Marielle Sabbag - Marblehead Current

20 Oct

Marblehead author launches online community to help ideas take shape

Marielle SabbagBusiness, Local News

Following the successful launch of her debut novel, “Soul Toll,” Marblehead author Anusia Gillespie has started a new venture called Bottega. “The Bottega is a creative accelerator and online community for people turning ideas into reality, in whatever form those ideas take,” Gillespie told the Current. “Soul Toll” reached No. 4 in Amazon’s low fantasy category after its October 2025 launch. It’s a fantasy novel that explores corporate burnout, creativity and personal awakening. The inspiration for Gillespie’s new venture came when readers began reaching out…

12 Oct

Jazz series brings big talent to an intimate Marblehead stage

Marielle SabbagArt, Culture, Entertainment, Top Stories

Once a month, the ballroom of Marblehead’s historic Hooper Mansion becomes an intimate jazz club, bringing acclaimed musicians and local audiences together just a few feet apart. Jazz at the Arts has been filling the room with music since 2018, drawing performers with résumés that include the Boston Pops, Berklee College of Music and performances alongside some of jazz’s biggest names. Behind it all is producer Gene Arnould, owner of the Arnould Gallery and Framery, whose connection to Marblehead’s jazz scene goes back decades. Dave…

29 Sep

Girl Scouts hope Play Club keeps growing

Marielle SabbagCommunity Service, Education, Local News

A group of Marblehead Girl Scouts spent the spring encouraging Brown School students to put down their screens, head outside and simply play. Now that they are freshmen at the high school, they hope to keep the Play Club going — and eventually expand it to other Marblehead schools. Girl Scout Troop 70371 launched the Play Club at Brown School as part of its work toward the Girl Scout Silver Award. “Play Club focused on allowing the students at Brown School to engage in free,…

25 Sep

Local voices bring Greek tragedy to life in MLT’s ‘Medea’

Marielle SabbagArt, Entertainment, Theater, Top Stories

Marblehead Little Theatre is bringing up the curtain on its fall play, “Medea,” and locals Niko King-Mahan and Nora Falk are part of the Greek chorus. “Medea” is a Greek tragedy by Euripides. A former princess of the kingdom of Colchis is abandoned by her husband, Jason, who leaves to marry another woman. Enraged, Medea plots her revenge against Jason and his comrades. Marblehead High senior Niko King-Mahan began her acting journey with MLT years ago. When she was in fifth grade, she starred in…

16 Sep

One smart cookie: Marblehead chef launches ‘Baked by Johnny’

Marielle SabbagFood, Local News

John Diamantopoulos has always had a special place in his heart for cookies. Now, the Marblehead resident has started his own home-based micro-bakery business titled “Baked by Johnny.” While growing up in Lynn, Diamantopoulos was surrounded by food through his family-owned restaurant businesses. He said his mother would regularly bake traditional Greek cookies. Chef Johnny has created about 80 different flavors of cookies, including this one: Fruity Pebble & caramelized white chocolate chunk. COURTESY PHOTOS Chef John Diamantopoulos has made about 80 different flavors of cookies,…

09 Sep

Marblehead Little Theatre celebrates 70 years

Marielle SabbagArt, Entertainment, Theater, Top Stories

The curtains are rising for a significant milestone. The public is invited to attend Marblehead Little Theatre’s 70 year anniversary gala on Saturday, Sept. 19. It all began in 1955, when Terry Hale, the chairperson of the Drama Committee of the Marblehead Women’s Club, staged a one-act play with her group. After a positive response, Hale planned another show, this time inviting men, for MLT’s first production of Moss Hart’s “Light Up the Sky” in January 1956. The rest is history. MLT originally started as…

01 Sep

Marblehead mom takes the ‘ick’ out of treating head lice

Marielle SabbagHealth, Top Stories

A new school year is underway. Kids are getting new notebooks and backpacks — and also sharing what no parent wants their child to come home with: head lice. Joanna Shu, founder and CEO of Cartwheel, created Nit Happens, a natural, pesticide-free lice treatment designed to give families an alternative. Shu graduated from Boston University in 2004 and earned an MBA in finance from BU’s Questrom School of Business in 2008. She later founded her own natural skin care brand, Refresh Skin Therapy. She said…

19 Aug

From MLT to Broadway and back: Ari Conte brings ‘The Women We Carry’

Marielle SabbagArt, Culture, Entertainment, Theater, Top Stories

A concert from the past is returning to Marblehead Little Theatre on Friday, Aug. 21. “The Women We Carry” is an original concert reading performed by Ari Conte that explores family, heritage and the women whose stories have become part of her own. Originally from Marblehead, Conte is a theater producer and communications strategist based in New York City. She graduated from Marblehead High School in 2011. Marblehead native and New York City performer Ari Conte is bringing one of her own productions home to…

17 Aug

Town’s first Art Crawl opens artists’ studios to the community

Marielle SabbagArt, Culture, Nonprofit corner, Top Stories

Marblehead artists opened their studios to the public Sunday, inviting residents and visitors to step inside their creative spaces for the town’s first-ever community-wide Art Crawl & Open Studios event. The idea was inspired by Marblehead Arts Association Director Xhazzie Kindle, who experienced a similar art crawl while on a trip to London. People check out the art at Arnould Gallery and Framery during Marblehead's inaugural Art Crawl & Open Studios event. CURRENT PHOTOS / MARIELLE SABBAG As organizers developed the event, Amy Hourihan said…

12 Aug

Marblehead Museum to open gate to trove of local treasures

Marielle SabbagArt, Top Stories

Attention shoppers! A treasure trove of vintage, antique and collectible items will be on sale at the seventh annual Marblehead Museum Treasure Sale on Saturday, Aug. 22. “The Treasure Sale is as much an exhibit of Marbleheaders’ passions as it is a yard sale to benefit the museum,” said the museum’s associate director, Jarrett Zeman. This year, items include Victorian-style library stairs, vintage radios and a vintage luggage set from Sak’s Fifth Avenue. Also, a small four-poster bed, antique Lustreware, early Native American jewelry and…