Monthly Archives: November 2011

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Ride a Vintage Train to Visit Santa Claus at Danbury’s Railroad Museum !


That portly gent from the North Pole will once again pay a visit to the Danbury Railway Museum and you can take a ride in a vintage train through the historic rail yard to visit him. The event will take place on Saturdays and Sundays, December 4th, December 10-11 and December 17-18. Trains will depart every half-hour from 12:00pm to 3:30pm on Saturdays and on 12:30pm to 3:30pm on Sundays.

The short train ride in a fully restored 1953 New Haven Railroad Rail Diesel Car (RDC), will take you through the rail yard and past the only powered turntable in Connecticut that has been recently listed on the National Historic Register. On your way to visit Santa, you will see over 70 vintage railroad cars, locomotives and many unique pieces of railroad history.

The train ride will bring you to Santa’s very own private railcar where you’ll be greeted by Mrs. Claus and Santa’s helpers in Toyland. Of course, the exhibits and multiple operating model train layouts inside the restored 1903 Danbury station will also be open as will the be the well-stocked gift shop. Also inside the station, you will find hot chocolate, temporary tattoos and other activities for the little ones.

Admission is $9.00 for ages 2 and up (under 2, free). Each child will receive a small gift from Santa. Based on the popularity of this event the past couple of years, reservations are suggested.

About the Danbury Railroad Museum
The Danbury Railway Museum is a non-profit organization, staffed solely
by volunteers, and is dedicated to the preservation of, and education
about, railroad history. The museum is located in the restored 1903
Danbury Station and rail yard at 120 White Street, Danbury, CT. For
further information, visit the Web site at http://www.danbury.org/drm, e-
mail to info@danburyrail.org, or call the museum at 203-778-8337.

For area information visit www.visitwesternct.com

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WATERBURY’S PALACE THEATER ANNOUNCES DECEMBER LINE-UP


Warm up with a hot show this December at the Palace Theater! Tickets and gift certificates can be purchased by phone at 203-346-2000, online at www.palacetheaterct.org, or in person at the box office, 100 East Main Street in Waterbury. Groups of 15 or more qualify for discounted rates and should call the group sales hotline at 203-346-2011.

Christmas at the Palace

Saturday, December 3 – 8pm

The Waterbury Chorale and the Waterbury Chorale Festival Orchestra present a program of secular and religious Christmas music that will delight and inspire audiences of all ages.

Tickets: $25/ $30/ $45

Waterbury Arts Magnet School presents A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Thursday, December 8 – 7pm; Friday, December 9 – 7pm; Saturday, December 10 – 2pm & 7pm

The timeless tale of Ebenezer Scrooge’s transformation from a bitter and disillusioned creature into the most caring and generous of men comes alive at the Palace Theater.

Tickets: $12

aFTER WORK sMOOTH jAZZ & r&b

Friday, December 16 – 5:30pm
Kick-off the weekend right with smooth vibes on a Friday night! ACTJamsProductions.com presents an after-work social event featuring performances by The Ron Howard Experience, R&B vocalist Marquist, and Jazz vocalist Andrea Deyo, who will celebrate the sounds of Christmas during the event’s “Tis the Season” segment. Hors d’oeuvres and drink specials will be served.

Tickets: $10

Woodbury Ballet presents The Nutcracker

Saturday, December 17 – 4pm

Enjoy a family holiday tradition where Sugar Plums dance, Flowers waltz and Snowflakes leap across the stage weaving a splendid tale of a little girl’s dream of first love.

Tickets: $28/ $38/ $48

Swan Lake

Wednesday, December 21 – 7:30pm; Thursday, December 22 – 7:30pm

The State Ballet Theatre of Russia, from the city of Voronezh, brings the world’s most beloved ballet – Tchaikovsky’s SWAN LAKE – to glorious new life.

Tickets: $28/ $38/ $48/ $58

SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS
Monday, December 26 – 7:30pm; Thursday, December 29 and Friday, December 30 – 7:30pmInspired by the spirit of ancient China, Shen Yun Performing Arts brings to life a bygone culture with a gloriously colorful and exhilarating show of classical Chinese dance and music.

Tickets: $50/ $70 / $90/ $120

About the Palace Theater

The Palace’s primary purpose is to revitalize the Greater Waterbury community through the presentation of the performing arts and educational initiatives in collaboration with area cultural and educational institutions. Its mission is to build a strong sense of community and an appreciation for the arts by operating, maintaining and sustaining itself as a financially viable not-for-profit performing arts center that generates a positive artistic, educational, social and financial impact on the Greater Waterbury area. For more information, visit: http://www.palacetheaterct.org.

The Palace Theater gratefully acknowledges support by Comcast, Webster Bank, Bank of America, City of Waterbury, Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism, Naugatuck Savings Bank, Waterbury Hospital, FOX CT, Republican-American, WATR Radio and WTNH/WCTX.

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ALL ABOARD FOR “THE POLAR EXPRESS AT THE MARITIME AQUARIUM AT NORWALK Nov. 25-Dec. 31

Polar Express at the IMAX Theatre Maritime Center Norwalk

Renew (or begin) a family tradition by securing your tickets for a magical ride to the North Pole as “The Polar Express” steams back onto the giant IMAX screen for a limited engagement at The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk.

Based on the 1986 Caldecott Award-winning book by Chris Van Allsburg, “The Polar Express” follows a young boy who doubts the existence of Santa Claus. On Christmas Eve, a locomotive arrives to take him and other doubtful children to Santa’s North Pole headquarters. Their shared experiences ­– onboard with a mysterious conductor, at the North Pole and then on the return leg – make a compelling adventure.

The star of this adventure is Tom Hanks who cleverly plays five roles, including the train’s officious conductor, a ghostly hobo and Santa Claus. Hailed by critics nationwide, this film, shot entirely in Performance Capture, a process by which an actor’s live performance is digitally recorded by computerized cameras and becomes a human blueprint for creating virtual characters has been tapped to become a perennial classic that will be shared by the generations. Polar Express manages to sidestep all the tiresome Christmas cliches that children have inflicted on them this time of year and presents a fresh look at this magical time of year.

Tickets for “The Polar Express” are specially priced at $11.50 for adults, $10.50 seniors 65 and older, and $9.50 for children ages 2-12. Maritime Aquarium members save $1 and can be reserved in advance online at www.maritimeaquarium.org or by calling (203) 852-0700, ext. 2206.

The show runs from November 25 – December 31st. Show times through Dec. 24 are 4 & 7:30 p.m. Fridays & Saturdays and 4 p.m. Sundays. After Christmas, “The Polar Express” will play at 4 & 7:30 p.m. Dec. 26-30 and at 4 p.m. Dec. 31.

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Dec. 2nd, The Barr Brothers, Fresh and Edgy Folk, Come to StageOne

StageOne, part of the Fairfield Theatre Company on 70 Sanford Street in Fairfield is presenting “The Barr Brothers” on December 2nd at 7:30 pm. “The Barr Brothers aren’t just brothers,” says Sticky Magazine this month, “They’re more like a close-knit family with a vision of what modern folk should sound like.” Not unlike the Fleet Foxes or Dawes, the Barr Brothers (built around Brad and Andrew) are at the forefront of a sort of revival of ’70s folk rock aesthetics, through their sound, lifestyle and recording approach.

Best known as founding members of the spirited and unpredictable rock trio The Slip, brothers Andrew and Brad Barr had spent most of the ’90s on tour with that band. With The Barr Brothers, they are keeping on their experimental, explosive and curious musical career while exploring sounds quieter and more ethereal than anything in their previous work.

Sara’s classical harp was recorded through a fuzz pedal and they used a fretless peanut-bowl banjo and a bamboo angklung to create a masterfully modern and organically smooth Americana folk album. This kind of non-traditional music is not made every decade, never mind every year or every day.

Prepare yourself for a folk rock show that comes complete with a full-size classical harp! “Their tremendous talents shine through in this album and capture an Americana folk that keeps up with today’s demands for a fresh sound.” – Paste

The Details – The Barr Brothers on Saturday, December 2; Doors open at 7:00 PM; the Show begins at 7:30 PM.
Venue: StageOne 70 Sanford St., Fairfield, CT 06824 Tickets: $15 Member Discount: $3 Buy tickets: Box Office: 203.259.1036 or buy online: http://www.fairfieldtheatre.org

Upcoming Shows to Watch For

Sat., Nov. 26 @ StageOne: Corey Glover and Daniella Cotton: Daniella rocks out with hard rock band Living Colour’s lead singer
Wed., Nov. 30 @ StageOne: Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks: a “folk jazz” holiday show

Thu., Dec. 1 @ StageOne: Chadwick Stokes: The reggae/folk rock Dispatch singer

Sat., Dec. 3 @ The Klein: Alice Cooper: The nightmarish classic rock legend

For additional information please visit http://www.fairfieldtheatre.org

About Fairfield Theatre Company

FTC manages two venues, StageOne in Fairfield and The Klein in Bridgeport. FTC is dedicated to presenting the best of live entertainment and performing arts education in the region.

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TAKE A GINGERBREAD BREAK IN LITCHFIELD HILLS AND FAIRFIELD COUNTY CONNECTICUT

Lots of places feature colorful gingerbread houses for the holidays, but Kent, Connecticut goes a step further.
The whole town will take part in the second annual Kent Gingerbread Festival from November 25 to December 30. Everyone is invited to follow the Gingerbread Walk through town to view imaginative and ingenious gingerbread delights in over 50 shop windows. Visitors can enjoy the displays as they stroll, then vote for their favorite creations at the Gingerbread Station, 1 Kent Green Boulevard. The station will have its own displays of entries from the local gingerbread baking contest and will also offer baking and craft classes Phone (860) 927-1463 for schedules. Besides gingerbread displays, Kent will have special events every weekend, from pancakes with Santa to caroler and a Messiah sing-along.

MORE SWEET TREATS

Kent has the biggest show, but Connecticut’s Litchfield and Fairfield Counties offer several other impressive gingerbread displays guaranteed to delight, as well as the chance to take home some of the prize creations or make your own gingerbread confection.


More than 60 buildings, with horse and sleigh teams, ponds, boats, and sledders, all dressed up in Christmas splendor will be featured at the 44th annual Gingerbread Village, a lavish display from December 3 to 10 at St. George’s Church on Tucker Hill Road in Middlebury. Everything is for sale, available to take home when the display ends. Admission is Free. Hours are Saturday, December 3rd 10 a.m. to 7 p.m, Sunday, December 4th, Noon to 8 p.m., Monday, December 5th to Friday, December 9th 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. and Saturday, December 10th, 10a.m.to 4 p.m. Call (203) 758-9557 for information.

The third annual Visions of Gingerbread: The Sweetest Architects at the Stamford Museum and Nature Center November 12 through December 18 shows off imaginative confections made by some of the area’s best pastry chefs, restaurants, and caterers. DiMare’s Pastry Shop of Stamford, SoNo Baking Company of South Norwalk and Sweet Lisa’s Exquisite Cakes of Greenwich are among those who are vying for first prize from a panel of special judges. These are far from ordinary houses; one of the past displays was a perfect miniature of the Duomo Cathedral in Florence, Italy. Visitors are invited to vote for the “Fan Favorite” of the year. Learn more at www.stamfordmuseum.org.


MAKE YOUR OWN

Those who are inspired to make their own gingerbread houses should contact the Silo Cooking School in New Milford. Each year The Silo offers classes for parents and children (ages 5 and up). There are classes also for adults, who enjoy appetizers and mulled wine as they assemble their architectural masterpieces.

Classes are held several times on November 25-27, December 2-4 and December 9-10. The cost is $85 for each adult team or each parent-child team, up to 3 people. The classes sell out every year but would-be bakers can check for openings or waiting lists at (860) 355-0300. The Silo is part of the Hunt Hill Farm Trust so they are found on-line at www.hunthillfarmtrust.org

For more information about gingerbread adventures, directions to events and listings of all the holiday doings in the region, contact the Western Connecticut Visitors Bureau, PO Box 968, Litchfield, CT 06759, (860) 567-4506, www.visitwesternct.com. They offer a free copy of UNWIND, a 112-page color guide to the attractions in the Litchfield Hills and a free color Fairfield County Getaway Guide.

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Woobury Connecticut Holiday House Tour Dec. 10

Saturday, December 10, 2011 marks the day for a holiday favorite, the 17th Annual Holiday House Tour, which will feature a 19th century Rectory as a Designer Showcase House as well as four other fine Woodbury homes. In keeping with the holiday spirit, the tour will include the Leroy Anderson House, where the American musical classic “Sleigh Ride” was composed. Tickets are $20 when purchased in advance / $25 if purchased on the tour day.

Tickets may be purchased by sending a request for tickets to The Woman’s Club of Woodbury, PO Box 1014, Woodbury, CT 06798. Requests should include a check, payable to WCW, to pay for tickets ordered and a Stamped, self addressed #10 envelope. Tickets will be available on the day of the tour at the Woodbury Senior Center. For more information call 203– 263– 3810.

Designer Showcase

New this year, the the Designer Showcase House will be decorated by area designers and artisans reflecting “Christmas in Connecticut”. A special Preview Party is planned on Friday evening December 9th, the day before the tour. Preview party ticket-holders will stroll through the beautifully decorated rooms of this 19th century Greek revival rectory, meeting the designers and enjoying wine, hors d’oeuvres, and Christmas music. Raffle tickets will be available for prizes which include: A Wine Basket from Walker Roads Vineyards, A Catered High Tea from Kate Valentine, A Gift Certificate for a stay at Cornucopia at Oldfield B&B, Southbury, A Catered Brunch in your own home by Duncan Stephens, and An Organizing/Clutter Clearing Session from Top Results Coach Maureen Moreau. Special tickets for the Dec 10th tour that also include the Dec 9th preview party are $50.

Houses to Tour

In addition to touring the Designer Showcase located in an 1830′s Greek Revival styled house, built as a rectory, for St. Pauls’s Church, located across the street, the following four private homes are open and offer a wonderland of decorative ideas for the season.

Cape Cod Revival – Every room of this quaint, rambling saltbox decked out for the holidays is a visual feast. The house showcases framed artworks, interesting decorative touches, and in particular the striking crewel-work pieces. The living room has a large multi-paned window that looks out over the pleasant grounds. A classic dining room features a Duncan Phyfe style table, crewel-work cornices, an antique corner cupboard, and, overhead, beams from an antique barn.

Whipstick Farm Colonial – Set beside a lovely pond, this 1992 home looks like it was built 200 years ago. Inside, handsome old antiques and carefully chosen reproduction furniture continue the illusion. The home, on property called Whipstick Farm, is filled with colorful artwork, books and decorative pieces.

Home of “Sleigh Ride” Composer- One of the most interesting homes on the tour was once the home of the world-renowned composer Leroy Anderson. The house, built in 1953 is set on a picturesque sweep of lawn and woods and features modernist furniture, burnished colors, and wonderful mementos of the composer. It centers on a living room where a grand piano takes center stage in front of a great wall of windows looking out on the inviting landscape. Anderson, who wrote Sleigh Ride, Syncopated Clock, Blue Tango, and many, many other celebrated orchestral pieces, has been the pride of Woodbury for many years.

Stately Tudor – This grand Tudor-style home features gorgeous rooms filled with handsome antique and reproduction furniture—many pieces with a Scandinavian feel. Decorated for the Holidays, the glowing dining room features a restored barn-board table, comfortable Windsor chairs, and a cupboard displaying a wonderful collection of china and decorative objects. An inviting tea service on a tray is set out in the bright library, which is crammed with books, cozy seating, and family mementos. Upstairs, the serene, gently colorful bedrooms feature beautiful bed linens and quilts. The gorgeous kitchen looks out on a garden patio and a lovely “English Summerhouse,” for reading and lounging on warm days.

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Three Historic Photojournalists Featured at Westport Arts Center

The Westport Arts Center will present “On Duty: Weegee, Metinides, Odertmatt,” featuring works by three influential photographers who worked in the late 1930s to the present day: A Swiss policeman, Arnold Odermatt; a Mexican photojournalist, Enrique Metinides; and New York photojournalist, Arthur Fellig, known as “Weegee.” The exhibition will open with a public reception on Friday, November 18, 6 – 8pm, and will run through Sunday, January 15.

The Westport Arts Center Gallery on 51 Riverside Avenue is free and open to the public seven day a week, Monday – Saturday, 10am – 5pm and Sunday, 12pm – 4pm. http://www.westportartscenter.org

This exhibition will feature 45 works by Weegee, Metinides, and Odermatt. All three, while on duty in their respective professions, cross the line of simply documenting accidents and day-to-day mayhem. The content of the imagery, often tragic or unsettling, transcends the rawness of the event.

Perhaps the most notorious and influential photographer in the exhibition is Weegee, who began shooting the streets on New York in the early ‘20s. Some sources speculate his name to be adapted phonetically from the “Ouija Board,” as he had an “Uncanny ability to make such early appearances at scenes of violence and catastrophe…[and took] mostly shots of bloody murders, fire, the seedy Bowery district, and sympathetic views of people who lived on the streets of New York at Night,” (Mary Christian, Oxford University Press).

Weegee’s immediate arrival to the scene can be credited to toting a shortwave police scanner in his car as well as his bedside. His trunk was a mobile studio with a typewriter, developing equipment, and, of course, plenty of cigars. By using a strong bulb flash and often-times developing the photograph immediately at the scene, Weegee created works that were extremely high-contrast and gritty. The raw and graphic nature of his work has inspired many subsequent photographers and artists, including Diane Arbus and Andy Warhol.

Shooting the same subject matter as Weegee, but in a radically different style, Enrique Metinides is Mexico’s most famous crime photographer. Taking his first photograph at age 12, Metinides caught the bug early, sleeping with a police scanner by his bedside with the goal to arrive on the scene of an accident moments before the police to get the perfect shot. Metinides’ work is deliberate in its composition; he uses a wider lens and carefully frames his subjects. Now retired, he captured the cultural milieu of Mexico City for more than five decades.

There are artists that happen upon their careers accidently, and Arnold Odertmatt is one such artist. The official police photographer in a small town in Swizerland from 1948 – 1990, Odermatt took archival images for police documentation and insurance claims. Odermatt would linger at the scene to shoot another round of photographs of the wreckage for himself. Odermatt captured an era of changing landscapes, where small country roads transitioned to highways that gave way to higher speeds and car accidents. His black and white photographs portray mostly cars and other vehicles, precariously placed in the person-less scene like crushed toys.

About the Westport Arts Center

The Westport Arts Center is a visual and performing arts organization dedicated to creating arts experiences that enrich the lives of area residents and the entire community.

For more information, contact Westport Arts Center at 203-222-7070, www.westportartscenter.org. Gallery hours are Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., at 51 Riverside Avenue, Westport, CT.

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“Divided Light and Color: American Impressionist Landscapes” AT The Bruce Museum Through Jan. 29

Still among the best loved of all artistic movements, Impressionism records the world with a memorable alacrity, capturing scenes with spontaneous shorthand of divided light and color. The Bruce Museum in Greenwich, Connecticut, presents a new exhibition, “Divided Light and Color: American Impressionist Landscapes” that runs through January 29, 2012.
One of the greatest strengths of the Bruce Museum’s permanent collection and local private collectors’ interests is the American Impressionist landscape. This exhibition brings together two dozen fine examples of impressionist art in a show with imagery that continues to enchant and endure.

Recent acquisitions by The Bruce Museum include examples of the some of the pioneers of American Impressionism, including the distinguished painters, Theodore Robinson (1852-1896), John Henry Twachtman (1853-1902), and Childe Hassam (1859-1935).
Childe Hassam is well represented locally, with outstanding masterpieces recording his time in France and summer art excursions in New England. He is also well known for his work of the local Greenwich scene, including the Holley House, site of the famous Cos Cob Art Colony, as well as Mill Pond and railway bridge in Cos Cob.

The exhibition attests to the importance of the local Cos Cob Art Colony and its founders and instructors, such as Leonard Ochtman (1854-1934), whose house overlooked the Mianus River and whose work is extensively represented at the Bruce Museum. Second generation American Impressionists, such as Elmer Livingston MacRae (1875-1953), Founder of the America Pastel Society and the Greenwich Society of Artists is also represented. A highlight is the work of Matilda Browne (1869-1947), a local resident of Greenwich, and one of the few women artists among the early American Impressionists.


The exponents of American Impressionist landscape painting also recorded American scenery as far afield as New Hope, Pennsylvania and Carmel, California. Uniting these diverse works is a response to changes in light, a strong palette, and the carefully observed atmospheric effects so characteristic of American Impressionism.

This is a beautiful show that should not be missed by lovers of Impressionist Art.

About the Bruce Museum
Consistently voted the “Best Museum” by area media, the Bruce Museum is a regionally based, world-class institution highlighting art, science and natural history in more than a dozen changing exhibitions annually. The Bruce Museum is located at 1 Museum Drive in Greenwich, Connecticut, USA. General admission is $7 for adults, $6 for seniors and students, and free for children under five and Bruce Museum members. Free admission to all on Tuesdays. The Museum is located near Interstate-95, Exit 3, and a short walk from the Greenwich, CT, train station. Museum hours are: Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and closed Mondays and major holidays. Museum exhibition tours are held Fridays at 12:30 p.m. Free, on-site parking is available. For information, call the Bruce Museum at (203) 869-0376, or visit the Bruce Museum website at www.brucemuseum.org.

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How Do You Know A Hero ? Find Out November 13th !


On Sunday, November 13th, The Greenwich Historical Society will host a paper crafts workshop led by award-winning children’s author, illustrator and educator Timothy D. Bellavia.

The How Do You Know a Hero? workshop was designed to help kids understand the important role first responders play in daily life. This workshop is a new spin on Bellavia’s well known franchise We Are All The Same Inside® workshop in which children create individual characters with the goal of learning to recognize our common humanity while embracing diversity.

How Do You Know a Hero? will challenge boys and girls to design their very own action figures by transforming plain templates into police officers, firefighters and paramedics. Kids will deck out their heroes with uniforms, badges and other pint-sized accoutrements replicated from objects and photos showcased in the Historical Society’s current exhibition Everyday Heroes: Greenwich First Responders. They’ll then set their creations’ heroic feats against scenes from the exhibition.

The workshop is $10 for members and $15 for nonmembers and will be held at 1:00, 2:30 and 4:00 pm. Please note that reservations required.

For additional information, please visit www.greenwichhistory.org or call 203-869-6899, Ext. 10.

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Westport Country Playhouse Presents….

I love plays that intrigue an audience. The Westport Country Playhouse has dreamed up an autumn script in hand reading that will keep you at the edge of your seat! On Monday, November 14, “Dial ‘M’ for Murder,” by Frederick Knott, will be performed at the Playhouse.

“Dial ‘M’ for Murder” asks the question: is there such a thing as a perfect murder? Tony married Margot for her money, and now plans to murder her for the same reason. When the murderer gets murdered, Tony takes the opportunity to have Margot convicted of the crime. Will Inspector Hubbard of Scotland Yard and Margot’s would-be-lover be able to turn the tables on Tony and save Margot from the gallows? A suspenseful tale of blackmail, murder and clever police work, the whodunit is written by Frederick Knott (1916 – 2002), who also scribed “Wait Until Dark.”

The cast includes Kieran Campion as Max, Sean Patrick Reilly as Lesgate, Mark Shanahan as Tony and Paxton Whitehead as Inspector Hubbard.

“Dial ‘M’ for Murder” will be directed by Keefe. She served as artistic director of Westport Country Playhouse, with Joanne Woodward, in 2008 and as associate artistic director from 2000-2006, also with Ms. Woodward. She co-directed with Ms. Woodward the Westport Country Playhouse production of “David Copperfield,” and directed many readings.

Tickets to this performance are $15, a real bargain for first rate exhilarating entertainment! For more information or tickets, call the box office at (203) 227-4177, or toll-free at 1-888-927-7529, or visit Westport Country Playhouse, 25 Powers Court, off Route 1, Westport. Tickets are available online 24/7 at www.westportplayhouse.org.

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Waterbury’s Palace Theatre Shines Spotlight on American History

American History will be brought to new life when Pushcart Players presents Let Freedom Ring at the Palace Theater in Waterbury, on Tuesday, November 15, at 9:30am and 11:30am. Tickets are $10 for individuals, $8 for groups of ten or more, and on sale now at the Palace Theater Box Office, 100 East Main Street in Waterbury. www.palace

Part of the Palace’s Education Series sponsored in part by Big Y World Class Market, Let Freedom Ring is a spirited musical review that celebrates America’s birth and development throughout the decades. The musical begins with the beginning of time and quickly moves to the arrival of the first Americans from Asia, covering approximately 30,000 years of history in less than five minutes.

The rest of the musical follows America’s second settlers and focuses on four main characters– Sam, Sarah, Jennie and Ginny — who transcend time, distance and circumstance to lead audiences chronologically and geographically through two centuries of America’s past.

Like a colorful quilt, Let Freedom Ring is a compilation of authentic folk songs and significant moments in history embroidered with humor and drama and framed with the energy, determination and courage of the pilgrims, pioneers and immigrants, who helped shape America’s history. Recommended for grades K-8, the play highlights curricular integration in the subjects of American History, Civics and Music.

Pushcart Players is currently celebrating its thirty-eighth season of stirring up serious fun throughout the U.S. The dynamic company is the recipient of an Emmy nomination for two prime time specials on WCBS-TV, as well as numerous awards for excellence and innovation in the development of theatre for young audiences.

Endorsed by the Connecticut Association of Schools, the Palace Theater Education Series invites students to reflect on their academic lessons in a venue that encourages thought and imagination. All presentations and programs are selected for students, Grades K-9, and include in and after-school smART initiatives, design to enhance the theater experience while addressing state curriculum standards.

Administrators and teachers interested in booking a field trip can call the Group Sales Hotline at 203-346-2011. Individual tickets can be purchase by phone at 203-346-2000.

ABOUT THE PALACE THEATER

The Palace’s primary purpose is to revitalize the Greater Waterbury community through the presentation of the performing arts and educational initiatives in collaboration with area cultural and educational institutions. Its mission is to build a strong sense of community and an appreciation for the arts by operating, maintaining and sustaining itself as a financially viable not-for-profit performing arts center that generates a positive artistic, educational, social and financial impact on the Greater Waterbury area. For more information, visit: www.palacetheaterct.org.

The Palace Theater gratefully acknowledges support by: Bank of America, Comcast, Crystal Rock, City of Waterbury, Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism, Naugatuck Savings Bank, Republican-American, Waterbury Hospital, Webster Bank, and WTNH/MyTV9.

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Thomas Messel to sign Oliver Messel in the Theater of Design Saturday, November 5th at Hickory Stick Bookshop

Thomas Messel will be signing copies of OLIVER MESSEL IN THE THEATRE OF DESIGN on Saturday, November 5th at 4pm at The Hickory Stick Bookshop in Washington Depot on 2 Green Hill Road.

Oliver Messel in the Theatre of Design is a vibrant study of one of the iconic figures of twentieth-century design, who’s Romantic, whimsical and wholly original style influenced a generation of architects and decorators. Born into a creative family of wealthy bankers, Messel’s career began in 1925 designing for Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes. He eventually became an internationally celebrated designer, branching out into drama, film, opera, textiles, interior design and architecture. Romanticism and eccentricity were hallmarks of Messel’s style and his work was famed for its exquisite delicacy, impossible detail, subtlety of color and inventive use of materials.

This gorgeous book, edited by furniture designer Thomas Messel, is filled with previously unpublished images that chronicle a unique, eccentric, and, until now, largely overlooked oeuvre that reached across several mediums and continues to influence insiders from the worlds of interior design, architecture and fashion. A great treat for both design fanatics and lovers of beautiful books.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…

Thomas Messel is one of England’s most respected furniture designers and the nephew of Oliver Messel. He takes pride in creating one of a kind, commissioned pieces for some of England’s foremost interior designers. Some of his private commissions have been for the Earl and Countess of Derby, the Crown Estates, Kensington Palace, Windsor Palace and Miss Joan Rivers.

This event is free and open to the public. For further information about this please visit www.hickorystickbookshop.com, call (860) 868 0525 or email books@hickorystickbookshop.com. If you are not able to attend please call to reserve an autographed copy.

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Antiques Appraisal Weekend and a Vintage & Designer Jewelry Sale at the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum


The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum will host its fourth annual Antiques Appraisal Weekend and launch its first Vintage & Designer Jewelry Sale on November 5 and 6, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at 295 West Avenue, Norwalk, Conn.

In these harsh, recessionary times, most of us could benefit from discovering that we own a priceless family heirloom or a masterpiece picked up for just a few dollars at a garage sale, as it often happens on such popular TV shows as Pawn Stars or the Antiques Roadshow. Evaluating and selling antiques and collectibles however, is not just reality TV at its best, but a tangible opportunity for anyone living in the tri-State area.

On November 5 and 6 visitors to the Antiques Appraisal Weekend will find an outstanding line-up of experts that will be on hand for two full days to evaluate a wide range of antiques and collectibles including jewelry, fine art, furniture, books and documents, coins, pottery and China, silverware, sports memorabilia, toys, and more.

Appraisals are $15 for a small or medium size item and $40 for large antiques such as furniture, (maximum of three appraisals). One free $15 appraisal will be available for anyone who will become a new member of the Mansion, (an annual individual membership is $35). Jewelry and accessories start at $25. Antiques Appraisals proceeds will benefit the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum.

This year, this popular event will share the limelight with a Vintage & Designer Jewelry Sale, kicking off the Holiday Season with the Mansion as a ‘must go to’ shopping destination. The sale will feature a select group of sought-after designers and offer vintage and designer jewelry as well as one-of-a-kind accessories.

For a complete list of appraisers, jewelry designers, and information on their schedule at the Mansion, please visit www.lockwoodmathewsmansion.com. The museum will be closed for tours on both days of appraisals on November 5th and 6th.

During the Antiques Appraisal Weekend the Museum Shop will be open to the public and offer an eclectic array of educational gifts and treasures to reflect the holiday spirit as well as the Museum’s featured exhibits. Victorian-style doll books and reproduction antique dolls will be on sale with other popular seasonal items such as ornaments, wreaths, gift baskets, tabletop decorations, children’s gifts, jewelry, and more. All proceeds will benefit the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum.