PAGE 10A | BEACH NEWS | JUNE 9, 2005 | VOL 32, NO 4 BEACHNEWSNH.COM .

KEEP EM’ SURFING! No matter what the weather, the Seacoast’s Surfers seek out waves together. — Beach News Photo by John Deming Firehouse presents ’s ‘Laughter on the 23rd Floor’ SPECIAL TO THE BEACH NEWS the other gag writers with a produced with the Firehouse NEWBURYPORT | The respectful “ba-dum-bum.” Center for the Arts and Busy Firehouse Center for the If this Simon play is Boy Bad Boy Productions. Arts, located in downtown about anything, it is about Performances are Thursday Newburyport, welcomes how anxiety fuels comedy; through Saturday at 7:30 back Producer Peter Honeg- anxiety about McCarthy, p.m., with Sunday matinees ger for a special perfor- blacklisting, Stalin, the at 3 p.m. Ticket prices range mance of Neil Simon’s bomb, and about NBC exec- from $17-$20. Tickets avail- “Laughter on the 23rd utives who cut the show’s able at the Firehouse box Floor,” running June 9-26. length, the show’s budget office by calling (978) 462- A hilarious play from and finally the show itself. 7336 or visit www.fire- award-winning comic This production is a nostal- house.org. genius Neil Simon, this play gic masterpiece about that The Firehouse Center for celebrates the mayhem and one brief shinning moment the Arts is an arts and cultur- laugh-a-minute atmosphere when these particular funny al member based organiza- of America’s Golden Age of people got to be funny in tion located on the Television. With love and that particular room. waterfront in Newburyport, humor, Simon pays homage The cast includes Dennis with a 195-seat theater, to the great comedians of the Purdie, Paul Gallant, Mark which offers diverse pro- 1950s and the madcap team Nichols, Ashleigh Ward, Eric gramming including film, of writers and artists work- Lamarche, Stephen Turner, dance, theatre and concerts, ing frantically behind the Jim Manclark, Todd DeMar- children’s series, new works scenes. The result is a side- tinis, and Karen Smith; the festival and has a gallery splitting tribute to this production team includes which exhibits works by bygone era and the dedicat- Peter and Lois Honegger local and international ed collection of writers, and Emily Padden. artists. The Firehouse is which is loosely fashioned This production is co- handicapped-accessible. after the original writing team, Neil Simon, Woody Allen, Carl Reiner, Mel Pick up some Art Brooks , Mel Tolken and Selma Diamond. Appeal at the Gallery This loving memory play is about Simon’s days as SPECIAL TO THE BEACH NEWS reception in honor of the writer on the “ DURHAM | Art- artists will be held. The sale Show,” centered around Appeal, a sale of fine arts begins at 5:30 p.m. and con- 1953, and is a collective por- and crafts to benefit the Art tinues on through Saturday, trait of comic geniuses who Gallery at the Paul Creative June 11, from 10 a.m. to 4 admit that they have little or Arts Center in Durham is p.m., and Sunday, June 12, no life outside of their gag- scheduled to take place the from 12 noon to 4 p.m. writing session for that weekend of June 10-12 at The Paul Creative Arts week’s “Max Prince Show.” the arts center. Center is located at 30 Col- Marital discord, pregnancy, Works by more than 70 lege Road on the University insolvency, hypochondriacal of the region’s finest visual of New Hampshire campus brain tumors are checked at artists will be offered to the in Durham. For more infor- the door, or rather schlepped public for sale as part of mation, call (603) 862-3712; in through the door as the this fundraiser. On Friday, e-mail [email protected], subject of a series of one-lin- June 10, from 4:30 to 5:30 or visit www.unh.edu/art- ers, each acknowledged by p.m. a sale preview and gallery . Sunset cruise benefits Lighthouse Friends SPECIAL TO BEACH NEWS between 9-9:30 p.m. Jeremy D’Entremont will RYE | A lighthouse sun- There will be door provide narration on the set cruise to benefit prizes, raffles and a snack history of the lighthouses. Portsmouth Harbor Light- bar on board, in addition to Tickets are $20, and $18 house is currently sched- the viewing of Portsmouth for members of Friends of uled to take place on Friday, Harbor Lighthouse, Whale- Portsmouth Harbor Light- June 24 aboard the M/V back Lighthouse, and the house, and may be pur- “Granite State.” The cruise Isles of Shoals including chased by calling (603) will leave Rye Harbor State White Island Lighthouse. 431-9155 or online at Marina on Route 1A at 7 Friends of Portsmouth Har- www.portsmouthhar- p.m. and will return bor Lighthouse President, borlighthouse.org.