Film highlights Lexington's Revolutionary role

"First Shot: The Day the Revolution Began" will be shown on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Lexington Flick. Underwritten by the Lexington Historical Society, the 14-minute documentary depicts Lexington's role in Revolutionary War history.

"I want people to understand that Lexington didn't spring to life in April 1775," said Beyer, noting that Lexington residents set fire to their tea three days before the Boston Tea Party in December 1773. "There was a reason the militia responded the way they did, and I wanted the film to give a sense of that."

The screening at the movie theater, at 1794 Massachusetts Ave., will include a program on the making of the documentary, which was filmed in town. The cast includes nearly 100 reenactors, including members of the Lexington Minutemen and 1st, 4th, 5th, and 10th redcoat regiments, as well as Lexington Historical Society guides and dozens of other volunteers.

Tickets to the screening cost $5. To purchase a seat in advance, call 781-862-1703.

FRESH MEMORIES: Even though it's been 11 years since she lived in Charlottesville, Va., Margaret Muirhead of Arlington remembers the young girl who lived in her neighborhood so fondly that she recently wrote her first children's picture book in tribute to her.

While the girl's name is Maisie, unlike the main character in "Mabel, One and Only," Muirhead said, the two share a love of fun.

Maisie "used to knock on my door and rollerblade right into my living room," Muirhead recalled with a laugh. "She'd say, 'Come play,' and no matter how tired I was, she'd get me out into the sunshine. She was a very cool, inventive kid."

In the story, Mabel is a precocious youngster who must depend on the grown-ups in the neighborhood to play with her. She invents a game called Super-Ball Bowling, and plays in a large, cardboard box in which she pretends to travel to outer space.

Muirhead, who teaches a class on writing children's books through the Arlington Center for the Arts, said her old friend was flattered but surprised to learn of her starring role.

"Even though we hadn't kept in touch," said Muirhead, "she had really meant something to me."

Muirhead will read from "Mabel, One and Only" at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Newtonville Books, 296 Walnut St.

The event will include two other picture-book authors: Belmont resident Ammi-Joan Paquette, who wrote "The Tiptoe Guide to Tracking Fairies," and Julie Phillips, who wrote "Wink! The Ninja Who Wanted to Be Noticed."

For information, call Newtonville Books at 617-244-6619.

HOURS OF SHAKESPEARE: Five years ago, the Wellesley College Shakespeare Society read aloud the complete, unabridged works of William Shakespeare in 23 hours. As a way to involve the school community, the society recently revived the event - and shaved three hours off the record by doing so.

According to Wellesley College junior Melissa Chu of Wayland, several students and professors helped the 37-member society break the record through sheer willpower - and lots of caffeine. They began reading at the Shakespeare House on the Wellesley College campus on a recent Friday at 11 a.m. and finished the following morning at 7:07 a.m.

Plays were read in nearly every room of the house, divided according to tragedy, comedy, history, and early works, with sonnets and poems read on the front lawn. The reading of "Hamlet" began in the bathroom, since no other space was available at the time, and ended with a 10-person, choreographed fight scene in the college's campus center.

When the mission ended with the last line of "The Merry Wives of Windsor," Chu said the group broke out into a sustained cheer.

"It really made us admire the past society," said Chu, who participated in the event for 19 of the 20 hours. "By the end, none of us could even imagine staying there for an additional three hours!"

DEAD RINGER: The last time Natick's town moderator, Frank Foss, remembers being on stage was in elementary school when he played a Pilgrim in a Thanksgiving performance. However, he doesn't have to be too nervous about his role in the Center for Arts in Natick's ongoing production of "Arsenic and Old Lace." After all, he's playing dead.

"Arsenic and Old Lace" is a black comedy about two elderly ladies who poison lonely old gentlemen to put them out of their suffering. In the course of the play, it is revealed that there are a dozen corpses buried in the cellar. Following the performances today, at 7 p.m., and 2 p.m. next Sunday, Foss will be among the dozen local special guests who will take the stage for the final curtain.

Foss will be joined by Planning Board member Kenneth Soderholm; retired school superintendent Joseph Keefe; Fire Chief James Sheridan; Deputy Town Administrator Michael Walters Young; veterans' agent John McGillivray; Police Sergeant Nicholas Mabardy; local store owner Ben Greenberg; and the arts facility's executive director, David Lavalley. Also in the cast are Selectman Joshua Ostroff and a former selectman, Jay Ball.

Housed in a restored firehouse, the Center for Arts in Natick is a nonprofit organization that offers performances, literary events, lectures, film programs, art exhibitions, and classes in music, theater, dance, and the visual arts.

"I have a small role," Foss said, "but I'm glad to help out this great organization that does so many unique and special things for the community."

The TCAN Players will also perform "Arsenic and Old Lace" at 8 pm. Friday and Saturday at 14 Summer St. in Natick. For more information, call 508-647-0097 or go to natickarts.org.

CD FOR IMMIGRANTS: Aside from the corporate clients she represents as a nationally recognized immigration lawyer, Susan Cohen of Belmont also advocates for immigrants as president of the Political Asylum/Immigration Representation Project's board of directors.

In recognition of PAIR's 20th anniversary, she is releasing her debut CD of original songs to coincide with a gala that the nonprofit organization is holding Tuesday, at the Boston Harbor Hotel. Proceeds from "In Time" will be donated to PAIR.

Cohen, who has been writing songs and playing the guitar since she was 15, said the theme of the 12-track CD is the importance of human connections. It is dedicated to the immigrants whose stories "will always be a source of inspiration for me."

"I hope when people listen to it, they'll think about how rich our society is because of the important contributions that have been made year after year by immigrants, including many of our ancestors," said Cohen, founder and chair of the immigration practice at Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo P.C. in Boston.

"In Time" is available online and through PAIR at www.pairproject.org/gala.php. Visit www.susancohenmusic.com.

People items may be submitted to Cindy Cantrell at cantrell@globe.com.