First impressions

Written by Eric H. Weinberger with Elaine Bromka, and starring Bromka, the play is a reimagining of the lives of First Ladies Lady Bird Johnson, Pat Nixon, and Betty Ford.

The inspiration for “Tea for Three’’ occurred when Bromka starred opposite Rich Little in “The Presidents,’’ which she performed across the country and on PBS.

Called upon to impersonate eight of the first ladies, she ended up spending months poring over videotapes. While studying nuances of their body language and speech patterns, she was drawn to their personalities.

“These were women of intelligence and grit who suddenly found themselves in a fishbowl,’’ said Bromka. “I realized I wanted to tell the story from their point of view . . . and I wanted to explode myths.’’

The play portrays each of the women at the end of her time in the White House.

Bromka has 30 years’ experience in film, television, Broadway, and off-Broadway. She appeared as the mom in “Uncle Buck’’ with John Candy, as Stella on “Days of our Lives,’’ and on “E.R.,’’ “The Sopranos,’’ and “Law and Order.’’

The director of the play is Byam Stevens.

Performances are 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at Marblehead Little Theatre, 12 School St.. Advance tickets are $25; $20 for students and senior citizens; and $30 at the door, if available.

Call 781-631-9697 or visit www.mltlive.com.

CHAMBER IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT: Andover Chamber Music begins its 15th anniversary season with a concert today at West Parish Church in Andover.

Each of this year’s programs is inspired by a literary work.

“Finding connections between beautiful chamber works and bringing them to light in different ways is what we pride ourselves on, and this year, even more so because of the ambitious scope and variety of the programs,’’ said artistic director Julie Scolnik, who founded the series with her husband, Michael Brower, in 1997.

Today’s concert, “An Equal Music,’’ is named after the novel by Vikram Seth, which is set against a backdrop of Vienna and the international classical music scene.

The Trout Quintet, which figures prominently in the story, is performed by the same team of Mistral artists that presented Brahms’ Sextet in 2009 and Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir de Florence in 2010.

Pianist Max Levinson joins them for Schubert’s “Quintet for Strings & Piano, and Scolnik collaborates in a flute transcription of Beethoven’s String Quintet, Op 29.

The concert begins at 4 p.m. Tickets are $30. Call at 978-474-6222 or visit www.andoverchambermusic.org.

AUTHOR’S CORNER: Andre Dubus III reads from his latest book, “Townie: A Memoir,’’ at Salem State University at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. The book is about growing up in Haverhill. Dubus is the author of several novels, including “House of Sand and Fog,’’ which was a finalist for the National Book Award, and “The Garden of Last Days.’’ He has served as a panelist for the National Book Foundation and taught writing at Harvard University, Tufts University, Emerson College, and University of Massachusetts Lowell, where he is a full-time faculty member.

IN LOCAL GALLERIES: Art by Anne Johnstone of Somerville is on display at the Gaga Gallery in Swampscott through Friday. She layers paint, paper, and wax to create fantastical paintings and sculptures. . . . “Distressed,’’ an exhibit of the mixed media work of Karen Bettencourt and David Hogan, is at The Loading Dock Gallery at Western Avenue Studios in Lowell, Wednesday through Oct. 30. A reception with the artists is 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 7. Bettencourt focuses on digital and material collage, assemblage, and fiber, while Hogan works with drawing, painting, assemblage, and printmaking. . . . “Paul McMahan: Capturing New England in Watercolors’’ is at The Gallery at Grosvenor Park in Salem through Oct. 6. Trained as an architectural illustrator, McMahan worked on renderings for projects all over the world. He now paints watercolors that demonstrate his love of both architecture and New England scenes, including buildings, boats, and seascapes.

Items can be sent to wdkilleen@gmail.com.