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

Maple Sugaring in Litchfield Hills and Fairfield County

It may seem as though this cold, snowy winter will never end, but take heart. The plumes of smoke and sweet scents of maple syrup in the making are the first hopeful signs that spring is on the way. In Western Connecticut, where sugar maple trees are abundant, visitors are invited to see the fascinating process from taps to tastes..

           

 More than a dozen sugar houses In Fairfield County and the Litchfield Hills welcome visitors during peak syrup season in March. .From family farms to nature centers to museums on wooded grounds, guests can see how the trees are tapped and buckets hung to collect the sap, then watch in the sugar house as big bubbling kettles of thin sap boil down to thick fragrant syrup. And, of course, visitors get to sample the delicious results. Many operations are open every weekend, while some have special maple celebrations.

Maple festivals will take place on March 7 and 8 at the Stamford Museum and on March 14 at the Institute for American Indian Studies in Washington and the South Wind Farm in East Hartland.  March 21 is the gala date at the New Canaan Nature Center and the Sharon Audubon Center.

Nights below freezing and warmer days are required for the sap to run so dates for syrup making can vary.  A call ahead is essential before visiting.

           

SYRUP SEASON IN FAIRFIELD COUNTY Boil Down Fridays featuring demonstrations at the Sugar Shack continue at the New Canaan Nature Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. until the end of March On Friday, March 6 a special Boil Down Under the Stars will add family games and folklore stories around the campfire to the agenda. The annual Syrup Saturday and Pancake Brunch on March 21 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. features flapjack feasts and a family Lumberjack Challenge with competitions at log heaving and firewood stacking www.newcanaannature.org

The annual Maple Sugar Festival at the Stamford Museum is set for March 7 and 8 at the little red Sugar House on the museum’s Heckscher Farm. Family activities include a scavenger hunt, face painting and maple-themed crafts. Saturday’s Teen Chef Challenge from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. features dishes using maple syrup and local syrup is the star at Sunday’s pancake brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. www.stamfordmuseum.org. At Warrups Farm in Redding, visitors are welcome the first three weekends in March from noon to 5 p.m..to watch the whole process in the log cabin sugar house, and to take a taste of the sap direct from the trees as well as the new syrup. www.Warrupsfarm.com SYRUP MAKING IN THE LITCHFIELD HILLS The handsome, newly expanded showroom at Lamothe’s Sugar House in Burlington holds sugar-making demonstrations every March weekend.  Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. This family-owned operation, begun as a hobby, has grown to over 4500 taps and year-round showroom. Visitors enjoy complimentary maple coffee or hot chocolate. www.Lamothesugarhouse.com All the family is invited to the 9th annual Maple Festival at Sweet Wind Farm in East Hartford from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m... Besides syrup making, guests will enjoy sugar candy making demonstration, a sugar-on-snow eat, tours, videos, tree tapping demonstration, kids’ activities and live music. Visitors are also welcome on any Saturday in March when the sugarhouse is in action.www.sweetwindfarm.net The Institute for American Indian Studies in Washington will have a different take on sugaring at its annual festival on March 14th.  Demonstrations will show how local Native Americans traditionally made maple syrup and its importance to their culture and pancakes made by IAIS staff will served with local maple syrup www.iaismuseum.org The Sharon Audubon Society also features a re-creation of Native American and early colonial sugaring methods along with its modern sugarhouse. The annual Maplefest will take place on Saturday, March 21 with guided 45 minute tours, but the public is welcome to drop in any March weekend if the sap is flowing. Be sure to call ahead. http://sharon.audubon.org  One of the largest and most unique operations is the Great Brook Sugar House on the Sullivan Farm in New Milford. This program sponsored by the New Milford Youth Agency uses high school and college students to help tap over 1600 trees on property donated by local residents. The young syrup makers also aid in collecting the sap and overseeing the boiling over a traditional wood-fired evaporator. Visitors are welcome to stop by any day that steam can be seen floating up from the sugar house. 860-354-0047 Another busy sugaring spot is the Flanders Nature Center Sugar House at Van Vleck Farm Sanctuary in Woodbury.  Taps already are in place at over 300 trees at the Nature Center and around town, and the boiling down from sap to syrup can be seen on Saturday and Sundays, March 7,8,14,15,21 and 22 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. www.flandersnaturecenter.org. Several other family farms also welcome visitors to their sugar housses, but an advance appointment is necessary. These include: Brookside Farm, Litchfield, 860-567-3805, Brothers and Sons Sugarhouse, Torrington, 860-489-2719; Hilljack Sugarshack, Litchfield, 860-482-6052; Kasulaiis Farm and Sugarhouse, Barkhamsted, 860-379-8787; West Hill Sugarhouse, New Hartford, 860-379-9672 and Woodbury Sugarshed, Woodbury, 203-263-4550 For information on maple syrup making and a guide to all Connecticut sugar houses, see ctmaple.org. For information on other spring activities in the area 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 the Litchfield Hills and Fairfield County in Western Connecticut, contact the Western Connecticut Visitors Bureau, PO Box 968, Litchfield, CT 06759, (860) 567-4506, or visit their web site at www.visitwesternct.com

Collections, Community & Conversation...Continued at the Danbury Museum and Historical Society

The Danbury Museum & Historical Society launched their latest exhibit, "Collections, Community, & Conversation...Continued this winter. 

The cases in Huntington Hall, the museum exhibit space, are filled with a wealth of interesting objects gleaned from the collections of individuals from The Greater Danbury area. On display is an eclectic mix of objects including vintage bottle openers, robots, custard cups, Disney memorabilia, militaria, pottery, bells, buttons, kites and much more.

The exhibit will be open to the public Wednesday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Collections will be on display through March 21, 2015.

In addition, the museum will be hosting several free documentary film programs on the subject of craft, collecting and object appraisal throughout the exhibit run. A schedule of events and additional information will be available on the museum website http://www.danburymuseum.org

About the DMHSA:

The Danbury Museum & Historical Society was formed in 1947 to acquire, preserve, exhibit and interpret New England's past; focusing particularly on the heritage of Danbury. Situated in downtown Danbury, the museum preserves the John and Mary Rider House (c.1785), the Dodd Hat Shop (c. 1790), the Marian Anderson Studio and the Charles Ives Birthplace. Huntington Hall, a modern exhibit building houses the museum offices and research library.

For more event information www.litchfieldhills.com

Square One Theatre Company's 25th ANNIVERSARY SEASON Continues With GOOD PEOPLE

Square One Theatre Company, in Stratford, Connecticut, continues its 25^th Anniversary Season with David Lindsay-Abaire’s Good People, opening Friday, March 6 and continuing Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through March 21, 2015.

With his signature humor, David Lindsay-Abaire, a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright (Rabbit Hole), has set his new play in South Boston’s Lower End and in Chestnut Hill, an affluent Boston suburb. A former ‘Southie’ himself, the playwright explores the struggles, shifting loyalties and unshakeable hopes that come with having next to nothing in America. The audience meets Margaret Walsh, a down-on-her-luck 50-year-old woman, who grew up on the rough and tumble south end of Boston and is facing eviction and scrambling to catch a break. When a friend from the old neighborhood moves back to town, he just night be her last chance. Margaret perseveres and eventually her life begins to look a bit brighter.

The cast of Good People includes Square One Subscriber Award-Winners Janet Rathert (New Canaan), Danielle Sultini (Milford), Alice McMahon (Ridgefield) and Brian Michael Riley (Milford) along with Darius James Copland (Pelham, NY) and Jessica Myers (New Haven) making their Square One debuts.

Good People is directed by Stratford’s Tom Holehan, who is also the theatre and film critic for Elm City Newspapers, a co-founder of the Connecticut Critics Circle and resident critic for WPKN-FM’s State of the ARTS.

David Lindsay-Abaire grew up in the rough South Boston neighborhood. His first Off-Broadway hit was Fuddy Meers followed by Wonder of the World, Kimberly Akimbo and Rabbit Hole, for which he won the Pulitzer Prize. His film writing credits include “Robots,” “Inkheart,” the book for High Fidelity as well as the book and lyrics for Shrek the Musical.

Performances of GOOD PEOPLE are :

Friday, March 6 (2015) at 8pm

Saturday, March 7 at 8pm

Sunday, March 8 at 2pm (matinee) 

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Friday, March 13 at 8pm

Saturday, March 14 at 8pm

Sunday, March 15 at 2pm (matinee) 

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Friday, March 20 at 8pm

Saturday, March 21 at 4pm ( twilight matinee)

Saturday, March 21 at 8pm

For matinees performances (Sundays, March 8 & 15 at 2pm; Saturday, March 21 at 4pm), Tammy Trojanowski with Stratford Community Services will join the cast for post performances discussions with the audience.

All performances are on the stage of the Stratford Theatre, 2422 Main Street in Stratford, Connecticut, located off I-95 Exit 32 (northbound and southbound) in Stratford Center.

Tickets are:

$20 for adult single tickets

$19 for senior citizens & students

Single tickets may be purchased :

By phone : Box Office at 203.375.8778(24/7)

Online at: www.squareonetheatre.com

In person : at box office 60 minutes prior to each performance

By mail : self-addressed, stamped envelope & check payable to Square One Theatre sent to Administrative Office; 656 Longbrook Avenue, Stratford, Ct 06614-5117

 

Square One Theatre’s 25^th Anniversary Season also includes The Winslow Boy (May 15 – 30, 2015).

The Stratford Theatre is wheelchair accessible and also offers its patrons hearing-assisted listening devices as needed. Please inform the box office of any special needs when reserving tickets.

For more information and up-to-date news about suggested parking, the theatre, the plays, the actors and seating chart visit www.squareonetheatre.com

For further information call the theatre box office at 203.375.8778.