Franklin Street Works Presents: “It’s gonna take a lotta love”

“It’s gonna take a lotta love” is a group exhibition that explores ideas about inclusivity, authenticity, and commonality in an age of anxiety, isolated individualism, and virtually lived experience. The show is on view from March 7 – May 24, 2015, and is curated by Liza Statton and Terri C. Smith. A free public reception will take place on Saturday, March 7th from 6:00-8:00pm with member VIP reception from 5:00-6:00pm.

The artists in “It’s gonna take a lotta love” intentionally avoid many of the sensationalist strategies used by the culture and advertising industries, Rather than critiquing these methods of slick production, elaborate fabrication, and massive scale through ironic appropriation, they make art that focuses on the aesthetic and conceptual potential of the everyday.

These artists also share a type of tragic-comic vision of contemporary culture. Humor, joy, and melancholy, among others, mix easily in their work. Such emotional credibility creates a slippage between empathy and alienation. Some artists create this slippage by making and re-making objects using seemingly inconsequential materials.

Wayne White paints witty and sometimes biting phrases on found paintings of pastoral landscapes and rustic barns. Andy Coolquitt resituates familiar materials such as vinyl records, lightbulbs, synthetic shag fabric, and books-on-tape into installations that are inspired by functions and spaces outside of the gallery. His works articulate a tension between the familiarity of our real lives and the exclusive domain of the white cube gallery. Whiting Tennis creates drawings, paintings and sculptures that pit Modernist art’s fascination with pure form against an intentionally personal mode of a hobbiest aesthetic that wrestles with ideas of concealment and containment.

Other artists such as Jon Campbell, Stephen Vitiello, and Jeremy Deller create subtle interventions using everyday language and music. Deller’s poster “Attention all DJs” takes on the form of a handwritten sign with tongue-in-cheek instructions for DJs. Jon Campbell’s “four letter word flags” brightly declare words like “Yeah,” “Home,” and “Want.” By inserting his word flags between country, state, or corporate flags in a city, Campbell prompts passerby’s to ask if the words we all use are worthy of a public format usually saved for pagentry or branding. Stephen Vitiello’s sound works in “It’s gonna take a lotta love” appropriate commercial music from well known singers. With “Dolly Ascending” Vitiello slows down Dolly Parton singing “Stairway to Heaven” to the point where it sounds like choral music. In A.L. Steiner + Robbinschild’s “C.L.U.E. Part I” video two women perform dance infused movements in backdrops of natural and built environments, connecting color, action, attitude, and environment in a straightforward way that includes the audience in their choreographed antics.

Two of the exhibiting artists, Andy Coolquitt and Jon Campbell, have been commisioned to make new works for “It’s gonna take a lotta love.” In the gallery, Coolquitt, whose assemblages reconsider the materials we unconsciously engage with, will be creating a new mixed media installation entitled “oo oo.” Australian artist Jon Campbell has been commissioned to make new works for the exhibition. His gallery contributions include a "four letter word" mural and a set list painting, which is based on a Melbourne band’s 1984 performance. Campbell extends his painting practice into the public sphere with an ambitious installation in Downtown Stamford, his first in the United States. Campbell, who is interested in representing “the overlooked and undervalued,” will design and exhibit flags and banners with the words: Hold, Home, Look, Play, Want, and Yeah. The works will be mounted on existing flagpoles in public parks, at office buildings, and on construction fences throughout Downtown.

Getting There: Franklin Street Works is located at 41 Franklin Street in downtown Stamford, Connecticut, near the UConn campus and less than one hour from New York City via Metro North. Franklin Street Works is approximately one mile (a 15 minute walk) from the Stamford train station. On street parking is available on Franklin Street (metered until 6 pm except on Sunday), and paid parking is available nearby in a lot on Franklin Street and in the Summer Street Garage (100 Summer Street), behind Target. The art space and café are open to the public on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday: 12:00pm - 5:00pm with extended hours on Thursdays, 12:00pm - 7:00pm. Franklin Street Works does not charge for admission during regular gallery hours.

Oil Paintings Litchfield- Beth Carlson at Oliver Wolcott Library

Beth Carlson is a life-long resident of Litchfield Hills and has been drawing and painting since childhood. A lover of nature and the scenery of the northwest corner of Connecticut, she strives to celebrate the beauty of the local landscape using oils on canvas. Her favorite subject is Lake Waramaug. Beth has been fascinated by the ever-changing, vibrant colors and patterns created during sunsets as seen from Tanner Hill Road in Warren. Yearly trips to Cape Cod also provide inspiration.

Decades of painting for her own enjoyment have led to a body of work that she now wants to share with the hope that others will enjoy her visions and journey. Beth studied illustration at Paier College of Art in Hamden and attended workshops and classes taught by fine artists at the Washington Art Association in Washington Depot and The Wooster Community Art Center in Danbury. She also studied graphic design at Northwestern Connecticut Community College in Winsted and made a living in that field at The Litchfield County Times where she was involved with the production of many award-winning publications. In the gallery: March 1- April 24.

The Oliver Wolcott Library is located on 160 South Street in Litchfield, CT. www.owlibrary.org.

Living History Luncheon at Danbury Museum Katy Leary and Mark Twain

On Saturday, March 28, the Danbury Museum & Historical Society will be hosting a living history lunch buffet with Herstory Theater as they present, Katy Leary & Mark Twain.

Katy Leary, born into an Irish-American family in Elmira, New York, served as the Clemens' maid from 1880 until Samuel Clemens' death in 1910.  The performance will be based on A Lifetime with Mark Twain, a memoir dictated by Leary and published in 1925. to Mary Lawton. Lawton was a childhood friend of Clara Clemens, Mark Twain's daughter. She, like everyone else, was devoted to Katy Leary whose quaint sayings, philosophies, and amusing accounts were a source of delight to all who heard them.

Herstory Theater has researched and developed the character of the irrepressible and expressive Leary and welcomes you to join Katy as she takes a walk down memory lane. Clemens called Leary, a "potent influence all over the premises" and "a pole star for steadiness" with "a good store of that veiled & shimmering & half-surreptitious humor which is the best feature of the "˜American' brand."

Katy Leary

Herstory Theater is a wonderful theater company based in Connecticut and this is their third visit to the Danbury Museum & Historical Society. The programs and performances are history-filled, educational, inspirational and always enjoyed by guests.

Admission for this special history program and buffet luncheon provided by Two Steps Downtown Grille and Ciao Catering & Events is $25.00 per person.  Reservations are recommended as space is limited. Seating will begin at 11:30 a.m. and lunch begins at 12 noon.  The program starts at 12:30 p.m. Please phone 203.743.5200 or email info@danburymuseum.org to reserve your seat(s). 

For more information about the museum www.danburymuseum.org and for area information www.litchfieldhills.com. 

About the DMHSA:

The Danbury Museum & Historical Society was formed in 1947 to acquire, preserve, exhibit and interpret the history of Danbury.  Situated in downtown Danbury, the museum preserves the John and Mary Rider House (c.1785), the Dodd Hat Shop (c. 1790), two one-room schoolhouses, the Marian Anderson Studio and the Charles Ives Birthplace.  Huntington Hall, a modern exhibit building houses the museum offices, archives and research library. 

My Sky at Stepping Stones Museum for Children

The Stepping Stones Museum for Children in Norwalk has a fabulous new exhibit through Memorial Day called My Sky that is  funded by NASA and created through a partnership between Boston Children's Museum and Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory.

My Sky is an exhibit about the universe. But it is also about each of us, and how the sky above impacts our lives here on Earth. The sky is, after all, universal. It is something we all share. My Sky invites children and adults to explore the Sun, the Moon and the stars together in an immersive, inviting environment. Families are encouraged to "look up" not only when they visit the exhibit, but also in their everyday lives. And My Sky gives families the chance to practice science skills like observing, communicating, noticing patterns, predicting, imagining and more — science skills that are fundamental to astronomy, and skills that scientists and engineers use every day.

The sky is also a source of endless inspiration for people from all walks of life, and My Sky introduces us to a few of these people. From scientists and astronomers who work to investigate and understand the universe; to artists and sculptors who create monuments and representations of the awesome and the serene; to writers and musicians who capture, through words and melody, the feelings that arise when we gaze up at the Moon, or stare silently at the stars. The universe is inspiring. It is mind boggling. It is full of wonder. My Sky invites you to feel all of that.

For more information http://www.steppingstonesmuseum.org.  For more area event informationwww.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

As We Were - Costume Exhibit at the New Canaan Historical Society

The New Canaan Historical Society located on 13 Oenoke Ridge Road in New Canaan CT has an new costume exhibit that ends in May  2015 called "As we were". The exhibit connects two historical events, the first meeting to found the Historical Society, and the wedding of two prominent founders, Edna Hoyt Rogers and Henry Benjamin Rogers.

Edna Hoyt Rogers was a lifelong New Canaan resident and granddaughter of the founder of Hoyt’s Nurseries. She was involved in the Congregational Church as early as 1872, where at the age of 14, she helped raise money for a new organ. During the next 58 years, she worked to maintain the simple architectural design of the Church. Edna was further interested in, “Trying to keep undesirable developments from marring the beauty of the village,” which was of great importance to her. In 1901, she helped organize New Canaan’s Centennial Celebration.

Her husband, Henry Benjamin Rogers, grew up in Darien and in young adulthood became a clerk for New Canaan’s mercantile store, Comstock & Co. In 1860, he joined the firm of Comstock, Rogers & Co., where he and Albert S. Comstock sold and manufactured clothing. Upon Comstock’s retirement in 1876, Henry continued the business under the name H.B. Rogers & Co., until it was sold and turned into a shoe factory in 1903. Also active in the Congregational Church, Henry was a deacon as well as Sunday School Superintendent for 37 years.

Edna Hoyt Rogers and Henry Benjamin Rogers were married in her parent’s house on 477 Carter Street on November 10, 1888. Edna Hoyt’s father, Edwin Hoyt, built the home in 1859 by mixing together lime, gravel, and cobble stones from his own property. He created an affordable, concrete home that stood 26 feet high and contained three stories, 18 rooms, three halls, and two bathrooms.

A year later, Edna and Henry attended the first meeting regarding the formation of the New Canaan Historical Society in August of 1889. As descendants of the town’s founders, the family joined 62 others to discuss an organization that would gather and preserve New Canaan history. The meeting took place at the Comstock-Bensen house on 46 Main Street.

The Comstock-Bensen House, built in 1841, came under the ownership of Albert Comstock in 1871. Albert was a partner in the clothing firm of Comstock & Rogers, Co, where he and Henry B. Rogers manufactured men’s clothing. His wife was a founder and early president of the New Canaan Historical Society, while Albert was one of its first directors. It was in this house that the first of many Historical Society meetings were held.

As We Were ties together two snapshots of the year 1889, when New Canaan began to create and maintain its historical narrative. The exhibit features clothing like those that would have been worn at the Historical Society’s first meeting. Edna Hoyt Rogers wedding dress, as well as other dresses that would have been worn at a 19th century wedding reception, are also on display.

This exhibit will be open until May 2015.  For more area event information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com  For information on the New Canaan Historical Society http://nchistory.org.

Audubon Sharon hosts Maplefest

Audubon Sharon will be holding its annual MapleFest on Saturday, March 21 between 10 am and 4 pm at the Sharon Audubon Center, Route 4, Sharon, CT.

Learn the magic of how to make maple syrup at this popular event.  Attendees are invited to take an on-going guided 45-minute tour that  leads them through the Center's sugaring operation.   A highlight of the tour is the visit to  a working sugarhouse. There are also display areas that re-create Native American and early colonial sugaring methods.

Participants can watch as pure sugar maple sap is collected from the trees and turned into delicious maple syrup. Fresh syrup will be available for purchase while supplies last.

Admission for the event is $6.00 adults and $4.00 children (2 and under free.)

Make sure to wear warm clothes and boots, as much of the tour is outdoors. Dave Paton and Tom White from the band Wild Cat Creek will be providing musical entertainment featuring fiddle and hammered dulcimer between 12-2pm.

Depending on sap flow, the sugarhouse will also be open each weekend in March for visitors. Call ahead to see if Audubon staff will be boiling sap. For more information on MapleFest or the Audubon Sharon sugaring operation, contact the Audubon Center at (860) 364-0520

For more information http://sharon.audubon.org. For area information www.litchifeldhills.com

Daily Hughes at the Westport Historical Society

On Thursday, March 19, 2015, the Wesport Historical Society is hosting a talk by author Sherri Daley from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. inspired by "What We Talk About When We're Over 60," a book she co-authored with former college roommate Linda Hughes.

Over 60" is a response to the idea that women of a certain age become invisible, to men, in the workplace and to the world in general.   It is interesting to note that women over 60 make up 20 percent of the 157 million females in the U.S. and that while they might be invisible, they still have a voice. What We Talk About, gives them a platform.

Published in June of 2014, the book is a collection of essays by Daley, Hughes and 28 other women on such topics as sex, facelifts, falling in love, marriage, widowhood and more.  Daley tells it like is it when talking about the "golden years" and doesn't let her friends get away with sentimental talk.  She tells them, '60 is 60, it's not the new 40,' and 'we're not getting better, we're just getting older.' "

In addition to Daley, three or four of the book's contributors from this area will read from their essays at the March 19 event. The program will then be thrown open to the floor for questions and comments from the audience. Daley hopes women of all ages, and men as well, will come out to share their stories. Hughes, who lives and teaches in Atlanta, will not be present.
Daley's chapter for "Over 60" talks about "an old boyfriend tour" in which she flew to California and back to her home state of Michigan to see a former high school squeeze. The writer says she called ahead first rather than show up unannounced to avoid any awkwardness. "The wives were accepting," says Daley, who is twice divorced and didn't have to fret about pushback on her own home front. "Each encounter was different," she says, "some hurtful, some wonderful."

The authors have their own "What We Talk About" Facebook page that invites both women and men to post their own stories.

A $10 donation, and reservations are suggested: (203) 222-1424. Reception will follow the presentation. For more event information visit www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

Spring into Cooking Classes at The Silo

The Silo at Hunt Hill Farm Trust located on 44 Upland Road in New Milford Connecticut  is offering up a series of cooking classes in March  featuring a wide variety of food offerings.  On Sunday, March 15 for example from 11 a.m. 2 p.m. join Nancy Stuart for "Green Eggs and Ham" for ages 6 to 13  ushers in St. Patty's day and celebrates Dr. Suess' birthday. Kids will make an assortment of items and get recipes to take home for the family. Full participation. $45 per person.

Tuscan Holiday zings into Spring on March 21 from 6 to 9:30 pm with Chef  Daniel Rosati. The menu will include: Warm Spinach Pesto Crostini with Creamy Fontina; Tuscan Leek Soup; Tuscan Pork Tenderloins "Porchetta" Style; Sweet & Savory Marinated Artichoke Hearts; and Chocolate Hazelnut Zuccotto Cake. This class offers full participation and is $90 per person.

If you like brunch, don't miss the Sunday Brunch Classic class on March 29 from 6 to 9 pm with Chef Daniel Rosati. The brunch menu will include: Chunky Apple Cinnamon Muffins; Parmesan Herb Scones; Vermont Cheddar & Sausage Savory Bread Pudding; Asparagus & Herb Miniature Frittatas; Smoked & Fresh Salmon Hash; Classic Pecan Sticky Buns. This class offers full participation and is $90 per person.

On April 25 the Silo is hosting a special class based on the Titianic with Chef Catherine Titus Felix, CCP.  This is a classic dinner that you can share with your friends and family. The Titanic - It's the story that continues to fascinate the world. April 14 marks the anniversary when "the large luxurious ship carrying many of the wealthiest people on the globe met its doom. "The story of the Titanic isn't just about the mysterious circumstances of the sinking, or the tragedy and loss of life. Much of our fascination with Titanic is in the details. It's a look back at how the Edwardian-era passengers lived, dressed and of course, how they ate." This multi-course feast, with champagne and wine, will allow you to take a journey back in time to an Edwardian world of strict class distinctions, obsession with etiquette and fashion and the era's love of fine food. This is a demonstration class. and is $100 per person. 

For more information and to register visit 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. The Silo Cooking School at Hunt Hill Farm, 44 Upland Rd, New Milford, CT. 860.355.0300; www.hunthillfarmtrust.org

For area information visit www.litchfieldhills.com.

Spring Shows at Fairfield Theatre Company's Stage One

The Fairfield Theatre Company located on 70 Sanford Street in Fairfield has just announced a series of concerts in their award winning intimate 225 seat theatre that is consistently noted as the best place to hear live music in the entire region because of the quality of the sound, the intimacy of the space, and the caliber of the artists.

If you like the blues, don't miss the show on Saturday, March 21 with Roomful of Blues.  This band is a tour de force of horn-fired blues. So tight, and so right: a masterful combination of jumping, horn-heavy, hard-edged blues, and R&B.  Since '67, the group's deeply rooted blend of swing, rock 'n' roll, jump, blues and soul has earned it a slew of accolades. But you really don't need to know their history to join in the fun. If knowing they have earned five Grammy Award nominations, and seven Blues Music Awards gives them credibility for you, so be it.

For a change of pace, on March 29 the Pine Hill Project takes center stage. Pine Hill Project is the reunion of Richard Schindell and Lucy Kaplansky with special guest Larry Campbell. Their work together in the folk revival supergroup Cry Cry Cry represents a turning point in American folk music, and in their separate careers they have helped to broaden the definition of folk.

Each writer brings their own unique view to the project; Schindell, his esoteric story telling, and Kaplansky, her unique outlook on life. Schindell's work is hallmarked by the unlikely heroes that he depicts. Kaplansky left behind a career in clinical psychology in order to pursue songwriting, and has been a vital voice ever since.

The April 8 headliner is Lee Dewyze.  There is a special VIP package that includes a Pre-Show Meet & Greet and Acoustic
Dewyze is a cross between Cat Stevens and Paul Simon, and has certainly broken the mold of American Idol winners.

With his rough-hewn voice and laid-back Midwestern charm, DeWyze won over millions of viewers as a contestant and eventual winner of the 2010 season of American Idol. There's an easy-going sprit on his major-label debut Live It Up -- a breezy blend of rootsy pop, rock, and folk, anchored by DeWyze's soulful, husky voice and bright-sounding acoustic guitar.

For ticket information visit http://fairfieldtheatre.org.

Spring into cooking classes at The Silo

The Silo at Hunt Hill Farm Trust located on 44 Upland Road in New Milford Connecticut  is offering up a series of cooking classes in March  featuring a wide variety of food offerings.

Tuscan Holiday zings into Spring on March 21 from 6 to 9:30 pm with Chef  Daniel Rosati. The menu will include: Warm Spinach Pesto Crostini with Creamy Fontina; Tuscan Leek Soup; Tuscan Pork Tenderloins "Porchetta" Style; Sweet & Savory Marinated Artichoke Hearts; and Chocolate Hazelnut Zuccotto Cake. This class offers full participation and is $90 per person.

If you like brunch, don't miss the Sunday Brunch Classic class on March 29 from 6 to 9 pm with Chef Daniel Rosati. The brunch menu will include: Chunky Apple Cinnamon Muffins; Parmesan Herb Scones; Vermont Cheddar & Sausage Savory Bread Pudding; Asparagus & Herb Miniature Frittatas; Smoked & Fresh Salmon Hash; Classic Pecan Sticky Buns. This class offers full participation and is $90 per person.

On April 25 the Silo is hosting a special class based on the Titianic with Chef Catherine Titus Felix, CCP.  This is a classic dinner that you can share with your friends and family. The Titanic - It's the story that continues to fascinate the world. April 14 marks the anniversary when "the large luxurious ship carrying many of the wealthiest people on the globe met its doom. "The story of the Titanic isn't just about the mysterious circumstances of the sinking, or the tragedy and loss of life. Much of our fascination with Titanic is in the details. It's a look back at how the Edwardian-era passengers lived, dressed and of course, how they ate." This multi-course feast, with champagne and wine, will allow you to take a journey back in time to an Edwardian world of strict class distinctions, obsession with etiquette and fashion and the era's love of fine food. This is a demonstration class. and is $100 per person.

For more information and to register visit 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. The Silo Cooking School at Hunt Hill Farm, 44 Upland Rd, New Milford, CT. 860.355.0300; www.hunthillfarmtrust.org.

From fashion and dancing to Victorian blocks in Newtown

This spring the Newtown Historical Society has organized a series of events sure to please the entire family.  Events will take place at the historic Matthew Curtiss House located on 44 Main Street in Newtown, just down the street from the iconic giant flagpole.

On March 9 at 7:30 pm., the C.H. Booth Library Karen Karen DePauw, a Research & Collections Associate at the CT Historical Society, will help you recall the clothing of your ancestors, your parents, and your own fashion choices as she takes you on this trip through over 100 years of fashion. You can even contribute to the discussion by bringing a favorite garment and sharing your memories.

For a change of pace, the Society is offering an open house and colonial dancing at the Matthew Curtiss House from  12 noon to 4 pm on March 15.  Guests will be invited to join Patricia Campbell, a Dance Caller, who will be accompanied by Fran Hendrickson on keyboards.  They will conduct three sessions that will include an introduction and instruction. Each session lasts 45 minutes and is limited to 20 participants.  This event is free, but registration is required by e-mailing bkwilsonhistory@yahoo.com. Please indicate which session you would like to attend (12:30, 1:30, or 2:30).  This activity is appropriate for ages 8 and up.

On April 26 from 12 noon to 4 pm the Historical Society will host an open house and Victorian block building event at the Matthews Curtiss House. If you have ever wondered what children used before Legos this event is for you.  Join the Society's staff for a fun filled afternoon of block building Victorian style. The society has recently acquired a set of Richter Stone Blocks which in its day rivaled Lego Building Blocks, complete with starter kits, supplemental sets, and instructions on how to build certain models within a series.

For more information on the Newtown Historical Society visit http://www.newtownhistory.org and for area information visit www.litchfieldhills.com

Colonial Revival Fashion and more at Litchfield Historical Society

The Litchfield History Museum has planned a series of March programs sure to make this month fly by.  

At 2 p.m. on March 8, celebrate creating a national identity with the songs of Irish - Americans. "Creating a National Identity: Songs of the Irish Americans" is a lecture and music presentation which explores the fascinating history of a variety of songs that evoke strong emotional visions of Ireland, but are of American authorship. This program traces popular songs from the 1840's through to the early Twentieth Century as a road map to the emergence of the cultural identity of Irish-Americans. Presenting songs of labor, emigration, homesickness and struggle, we recognize a people who have traveled far, achieved much and recorded their journeys in songs with fullness of feeling and tremendous faith. The musical ensemble Ask Your Father presents acoustic ballads and songs in the American folk tradition. Ask Your Father is the husband and wife team Rich & Dee Kelly and their partner Rick Spencer. This program is free for members and $5 for non-members.

The month is rounded out on March 22 at 3 pm with an interesting lecture on fashion during Connecticut's Colonial Revival period. From costume balls to reproduction furniture Connecticut embodied the ideals of the Colonial Revival. Taking root during the Centennial celebrations of 1876, residents looked back at the colonial past and took to heart the simplified lives of their ancestors. Embodied by furniture and fashion designs, as well as social clubs and entertainments, the Colonial Revival Movement grew to extremes in Connecticut, and the New England Region.  Participants will explore this period of Connecticut's history through what it created and what inspired it with Karen DePauw, research and collections associate at the Connecticut Historical Society. This program is free for members and $5 for non-members. 

To register for these events go to registration@litchfieldhistoricalsociety.org For more ideas on what to do and see in Litchfield Hills www.litchfieldhills.com

A spring concert by Stamford Symphony Orchestra

The Stamford Symphony is performing with the Greenwich Choral Society on March 14 at  8 p.m. and March 15 at 3 p.m. at the Palace Theater in Stamford on 61 Atlantic Street.  The concert, called Mozart Requiem & Glass will feature  Phillip Glass Symphony No. 3 and Requiem, K. 626  performed by the Greenwich Choral Society with Rachel Rosales, Soprano, Teresa Bucholz, Alto, Rufus Mueller, Tenorand Mischa Bouvier, Bass.

The Greenwich Choral Society was founded on October 11, 1924. Today, it is led by, Music Director and Conductor, Paul F. Mueller. The Greenwich Choral Society is a not-for-profit membership-based organization primarily serving Fairfield (CT) and Westchester (NY) counties, dedicated to excellence in the presentation of choral music.

The chorus has a long history of performing great choral works not only locally but also internationally. The chorus has performed at the Aldeburgh Festival and Greenwich Festival in England to mark the American Bicentennial in 1976. The Choral Society returned to England in 1985, with performances at Aldeburgh, in London, and at various cathedrals. Other summer tours have included trips to the Czech Republic, Spain, Italy and France.

In past years, the Choral Society has performed in New York City at St. Patrick's Cathedral, Carnegie Hall, St. Thomas Church, and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. The Choral Society has also performed several times with the Greenwich Symphony, New Haven Symphony, New Haven Chorale, and Stamford Symphony, as well as at the Ives Festival in Danbury.

For the best seats at the best prices call Patron Services to learn how to become a subscriber at 203.325.1407 x10.

 For more information on Litchfield Hills and Fairfield County www.visitwesternct.com.

Maple Sugaring the Native American Way in Litchfield Hills

The Institute for American Indian Studies will present its Annual Maple Sugaring Festival on Saturday, March 7, 2015  from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm. What makes this Festival unique is Jim Dinafor who will present a full Native American Sugar-making demonstration in the Institute's outdoor Algonkian Village.

Inside the Museum and Institute, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm, staff members will serve pancakes with delicious local maple syrup. Fun activities for the children will run from 1:00 – 3:00 pm.

The Native American lore of sweet maple syrup is fascinating. The Mohegans believed that the melting snow caused the spring sap to run in the maples. They considered the sap to be the dripping oil of the Great Celestial Bear, who had been wounded by the winter sky hunters – according to their own Pleiades story. The bear, sometimes becoming the celestial bear and embodying the Big Dipper, repeats itself through many Indian origin stories.

Native People discovered in their woodlands the sources of seasoning and sweetening medicines and foods. Long before recorded history, their investigations unlocked the secrets of extracting many dietary substances from their natural environments. Lost in pre-history are the earliest experiences that led to "sugaring".

It was usual for whole families to participate in the labor of sugaring, although in some tribes the women went first to the maple forests to make any necessary repairs to the camp and sugaring utensils. Among the Iroquois and the Ojibwa Indians, the women owned the maple groves, which they inherited through their maternal line. Seensibaukwut is the Ojibwa word for maple sugar, which means, "drawn from the wood."

Tree sap is essentially water absorbed by the roots and mixed with some of the stored tree sugars. Sap will begin to run upwards from the roots on warm late-winter days followed by freezing nights. These conditions usually begin in late February in southern New England.

Once the sap had been collected, it needed to be boiled down (reduced). The sap was then put into a hollowed out log where fiery hot stones were placed into it. The purpose of the hot stones was to cause the sap to boil. This may have needed to be done several times to obtain the correct consistency.

This was the traditional "Native" way.

Please call for tickets 860-868-0518. Advance tickets $15 Adults/ $10 Children. For more information visit http://www.iaismuseum.org.  For area event information, where to stay and dine www.litchfieldhills.com

March at the Mattatuck from art to appraisals

The Mattatuck Museum located near the classic Waterbury Green is hosting a series of programs of interest to the whole family that are sure to make the month fly by.

On March 8  at 1 pm kids ages 6-12 and their caregivers are invited to join a museum educator for a tour of the Museum's collection of autographs which includes signatures by Presidents George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, Ethan Allen, Henry David Thoreau, artist Marcel Duchamp, and many more. After the tour kids will head to the Studio and learn the art of calligraphy.

If you want to learn about Italian marble, join museum staff for lunch from 11 am - 1 pm to learn about this fabulous stone. Participants will discover why marble – in its many stages of formation – has inspired artists from the ancient Romans through the Renaissance and beyond and join us for a visual feast of Italian marble columns, stunning sculptures, and the country's magnificent buildings and churches in this lively presentation by retired humanities professor Tom Kmetzo. The talk, which is inspired by the numerous trips Kmetzo has made to Italy since living there in the 1960s, also includes a look at the marble quarries of Massa and Carrara, Italy and the working sculpture studios located at the foot of Italy's marble mountains in Pietrasanta. This program includes a boxed lunch.

On March 12, start the day off dancing to Dixieland era and swing music with this popular seven piece Connecticut-based band, including drums, bass, guitar, piano, trumpet, and two saxophones. After the performance enjoy a light lunch. 

On March 20 from 6 pm - 8 pm experience Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School at the Mattatuck!  Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School is the world's premiere alternative drawing movement and the coolest art class you will ever go to! Join the New Haven-based Dr. Sketchy's group for an evening of figure drawing with a burlesque dancer/model dressed in Victorian-era costume. Bring your own sketch pad and drawing pencils or use art supplies provided! Wine and light hors d'oeuvres available.

On March 20 from 6 pm - 8 pm experience Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School at the Mattatuck!  Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School is the world's premiere alternative drawing movement and the coolest art class you will ever go to! Join the New Haven-based Dr. Sketchy's group for an evening of figure drawing with a burlesque dancer/model dressed in Victorian-era costume. Bring your own sketch pad and drawing pencils or use art supplies provided! Wine and light hors d'oeuvres available.

The March events at the museum end on March 28 with the always  popular Appraiser's Day. This program takes place from 1 pm - 5 pm.  Participants are asked to bring up to three fine art works, small antiques, collectible coins, jewelry, and more to the Museum for a verbal appraisal from one of Connecticut's premiere art and antiques appraisers. Arrive early for this drop in program. Space is limited; first-come, first-serve

RSVP to all above programs by contacting 203.753.0381, ext. 130 or email, information@MattatuckMuseum.org. For more information on the Mattatuck Museum visit http://www.mattatuckmuseum.org.  For area information on what to do and see visit www.litchfieldhills.com

Square One Theatre Celebrates 25 Years

Square One Theatre located in Stratford on 2422 Main Street is celebrating its’ 25 Anniversary Season in 2015.  

To kick off their 2015 season of celebration, Director Tom Holehan is producing Good People by David Lindsay-Abaire from March 6 – March 21.  With his signature humor, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright (Rabbit Hole) Lindsay-Abaire explores the struggles, shifting loyalties and unshakeable hopes that come with having next to nothing in America. Set in Boston’s Southie neighborhood, the audience meets Margaret Walsh, who is facing eviction and scrambling to catch a break, who just might be a friend from the old neighborhood who moves back to town.  Friday and Saturday shows are at 8 p.m. and Sunday matinees are at 2 p.m. Tickets are available by calling 203-375-8778, 24/7.

The Winslow Boy by Terence Rattigan, takes place from May 15 – May 30.  Directed by Tom Holehan, this classic British drama concerns a father’s determination to clear his young son’s reputation after the boy has been accused of stealing and is expelled from naval college. A griping tale that resonates long after the final curtain, this absorbing drama was a tremendous hit in both London and New York. Friday and Saturday shows are at 8 p.m. and Sunday matinees are at 2 p.m. Tickets are available by calling 203-375-8778, 24/7.

Throughout Square One Theatre’s performances Kama Sushi, McCoy’s Irish Pub, Acapulco’s Mexican Family Restaurant & Cantina, Stationhouse Wine Bar & Grill and Siena Italian Trattoria offering ‘specials’ for all Square One Theatre subscribers and ticket holders. All restaurants are within walking distance of the theatre.

For additional information visit http://www.squareonetheatre.com.  For area information visit www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com