Different drummer
A child prodigy who earned a full scholarship to the Berklee College of Music at age 11, Terri Lyne Carrington is a renowned drummer, composer, and producer from Stoneham who just finished her second year teaching at her former school.
"In one sense, it was weird to return home after 22 years," Carrington said, "but for the most part, it was a natural move."
Raised in Medford, Carrington was 7 when she was given her first set of drums.
After high school, Carrington moved to New York City and then Los Angeles, where she was the drummer for "The Arsenio Hall Show." Her debut release on PolyGram, "Real Life Story," earned a Grammy Award nomination in 1989.
Although performing remains her passion, Carrington said she takes her roles as educator just as seriously. As part of a free outdoor jazz series, she will lead a performance by the Berklee Summer Jazz Workshop on Wednesday from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Mothers Rest playground, down the stairs from the Boylston Street bridge (at the corner of Boylston Street and The Fenway) in Boston. The group, comprising 15 high school students from around the world, is codirected by Reading resident Rick DiMuzio, a noted saxophonist and assistant professor at Berklee.
"I want to create value in whatever I do, and teaching is important for humanity," Carrington said recently in a phone interview from Saratoga, Calif., where she was touring with Herbie Hancock. "I'd encourage parents to bring their kids to see these talented young musicians. Kids won't consider [performing music professionally] as an option unless they're exposed to it. And the younger, the better."
For more information about the outdoor jazz series, call 617-47-2447.
HOPELESSLY DEVOTED TO ANDOVER: Growing up in Andover, Broadway actress Jenny Powers remembers playing on her church league basketball team and being the only girl on her Little League baseball team. Her fondest memories, however, are the plays in which she performed while attending Andover High School (class of 1998).
The Collins Center for the Performing Arts at Andover High School "seats 1,200 people, which is larger than some Broadway houses," said Powers . "It definitely prepared me for performing in front of a large audience."
Powers is rehearsing a reprisal of her high school role as Rizzo in "Grease" for the upcoming Broadway musical revival. She will perform alongside Max Crumm and Laura Osnes, who won their roles on the television show "Grease: You're the One That I Want!"
"I'm drawing on that youthful energy I used to approach playing Rizzo. At this stage, my portrayal of her is much more fleshed out, as opposed to high school when I was just concerned with being funny and loud," said Powers.
"Grease" officially opens Aug. 19 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre in New York . For more information, visit BrooksAtkinsonTheater.com.
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