Connecticut Travel

The Housatonic Museum of Art is exhibiting the work of David Hayes: Modern Master of American Abstraction in celebration of this important Connecticut sculptor whose career spanned six decades.

David Hayes continued to paint, sculpt and exhibit until his death on April 9, 2013. The drawings and maquettes on view here are studies for his monumental sculptures and include the biomorphic and geometric forms that comprise his signature style. The exhibit will be on view through February 8, 2015.

Born in Hartford, he maintained a home and studio in Coventry, CT where dozens of his sculptures are situated throughout fifty-plus acres of bucolic farm and woodlands. The influence of his mentor David Smith and his friend Alexander Calder are visible in the playful welded steel polychrome works on display in the gallery. Hayes drew his inspiration from nature, translating delicate foliage into lyrical, brightly painted industrial strength sculptures.

David Hayes (1931-2013) earned his MFA from Indiana University where, as noted above, he studied with internationally renowned Abstract Expressionist sculptor David Smith. He was the recipient of a Fulbright Award and a Guggenheim Fellowship. His works are included in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim, the Brooklyn Museum, Everson Museum, Carnegie Institute and Fitchburg Museum, Detroit Institute of the Arts, and the Wadsworth Atheneum as well as numerous corporate and private collections.

About Housatonic Museum of Art:

The Housatonic Museum of Art (HMA) is home to one of the premier college art collections in the United States. Its collection offers students and the community alike the opportunity to view works that span the history of art from the ancient to the contemporary. Unique to the Housatonic Community College campus, this permanent collection is on continuous display throughout the 300,000 square foot facility, offering a rare opportunity for both art enthusiasts and casual observers to view and interact with the art on a daily basis. The Museum, founded by Burt Chernow, Professor Emeritus (1933-1997), is dedicated to the presentation, preservation and interpretation of objects of artistic or historic value. The collection provides a basis for exhibitions and educational programs for faculty, students and the public; for research and study by scholars, historians and curators, for special lectures and symposia, and for cultural and educational enrichment of the academic community and public-at-large. Under the direction of Robbin Zella, the Museum also presents lectures, programs and changing exhibitions in the Burt Chernow Galleries, and continues to be recognized as a major cultural resource for the Greater Bridgeport area and the region.

Ring in the New Year with an old-fashioned World War One themed Tea Party at the Gunn Museum on Saturday, January 3, 2015 from 1-3pm. Servers and docents will be attired in a variety of period outfits and character actors will portray actual Washington residents from WWI. Visitors will have the opportunity to view the exhibit, Over There: Washington and the Great War, and socialize with friends. Guests are asked to bring their favorite tea cup, we’ll provide the rest. The party is free and open to the public, but registration is requested as space is limited; please call the Museum at 860-868-7756 to register.

The exhibit commemorates the 100th anniversary of World War One. Over 100 men and women from Washington, and more than 150 alumni and faculty from The Gunnery served in the Great War. Letters, pictures, and an interesting array of period artifacts from the museum, local families, and collectors are used to explore the dramatic experiences of Washington’s soldiers, along with the extensive support efforts that were happening on the home front in Washington through such organizations as the Sister Susie Society, the Red Cross, the Women’s Land Army, and the Home Guard.

The snow date is Sunday, January 4. The exhibit will be on display until Sunday, January 18. The exhibit and associated programs are supported in part by a grant from the Connecticut Community Foundation. The Gunn Museum is located at 5 Wykeham Road, the intersection of Wykeham Road and Route 47, in Washington, CT. View www.gunnlibrary.org for more information.

For winter fun information www.litchfieldhills.com

Stamford’s Palace Theatre 2015 season, features artists from all genres. The winter- spring season serves up an exceptional lineup of comedy, music, children’s programming and holiday shows, suitable for patrons of all ages.

This season’s selection includes superstars such as Jay Leno, beloved favorites such as Bill Cosby and Mannheim Steamroller, fresh-faced kids’ shows such as “Sid the Science Kid” and “Dinosaur Train Live!” and shows the entire family can enjoy such asAmy Grant and “Haunted Illusions.”

The Palace has an incredibly rich history of world-class artists performing at The Palace and this year they are continuing to expand their programing with new series like ‘Laughtrax,’ which will bring the best up-and-coming comedians from across the country, presented in the cozy, club-like UpStage space for an up-close-and-personal audience experience.
To buy tickets, visit http://PalaceStamford.org or call the box office at 203-325-4466. See PalaceStamford.org for a full list of upcoming events.

Below is a round up of shows from January – May, 2015.

Comedy on the HARMAN Stage

Nobodies of Comedy Saturday, March 21, 2015 – 8 p.m.; tickets: $40, $30, $25 The funniest comics you’ve never heard of! Hand-picked as the nation’s best up-and-coming comedians, they’re about to hit the big time – say you saw them at The Palace first!

Jay Leno – The Palace Theatre’s Annual Gala Saturday, May 2, 2015 – 8p.m.; tickets: $165, $125, $75, $65; Gala tickets: TBD On sale to members Jan. 15, 2015; to the General Public Jan. 22, 2015 After a triumphant run on The Tonight Show, where do you go? The Palace! Master comedian Jay Leno will make history on our stage at our annual Gala!

Bill Cosby Saturday June 20, 2015 – 8 p.m.; tickets: $85, $70, $60, $45 Beloved by all of America – from tweens to seniors – Bill Cosby delights with his signature storytelling and comic observations that have had us laughing for decades.

Laughtrax – UpStage @ The Palace

Bring a date and the whole gang to our cozy, relaxed UpStage space; get a table, have a drink and laugh out loud!

David Pendleton Friday, Jan. 23, 2015 – 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.; tickets: $25 Ventriloquist David Pendleton’s flawless technique makes you believe anything can talk, and his razor-sharp comedy brings you right into the act!

NYC Comedy Night Thursday, Feb. 19, 2015 – 8 p.m.; tickets: $15.50 Current, hip, and straight from the city’s smartest clubs! You’re on the cutting edge of comedy with these about-to-break-out stand-ups.

Music on the HARMAN Stage

The Hit Men Featuring the former stars of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons! Friday, May 15, 2015 – 8 p.m.; tickets: $55, 35, $25 Oh What a Night it will be! The glory days of rock & roll will have you on your feet when these former members of mega-star acts share fascinating stories from their days on the road and perform your favorite songs!

Songbook Cabaret Series – UpStage @ The Palace

Tony DeSare Friday, March 6, 2015 – 8 p.m.; tickets: $65, $55 A “Rising Star” Male Vocalist and the talk of the cabaret world in New York, Tony DeSare brings his fresh take on old-school style to the intimate UpStage club-like venue at The Palace. A crooner for the new century!

Cyrille Aimée Friday, April 10, 2015 – 8 p.m.; tickets: $65, $55 Thrill to the glorious voice of Cyrille Aimée, an unforgettable artist whose musical outlook is reflected in her love of the guitar, an instrument that displays the diverse influences on her music.

Family on the HARMAN Stage

Sid the Science Kid Friday, Feb. 6, 2015 – 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.; tickets: $35, $25, $15 Join Sid and his friends from the hit PBS KIDS television series as they explore interactive moments with the audience that will bring out the curious scientist in your kid.
Dinosaur Train Live! Buddy’s Big Adventure Friday, April 24, 2015 – 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.; tickets: $35, $25, $15 Jim Henson’s hit TV show comes to life in this dynamic show that embraces and celebrates the fascination that children have with both dinosaurs and trains, taking them on a grand adventure!

The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley Thursday, May 21, 2015 – 11 p.m.; tickets: $10 The musical stage adaption of Jeff Brown’s beloved children’s book is a fun, Broadway-style musical comedy about the value of being different and the importance of family.

Variety

Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015 – 8 p.m.; tickets: $50, $40 Just in time for Valentine’s Day, this hysterical show will have husbands and wives elbowing each other all evening as they see themselves on stage. Based on the sensational best-seller that started it all!

Get your meerkats “fix” in soon because the popular animals will be going on a five-week hiatus beginning Jan. 5 at The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk.

“Meerkats” will temporarily close – and the exhibit that houses them, “Africa: From the Desert to the Sea,” ends – Jan. 5 to allow the Aquarium to build its next special exhibit, “Dragons: Real or Myth.”

“Meerkats” returns – and “Dragons” premieres – on Fri., Feb. 13.

Open since May 2010, The Maritime Aquarium’s “Meerkats” exhibit features six active, entertaining sibling meerkats – members of the mongoose family native to Africa’s Kalahari Desert. A viewing bubble lets youngsters pop up within the exhibit and get close to the meerkats.

The animals are so popular that the Aquarium installed a “meerkat cam” so their fans can check up remotely on the meerkats’ activities. To prevent anyone from going through complete meerkat withdrawal, the cam will remain active during the hiatus. Tune in at http://www.maritimeaquarium.org and click on “Exhibits & Animals.”

The Aquarium’s new exhibit, “Dragons: Real or Myth,” will demonstrate that there are dragons living among us today. Visitors will encounter such species as: dragon moray eels; the seahorse cousin called the weedy sea dragon; and terrestrial lizards like black dragons, flying dragons, sailfin dragons, bearded dragons, frilled dragons and more. Besides highlighting the unique characteristics of these animals, the exhibit will explore the facts and fiction of mythological dragons and their roles in cultures throughout time.

All special exhibits are free with Maritime Aquarium general admission, which is $19.95 for adults, $17.95 for youths 13-17 & seniors 65+, and $12.95 for children 3-12.

For more information about exhibits, IMAX® movies and programs at the popular Connecticut family attraction, go online to www.maritimeaquarium.org or call (203) 852-0700.

For area information visit www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com