Dracut selectman joins daughter in 'Oliver!'

John Zimini and his daughter, Alyssa, will be in ''Oliver'' at Merrimack College.

ALL IN THE FAMILY: As a selectman in his hometown of Dracut, John Zimini is used to being in the public eye. Next week, however, he'll be taking center stage in a different role: as an actor in the Pentucket Players' production of "Oliver!"

Zimini is one of several parents who will be performing alongside their children in the production. Zimini plays Mr. Bumble, the caretaker of the orphans' workhouse. His daughter, 17-year-old Alyssa, is an ensemble member.

The part of Mr. Bumble is a familiar one to Zimini, who held the role as a teenager before reprising it a few years later in a community theater production.

And about nine years ago, he directed Alyssa and his younger daughter, Kasie, in a production of "Oliver Twist" in Nashua.

Although his schedule is more demanding today than ever, Zimini said he couldn't pass up the chance to act alongside his college-bound daughter.

"I guess I'm typecast," joked Zimini, "but it helps that I know the part and all the lines so well."

While he has always enjoyed acting, Zimini said he takes special pleasure in watching Alyssa gain confidence, meet new people, and develop as an actress and person.

And while Kasie isn't performing this time, the production is still a family affair since she and her mother, Kristin Zimini, will work concessions.

"It's beyond a great experience," Zimini added. "In today's hurry-up world, we very rarely get to be involved with our kids. Even if they play sports, parents usually have to watch from the sidelines. I'm very proud of both my daughters, and I'm thrilled to have this opportunity."

"Oliver!" will be performed Nov. 21-23 and Nov. 28-29 at the Merrimack College Rogers Center for the Arts in North Andover. For ticket information, call 978 521-9259 or visit pentucketplayers.org.

POETRY IN MOTION: Poet Marian Kaplun Shapiro would like to refute what she believes to be a common misconception: that all poetry is difficult, and sometimes impossible, to understand. "There are poems I don't understand, and I don't like them," said Shapiro, a psychologist who lives in Lexington. "I think it's pretentious to write about something so personal that it's not worth anything to anyone else." Instead, Shapiro strives to use poetry as a way to share what she loves best. Her effort has been recognized by Amy Kitchener's Angels Without Wings Foundation, a nonprofit literary society that recently honored her with the Massachusetts Senior Poet Laureate Award. She also won the award, which is given to American poets age 50 or older, in 2006. Shapiro's winning poem, "La Touriste Sans Souci," mixes widely known and understood French words with English to describe her enjoying a walk in Paris before eagerly returning to the hotel to join her husband. The romantic poem is similar to those in her first book of poetry, "Players in the Dream, Dreamers in the Play," which was published in May 2007. Shapiro has additionally published two chapbooks, "The End of the World, Announced on Wednesday" and "Your Third Wish." "There isn't a monetary aspect to the award; it's just fun," she said. "It's very enjoyable to be honored for your work in the senior stage of life."

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