Shelton Historical Society's Vintage Vehicles Antique & Classic Car Show June 17

Enjoy a day with Dad and Granddad peeking under the hoods of the cars they remember from their youth at the Shelton Historical Society's Vintage Vehicles Antique and Classic Car Show on Father's Day, June 19th.  Two wheels or four, from Model T's to muscle cars, there's bound to be something that will trigger a memory or maybe a chuckle from every visitor.  The event will take place at Shelton History Center, 70 Ripton Rd. from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

Best In Show 2011

Past shows have featured everything from a 1928 Rolls Royce Phantom, to a restored rickshaw that was used as an ambulance in the San Francisco earthquake in 1906, to a 1911 wood paneled Model T. A Locomobile produced locally in Bridgeport in 1921 was a one-of-a- kind entry last year. Nearly every decade of automotive history from the 20th century has been illustrated on the shaded grounds of the Shelton History Center with more recent muscle cars, Mustangs, and Army Jeeps joining many Ford Model A’s and T’s. All vehicle owners generously share information, their cars, and their hobby with the public.

There is still time for owners of antique and classic vehicles of all kinds to register to participate in this special event. Entry forms may be found at www.sheltonhistoricalsociety.org or by calling (203) 925-1803. Pre-registration costs $8.00 but will be $10.00 on the day of the event.

Awards in five categories will be presented to crowd favorites. Visitors will enjoy tours of the buildings at Shelton History Center, refreshments, and voting for their favorite vehicles. Admission is $1 for dads, $5/adults and $10/family. Proceeds will benefit the educational programs of the Shelton Historical Society. For additional information including directions, please call (203) 925-1803 or visit www.sheltonhistoricalsociety.org.  For more area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum Opens new Installation by David Brooks

The Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art located on 258 Main Street in the heart of Ridgefield is has commissioned a new installation by artist David Brooks that runs through February 5, 2017. This marks the artist's first solo museum exhibition. Throughout his practice, Brooks investigates the tenuous relationship between our ecological life and technological industry.

Brooks (born 1975, Brazil, Indiana) will present every single part of a used 1976 John Deere 3300 combine harvester at The Aldrich, with the components laid out in varying degrees of disassembly in a procession from the front plaza through the Leir Atrium and Leir Gallery and out into the Museum's sculpture garden. Distinctive elements like the corn head and cab remain unaltered in a weathered John Deere green, while other parts are sandblasted, removing rust, paint and all traces of wear and tear; still others, like pipes and fittings, are brass-plated and housed in museum vitrines, the traditional trappings of highbrow art objects or precious natural history displays.

A combine is the ultimate example of agricultural technology, the otherworldly design of its bulky metal body concealing the integration of all stages of the harvesting process into one machine designed to reap grain, a resource that the efficiency of a combine allows us to take for granted as eternally and inexpensively available.

The stunning array of dismantled machine parts, exhibited in a diverse system of presentation, are designated according to the ecosystem service they represent, making it impossible to conceive of the combine in its entirety or to determine the machine's complete functionality; similarly, an ecosystem integrates innumerable processes, many of them intangible or undetectable, into one whole, making it impossible for us to conceive of a life unfolding within it.

This installation, Continuous Service Altered Daily asks us to reexamine our perception of products reaped from the landscape, oftentimes those too easily interpreted as "services" for personal use: water, food, clean air, climate, energy—things we have come to expect to be delivered to us forever.

The Aldrich is located at 258 Main Street, Ridgefield, CT. For more information, call 203.438.4519 or visit www.aldrichart.org. For more area information www.litchfieldhills.com

The Museum

Founded by Larry Aldrich in 1964, The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum is dedicated to fostering the work of innovative artists whose ideas and interpretations of the world around us serve as a platform to encourage creative thinking. It is the only museum in Connecticut devoted to contemporary art, and throughout its fifty-year history has engaged its community with thought-provoking exhibitions and public programs.

The Museum's education and public programs are designed to connect visitors of all ages to contemporary art through innovative learning approaches in hands-on workshops, tours, and presentations led by artists, curators, Museum educators, and experts in related fields. Area schools are served by curriculum-aligned on-site and in-school programs, as well as teachers' professional development training.

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

The Popular Music of WWI at the Greenwich Historical Society

On February 26, 2015, 7:00 pm and Sunday, March 1, 2015, 4:00 pm the Greenwich Historical Society is presenting a program on music during WWII.  The Society is located on 39 Strickland Road in Cos Cob.  The event will take place in the Vanderbilt Education Center on the grounds of the Society.  Tickets are $10 for members and $15 for nonmembers
Purchase tickets at http://greenwichhistory.org or call 203-869-6899, Ext. 10.

Music played a key role in the development of popular opinion during WWI. Lyrics and sheet music art were often designed to influence public opinion As the political climate shifted from neutrality to support for the allies, so did mainstream music.

Prior to US involvement in 1917 many songs supported neutrality with more than one song invoking a mother's love as a reason enough for a son to stay at home. After 1917, when the United States joined the conflict, patriotic themes became more popular.

Led by Stefanie Kies and Bea Crumbine, the program will juxtapose performances of period music with background information and slides. Also, performing are vocalist Dan Swartz and John Goldschmid on piano.

Discovering the “New World”: Maps & Sea Charts from the Age of Exploration

There is a time honored fascination with maps and sea charts.  The new exhibition at the Bruce Museum is featuring maps to be admired... not for navigation!

This exhibition features more than thirty maps and charts dated between 1511 and the 1757. The maps — woodcuts or metal-plate engravings, many with original hand-applied color — represent Renaissance-period attempts by European ateliers to edify their clientele by revealing our "new" hemisphere and its approaches, as discoveries and claims came ashore from those daring enough to pack their sea bags and head for the unknown.

Today, we live in routine harmony, with cartography: on television and the Web; in newspapers, books and magazines. Satellite maps signify weather; detail maps illustrate locales of crucial events; GPS screens send us, often correctly, to new locales. On land, at sea, and in the air—digitized geography helps deliver goods and people everywhere, often without human intervention.

It was not always so. More than five hundred years ago, two European empires began daringly (and competitively) seeking the most efficient seaborne routes to the riches of Arabia and The Orient—Spain sailing west; Portugal sailing east. Mapmakers back home (nearly all landlubbers happy to sit by the fire) scrambled to gather the latest explorers' reports to enable them to draw up-to-date maps, print them as separate sheets, and sell them largely to the wealthy as bound atlases—massive compendia that glorified leather-filled libraries and enriched cultural reputations.

But much of the news sent home was erroneous, owing to imperfect navigation, honest misreadings of reality, or deliberate misrepresentations. (As he wandered around the Caribbean Sea, for example, Columbus believed he had found India.) Altogether, these factors make historic "New World" maps a fascinating study in geographic and human progress—and occasional regression.

The Bruce Museum is  open Tuesday - Sunday 10 am - 5 pm, Doors close 1/2 hour before closing, and the last admission is at 4:30 pm. For additional information call 203-869-0376 or visit https://brucemuseum.org.

For area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

A Valentine Tribute in Song

Westport singer-actress Leslie Orofino will perform some of the best-loved works from the American songbook in her one-woman Valentine's show, "Affairs of the Heart, at the Westport Historical Society on February 8, 2015 from  4 p.m. to 5 p.m. 

Blues and cabaret lovers can look forward to hearing a selection of Orofino's favorite songs from the likes of Peggy Lee and Alberta Hunter. "I love to tell a story when I sing," said Orofino, and one story she loves to tell is that of Hunter, who grew up in poverty in the American South and became a popular blues artist here and in Europe before leaving the stage to become a nurse and take care of her ailing mother. After the death of her mother, and while Hunter was in her early 80s, she returned to singing and became a sensation once again. Orofino's show will include Hunter's gritty blues riff, "Handy Man."

The singer describes her Valentine's show as "a celebration of all things that make your heart beat a little faster, through the songs of Rodgers and Hammerstein, Cole Porter, Alberta Hunter, Harry Warren and many others."

After seeing Orofino perform her act "Red Hot and Blues" at New York's Laurie Beechman Theatre, cabaret icon Julie Wilson said, "Leslie has a certain elegance mixed with sex appeal that sells each and every song. She's also a great comedian."

Ms. Orofino has also performed at such New York cabaret haunts as the Algonquin's Oak Room, Danny's Skylight Room, the Waldorf and the Plaza. She has appeared locally at Fairfield University's Quick Center and the Fairfield Theater Company and as Kay Goodman in the musical "Nite Club Confidential" at the Westport Country Playhouse. In 2002, Orofino released the CD "Moonlight Cocktails," a collection of moonlight standards of the '30s and '40s.

Among her treasured memories are the times she sang with her father, a businessman who also sang professionally, at the Oak Room. "I have always loved the music of the '30s and '40s mainly because my dad filled our home with his gorgeous tenor voice singing those songs. ... I love performing and for a few years had the honor of having my darling dad as my special guest singer at the Algonquin." The song they sang together was Dorothy Field's "Just the Way You Look Tonight."

For her WHS concert Orofino will be accompanied by award-winning musician Daryl Kojak on piano. The show is directed by Louis D. Pietig. In addition to performing, Orofino gives private voice and piano lessons. To learn more about her career, go to her website, www.leslieorofino.com.

"Affairs of the Heart," Sunday, Feb. 8, 4 p.m. $25 for Members, $30 for Non-Members and reservations are suggested: (203) 222-1424. A Valentine Reception with champagne and chocolate will follow. Westport Historical Society, 25 Avery Place, across from Town Hall. For more information about the WHS, go to http://westporthistory.org. For area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

February Fun at the Greenwich Audubon

The Greenwich Audubon located on 613 Road in Greenwich has planned a fun filled February for the entire family.  The month starts off on February 1 with the FIrst Sunday Bird Walk at Greenwich Point Park from 9:30 - 11:00 a.m.  Participants will enjoy a coastal bird walk in one of Greenwich's most important bird areas.  Participants should meet at the flag pole near the second concession stand at 9:00 am.  This event is free and guided and all  skill levels are welcome.  If you are not available for this walk on the first or if you want to repeat it, the Audubon is also offering this walk on the 8th.

On February 4, the Audubon has teamed up with The Avon Theatre in Stamford for a screening of  "Pelican Dreams" from 7:30 pm - 9 pm at the Avon Theate.  This documentary follows a wayward, starving California brown pelican from her "arrest" on the Golden Gate Bridge into care at a wildlife rehabilitation facility, and from there explores pelican nesting grounds, Pacific coast migration and survival challenges. Following the film, Audubon Naturalist Ted Gilman will discuss waterbirds and ways Audubon is working to conserve birds in Important Bird Areas across Connecticut. Avon or Audubon Members: $6 or $11 otherwise. Purchase online: www.avontheatre.org or call 203-967-3660, x2 for tickets.

On February 4, the Audubon has teamed up with The Avon Theatre in Stamford for a screening of  "Pelican Dreams" from 7:30 pm - 9 pm at the Avon Theate.  This documentary follows a wayward, starving California brown pelican from her "arrest" on the Golden Gate Bridge into care at a wildlife rehabilitation facility, and from there explores pelican nesting grounds, Pacific coast migration and survival challenges. Following the film, Audubon Naturalist Ted Gilman will discuss waterbirds and ways Audubon is working to conserve birds in Important Bird Areas across Connecticut. Avon or Audubon Members: $6 or $11 otherwise. Purchase online: www.avontheatre.org or call 203-967-3660, x2 for tickets.

A Winter Vacation Nature Exploration Days is taking place from Feb. 10-18 from 9:30 am - 3:30 pm. Audubon's solution to the winter vacation blues! Explore the season with us as we enjoy learning how animals and plants survive New England's harsh winter conditions. Pack the winter gear and snacks and sign now up for 1 or 2 days. Grades K-6. For registration forms, visit website and send to Gigi at glombardi@audubon.org.

The Audubon is a proud participant in this unique citizen-led scientific bird count, whose  results are reported online to Cornell University's Laboratory of Ornithology and will aid research on where bird species are spending the winter. To learn more, visit www.birdcount.org or join the Audubon on Feb. 13 - 16 for one of these wonderful programs. Please register for these free programs. RSVP to Ted at 203-869-5272 x353. Bring binoculars or a spotting scope if you have them. Loaner binoculars will be available.

On February 22 from 1 pm - 2:30, the Audubon is hosting a program on Coyotes and Foxes. Eastern coyotes and red foxes play important ecological roles and have become more common in our region. Frank Vincenti, founder of The Wild Dog Foundation, will explain how people and predators can live in harmony. Chris Nagy, Director Research & Land Management, for the Mianus River Gorge Preserve will discuss coyote biology and the unique Gotham Coyote Project. Q&A will follow. Proceeds directly benefit Audubon's local conservation initiatives. $10/adult. $5/child. Ages 7 & up suggested. RSVP to Jeff at 203-869-5272x349.

For more information on the Greenwich Audubon http://greenwich.audubon.org.  For area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

WILL AQUARIUM HARBOR SEAL GET SUPER BOWL PICK WRONG AGAIN?

WHAT:   Her pool mates have gone 0-3, so Polly gets the call this year to make the

                 harbor seals’ pick in Super Bowl XLIX.

WHEN:   11:45 a.m. Thurs., Jan. 29 at the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, 10 Water Street, Norwalk, CT

HOW:      Polly is trained to leap straight out of the water and touch a suspended yellow ball

                  with her nose. This Thursday, during the Aquarium’s first public seal feeding, Polly

                  will be given a choice of suspended pennants representing the New England Patriots

                  & Seattle Seahawks.   Two out of three will determine her choice.

                  NOTE:  both yellow balls will be measured in advance to ensure that they are not

                  under-inflated.

WHO:       Vicki Sawyer, Ellen Riker and Azzara Oston, the aquarists who will be feeding the

                   seals (and helping Polly with her choice).

To date, the Aquarium’s seals are 0-3 in their picks. (Rasal the seal picked New England two years ago. Orange the seal chose the 49ers in 2013 and the Broncos in 2014.) Will an Aquarium seal finally get a pick right?  Or should you just bet on the team that Polly doesn’t  pick?

ABOUT POLLY:  Polly is 27 years old. She was born at Mystic Aquarium in 1987 and came to The Maritime Aquarium in 1994.  She weighs in at 175 pounds, just a bit less than elusive Patriots receiver/kick returner Danny Amendola.  Polly actually prefers baseball over football. Her favorite players are Mike Trout and Hall of Famer “Catfish” Hunter.

For more information about the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk visit http://www.maritimeaquarium.org

The Millionaires' Unit Documentary Film Screening

On January 29, the Greenwich Historical Society is hosting the screening of The Millionaires' Unit Documentary from 3 pm to 5 pm. at the Vanderbilt Education Center on the grounds of the Society.  The tickets are Members: $10; nonmembers: $15 and can be purchased at http://greenwichhistory.org or by calling 203-869-6899, Ext. 10.

The Millionaires' Unit is the story of an elite group of college students from Yale who formed a private air militia in preparation for America's entry into World War One. Known as the First Yale Unit and dubbed "the millionaires' unit" by the New York press, they became the founding squadron of the U.S. Naval Air Reserve and were among the first to fight for the United States in the Great War. Using the squadron members' letters and diaries, the documentary chronicles the coming of age of these young pioneers against the backdrop of an event that signaled America's emergence as a world power.

The film focuses on their service and sacrifice and chronicles a great, untold story of early aviation in America. The documentary was inspired by the book The Millionaires' Unit by Marc Wortman. After seven years in development and production by co-producers Ron King and Darroch Greer, the film is being presented to the public to commemorate the centennial of World War I.

Chocolate Expo at the Maritime Aquarium Norwalk

Once again, on January 25 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.  the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk located on 10 North Water Street is hosting one of the one of the largest consumer-oriented chocolate events in the United States.  Chocoholics will have the opportunity to sample chocolates from 30+ vendors that will offer FREE tastings and sales of their products. They'll be set up throughout the Aquarium's galleries.

This event is for people that are serious about chocolate and unique specialty foods.  It has been suggested that you think of the chocolate tastings in the way you might think of a wine tasting at a winery: you get a small sample to try and you often get to talk with the person who made the product.  If you like what you've tasted, you can purchase that product directly at the show for yourself or to give as gifts.

Expo/Aquarium visitors will find not only traditional and gourmet chocolates, but also unique offerings like chocolate tarts, chocolate-covered pretzels, chocolate balsamic dressing, chocolate-covered bacon and even chocolate-scented bath soaps. But Chocolate Expo isn't entirely about chocolate. Vendors also will present baked goods, specialty foods and even fine soaps and bath products.

The Maritime Aquarium exhibits will be open on Jan. 25 – and will stay open two hours longer than normal: from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Please note that our new "Jiggle a Jelly" jellyfish touch adventure will not be open on Sun., Jan. 25 during Chocolate Expo because of the crowds expected. Jiggle a Jelly will be open Saturday, Jan. 25, and weekends and holidays and school vacation weeks after Chocolate Expo.

Admission to this event is $15 for adults and $10 children ages 3-12.  These are discounted admissions that include chocolate, the aquarium and free chocolate samples.

For more information visit http://www.maritimeaquarium.org.  For area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

Greenwich Historical Society -- Greenwich Faces the Great War

World War I marked the beginning of modern nation states, modern warfare technology and the emergence of the United States as an international power. Commemorating the centennial of the 1914 onset of that shattering event in Europe, the Greenwich Historical Society will launch a multi-faceted project beginning with an exhibition mounted in the Storehouse.

Compelling images, artifacts and documents will illustrate the diverse experiences of military personnel, volunteers, and civilians alike. For the first time in the Storehouse Gallery, touch-screen technology will be used to enhance the visitor experience through supplementary shared audio and visual resources including personal remembrances, photographs, newspaper reports, wartime letters, popular songs and more.

The project will also include a special tour and temporary installation in Bush-Holley House demonstrating how Greenwich inhabitants supported the war effort at home, along with a World War I-period, patriotic home vegetable garden (on view during the 2014 growing season). Online resources for educators and students and a menu of public events featuring lectures, workshops, and performances will round out the program.

From the discourse preceding the war to the actions and influence of its citizens once engaged, Greenwich provides rich material and multiple perspectives on a conflict that to this day influences international politics and continues to shape history.

The exhibition hours are noon to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.  Admission is free to members and $10 for adults, $8 for students and seniors.  Admission is free the first Wednesday of each month.  For more information visit http://greenwichhistory.org  For area information and more events on Fairfield County http://www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com 

A trio of Jazz concerts hosted by the Westport Arts Center

The Westport Arts Center located on 51 Riverside Ave. is once again hosting a series of jazz concerts in January, February and March.  

The new year kicks off with the sounds of Brazilian Samba and Bossa Nova as performed by Ali Ryderson and Joe Carter on January 11 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.  Jazz flutist Ali Ryerson teams up with longtime duo partner, guitarist Joe Carter, along with bassist David Finck and Brazilian percussionist Ze Mauricio, to perform an exciting program of Brazilian favorites from master composers Antonio Carlos Jobim, Luiz Bonfa, Carlos Lyra and more. Admission is $30.

On February 1 from 3 pm to 5 pm, the Westport Arts Center is hosting a "Jazz Jam." Admission: $15.00 WAC Members and $30 for non-members.  Guests are invited to join the Center's Artistic Director Brian Torff, for a free-wheeling jam session with some of the community's most active musicians. The sessions are intended to be a spontaneous exploration of Jazz, Blues, and other music styles. The Center encourages students and semi-professionals to drop in and jam for free!

On March 22, the Center is hosting  the Hartford Jazz Orchestra at the Pequot Library on 270 Pequot Ave. in Southport from 3 pm - 5 pm.  The Hartford Jazz Orchestra will perform songs from the great American songbook with vocalist Nicole Pasternack. Since it's inception in 1965, the Hartford Jazz Orchestra has performed concerts with the Woody Herman, Stan Kenton band along with joint appearances with jazz greats Zoot Sims and Clark Terry. Among its notable band members was Chic Cicchetti, who joined them as a trombone player and later rose to lead the HJO.  Admission is $30 for non members and $25 for members of WAC.

For more information and to register for these events visit http://westportartscenter.org/programs/jazz

LEGOS AND LIGHTHOUSES BRIGHTEN THE SEASON

There’s no merrier place to be this season than Fairfield County in Western Connecticut where two of the most original exhibits in New England brighten the season at local museums.

A lavish moving landscape made of a billion LEGO® bricks delights visitors to the Stamford Museum and Nature Center while the 13^th annual Festival of Lighthouses contest at the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk shows off dozens of fabulous new miniature creations.

WIDE WORLD OF LEGOS®

Trains and planes.  Cars, tractors and trucks.  Ships, shuttles and monorails. Helicopters and spaceships

Just about anything that moves on land, sea, air and space will be seen as colorful LEGO® sculptures, moving through a three-dimensional imaginary landscape at the Billion Bricks 2 exhibit at the Stamford Museum & Nature Center.  Everything in the amazing exhibit is made of LEGO blocks.

Master builder Bill Probert & I LUG (LEGO® Users Group) NY return to the Museum Galleries for a sixth season of their popular displays, promising a LEGO world that is even bigger and better this year. The exhibit runs  to January 25.

Starting in January, families are invited to make their own LEGO® creations in weekend workshops. 

Participants on Saturday, January 3 will build and race a LEGO® car while the group on Sunday January 4 will build and fly a Lego helicopter or space ship. Lights! Camera! Action! Animation 

Workshops on Saturday and Sunday January 17 and 18 for ages 10 and up will be led by Alex Kobbs, of KooberzStudios. Kobbs will teach techniques for film stop action animation using LEGO® creations and mini figures.

Workshops are limited in size and advance reservations are required.  Phone 203-977-6521 to register and see www.stamfordmuseum.org for more information.

LIGHTHOUSES LIGHT UP THE SEASON

Some are funny. Some are clever. Some are beautiful.

For the 13^th year, artists and would-be-artists will compete for the most original entry in the Festival of Lighthouses at the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk from November 22 through January. 19.
The rules are simple.  Entries must be three to six feet tall and have a working light. They may not include animal remains such as shells. Beyond that, it’s up to the creators’ imaginations and the results are guaranteed to amaze. Past entries have been made of stained glass, stone, yarn, clay, candy and tiny coffee cups. One entry was made of holiday greeting cards, another included computer animation. One memorable entry featured all the makings of the 12 days of Christmas.

 This year's exhibit will showcase 24 lighthouses and there is no telling what the creative results will be. Aquarium visitors will follow these one-of-a-kind beacons through the galleries and then cast a vote for their favorite.  The winner takes home the $1,500 first prize. Runner-ups divide the rest of the $3300 in prize money.  To learn more, see www.maritimeaquarium.org.

For more information about holiday events and a free copy of Unwind, a full-color, 152-page booklet detailing what to do and see, and where to stay, shop and dine in Fairfield County as well as in the Litchfield Hills, contact the Western Connecticut Visitors Bureau, PO Box 968, Litchfield, CT 06759, (860) 567-4506, or visit their web site at www.visitwesternct.com.

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Start Your New Year at the Palace

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!