The Sidecar Podcast from The Cricket

SIDECAR - In Studio With Thaddeus Beal

Artist Thadeus Beale’s path to being a collected, noted fine artist has been a surprising journey, from a young partner at a white-shoe Boston law firm to the Museum of Fine Art.  Kris McGinn’s feature on Beale took her to his studio in Essex, where they talked chaos theory, a passion for expression, a life of craft, and muffins.  Cricket editor Erika Brown talks with McGinn about how the story came together.

SIDECAR with Hannah Harlow: Blind Dates

Cricket features editor Kris McGinn sits down with The Book Shop’s Hannah Harlow to talk blind dates.  No, not those kind.  Harlow started wrapping books in blank craft paper, and scribbled just a gestural teaser on the outside.  She talks about how her book match making idea is working out with the folks of Beverly Farms.

SIDECAR with Mark Stolle: Restaurant Life

Kris McGinn chats with Mark Stolle, Owner of Manchester By The Book in Manchester, MA, about his most recent contribution to The Cricket. We hear about Mark's book genre "spelunking" and in particular when he did a deep dive into books about restaurants. Mark and Kris discuss Jaques Pepin's memoir Apprentice, Waiting, The True Confessions of a Waitress,  by Debra Ginsberg,  and 1500 Things Restaurants Do Wrong, which may or may not be an actual book.

SIDECAR with Victoria Gruenberg Director of the Play "Seared"

The Cricket's Erika Brown speaks with Victoria Gruenberg about her direction of Gloucester Stage Company’s wonderful production of Seared. The play is set in the tiny kitchen of an on-the-verge Brooklyn restaurant.  The theater setting is Windhover Performing Arts Center, the outdoor venue that, this summer, partnered with Gloucester Stage Company to provide a creative return on Cape Ann to live performing arts after last summer’s pandemic season closure. 

SIDECAR with Mark Stolle: Fingerspitzengefühl

The Cricket's Kris McGinn chats with Manchester by the Book owner Mark Stolle about his fingerspitzengefühl, or intuitive knack, in finding great books. As always, Mark takes us to several unexpected corners of the book world and, as always, the journey is both fascinating and delightful.

SIDECAR - Colonel Jonathan Cogswell's Tomb in Essex

Feature Writer Kris McGinn speaks with The Essex Historical Society's Executive Director Jim Witham about the restoration of the tomb of Colonel Jonathan Cogswell, an Essex hero who participated in The Revolutionary War. In 1788, he was a member of the Massachusetts United States Constitutional Convention, voting for the adoption of the United States Constitution. Jim gives details of Cogswell's life along with details as to how the tomb will be restored.

SIDECAR - Hannah Harlow Recommends Tumultuous Ocean Stories

The Cricket's Kris McGinn talks with bookshop owner Hannah Harlow on her recommendations for rainy summer weather reading including The Lost Boys of Montauk, The Perfect Storm, Waves and Beaches, Swimming to the Top of the Tide, Waterlog, Migrations, and Sea Wife. 

SIDECAR - An Interview with Actor Tom Schanley

Tom Schanley is familiar to many from a long, busy career in film and television work, in everything from Dexter to Melrose Place to Courage Under Fire. He’s also a local from Manchester. He stopped by during a recent visit home to talk about his career, growing up in Manchester, his love of theater, and acting in his latest film, Charming The Hearts Of Men, starring Kelsey Grammer. In a full-circle moment, he tells the story of working as a high school student supporting a North Shore Music Theater production of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, starring none other than—wait for it—Kelsey Grammer. Produced by Erika Brown and edited by Alexis Brown.

SIDECAR with Hannah Harlow: The Paper Place

Kris McGinn, Features Editor for The Cricket, chats with The Bookshop of Beverly Farms Owner Hannah Harlow about a great summer read - The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller. From inside her bookstore on a not so summery day, Hannah explains what makes it the perfect beach book. Edited by Alexis Brown.

SIDECAR with Hannah Harlow: To YA Or Not To YA. That Is The Question.

The Cricket's lifestyle editor visits Hannah Harlow at The Bookshop of Beverly Farms to talk about her new Young Adult book club hosted by the shop, a local YA author, and the great challenge of figuring out how to best categorize Young Adult books. 
Produced by Christy King and edited by Alexis Brown.