Playtime at the Palace - Stamford Center for the Arts

A brand new series featuring bubbles, puppets, slapstick, and more, Playtime at the Palace will continue to delight children of all ages in March and April at Stamford’s Palace Theatre. From Puppet Playground to Story Pirates, entertainers will charm families with up-close-and-personal performances on Sunday afternoons. All shows start at 3 PM and last approximately one hour.

The Silent Slapstick (All tickets: $10) program is scheduled for March 30 and is sure to have your kids laughing themselves silly!  This program features uproarious ’20s comedy films, presented with a live pianist!  Lincoln Center’s famous silent film accompanist/historian Ben Model will present 3 short slapstick silent comedies making this an ideal opportunity to introduce youngsters to inventive visual humor.  This program will be presented in the Palace Cinema.

The  P.i.E. Puppets in Education (All tickets: $15) will perform on April 6.  This program will show your children  how to put on their very own puppet show! The Monkey Boys team will teach them how to create a show with their own stuffed animals and learn how to create puppets through simple construction techniques!  Some of these will be used in a short show at the end of the class.

Tickets may be purchased online at www.scalive.org or charged by phone with major credit cards by calling The Palace Box Office at 203-325-4466. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the Palace Theatre box office in downtown Stamford, open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.  The 2013-2014 season is made possible by Palace Theatre’s Season Sponsors Seaboard Properties, Inc. and the Whittingham Family.

For area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

About the Palace Theatre

The vision of the Palace Theatre is to be the regional arts center for exciting entertainment that enhances and enriches the cultural, educational, economic, and social life of the community.  The Palace strives to achieve this vision by demonstrating integrity in all work and relationships, providing service and quality in all activities, fostering and promoting diversity of thought, ideas and culture, providing stewardship for the Stamford Arts community, emphasizing outreach in our community, and offering creativity in all endeavors.

Celebrate Fairfield Connecticut's Musical Heritage

Fairfield’s new exhibit, Fairfield’s Rockin’ Top Ten that celebrates 10 musicians who have helped create this community’s musical legacy features rare photographs, music videos and iconic artifacts from a diverse list of artists, including: Nick Ashford & Valerie Simpson, The Remains, Leonard Bernstein, David Brubeck, Jose Feliciano, Chris Frantz & Tina Weymouth, Richard Rodgers, Nile Rodgers & Bernard Edwards, Keith Richards and Donna Summer. This exhibit runs through April 28, 2014.

Several interesting programs are taking place at the Fairfield Museum and History Center that compliment this program.  The first program takes place on February 9 at 3 p.m. and is titled A Friendship in Music and will feature pianist and Fairfield University professor Orin Grossman. This performance and lecture traces the influential friendship between Leonard Bernstein and Aaron Copland, with live accompaniment of their early collaborations. Members: $5; Non-Members $10.

On February 14 from 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. there will be a family focus session focusing on the Genius of Love.  Participants are invited to listen to the fun music and songs of love from Fairfield’s Rockin’ Top Ten while making some cool crafts. This event is free with admission.

Orin Grossman

On February 23, at 2:30 p.m. there is an adult lecture called Home of the Happy Dancers: The Story of Bridgeport’s Ritz Ballroom with author Jeffrey Williams. This lecture will focus on the roaring twenties to the rockin’ sixties, when the Ritz was one of New England’s foremost dance palaces and offered a respite for people who danced their cares away. The cost of the lecture is $5 for non-members and members free.

The Fairfield Museum is located on 370 Beach Street in Fairfield. The Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. For additional information www.fairfieldhistory.org.  For area informationwww.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

“On The Wire: Veiled Rebellion” An exhibition at the Westport Arts Center

Lynsey Addario On the Wire

Lynsey Addario uses her camera to speak for the people she photographs. She documents the issues and events on the periphery of war, capturing the emotions as a way to draw in the viewer. Ms. Addario, who is a Westport native and Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer, has traveled to war torn countries such as Afghanistan, Sudan, and Libya, to focus her lens on the effects of war. 

Her stunning photographs will be featured in “On The Wire: Veiled Rebellion” this winter at the Westport Arts Center. This exquisite exhibition will showcase 34 color photographs by Ms. Addario, depicting the plight of women in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. Throughout her numerous visits, Ms. Addario has trained a close eye through her lens on women’s lives in all areas of Afghan society: culture, politics, education, employment, and domestic life. “Veiled Rebellion” was originally published in National Geographic in December 2010.

Ms. Addario has traveled throughout Afghanistan to capture the images featured in “On The Wire: Veiled Rebellion.” Her photographs explore the differences of the lives of women living within the same country. The series depicts births and operations in a hospital in Faizabad, women graduating from Kabul University, and female boxers training for the 2012 Summer Olympics. She has traveled with mobile health clinics, American soldiers, and Abiba Sarabi, the only female governor in Afghanistan. Several of her photographs detail the training of Afghan women by Italian Carabinieri to become police officers. In the photographs, the women shoot AMD-65 rifles at a firing range. Few Afghan women train to be police, about 700 out of 100,000, but their presence is welcome, as many men cannot perform certain tasks due to Islamic custom, such as frisking other women.

Ms. Addario, who is now based in London, England, grew up in Westport, CT and is a graduate of Staples High School. She photographs for The New York Times, National Geographic, and Time Magazine. She was awarded the MacArthur Fellowship, also known as the 'Genius Grant,' in 2009 and, along with a team from the New York Times, won the Pulitzer Prize for international reporting for her photographs in “Talibanistan,” in 2008. Her passion for photography has sent her all over the world and placed in her the middle of several wars. In 2011, Lynsey and fellow Westport native and international photographer Tyler Hicks were kidnapped in Libya with two other journalists, Stephen Farrell, and the late Anthony Shadid. The four co-wrote an article for The New York Times detailing their time as captives. While covering the Libyan revolution they were captured outside of Ajdabiya by soldiers loyal to Muammar Qaddafi and held captive for several days.

Visitors to the Westport Arts Center can hear Lynsey Addario speak about her work on January 25^th, 2014 from 3 - 5pm where she will discuss topics presented in the exhibition. The opening reception for “On the Wire: Veiled Rebellion” will be held at the Westport Arts Center on January 24, 2014 from 6-8pm.

For more information visit www.westportartscenter.org. For area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

Learn the Most Embarrassing Things about George Washington Through Improv

On a one dollar bill, George Washington may appear to be an imposing figure, but did you know that he, too, was embarrassing sometimes? Join the Litchfield Historical Society in welcoming Christina Frei on Wednesday, January 8 at 3:00 pm as we explore the Top 10 Most Embarrassing Things about George Washington!

No need to sit in front of a screen on this half-day—using games, magic, and comedy improvisation, participants will learn all about our first president. Through this funny and interactive program, your kids will learn all sorts of new and embarrassing historical facts to share at the dinner table. No stage experience is necessary!

Christina Frei is a motivational youth speaker and performer from Connecticut. She uses stories about the Founding Fathers and their “Revolutionary thinking” to turn children into confident leaders. A master at storytelling, Frei has also written a book, 5 Rockstars of the American Revolution: Surprising Stories and Big Life Lessons of the Founding Fathers. She has been featured on the History Channel, the Today Show, and NBC News.

This event is open to kids ages 9 and up, and is $10 for members and $15 for non-members. Registration is required—please register by Monday, January 6 for this event by calling (860) 567-4501.

The Litchfield History Museum is located at 7 South Street, Litchfield, CT. For more information about this or other programs, please call (860) 567-4501 or www.litchfieldhistoricalsociety.org.  For area information www.litchfieldhills.com

Stepping Stones Museum for Children Announces 2014 Around the World Program

Exposure to the world’s diverse cultures and customs provides priceless educational opportunities for our children. Through the Stepping Stone Museum for Children’s highly popular and award-winning Around the World programming, families can explore the world without leaving Norwalk through cultural programs brought to life.

The Stepping Stones Museum for Children is proud to announce the 12 Around the World “destinations” selected for each month of 2014. Frequent Around the World participants will be able to achieve “World Traveler” status and attend an exclusive end-of-the-year event in December 2014.

Since 2009, Stepping Stones has been transporting children and parents to 12 different parts of the world each year. Each month, museum guests get an extensive look at a different country’s customs through their engaging, interactive Around the World Performance Series events featuring youth performers and professional artists and musicians and their Around the World Creative Kids offering hands-on cultural craft activities.

Throughout the month, the designated country is represented on the museum’s walls with a map display and travel guide, in the Multimedia Gallery with a short film and interactive digital media floor games broadcast at various times each day and in the Family and Teacher Resource Center with the Around the World Bookshelf offering children’s books about the featured country.  School vacation weeks are dedicated to Around the World programs and include special crafts, story times and activities.

From the program’s inception, participants have been receiving a keepsake Around the World “passport” that is stamped to keep track of each destination they have “visited.”   Stepping Stones registers each child’s passport to keep track of his or her participation.  If a child “visits” at least 6 countries during the year, he or she will receive “World Traveler” status and will be invited to the special World Travelers’ event in December 2014.

Experiencing the world’s diverse cultures can be enriching and rewarding. Below is the 2014 roster of countries that will be “explored” at the Stepping Stones Museum for Children located on 303 West Avenue, exit 14N or 15S off I-95 in Norwalk.  Museum hours are Labor Day through Memorial Day, Tuesday—Sunday and holiday Mondays from 10 am-5pm; and Memorial Day through Labor Day, Monday-Sunday from 10 am-5 pm. Admission is $15 for adults and children and $10 for seniors. Children under 1 are free. To learn more, call 203 899 0606 or visit www.steppingstonesmuseum.org

2014 Around The World Performance Series Schedule:

January 18, 2014

Ballet Los Pampas – Argentina 

February 15, 2014

Soro Bindi – Ghana

March 8, 2014

Inca Son – Peru

April 19, 2014

Kahana Hula – Samoa

May 3, 2014

Rossijanochka Folk Dance Troupe – Russia

June 21, 2014

Didgequest  – Australia

July 26, 2014

Music and Dance of the Scottish Highlands – Scotland

August 16, 2014

Surcari  – Chile

September (Date TBA)

Greek Mythology – Greece

October 25, 2014

The Catskill Puppet Theater presents The Lion’s Whiskers – Ethiopia

November 8, 2014

Shane Long – United States (Native Americans)

December 13, 2014

ABBA Girlz – Sweden

Secret of Circles at Stepping Stones

What do a bagel, a ball and a banana all have in common? Cut them through the center and each one has a circle inside! Circles are extremely familiar because they are simply everywhere, but why? The solution to this mystery and many others can be found by exploring Secrets of Circles, a new 2,000-square foot exhibit  at Stepping Stones Museum for Children through January 5, 2014.

Circles are pretty amazing shapes. If you look around, you'll find them in the wheels of a car, the clocks on the wall, the Frisbees you play with or the tortillas on your table. So simple, and yet so incredibly powerful, the circle is found in many places in nature and has been used in many ways by people throughout time and across cultures. But why are they so ubiquitous? What makes them the best shape for both pizza and a barrel? What other secrets can they possibly have?

Discover the secrets at Stepping Stones this fall. Explore this intriguing phenomenon with eighteen interactive, original components that place visitors at the center of experiences rich with the math, science, engineering, and beauty of circles. Whether you are drawing a perfect glow-in-the-dark circle at the Compass Table or building your own gear contraptions in Gear UP!, children and adults alike are uncovering the properties of a simple shape with powerful applications.

Circles are one of the first shapes that very young children learn to identify. As children get older, studying circles helps them understand basic STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) concepts. The exhibit is not only educational, but provides hands-on activities that are really fun for children and families.

Secrets of Circles is designed to intrigue a wide range of ages, as well as visitors from different backgrounds. Signage is tri-lingual, (English, Spanish, and Vietnamese) and spaces are wheelchair accessible. The rich colors, beautiful bamboo plywood, eco-friendly building materials, and cultural and historical artifacts within the exhibit represent people and circles from around the world and over time. The exhibit will inspire many questions and encourage further investigation.

Visit Secrets of Circles and your world will suddenly be transformed into a delicious puzzle for your investigation. After all, circles are everywhere, and each circle has a secret for you to uncover!

ABOUT STEPPING STONES MUSUEM FOR CHILDREN

Stepping Stones Museum for Children is an award-winning, private, non-profit 501 (c)(3) children's museum committed to broadening and enriching the lives of children and families. For more information about Stepping Stones, to book a field trip or schedule a class, workshop or facility rental call 203-899-0606 or visit www.steppingstonesmuseum.org.

Stepping Stones Museum for Children is located at 303 West Avenue, Norwalk, CT, exit 14 North and 15 South off I-95. Museum hours are: Memorial Day through Labor Day, Monday-Sunday from 10 am-5 pm; and Labor Day through Memorial Day, Tuesday—Sunday and holiday Mondays from 10 am-5pm. Admission is $15 for adults and children and $10 for seniors. Children under 1 are free. To learn more visit steppingstonesmuseum.org or call 203 899 0606.

Bee Aware at Fairfield Museum and History Center

The Fairfield Museum Shop located on 370 Beach Street in Fairfield is all abuzz with a new selection of bee-related items including honey produced by their own honeybees!  

This year, for the first time, the Museum raised bees near the 1750 Ogden House in keeping with their mission to explore the past and to imagine the future.  The museum has used bees to pollinate the colonial garden and has harvested the honey in much the same way as our ancestors did.

The Ogden House located on 1520 Bronson Rd., is an authentic saltbox home with a colonial kitchen garden containing plantings dating back to the home’s origin. Visitors to the garden can see replica straw bee skeps that represent the importance of beekeeping in the colonies in terms of pollination and wax production, as well as the medicinal, culinary, and household uses of honey.  In fact, apple trees and honeybees used to pollinate trees were brought across the Atlantic in the early 1600s so settlers could make cider because water was not considered portable.  Honey was used to preserve  food, weatherproof  leather and medicinally to help prevent infection.

Today, visitors to the gift shop at the Fairfield Museum will find the museum's newly harvested honey along with bee-themed tea towels, coasters, and pure beeswax candles. In addition to these "sweet" products, the museum shop offers an interesting selection of locally made items such as art by Michael Michaud and beach inspired jewelry.  

In conjunction with the Museum's current maps exhibit, There’s a Map for That! the Museum Shop  offers map themed pieces such as passport covers, journals, and flasks. Specialty jewelry items from CHART metalworks, including pendants, earrings and key chains, exclusively designed for the Museum, feature maps of Fairfield Beach and Southport Harbor.

The Fairfield Museum Gift Shop is open daily from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. and weekends from 12 p.m. - 4 p.m. For more information visit www.fairfieldhistory.org.