Roger plays ‘Critic’ role

Westbrook’s Roger Knight will appear in “The Critic,” a play honoring artist Norman Rockwell at 7 p.m. on Saturday at Kennebunk Town Hall, 1 Summer St.

“The Critic” is one of six short plays and musical entertainment performed as part of a weekend celebration of Rockwell, 1894-1978. Clare Melley Smith of Cape Elizabeth wrote “The Critic.”

Rockwell produced 321 works for the magazine Saturday Evening Post.

Knight, patriarch of the family that owns and operates Smiling Hill Farm in Westbrook, has been a longtime fan of Rockwell. “He attracted my imagination every time the Saturday Evening Post came,” Knight said Monday.

Danie Connolly, one of the event playwrights, praised Knight. “He is fabulous in his role,” she said.

Admission for the play is $25.

Other events in the Rockwell celebration include a free photo exhibit by Maine artists inspired by Rockwell, 4-7 p.m. on Friday; and a free movie, “The Norman Rockwell Code” (a spoof of “The Da Vinci Code”), at 7:30 p.m., both at Kennebunk Town Hall.

On Sunday, breakfast with Rockwell’s famous Santa from 9-11 a.m. at Colony Hotel in Kennebunk, or have dinner with Rockwell at 4 p.m. at Kennebunk Town Hall.

Tickets are available at several Kennebunk shops and at the auditorium in Kennebunk Town Hall on Friday and Saturday. For more information, call 985-8888.

Book Talk begins at library

Have you ever read a book and wanted to talk about it?

A new event at the Walker Memorial Library, Book Talk, is starting next month.

The informal gatherings of readers who want to compare impressions and thoughts on books will be held at noon on the first Tuesday of each month, starting Sept. 16.

Assistant director Marian Peterson and Kelley Prothero, library assistant, will lead the monthly discussions. Both are knowledgeable about books, reading and discussion.

Each September, the American Library Association promotes Banned Book Week. In recognition of books that have undergone a controversial past, Walker Memorial Library has chosen Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings as the first book for discussion.

This book has been lauded as a coming-of-age story and banned for its frank discussion of sex, profanity, and violence. For copies of the book, please ask at the circulation desk.

Everyone is welcome to participate in Book Talk, even if you have not read the entire book.

Meetings will be held in the Gathering Room of Walker Memorial Library. For more information, call 854-0630 ext. 256.

Earns degree

Asheley Erin Ireland of Westbrook received a bachelor of arts degree in May in graduation exercises at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Mass.

She is the daughter of Jim and Robin Ireland.

Ireland, who attended Catherine McAuley High School in Portland, majored in politics with a minor in sociology. She was captain of the dressage team for three years and competed on three national championship teams. In addition, Ireland was the assistant coach for the Williston Northhampton interscholastic equestrian team for the past two years.

She plans to ride horses professionally in South Hamilton, Mass., before attending law school.

On dean’s list

Benjamin P. Knight was named to the dean’s list for the semester as a senior at Colby College in Waterville.

Knight, who attended Westbrook High School, is the son of Margaret Knight of Westbrook and Jonathan Knight of Worcester. He majored in math and Spanish.

Wavelength in concert

The five-piece band Wavelength will be in concert 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday at Riverbank Park.

The free concert is part of a summer series sponsored by Westbrook Recreation Department. The Tony Boffa Band will be the series finale on Wednesday, Aug. 27.

Speaking of butterflies

Maine author Pam Leo will speak at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday at Warren Memorial Library, 479 Main St., to parents of children ages 1-5.

Leo’s topic is “Brilliant and Beautiful Butterflies.” She will share her ideas for cultivating a stronger parent-child connection through early literacy with a focus on “wonder and marvel” that can be shared through butterfly exploration.

She is the author of “Connection Parenting.”

To register or for more information, call the library at 854-5891.

Church plans summer service

The Unitarian Universalist Church of Westbrook, 719 Main St., will hold a special, summer service at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 24.

Vernon Sequin will speak at that service in which the church’s renovated furnace room will be dedicated.

Hawkes celebrates 16th

A large gathering of friends and family members turned out at a party in Sebago on July 29 for the 16th birthday of Derek Hawkes.

Hawkes is a junior at Westbrook High School. He is a member of the school’s swim team and the Westbrook Seals.

He is the son of Lori and Joel Hawkes and the grandson of former Westbrook City Councilor Paul and Dianne LeConte. Paul said his grandson has “never missed a day of school.”

Cutline (The Critic) – Roger Knight will play the critic in a salute to artist Norman Rockwell this weekend in Kennebunk. This photo of Rockwell’s painting “The Critic” is by Liam Crotty.

Copy the Story Link