The musical “Hairspray” comes to Merrimack College's Rogers Center for the Arts on Feb. 10.

The Acting Out! Theater Company of Lawrence presents the musical “Hairspray” Feb. 10-12 at Merrimack College's Rogers Center for the Arts in North Andover.

In a heavily attended ceremony held in the Senate Reading Room of the State House, Gov. Deval Patrick signed An Act Relative to Gender Identity, otherwise known as the Transgender Equal Rights Bill, into law.

Legislative leaders offered a lukewarm response to Gov. Deval Patrick’s call for urgent action on a sweeping overhaul of the state’s health care system on Monday night, stopping short of a commitment on one of three central demands the governor made in his annual State of the Commonwealth address.

There were marshmallows to roast, horse-drawn carriages to ride, music to keep us moving, food and  drink galore, and thousands of spectators to keep us company. All of this and more was the order of the day at the Second Annual Old Newbury Bonfire, Jan. 14.

House Democrats met privately Tuesday morning to review the details of a $131 million spending bill that House leaders hope to pass Wednesday. In addition to providing $20 million for low-income heating assistance and $35 million for the operations of county sheriffs' offices, the bill also halts a scheduled spike in the cost of unemployment insurance for Massachusetts businesses.