Champions and Historical TV

• The Monterey High Players, the kids of Monterey High School’s theater program, present their first of five coming productions, Blackadder. Huh? The 1980s BBC historical TV comedy series starring the brilliant Rowan Atkinson and a troupe of gifted British comedians? Considering the rise of Downton Abbey, this is a savvy move by the kids, who adapt four episodes from two seasons to give people a taste of that wicked Anglo humor. It runs 7:30pm Friday and Saturday, 2pm Sunday, $7-$15, at Monterey High, 101 Herrmann Drive, Monterey. 277-8658.

• Last Saturday, the Arts Council for Monterey County held their annual Champions of the Arts gala at the Monterey Conference Center, and it looked as close to a Golden Globes ceremony as the county gets, a sparkling evening dedicated to the creative mojo of many in the county. Jayson Fann, the professional artist honoree, came straight over from an African drumming workshop at the Center for Spiritual Living two blocks away. Colleen Bailey, who was picking up an award for YOSAL (Youth Orchestra Salinas), introduced the audience to the new executive director of the organization. Educator honoree Carol Lenters revealed her cowgirl side via her Cowboys in the Schools program. That love of horses was echoed in lifetime achievement winner Jane Smiley, who says a love of horses inspired several of her teen novels. Volunteer leader winner Armando Sarabia spoke in Spanish about his youth music program, Rondalla Armonia. Supervisor Lou Calcagno gave a glowing tribute to Moss Landing art and food maven Kim Solano, who was emotional and humble. Artist Will Bullas, honored as luminary, admitted he had to look up “luminary” in the dictionary.

• Monterey Museum of Art’s new Executive Director, Charlotte Eyerman, is making her leadership felt with a couple of new initiatives. They’ve launched a series “exploring the intersection of photography, music, literature, science, conservation and architecture.” And the hours are changing to 11am-5pm Thursday-Monday at both locations, with a later 8pm closing on Thursday at La Mirada. Here’s why that’s good. On Sunday, when, conceivably, many people have the time and are inclined to take in a museum show, they no longer have to squeeze into the previously restrictive 1-4pm window like before. Sunday is a weekend day; it should be treated as such with accessible weekend diversions. As for the later Thursday closing, it seems a lot of people with 9-5s will appreciate that. It’s a new era. With new hours.