“ONE NIGHT IN MEMPHIS” MARCH 30 PALACE THEATER

“One Night in Memphis,” the official and number one tribute to Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash is coming to Waterbury’s Palace Theater on March 30, 8:00PM.

Tickets are $55/47/37 and available at www.palacetheater.com or by phone at 203.346.2000.

“One Night in Memphis” features  nationally known talent

• Alex Swindle – Elvis Presley
• Shawn Barker – Johnny Cash
• Blair Carman – Jerry Lee Lewis
• John Mueller – Carl Perkins
• Ed Maxwell – Bass

In a 90 minute show full of pure rockabilly, country, gospel and rock and roll in an authentic and energetic presentation. The show recreates that magical night of December 4th, 1956 when Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash found themselves jamming at Sam Phillip’s Sun Studios in Memphis, TN. Little did they know that their jam session was being recorded and preserved for all time, representing all the performers in their prime and the very best music of that time.

“One Night in Memphis” is created and directed by John Mueller from the highly acclaimed show “Winter Dance Party” and has met with the same accolades and audience standing ovations. The San Francisco Examiner raves, “An Amazing Show!”

For more show information and show highlights please visit: www.presleyperkinslewiscash.net

About the Palace Theater

The Palace's primary purpose is to revitalize the Greater Waterbury community through the presentation of the performing arts and educational initiatives in collaboration with area cultural and educational institutions. Its mission is to preserve and operate the historic Palace Theater as a performing arts center and community gathering place that provides a focal point of cultural activity and educational outreach for diverse audiences.

For more information, visit www.palacetheaterct.org.

Waterbury's Palace Theater's 2018 Season

The Palace Theater's 2018 season is nothing short of phenomenal boasting a two-week engagement of the blockbuster Cameron Macintosh's production of Andrew Lloyd Weber's The Phantom of the Opera, plus four other Tony Award-winning musicals as part of the Webster Broadway series, along with concerts by Ray Lamontagne, Kansas and Kool & the Gang, guaranteed to have you celebrating good times all year long! Tickets are on sale now to all shows and may be purchased online at www.palacetheaterct.org, by phone at 203-346-2000, or in person at the Box Office, 100 East Main St. Shows are added throughout the season as well so be sure to check the website often.

The Shows

BROADWAYS' ROCK OF AGES - THE CONCERT

March 3 8:00pm

RHYTHM OF THE DANCE

March 14 7:30pm

ONE NIGHT IN MEMPHIS

March 30 8:00pm

JERSEY BOYS

March 23- 24

RENT

April 13 – 15

WE'VE ONLY JUST BEGUN, TRIBUTE TO THE CARPENTER'S

May 8 7:30pm

MOTOWN THE MUSICAL

May 11 – 13

POLI CLUB FALL JAZZ SERIES presented by New England Arts & Entertainment

CHRIS COOGAN QUINTET

September 29 7 &9pm

DAVE STRYKER

October 20 7 & 9pm

November 15 – 26

EMMET COHEN

December 8 7 & 9pm

About the Palace Theater

The Palace's primary purpose is to revitalize the Greater Waterbury community through the presentation of the performing arts and educational initiatives in collaboration with area cultural and educational institutions. Its mission is to preserve and operate the historic Palace Theater as a performing arts center and community gathering place that provides a focal point of cultural activity and educational outreach for diverse audiences.

For more information, visit: http://www.palacetheaterct.org

Stepping Stones Hosts Egg-straordinary Egg-stravaganza, March 31!

Stepping Stones Museum for Children is throwing our annual Egg-straordinary Egg-stravaganza on Saturday, March 31st from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm. Along with all of the traditional egg-citing activities, we have hatched some new ones to celebrate spring.

We're not eggs-aggerating when we promise a day filled with family fun. The festivities will be held outdoors in the Celebration Courtyard. In the case of inclement weather, it will be held indoors in the Multimedia Gallery.

The excitement begins with the introduction of our host, Benedict the Egg. Once everyone gets the chance to meet Benedict, children will select an egg to decorate and personalize for the Egg Roll competition.

Other activities include:

· Face painting

· Egg rolling

· Games such as Find the Chick, Egg tic-tac-toe, Don't Drop the Egg and an egg toss

· Scavenger hunt – find all of the decorated eggs around the museum and get a prize!

· NEW! Members-only egg hunt at 9:00 am in the museum!

Egg-ceptional musicians Jay and Ray will be hitting the stage at 11:00 with their trademark brand of interactive, kid-friendly music. Dance until your egg-hausted while you decorate Benedict with polka dots and stripes.

The Stepping Stones Cafe will be open during the event and serving up some egg-themed snacks in addition to their regular menu items available for purchase.

Ages 10 and under are welcome, and you will not have to shell out any egg-stra money for this event. The Egg-straordinary Egg-stravaganza is FREE with museum admission. No registration is required. For more information, please call 203 899 0606 or visit www.steppingstonesmuseum.org.

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: Labor Day through Memorial Day, Tuesday-Sunday and holiday Mondays from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm; and Memorial Day through Labor Day, Monday-Sundayfrom 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. Admission is $15 for adults and children and $10 for seniors. Children under 1 are free. Get social with Stepping Stones on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

The Great Egg Hunt - New Canaan Nature Center

Easter is around the corner and the New Canaan Nature Center has a great activity planned for kids ages 2-10 on March 29, 30 and 31.  Check the website for times and to sign up.

The egg hunt is designed for small groups of 25 kids per group.  In addition to the hunt, there will be several other fun activities to keep kids engaged such as an egg and spoon obstacle course.  A highlight of the event will be a meet and greet with the Center's baby chicks and bunny rabbits. 

Remember to bring your own basket to this event for collecting eggs that will contain nature-themed prizes and nut free sweets.  The cost is Members" $10 and non-members $15.

On Saturday, March 31 only there will be a rabbit rescue fundraiser that will feature small bake sale items in addition to greens to feed the bunnies from Hop-a-long Hollow Rabbit Rescue.  All donations and sales will go to finding "forever homes" for these rescued rabbits.

Easter Bunny Express Features “Egg-sighting” Rubber Duckie Hunt @ Naugatuck Valley RR

The Easter Bunny will be hopping aboard the Naugatuck Railroad located on 242 East Main Street in Thomaston on Saturdays, March 24^th and 31^st, and Sunday, March 25^th for a scenic excursion along the Naugatuck River.   

All children will get to meet the Easter Bunny, according to Ellen Van Iderstine, co-chair of the annual event.  "Families are invited by the Easter Bunny to travel by train to his secret Easter Patch.  Upon arrival, children will participate in an 'egg-sighting' rubber duckie hunt before returning to historic Thomaston Station.  This event is pure magic and memories for children so don’t forget your camera!” 

“The Bunny will meet all the passengers before they reach the patch before they stop and find their rubber duckies.  The Naugatuck Railroad offers a great opportunity for individuals, friends, and families to take a ride into our past,” said Matt Lawson, the other co-chair of the event.   

Railroad Museum of New England president Steve Casey added, “We can all celebrate the beginning of spring, warmer weather, and Easter with our Bunny on the scenic Naugatuck Railroad!  The Bunny even welcomes selfies with all the kids and their families. 

  

Three train rides per day are scheduled just before Easter, on Saturdays, March 24^th and 31^st, and Sunday, March 25^th , at 10:00 am, 12:00 noon and 2:00 pm.   Children 3 to 12 are $16, adults are $18, and seniors 62 and older are $16.   Children 2 years old and younger are only $1 each.  

Tickets can be purchased online at www.rmne.org or phone 860-283-7245 anytime.  All tickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable.

Trains depart from the Thomaston Station at 242 East Main Street, Thomaston.  Passengers may pick up tickets at the Thomaston Station's “Will Call” window on the day of the event.  Please arrive at the Station 30 minutes before departure time.  Trains depart promptly at the scheduled times.

The Railroad Museum Of New England is a not-for-profit, all volunteer, educational and historical organization that dates back to January 1968. The mission of the RMNE is to tell the story of the region’s rich railroad heritage through our educational exhibits and operation of the Naugatuck Railroad.  The museum concept is more than artifacts, it's also a story of the region and the development of society around the railroad. It is located at the landmark Thomaston Train Station. The RMNE owns and operates the Naugatuck Railroad.

From birthday parties to corporate events, you can From birthday parties to corporate events, you can contact the RMNE to find out how the Thomaston Station and the Naugatuck Railroad can offer you a unique experience.

More information about the Railroad Museum of New England can be found at: www.rmne.org.http://www.rmne.org

WCSU Observatory to offer spring planetarium shows & sky viewings

Western Connecticut State University will host biweekly Saturday evening shows and viewings of planetary and stellar objects during public nights from March 24 through May 5 at the WCSU Planetarium and Observatory on the university’s Westside campus, 43 Lake Ave. Extension in Danbury.

The four Saturday presentations will include a one-hour planetarium show followed by telescope viewing of prominent features in the night sky including the moon, Jupiter and star systems, clusters and nebulae visible during the spring months. A closing event in the series also is scheduled for Monday, May 21, featuring sky observation only. The WCSU Observatory, located atop a hill near Pinney Hall, offers viewings through a 20-inch, computer-controlled Ritchey-Chretien reflector telescope.

Admission is free and the public is invited. Limited parking is provided adjacent to the observatory, with additional parking available on University Boulevard.
Planetarium shows are appropriate for adults and older children and will be canceled only in the event of hazardous road conditions or severe weather that would pose a safety risk. The viewing period will not be offered during public nights when cloud cover prevents sky observations. For updates to confirm plans for a scheduled public night, call (203) 837-8672 on the day of the event.
Following is the schedule of WCSU Planetarium and Observatory public nights, with the most prominent visible objects listed in the order of their celestial appearance during the viewing period for the evening:

• Saturday, March 24: The planetarium show will start at 7 p.m., with sky observation following from 8 to 10 p.m. Visible objects will include the first quarter moon, the Gamma Leonis binary star system and the Beehive star cluster.

• Saturday, April 7: The planetarium show will start at 7:30 p.m., with sky observation following from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. Visible objects will include Gamma Leonis, the stars Mizar and Alcor, and galaxies in the Leo and Virgo constellations.

• Saturday, April 21: The planetarium show will start at 7:30 p.m., with sky observation following from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. Visible objects will include the moon near first quarter, Mizar and Alcor.

• Saturday, May 5: The planetarium show will start at 8 p.m., with sky observation following from 9 to 11 p.m. Visible objects will include Mizar and Alcor, the M15 globular star cluster and Jupiter.

• Monday, May 21: Sky observation will be offered from 8 to 10 p.m. Visible objects will include the first quarter moon and Jupiter.

For more information, contact the Office of University Relations at (203) 837-8486.

This week @ White Memorial Foundation!

White Memorial Foundation in Litchfield has planned a number of cool events for kids and adults this week. There are after-school programs for Grades 1-3 and 4-6 on March 21 to help kids beat the school vacation spring blues!  Each session will bring a new adventure, whether it's exploring a new part of White Memorial property, meeting a live animal, or taking part in an outdoor activity. Sessions run from 3:45 pm - 5 pm and parents are welcome to stay!  In addition, March 23-29 is kids get in free week when accompanied by an adult.

On Saturday, March 24  at 2 pm journey to Easter Island with Gerri Griswold.  In sixth grade Gerri Griswold read Norwegian explorer Thor Hyerdahl's "Kon Tiki". It never left her system. Griswold finally answered the calling in October 2017 by celebrating her 60th birthday on the world's most remotely populated island with her good friend and travel obsessed colleague, Liz Frazier - Zygmont. Most people venture out to this tiny volcanic rock perched at the very edge of French Polynesia for two or three days. After seven days Frazier- Zygmont and Griswold concurred that Easter Island's dazzling facets are so abundant that two weeks should be the minimum excursion Spend some time reliving their remarkable journey. You'll not only see some pretty amazing photographs but learn that Isla de Pascua, Easter Island, Rapa Nui is much more than the Moai statues which define it for so many.

The Museum will be closed on March 30 Good Friday but a early spring walk is planned through the Solnit Parcel to Camp Columbia on March 31.

White Memorial Foundation is located on 80 White Hall Road in Litchfield.

A Duo of Events @ The Institute for American Indian Studies March 17 & 18

This coming weekend, the Institute for American Indian Studies on Curtis Road in Washington Connecticut is celebrating Native American culture, art, and history.

On Saturday, March 17 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. guests of the Institute for American Indian Studies are invited to learn about Native American art from a gifted Native American artist, Jeanne Morningstar Kent, Abenaki.  She was named Spozowialakws (Morningstar) by an Abenaki Elder many years ago.  It means, "One who leads out of darkness into the light...a teacher."  Morningstar's artwork contains Native American symbols and designs of the Northeast Woodland People with a focus on the Wabanaki group.

Participants in this very special class will join Native artist Jeanne Morningstar Kent, and learn to paint an assortment of figurines.  Under Morningstar's professional eye, the group will paint Native American and wildlife forms in both authentic and whimsical patterns and textures.  Participants don't have to be an artist to join in the fun and are encouraged to let their imaginations run wild!  For those that enjoy this workshop, there will be additional figurines to purchase and paint at home.

Morningstar Studios located in Whiting Mills in Winsted features an array of gourds painstakingly handcrafted in traditional designs from the Wabanaki tribes in the Northeast Woodlands.  The designs, symbols, and stories told on the gourds help preserve the visual language of the Northeast Woodland people.  All of the artwork crafted by Jeanne Morningstar Kent meets the standard of the Indian Arts and Crafts Laws as designated Indian Made.

To reserve a spot call 860-868-0518 or email general@iaismuseum.org. The cost is $15 for non-members of the museum and $5 for museum members.


On Sunday, March 18 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. the Litchfield Hills Archaeology Club hosts avocational archaeologist and author, Michael Bouchard in his talk, Archaeology: Exploring Connecticut's Past. Participants will learn about four archaeological sites that Mr. Bouchard has authored including the Paleo Project- Paleo Indian migration patterns in Connecticut, the Baldwin Station Site and the Laurel Beach Site in Milford, and the Joshua Bouchard Site, an isolated Frontenac Island in Shelton.  

One of the most fascinating elements of this lecture will include information on Templeton (also known as 6LF21).  This is the oldest known site in Connecticut dating to Paleo Indian period that provides a firm date of inhabitation at 10,490 years ago.


This program is open to the public.  The lecture is $5 for members, free for members of the Litchfield Hills Archaeology Club, and $10 for museum admission and lecture. Light refreshments will be served.

About The Institute for American Indian Studies

The Institute for American Indian Studies preserves and educates through discovery and creativity the diverse traditions, vitality, and knowledge of Native American cultures. Through archaeology, the IAIS is able to build new understandings of the world and history of Native Americans, the focus is on stewardship and preservation.  This is achieved through workshops, special events, and education for students of all ages.

 Located on 15 woodland acres the IAIS has an outdoor Three Sisters and Healing Plants Gardens as well as a replicated 16th c. Algonkian Village.  Inside the museum, authentic artifacts are displayed in permanent, semi-permanent and temporary exhibits from prehistory to the present that allows visitors a walk through time. The Institute for American Indian Studies is located on 38 Curtis Road in Washington Connecticut and can be reached online or by calling 860-868-0518.

Learn how to make Irish Soda Bread @ Wilton Historical Society

Just in time for Saint Patrick's Day the Wilton Historical Society is offering a   workshop for children on Saturday, March 17 from 11:00 – 12:30. Kids will be making Irish Soda Bread. Soda bread was introduced in the early 1800’s in England, rapidly became popular in Ireland, and then in America. 

According to the Society for the Preservation of Soda Bread, “All recipes for traditional soda bread contain flour, baking soda, sour milk (buttermilk) and salt. That’s it!!!” -- which makes a plain daily bread.  Museum Educator Lola Chen will be showing the children how to make a more festive version, which includes raisins and butter, in individual loaves. She will also be talking about the cross on soda bread which has several explanations. Legend has it that folks did it to "let the devil out" while it's baking for good luck, and others say that it made it easy to divide into 4 pieces. It was also a symbol for a cross during Christian holidays.

Suggested for ages 6 – 12.  Members: $10; Non-members $15. Space is limited --- please register by contacting info@wiltonhistorical.org or call 203-762-7257.  The Wilton Historical Society, 224 Danbury Road/Rt. 7, Wilton, CT  06897  www.wiltonhistorical.org

Did You Know?

“Bread soda was introduced in the early 1800s and it suddenly meant that people who didn't have an oven — and virtually nobody had an oven then — could make soda bread. They cooked the bread in what's called a bastible — a big cast-iron pot with a lid on it that would have been put right onto the coals or onto the turf fire. The great thing about soda is that it was not so perishable and it would have been relatively inexpensive. And they would have had buttermilk from the cows [old-fashioned buttermilk is a by-product of making butter] and they would have been growing wheat, so they would have had flour.” Rory O 'Connell, Irish food expert, co-founder of the renowned Ballymaloe Cookery School.  Interview with Megan O. Steintrager, Epicurious

GALLERY TOUR OF LIVING IN THE NEW WORLD ON VIEW AT PEQUOT LIBRARY

Join exhibition curator and Special Collections consultant, Elizabeth A. S. Beaudin, Ph.D at the Pequot Library in Southport for a guided tour of Living in the New World on Monday, March 19, 2018 from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Discover unique items, such as Acts of Apostles from the New Testament in the Mohawk language/translated by H. A. Hill, with corrections by William Hess and John A. Wilkes, Jr.  published in 1835 and William Hubbards’ 1677 discourse on the Pequot War, which are included in Pequot Library’s collection on long-term deposit at the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Yale University and on display during the exhibition on view through May 6, 2018. This program is free. Pequot Library’s public programs are supported in part by the Town of Fairfield.

Dr. Beaudin believes that “this collection of poignant materials acquired by Pequot’s visionary founders – Virginia and Elbert Monroe, Mary Hull Wakeman, and William Holman – illustrates a received history written by the victors, that is, the settlers who brought their language, faith, and political aspirations to the region with the intention of making the ‘new’ world their own without full regard for the traditions, beliefs, and lives of the indigenous populations. Thanks to the books, maps, biographies, and artifacts, patrons and students alike can learn and exchange new ideas and insights on a history shared by us all.”

Dr. Beaudin received her Ph.D. from Yale University, writing her thesis on medieval love narratives from Muslim Spain. She recently retired after 30 years on Yale’s campus. During the last dozen years there, Dr. Beaudin worked on grant-funded projects to create digital repositories, all specializing in the Optical Character Recognition of Arabic text. In her role as the director of digital initiatives, Dr. Beaudin led colleagues to set policy, define processes, and publish guidelines for a sustained and integrated digital strategy at Yale University Library. Since retirement, Dr. Beaudin’s endeavors have included a project review of the Endangered Archives Programme at the British Library in London and a long-term consultancy in Special Collections at Pequot Library.

Please visit www.pequotlibrary.org to learn more about this vibrant library, educational, arts and cultural institution. For information: (203) 259-0346 ext. 115. Follow

Celebrate Native American Culture @ Maple Sugaring Festival in Washington

Traditions of the Algonquian Indians, who lived in northwestern Connecticut's Litchfield Hills, are kept alive in many fascinating ways at the Institute for American Indian Studies, Curtis Road, Washington, CT.  One of the most interesting Native American traditions is taking place here on March 10, 2018 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. when visitors are invited to an authentic Maple Sugaring Festival.

Lost in the mists of history, Native Americans discovered that sweet sap runs from maple trees in the spring as the days get warmer and the nights stay cold.  They discovered that boiling the sap in a hollowed out log with hot rocks reduced the water like liquid to an amber colored syrup; and that when cooked longer, it would also harden into a brownish colored “sugar”. 

The Native Americans used this precious sap to sweeten and flavor their food, and as a sought after item to barter with. Eventually, they taught colonists the art of tapping maple trees for their sap and how to turn it into delicious "Sweetwater".

To sweeten up spring join the staff of the Institute along with primitive technologists Jeff and Judy Kalin in the outdoor  Algonquian  Village for an afternoon celebrating the gift of maple syrup.  The Kalins will demonstrate the traditional technique of collecting sap using only stone and wooden tools that would have been used by Native Americans. They will discuss the importance of maple sugar to the diet of Native Americans as well as its usefulness as an item of trade.

A highlight of this event are the “made from scratch” pancakes served up with local maple syrup, coffee and orange juice. The Maple Syrup Demonstration is noon – 3 pm., the Pancake Brunch is 11 am – 2 pm and children’s activities are 11:30 am – 2:30 pm. The cost is $15 for adults, $13 for seniors, children are $10 and members of the museum $5.

About Primitive Technologies

PTI has built nearly 200 aboriginal structures both free standing and congregated in villages using only the tools and practices of the time such as stone axes, flaked hand tools, and fire. In his work, Jeff Kalin, owner of PTI uses only primitive tools that he has made himself.

PTI has created the village at the American Indian Archeological Institute in the style of the Eastern Woodland Indians.  This reconstructed village was created to look as it would have in the 16th century prior to European contact.  There are several wigwams and a longhouse in the village.  The structures are covered in thatch or bark.

Mr. Kalin is recognized as an expert in stone tool replication and is a consultant to museum curators and archeologists in the analysis of artifacts.  He has constructed prehistoric sets for filmmakers and his wood-fired replica pottery hand built from river clay is in private and public collections. 

Native American Legends

 There are many Native American legends concerning maple syrup.  

 Abenaki Legend

The Abenaki believed that the Creator gave many gifts to help man during his life and one of these gifts was maple syrup that would flow freely year-round from a broken tree limb.  When the Creator saw the Abenaki not tending to their village or crops and just drinking the sweet sap the creator decided to teach them a lesson by making the sap flow once a year in the spring. The Abenaki learned to honor the creator’s gift by finding that it would now take a lot of work to make the syrup.  To honor this gift they collected sap in birch bark buckets and prepared hot rocks to boil the sap from a thin liquid into a thick syrup.

Mohegan Legend

 The Mohegan's believed that the melting snow caused the spring sap to run and considered it to be the dripping oil of the Great Celestial Bear, that was wounded by the winter sky hunters.  The bear that was represented by the Big Dipper was part of their own Pleiades story that weaves its way through many Native American origin stories.

Iroquois Legend

 An Iroquois legend tells of Woksis, an Indian chief that pulled his tomahawk from a maple tree while hunting resulting in sap dripping from the tree.  The chief’s squaw noticed the sap dripping from the tree and needing water to make dinner decided to collect the sap from the tree rather than walk all the way to the river.   The sap made the meal very tasty and as a result, the Native Americans decided to tap maple trees.