Archive for the ‘Theater’ Category

Out and about: Things to see and places to be this weekend

Friday, May 17, 2013 by:Christina Hennessy
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There are other events, of course, too, some of which stretch into the next week.

Aspiring illustrators plan to gather in Westport to enjoy the town library’s first comics convention. Musical fans have several year-end concerts to enjoy, including a performance by the Stamford Young Artists Philharmonic. Christine Lavin will make a return to the Edmond Town Hall in Newtown. Jean-Michel Cousteau will be at the Maritime Aquarium early next week. James McCartney (yes, Paul’s son) will be in New Haven. And, Melissa Ferrick will feature songs from her new record during an appearance in Fairfield.

Like the “American Idol(s)” of today, Jenny Lind captured the attention of America back in 1850, during a tour of the country organized by P.T. Barnum. The singer’s influence continues today with Saturday’s Jenny Lind competition that is part of the Barnum Festival. Meanwhile, Danbury band Standby hopes to attract some attention during a release party at Heirloom Arts Theatre. The Connecticut Choral Society delivers some music, as well.

On stage, A.R. Gurney’s “Black Tie” will receive its Connecticut premiere this weekend in Stratford. And community dancers will take to the stage to raise funds for Curtain Call.

Phew! But, wait …

You can see Pilobolus at the Shubert Theater in New Haven. There will be a full weekend for endangered species at Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo. A parody of “Harry Potter” comes to Hartford. You can see the stars in Stamford or Danbury. Singer Summer Williams will entertain in Bethel. Westfair Singers will put on a concert in Greenwich. The Travelin’ McCourys and Karla Bonoff will be in Mamaroneck, N.Y. The Capitol Theatre will welcome Iron & Wine and Secret Sisters. Or, perhaps it is a spring doo wop you seek. Motley Crue anyone? Soundgarden? Rave On will be in Westport. And, Connecticut Playmakers will begin two weekends of popular hits.

“Connecticut Inventions and Innovations” will open in Bridgeport. Lidia Bastianich and Faith Middleton will be in Simbsury. And Boothe Memorial Park will mark the beginning of a season in style. You can help the Norwalk Seaport Association open its season on Saturday. You can check out Adopt-A-Dog and Westhill High School’s combined cause. Or, you can walk in support of breast cancer research.

Until next time …

P.S. The Bruce Hornsby show, originally scheduled for Sunday, May 19, at the Ridgefield Playhouse has been postponed because the singer is coping with a “persistent vocal issue,” according to the Playhouse. The show has been rescheduled to Sept. 29. A recent news statement indicated that previously purchased tickets will be honored.

Out and about: Things to see and places to be this weekend

Friday, May 10, 2013 by:Christina Hennessy
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Growing up, Lucie Arnaz did not have far to go to be surrounded by great musicians and great songwriters, she said recently. Early on, this daughter of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz was exposed to the kind of music that teamed winning melodies with moving lyrics.

Arnaz, a Weston resident, is set to appear in Ridgefield on Friday to share some of these classics of the American songbook, but with a twist. She will deliver them with a Latin flavor, honoring her father’s roots. As she noted in a recent article:

He had such a great love of music that all he did was want us to enjoy it with him

Arnaz is not the only musical act set to entertain this weekend. The Fab Faux will be at the Capitol Theatre. Brian LaBlanc will bring out the Diamond on Saturday. Norwalk singer Tangela Smith gives a hometown show on Saturday, which happens to be the same day that Stanwich Congregational Church offers up a spiritual welcome to spring. Barry Manilow can be found at Mohegan Sun.

There’s plenty more music. The Sherman Chamber Ensemble performs Sunday. Nellie McKay comes to the Emelin. Huey Lewis and The News will be in Tarrytown, N.Y., along with Mary Chapin Carpenter and Shawn Colvin. The Fairfield County Children’s Choir will share “The Miracle of Singing,” while Musicians from Marlboro will share their talent in Greenwich. There also will be a tribute to Chet Baker in Westport.

Robert Dean, Tom Shillue, Mike Epps, Donnell Rawlings, Nazareth, Lily Tomlin and Jodi Weiner are some of the comics making their way to stages throughout the state. On stage you can find “Cirque Ziva,” “Seascape,” “The Dixie Swim Club,” “30! TAW Celebrates,” “Of Mice and Men,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “Showstoppers on Stage” all on area stages.

If you plan to go out, there is the Norwalk Regional Tree Festival and art exhibitions up on display at the Glass House grounds. There is a special evening of art and music planned at the site for Friday. Meanwhile, Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo is hosting a Mother’s Day event (consider this a reminder: Mother’s Day is Sunday.) The Bartlett Arboretum will be hosting a plant sale, too. Or, even if you plan to stay in, you can hear from someone who has his eyes to the outside. Audubon Greenwich will welcome Alvaro Jaramillo, senior biologist at the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory, for a talk about birder’s brains.

Dance events include the Center Stage showcase in Stamford, “Dance Across China” in Ridgefield and a performance of “Snow White” in Purchase, N.Y. The visual arts offer up a number of events, as well, including several openings and ongoing shows. These include new shows at the Loft Artists Association, New Canaan Library, Bruce Museum, and Flinn Gallery and Stamford’s Mayor’s Gallery.

If you are looking for a cool day trip, get yourself onto a train into Grand Central to check out the Parade of Trains, just one of many events scheduled this year to honor the terminal’s 100th anniversary.

Until next time …

 

 

Rock ‘n’ roll retrospective returns to Stamford’s Avon this week

Monday, May 6, 2013 by:Christina Hennessy
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The Avon Theatre of Stamford will welcome back New York radio personality Dennis Elsas for an evening of memories and music when he hosts “Rock ‘N’ Roll Never Forgets,” Tuesday, May 7 at 7:30 p.m.

Elsas last appeared at the Avon on Nov. 7, drawing a crowd despite an early season snowstorm and the after-effects of Superstorm Sandy. Organizers said interest that evening merited a return engagement. The May 7 event will include classic interviews, photographs and recollections of historic moments in radio. Elsas also will conduct a question-and-answer session.

As one of New York’s enduring and well-known radio personalities, Elsas has interviewed many rock greats during his more than 35-year career, including John Lennon, Elton John, Levon Helm, Pete Townshend and Jerry Garcia. Elsas said recently these music greats are just some of the people that he had a chance to meet and interview. Audio and video highlights from those sessions are a major part of the show, he added.

The heart of the show reflects Elsas’ own history and his memories of growing up in the 60′s with Top 40 radio and the personalities that he listened to,  “that unknowingly at the time were shaping my future.”

As he progresses through his college years and the early days of progressive FM radio, he eventually arrives at his long tenure at NYC’s WNEW-FM in the early 1970s.

Elsas, a Queens, N.Y., native, grew up in the 1960s listening to such Top 40 AM radio stations as WABC, WMCA and WINS. By the time he entered college, FM radio was increasingly adopting free-form progressive rock formats and other original programming.

After leaving Queens College, where he helped to establish the campus radio station WQMC, he found work at WVOX in New Rochelle, N.Y., and then, later, set up camp at WNEW-FM, where he would spend 25 years, eventually becoming the station’s music director. For the past 13 years or so, he has anchored the afternoon (2 to 6 p.m.) show at WFUV (90.7). He said the station’s “eclectic format and programming freedom recalls the best features of those early FM  days.”

“Rock ‘N’ Roll Never Forgets” will feature a multimedia presentation of classic interviews, photographs and recollections of historic moments. It has been about six years since he started compiling this history of radio and his career on his website, and about a year since he has taken it on the road.

“When I set up the archives, I found a way to put the information out there,” he said. However, the live shows have given Elsas a way to meet fans and friends who have shared this musical history.

Tickets for the May 7 event are $6 for members (carte blanche members are free), $8 for students and seniors, and $11 for nonmembers. The Avon Theatre is located at 272 Bedford St., Stamford. For more information, call 203-967-3660 or visit avontheatre.org.

Out and about: Things to see and places to be this weekend

Friday, May 3, 2013 by:Christina Hennessy
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Above, the Stamford Museum and Nature Center’s Model Ts to Mustangs outdoor antique and classic car display will take place Saturday, May 4, 2013, and feature many makes and models. However, special attention will be given to Fords this year. For more information, call 203-322-1646 or visit http://www.stamfordmuseum.org. Contributed photo

With the spring blooms having sprung and nice weather on tap for the weekend, it appears to be the time to check out a number of outdoor events planned over the next few days.

Car fans can see how the Model T eventually gave rise to the Mustang, and later Ford models, during the 10th annual classic and antique car show at the Stamford Museum and Nature Center. About 70 cars are expected to roll their way onto the meadow on Saturday, and perhaps pick up a few honors in the process. Flora will be the focus in Fairfield when the 78th annual Dogwood Festival gets under way. There will be music, blossoms, outdoor items to purchase and food to enjoy. KidsFest will bring vendors, activities and inflatables to Ridgefield’ Ballard Park. And Wilton will enjoy a Go Green festival in this season of green.

Of course, there will be music, too, including a special concert at Sacred Heart University in honor of the late actress and singer Patricia Hemenway-Cook. The Greenwich Choral Society will be spreading a bit of “Eternal Joy,” and welcoming back Greenwich native Holly Sorensen. Pacifica Quartet will be in Westport and Rodgers and Hammerstein will be honored with a show in Bridgeport. The Connecticut Master Chorale will put on “A Hungarian Rhapsody” in Newtown. Joni Mitchell’s “Blue” tribute will be staged in Hamden. And, Yale’s Redhot and Blue will perform at the Coastal Chordsmen Barbershop Chorus’ annual show in Stratford.

The weekend continues into next week, with a melding of film and music when the Fairfield Theatre Company hosts a screening of “Stop Making Sense,” the 1984 Talking Heads concert movie. It will help to raise funds for the theater company and WPKn 89.5.

Live productions aimed at a younger audience include “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown” and “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” in Fairfield, “Little Mermaid Jr.” in Ridgefield and the “Wizard of Odds” in Bridgeport. Children and families may also want to check out the Victorian tea party that is taking place in Norwalk.

The stage is not just for children’s fare. “American Idiot” comes to the Shubert, while Albee’s “Seascape” comes to New Milford. “Looped” arrives in Hartford; “Clybourne Park” settles in to New Haven run; “The Dixie Swim Club” will be presented in Stamford and “The Dining Room” continues in Westport. “Of Mice and Men” will open in New Canaan and “The Little Dog Laughed” will play in Newtown.

There are several art events, as well, including an opening reception for Steven Miller’s work in Greenwich, an ongoing show of Philip Trager’s work, a First Fridays event at the Aldrich, the 14th annual Vivian and Stanley Marine Show opens at the Stamford Art Association galleries.

Tomorrow also marks Free Comic Book Day. Several shops around the area will be hosting the day with special events, including Stamford’s A Timeless Journey. At Heroes Comics & Cards in Norwalk, Jeff Marsick and Kirk Manley will be there signing their books (“Dead Man’s Party” and “Z-Girl and the 4 Tigers”), making art and giving away items. Rogue Comics of Bridgeport will be involved, as will Alternate Universe of Milford and New Haven.

Rounding out the weekend (and into next week), Florence Henderson, a star of theater and television, will be at the Sacred Heart University’s Edgerton Center this weekend to talk about her career. You can see her before she attained her “Brady Bunch” fame in performance below. Dennis Elsas of WFUV will present “Rock ‘n’ Roll Never Forgets” at the Avon Theatre in Stamford and comedian Elaine Williams comes to Ridgefield.

Get on out there. Until next time …

 

Out and about: Things to see and places to be this weekend

Friday, April 26, 2013 by:Christina Hennessy
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For fans of the absurd and incongruous, the year 2010 marked a watershed moment. For it was in Madison, Wis., that purveyors of the found and forgotten came together for the first time. On Saturday, in Danbury, the two will come together again.

Heirloom Arts Theatre is hosting an evening of Found Vs. Found, which pits the creators behind the Found Footage Festival with the people behind Found Magazine. Found videos will go up against found notes and the victor will be determined by a jury. Get ready to see unusual clips of exercise videos and listen to missives that range from the mundane to the sublime.

Of course, such a rich stew of human behavior may not be what you are looking for this weekend. If that is the case, your music offerings include visits by country rock pioneer Poco, cornet player Kirk Knuffke, The Fab Faux, Mystic Bowie and Anthem, Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Max Creek and Tower of Power. Some classical performances are expected to be turned in, too, including a special concert, “Mozart and Constance: Love Letters” in Greenwich, “LIFE: A Journey Through Time” in Hartford, The Declassfied, and a Festival Chorus. You can even check out some bug music.

On stage, the “Fifty Shades of Grey” book series gets a send-up with “50 Shades! The Musical” in Waterbury. A.R. Gurney’s “The Dining Room” opens in Westport. And a 1978 film “In a Year with 13 Moons” inspires a live stage production at Yale Rep. Indian cultural traditions will take center stage in Stamford, while “Cole” continues in Westport. “The Twin Desperados” roll into Bridgeport and “Alice in Wonderland,” will be staged in Danbury.

Some big festivals are hoping to attract guests, including a women’s expo in Stamford and Meriden’s Daffodil Festival. Meanwhile, the Beardsley Zoo is encouraging families to come by to see what animals are out and about and what is in bloom. A singing duo hopes to draw families with children of all abilities to a concert in New Canaan.

The weekend, as per usual, is a chance to see some art. In New London, Canvases For a Cause will support research for cancer. And in Stamford, the Loft Artists Association is hosting its final open studios at its location on Canal Street.

Whatever you do, make sure to get on out there.

Until next time …

Out and About: Things to see and places to be this weekend

Friday, April 19, 2013 by:Christina Hennessy
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Music will mark this weekend in many ways, from live performances to a national celebration that honors independent record stores. Among the performers coming through the area are Holly Williams, Ian Parker, Jose Andrade, the What Up Funk Band, Jarrod Spector, Alex Moutouzkine, Declan O’Rourke, Marc Anthony, Barbara Cook, Fleetwood Mac, and Scotty McCreery.

In Bridgeport, they will  be honoring Gustav Meier’s 41 years with the Greater Bridgeport Symphony (you can see the group perform in the video above.) In Stamford, the symphony will be presenting “Passion & Majesty.” “Saxofestivus” blasts off in Danbury.

Meanwhile, a number of locations across the state will be commemorating Record Store Day with limited releases and performances, including one by Prester John in Brookfield.

Some Earth Day events have been planned, as well, including a book event at the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk with two local authors Jay Walshon and Susan Hood. There will be an event designed to remove an invasive species off the grounds at the Stamford Museum and Nature Center. And the New Canaan Nature Center is having an Earth Day-Pitch in Day. Across the state, there are many events planned to honor the 43rd annual Earth Day.

On stage, “Les Miserables” stops for a few days in New Haven. “Cole” will close the season at the Music Theatre of Connecticut. On Monday, Curtain Call’s Musical Mondays series concludes the season with “Merrilee Mannerly.” In Bridgeport, performers take on the 70s in the musical revue “8-Track: The Sounds of the 70s.” “Guys and Dolls” continues in Elmsford, N.Y.. “The Mountain Top” rises in Hartford. While “The Complete History of America” gets under way in Mamaroneck, N.Y.

Rounding out the weekend will be a Premier Ballroom dance show in Bridgeport, featuring U.S. champions. The “Art of the Northeast” exhibition continues in New Canaan. “What Is It? ” looks at discoveries of the Victorian era in Norwalk. And the Alvarez Gallery will host an affordable art show, which opens on Friday.

The buds are starting to bloom and there is a bit of green and yellow to the trees, so make sure to get on out for a bit this weekend, too

Until next time …

By the way, I know it is not a huge milestone in light of all things, but today marks the 100th “Out and About.” So, I want to thank all the readers who check out this posting each week.

 

 

 

Out and about: Things to see and places to be this weekend

Friday, April 5, 2013 by:Christina Hennessy
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Film fans will be treated to two festivals in Connecticut this weekend, with one focused on shorts and the other on the Jewish experience. The Brookfield Film Festival will bring a program of international shorts to the Edmond Town Hall in Newtown from Friday to Sunday, while the Mandell JCC Hartford Jewish Film Fest delivers an international slate of movies to five different venues throughout 10 days (Above, check out the trailer to the documentary “Welcome to Kutshers – The Last Catskills Resort,” which is making its Hartford premiere.) Other film events include a Holocaust Remembrance event in New Haven and a special screening of art shorts in Stamford.

However, film is not the weekend’s only diversion.

The music landscape will be populated with Boz Scaggs in Bridgeport, Audra McDonald in Stamford, The Wallfowers in Uncasville, Elton John and Billy Joel tribute artists at the Downtown Cabaret, Three Phantoms in Fairfield, and Englebert Humperdinck in Ridgefield.

But, as they say, that’s not all. Mike DelGuidice and Big Shot (which features members of Billy Joel’s band) will perform at an autism benefit on Saturday at the Quick Center. Kung Fu will be at the Fairfield Theatre Co. The Nutopians will be in Mamaroneck, N.Y., Vance Gilbert will be in Old Saybrook. Enjoy a “Piano Bar…n!” in Ridgefield. Michael Jovovich and Friends make it to the Dressing Room Theatre. The Angel Choir performs in Greenwich. For the Heart covers Broadway in Westport. The award-winning composition team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul bring songs and tales to Wilton. Joe Crookston will perform in Ridgefield. And the Greenwich Chamber Players will bring “Winds of Change – from Beethoven to Gilbert,” to two venues this weekend.

For the younger set, there is music, too, with the performance of Dog on Fleas set for Sunday in Norwalk. Up in Hartford, the Bushnell Center will be the scene for ERTH’s Dinosaur Petting Zoo. The “Little Engine That Could Earns Her Whistle” chugs into Westport. “Click, Clack Moo” plays at the Emelin. The New Milford Historical Society and Museum will host a children’s tea party. Enjoy a Kaleidoscope Ball in Norwalk. And the Loft Artists Association will be putting on a “Draw On” workshop on Saturday, and next.

On stage, “The Marvelous Wonderettes” belt it out in Shelton, while area performers take a trip to “Oklahoma.” “Guys and Dolls” are on stage in Elmsford, N.Y. “Ride the Tiger” continues at Long Wharf Theatre. Play with Your Food returns on Tuesday. “The Red Mill” opens in Norwalk. And, Shakespeare on the Sound hosts a gala on Saturday. “The Importance of Being Earnest” comes to White Plains, N.Y. “Run For Your Wife” opens in Sherman. And the Carriage House Arts Center in Norwalk begins its eighth season with  V-Day Norwalk 2013’s benefit production of “The Vagina Monologues.”

Art is around, too, with the opening of “Strange Invitation” at the Franklin Street Works art space in Stamford. Later in the week, the Westport Library will host a program on the Federal Art Project. Heather Sandifer’s “Spring Notebook,” is at Les Beaux Arts Gallery in Greenwich. An opening reception is planned for Friday for the “Eric von Schmidt—A Life in Art,” exhibition at the Westport Library. Across the Saugatuck, Westport Arts Center opens its SOLOS 2013 members show, also on Friday evening.

Those looking to learn the value of their antiques can head over to Newtown. Finds also may be found at Adopt-A-Dog’s first Rummage for Rescue Tag Sale in Greenwich. The Vintage Clothing, Accessories, Textiles & Jewelry Show returns to Danbury this weekend for its eighth year. Print fans should make a stop at Norwalk’s Center for Contemporary Printmaking where the second annual Connecticut Printmakers Invitational kicks off. Chef Claire comes to Stratford. And Greg Mort, whose art is currently on display at Stamford Museum and Nature Center is expected to visit an Astronomy Night event on Friday at the site’s observatory. And Dan Aykroyd will be at Total Wine & More in Norwalk on Saturday.

Until next time …

Out and about: Things to see and places to be this weekend

Friday, March 29, 2013 by:Christina Hennessy
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For those who like to celebrate the Easter holiday with a bit of action, a number of egg hunts and “egg-stravaganzas” are scheduled this weekend. Meanwhile, a new exhibition is on display at the Bruce Museum that “unscrambles” the long history of the egg.

Of course, there might be some out there who are looking for a different kind of entertainment during the holiday weekend (and beyond). At Bridgeport’s Discovery Museum, for instance, “The Ultimate Laser Light Show Experience” will run Friday and Saturday evenings through May 26, bringing lasers, lights and rock music to the Henry duPont Planetarium.

Speaking of music, the area will again be full of singers and songwriters and big bands and small ensembles. Fairfield’s Kristen Graves will be in South Norwalk on Friday. The second annual Bijou Blender will kick off on Saturday in Bridgeport. There will be an ABBA  tribute act in Ridgefield this weekend. Mandy Patinkin will be in Tarrytown on Saturday. The Highland Rovers will be in Uncasville on Sunday. That’s the same day Maydie Miles performs in Westport. The Revivalists (see the New Orleans-based band’s video of “Criminal” above) and Otis Taylor Band come to the Fairfield Theatre Company this weekend. Alex Bleeker and the Freaks are part of a free show at BAR in New Haven on Wednesday. Glen Matlock, the former Sex Pistols bassist, will be in New Haven on Sunday. And, Pink Floyd’s album “Dark Side of the Moon” will be performed at the Downtown Cabaret Theatre in Bridgeport on Saturday.

This weekend you also have the chance to catch the fastest talking woman, who also happens to be funny. Families can get all creative in Fairfield. Visitors can enjoy a Persian New Year event at Sacred Heart University later in the week. Or, you can take a trip to Oklahoma and never leave the area. “Guys and Dolls” take the stage in Elmsford, N.Y. You can learn how best to track birds in Greenwich.

Art abounds, too, with a new show opening in Bethel this weekend. Mother Nature’s work will be on display in Danbury. Stamford’s Loft Artists Association will show the power of “Transformations 2.” The Katonah Museum of Art puts its focus on quilts. The works of guild members and solo artists are on view in Silvermine. A solo exhibition by Max Weisen continues at the Stamford Art Association. Works by Eric von Schmidt go up on display this weekend in Westport.

Until next time …

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