'Amazing Things' Happening in Town

After 35 years of being a research chemist, Phil Knudsen chose to retire. What might be surprising is what Knudsen has done in his retirement—become the executive director of Amazing Things Arts Center in Framingham. The center has been around since 2004. Knudsen has been the director since January.

“I don’t think it’s that crazy,” Knudsen said of his retirement plans. He had actually always been highly interested in the arts. “I was always a very creative chemist, I took a lot of fine arts in college. I took photography classes too.” He and his wife had always been involved in folk music, going to open mic nights and eventually hosting their own open mic nights at different restaurants.

In college, Knudsen said, he actually debated whether or not to pursue the arts or chemistry, eventually choosing chemistry. “One of my friends, actually, when he saw what I was doing here, said, ‘I’m glad you found your way back.’”

The arts center, housed in a refurbished fire station, puts on different events or exhibits almost every night. Once the previous executive director wanted to retire, he asked Knudsen to step in.

One thing that makes the center unique is the expansive range of music. Knudsen said the arts center puts on everything from folk shows, rock tribute bands, world music, jazz, blues and bluegrass. 

With the wide variety in performers, Knudsen said each show brings in different people.

Aside from music, the center has an art gallery, currently exhibiting photography, and this weekend, Amazing Things will be putting on three shows of a play called “The Dining Room” written by A.R. Gurney. It’s the second week of the show, and it has two more to go.

Starting in the fall, Knudsen said the center will be partnering with Framingham State University to put on a movie series showing international films and will conclude with a discussion after with a former FSU film professor. He also said they are working on a college-run open mic night. Amazing Things will also be staging “Little Shop of Horrors” in October.

What’s most important, Knudsen said, is the center “gives the opportunity for people to be active and interactive.” Their biggest competition, he said, is people sitting on the couch at home. “What Amazing Things provides is a chance for the community to be active and to come together,” Knudsen said, something that can’t be done from home.

“People experience a community built around the arts here,” Knudsen said.

Amazing Things survives on donations and ticket sales, according to Knudsen, and it’s a volunteer organization, whose goal is to “put on top quality entertainment.”

Knudsen wears many stress-inducing hats as the executive director, and he initially felt unprepared. Now though, he said, “There are times when we have a show, a full house, and I’m listening to music that feeds my soul, and I think, ‘I’m getting paid for this.’”

Knudsen’s fulfillment also comes from the staff he works with, saying he loves the people he works with and being around the people at the arts center.

This week on Thursday, the center will be holding a folk open mike night featuring Mark Mandeville and Raianne Richards beginning at 7:30 p.m. This weekend has three showings of “The Dining Room.” The shows on Friday and Saturday start at 8 p.m. while the Sunday show begins at 2 p.m. For the rest of the month, the center has various comedy shows, a folk blues night called “A Night of Dan Fogelberg,” blues, cabaret and a Roy Orbison tribute blues musician. 

For a complete calendar of the various events at Amazing Things, visit their website for more information.