Storyteller par excellence Susan Klein captured the imagination of more than 40 people Saturday night at the Unitarian-Universalist Society of Martha’s Vineyard on Main street in Vineyard Haven, with her program entitled Silent Night, An Evening of Christmas Stories.

The raconteuse from Oak Bluffs opened with a sound check: “We’re recording all live performances from here on — just because.” Because, Ms. Klein explained, when she was old and gray she wanted to sit back and listen to us laugh again.

In the aftermath of the Patriots Day northeaster this spring, Chappaquiddick resident Francesca Kelly climbed into her pickup truck. She drove over debris-strewn roads, finally making her way to Norton Point. The whole time, a piece of classical music played on the stereo. When she got there, she parked and watched the water rush through the breach, a dead dolphin caught in the sands nearby.

Actors to play the voices of Zeb Tilton, the historian Henry Kittredge, and the writer and Mystic Seaport curator John Leavitt are being sought for the film Zeb — Schooner Life. Open auditions will be held at the Vineyard Playhouse on Tuesday, Dec. 18 from 3:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Interested parties should call Detrick Lawrence Productions at 508-627-8844 to make an appointment.

Again and again, it seems, Christmas brings us face to face with the same old question. Where does a rabidly materialistic society like our own get off celebrating the man who taught poverty by reveling in a superfluity of consumer goods? Perhaps they didn’t juggle exactly the same paradox, but the monks of 12th century England labored over the same vexing question of how best to reconcile Christian piety with the pull of earthly delights.

Bella & Arakataka’s Little Band is a musical puppet show, a happy play talking about a musical country where musician monkeys live and enjoy life.

The new original song called A Vida e Bela, or Life is Good, composed by Bella, is the key to getting to this magical place, where a party is going on and Arakataka’s Little Band is performing.

The play was written by Bella, and the songs are live, presented in English and Portuguese.

Bella is a singer and song writer and performs with Carol Loud, musician and music teacher for children.

The holidays would not be complete without a show at The Vineyard Playhouse. Earl Hamner Jr.’s The Homecoming, adapted by Christopher Sergel and directed by M.J. Bruder Munafo, is back this year as part of the rotating repertory for The Playhouse’s annual family holiday show.

The Homecoming will run from Friday, Dec. 7 through Saturday, Dec. 22 on Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. and on Sundays at 3 p.m. All shows will be performed at The Vineyard Playhouse at 24 Church street in downtown Vineyard Haven.

Miracles at Christmas returns this year with traditional carols and drama to add warmth to the Christmas season — but with a change of location to St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Edgartown. This Island Theatre Workshop production takes you back to a traditional Christmas, combining medieval carols and St. Nicholas plays.

Wanted: Directors

Island Theatre Workshop, Inc., celebrating its 40th year in 2008, invites proposals from directors for one-act plays to be produced in March.

New directors are encouraged to submit proposals; plays can be from 10 minutes to just under an hour. Collections of 10-minute plays and one-act plays are available in local libraries.

To apply please call 508-693-5290. Copies of plays to be considered must be submitted no later than Dec. 15 to be performed at the Katharine Cornell Theatre in Vineyard Haven in March.

Free Shakespeare is available this weekend, from the awardwinning drama department at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School. Shaking up their usual fall program, the student thepians are performing selected scenes from the Bard and other playwrights instead of a single play.

Tonight at 7 p.m. it’s selected scenes from As You Like It, Hamlet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Romeo and Juliet.

The Oak Bluffs School drama department presents the musical 1970 musical Godspell Jr. by John-Michael Tebelak with music by Stephen Schwartz next weekend. The cast and crew have been working hard since September to put together this rock musical inspired by the Gospel of Matthew. The show includes colorful costumes, story theatre and the famous songs including the hit Day by Day. The show is part of Musical Theater International’s Broadway Jr. series, which adapts famous Broadway musicals and makes them accessible to young performers and audiences.