Today we'll focus on two projects that are underway--one on campus; the other off. Alumnus Adam Courville is here from Kids On the Block, a program that educates kids about various disabilities and social concerns through "hand and rod" puppets. Borrowing from Japanese Bunraku, our students are standing behind large puppets--visable to the audience, yet soon forgotten. Here's Scott rehearsing "Eddie" as he deals with issues surrounding bullying.
This morning, our troupe entertained kids at Kearsarge Elementary School with skits exploring bullying and--later--tobacco use. The scenes are highly interactive with the audience, as puppet characters field and respond to questions and ideas from tikes.
Meanwhile, at the home of Alumni Czarina Alex Estin in East Andover, she and Jane Barban are teaching 8 boys and 2 girls to cook. I dropped in for Italian night.
After antipasto of focaccia with rosemary and olives, our primi platti was tagliatelle a cozze. Put a cup of flour, an egg, and a slug of olive oil in a food processor, and run it while adding a few drops of warm water until it forms a ball of pasta dough. Crank this through your pasta maker until you have long sheets. Cut them into strips (thicker than fettucini) and boil two minutes. Meanwhile, boil mussels in vermouth (the alcohol burns off) with shallots and sausage, and serve them over the tagliatelle.
To make raviolis, make a filling of portabellos sauteed in butter, wilted spinach and ricotta and dolop it on the sheets of fresh pasta. Cover with another sheet, and cut out your raviolis with an upside-down glass. Boil two minutes and sprinkle with capers burned in oil, crushed black pepper, fresh cut parsley and grated romano.
It helps if everyone on the project gets along, like these cooks:
