Homage to Jerome Kern
New England Light Opera, a professional operetta and musical theater troupe based in Topsfield, kicks off its fifth season next Sunday with "All The Things You Are: A Jerome Kern Revue."
The cabaret-style show, developed by artistic director Mark Morgan, celebrates the work of one of America's foremost composers. It features hits such as "The Way You Look Tonight," "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes," and "Old Man River," as well as lesser-known songs such as "Sing Trovatore," and "Go Little Boat."
The show features the same cast as the group's successful Cole Porter revue, "Day and Night," including June Baboian of Watertown, Brian De Lorenzo of Boston, Kaja Schuppert of Boston, and Joe Stroup of Beverly on piano. Morgan, a Somerville resident, also performs.
The show begins at 2 p.m. at the Emerson Center of the Congregational Church of Topsfield, 9 East Common St. Tickets are $20, $18 for senior citizens, $5 for students and ages 18 and under.
Call 978-887-2045 or visit newenglandlightopera.org.
COMEDIC PLAY IN SALEM: The Salem State College theater department is presenting "Six Degrees of Separation," by John Guare, beginning Thursday.
The play won the 1990 New York Drama Critics Circle Award and was made into a movie of the same name, starring Will Smith, in 1993.
A comedy of upper-class Manhattan manners, it is the story of a young, gay, black con man who claims to be the son of actor Sidney Poitier. The plot twists as family, social, and cultural connections among the characters are explored.
"The production promises to be an imaginative, theatrical journey into the world of art and money, with delicious dialogue full of wit and wisdom," said director Bill Cunningham of Rockport, a member of the Salem State faculty.
The cast includes Aaron Pitre of Everett, Natalie Cowell of Reading, and Devon Scalisi of Salem.
Performances are Thursday through Saturday this week, and Nov. 30 through Dec. 2, 8 p.m.; and Dec. 3, 2 p.m. Tickets are $15; $10 for students and senior citizens; free to Salem State students with identification.
Call 978-542-6290 or visit salemstate.edu/arts.
FAIRY TALE ONSTAGE:
The show stars Dave Scannell of Georgetown as the Beast and Mandy Mitchell of Salem State College as Belle. The cast also includes Bobby Kerrigan as Gaston, Bruce Whear as Maurice, Mark Shasha as Cogsworth, Janet Sheehan as Mrs. Potts, Erik Rodenhiser as Lumiere, Conrad Kleykamp and Eliot Gregory alternating as Chip, Ursina Amsler as Babette, Hazel Grenham as the Wardrobe, Bobby Imperator as Lefou, and Ted Merritt as D'Arque.
Henry Dembowski is director and choreographer and Karen Gahagan is music director.
Performances are today, 5 p.m.; Saturday, 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.; and next Sunday, 1 p.m. Tickets are $15 and $20. Call 781-631-9697 or visit M-L-T.org.
AUTHOR'S CORNER: Elizabeth Edwards, attorney, teacher, and wife of John Edwards, the former senator from South Carolina and 2004 vice presidential candidate, reads from her memoir, "Saving Graces," at RiverRun Bookstore in Portsmouth, N.H., tomorrow at 7 p.m. . . . Author and illustrator Yetti Frenkel reads to children from two of her books, "Trudy and the Captain's Cat" and "Big Blue Hump," at the Book Shop of Beverly Farms on Saturday, 10 a.m. She also gives a demonstration on how a book is made. The event is for children 3 and up. . . . Laura Zigman reads from her latest novel, "A Piece of Work," Tuesday, 7 p.m., at the Swampscott Public Library. The book has been optioned by Tom Hanks' production company, with Nia Vardalos of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" set to write the screenplay and star in the film. . . . Elisha Cooper discusses his memoir, "Crawling: A Father's First Year," at Jabberwocky Bookshop in Newburyport on Thursday, 7 p.m. Despite being a children's book author and illustrator, Cooper always suspected he didn't really like kids. His book is a touching and funny look at his introduction to fatherhood.
IN LOCAL GALLERIES: "Impressions & Places," an exhibition of new paintings by Kathy Connolly, Margie Florini, and Joan van Roden White, opens at Beach Street Studios in Manchester-by-the-Sea with a reception Friday, 5-8 p.m. . . . John Malpica has spent much of his adult life photographing New York City and its inhabitants. A collection of his images chronicling New York scenes, events, people, architecture, historic buildings and landmarks is on display at Drake Farm Book, Antiques, and Gallery in North Hampton, N.H., with the exhibition running through January. . . . A holiday photography show at Valerie's Gallery in Newburyport features new work by local photographers John Geesink, John Raleigh, and Jim Scourletis. The show opens Saturday, with a reception 5-8 p.m. . . . The Walsingham Gallery in Newburyport opens "The Women of Walsingham," celebrating the work of its female artists, with a reception Friday, 5-8 p.m. The opening is a benefit for the Women's Wellness Initiative at Anna Jaques Hospital in Newburyport. The participating artists include J.C. Airoldi, Anita I. Johnson, Jean Lightman, Judy Metcalfe, Mary Minifie and Judith Pumfrey.
Items for Globe North's People column can be sent to wdkilleen@comcast.net. Photos can be sent, as jpeg attachments, to globenorth@globe.com. 
