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The Branford Arts & Cultural Alliance, BACA, will present The Painted Doors of Branford on November 7 and 8. Over sixty decorated doors will be displayed on Main St as a symbolic reopening of our community. The doors will represent the efforts of artists, both professional and amateur, and individuals, groups and organizations as well. We invite the community to visit the display, vote for your favorites, and perhaps participate in the silent auction through which you may purchase and bring your favorite door home to enjoy. This will also be an opportunity to reconnect with the downtown merchants who will be happy to welcome you back. All monies raised by The Painted Doors of Branford event will fund college scholarships for deserving & talented students who will be furthering their education in the written, visual & performing arts. For more information please contact:Jeanette Mobeck Jeanettemobeck@yahoo.com

Poster art by Artemis Omani Live theater returns to Middletown this week with the Oddfellows Playhouse Teen Repertory Company production of Coming To Save Us, an ensemble-generated play about environmental justice. Coming To Save Us will be performed at 5:30 pm on October 16 & 17 outdoors at the North Pavilion in Harborpark, on the bank of the Connecticut River in Middletown. The play has been created by the cast members during a series of outdoor workshops with Playhouse Artistic Director Dic Wheeler and Program Manager Jacqueline Brown. Coming To Save Us is a collection of character monologues, movement pieces and stories exploring the physical and social impacts of climate change. The piece lasts about 30 minutes, and audience members are encouraged to bring their own blankets or lawn chairs. No chairs will be provided. Audience will be socially-distanced on the grass beside the river, and masks will be required of everyone. Admission is free, but reservations are required and donations are encouraged. Seating is limited to comply with COVID-19 precautions. Audience members may arrive from the direction of the Canoe Club parking lot, or through the tunnel from the Municipal Parking Lot on DeKoven Drive. Upon arrival each group will be escorted to a designated seating area. To reserve a place, or for more information, email info@oddfellows.org, call (860) 347-6143, or go to www.oddfellows.org. The Teen Rep 2020 Riverside Performance Project was made possible by generous support from the Community Foundation of Middlesex County; Connecticut Office of the Arts/DECD; City of Middletown; The Fund for Greater Hartford; Middletown Commission on the Arts; State of Connecticut Judicial Branch/Youth Violence Prevention; American Savings Foundation; Thomas J. Atkins Memorial Trust Fund; Maximilian E. & Marion O. Hoffman Foundation; Stare Family Fund; and many generous individual donors.

NEW HAVEN, CT ­­— On October 13th, the Yale Schwarzman Center (YSC) is set to host the second event in the ongoing CT Dance Now! Alliance series, featuring a community class by the YSC’s inaugural Choreographer in Residence: Dormeshia. The 60-minute session will be hosted by YSC Associate Artistic Director Jennifer Harrison Newman and includes an introduction of Dormeshia’s work as a world-renowned performer, choreographer and instructor, followed by a 50-minute community dance class. The concluding 15-minute Q&A session will be moderated by Gabrielle Niederhoffer YC ‘22, a student staffer and project coordinator working on a Vernacular Dance Festival between the YSC and the Department of Theater and Performance Studies, to be announced in coming months. The CT Dance Now! event takes place next Tuesday from 5.00 pm to 6.15 pm (EST) via Zoom, and is accessible through the following link: https://www.thequicklive.com/. No preregistration is required. Photo Credit: Eduardo Patino More information can be found on the Connecticut Dance Alliance website, www.ctdanceall.org About the CT Dance Now! series CT Dance Now! is a series of 10 free virtual dance events hosted by the Connecticut Dance Alliance, in partnership with Connecticut university and collegiate dance departments. To learn more about the individual upcoming events, workshops, presenters, and ways to support the Alliance, visit: https://www.ctdanceall.org/. About the YSC Now in development, the YSC will be transformational for Yale in providing, for the first time, a center for student life and the arts at the historic heart of the Yale University campus. In advance of its projected 2021 opening, the YSC is engaging in digital programs and collaborative arts experiences geared toward audiences within and beyond the Yale campus. Learn more about the YSC at https://schwarzman.yale.edu.

EAST HADDAM, CONN: Goodspeed Musicals joins arts organizations around the nation to present the virtual concert event Get Happy: Angela Ingersoll Sings Judy Garland, streaming live from Chicago, Sunday, October 11, 2020 at 7:00pm ET. In an Emmy Award-nominated performance, Angela Ingersoll celebrates Judy Garland with virtuosic vocals, passionate storytelling, and naturally winning humor. As seen on PBS, her two hour concert features a powerful six-piece orchestra and classic songs including "Over the Rainbow," "The Trolley Song," "Get Happy," and "The Man That Got Away.” Goodspeed’s Executive Director Michael Gennaro shared “Goodspeed is delighted to partner with Artists Lounge Live to give audiences across the region access to an exciting livestream event that they can experience from the comfort and safety of their own home.” The event, produced by Chicago-based company Artists Lounge Live will feature a talkback with online audience members immediately following the performance. Ticket proceeds will provide crucial support to participating arts organizations struggling to survive during this difficult time. Tickets are available for $35 by contacting Goodspeed Musicals Box Office at (860)873-8668 open Monday – Thursday 10am to 5pm or online at goodspeed.org This LIVE virtual concert is being performed and broadcast from Freedom Hall in Chicago. To view the concert, audience members must have a high speed internet connection that allows for streaming. Patrons only need to purchase one ticket per household to watch LIVE but may choose to support Goodspeed and the performers by purchasing tickets for all those who will be enjoying the concert. The link to watch will be sent in advance via confirmation email. For more information, visit Goodspeed presents GET HAPPY

Oddfellows Playhouse in Middletown announces Fall Musical Mentoring for ages 6 – 11 starting October 5. All meetings will be held virtually, and loaner instruments are available for the six week class series. Musical Mentoring, now in its fourth year, is offered as a partnership between Oddfellows and Cardinal Kids, a student-run arts collective at Wesleyan University. Musical Mentoring provides local students with weekly one-on-one music lessons with a Wesleyan Music student. Available instruments include guitar, keyboard, voice, ukulele, violin, cello, bass guitar, double bass, clarinet, oboe, and saxophone. Lessons for ages 9 – 11 will be held on Mondays, 4:30 – 5:30 pm, and for ages 6 – 8 on Wednesdays, 4:30 – 5:30 pm. All mentors and students will meet via Zoom at 4:30 pm to check in and do a warm up activity as a full group, then the mentor-mentee pairs will be split into “breakout groups” for their virtual lesson. All levels, including complete beginners, are welcome, and every effort will be made to provide the right mentor for each student’s selected instrument. Students enrolled in the program can borrow instruments from Oddfellows for the Fall program, which will run through November 11. Tuition for the 6 week program is $60, but financial aid is available to any family which needs it. It is Playhouse policy never to turn away a student because of inability to pay. Class size is limited, so early registration is encouraged. To register, and for more information, go to www.oddfellows.org, email info@oddfellows.org, or call (860) 347-6143. Oddfellows after-school programs are made available thanks to support from The Fund for Greater Hartford, Middletown Commission on the Arts, Connecticut Office of the Arts, Connecticut Judicial Branch, Community Development Block Grant Program and many generous donors.

Connecticut Dance Alliance is hosting CT Dance Now!- a series of 10 virtual dance events hosted in partnership with Connecticut University and Collegiate dance departments. CT Dance Now! events will be held on Tuesdays from 5:00 PM to 6:15 PM via Zoom. No preregistration is needed, simply log into https://www.thequicklive.com/ for each event. Events will consist of performances, discussions and classes offered by dance professionals, artists and educators representing dance across the state. The CT Dance Now! series is free. CDA's programs and events are supported by our membership and tax-deductible donations. Memberships and donation information can be found on CDA's website - www.ctdanceall.org. The first CT Dance Now! program will be held on Tuesday, September 29. Join Autorino Center Director, Steven Raider Ginsburg, and University of St. Joseph Dance Faculty member, Susan Murphy, in conversation with 860 MVMNT Founder and Artistic Director, Jolet Creary. 860 MVMNT was formed in 2017 as a celebration of the underground dance community and the next generation of hip-hop dancers from the Hartford region. 860 MVMNT displays the raw, intense energy of hip hop through choreography, improvisation and a unique approach to storytelling. More information can be found on the Connecticut Dance Alliance website, www.ctdanceall.org Photo Courtesy of Ray Shaw

Mugs, Courtesy of Susan Bach Guilford, CT – The Shop at Guilford Art Center re-opens on October 1 with the annual Holiday Shop. Once again, the Shop and Gallery will be filled with fine handmade crafts by over 180 American artists — just in time to get a head-start on your holiday shopping! Normally, the popular Holiday Shop opens in November, but opening earlier gives shoppers more flexibility and time to shop. “We’re ready to re-open our Shop now, so why not offer holiday shopping right away?” says Maureen Belden, GAC Executive Director. “We’re so excited to open our doors after being closed for six months. Our staff has been working diligently to source new items from artists, who are also thrilled to be able to sell their goods again. It’s been a tough time for everyone, so we hope people will come in to support both the Art Center and the artists.” Guilford Art Center’s Holiday Shop, originally known as Artistry, offers distinctive holiday gifts from artists throughout the country. The festive setting makes this annual event one of the Shoreline’s most treasured shopping experiences. Visitors will find a wide range of fine handmade crafts in all price ranges, including ceramics, candles, glass, fine art, metal, jewelry, clothing and textiles, wood, ornaments, cards, specialty foods, soap, leather, toys and more. All proceeds benefit Guilford Art Center’s education and community programs. The Holiday Shop will be open Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 12:00 - 4:00pm, and Saturdays from 10:00am – 4:00pm. The Shop is open for online shopping as well as, with convenient pick-up by appointment. All shoppers will be asked to observe social distancing and wear masks covering their nose and mouth. GAC is following all state-approved guidelines to safely accommodate the community in all areas of the Shop, School and Gallery. For all information on GAC’s reopening safety protocols, visit www.guilfordartcenter.org/covid. For more information about the Holiday Shop, online shopping, and a current list of classes and workshops, please visit www.guilfordartcenter.org or contact GAC at info@guilfordartcenter.org. About Guilford Art Center The Guilford Art Center is a non-profit school, shop and gallery established to nurture and support excellence in the arts. Through classes for adults and children, gallery programs, a shop of contemporary crafts, and special events, the Center fulfills its mission to provide opportunities for the public to participate in the arts, to experience their cultural and historical diversity, and to appreciate the process and product of creative work. Founded in 1967 (as the Guilford Handcraft Center), the Center evolved from the first Handcraft Expo, held on the Guilford Green in 1957. It currently serves over 2,000 students in classes, presents juried and invitational exhibits of art in the Center’s gallery and operates a shop of fine, handmade American crafts year-round. The Center also presents the Craft Expo, held on the Guilford Green each year in July, that features works by more than 180 of the country’s most distinguished artisans and is a much-anticipated annual event for the shoreline community.

New Haven, Conn. (September 10, 2020) – Connecticut Humanities has awarded the New Haven Museum a $15,000 COVID-19 Relief Grant. The grant funds will be used to support staff salaries, defray expenses incurred during the museum’s closure due to COVID-19, and expenses related to the safe reopening of the museum to the public. Funding for the grant is from the Connecticut Humanities Fund made possible by the Connecticut General Assembly. “We are tremendously grateful for the support of Connecticut Humanities and the Connecticut General Assembly during this tumultuous time,” says New Haven Museum Executive Director Margaret Anne Tockarshewsky. She adds, “We are really excited about re-opening to the public later this month. While we were able to expand virtual access to the museum over the last several months, there is really no substitute for an in-person visit.” “The New Haven Museum plays a vital role in collecting and preserving the history of the Elm City and sharing its stories with the public,” said Scott Wands, manager of grants & programs for Connecticut Humanities. “CT Humanities is pleased to offer support for preservation and programming that provides the public with opportunities to learn and understand more about themselves, their communities and the State of Connecticut.” Connecticut Humanities, a nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, provides opportunities to explore the history, literature and the vibrant culture that make our state, cities and towns attractive places to live and work. Learn more by visiting cthumanities.org. About the New Haven Museum The New Haven Museum has been collecting, preserving and interpreting the history and heritage of Greater New Haven since its inception as the New Haven Colony Historical Society in 1862. Located in downtown New Haven at 114 Whitney Avenue, the Museum brings more than 375 years of New Haven history to life through its collections, exhibitions, programs and outreach. As a designated Blue Star Museum, the New Haven Museum offers the nation’s active-duty military personnel and their families, including National Guard and Reserve, free admission from Memorial Day through Labor Day. For more information visit www.newhavenmuseum.org or Facebook.com/NewHavenMuseum or call 203-562-4183.

EAST HADDAM, CT - Today, Goodspeed Musicals Executive Director Michael Gennaro announced programming for the Tony Award-winning theater’s 2021 season. “As we prepare for the 2021 season, safety is our priority. We continue to spend countless hours researching, planning and talking with state officials and leaders in the healthcare community to ensure that when we reopen, it will be as safe as possible for our audience, staff and performers” he said. “Based on everything we know to date,” he continued, “the goal is to safely reopen The Goodspeed in June 2021.” Goodspeed Musicals will open in 2021 with a two-show season that begins with the long-overdue and much-anticipated production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific. This musical theatre classic based on James A. Michener’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel and featuring an extraordinary and irresistible score will be directed by Rob Ruggiero (Show Boat, Carousel, Oliver!). With Music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and book by Oscar Hammerstein II and Joshua Logan, South Pacific will run June 11 - August 22, 2021. In the fall Goodspeed will produce the World Premiere of Anne of Green Gables, based on the beloved novel by L.M. Montgomery. The new folk-rock musical with multi-generational appeal features book and lyrics by Matte O’Brien and music by Matt Vinson and will be directed by Jenn Thompson (The Music Man, Oklahoma! and Bye Bye Birdie). Anne of Green Gables is a fresh and exciting musical that not only illustrates Goodspeed’s long-standing commitment to new musicals, but also has a very bright future beyond Goodspeed. Anne of Green Gables will run September 10 – November 14, 2021. Exclusively for 2021, audiences will have the option to attend a live performance or watch from the comfort of their own home. “We all know that it will take time to get comfortable going out in public again, especially to a theater” Gennaro shared. “To make things easier, we have made special arrangements with the unions representing the actors, directors, choreographers and designers to allow us to record our shows and make them available for members, subscribers and single ticket buyers to watch online,“ he said. Additional changes have been made with regards to the organization’s plans for 2021. Closing both theatres for over a year has put extreme pressure on Goodspeed’s financial resources, leading to a conservative approach to restarting and reopening operations. As a result, the launch of Goodspeed’s new Worklight Series at The Terris Theatre in 2021 has been postponed until 2022. Gennaro stated, “It is hard to believe that our theatres are dark and will be for the rest of this year. We miss the great performances, the singing and the dancing and most of all, we miss our patrons. Yet we are filled with excitement and hope for the day when we can all be back in the Opera House to enjoy musical theatre at its best.“

Musical Masterworks and Community Music School are pleased to announce the recipient of the fourth annual Musical Masterworks Scholarship in Honor of Nancy D. Thomas. Elizabeth Steindl, the 2020 recipient of the Musical Masterworks Scholarship in Honor of Nancy D. Thomas, is eleven and in sixth grade at Old Saybrook Middle School. Elizabeth studies violin with Martha Herrle at Community Music School, and also plays clarinet in her school band, sings in her school chorus, and is a regular participant in area music camps. She loves animals, music, and nature. The Musical Masterworks Scholarship in Honor of Nancy D. Thomas provides the tuition for a middle school student to take music lessons, 30 minutes each, for one full year at Community Music School. The scholarship is awarded annually. To be eligible, the candidate must be a student of classical voice or instrumental music and reside in Middlesex County or New London County. __________________________________________ About Community Music School Community Music School offers innovative music programming for infants through adults, building on a 37-year tradition of providing quality music instruction to residents of shoreline communities. CMS programs cultivate musical ability and creativity while providing students with a thorough understanding of music, so they can enjoy playing and listening for their entire lives. Learn more at www.cmsct.org or call 860.767.0026. About Musical Masterworks Musical Masterworks brings to Southern New England world-class chamber music performances and outreach programs which attract, entertain, and educate a diverse audience. Launching its 30th season soon, Musical Masterworks offers five weekends of performances from October through May in Old Lyme. Learn more by visiting www.musicalmasterworks.org or by calling 860.434.2252.

New performers and workshop facilitators announced for the free outdoor event celebrating dance HARTFORD, CT – September 3, 2020 – Connecticut Dance Alliance (CDA) will host the state’s first National Dance Day on Saturday, September 19, from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Webster Walk at Blue Back Square in West Hartford. The free outdoor event celebrates the joy of dance and showcases the diversity of dance in Connecticut while also encouraging fun and healthy body movement and creative expression. The rain date for the event is Sunday, September 20. National Dance Day will feature live performances and workshops from Connecticut dance studios, companies, and independent performing artists; dance literature book presentations by Connecticut authors; a Dance-Me-a-Story demonstration for young children; and a gently-used/new dancewear fundraiser. Connecticut Dances – A Visual History , a touring exhibition jointly presented by CDA and the Connecticut Historical Society, will also be on display. "The Connecticut dance scene has been continuously growing due to the hard work of many devoted artists. It is so important to keep that momentum going, especially in light of current events,” said Katie Bittner, resident artist with the Hartford Dance Collective - one of the many local dance organizations participating in National Dance Day. The event will begin at 10:30 a.m. with Read & Reverence, a socially distanced reading demonstration for children ages 3 to 7 presented by students from the Hartt School at the University of Hartford. The program includes a reading of New York City Ballet’s The Sleeping Beauty picture book, a brief movement session, and concludes with a photo session for each child with the program leaders to remember the special day. Ekklesia Contemporary Ballet, Graceful Planet Studio of Dance, Studio8Sixty, ATTAK Dance Company, and Immix Dance Project have also been added to the robust roster of diverse dance organizations and performers participating in the event. They join previously announced performers and workshop facilitators, including: Karrington Trice, Fred Astaire Dance Studio West Hartford; Dimensional Dance; The END Ensemble; New England Ballet Theatre; Baila Con Gusto CT; Evjen Academy of Performing Arts; GUSTO Dance; The Hartford Dance Collective; CREC Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts; CT Tap Collaborative; Leslie Frye Maietta; Arthur Murray Glastonbury; and Ballet Hartford performing with its new Pre-Professional Division. National Dance Day will follow all current Connecticut COVID-19 mandates for outdoor public events. Members of Dimensional Dance will demonstrate their unique and beautiful way to comply with regulations to guests. The Connecticut Dance Alliance is asking all participants and attendees to wear protective face coverings to ensure everyone’s safety. For more information on National Dance Day, visit https://www.ctdanceall.org/ . About the Participating Artists: Read & Reverence - Presented by students from the Hartt School at the University of Hartford What began as a midterm project for Sydney Hitchell, a Raising Senior at the Hartt School at the University of Hartford receiving her BFA in Dance Performance and minor in Performing Arts Management, Read & Reverence was brought to life specifically for CDA’s National Dance Day. Along with Hartt School at the University of Hartford Raising Seniors Felicia Isotti, Meredith Bolton and Kyleigh Olivier - who are all receiving BFAs in Ballet Pedagogy - Read & Reverence was developed for children ages 3 to 7 and focuses on integrating the power of the written word with dance. Ekklesia Contemporary Ballet Ekklesia Contemporary Ballet is a professional dance company comprised of artist-theologians whose goal is to create spaces where art and faith can flourish. Ekklesia’s diverse repertory utilizes a full spectrum of emotional and physical vocabulary while addressing issues such as poverty, inequality, and human suffering. The Graceful Planet Studio of Dance The Graceful Planet Studio of Dance is committed to providing the Sandy Hook and Newtown community with high-quality dance classes to enhance overall child development. The studio provides a safe, child-centered environment to encourage students to explore dance with qualified, nurturing teachers. Graceful Planet believes that dance training encourages young people to develop a positive self-image as they increase awareness of their physical being. Along with improving coordination skills and developing muscular awareness, dance classes give children the freedom to express themselves through movement. Studio8Sixty 860 MVMNT, based in Hartford, is an all-styles street dance collective implementing original street dance in collaboration with contemporary styles of hip hop. 860 MVMNT combines dancers of all hip-hop genres, and they train weekly at Studio 860. Studio 860, under the direction of Jolet Creary, is a dance center dedicated to educating through hip-hop dance, music, and culture. The mission of 860 is to enlighten and educate adolescents and adults through urban art forms, outreach, and performances, giving them a creative and positive outlet while building community relationships. ATTAK Dance Company, established in 2013, is a contemporary modern dance company. The company was founded by the late Elena Rusnak, the former director of the Naugatuck Valley Community College dance program. ATTAK hopes audiences can feel the dancers’ emotion as they tell their stories through dance and connect each piece to their own personal lives. Elena’s daughter, Cate Rusnak-Craig, has been ATTAK’s Artistic Director since her passing in 2014. Immix Dance Project Immix Dance Project was born out of a desire to collaborate with local artists in an effort to grow both individually and together. Focusing on building community and connections, the group seeks to support dancers, choreographers and companies, and to help each other grow. The four core collaborators have been dancing together since 2013 and have a strong connection both in the studio and out. Their friendship and genuine admiration of each other makes them stronger dancers and choreographers. They created Immix Dance Project as an outlet to generate ideas, push each other creatively and spend time together doing what they love. Additional performers and workshop facilitators include Arthur Murray Dance Studio of Glastonbury, Karrington Trice, Point to Perfection Dance Studio, Ekklesia Contemporary Ballet, Toriography Dance Company, and ATTAK Dance Company. The event will also highlight CDA’s collaboration with Para Dance by Fred Astaire Dance Studios in West Hartford. About Connecticut Dance Alliance (CDA) Connecticut Dance Alliance, Inc. (CDA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing public awareness of dance in all its forms and serving the needs of the statewide dance community. Since 1999, CDA has created and presented numerous events such as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Dance – a day celebrating African-American dance traditions, CDA Distinguished Achievement in Dance Awards, Healthy Dancer Seminars and workshops on Planning a College Career in dance. In 2011, CDA founded and developed a successful summer scholarship annual competition, the Connecticut Classic , a competition for pre-professional classical ballet students. CDA also administers the Elena Delvecchio Rusnak Dance Education Scholarship. CDA’s current project, The Dance History Project. Through grassroots networking, the project endeavors to capture and share, through the art of photography and scholarly writing, a cultural and historical documentation of the rich and vibrant dance heritage in Connecticut. Using the 2,000 images submitted by the dance community, the curated Connecticut Dance exhibition has toured the state since 2017. In addition to the Dance History Project , other CDA initiatives include the further development of regional network consortiums to increase communication, partnerships, and opportunities for Connecticut’s dance community; dance education programs; and the new statewide dance resource database. ‌ ‌ ‌

Cromwell Creative District (CCD) offers a new event beginning on September 12, 2020, and running through October 31, 2020. With a goal of bringing light to Cromwell’s historic #inthedistrict area, CCD is hosting a Scarecrow Search with participating district businesses and organizations for your entertainment. The scarecrows, all 32 of them, will be housed in the geographic confines of the district, which runs from Valour Green to Rt. 9, north and south, and from the Connecticut River to Pierson Park, east and west. Scarecrows will be placed in safely walkable areas, always viewed from outdoors: in business windows or outside - up in trees or hiding low. Residents and visitors are encouraged to follow Covid-19 safety measures when viewing the scarecrows only from sidewalks or in parks. CCD requests you not touch them so they remain for future visitors to enjoy. Each scarecrow highlights a business, and while CCD members are creating some of the scarecrows with support from the participants, a number of business are using their own creative talents to feature their businesses or organizations. The WELCOME Scarecrow at the Town Gazebo — West St. and Main St. — was built and donated by Bob Donohue and friends. The sign near the WELCOME Scarecrow was donated by Signs by Greubel This event encourages residents from Cromwell and area towns to familiarize themselves with the district’s businesses as well as take part in the many activities CCD will promote during this seven-week period. CCD encourages participation in eight different activities that are offered during this time; these include searches, photography, creative arts, and writing. All Events and Prizes are listed at www.cromwellcreativedistrict.org Want some hints for ways to have fun? Find all 32 scarecrows Find specific scarecrows — see list at website Enter specific events: your art pieces, your photos, your short stories, your poems And while you are on the website learning more about the events, please consider becoming a Friend of CCD — it’s free, and it helps CCD with obtaining grants to sponsor more events. Please invite your friends and relatives to join in the fall festivities the Scarecrow Search is offering. We can all use a bit of diversion and fun during this very unusual year.