Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44FOCUS - JANUARY 2017 7 Have you ever dreamed of experiencing live concerts and cultural events? Did your dream include no commute time and no admission charge? If so, your dream can come true right at home, at the library in Port Perry. Thanks to an exciting new partnership between Scugog Memorial Public Library and the New York based Lincoln Center Education, you can look forward to free HD screen- ings of concerts, opera, ballet and theatrical productions, which were filmed live. This partnership with Lincoln Center Local is one of the first of its kind in all of Canada. “Seeing live shows on the big screen will give people the feeling of really being there,” commented CAO Amy Caughlin, who is very enthusiastic about bringing this cultural program to Port Perry. “The live screenings will give people access to some- thing that they wouldn’t be able to see otherwise, even on cable.” Last December, when she screened The Nutcracker as a test run, Amy noticed that the thunderous applause from the audience for the Sugar Plum Fairy, really made you feel like you were part of the audience for the original performance by the New York City Ballet. “It was just beautiful,” Amy said. December 15, 2016 marked the debut of the program, with the screening of this famous Christmas ballet. “We wanted to start off with a bit of a bang,” Amy said. There’s an impressive variety of performances planned for 2017, from Mozart to The New York Philharmonic to Roseanne Cash. Two special screenings are confirmed for each of the following months: January, February and March, to brighten up the winter. Look for the schedule of big name performances to be screened during the remain- der of 2017. Amy noted that tickets to attend cultural events such as the opera in Toronto, for example, could cost $100 or up to $300 per person. Plus travel time. “We are so happy to be able to bring this opportunity to Port Perry, free of charge,” she added. The local library’s Public Service Coordinator Sarah White gets credit for noticing that the new Lincoln Center Local: Free Screenings program was being made available in North America. Major sponsorship is provided by the Oak Foundation, with additional financial support being provided by the Altman Foundation. Scugog Memorial Library is proud to be one of the first libraries in Canada to be able to bring in such high class entertainment. Amy explained that it was an important prerequisite to have the proper technical requirements, including a fast internet connection, a big screen, HD and surround sound. The Rotary Room at Port Perry library met all of the specifications. It was also necessary to sign a contract. The popular Thursday movie nights at the local library are also continuing. For more information, check out scugoglibrary.ca. By Lynn Campbell, Focus on Scugog Lincoln Center Local LINCOLN CENTER IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD FREE SCREENINGS A year-long gift of entertainment at your local library 207 Queen St., Port Perry 905.985.3011 www.lukesforhome.com FURNITURE SALE 50% OFF floor models We pay the tax on custom orders up to JANUARY 7 - 22