 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Newspaper Articles & Reviews |
| Time Traveling at the Library excerpted from the North Andover Citizen September 2, 2005 article by Sally Applegate If you close your eyes while listening to the gentle murmuring sound of women laughing in the Stevens Memorial Library, you can imagine them all in fancy Victorian dresses and hats. A group of North Andover women is enjoying the Victorian Tea being held by historic reenactor, Rita Parisi at the "brand New" library on Main Street in North Andover. The date is August 25, 1908 and the new library was just completed last year in 1907. The genteel lady facing us is dressed in a sweet white empire gown and most engaging hat topped with pink feathers. She has invited us to share afternoon tea and hear about her adventures on her recent trip to Boston. She and her husband took the Boston and Maine railroad to North Station and then a hackney carriage to downtown Boston. Parisi stands up to show off her empire dress, exclaiming how it has saved women from the dreaded S-curve corset. That demonic device forced women's abdomen backwards forcing them to walk leaning forward, exclaims the indignant Parisi. Its heavy bones and unrealistically narrow waist caused "a lot of shallow breathing. Its why women fainted at times." says Parisi. |
| "Some of those corsets were laced so tightly one needed to walk with the support of a cane, an umbrella, or a man's arm. On her recent trip to Boston with her husband, says Parisi, she was startled and annoyed at all the traffic on Commonwealth Avenue. She registers her outrage at the collection of those new-fangled automobiles all over the street. "There are Model A Fords, Stanley Steamers, and Cadillacs,"says Parisi."Did you know those Cadillacs cost $2500-$3000 each? Most people don't make that much in three years." "And those new Model T Fords cost $850 and come in any color you like, as long as its black," says Parisi. She visited the BFK Theater on Tremont Street to view the latest moving pictures on Thomas Edison's Vitagraph Machine. There are also "risqué" films being shown on Nickelodeons in storefronts for five cents each to see them on"dirty, worn-out screens,"says Parisi. She also shares some tidbits from a 1908 Ladies home Journal she has brought with her. Charming and animated, Parisi brings her audience into the quaint often humorous world of 1908. |
| excerpted from the May 12, 2006 edition article by Lynne Ober Windham's Nesmith Library went back in time to the Belle Epoque. Its May 7, 1908, began Rita Parisi, dressed in period costume. She drew a verbal picture of life in 1908. She talked about traveling to Boston from Amesbury on the Boston and Maine Railroad. "It took about one and a half hours to get to Boston's North Station. Once there, my husband would go about his business and I would explore the city on my own. " Parisi was a charming and animated storyteller who skillfully drew her audience back in time. On her recent trip to Boston, she was startled and annoyed at all the traffic on Commonwealth Avenue. She registered her outrage at the collection of newfangled automobiles all over the street. "And those new Model T Fords cost $850 and come in any color you want as long as its black!", she commented. Parisi led her tea time guests in a lively conversation, encouraging questions and comments as the afternoon tea progresses. Showing her audience the latest 1908 Ladies Home Journal, she comments on fashion and share tips for women from the journal. An entertaining afternoon with glimpses in the lives of our grandmothers. |
excerpted from July 7, 2006 article by Michelle Curran A group of ladies gather at the Newburyport Public Library. One of them, sitting front and center in a lavender, empire waist dress sips daintily on a cup of tea. She talks excitedly about a recent day trip to Boston she took with her husband, who was in the city on business. She paid 25 cents and saw her first moving picture show, "Moscow Clad in Snow". She visited Jordan Marsh and Filene's, where she perused a selection of scenery spectacles and traded in her India ink for a new product called mascara. Mrs. Gordon also tells her rapt audience about the upcoming introduction of the Model T and female gymnasts in the Olympics, the way women can give their hair a permanent wave if they have 12 hours to spare at the beauty parlor and how she witnesses some women bashfully purchasing a new thing from Paris called lingerie. "They asked to have it wrapped up in brown paper to take it away," Mrs. Gordon told her laughing guests. "But they came back for more," she said smiling mischievously. And if it sounds like you've stepped back in time, you have-sort of. Mrs. Gordon is actually actress, Rita Parisi, who for the last year, has been making her rounds as a Edwardian-era woman-and informing people about the trends, technology and people of 1908. "For some reason, I was smitten by the Edwardian time period, " said Parisi. "I've always loved history. History and acting go hand in hand." She created "Teas in Time"-a one-woman interactive, historical narrative that turns audience members in Mrs. Gordon's guests at an afternoon tea party-and started performing her show in 2005. "It was basically a way to use my creativity.", said Parisi. Over two dozen women attended Parisi's performance, some dressing the part, donning wide-brimmed hats and coming armed with questions about the time period in which Mrs. Gordon lived. "I think I attract people who like history. The response has been overwhelmingly positive,", she said "you can't ask for better audiences." Parisi has appeared in a number of area plays and she said she feels most comfortable performing in intimate settings. This is obvious during her library show as she converses with her guests and answers their questions about a time she has learned about through thorough research. "I get my information from everywhere," she said. Books, magazines, the internet-you name it, she reads it. Parisi also studies dress books in order to make her own costumes. "I pride myself on being authentic." |
| Gould's ghouls Historic Barn setting for "Gothic Victorian Tales by Candlelight" excerpted from the Topsfield Village Reporter November 7, 2007 article by Alison D'Amario The rain beat down and wind howled through the trees around Gould Barn. At one point the barn door creaked open-the perfect setting for Rita Parisi's Gothic Victorian Tales by Candlelight at a recent Topsfield Historical Society meeting. Dressed in handmade period clothing and lit only by "candlelight", Parisi held the audience rapt as she recounted three Sarah Orne Jewett tales of the supernatural. The actor who "feels most comfortable performing in intimate settings," chose Jewett's "The Landscape Chamber", "The Grey Man", and "Lady Ferry" for her program at the Gould Barn-excellent selections for the time and place. As she says, "I choose things I can act out-usually in the first person." Parisi spoke each story beautifully so that the listener could appreciate the lovely language while enjoying a shiver from the mystery that each story contained. Parisi and Jewett made perfect story partners for that stormy fall night in October. |
Middleton ladies and gents take a trip back in time excerpted from Middleton Town Crossings May 22, 2007 article by Cara Spilsbury MIDDLETON | Guests who attended the Spring Fling Party and Mother's Day luncheon at the Senior Center on a recent afternoon received more than a hearty meal and friendly conversation. They were taken back in time. Rita Parisi, an Amesbury resident and founder of Waterfall Productions, transported the seniors from May 9, 2007, to May 9, 1908. In a crisp, white empire-waisted dress, a flowered hat and with a turn-of-the-century table and chair, Parisi brought her one-woman show, Teas in Time, to the local event. Parisi became Mrs. Gordon, a wife of a hardware store owner in Amesbury who had just returned from a trip to Boston with her husband. When Mr. Gordon was working on business, Mrs. Gordon explored the city and came back to tell the audience about her travels. She spoke about the gardens she got to see, the automobiles that chugged down Commonwealth Avenue, and the horse manure she got on her boots. She got to see two moving picture shows at B.F. Keith's Theater — "Moscow Clad in Snow" and "The Dog and his Various Merits," — which she enjoyed greatly but her husband thought was a waste of 25 cents. Mrs. Gordon also wandered down Washington Street, where she shopped at Jordan Marsh and Company and Filene's Automatic Bargain Annex. She observed the newest trends in make-up and fashions. "Those Paris fashions do change quickly, don't they?" Parisi said in character, as a few women nodded in the audience. Most of the women in attendance were wearing their fanciest hats, while a few of the men wore bow ties. And despite a sweltering heat wave that turned the Senior Center into a sauna, the seniors still had a good time. "I thought it was very interesting," said Rose Osborn. "I enjoyed it immensely." Although 1908 was before Osborn's time (she was born in 1924), she remembered going through the lengthy and complicated process of getting a permanent that Parisi talked about in her act, including sitting in a beauty parlor with her hair in wooden curlers connected to wires. "I love reminicing about the olden days," Osborn added. "I remember when movies were 25 cents. I remember paying 10 cents to see a movie where I grew up in Salem." The program at the senior center was made possible by a grant from the Middleton Cultural Council, a group that has $3,980 from the state to allocate toward arts and humanities within the community. "It's good to see the seniors get some different festivities," said Fran Novakowski of the Middleton Cultural Council. |
The Westborough Public Library kicked off its year-long centennial celebration Jan. 4
with Tea in Time - 1908," a one-woman play of sorts about life in New England just
after the turn of the century.
With 75 of her closest friends hanging on her every word, Rita Parisi explained in
great detail about her near-death experience at the hands of a motorcar driver.
"It was coming right for me as I was crossing the street," Parisi told friends who
stopped by the library's meeting room for tea and talk. "If there wasn't enough to
dodge when crossing the road what with the carriages and their horses and the
things they leave behind, now we must dodge motorcars as well."
Parisi talked for about an hour about ice skating and courtship and just about
anything and everything that came to mind.
"Back in 1908 hosting a tea was routine social function," Parisi said. "You'd invite your friends and neighbors over and discuss your day
or your week, depending on how often you got together. The tea would rotate from house to house."
"Tea in Time" was the first of more than two dozen programs the Westborough Public Library will host as part of its centennial
celebration.
Afternoon tea kicks off library's centennial celebration
excerpted from the January 11, 2008 Westborough Community Reporter article by Ken Powers
Program Looks at Christmas Past
Excerpted for the December 06, 2007 edition of the Eagle Tribune By Rebecca Correa, staff writer
NEWTON - Every Christmas Eve, the Hall family leaves homemade sugar cookies on the kitchen counter for Santa. In return, Santa leaves the family's 10-year-old twins
gifts under their Christmas tree and candy on the kitchen counter. Yesterday, one of those twins, Shelby Hall, created a new place for Santa to leave candy when she
participated in Gale Library's Colonial Christmas program, Cornucopia, Candy & Christmas Trees.
The 45-minute event included a 15-minute discussion on Christmas ornaments from the 1890's and culminated with each of the dozen participants making a cornucopia
ornament for their family trees. Rita Parisi, an Amesbury, Mass., resident, led the program. She gets into character, acting as if she's back in time when she talks about the
turn of turn of the century. She wore a red, floor-length dress with a white apron when she talked about ways Christmas trees used to be decorated. Parisi said trees were
decorated with angels made of wax, spun glass, paper ornaments and, above all, food. From gingerbread men to popcorn garland, food used to cover Christmas trees and
be an acceptable gift. Back in my day, if a child got an orange, it was a real treat," Parisi said. "How would you like to get an orange in your stocking?" Shelby's twin brother
Breyer paused and scrunched up his face. "I would hate it," he said.
The participants, who ranged in age from children to senior citizens, spent about half an hour making and decorating their cornucopia with checkered cloth and trimming the
edges with glitter and tinsel.
"If we leave it empty, Santa might fill it with candies instead," Shelby said. Shelby, who is home schooled, said she's made paper ornaments at home before, but nothing like
the cornucopia holder for candy she made yesterday.
Gale Library's director, Theresa Caswell, also participated. She said this was the first program the library has opened to residents of all ages in several years and she hopes
to continue an all-ages holiday program in future years. "A lot of programs we do are for children, because children come first," she said. "But this was kind of
Excerpted for the December 06, 2007 edition of the Eagle Tribune By Rebecca Correa, staff writer
NEWTON - Every Christmas Eve, the Hall family leaves homemade sugar cookies on the kitchen counter for Santa. In return, Santa leaves the family's 10-year-old twins
gifts under their Christmas tree and candy on the kitchen counter. Yesterday, one of those twins, Shelby Hall, created a new place for Santa to leave candy when she
participated in Gale Library's Colonial Christmas program, Cornucopia, Candy & Christmas Trees.
The 45-minute event included a 15-minute discussion on Christmas ornaments from the 1890's and culminated with each of the dozen participants making a cornucopia
ornament for their family trees. Rita Parisi, an Amesbury, Mass., resident, led the program. She gets into character, acting as if she's back in time when she talks about the
turn of turn of the century. She wore a red, floor-length dress with a white apron when she talked about ways Christmas trees used to be decorated. Parisi said trees were
decorated with angels made of wax, spun glass, paper ornaments and, above all, food. From gingerbread men to popcorn garland, food used to cover Christmas trees and
be an acceptable gift. Back in my day, if a child got an orange, it was a real treat," Parisi said. "How would you like to get an orange in your stocking?" Shelby's twin brother
Breyer paused and scrunched up his face. "I would hate it," he said.
The participants, who ranged in age from children to senior citizens, spent about half an hour making and decorating their cornucopia with checkered cloth and trimming the
edges with glitter and tinsel.
"If we leave it empty, Santa might fill it with candies instead," Shelby said. Shelby, who is home schooled, said she's made paper ornaments at home before, but nothing like
the cornucopia holder for candy she made yesterday.
Gale Library's director, Theresa Caswell, also participated. She said this was the first program the library has opened to residents of all ages in several years and she hopes
to continue an all-ages holiday program in future years. "A lot of programs we do are for children, because children come first," she said. "But this was kind of