Disney’s Aladdin Jr at The Warner Theater Feb. 25 and 26

Warner Theater

The Warner Theatre Center for Arts Education’s students will present Disney’s Aladdin Jr on Saturday, February 25 at 2 & 7pm and Sunday, February 26 at 2pm.

Welcome to Agrabah, City of Enchantment, where every beggar has a story and every camel has a tail! All of your favorite characters are here in this stage adaptation of the Disney hit, including Aladdin, Jasmine, and of course, the Genie. Filled with magic, mayhem, and flying carpet rides, audiences’ spirits will soar with excitement. Most of all, the tuneful, Academy award-winning score with songs including “A Whole New World” and “Friend Like Me” will certainly make this musical a favorite for many years to come!

This performance is part of the Young Actors Series and will be directed by the Warner Theatre Center for Arts Education’s Director, Isabel Carrington. Tickets are $12.50 and can be purchased by calling the Warner box office at 860-489-7180 or online at www.warnertheatre.org.

About the Warner

Built by Warner Brothers Studios and opened in 1931 as a movie palace (1,772 seats), the Warner Theatre was described then as “Connecticut’s Most Beautiful Theatre.” Damaged extensively in a flood, the Warner was slated for demolition in the early 1980s until the non-profit Northwest Connecticut Association for the Arts (NCAA) was founded and purchased the theatre.

The Warner reopened as a performing arts center in 1983, and restoration of the main lobbies and auditorium was completed in November 2002. In 2008, the new 50,000 square foot Carole and Ray Neag Performing Arts Center, which houses a 300 seat studio theatre, 200 seat restaurant and expansive school for the arts, was completed.

Today, the Warner is in operation year-round with more than 160 performances and 100,000 patrons passing through its doors each season. Over 10,000 students, pre K-adult, participate in arts education programs and classes. Together, with the support of the community, the Warner has raised close to $17 million to revitalize its facilities. NCAA’s mission is to preserve the Warner Theatre as an historic landmark, enhance its reputation as a center of artistic excellence and a focal point of community involvement, and satisfy the diverse cultural needs of the region. To learn more about the Warner Theatre, visit our website: www.warnertheatre.org.

CHOCOLATE DINNER TO BENEFIT AUDUBON CENTER, SATURDAY, MARCH 3, HERITAGE HOTEL SOUTHBURY

New Morning

Let the Bent of the River take you on a Chocolate Holiday! New Morning’s The Provender will transport you to Mexico through Chef Carol Byer-Alcorace’s Mexican Antojito inspired menu. Your palate will take you to the winter destination of the beautiful birds that summer here in Southbury CT and the Bent of the River.

Tickets are now on sale for the annual Chocolate Dinner being held on Saturday, March 3rd at the Heritage Hotel in Southbury, to benefit Southbury’s very own Audubon Center at Bent of the River. Tickets are $85 per person. EARLY BIRD SPECIAL: Tickets only $70 if purchased by February 17th. Visit www.brownpapertickets.com/event/219802 or stop in at New Morning Market on Rte. 6 in Woodbury CT to purchase tickets.

The evening will begin with a ‘Cocktail Hour and a Half’, where guests can mingle, visit the live Birds of Prey exhibit, enjoy creative, Mexican inspired appetizers like Chocolate, Spinach and Cheese Quesadillas and taste wines from local vineyards; White Silo, Walker Road and Hopkins.

During the dinner hour, Laura Volpintesta, originally from Mexico City, and the Sol Shine Band will be performing live suave ensembles. Latin dance demonstrations and lessons are being provided by Fred Astaire Studios.

Here’s a sneak peak at some of the dishes crafted by Chef Carol: Mole Chicken, Coconut and Shrimp Seviche, and Chocolate Chili Cake, just to name a few. Woodbury’s own Winding Drive Jams will also be serving a spicy, sweet chocolate brownie dessert.

Why Audubon & Chocolate? Each year, the menu draws from a locale where cacao is grown. The Audubon’s dedication to the preservation of habitats for birds and wildlife is well known. As the snow flies in New England, so fly the birds- to warmer climate and, to the lands where chocolate originated. Bird migration, habitat protection and community engagement are integral to Audubon’s mission. The Atlantic Flyway Initiative (AFI) is a strategic Audubon initiative that targets bird habitats needing preservation from South America to Canada. The Flyway is the migration route for millions of birds each season.

About The Bent of the River

Bent of the River

The Audubon Center at Bent of the River lies on 660 acres in Southbury, Connecticut, near the historic village of South Britain. It’s an inviting, outdoor sanctuary with 15 miles of walking trails and an environmental education center with inspiring programs. Please come and enjoy yourself, learn more about the important work of the Bent, and discover the value you’ll gain from a relationship with the Bent. www.bentoftheriver.audubon.org

About New Morning Market New Morning Market

Located on Rte. 6 in Woodbury Connecticut, New Morining is a purveyor of natural, organic and eco-friendly foods and wellness products. They also offer nutritional counseling and free classes regularly. The 7,500 square foot retail center is currently located at 738 Main Street South in Middle Quarter Mall. Construction is being completed on a brand new, larger facility which will be located two miles north at 129 Main Street North in Woodbury. The move is scheduled for later this year. More information can be found at www.newmorn.com

About Heritage Hotel

Heritage Hotel

Heritage Hotel Golf, Spa, Conference Center, 522 Heritage Road, Southbury, CT 06488. (I-84 Exit 15). (203) 264-8200, (800) 932-3466. Set in the Litchfield Hills, the resort features 163 guestrooms, state-of-the art conference and banquet facilities, indoor and outdoor heated pools, fitness center, racquetball, tennis, sauna, whirlpool, a challenging 9-hole golf course, pub with billiards and wide screen TV, award-winning dining and extensive wine list at Eight Mile Brook, and Tres Jolie Day Spa. Located off I-84, just 90 minutes from New York City. For getaway package information contact us at: 1-(800) 932-3466. www.heritagesouthbury.com.