visiting their daughter. “It occurred to me that I was bored and needed more to do,” said the now 81-year-old businessman and theater... READ MORE
ABCs of September gardening chores
Although the blooming sunflowers, asters and zinnias may still be providing some color in your yard, September is a good month to finish up the summer season and get a good start on fall. With the yellow bus at the corner, you might remember those first days of school. Here are some suggestions for your garden chores based on the alphabet: A: Add cool weather annuals such as pansies,... READ MORE
Waxing nostalgic over phones of yore
My grandmother, bless her 19th century heart, never got it about telephones. When she would pick up the boring-black handset in her living room, she would furiously click the two black buttons that popped up. She said she was clicking to attract the attention of the operator. “But, Grandma,” I would say, in my eight-year-old wisdom, “it’s all automatic. There’s no... READ MORE
Books on how to age wisely, gracefully
The Bibliophile For many, the challenges of aging can be daunting. These four books can provide encouragement and advice. Coming of Age: My Journey to the Eighties, by Madeleine May Kunin, 200 pages, Green Writers Press paperback, 2019 Former Vermont governor Madeleine Kunin writes about aging from the vantage point of her mid-80s. Kunin also reprises, from a personal perspective,... READ MORE
Daphne Maxwell Reid enjoys the journey
Though she recently turned 71, when actress Daphne Maxwell Reid appears at the Senior Connections’ Empty Plate Luncheon in Richmond on October 2, audience members shouldn’t expect the Richmond resident to talk about her quiet, peaceful retirement. “I don’t retire,” Reid said. “I’ll take my pension, but I’ll still be busy.” Reid has been busy for decades. After... READ MORE
