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He auditioned as Elvis, but his Johnny Cash was too good to give up. And that’s how Shawn Barker ended up performing“The Man in Black: A Tribute to Johnny Cash.” He’ll bring his show to Memorial Hall at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 26.
Before acting as Cash, Barker was singing and playing guitar in cover bands and doing “the Elvis thing” at various parties and venues. He auditioned for the part of Elvis in a Broadway play, “Million Dollar Quartet,” about Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash in their early days at Sun Records. A Hollywood director asked Barker to reaudition as Cash, and he got the part.
But he ended up dropping out of the play because he developed the “Man in Black,” which did so well that he started touring it. That was 22 years ago. Barker has a touring band and performs classics like “Folsom Prison Blues,” “I Walk the Line,” and “Ring of Fire,” among others. Christine Pratt provides backing vocals and duets with him on songs such as “Jackson.”
Barker looks a lot like Cash, and his voice and moves are similar. But he stressed that he doesn’t take on the character.
“I’m still Shawn Barker. We wear the clothes and do the gestures that made him famous, the way he’d play guitar,” he said.
The show is more of a musical history of Cash’s life and career – both of which were sometimes troubled – with Barker narrating it in between songs. The story starts at Sun Records and goes all the way to his death in 2003.
Barker said Cash has a “huge demographic of fans, from young kids all the way up to people in their 80s. He expects that range to be reflected by the Memorial Hall audience.
Tickets are $35, $45.25, $56, and $78, and you can get them here.
Monday, October 13
“Hometown Heroes Mondays” will celebrate educators at G Pub Plymouth in West Plymouth Square through October. Public school teachers, educators, and staff with a valid work badge, ID, or paystub can get 25 percent off their entrees on Mondays. G Pub will also host a monthly “Tag a Hero” promotion on Facebook, and one nominee will be selected to receive a $50 gift card.
“The Summer Book,” starring Glenn Close, Anders Danielsen Lie, and Emily Matthews, will screen at 4:30 p.m. at Plimoth Cinema at Plimoth Patuxet Museums, 137 Warren Ave. In the film, based on the book of the same name by Tove Jansson, Sophia (Matthews) explores nature with her grandmother (Close) on an island in Finland, while her father (Lie) struggles with grief. “Roofman,” starring Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst, will continue screening at 4:30 and 7 p.m. “Smashing Machine,” starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt, will screen at 7 p.m. through Thursday, Oct. 16. Tickets are $12.50, $11 with a club card, $10 for seniors or members, and $8.50 for seniors with a club card.
Tuesday, October 14
Join Dianne Young of DiLi Designs for an embellished card-making workshop at Book Love, 7 Village Green South, in the Pinehills, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. You’ll make two Halloween cards and one Thanksgiving card. Tickets are $27.76. You can register here.
Wednesday, October 15
“Spireween” will celebrate Halloween at the Spire with a classic horror film, “Nosferatu: Symphony of Horror” screening at 7 p.m., with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. The silent German expressionist film from 1922, was directed by F.W. Murnau, follows Vampire Count Orlok. Spireween will continue with a weekly countdown of classic horror films through Wednesday, Oct. 29. Tickets are $9, and you can get them here.
Thursday, October 16
“An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe,” an immersive experience with readings from Poe’s works and a tour of the historic Hedge House, 126 Water St., takes place from 6:30 to 8:10 p.m., and repeats on Friday, Oct. 17 and Saturday, Oct. 18. You’ll hear from a variety of characters as you go on the spooky tour, including a former medium from1800s Plymouth, Lizzie Doten, who claimed to channel Poe’s words. Enjoy cider in the carriage barn prior to the event, where you may sign up for a reading with a medium. Tickets are $18 per person, $13 for members, and you can order them here.
Friday, October 17
“Mysterious Massachusetts,” a workshop presented by Sarah Hodge-Wetherbe, takes place from 3 to 4:30 p.m., in the Fehlow Meeting Room at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St. The event will explore ghost stories and other mysteries of Massachusetts. The workshop will delve into the state’s “rich history of paranormal legend, odd events, and strange denizens.” Registration is required, and you can do that here.
Dress yourself (and your dog) in costume for a Halloween party from 5 to 7 p.m. at Book Love, 7 Village Green South, in the Pinehills. The event features costume contests for dogs and humans, games, face painting, and more. There will be divisions for kids, adults, pets, and groups in the costume contest. The most creative costumes will win prizes, with extra brownie points for homemade outfits and for the best literary-themed costume. The party is free, but you can RSVP here.
Saturday, October 18
The Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St., will hold its Local Author Fair from 1:30 to 4 p.m. in the Fehlow Meeting Room. The event celebrates the works of local scribes, including Pamela Kelley and Miriam O’Neal. The fair will feature 25 local authors, with tables set up to showcase their works. Short readings will take place throughout the day.
Sunday, October 19
“Live from Laurel Canyon – Songs and Stories of American Folk Rock” comes to Memorial Hall at 7 p.m. It’s a tribute to the singers and songwriters who lived in Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles, in the 1960s and ‘70s. That includes The Mamas and the Papas, the Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, the Doors; Crosby, Stills and Nash, Neil Young, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne, and Linda Ronstadt. Tickets are $45.25, $56, $67, and $78. You can buy them here.
Tuesday, October 21
Join Isabel Stearns for a Pumpkin Felting Workshop at Book Love, 7 Village Green South, in the Pinehills, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. No experience is needed, just the desire to get creative with colorful felt. Materials will be provided. The event costs $64.51 and you can sign up here.
Put in your two cents during a Community Conversation: Improving Library Spaces, at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St., from 5 to 7 p.m. The library invites community members to come and share their ideas and thoughts on what the future of the library should be. No registration is required.
Wednesday, October 22
“Spireween” – the weekly horror movie countdown to Halloween – continues at the Spire, with a screening of 1968’s “Night of the Living Dead,” directed by George Romero, at 7 p.m. Come as you are, or as your favorite flesh-eating ghoul or other creature. Tickets are $9, and you can get them here.
Join a virtual author talk from 7 to 8 p.m. with Malala Yousafzai about her memoir, “Finding My Way,” presented by the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St. Yousafzai, a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, was thrust into the international spotlight at age 15 because of her bravery after a Taliban attack on her. The memoir explores her struggle to find her place in the world. Register for the online event here.
Friday, October 24
The Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra will present its fall fundraiser, “Shadows and Serenades: An Enchanted Evening of Music and the Unexpected” at the Plymouth Center for the Arts, 11 North St., from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. At 6:30 p.m., you may choose to attend a special VIP candlelight concert, featuring an intimate performance by a string trio led by the orchestra’s Eleanor Blake on cello. At 7:30 p.m., the warmth and charm of the candlelit galleries expand into a celebration of art and intrigue. Guests will hear captivating stories told by Neil McGarry, enjoy tarot readings, hear live background music, and taste delicious hors d’oeuvres. A cash bar and a silent auction of unique treasures will enhance the evening’s experience. All proceeds benefit the orchestra, supporting its mission to create inspiring performances and educational experiences. Tickets for the 7:30 “Shadows and Serenades” event are $25 each. Tickets for both concerts are $100. You can order them here.
Saturday, October 25
The Herring Ponds Watershed Association will hold two owl nesting box workshops in the Little Red Schoolhouse on Long Pond Road, from 10 a.m. to noon, and n from 2 to 4 p.m. Precut wood and all materials will be supplied for a donation of $30. Bring a battery powered drill if you have one, or use one available on site. Walk-ins are welcome. You’ll be able to bring home a completed owl nesting box to hang in your yard and ideally attract a screech owl family. Additional kits will be available as well. Find out more here.
The musical duo Sultana (Jon and Li Waterman) will bring “History and Legends Through Song” to Plymouth Public Library, at 132 South St., from 2:30 to 3:40 p.m. This program for all ages consists of songs, history, and slides about fascinating historical or legendary people and events. Some songs may be about Massachusetts history, while other topics may include ancient Mesopotamia, a character from Arthurian legend, or a renowned radio broadcast. “History and Legends through Song” is part of the series “Live Music Making History Live,” created by Jon Waterman. The show is supported in part by the Plymouth Cultural Council. Registration is required, and you can do that here.
The Downtown Waterfront District will hold its first-ever Plymouth Harvest Festival from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. today, and on Sunday, Oct. 26, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., on the Town Hall Green, 26 Court St., and throughout the downtown-waterfront district. This free, family-friendly event will feature plenty of autumn-related activities for kids and adults, including mini pumpkin painting for kids, cider donuts and hot apple cider, pumpkin-themed games and activities; live music; live goats on Saturday and dogs for adoption on Sunday. There will also be shopping and restaurant specials throughout downtown. You can find out more about this event here.
Sunday, October 26
Join author and actress Marianne Leone for a reading from her new novel, “Christina the Astonishing,” at the Plymouth Center for the Arts, 11 North St., at 2 p.m. Leone will read a chapter from her book, assisted by her husband, Academy Award winner Chris Cooper. The book describes a young Italian American girl growing up in Boston in the 1960s, dealing with Catholic school, misogyny, loneliness, and family chaos. She discovers a Catholic saint she can get behind: the never-canonized Saint Christina. Tickets are $25. You can register here.
Shawn Barker performs as Johnny Cash with his band in “The Man in Black: A Tribute to Johnny Cash” at Memorial Hall at 7 p.m. See the lead item in this column for more details.