Things to Do in Norwell

First established in 1913, the Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra proudly embraces a storied history that saw the group blossom from a 30-piece ensemble to a professional symphony orchestra of 75 musicians. Steven Karidoyanes has marshaled this acoustical army as its music director since 1994, leading them in performances at venues across the state.

While majestic chestnut stallions, brown and white pinto mares, and blond pony hunters roam Herring Brook Farm’s 28 acres of open ranch land, owner Mary Beth McGee lopes among them on a bronze steed, training juniors and adults hunter and jumper techniques for competitions and show. Spurred by a lifelong love of horses, she took up coaching more than 20 years ago, leading a number of her students to national finals while instilling the fundamentals of proper horse care in everyone she teaches. When not showing horses and their pet humans how to leap fences, brick walls, or Shaquille O'Neal, Mary Beth opens her farm to horse shows, where tenderfoot colts and wizened horses prance and pose in an indoor ring with a heated viewing room. She also raises horses for sale or lease and runs summer youth riding camps and dressage programs with the help of her capable staff.

Hingham Civic Music Theatre's members and 21-person ensemble fully realize the production with period costumes and handmade sets. Since 1948, the company has given local theater aficionados the chance to practice their craft in fully staged productions of beloved works.

Inside Plymouth's historic Post Office Building, the bustling of envelopes changing hands has been replaced by the sounds of steady breathing. Certified personal trainer Alicia Andreson works with her experienced staff—all of whom hold teaching certifications—to gently correct their students' alignment aboard mats and apparatuses, including the ubiquitous reformer. They guide one-on-one Pilates sessions and small-group classes that tighten cores, demonstrating classic mat poses, boot-camp-style maneuvers, and yoga stances. To complement their exercise regimens, they offer nutritional counseling and wellness programs. They develop custom healthful diet regimens that help patrons flatten their tummies more safely than standing in front of a firing cannon.

Though Christopher Bopp has won first place three times in a row at the New England Regional Yoga Asana Championships, he does not consider yoga a sport. For him, the art is a daily practice, one that assists with the regular upkeep of his body and mind. He and the certified instructors at Bikram Yoga Quincy hope to pass the basics of the technique on to others, who will in turn interpret them to suit their personal credos.

Because everyone's perception of yoga varies, Christopher encourages guests to attend classes from different instructors. The 90-minute class structure—26 asanas in a toasty studio—remains the same, but each teacher's character illuminates the lesson from a fresh angle. As the instructors’ personalities coalesce under a single yoga style, the end result is a diverse but dedicated community. Familial vibes fill the lobby after every class, when students and instructors can share crisp bites of fruit and figure out who was and was not a heat mirage.