MARION — The Art Center will present a Readers’ Theater virtual performance on Saturday, July 25 at 7 p.m. The ninety-minute online program (via Zoom) will feature six short sketches from the public domain and local playwrights, introduced and performed on screen by our reading actors.

See scenes or sketches from the following: Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll; Toogoods by Jackson Gillman and Bill Harley; Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain; Young at Heart by Judith Black, The Importance of Earnest by Oscar Wilde; Samuel Beckett’s Chamber Pot by Ray Veary. There will be a short break halfway through the event. To register, visit www.marionartcenter.org/events. Registrants will receive a Zoom invitation link a few days prior to the event. Attendees must register by 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 25 to receive a
link to the event.

The Marion Art Center’s Online Art Auction begins Friday, July 24 at 9 a.m. and runs through Friday, July 31 at 7 p.m. This COVID-19-safe event will replace the nonprofit’s traditional summer fundraiser, Cocktails by the Sea. The online auction will feature nearly 200 items including original framed artwork, handmade ceramics and more. Users register to bid on items and pay via the art center’s secure website, choosing pickup in Marion, or local delivery within the Tri-Town.

A live outdoor viewing of auction items is scheduled on Friday, July 24 from 2 to 7 p.m. at the Marion Art Center and in Bicentennial Park across the street. A rain date for the viewing is scheduled on Saturday, July 25 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Bidders may also make a private appointment to view items in person. Visit marionartcenter.org to preview a gallery of items and to find out more

The Art Center’s Theater will present its newest production, “Good People,” written by David Lindsay-Abaire and directed by Jacob Sherburne, as an outdoor live theater event in Bicentennial Park, Marion. Show dates are currently scheduled: Aug. 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, 23. All performances will begin in the late afternoon and early evening  with exact times to be determined. This play is intended for an adult audience.

The cast includes: Maria Hendricks, Linda Monchik, John Emmett Pearson, Margo Ruggerio, Susan Sullivan, and Paul Victor Walsh. The crew includes Kaylin Blaney as Stage Manager and Steve McManus as sound technician.

All attendees must follow state safety guidelines including mask-wearing and social distancing. Guests should bring their own picnic blankets or chairs. Some snacks and beverages will be available for purchase on site. No alcohol is allowed, as this event scheduled on town property. Visit marionartcenter.org for more information.