Art Exhibits, Museums Historic Places        ___________________________

The Barn Gallery, 82 Rte 37, New Fairfield; 203-746-4502.

Through Oct 31: “Changing Seasons,” paintings on paper, wood & canvas and woven paintings (“a hybrid of painting & weaving”) by Paula Renee.

Blue Z Coffee House, 127 Main St South/Rte 25, Newtown; 203-364-1003, 203-364-0631.

Through Oct 31: photographs by Michael Florio.

Booth Library, 25 Main St/Rte 25, Newtown; 203-426-4533.

On main floor: Through Oct 29: “Common Object, Uncommon View,” quilted creations by members of The Scrapbag Quilters.

In Olga Knoepke Meeting Room (lower meeting room): Through Oct 29: “Journey Within,” works by members of Authentic Voice, a Newtown based healing, meditative art group that has been meeting weekly for more than a decade.

Brookfield Craft Center, 286 Whisconier Rd/Rte 25, Brookfield; 203-775-4526.

Through Oct 24: “Brookfield Craft Center RE:Invention,” work by BCC faculty as center celebrates reopening & hope for future after closing in May.

Danbury Museum & Historical Society, 43 Main St, Danbury; 743-5200.

Through Oct 31: “Our Vintage Wedding Gowns,” wedding gowns from museum’s collection offering a survey of fashion trends from Victorian era to late 20th Century.

Easton Public Library, 691 Morehouse Rd (at corner of Center St), Easton; 203-261-0134.

Through Nov 6: “Abstractions, the Search for Form,” paintings & constructions by Robert Brennan incl diverse examples of the artist’s exploration of abstraction.

Institute for American Indian Studies, 38 Curtis Rd, Washington; 860-868-0518.

Through Oct 31: “The Artist’s Corner: Joseph Firecrow,” handcrafted flutes by Grammy Award nominee & Northern Cheyenne flutist.

Mattatuck Museum Art & History Center, 144 West Main St, Waterbury; 203-753-0381.

Through Oct 24: “Renaissance in Pastel: The 17th Annual National Exhibition of the Pastel Society,” works in pastels by members of CT Pastel Society.

Through Oct 24: “Where Lies Beauty: The Josephine McMillen and Lois Livingston McMillen Exhibition,” work by 5 women artists — Mia Brownell, Leeah Joo, Susan Madsci, Eleanore Miller & Afarin Rahmanifar — who utilize & contest conventional notions of art-making in works that demonstrate how beauty remains relevant in post-modern art.

Minor Memorial Library, 23 South St, Roxbury; 860-350-2181.

Through Oct 25: “A Look at the Past: Paintings from 1985-2010,” retrospective of paintings by interpretive realist Marija McCarthy, incl scenes of hills, homes, towns & distinctively attired people in Europe, the American West & New England.

*(new show) Oct 30-Nov 30: “Barn Stories from Roxbury: The Exhibition,” paintings & photos of Roxbury barns by 9 area artists, coincides w/ publication of Roxbury Historic Commission’s Barn Stories from Roxbury, Connecticut: A Survey & Oral History; Oct 30, opening reception, 2-4 pm.

Morrison Gallery, 5 Maple St, Kent; 860-927-4501.

Through Oct 24: recent landscape paintings & highly expressive pastels of horses by Norman Sunshine, also earlier pcs from the artist’s years in LA.

Newtown Municipal Center, Fairfield Hills campus (off Wasserman Way), 3 Primrose St, Newtown; 203-270-4201.

Through Nov 12: “Newtown and Beyond,” more than 150 photos by members of Flagpole Photographers Camera Club featuring views of Newtown and members’ favorites.

Sculpture Barn, 3 Milltown Rd (at Rte 39), New Fairfield; 203-746-6101.

*(new show) Through Nov 28: “Art in the Landscape: The 7th Annual Atelier Exhibition,” new sculpture & installations by developing regional artists Barbara Stogo, Cary Roberts, Chelsea Steinberg Gay, Cindy Booth, David McNeil,  Denis Folz, Giovanna Schwartz (a/k/a gioVanna), Judith Rowley, Karen Gentile, Matt Rink, Murray Bodin, Nancy Smith, Paul Krause, Richard Pitt, Steve Brooks & Ted Rotante, all of whom have studied under David Boyajian.

WCSU Higgins Hall, 181 White St (behind Fairfield Hall), Danbury; 203-837-8486, 860-868-2878.

*(new show) Through Nov 23: “Fifteen Artists, One Exhibition,” works by 15 regionally & nationally artists — Eric Aho, Ira Barkoff, Souby Boski, Charles Cajori, Lois Dodd, Philip Grausman, Barbara Grossman, Wolf Kahn, Nancy Lasar, Elizabeth MacDonald, Ann Mallory, Marija Pavlovich McCarthy, Ruth Miller, Judith Petrovich & Carl Weese — who have taught at Washington Art Assn; Oct 28, opening reception, 4-7 pm.

White Silo Farm & Winery, 32 Route 37 East Sherman; 860-355-0271.

*(new show) Through Oct 31: “Glass Act VII,” jewelry, tableware, wall panels, accessories & objets d’art by CT artists Maryann Meken-Silvestri & Judy Mirrer.

Wilton Historical Society, 224 Danbury Road, Wilton; 203-762-7257.

Through Oct 31: “Wilton’s Neighbor, Mark Twain,” extensive collections from The Mark Twain Library in Redding & The Mark Twain House & Museum in Hartford to provides a window into the life & writing of the famous author on the 100th anniversary of his death, incl selected volumes & writings from his works, photos, scrapbooks, architectural plans & reflections on his two Connecticut residences.

Auditions, Juried Events      _________________

Stray Kats Theatre Company, at Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main St, Newtown; 203-514-2221.

Oct 27-28: Auditions for inaugural season, 7-9 pm each night, Union & non-union actors  if all types sought for monthly one-day productions of contemporary classics, old-time radio scripts & new works incl Kaufman’s Man Who Came To Dinner (Dec 10),  Rapp’s The Bickersons (Jan 14), new work TBA (Feb 11), Miller’s The Price (March 11), Fibber McGee & Molly (April 8) & Brown’s Our Lady of Allapattah, prepare 2 contrasting monologues from contemporary play to be read (not memorized) & not to exceed 3 min, contact Artistic Director Kate Katcher for addt’l info & (recommended) appointment at above phone # or info@StrayKatsTheatreCompany.org.

Town Players of Newtown, PO Box 211, Newtown CT 06470.

Nov 27: Deadline for submissions from directors interested in leading a production during 2011 sea-son, accepting comedy, drama & period pcs, visit NewtownPlayers.org for submission form, send ques-tions to TownPlayers@yahoo.com, submit resume, directors who are available but don’t have particular play in mind also invited to submit resume.

Concerts, Musical Events ________________

Oct 27: Sirius Coyote at Southbury Public Library, Poverty Rd, Southbury, 7 pm, registration required, traditional, original & contemporary music of the Americas by multi-talented group of musicians, storytellers & instrument makers; 203-262-0626 x130.

Oct 30: Monthly ballroom dance, Holy Trinity Greek Church Community Center, 4070 Park Ave, Bridgeport, begins 7 pm, $17, free dance lesson at 8, performance by professional ballroom stars Egor Abaschin & Katie Kanexskaya at 9:30, singles & couples welcome, refreshments; 203-374-7308 x47.

Oct 30: Violin recital by David Gale at Danbury Music Centre, 256 Main St, Danbury, 8 pm, $10, works of Sarasate, Wieniawski & Tartini to be performed by Mr Gale, w/ accompaniment by Evan Solomon, proceeds to benefit music center’s programs; 203-748-1716.

Oct 29: Annual Oktoberfest Concert, WCSU Ives Concert Hall, 181 White St, Danbury, 8 pm, free (donations will benefit music dept), performances by Frankensax, WCSU Jazz Ensemble & WCSU Jazz Orchestra, costumes encouraged; 203-837-8350.

Nov 4: Jazz vocalist Richard “Cookie” Thomas at The Mattatuck Museum, 144 West Main St, Waterbury, 5:30-7:30 pm, $15 ($7 museum members), classic standards by musician inspired by Nat “King” Cole, Frank Sinatra, et al, part of Jazz First Thursday series; 203-753-0381 x10.

Nov 6: NUMC Coffee House, Newtown United Methodist Church, 92 Church Hill Rd, Sandy Hook, 7:45-10:30 pm, adm $4 for those attending earlier pasta dinner (see listing under Miscellaneous), $5 otherwise, live bluegrass & folk music, light refreshments; 203-426-9998.

Nov 7: Open Sing of Requiem, Trinity Episcopal Church, 36 Main St, Newtown, 5 pm, free, singers of all ages & abilities invited to arrive before 5 to be gathered into vocal sections, nonsingers also welcome to listen as singers join Trinity’s vocal groups for performance to begin at 5:15 of Fauré’s best known large work; 203-426-9070 x11.

For Kids & Families_______________________

Through Oct 31: Danbury Railway Museum’s Pumpkin Patch, 120 White St, Danbury, Sat 10 am-4 pm, Sun 12-4 pm, $9 (free age 2 & under), ride 1920s passenger coach or restored 1953 Rail Diesel Car to pumpkin patch within railyard, free pumpkin for each child, museum also open (& incl in adm); 203-778-8337.

Oct 23: Family Nature Walk at Kellogg Environmental Center, 500 Hawthorne Ave, Derby, 10-11:30 am, free, peaceful walk to look for late fall foliage, blowing seeds & final birds heading south for winter; 203-734-2513.

Oct 23: Annual Haunted Trail, The Institute for American Indian Studies, 38 Curtis Rd, Washington, 6-10 pm, $6, $4 kids, join staff & friends for ongoing guided half-mile walks along Haunted Trail, ending at village for cider & roasted marshmallows, final walk departs 9:45; 860-868-0518.

Oct 24: “Ghosts Among Us,” C.H. Booth Library lower meeting room, 25 Main St, Newtown, 3 pm, free performance of original story by The Mask & Wig Players (library’s teem drama group) to incl local ghost stories & spooky tales; 203-426-4533.

Oct 29: Candlelight Ghost Tour, leaves from & returns to 1842 Second Meeting House, 40 Main St, Bethel, 7 pm, $10, $5 ages 5-12 (reservations by Oct 27), approx 1 hour family-friendly tour through streets of Bethel, guided by costumed storyteller, will incl fun & fascinating stories, local legends, history, superstition & more, light refreshments at end of tour; 203-730-2726.

C.H. Booth Library, 25 Main St/Rte 25, Newtown; 203-426-4533 (children’s dept 203-426-3851).

Children’s programs, free unless specified: Oct 25, Halloween Craft, 4:15 pm, $3 due at program (registration requested), join Marie Walker to make Halloween theme necklace & bracelet; Oct 27, Drawing Pumpkins, 4:15 pm, $3 (online registration requested), ages 8-12 can join artist Kristine Humber to create illustrations using spray paint, coffee filters, yarn & markers; Nov 6, Author Visit: Bruce Degen, 2 pm, author-illustrator will talk about his new book & the re-search that went into The Magic School bus and The Climate Challenge.

Young Adult programs, free unless specified: Oct 24, “Ghosts Among Us,” 3 pm, an original Halloween show by The Mask & Wig Players (young thespians, grades 6-12).

Miscellaneous ____________________________

Oct 22-24: Annual Harvest Fair, Newtown Senior Center, 14 Riverside Rd, Sandy Hook, Fri-Sat 9 am-4 pm, Sun 9 am-noon, gift baskets, quilts, seasonal (Halloween to Christmas) items, clothing & more, all created by Senior Center members, event continues to October 24; 203-270-4310.

Oct 22-24: SCAN Fall Art Show & Sale, Newtown Meeting House, 31 Main St, Newtown, 10 am-5 pm daily (also opening reception Fri, 6-8 pm), original works by members of The Society of Creative Arts of Newtown; 203-261-4496.

Oct 23: Annual Fall Fair & Tag Sale, Christ the King Lutheran Church, 85 Mt Pleasant Rd, Newtown, 9 am-3 pm, giant tag sale, food & baked goods, crafts, gift baskets; 203-426-6300.

Oct 23: Family Bingo, St Rose Gathering Hall, 46 Church Hill Rd, Newtown, doors open at 6 pm, games begin at 7, $5 (12 regular games) or $10 (12 games, 4 specials & 1 bonus), refreshments available; 203-426-1014, 203-426-4502.

Oct 23: Perfect Pairs: The Artful Bras Show, Edmond Town Hall Alexandria Room, 45 Main St, Newtown, 7-10 pm, $25, fundraiser for Ann’s Place/The Home of I Can will include exhibition & auction of “artful bras” (creatively decorated brassieres), also fashion show, live music, refreshments & more; 203-426-2226, 203-740-2733, 203-426-5283.

Oct 23: Family Nature Walk at Kellogg Environmental Center, 500 Hawthorne Ave, Derby, 10-11:30 am, free, peaceful walk to look for late fall foliage, blowing seeds & final birds heading south for winter; 203-734-2513.

Oct 24: Fall Marketplace, Edmond Town Hall Alexandria Room, 45 Main St, Newtown, 10 am-3 pm, $5, free ages 16 & under, final exhibition of Artful Bras (see October 23 listing), arts & crafts by local artisans, complimentary light refreshments; 203-426-2226, 203-740-2733.

Oct 27: “Vision for New England Landscape: The Future of New England’s Woodlands and Natural Habitats,” Western CT State University Science Building, Osborne St, Danbury, 4 pm, lecture by Highstead director will explain The Wildlands & Woodlands Vision & New England’s long term conservation efforts; 203-837-8569.

Oct 29: Candlelight Ghost Tour, leaves from & returns to 1842 Second Meeting House, 40 Main St, Bethel, 7 pm, $10, $5 ages 5-12 (reservations by Oct 27), approx 1 hour family-friendly tour through streets of Bethel, guided by costumed storyteller, will incl fun & fascinating stories, local legends, history, superstition & more, light refreshments at end of tour; 203-730-2726.

Oct 30: Newtown Lions Club Great Pumpkin Race, Edmond Town Hall rear parking lot, 45 Main St, Newtown, 1-4 pm (rain date Oct 31), pumpkin racing, pumpkin decorating contest, pumpkin pie baking contest & parade of costumes.

Oct 30: Howl-O-Ween Party, Fairfield Hills campus, use Keating Farms Rd entrance, Newtown, 3-5 pm, $10 donation per dog, relay race, treasure hunt & bobbing for hot dogs, canine costume contests, refreshments for dogs & humans, fundraiser for Newtown Park & Bark; 203-270-4340.

Oct 30: Seymour Public Library Monthly Book Sale, 46 Church St, Seymour, 10 am-noon; 203-888-3903.

Oct 30: Halloween Spooktacular: A Benefit for Healing the Children Northeast, at North Country Inn & Restaurant, 329 Kent Rd, New Milford, 7 pm-midnight, $30/person, $50/couples (incl food & 1 adult beverage; cash bar available), silent auction, raffle, music, costume contest, proceeds to benefit HCN; 860-355-1828.

Oct 30: Halloween Dinner Dance, Odd Fellows Hall, 25 Danbury Rd, New Milford, 8 pm-midnight (roast beef dinner at 7, $15), $10 (for dance & refreshments only after 8), costumes welcome, music by DJ, BYOB; 860-354-7966.

C.H. Booth Library, 25 Main St/Rte 25, Newtown; 203-426-4533.

Oct 22, Mark Twain book discussion series, 7:30 pm, Julie Stern will lead discussion on The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, newcomers welcome; Oct 28, Beading I: Lanyards, 7 pm, $8 (due at registration), join artist Pat Martin to learn a few simple techniques and then create a work of art; Oct 28, Evening Book Group, 7:30 pm, discussion of The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway, newcomers welcome; Nov 2, Nonfiction Book Group, 1 pm, discussion of Lost City of Z, newcomers welcome.

Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main St/Rte 25, Newtown; 203-426-2475.

(FILM) Oct 22-28: The Other Guys (PG-13), Fri-Sat 7 & 9 pm, Sun-Thurs 7 pm, mat Sat-Sun 1 & 4 pm, Tues 1 pm.

Institute for American Indian Studies, 38 Curtis Rd, Washington; 860-868-0518.

Oct 23, Annual Haunted Trail, 6-10 pm, $6, $4 kids, join staff & friends for ongoing guided half-mile walks along Haunted Trail, ending at village for cider & roasted marshmallows, final walk departs 9:45; Oct 30, 5th annual Native American Archaeological Roundtable: Native Conflict, 1-5 pm, free, events to incl screening of Mystic Voices (updated by its filmmaker for event), “Fighting Pequot War” power point presentation, also “Guns in the Valley” power point, panel discussion & more (call or visit birdstone.org for full details).

Newtown Hikers. Call 203-788-1398 (Ester Nichols), 203-270-4340 (Newtown Parks & Rec).

Hikes leave from lower lot @Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main St, Newtown, 9 am (spring & fall start), free, all welcome (children must be accompanied), bring bag lunch/beverage, wear sturdy shoes, destinations & leaders (in parentheses) as follows: Oct 23, Bronx Zoo, N.Y. (Jo Sembler, 203-228-1521 or 203-267-5567; special notes: entrance fee $16, $14 seniors $14, separate exhibits $5 or $27 adult, $23 senior for combined admission); Oct 30, Devils Den, Redding, six-mile loop (Carol Fullman, 203-270-1747).

Wednesday Night Poetry Series, new location: at The Garage (Newtown teen center), 53 Church Hill Rd, Newtown. Call 203-426-6242, 203-364-0631.

Open mic 7:30 pm, featured poet at 8:45, poetry editing workshop follows featured poet: Oct 27, Monica Youn, from NYC, & our Halloween Bash.

Theatre  _________________________________

TheaterWorks Hartford, 233 Pearl St, Hartford; 860-527-7838.

Broke-ology, through Oct 24, curtain Fri-Sat 8 pm, Tues-Thurs 7:30 pm, mat Sat-Sun 2:30 pm, tickets $39-$61; note: play is suggested for ages 16 & up.

Town Players of Newtown, at The Little Theatre, 18 Orchard Hill Rd, Newtown; 203-270-9144.

Whodunnit, through Oct 24, curtain Fri-Sat 8 pm, mat Sun 2, tickets $20; note: play contains some adult content not suitable for children.

Western CT State University’s Berkshire Theater, Osborne St, Danbury; 203-837-8732.

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Nov 3-6, curtain 7 pm Nov 3-4, 8 pm remaining Fri-Sun, also mat 3 pm Sat (Nov 20 only), Sun 2 pm (Nov 14 only), tickets $20, $15 students & seniors; note: recommended for mature audiences due to subject matter.

Westport Country Playhouse, 25 Powers Court, Westport; 203-227-4177.

The Diary of Anne Frank, through Oct 30, contact theater for curtain details, tickets $35-$55.

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Events that appear by date have Newtown items listed first, with additional events listed by their start time. At the time of printing, the information here is accurate as presented; a call ahead is always a good idea to be safe.

DEADLINE INFORMATION

Press releases for Enjoy must be received by MONDAY NOON for publication in that week’s edition of The Newtown Bee. Send to Associate Editor Shannon Hicks, Newtown Bee, 5 Church Hill Road, Newtown CT 06470, or shannon@thebee.com.