Category: News

Bravo! A Century of Theatre in Fairfield County at the Fairfield Museum and History Center


Photo Caption: Katharine Hepburn as Portia in Merchant of Venice American Shakespeare Festival Theatre, Stratford. Photo Credit: Friedman-Abeles Courtesy, ASFTA Archives

When the curtain rises on Bravo! A Century of Theatre in Fairfield County, Fairfield Museum and History Center expects the crowds to be standing room only!

The six-month exhibition will begin with a special gala fundraising preview that will honor actor Christopher Plummer; playwright A.J. Gurney; director Mark Lamos; and costume designer Jane Greenwood on Saturday, September 24th at the Museum.

The honorary event chair is distinguished actor Joanne Woodward and the gala event chairs are Mary Jane Berrien, Lisa Callahan and Caroline Owens Crawford, all of Fairfield.

According to Director of Exhibitions and Programs for the Museum, Kathleen Bennewitz, Bravo! opens to the public on Sunday, September 25th and will run through Sunday, March 18th, 2012. “It will be the largest, first-of-a-kind exhibition the Museum has undertaken and will focus on the legacy of Fairfield County’s regional theatres, highlighting the Westport Country Playhouse, the White Barn Theatre and the American Shakespeare Festival Theatre and Academy,” she said.

Photo Caption: From left…Actors Maggie Lacey, Paul Newman and Ben Fox in the 2002 Westport Country Playhouse production of Our Town.

The Fairfield Museum and History Center is working in partnership with Martha S. LoMonaco, PhD, Professor of Visual and Performing Arts at Fairfield University, who is guest curating this exhibition. The Fairfield Museum has chosen this topic because Fairfield County holds a unique place in the history of American theatre and is rich with vibrant stories. “One of Connecticut’s important roles in the performing arts has been as an ‘incubator’ of emerging talent, providing a place where playwrights, actors and designers have had the freedom to experiment with groundbreaking ideas,” Bennewitz noted. “Over the past century, regional theatres have provided opportunities for internationally known artists to ‘try out’ their craft on a regional stage to allow audiences to experience the best in classical, popular and innovative dramatic art in a different setting outside New York. “Collectively, the productions have comprised a who’s who of stage artists like Katharine Hepburn, Alfred Drake, Morris Carnovsky, Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Christopher Plummer, James Earl Jones, June Havoc, Robert Ryan and Bert Lahr, to mention only a few.

Bravo! will offer visitors a unique opportunity to hear the fascinating stories behind those actors and some of their landmark performances,” Bennewitz added. Bennewitz explained that interactive stations will provide a window to “behind the scenes” stage production and a colorful array of costumes, props, photographs and manuscripts will combine to illustrate Fairfield County’s theatrical history.

Photo Caption: The internationally famous and glamorous producer, Lucille Lortel, popularly known as the “Queen of Off-Broadway”, opened the White Barn Theatre in 1947 on her Westport estate in a former horse barn.

The Museum will also offer a slate of public education programs, related to Bravo!, where visitors may participate in activities, presentations and performances at the Museum and at partnering institutions. These programs will provide the experience of live theatre while inspiring the artists and audiences of tomorrow.”Another of the very exciting aspects of Bravo! is the partnerships we have established with more than 60 performing arts organizations throughout Fairfield County that will co-promote the exhibition and its related educational programs and performances,” Bennewitz said. “These partnerships will help make the exhibition and their own performances appealing.”

For more information on Bravo! A Century of Theatre in Fairfield County, its programs and the opening gala, visit http://www.fairfieldhistory.org or call 203-259-1598.

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6th Annual Watertown CT House Tour Saturday September 24th

The 6th Annual Watertown House Tour will take place on Saturday September 24th from 11am to 3pm, rain or shine. Five fabulous homes will be featured in this year’s tour including The Hickcox House at 235 Main Street, The Woodward House at 126 North Street, The Long House at 241 Woodbury Road, The Guernsey Davis House at 141 Merriam Lane, and Trillium at 2579 Litchfield Road. The Watertown Historical Society Museum and the Nova Scotia Schoolhouse at 22 DeForest Street will also be open for viewing.

The Watertown House Tour is a benefit for the Watertown Historical Society Museum. The Watertown Historical Society is a private, nonprofit, all volunteer organization dedicated to collecting, preserving, and sharing Watertown and Oakville’s history through the Museum.

Advance tickets are $25 per person, and will be $30 the day of the tour. Tickets for this self-guided house tour are non-refundable & can be purchased by mailing a check or money order to: Watertown House Tour, c/o 107 Vaill Road, Watertown, CT 06795.Checks should be made payable to the “Watertown Historical Society”. Tickets can also be purchased online with a credit card at: http://www.watertownhistoricalsociety.org

All tickets and maps will be mailed to those that purchase advance tickets, starting at the beginning of September. Advance orders must be received no later than Friday September 16th. Requests for tickets after this date will be held for pick-up on the day of the tour at the Museum.

Tickets will soon be available at the beginning of September at the following retail locations: LaBonne’s Market in Watertown, Chubba’s, the Health Complex, The Watertown and Oakville Libraries, Hosking’s Nursery, Depot Square Farm Shoppe, Jimmy’s of Watertown and at the Watertown Fall Festival.

On the day of the tour tickets will be available at all of the businesses, all of the houses and at the Museum, which will be tour headquarters. Call the Museum at 860-274-1050 or view http://www.watertownhistoricalsociety.org for more information.

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The Taste of Greater Danbury Connecticut Sept. 10-11

Danbury has always been a place about community and nowhere can the community celebrate with all its citizens, friends and visitors better than downtown. Nothing proves this more than the long awaited popular Taste of Danbury that begins on Saturday, September 10 and ends on Sunday, September 11. In it’s 11th year, the Taste of Danbury promises more food, more fun for the entire family and more music than ever before! This is an event that is not to be missed.

On Saturday, September 10th, the Taste is kicked off with the Regional Y Kid’s Run at 10 am. That is followed by the 3rd Annual Run for Children at 10:30; the Regional Y Awards will be at 12:30 PM. The Official Opening Ceremony and the Walk of Honor takes place from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM. From 1:30 to 2:30 participants will enjoy the YMCA Family Zumba. At 2:45 PM – 3:30 PM Taste goers will enjoy Sherry Winston and at 3:45 PM – 5:00 PM the Quadrasaurus take over. At 5:30, Kicks 105.5 Country Showdown Winner, Bobby Kendall will perform. He is followed by Pete Herger and Friends from 6:45 PM – 7:30 PM. From 8:00 PM to 10 PM taking front and center stage is Bad Company’s former lead singer Brian Howe, the Taste’s premier act.

On Sunday, September 11th the day begins at 11:00 AM with the News Times Community Parade on Rose Street to Boughton Street. The Parade is followed by DJ music from noon until 12:45. Afternoon entertainment includes: Golden Angels Jazz Band from 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM; Bad Company’s Former Lead Singer Brian Howe from 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM; Tracey DeLucia and Band from 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM; and In Harmony from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM.

The Taste of course is not all about music and entertainment – it is also about Food! This year’s variety of foods include: ceviche, hornados, empanadas, patacones, bubble milk tea, thai fried rice, pad thai, spring rolls, lobster rolls, philly cheese steak sliders, New England clam chowder, cubano sandwiches, bbq chicken, tostones, sausage and peppers, rice balls, stuffed breads, pretzels, pizza, ziti, stuffed eggplant, fried dough, pork and beef shish kebabs, ice cream, hamburger, hotdogs, fajitas, kielbasa, bratwurst, paninis, baked goods, cookies, cotton candy, Italian ice, and specialty sodas

Participating area restaurants include: El Sabor, Thai Awesome, The Blue Dog, Teddy’s at the Holiday Inn, Primo’s Deli, Roma’s Deli, Nick’s Restaurant, Romy’s BBQ, Sprinkles Ice Cream, Two Steps Downtown Grille, Fajita Joes, Curro’s, Mysore, Weenie Lynn’s, Bruegger’s Bagels, Stony Hill Bakery, and O’Delli’s Catering.

For up to the minute information check out http://www.citycenterdanbury.com.

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Silo Cooking School Introduces “Second Thursdays: Literary Lunches” A Culinary Book Club Sept. 8, Oct. 13 & Nov. 10


What could be better than this new series at The Silo Cooking School that joins two passions – reading and eating?

Cooking School Director Chef Mary Kravec and Book Maven Lauren Daniels combine a book discussion with a hands-on cooking class and lunch on the second Thursday of the month, beginning September 8. Lauren, a long-time Silo Cooking School volunteer, is a short story author and humor guest columnist for local newspapers, and the former manager of Walden Books and Borders in Southbury.

Recipes for Romance!

Thursday, September 8, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Book Discussion: Lunch in Paris by Elizabeth Bard.

Menu: Wild Mushroom Turnovers, Goat Cheese Salad with Figs, Fruit Yogurt Cake.

A Menu for Magic

Thursday, October 13, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Book Discussion: Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen.

Menu: Apple Fennel Salad, Calendula Biscuits, Herbed Swiss Chard Souffles, Mini Pound Cakes with Blueberry Lavender Syrup.

The Power of Food and Companionship

Thursday, November 10, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Book Discussion: The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister. Menu: Sherry-Soaked Cranberry-Stuffed Pancetta-Wrapped Turkey Scalloppines, Butternut Squash Risotto, Carl’s White Cake.

$30 per session. Registration required.

Programs are held at Hunt Hill Farm, 44 Upland Road, New Miford, CT. For more information and to register visit http://www.hunthillfarmtrust.org, or call (860) 355-0300. Registration is also available at The Silo during regular business hours. The Silo Gallery and store are open Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

Drawing on the creative legacy of Skitch and Ruth Henderson, the Henderson Cultural Center at Hunt Hill Farm, a Smithsonian Institution affiliate, is a vibrant and unique regional resource, offering the public opportunities to explore music, art, cuisine, and permanently protected historic open space.

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16th Annual Colonial Fair at Woodbury CT’s Glebe House Sept. 18

Woodbury, whose name means a dwelling place in the woods was settled by 17 colonists in 1659 making it one of Connecticut’s oldest western inland towns. In 1673, Woodbury was purchased from Chief Pomperaug of the Pootatuck Indians. The present day Main Street (Rte. 6) was laid out in the 1670’s along an old Indian trail where Chief Pomperaug is buried.

Woodbury was always a prosperous town. By the end of the 18th century, it was a thriving center of agricultural trade. In the early 19th century, industrial growth led to a building boom and many of the houses and four of the five churches along Rte. 6 date from this period.

One of Woodbury’s architectural gems is The Glebe House Museum & Gertrude Jekyll Garden dating from the 1740’s. The Glebe House became a minister’s farm or glebe for Woodbury’s first Episcopal minister, John Rutgers Marshall. Only weeks after American Independence was secure, a group of clergy met secretly at the Glebe House, to elect the Reverend Dr. Samuel Seabury as the first Bishop in the new nation, a decision that assumed the separation of church and state, and religious tolerance in the new nation. This event established the Glebe House as the birthplace of the Episcopal Church in America.

On September 18th the Glebe House is gearing up for its 16th annual Colonial Fair & Muster Day in the Hollow on Sunday, September 18 from 1:00-5:00.

The Pisgah Mountain Primitives will return to demonstrate blacksmithing, rope making and colonial cooking. Other colonial craft demonstrations will include spinning, quilting, wood working and basket making.

Children will have the chance to make candles, practice quill writing and churn butter. Colonial stories will be told by professional storyteller Joyce Marie Rayno and Sandi Eustace from Double D Pony will hitch up Dixie and Diego to their cart for pony rides.

The museum has special tours planned along with food, music and much more colonial era fun for the entire family. The Fair is free for children under 18 and $5 for adults.

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34th Norwalk Seaport Association Oyster Festival Set for September 9-11

Fun for families and friends from nine to ninety, the 34th annual Norwalk Seaport Association Oyster Festival will be held this year from Friday, September 9 through Sunday, September 11.

Highlights include music from nationally known-bands such as Soul Asylum, Fuel, Silverado, Springsteen cover band, The Rising, as well as rides, cooking competitions, arts and crafts and a diverse assortment of attractions and entertainment that promise fun for festival goers.

The event is held at Veteran’s Park, adjacent to Norwalk Harbor on Seaview Avenue in Norwalk, CT. Admission for adults is $10 on Friday, $12 on Saturday and Sunday. Senior tickets are $10 all days. Children 5-12 year’s old are $3. Children under 5 and U.S. military personnel on active duty are free. Tickets can be purchased at http://www.seaport.org.

For the Kids
Children of all ages are wowed by Pirates Coast Adventure. Here, kids can meet real life pirates and look for booty in treasure hunts, hear storytelling and join in other fun-filled activities. The Kids’ Cove includes games, rides and entertainment. Another favorite activity is the work of a world-renowned sand sculptor that exhibit his talents with help from the kids! In addition, there will be an action-packed performance by Marvel Super Heroes. Sunday is Family Day with special family and children’s packages for entrance, rides and meals.

For the Whole Family
The festival offers a wide array of attractions the whole family will enjoy, including continuous entertainment by local musicians and national acts. The Go Greener Pavilion features hands-on demonstrations and displays with an environmental theme. Action sports and high energy combine in BMX and Motorcross Stunt Shows sponsored by f’real. A multitude of fine artists and crafters display whimsical as well as practical items that appeal to all tastes, budgets and ages.

For the Foodies
The BBQ Pit, endorsed by the New England Barbeque Society and the Kansas City Barbeque Society, offers finger-lickin’ good food, demonstrations and competitions, including the always-popular chowd
er and chili cook-offs. More great food from around the world is available at the International Food Court. This culinary fare is prepared by dozens of local nonprofit organizations allowing them to raise vital funds for their charitable causes. At the Oyster Pavilion, learn about Norwalk’s oystering history while watching slurping and shucking contests.

About the Norwalk Seaport Association
The Norwalk Seaport Association was founded in 1978 as a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation, education and public awareness of Norwalk’s maritime environment and heritage. The Seaport Association and its volunteers are solely responsible for organizing and financing the Oyster Festival. In addition to the Oyster Festival, the Norwalk Seaport Association owns Sheffield Lighthouse and its volunteers maintain the lighthouse and grounds as a museum and nature preserve. For more information, visit http://www.seaport.org. or call (203) 838-9444.

Area Information:
For further information on Fairfield County and other area activities visit http://www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com or call 800-6631 for a free Fairfield County brochure.

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