Month: April 2012

Westport Country Playhouse Opens Season With “Into the Woods”

Into the Woods Laren Kennedy, Erik Liberman and Danielle Ferland

A 25th anniversary production of the imaginative, fractured-fairy tale musical “Into the Woods” by James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim will be staged at the theater where Sondheim was an apprentice in 1950, Westport Country Playhouse, in Westport, CT, May 1 through May 26. Directed by Mark Lamos, the Playhouse’s artistic director, the musical will open the historic theater’s 82nd season. It is co-produced with Baltimore’s CENTERSTAGE.

A multiple Tony Award winner, “Into the Woods” takes the audience to a beguiling and dark place inspired by the Grimm fairy tales. Among the classic characters that wander the woods searching for fulfillment of their wishes are Cinderella and her wicked stepsisters, Little Red Ridinghood and the Wolf, Rapunzel and her Prince, and Jack of beanstalk fame. As their fanciful tales intertwine, they are forced to confront the harsh reality of what actually happens after “happily ever after.”

Director Mark Lamos, who also serves as Westport Country Playhouse artistic director, has helmed Playhouse productions of “Twelfth Night, or What You Will”; “Lips Together, Teeth Apart”; “Happy Days”; “She Loves Me”; “The Breath of Life”; “That Championship Season”; and “Of Mice and Men.” His extensive New York credits include “Our Country’s Good,” for which he received a Tony Award nomination. A former artistic director at Hartford Stage, he received the 1989 Tony Award for the theater’s body of work.

The performance schedule is Tuesday at 8 p.m., Wednesday at 2 and 8 p.m., Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 3 and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. Special series feature A Taste of Tuesday, Previews, LGBT Night Out, Opening Night, Thursday TalkBack, Sunday Symposium and Backstage Pass. In addition, the Playhouse will offer an open captioned performance on Sunday, May 13, 3 p.m., for the hearing impaired.

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 http://www.westportplayhouse.org.

About the Playhouse

Westport Country Playhouse is a nationally recognized, not-for-profit, professional theater under the artistic direction of Mark Lamos and management leadership of Michael Ross. The Playhouse creates five live theater experiences, produced at the highest level, from April through November. Its vital mix of works—dramatic, comedic, occasionally exploratory and unusual—expands the audience’s sense of what theater can be. The depth and scope of its productions display the foremost theatrical literature from the past—recent as well as distant—in addition to musicals and premieres of new plays. During the summer, the Playhouse is home to the Woodward Internship Program, renowned for the training of aspiring theater professionals. Winter at the Playhouse, from November through March, offers events outside of the main season—Family Festivities presentations, Script in Hand play readings and a Holiday Festival. In addition, businesses and organizations are encouraged to rent the handsome facility for their meetings, receptions and fundraisers.

As an historic venue, Westport Country Playhouse has had many different lives leading up to the present. Originally built in 1835 as a tannery manufacturing hatters’ leathers, it became a steam-powered cider mill in 1880, later to be abandoned in the 1920s. Splendidly transformed into a theater in 1931, it initially served as a try-out house for Broadway transfers, evolving into an established stop on the New England straw hat circuit of summer stock theaters through the end of the 20th century. Following a multi-million dollar renovation completed in 2005, the Playhouse became a state-of-the-art producing theater, preserving its original charm and character.

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Quassy Amusement Park Opens April 28, 2012!

New Tea Cup Ride at Quassy

Quassy Amusement Park is putting a new spin on family fun when the lakeside facility opens on April 28. A tea cup ride from Italian manufacturer Zamperla will be introduced at Quassy for the park’s 104th year. The ride features six family-sized cups with individually controlled spinning action all revolving on a rotating platform. The end result will be an interactive, fun experience for all age groups. The new ride will be located adjacent to Quassy’s Carousel Court and ice cream parlor.

Quassy will feature its traditional $35 carload weekend special April 28 and 29. The price includes all-day ride wristbands from noon to 6 p.m. for up to 10 persons in a vehicle. The parking fee is included. The carload special continues the weekend of May 5 and 6.

The annual Egg Hunt for Prizes returns to Quassy at 3 p.m., Sunday, April 29. Youngsters are split up into age groups to hunt for candy and eggs in the great lawn area of the park. Toddlers participate in a goody bag version held at the Carousel Theatre stage.

Quassy will also kick off its annual “Ready To Read” program the first two weekends with meet and greet sessions by young reader favorites “Biscuit” and “Clifford” The Big Red Dog. “Biscuit,” courtesy of Harper Collins Publishers, will be on hand at 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. April 28 and 29. “Clifford,” courtesy of Scholastic Books, has the same schedule on May 5 and 6.

Coastermania

In 2011 Quassy Amusement Park introduced its new marquee attraction, the “Wooden Warrior” roller coaster. Since opening in April of last year the ride has received worldwide acclaim from roller coaster and theme park enthusiasts alike.

Earlier this year, the “Wooden Warrior” was named Attraction of the Year (2011) in a ballot by Behind the Thrills, a theme park enthusiasts’ Web site. The coaster was also voted “Third Best New Ride” worldwide in the 2011 Golden Ticket awards, presented by industry publication Amusement Today.

The 1,250-foot ride was designed by The Gravity Group of Cincinnati, Ohio, and is the first “junior coaster” in the firm’s portfolio. In addition, Quassy selected The Gravity Group’s sister firm, Gravitykraft, to provide its state-of-the-art Timberliner train for the ride. The “Wooden Warrior” is the first new coaster in the United States to feature the sleek train.

Rides And More

Quassy Amusement Park features more than two-dozen rides and attractions including the popular “Saturation Station” interactive waterpark. “Saturation Station” has more than 30 ways to get drenched with water cannons, cascading fountains and a huge dumping bucket. The modular water play area is also home to the gigantic “Tunnel Twister” waterslides. “Saturation Station” and Quassy Beach will both open for the 2012 season on Saturday, May 26.

In addition, popular rides in the park include the “Music Fest,” “Free Fall ‘N” drop tower, “Paratrooper,” “Family Fun Slide” and “Grand Carousel.” Two Kiddyland areas cater to the tots with a variety of children’s rides.

In the heart of the park is the “Carousel Theatre” stage with daily entertainment during the height of the season. Popular events at the stage include dance and karate days, an annual school music festival and a regional Irish dance competition.

Quassy also has a huge redemption arcade, restaurant, games, paddle boat rentals and excursions on Lake Quassapaug aboard the Quassy Queen.

A Classic Band Organ at Quassy


Educational Programs

More than a dozen educational programs are underwritten and presented by the park each year. Students can explore the workings of the amusement rides with the “Fun With Physics” booklet, accredited by the American Association of Physics Teachers. It contains more than two-dozen pages of activities that can be completed during a visit to Quassy.

Behind-the-scenes tours, photography workshops, Art In The Park and roller coaster model competitions are among the other educational offerings.

Quassy is also the location of choice for birthday parties, catered company outings, family reunions, church picnics, sports team and league banquets and team building events. Catered group outings are held in the privacy of the park’s pavilions or patio area overlooking the lake.

Specials With Families In Mind

Being family-affordable has always been a goal of the locally-owned park. All-day ride and “Saturation Station” passes are $19.50 for those under 45 inches tall and $23.50 for 45 inches and taller. Individual ride tickets are also available.

The best value at Quassy is a family of four season pass for only $235. Included are the rides, “Saturation Station,” Quassy Beach and free parking ($6) with each visit. Individual season passes are $75 each. Quassy season pass holders are also entitled to a number of “season pass perks” during the summer.

Friday evenings starting May 25 feature 50-cent rides, hot dogs and small soft drinks. “50-Cent Fabulous Fridays” will continue through Aug. 31.

The $35 Saturday night carload special starts May 26 and continues through Sept. 1. For only $35 up to 10 persons in a vehicle receive an evening (after 5 p.m.) wristband, parking included.

For more information about Quassy Amusement Park visit www.quassy.com or call 1-800-FOR-PARK.

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Earth Day Celebrations Provide Plenty of Family Fun!

Party for the Planet Beardsley Zoo

Earth Day, originating in 1970 has continued to grow and evolve throughout the United States. This movement lead to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Clean Air, Clean Water and Endangered Species Act. Today, Earth Day is an important focal point for people world-wide to demonstrate their commitment to the environment. In Connecticut there are many Earth Day events to choose from.

Celebrate Earth Day on Sunday, April 22 with a visit to Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens and view their beautiful grounds and listen to some incredible jazz from 2PM to 4 PM. This concert will feature a performance by four renowned Jazz performers; guitarist Gene Bertoncini and special guests drummer Joe Corsella; violinist Sara Caswell and bassist Michael Moore. Tickets are $25 for members and $30 for non-members; space is limited. Call 203-322-6971 or visit www.bartlettarboretum.org.

The Sharon Audubon Center on 325 Cornwall Bridge Rd. in Sharon CT is hosting a free session at 2:00 PM on Rain Gardens and why every drop of water counts. Participants will learn why you should plant a rain garden and how one can help your property and the environment. To register for this event, or for more information call 860-364-0520 or visit www.sharon.audubon.org.

The Darien Nature Center located on 120 Brookside Rd. will celebrate Earth Day with the Opening Reception of Earthworks, a collaborative exhibit by area artists Heidi Lewis Coleman, Lucy Krupenye and Nancy Woodward and curated by Ann Hart. The reception will be held on Earth Day, Sunday, April 22 from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. and will be on view through June 8th in the Nature Center’s Wetherstone Gallery. In this stunning exhibit inspired by nature, each artist pays homage to the beauty of the current, the remnants of the past and the wonder of the unknown future. The assembled works are a celebration of nature’s simplicities and complexities. For more information call 203-655-7459 or visit www.dariennaturecenter.org.

At the Institute for American Indian Studies on 38 Curtis Rd. in Washington, visitors are invited to celebrate Earth Day with Atka, a live artic gray wolf at 1PM. Atka is being welcomed back from the Wolf Conservation Center of South Salem, N.Y. and is their oldest and most traveled ambassador wolf. The center staff will share facts, history and dispel many misconceptions about wolves and our role in protecting the future of wolves. There is limited seating so reserve and pay in advance. The fee is $10 for adults and $6 for kids. For information, call 860-868-0518 or visit www.iaismuseum.org.

Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo located on 1875 Noble Ave in Bridgeport is celebrating Earth Day by throwing a Party for the Planet! As part of the 42nd anniversary of Earth Day, the Zoo is offering environmental education activities, amazing animal encounters, and fun for the whole family. This conservation themed bash will take place on Saturday, April 21 and Sunday, April 22 from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm and will shine a light on initiatives that make our planet a more sustainable place to live. This event is FREE with paid admission to the Zoo. For more information visit www.beardsleyzoo.org.

Stepping Stones Museum for Children on 303 West Ave. in Norwalk, is celebrating Earth Day on Sunday, April 22, with drop-in activities in the Community Garden 10 am – 1 pm. Go on a nature scavenger hunt, experiment with tools to measure weather, paint en plein air and plant seeds to take home and watch grow. At 11 am the museum presents The Attainable Sustainable Energy Show, a wacky, action-packed live science show that will inspire excitement in renewable energy. Free with $15 museum admission. For more information, call (203) 899-0606 or visit www.steppingstonesmuseum.org.

Celebrate Earth Day on the front lines of global warming at The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, as new IMAX® movie “To the Arctic” takes you to one of the most hostile, and beautiful, places on earth. Opens Friday, April 20th on the Aquarium’s six-story-tall screen. Follow a mother polar bear and her twin baby cubs as they struggle to survive, coping with diminishing pack ice and changes in seasons. Also includes amazing footage of walruses and migrating caribou. A MacGillivray Freeman film by Academy Award Nominee Greg MacGillivray. Narrated by Meryl Streep with songs by Paul McCartney. Shows daily at 11 am and 1, 3 & 5 pm. Tickets are $9 adults, $6.50 child. Call 203-852-0700 or visit www.MaritimeAquarium.org for more.

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20 Years of Chamber Music At Keeler Tavern Museum April 22 and May 20

Keeler Tavern A Colonial Gem

The Mid-Hudson Saxophone Quarter will perform in the Garden House of the Keeler Tavern Museum located on 132 Main Street in Ridgefield Connecticut on Sunday, April 22 at 3:00 PM. This is the first of two spring concerts scheduled as part of the Louise McKeon Chamber Music Concert Series held at the Museum for over 20 years.

The saxophone musicians are Steven Kieley, soprano and alto, Deborah Tice, soprano and alto, Daniel Teare, tenor, and Charles W. Gray, baritone. They will perform a variety of musical selections suited to this special instrument. All are performing or teaching in the Hudson Valley area schools and colleges and perform at a variety of conventions and with groups in the Hudson Valley and other areas along the Eastern Seaboard.

Admission at the door is $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and students, and $10 for children under 12. All guests are invited to meet with the musicians after the concert and enjoy light refreshments.

The final concert of the season will take place Sunday, May 20th with members of the Western Connecticut Youth Orchestras performing in the Garden House at 3 PM For further information call 203-438-5484 or visit www.keelertavernmuseum.org.

About Keeler Tavern

The Keeler Tavern Preservation Society, Inc. founded the Keeler Tavern Museum in 1966 as a living museum of colonial history within the town of Ridgefield, Connecticut.

It is the Society’s mission to preserve and protect the Keeler Tavern, a site listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1982, that embodies the life of the community from the early 19th century through the mid 20th century.

The Society is committed to promoting Ridgefield’s history and heritage by providing educational and cultural programs that interpret the past for present and future generations.

The history of the Tavern and the Town of Ridgefield is reflected in the stories of the families who lived here. The archives of the Museum include extensive documentation and records from the Keeler, Resseguie and Gilbert families.

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Kent Singers Concert Celebrates Spring

Kent Singers

The Kent Singers return for the Spring Concert of the 39th season on April 15, 2012, at St. Andrew’s Church in Kent, and on April 22 at St. Mark’s Bridgewater. Both concerts are scheduled for 3 p.m.

The highly acclaimed group features singers from throughout Northwest Connecticut performing mostly four-part classical compositions. They have built a reputation for presenting some of the finest choral music. They are all volunteers, including Music Director, Mark Brooks.

The April 2012 concert features a mixed theme of Easter, Love and new life in Spring. Johann Sebastian Bach’s Motet 3, “Jesu, meine Freude” (Jesu, my great pleasure), sung in English, reflects the Easter theme. Bach wrote six motets and this one, Motet 3, is unique amongst all the others as it is a “Chorale” motet, using popular hymns of his day with texts from the Eighth Chapter of St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans. Bach’s musical genius rested on a theological foundation and he has been referred to as “The Fifth Evangelist.”

The remainder of the program will be songs of new life, spring and love featuring great poets John Donne, Ronsard, Octavio Paz, Joseph Machlis, George Herbert, Robert Bridges and James Agee, with music by Dominick Argento, David Dickau, Hans Hassler, Orlando diLasso, Eric Whitacre, Williametta Spencer, Norman Dello Joio, William Bolcom and Samuel Barber.

The Kent Singers have performed in Kent, New Preston, Bridgewater, Sharon, Sherman, Washington and New Haven. They have expanded from a single concert in the fall and spring to five concerts per year.

The next performance will be the Faure Requiem with the Sherman Ensemble on June 10 at the Kent School Chapel in Kent, Conn.

Tickets for the April concerts are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and young adults, and children under 12, free. For more information call 860-619-8110, email info@kentsingers.org, or visit www.kentsingers.org.

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STEPPING STONES MUSEUM FOR CHILDREN CELEBRATES IRELAND APRIL 14-20

Irish Folk Group to Perform at Stepping Stones Museum for Children

Stepping Stones Museum for Children will treat visitors to a taste of Ireland with a performance by the Tigh Na Coille Irish Youth Folklore Troupe from County Clare, Ireland, on Saturday, April 14.

The following week, the museum will also offer crafts, storytelling and other activities inspired by the Emerald Isle. Made up of twelve young musicians and dancers from the heart of Ireland, the Tigh Na Coille Irish Youth Folklore Troupe brings traditional Irish music and dance to the museum. Award-winning master fiddler Denis Liddy will join the Troupe for this special Around the World performance at 2 p.m. in the museum’s multimedia gallery. Members of the Troupe will also lead an interactive workshop at 1 p.m.

Visitors are invited to meet, dance and sing with these talented young performers. The Troupe will demonstrate traditional Irish instruments and teach participants a bit of Gaelic.

The museum continues its celebration of Irish history and culture April 16-20 with a different activity each day, such as making a Celtic pendant and a replica harp. Activities will occur at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily.

The performance, workshop and vacation week activities are all free with museum admission.

Vacation Week Schedule:

Saturday, April 14, The Tigh Na Coille Irish Youth Folklore Troupe will lead an interactive workshop at 1 p.m., followed by a musical performance at 2 p.m.

Monday, April 16, Listen to an original fairy tale about a clever young lady who triumphs over a greedy leprechaun king in Teresa Bateman’s story Fiona’s Luck. 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Tuesday, April 17, Make a Celtic pendant and learn about the symbols that have survived from the Iron Age. 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Wednesday, April 18, The harp is among the chief symbols of Ireland and was played as long ago as the 10th century. Listen to traditional Celtic folk music and create a replica harp. 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Thursday, April 19, Ireland is famous for its medieval castles scattered across the green countryside. Explore their history and create a castle to take home. 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Friday, April 20, Discover the work of Irish stained glass artist Harry Clarke (1889-1931) and create a replica stained glass window. 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.

About Stepping Stones Museum For Children

Stepping Stones Museum for Children in Norwalk, Conn., is an award-winning, private, non-profit 501(c)(3) children’s museum committed to broadening and enriching the lives of children and families. Located on five acres in Mathews Park, the recently expanded LEED Gold certified museum encompasses five hands-on galleries, state-of-the-art Multimedia Gallery, Family and Teacher Resource Center, café and retail store.

Stepping Stones also offers onsite educational events and workshops, school and group programs and traveling resources for schools, libraries and youth-serving organizations. Stepping Stones is located at 303 West Avenue, exit 14N or 15S off I-95 in Norwalk. Museum hours are Monday – Sunday, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. Admission is $15 for adults and children. Children under 1 are free. To learn more, call 203-899-0606 or visit http://www.steppingstonesmuseum.org.

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