BAZAARS/FAIRS

Through Dec 14: Annual Holiday Market of Ridgefield Guild of Artists, RGA Gallery, Halpin La, Ridgefield, Tues-Sat 10 am-6 pm, Sun 1-5 pm, free adm, show & sale of works by new & returning artists & artisans offers smaller, affordable, unique art incl paintings, drawings, prints, photos, sculpture, pottery, ornaments, toys, greeting cards, more; 203-438-8863.

Dec 4-7: Fourteenth Annual “Christmas in the Mansion,” Lauralton Hall, 200 High St, Milford, Fri 7-9:30 pm (preview gala, by reservation only, call for price details), Fri 10 am-9:30 pm, Sat 10 am-5 pm, Sun 11 am-4 pm, adm $6 adults, $4 seniors & ages 4-12, free ages 3 & under, 60+ exhibitors, visits & photos w/ Santa, Food Court, “Victorian Holiday” theme for decorations, also Victorian Tea (Fri 4-7, reservations necessary), The Luncheon (Sat 12 & 1:30 pm, reservations necessary) & Sunday Brunch (11 am, reservations necessary; 203-877-2786.

Dec 5-6: 23rd Annual Bethlehem Christmas Town Festival, Rte 61 & 132 (in & around center of town), Bethlehem, Fri 5-10 pm, Sat 10 am-5 pm, free adm, opening ceremony w/ lighting of tree, 75+ arts & crafts exhibitors in 7 buildings on Village Green, Annual Christmas Town Ornament, hay rides, strolling carolers, entertainment, food concessions, special postal cancellations Bethlehem Post Office will have extended hours (Sat 8 am-8 pm, Sun 8 am-5 pm), story telling w/ Mrs Claus (Fri), book signings w/ Diane Smith (Sat), ornament workshop for children, special exhibitions at Bellamy-Ferriday House & Garden & 550 Gallery; 203-266-5557.

Dec 6: Annual Christmas Fair, St Jude Parish, 707 Monroe Tpke, Monroe, 10 am-4 pm, free adm, craft vendors, Chinese auction, quilt raffle, live wreaths, children’s room (where children can stay while parents shop), Elf’s Corner (ornaments shopping area for children), baked goods, refreshments; 261-6404.

Dec 6: Hollyberry Fair, Trinity Episcopal Church, 91 Church St, Seymour, 8 am-2 pm, holiday crafts & gift items, home baked desserts, holiday decorations, fresh-picked holly, more; 203-888-6596.

Dec 6: Annual Garden Club of Newtown Greens Sale, Newtown Meeting House, 31 Main St/Rte 25, Newtown, 9 am-1 pm, wreaths, swags, kissing balls, ropes of popcorn and cranberries, jams and jellies and more, all put together by garden club members.

Dec 6: Annual SNAN Christmas Fair, Edmond Town Hall lower meeting room and old courtroom, 45 Main St/Rte 25, Newtown, 9 am-2 pm, tag sale, bake sale, books, raffles, crafts and Christmas items, vendors, refreshments, presented by Spay and Neuter Association of Newtown.

Dec 6-13: 36th Annual Gingerbread Village & Christmas Bazaar, St George’s Church, Tucker Hill Rd at Rte 188, Middlebury, Sat (Dec 6) 10 am-7 pm (lunch 11:30-2), Sun 12-9 pm (coffee & dessert 2-5 pm), Mon-Fri 2-4 & 7-9 pm, Sat (Dec 13) 10 am-4 pm, free adm, handicapped accessible, full village created by groups & individuals working in gingerbread, frostings, candies & related materials; 203-758-9557.

Dec 7: Family Counseling Center 18th Annual Newtown Holiday Festival, on & around Main St/Rte 25, Newtown, 11 am-5 pm, tickets $20/adv adults ($25/day of), $15/seniors & children ($18/day of), live music, ballet, Festival of Trees, walking tour of historic private homes, Victorian Tea Room, New England Café, arts & crafts show (opens 10 am), antiques show (opens at 10), more; 364-0597.

Dec 12: Holiday in the Depot, on the green, Rte 47, Washington Depot, 6 pm, celebrate the lighting of town’s Christmas Tree & arrival of Santa, then enjoy holiday cheer, wagon rides & special events w/ local merchants.

CHILDREN/FAMILY PRODUCTIONS

Through Dec 28: Rudolph! at Downtown Cabaret Theatre, 263 Golden Hill St, Bridgeport, tickets $12.50 (group rates available), curtain Sat-Sun, Wed-Thurs 12 & 2:30 pm, DCT Children’s Theatre Co. is performing story of the most famous reindeer of all & his rise to the top, full of holiday song & dance; 203-576-1636.

Dec 13: Holiday Stories, Playhouse on The Green, 177 State St, Bridgeport, performances 10 am & noon, tickets $12 each (group discounts available), performance by The Mythmakers will take audience on musical & story-filled trip led by master actor-storytellers, multi-cultural performance offers music & audience participation; 203-696-0031.

Dec 13: Staged reading of Dylan Thomas’ A Child’s Christmas in Wales, Yale Center for British Art lecture hall, 1080 Chapel St (at High St), New Haven, 2 pm, free staged reading directed by & featuring members of Yale School of Drama, also featuring original soundscape by Yale drama student; 203-432-2800.

Dec 14: Beatrix Potter’s The Tailor of Gloucester, Fairfield Univ Quick Center for the Arts, 1073 North Benson Rd, Fairfield, 1 & 3 pm, tickets $12 adults, $10 children, performance by Theater IV (based on books & lyrics of Paul Deiss) brings to life the tale of a poor tailor, a poppycock mayor & natural enemies coming together to make for a happy Christmas Day, target audience grades K-5; 203-254-4010.

CONCERTS/MUSICAL EVENTS

Dec 4: Fairfield University Jazz Ensemble Winter Concert, Fairfield Univ’s Quick Center, 1073 North Benson Rd, Fairfield, shows at 7 & 8:30 pm, tickets $8 adults, $5 students, performance by accomplished group of university students directed by Brian Torff, ensemble will be joined this year by legendary drummer Jaimoe for program of standards & original works; 203-254-4010.

Dec 4: “The Vienna Choir Boys: A Holiday Concert,” Palace Theatre, 61 Atlantic St, Stamford, 7 pm, tickets $27 & $37, performance by choir w/ members ranging from ages 10-14 will pull from repertoire of sacred & classical music, waltzes & polkas, pop, jazz & experimental music; 203-325-4466.

Dec 5-6: “Holiday Spectacular!,” Ridgefield Playhouse for Movies and Performing Arts, 80 East Ridge, Ridgefield, Fri 7 pm, Sat 3 pm, tickets $20 adults, $10 children, Broadway star Debbie Gravitte will be joined by 40± area residents in celebrating holiday traditions of Ridgefield from early 1700s (carolers & bells) through the millennium (lights & special effects), directed by Victor Mathews & musical director Russ Kassoff; 203-438-5795.

Dec 5-6: “The Many Moods of Christmas,” Fairfield Univ Glee Club’s Christmas concert, Quick Center for the Arts, North Benson Rd, Fairfield, Fri 8 pm, Sat 2 pm, tickets $10 (discounts for seniors & students), mixed chorus of 120 grad & undergrad students will offer works of Chesnokov, Olatunji, Quintana, also 2 sections of Bennett & Shaw’s The Many Moods of Christmas Suite, soloists & glee club’s chamber ensembles will also perform holiday favorites; 203-254-4010.

Dec 5-7: The Nutcracker by New Haven Ballet, at Shubert Theater for Performing Arts, 247 College St, New Haven, Fri 8 pm, Sat 2 & 7:30 pm, Sun 2 pm, tickets $18-$43; 203-624-1825, 203-562-5666, 800-228-6622 (tickets.com).

Dec 6: American Chamber Orchestra at Playhouse on the Green, 177 State St, Bridgeport, 7:30 pm, tickets $20, program will incl works of Telemann & Jacchini, also selections from Handel’s Messiah, audience will be given music, guest soloist is 2001 Jenny Lind Competition winner Stephanie Gregory; 203-696-0031.

Dec 6: Annual Yale Camerata Advent Concert, Battell Chapel, 300 College St (at corner of Elm, opposite New Haven Green), New Haven, 8 pm, free, 60-voice group of Yale grads & undergrads directed by Marguerite L. Brooks will perform cantatas of J.S. Bach & works of Bruckner, Rachmaninov, Crabtree, revised version of Kellog’s Gloria & Willcocks’ arrangement of Goss’s See, amid the Winter’s Snow; 203-432-5180.

Dec 6: Handel’s Messiah performed by Hartford Symphony Orchestra & The Hartford Chorale, at The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts, 160 Capitol Ave, Hartford, 8 pm, tickets $15-$57, full orchestra & 130-member chorus will be joined for annual performance of Handel’s most popular oratorio by soprano Rachel Rosales, mezzo-soprano Lorraine DiSimone, tenor Carl Johengen & bass-baritone George Cordes; 860-244-2999.

Dec 6: “Queer Eye for The Magi: Annual CGMC Holiday Concert,” WCSU’s Ives Concert Hall, 181 White St, Danbury, 8 pm, tickets $25 & $30, performance by CT Gay Men’s Chorus will offer traditional holiday harmony & madcap yuletide comedy “joining together on a journey to a surprising makeover”; 800-644-2462.

Dec 7: St Rose Christmas Concert, St Rose of Lima Church, 46 Church Hill Rd, Newtown, 4 pm, traditional concert featuring St Rose music ministries; 426-1014.

Dec 7: “Music For The Holidays” by Fairfield County Chorale, at St Catherine of Siena Church, 4 Riverside Ave, (Riverside) Greenwich, 2 pm, tickets $25 adults, $20 seniors, Maestro Johannes Somary will lead chorus, w/ Fairfield Children’s Choir & guest soloists soprano Cynthia Richards Wallace, mezzo-soprano Alexandra Montano, alto Madeleine Gray, tenor Matthieu Sachot & bass-baritone Richard Holmes, also organist Scott Turkington, in program w/ works of Saint-Saëns, Poulenc & Honegger; 203-254-1333.

Dec 10: Advent Noonday Concert, St John’s Episcopal Church, 768 Fairfield Ave, Bridgeport, 12:05 pm, free performance of seasonal duets by tenor Don Wiggins & pianist Michael Lantowski, luncheon follows ($4, optional); 203-335-2528.

Dec 12: “NHSO Friday Pops: Sounds of the Season Holiday Favorites,” Shubert Theater for Performing Arts, 247 College St, New Haven, 7:30 pm, tickets $13-$43, Santa Gerald Steichen will conduct NHSO Pops for rousing finalé to the year; 203-624-1825, 203-562-5666, 800-228-6622 (tickets.com).

Dec 12: CT Choral Society Holiday Concert, First Congregational Church, Deer Hill Ave at West St, Danbury, 8 pm, TICKERTS, performance by 80-member chorus directed by John Liepold will feature Mozart’s Vespers Solennes De Confessors & Finzi’s In Terra Pax, Opus 39 (concert repeats Sun in Woodbury, see details); 800-555-5250.

Dec 12-14: Nutcracker Ballet at Danbury High School, Clapboard Ridge Rd/Rte 39, Danbury, Fri 7:30 pm, Sat 6 pm, Sun 3 pm, tickets $10 & $15, 36th annual Danbury production sponsored by Danbury Music Centre will feature 220 community dancers (selected by audition), music by 50-pc Danbury Symphony Orchestra & 25-pc Danbury Symphony Youth Orchestra, full staged w/ costumes, scenery & lighting; 748-1716.

Dec 13-14: George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker at Palace Theatre, 61 Atlantic St, Stamford, Sat (Dec 13, 5 pm; Dec 20, 12 & 4 pm), Sun 12 & 4 pm, tickets $27-$57, only production in Northeast & one of only 5 in the country permitted to re-create Balanchine’s choreography will feature music by Stamford Symphony Orchestra, principals from New York City Ballet & American Ballet companies, pre-professional dancers from School of American Ballet & 80 children from tri-state area dance studios; 203-325-4466.

Dec 13: “Queer Eye for The Magi: Annual CGMC Holiday Concert,” Shubert Theatre, 249 College St, New Haven, 8 pm, tickets $25 & $30, performance by CT Gay Men’s Chorus will offer traditional holiday harmony & madcap yuletide comedy “joining together on a journey to a surprising makeover”; 800-644-2462.

Dec 14: “Queer Eye for The Magi: Annual CGMC Holiday Concert,” Rich Forum, Stamford, 7 pm, tickets $25 & $30, performance by CT Gay Men’s Chorus will offer traditional holiday harmony & madcap yuletide comedy “joining together on a journey to a surprising makeover”; 800-644-2462.

Dec 14: CT Choral Society Holiday Concert, North Congregational Church, Main St North/Rte 6, Woodbury, 4 pm, TICKERTS, performance by 80-member chorus directed by John Liepold will feature Mozart’s Vespers Solennes De Confessors & Finzi’s In Terra Pax, Opus 39; 800-555-5250.

Dec 14: “Queer Eye for The Magi” by CT Gay Men’s Chorus, at Rich Forum, 307 Atlantic St, Stamford, 7 pm, tickets $27-$42, holiday carols & outrageous comedy featuring Three Newly Fabulous Kinds, dancing reindeer, unusual elves, Santa, Martha Stewart, Joan Crawford & more; 203-325-4466.

Dec 19: New Haven Symphony Orchestra Holiday Concert, Fairfield Univ Quick Center for the Arts, North Benson Rd, Fairfield, 7:30 pm, $30-$35, traditional carols & classical selections from wide variety of cultural & ethnic sources; 203-254-4010.

Dec 20: Nutcracker by New England Ballet Company, at The Klein Memorial Auditorium, Bridgeport, performances 1 & 7 pm, tickets $20-$45, 12th annual Nutcracker by NEBC will be first time at Klein, music of Tchaikovsky is danced to w/ choreography of Victor Trevino; 203-345-4800.

Dec 20: Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra Holiday Concert, The Arena at Harbor Yard, 600 Main St, Bridgeport, performances 1:30 & 7:30 pm, tickets $47.50 & 57.50, full tables & group discounts available, holiday concert conducted by Keith Lockhart; 203-382-9600 (box office), 744-8180 (TicketMaster).

Dec 20: “Queer Eye for The Magi: Annual CGMC Holiday Concert,” The Bushnell’s Belding Theater, 166 Capitol Ave, Hartford, 8 pm, tickets $25 & $30, performance by CT Gay Men’s Chorus will offer traditional holiday harmony & madcap yuletide comedy “joining together on a journey to a surprising makeover”; 800-644-2462.

Dec 20-21: Nutcracker Fantasy: Ridgefield Conservatory of Dance, Ridgefield Playhouse for Movies and Performing Arts, 80 East Ridge, Ridgefield, Sat 7 pm, Sun 2 pm, tickets $15, fresh version of beloved classic will incorporate best of traditional ballet (Tchaikovsky’s classical Nutcracker) w/ surprises (incl Duke Ellington’s jazz arrangement for the score); 203-438-5795.

Dec 20-21: Nutcracker Fantasy by Ridgefield Conservatory of Dance, at Ridgefield Playhouse for the Performing Arts, 80 East Ridge, Ridgefield, Sat 7 pm, Sun 2 pm, tickets $15, Ridgefield Civic Ballet & The Jazz Collective use both Tchaikovsky’s classical nutcracker as well as Duke Ellington’s jazz arrangement for the score for “a fresh, bold & stimulating version of the beloved classic incorporating the best of traditional ballet w/ splendid surprises”; 203-438-5795.

Dec 20-22: Kirk Peterson’s Nutcracker, The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts, 166 Capitol Ave, Hartford, Sat-Sun 1 & 6 pm, Mon 7:30 pm, tickets $15-$60, full production w/ music performed by Hartford Symphony Orchestra, performances by American Ballet Theatre stars Michele Wiles & Carlos Molina, American Ballet Theatre Studio Company members Timothy Melady & James Graber, singers from Hartford Chorale, & students from Dance CT’s School of Dance & Hartt School degree program in dance; 860-987-5900.

MISCELLANEOUS

Through Dec 20: “Decking The Halls,” Osborne Homestead Museum, 500 Hawthorne Ave (watch for signs from Rte 34), Derby, Thurs-Sun 10 am-4 pm, free adm (donation accepted & will be used for museum upkeep & programs), public invited to visit homestead museum decorated w/ dozens of Christmas trees, bows, wreaths & other season decorations as prepared by local garden clubs, Twilight Tours offered Dec 5, 12 & 19 (call for time & other details); 734-2513.

Through Dec 22: “Silvermine Guild Artists’ Holiday Show & Sale featuring An enchanted forest of unique ornaments & artwork,” Silvermine Guild, 1037 Silvermine Rd, New Canaan, Tues-Sat 11 am-5 pm, Sun 1-5 pm, free adm, annual show & sale of Guild members’ work in variety of materials incl ceramics, wood, glass, metal, paper & fiber featuring jewelry, wooden art blocks, paintings, sculpture, wrought iron furniture, photography, home accessories & more; 203-966-9700 x20.

Through Dec 24: “WAA Annual Holiday Gift Sale,” Washington Art Association gallery, Bryant Plaza, Rte 47, Washington Depot, Tues-Sat 10 am-5 pm, Sun 12-5 pm, show & sale of crafts & small works of art by area artists suitable for gift giving; 860-868-2878.

Through Dec 28:  [SH1] “Angels Over Bethlehem III: The Spirit of Giving – A Woodland Enchantment with St Nicholas,” 550 Gallery (within BCM Building), 550 Main St/Rte 61, Bethlehem, free adm, Mon-Fri 12-4 pm (also 5-10 pm Dec 5, during Bethlehem’s Christmas Town Holiday Festival), traveling exhibit of an angel and figures of St Nicholas in vintage costumes; 203-266-6995.

Through Jan 20: “2nd Annual Holiday Lighthouse Contest,” Maritime Aquarium, 10 North Water St, Norwalk, daily 10 am-5 pm, adm $9.25, $8.25 seniors, $7.50 ages 2-12.beautiful, illuminated lighthouse models built & decorated by regional artists & crafters; 203-852-0700.

Through Jan 25: “Deck The Walls” at Fine Line Art Gallery, 586 Main St South/Rte 6, Woodbury, Thurs-Sun 11 am-5 pm, free adm, annual holiday show features gallery’s artists, special reception w/ artists (public welcome) on Dec 12 (12-5 pm); 203-266-0110.

Dec 2: “The Evolution of Christmas Observances in Connecticut, 1634-1960,” Bethel Public Library’s temporary location, 137 Greenwood Ave (in building w/ Hauser Chocolate), Bethel, 7 pm, free holiday slide lecture by freelance museum consultant & lecturer Lisa Broberg Quintana will examine 300 years of changes in holiday observances & celebrations, reservations encouraged; 794-8756.

Dec 5: Annual Newtown Tree Lighting Ceremony, Ram Pasture, corner Elm Dr & Hawley Rd, Newtown, 6:30 pm, lighting of town’s holiday tree will be accompanied by caroling by NHS Chorus members, visits with Santa & Mrs Claus.

Dec 5: Family Counseling Center Holiday Gala, The Amber Room Colonnade, Rte 37, Danbury, TIME tickets $100, full dinner, dancing & live music, silent & live auctions, part of Family Counseling Center (Newtown) 18th Annual Holiday Festival events; 364-0597.

Dec 6: Annual Christmas Shopper’s Breakfast, Trinity Episcopal Church, 91 Church St, Seymour, 8 am-noon, all-you-can-eat breakfast prepared & served by male members of congregation; 203-888-6596.

Dec 6: Annual Garden Club of Newtown Greens Sale, Newtown Meeting House, 31 Main St/Rte 25, Newtown, 9 am-1 pm, wreaths, swags, kissing balls, ropes of popcorn and cranberries, jams and jellies and more, all put together by garden club members.

Dec 6: Annual SNAN Christmas Fair, Edmond Town Hall lower meeting room and old courtroom, 45 Main St/Rte 25, Newtown, 9 am-2 pm, tag sale, bake sale, books, raffles, crafts and Christmas items, vendors, refreshments, presented by Spay and Neuter Association of Newtown.

Dec 7: Family Counseling Center 18th Annual Newtown Holiday Festival, on & around Main St/Rte 25, Newtown, 11 am-5 pm, tickets $20/adv adults ($25/day of), $15/seniors & children ($18/day of), live music, ballet, Festival of Trees, walking tour of historic private homes, Victorian Tea Room, New England Café, arts & crafts show (opens 10 am), antiques show (opens at 10), more; 364-0597.

Dec 12: “Deck The Walls” artists’ reception, Fine Line Art Gallery, 586 Main St South/Rte 6, Woodbury, 12-5 pm, celebration is part of gallery’s annual holiday show featuring thematic works by its represented artists; 203-266-0110.

Dec 12-Jan 4: A Taffeta Christmas at Ridgefield Theatre Barn, 37 Halpin La, Ridgefield, curtain Fri-Sat 8 pm, mat Sun 2 pm, TICKETS, cabaret seating, theater opens one hour before performance, Rick Lewis’s sequel to The Taffetas brings the musical sisters back to their hometown for a live television broadcast during the late 1950s; 203-431-9850.

December 19

HANUKKAH BEGINS AT SUNDOWN

December 22

WINTER BEGINS

December 25

CHRISTMAS

December 26

KWANZAA BEGINS

Dec 26: 4th Annual City-Wide Kwanzaa Celebration, Stamford, call for times & locations, free & open to public, Harambee Umoja ceremony “A Call to Unity (A Call to Togetherness and Oneness),” poetry, African drumming, storytelling, more; 203-325-4466.

December 31

NEW YEAR’S EVE

January 1

NEW YEARS DAY 2004

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Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra Holiday Concert

BRIDGEPORT — The Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra will offer two performances of its holiday concert at The Arena at Harbor Yard on Saturday, December 20. Due to the popularity of this event last season, an additional performance has been scheduled for this year. Show times will be 1:30 and 7:30 pm.

The Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra will appear under the direction of its music director and conductor, Keith Lockhart, who is currently in his ninth season of conducting the Boston Pops.

Mr Lockhart is following in the footsteps of other notable conductors of the Boston Pops, particularly Arthur Fiedler and John Williams. Since 1995, he has conducted the Pops in over 300 concerts and countless recordings and broadcasts.

The holiday concert format features cabaret style tables on the floor for parties of ten and individual arena seats priced at $47.50 and $57.50 (including taxes). Groups of 15 or more may receive a $5 discount per ticket on the matinee performance only; contact the arena’s group sales department at 203-345-2307.

Tickets for the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra Holiday Concert and all Arena at Harbor Yard events are available at the Arena’s box office located at 600 Main Street, all TicketMaster outlets and online at www.TicketMaster.com. Charge by phone can be done by calling 744-8180, 203-368-1000 (Bridgeport), 203-624-0033 (New Haven) or 860-525-4500 (Hartford).

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A Beatrix Potter Holiday Tale

FAIRFIELD — In Beatrix Potter’s holiday classic The Tailor of Gloucester, a poppycock mayor orders a cherry-colored coat for his Christmas wedding and the poor tailor of Gloucester works his fingers to the bone. The magic of Christmas Eve makes steadfast friends of natural enemies and together they help the tailor complete a coat that makes for a miraculously happy ending on Christmas Day.

Theater IV will perform The Tailor of Gloucester at Fairfield University’s Quick Center for the Arts on Sunday, December 14, at 1 and 3 pm. The performance is based on books and lyrics by Paul Deiss, and its target audience is children in grades K through 5 and their parents, grandparents and other adult friends.

Tickets are $12 for adults, and $10 for children. For reservations or other information call 203-254-4010 or visit www.fairfield.edu/quick/quick.htm.

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ALSO AT QUICK CENTER

Dec 19: New Haven Symphony Orchestra Holiday Concert, Fairfield Univ Quick Center for the Arts, North Benson Rd, Fairfield, 7:30 pm, $30-$35, traditional carols & classical selections from wide variety of cultural & ethnic sources; 203-254-4010.

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Through Dec 28: Rudolph! at Downtown Cabaret Theatre, 263 Golden Hill St, Bridgeport, tickets $12.50 (group rates available), curtain Sat-Sun, Wed-Thurs 12 & 2:30 pm, DCT Children’s Theatre Co. is performing story of the most famous reindeer of all & his rise to the top, full of holiday song & dance; 203-576-1636.

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Holiday Stories By Polka Dot Kids

BRIDGEPORT — Polka Dot Kids, the children’s theatre series at Playhouse on the Green in Bridgeport, has a holiday show scheduled as part of its 2003-04 season of professional productions for kids presented by nationally acclaimed companies. All shows are on Saturdays at 10 am and noon.

Holiday Stories on December 13 will be presented by The Mythmakers. The audience will take a musical and story-filled trip around the world and through the centuries with these two master actor/storytellers as they present a multicultural performance loaded with music and audience participation. Authentic musical instruments from the appropriate cultures accompany and enhance each story.

Polka Dot Kids tickets are $12 each. Discounted group tickets are available for 12 or more at $10 each.

Playhouse on the Green is at 177 State Street in Bridgeport. Free, attended parking is directly across McLevy Green from the Playhouse. For information and directions call 203-696-0031.

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‘Child’s Christmas in Wales’ Reading

NEW HAVEN — Yale Center for British Art will host a staged reading of the Dylan Thomas classic story A Child’s Christmas in Wales on Saturday, December 13, at 2 pm.

The reading is being directed by Gia Forakis (Yale School of Drama, ‘04), with a cast comprised of actors from the Yale School of Drama and an original soundscape designed by Keith Townsend Obadike (Yale School of Drama, ‘04). The special holiday event is suitable for all ages. It will be presented in the museum’s lecture hall. Admission is free.

YCBA is located at 1080 Chapel Street, on the corner of High Street. Call 203-432-2800 for additional information.

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‘Nutcracker’ At The Bushnell

HARTFORD — Kirk Peterson’s Nutcracker will return to the Bushnell’s Mortenson Hall for five performances this year. Produced by Dance Connecticut, Kirk Peterson’s Nutcracker is a full production with live music performed by Hartford Symphony Orchestra, lavish costumes, flying children and elaborate scene changes.

A beloved holiday tradition, the production features performances by American Ballet Theatre stars Michele Wiles and Carlos Molina, American Ballet Theatre Studio Company, Timothy Melady and James Graber, singers from Hartford Chorale, and students from Dance Connecticut’s School of Dance and the Hartt School Degree Program in Dance. This is entertainment for the entire family.

Performances are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, December 20-21, at 1and 6 pm, and Monday, December 22, at 7:30 pm.

Tickets range from $15 to $60. To purchase tickets call The Bushnell’s box office at 860-987-5900 or visit tickets.com.

The theater is at 166 Capitol Avenue.

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Christmas Craft Fair At St Jude Church

MONROE — St Jude Church will present its annual St Jude Church Christmas Fair on Saturday, December 6, from 10 am to 4 pm.

The church is at 707 Monroe Turnpike. Call the parish office at 261-6404 for additional information.

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Candlelight Tours Of Stanley-Whitman House

FARMINGTON — The Stanley-Whitman House will host candlelight tours of the 1720 National Historic Landmark on Saturday and Sunday, December 5 and 6, from 5 to 8:30 pm. Each evening will include a guided walk down a village lane, a light supper in the “Whitman Tavern,” and a tour of the historic house decorated for the holidays.

The program is by reservation only, running in 90-minute segments, with the first tour beginning at 5 pm and tours departing every 15 minutes thereafter. The last tour begins at 7 and ends at 8:30.

Admission fees are $10 for an adult and $8 for a child. The program is not recommended for children age 3 and younger. Reservations can be made by calling 860-677-9222.

Participants will enjoy a light colonial supper mid-way through the tour. After supper, a costumed guide will escort guests in small groups through the seven-room historic house. Costumed interpreters in selected rooms will personify people of the past. This year’s program will include living history presentations from the austere period of the Puritans to the rich holiday celebrations of the Victorian era.

The Stanley-Whitman House is at 37 High Street. For information call 860-677-9222 or visit www.StanleyWhitman.org.

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Ridgefield Guild Of Artists Holiday Market Returning

RIDGEFIELD — The annual Holiday Market of The Ridgefield Guild of Artists, presenting original art and crafts, will be open through Sunday, December 14, at the guild’s gallery on Halpin Lane. The sale is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm, and Sunday from 1 to 5 pm, and admission is free.

New and returning artists and artisans are offering small, affordable, one-of-a-kind works of art including paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, sculpture, pottery, ornaments, toys, greeting cards, jewelry, hand-blown glass, hand-painted scarves, and more. There are many opportunities for the holiday gift shopper in search of unique and unusual gifts.

To reach the gallery Lane, turn onto Prospect Street off Main Street (Route 35), then continue onto Prospect Ridge; Halpin Lane is the first left off Prospect Ridge. RGA’s gallery is at the bottom of Halpin Lane.

For further information call 203-438-8863 or visit www.rgoa.org.

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Christmas Fair At St Jude Parish

MONROE — St Jude Parish in Monroe, at 707 Monroe Turnpike, will host its annual Christmas fair on Saturday, December 6, from 10 am to 4 pm.

The fair will feature craft vendors, a Chinese auction, a quilt raffle, a children’s room to drop off kids while shopping, an elf’s corner for kids to shop for ornaments, a bake sale and food and drink.

Boy Scouts will also be selling wreaths.

There will be no charge for admission for either the fair or the children’s room. Call 261-6404 for additional information.

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Gravitte Is Bringing Her Broadway Style To Playhouse For The Holidays

RIDGEFIELD — When the Associated Press called Debbie Gravitte “one of the best voices on Broadway,” it could have also added “and one of Ridgefield’s crown jewels” to the description. Ms Gravitte not only lives in Ridgefield, but has embraced the community… not an easy thing to do when you’re traveling around the country belting out Gershwin, Berlin and Rodgers and Hart.

But winning such awards as a Tony and the New York Showstopper Award hasn’t stopped Ms Gravitte from bringing her expertise to the town she calls home-this time in “Holiday Spectacular!” at The Ridgefield Playhouse for Movies and Performing Arts on Friday, December 5, at 7 pm, and Saturday, December 6, at 3 pm.

“I’m a great believer in The Playhouse and what it’s doing for our community,” says Ms Gravitte. “I love to sing there and would sing there every weekend if I could. But we as a community have this incredible base of talent, from kids on up and I thought it would be great to have a community-based show.”

 “This is a busy time of the year,” says Ms Gravitte, “and I’m thrilled that people have taken time out from their busy schedule to do this.” Ms Gravitte is working with Victor Mathews, who is directing the show and Russ Kassoff, the show’s musical director. Similar to Ms Gravitte, both have worked in the professional arena and are bringing a true sense of expertise to the production.

About 40 young participants will join Ms Gravitte onstage.

“It’s exactly what I had hoped for,” says Ms Gravitte. “I walked in one day and heard the kids singing and started crying. I really think that people are going to be blown away.”

For more information about “Holiday Spectacular!” or to purchase tickets call The Playhouse box office at 438-5795. The playhouse is in Ridgefield’s former high school building, at 80 East Ridge.

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Jazzy Pops Concert To Light Up Holiday Season

BRIDGEPORT — Legendary jazz pianist Butch Thompson, a frequent performer on public radio’s popular series “A Prairie Home Companion,” will join Greater Bridgeport Symphony Orchestra under the baton of guest conductor Oscar Bustillo on Saturday, December 6.

 “A Jazzy Holiday Pops Concert” will feature such ragtime classics as Scott Joplin’s “Solace: A Mexican Serenade,” Fats Waller’s “Honeysuckle Rose” and Eubie Blake’s “Memories of You” (with Butch Thompson on clarinet), and a Duke Ellington big band medley.

The program will also include selections from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite, Humperdink’s “Prelude” to Hansel and Gretel, and entertaining arrangements of holiday favorites, from a jazzy “Jingle Bells” and “Reindeer Rag” to a bluesy, lyrical “Silent Night.” The orchestra will also play Mel Torme’s “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire,” Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas,” Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride,” a Hanukkah medley, and a traditional Christmas sing-along.

The 8 pm performance will take place at Klein Auditorium, 910 Fairfield Avenue in Bridgeport.

Last year the Klein Auditorium — GBSO’s home for the past 57 years — made several important improvements to enhance the concert experience. Its new wood-paneled acoustic shell puts the facility on par with the best concert halls in the New York metropolitan region, according to GBS President Doris Harrington of Fairfield. The facility is easily reached from all major routes. Free, attended parking is provided for symphony patrons.

In a career spanning 35 years, pianist Butch Thompson has earned a worldwide reputation as a master of ragtime, stride, and classic jazz piano. He spends much of his time on tour in the U.S. and internationally. Although he often travels as a soloist, he also appears with his well-known trio, and his eight-piece New Orleans Jazz Originals band.

He performs with symphony orchestras, among them recently the Hartford Symphony, the St Louis Symphony, the Minnesota Orchestra, and the Cairo (Egypt) Symphony. Widely known for his 12-year stint (1974–86) as house pianist and bandleader on public radio’s “A Prairie Home Companion,” he continues as a frequent guest on that show. In addition to his performance career, Mr Thompson writes articles and reviews on jazz and produces his own weekly show, “Jazz Originals,” on KBEM radio in Minneapolis. His recent recordings include the Grammy-winning Verve release, Doc Cheatam and Nicholas Payton.

As its name implies, Greater Bridgeport Symphony Orchestra has members who reside throughout the region. Personnel for the holiday concert will include Newtown resident Valentine Wolfe in the third trumpet position.

Concertgoers at the December 6 performance will be treated to a pre-concert program by a GBS harpist in the inner lobby of the Klein beginning at 7 pm. Single ticket costs are $17 to $47. Students under 21 will be admitted at half-price in certain price categories; and special discount rates are available for groups of ten or more.

For reservations and information call the Greater Bridgeport Symphony box office at 203-576-0263 or visit the symphony’s website at www.BridgeportSymphony.org. The Klein box office will be open on the day of the performance after 1 pm.

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30th Annual Festival Of Trees & Traditions At Wadsworth Atheneum

HARTFORD — The holiday traditions of America’s diverse faiths and cultures will be represented in sparkling displays, music, and song and dance during “Festival of Trees & Traditions,” at Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, from Saturday, December 6, through Sunday, December 14.

Among the many colorful and creative displays will be symbols of Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Three Kings Day; Christmas trees decorated in traditional and avant-garde styles; and seasonal wreaths, garlands, and wall hangings.

The 30th event is sponsored by the all-volunteer Women’s Committee of Wadsworth Atheneum.

Festival admission includes holiday entertainment by school, civic, and professional groups, in Avery Court, daily on the hour from 11 am to 4 pm. There will be hands-on crafts and activities for children in “Candy Lane” (located in The Hartford Courant Room) from 10 am to 4 pm, except on Tuesday, December 9, when “Candy Lane” opens at 2 pm.

The Museum Shop Holiday Boutique stocks colorful and unusual ornaments, hostess gifts, Santas, folk art, and goodies and stocking stuffers for children. Family-friendly cuisine is available daily in The Museum Café.

A day-by-day event schedule follows:

*Friday, December 5: preview party from 6 pm to midnight, black-tie benefit; champagne reception at 6 pm; gourmet dinner at 7:30 pm. Yale University’s Wiffenpoofs entertain at 9 pm; silent auction 6 to 10 pm; holiday tree and decoration sales, holiday boutique. Tickets $180 to $280; call 860-278-2670, extension 3034.

*Saturday, December 6, “Children’s Day”: Each child under age 10 who brings a new, unwrapped gift for donation to Hartford’s homeless family shelters will be admitted free. Docent-led tours at 11:30 am and 12:30 pm, “Christmas Party” from 1 to 3 pm in Avery Court.

*Sunday, December 7: “Hanukkah Celebration” from 1 to 3 pm in “Candy Lane;” conversation with Michael Wilson, Hartford Stage artistic director, followed by the film Scrooge at 2 pm.

*Monday, December 8: Museum closed.

*Tuesday, December 9: Holiday Bingo from 11 am to 2 pm; docent-led tours at 11:30 am and 12:30 pm; and “Candy Lane” from 2 to 4 pm.

*Wednesday, December 10: Decent-led tours at 11:30 am and 12:30 pm.

*Thursday, December 11: No special activities.

*Friday, December 12: “Reindeer Ball” from 8 pm to midnight; black-tie-optional benefit featuring dancing to live music, a cash bar, hors d’oeuvres, carving stations, dessert and specialty coffee bar. Tickets $100; call 860-278-2670, ext 3034.

*Saturday, December 13: “Three Kings Day Workshop” from 1 to 3 pm; a visit from the “Pocket Lady” at 1 pm.

*Sunday, December 14: pre-Kwanzaa workshop from 1 to 3 pm.

The Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art is at 600 Main Street, Hartford. Hours are 10 am to 4 pm December 6-14, but the museum will be closed on December 8.

Admission is $12 for adults, $10 seniors, $8 students (age 13 to college with ID), and $3 for ages 2-12. There is an additional $6 fee for the special exhibition “Grandma Moses in the 21st Century.” Advance reservations are required for parties of ten or more and group rates apply; call 860-278-2670, extension 3046.

For more information about “Festival of Trees & Traditions,” call the Women’s Committee hotline at 860-278-2670, extension 3141 or visit www.WadsworthFestival.org.

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Lighthouse Contest & Display Is Brightening Maritime Aquarium During The Holiday Season

NORWALK — The Maritime Aquarium, a year-round beacon to fun-seeking families, will once again light the way to a bright and cheerful holiday season as it celebrates its second annual Holiday Lighthouse Contest.

Through January 20, aquarium visitors can enjoy beautiful, illuminated lighthouses built by talented regional artists and crafters. Ticket holders can then join in the holiday celebration by casting their votes to determine the contest’s winners which will be announced at a private evening reception at the aquarium on January 22.

“We had such an overwhelmingly positive response to last year’s contest from both the artists and our visitors, we just had to do it again,” said Maritime Aquarium Marketing Director Marcia Bittner. “If the wide range of materials and styles displayed last holiday season is any indication of this year’s entries, Maritime Aquarium visitors are in for a real treat!”

The lighthouses that were on display last year spanned a wide variety of styles from the traditional white tower with red rings ceramic models, a welded metal lighthouse, a papier-mache sculpture and a stained glass model. All manner of materials were used including metal, wood, clay, stones, plywood, auto glass, and found objects.

The winners of last year’s contest, Kenneth and Lisa Cardinal of Ridgefield, used bark and vines to give a woodsy feeling to their lighthouse. Taken together, this wealth of styles and materials made a rich addition to the aquarium’s maritime style and added an artistic new twist to are holiday celebrations.

For information call The Maritime Aquarium at 203-852-0700 or visit www.MaritimeAquarium.org.

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Decking The Halls At Osborne Homestead Museum

DERBY — For twenty years volunteers have decorated dozens of Christmas trees, tied hundreds of bows and delighted thousands of visitors at Osborne Homestead Museum. Each holiday season volunteers create the lavish holiday decorations.

The Ansonia Garden Club and the Olde Ripton Garden Club of Shelton have been part of the festivities since the museum first opened in 1983. Current members and other volunteers have returned to decorate the museum for the 2003 season.

“Our garden club members just love this house,” said Frances Hope of Shelton, one of the Olde Ripton organizers. “Each year there is the challenge of how to create something new and beautiful. It seems like every year the ideas get better.” This year the garden clubs were given the theme of “The Nutcracker.” Each room in the museum reflects a different scene in this popular holiday classic.

“People are so busy these days, particularly at this time of year,” said Osborne Homestead curator Christiana Soares Jones. “However, the museum is so fortunate to have this amazing corps of volunteers who work so hard to create this beautiful holiday experience for families. In fact, this year we have more garden clubs participating than ever before.”

This season the Ansonia and Shelton clubs are joined by volunteers from Oxford Garden Club, Naugatuck Garden Club, Friends of Oxford, Derby Garden Society, and the Women’s Guild of Shelton’s Trinity Lutheran Church.

Thanks to the volunteers’ efforts, Ms Jones said the holiday season is the busiest time of year with over 1,000 visitors attending the museum.

The garden club members work throughout the year on their decorating. Some of them start after Christmas Day, searching for ideas and bargains for the next year’s decorating theme. The garden clubs then gather for a “Christmas in July” meeting at Osborne Homestead Museum. Many of their efforts come together in the fall as they meet in workshops creating the many decorations.

The museum will be open for the holiday season through December 20, from Thursday through Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm.

On Friday evenings the museum will present Twilight Tours to highlight the special glow of the decorations in the evening hours.

Group tours for adults, schools and youth programs are available every day of the week; call 734-2513 for an appointment.

There is no admission cost; donations are gratefully accepted. The Osborne Homestead Museum, a facility of the Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Communications and Education, is at 500 Hawthorne Avenue, Derby. Signs are posted from Route 34.

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Annual Holiday Boutique At Connecticut Audubon

FAIRFIELD — Shopping at the Annual Holiday Boutique of Connecticut Audubon helps with more than personal gift-giving. Proceeds from the annual boutique help support the environmental education programs the Connecticut Audubon presents at its centers and in the area’s schools.

That translates to education programs for 9,000 children at the centers, 10,000 students in schools and at other sites, and 2,000 adults.

Visitors this year will find nature-oriented gifts such as elegant and extraordinary wooden birdhouses, verdigris bird baths, barnyard folk-art animals, large flamboyant feather holiday stockings, large wooden “marionette” birds, stocking stuffers, a complete line of Burt’s Bees and other natural skin-care products, artificial wreaths and centerpiece floral bouquets, and fresh poinsettias.

The Audubon Center Boutique also has the freshest Lyric seed. Sale Day for seed is December 6. The center has all varieties of bird seed all the time, plus presents for pets.

There are tall ornamental garden cranes, new Alynn ties, Claire Murray and other nature-design rugs, Picnic Time blankets and backpacks filled with glasses, plates, and flatware; china and silver with bugs and birds; notecards, needle-point pillows; binoculars and Sibley guides and more.

The Holiday Boutique at The Connecticut Audubon Center, at Fairfield, 2325 Burr Street, will be running until December 24. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 9 am to 4:30 pm and Sundays from noon to 4:30 pm. The center will be open on December 24 from 9 am until noon.

Connecticut Audubon members receive a ten percent discount on all purchases. For directions and more information call 203-259-6305 ext 109.

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“TWILIGHT AROUND THE FLAGPOLE” is the name of Kassie Foss’s new holiday cards featuring a snowy Newtown scene. Ms Foss has once again selected a view from Newtown’s Main Street for these year’s cards; the new offering shows the town’s flagpole, Newtown Meeting House, The Glover Building, a private residence, Newtown Savings Bank, Newtown General Store and Edmond Town Hall. “I try to capture the unique New England charm in these paintings that is a result of wonderful local architecture, history, community spirit, and ever-changing scenery,” says the artist, who did the original watercolor painting on which the cards are based earlier this year. “I try to focus on wonderful and intricate scenes that residents and visitors have an emotional response to because they are special.” Boxes of the cards – the 2003 series as well as past designs “Winter Around the Flagpole” and “Winter in Newtown” – are available at Black Swan Gift Shop, Drug Center Pharmacy, Lexington Gardens and Newtown General Store.

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MAKE SURE TICKET PRICES HAVE BEEN ADDED IN BEFORE RUNNING (send email back to press agent 11/13)

Holiday Musical At Theatre Barn

RIDGEFIELD — Ridgefield Theater Barn will present a special three-week run of the holiday musical A Taffeta Christmas.

A musical sister act returns to their hometown, Muncie, Ind., to star in their first live television broadcast during the late 1950s. Written by Rick Lewis, this show is a sequel to his very successful musical The Taffetas, which was performed at the theater in 2000.

The director/choreographer is Christine O’Grady from New York, and the show features Ryan Burbank and Caroline Chanin of Ridgefield, Missy Hanlon of Brookfield, and Diana Matson of Danbury. 

Performances will run from December 12 to January 4. Curtain will be Friday and Saturday nights at 8 pm, and Sunday afternoons at 2 pm.

Tickets are $18 for adults, and $15 for students and seniors.

Seating is cabaret style, and doors open one hour before performance. For reservations call 203-431-9850. The theater barn is at 37 Halpin Lane.

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Bringing Brundibar To Life

RIDGEFIELD — Andrew Nichols, a fifth grade student in Newtown, has earned the title role in Ridgefield Opera Company’s upcoming production of Brundibar.

The performance is scheduled for Saturday, December 13, at 7:30 pm. It will be at Temple Shearith Israel, 26 Peaceable Street.

Brundibar is an uplifting story of good triumphing over evil. Based on Aristophanes’s Lysistrata, Brundibar was composed in 1938 by Hans Krasa and Adolf Hoffmeister for a competition being run by the Czechoslovakian Ministry of Education. The results of the competition were never announced as the country was occupied by the Germans, and Krasa was interned in the Terezin holding camp (Theresienstadt in German).

The beautiful anti-war fable tells the tale of Anna and her brother Peter who urgently need milk for their sick mother. To make money the children sing in the marketplace, much to the annoyance of the organ grinder Brundibar.

As the children struggle to overcome Brundibar and his cruel antics they are joined by an array of other children and animals. This is the story of the Jewish stolen children. This is not a new story and audiences will find parallels in other societies and other times. A single tickets is $10 and can be purchased at the door or reserved by calling 203-438-6589.

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Orchestra And Chorale Combining For ‘Messiah’ Concert

HARTFORD — Hartford Symphony Orchestra and The Hartford Chorale, led by The Hartford Chorale Music Director Frank Nemhauser, will perform George Frideric Handel’s Messiah on Saturday, December 6, at 8 pm, at The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts.

In addition to the 130-member chorus, the annual performance will feature soprano Rachel Rosales, mezzo-soprano Lorraine DiSimone, tenor Carl Johengen, and bass-baritone George Cordes.

Composed in 1741 and first performed in Dublin, Messiah is Handel’s most popular work. The oratorio’s biblical story line is divided into three parts, each representing a different stage of the life of Christ: birth, death, and resurrection. Dr Richard E. Rodda in his program notes quotes American musicologist and turn-of-the-20th-century Chicago Tribune critic George P. Upton as saying, “Other oratorios may be compared one with another; Messiah stands alone, a majestic monument to the memory of the composer, an imperishable record of the noblest sentiments of human nature and the highest aspirations of man.”

The Hartford Chorale, founded in 1972, is a chorus of 130 men and women selected each year by audition. These singers come from throughout the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island, and represent diverse occupations in business and the professions.

2003-04 marks the eleventh season during which the chorale and the orchestra have co-produced “The Choral Collection,” a series of concerts for chorus and orchestra. The Messiah concert is the first performance in this year’s series. Remaining concerts this season include two performances of Hector Berlioz’s Romeo and Juliet as part of the HSO’s Masterworks series in February and a performance of Antonin Dvorák’s Stabat Mater next April.

The Chorale also will participate in Hartford Symphony Orchestra’s annual “I Have A Dream” concert celebrating the life and legacy of Dr Martin Luther King, Jr., in Bloomfield in January.

Adult tickets $15 to $57. Tickets for college students with a valid ID and children age 18 and under are $7. Reduced group rates are also available.

Tickets are available through HSO Ticket Services at 860-244-2999 and online at www.HartfordSymphony.org. Tickets may also be purchased in person at The Bushnell box office, 166 Capitol Avenue in Hartford; the box office phone is 860-987-5900.

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Fairfield County Chorale Music For The Holidays

GREENWICH — The Fairfield County Chorale will open its three-concert 41st season with “Music for the Holidays” on Sunday, December 7, at 2 pm. The concert will be at St Catherine of Siena Church, in the Riverside section of Greenwich.

Maestro Johannes Somary, who is celebrating his 29th year with the group, will conduct.

The Chorale will be joined by Fairfield Children’s Choir, with director Jon Noyes. The program will feature Saint-Saëns’ Christmas Oratorio, Poulenc’s Litanies á la Vierge Noire and Honegger’s Une Cantate de noël. The group of talented soloists includes soprano Cynthia Richards Wallace, mezzo-soprano Alexandra Montano, alto Madeleine Gray, tenor Matthieu Sachot, and bass-baritone Richard Holmes. Scott Turkington will be the organist.

Single general admission is $25 and seniors $20. Subscriptions for all three concerts are $65 and seniors $50. For reservations or more information call 203-254-1333 or visit www.FairfieldCountyChorale.org.

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Playhouse On The Green Announces A Holiday Festival

BRIDGEPORT — Playhouse on the Green will host “Playhouse Holiday Festival” on select Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, beginning December 6 through January 3. A wide of family oriented entertainment events are planned including a musical comedy production, a gospel celebration, big band sounds, and a visit from Santa Claus.

The American Chamber Orchestra will begin the festival on Saturday, December 6, at 7:30 pm, when it performs Viola Concerto in G Major by Georg Philipp Telemann and Duo Concerto for Trumpets, Opus 5, Part 1 by Giuseppe Jacchini.

They will also present selections from George Frederick Handel’s Messiah, including the famous “Hallelujah Chorus.” Music will be provided giving the audience the option to “sing-along.” Soprano soloist is Stephanie Gregory, winner of the 2001 Jenny Lind competition. Tickets are $20.

You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, the musical production based on the comic strip “Peanuts,” by Charles M. Schulz, will delight the entire family on Sunday, December 7, at 2 pm, presented by the Regional Center for the Performing Arts. Songs include “Kite,” “Schroeder,” “Snoopy,” “My Blanket & Me,” “Book Report,” “The Red Baron,” “Suppertime” and “Happiness.” 

Santa Claus will visit the theater following the show. The Regional Center for the Performing Arts is a high school specializing in performing arts, drawing students from all over the region. Tickets are $12.

Polka Dot Kids, the children’s theatre series, will offer Holiday Stories by The Mythmakers on Saturday, December 13, at 10 am and noon. Parents and children will take a musical and story-filled trip around the world and through the centuries with The Mythmakers, as the two master actor/storytellers present a multicultural performance loaded with music and audience participation. Authentic musical instruments from the appropriate cultures accompany and enhance each story. Tickets are $12. Birthday party room rental is available.

Youthful Praise, which reached #13 status on Billboard’s gospel charts, will raise the roof with a joyous gospel celebration on Saturday, December 13, at 7 pm. Tickets are $15.

Paul King’s Big Band will play the favorites songs of yesteryear on Friday and Saturday, December 19-20, at 8 pm. Tickets are $20.

“An Evening with Brett Somers!” is set for Saturday, December 27, at 8 pm. One of the favorite regular panelists from TV’s classic Match Game game show, Ms Somers brings her cabaret show from New York City to the Playhouse on the Green.

All ages will be able to enjoy a fun and nostalgic frolic down Ms Somers’ memory lane. Tickets are $20.

The Burr Johnson Band, which has traveled from opening for Ray Charles to the Montreux Jazz Festival, will help launch the new year with jazz fusion on Saturday, January 3, at 8 pm. Tickets are $15.

Corporate parties, group outings, and fundraising opportunities are available. Playhouse on the Green is at 177 State Street in Bridgeport, with restaurants and free, well-lit, attended parking nearby.

For information and directions visit www.PlayhouseOnTheGreen.org or call 203-696-0031.

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A History Of Christmas Observances

BETHEL — Bethel Public Library will present “The Evolution of Christmas Observances in Connecticut, 1634-1960” on Tuesday, December 2, at 7 pm, in the alcove of the library’s temporary location at 137 Greenwood Avenue.

Lisa Broberg Quintana, a freelance museum consultant and lecturer, will present a special holiday slide lecture examining over 300 years of changes in Christmas observances and celebrations.

Registration for this event is encouraged; contact the library at 794-8756, extension 4, for more information. All programs sponsored by Bethel Library are free, open to the public, and meet accessibility requirements for the disabled. Those needing special accommodations should contact the library as soon as possible to make arrangements.

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Garden Club Greens Sale

Members of The Garden Club of Newtown are preparing for the club’s annual Greens Sale by drying plants from their gardens, gathering pinecones and nuts and other natural materials that will be used to decorate wreaths and various holiday arrangements. In the days before the sale, members join together in workshops to create the many items to be sold at the event.

This year’s sale will be on Saturday, December 6, from 9 am to 1 pm. The event is held at Newtown Meeting House, 31 Main Street in Newtown (at the flagpole).

The sale will feature wreaths made of rose hips and cranberries and grapevines as well as the more traditional evergreens. There will be swags, kissing balls, cranberry and popcorn garlands and many other items with a holiday theme, all handmade by members of the garden club. Undecorated evergreen wreaths and roping will also be available for purchase.

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‘Nutcracker’ Will Be Offered For The Public, And School Students

BRIDGEPORT — Klein Memorial Auditorium will present New England Ballet Company’s holiday classic Nutcracker. Public performances are scheduled for Saturday, December 20, at 1 and 7 pm.

Under the artistic direction of founder Kenneth Hopkins, NEBC’s Nutcracker follows the timeless tale of Clara, a young girl enjoying her family’s annual Christmas party. When her beloved godfather, Herr Drosselmeyer presents Clara with a toy Nutcracker, her life changes forever. The Nutcracker magically comes to life and together they battle the evil Rat King. He takes her on a journey from the Land of Snow to the beautiful Kingdom of the Sugar Plum Fairy where Clara enjoys the wonderful dances of many different lands.

This is New England Ballet Company’s twelfth annual Nutcracker, but its premier season at the Klein. The dancers, known for their dramatic flare and technical clarity, perform to the music of Tchaikovsky and bring to life the choreography of Victor Trevino. When he is not in Connecticut, Mr Trevino is the artistic director of the all male comedy dance troupe, Les Ballets Grandiva.

Kenneth Hopkins founded New England Ballet Company in 1990. It is based in Orange, and has a new branch operating in Ithaca, N.Y. The NEBC repertoire includes full-length ballets of Nutcracker, Firebird, Swan Lake and Romeo & Juliet. Ballet and dance programs for children consist of the School Show series, Peter and The Wolf, Firebird and The Adventures of Little Red Riding Hood, created by Mr Trevino and premiered by NEBC.

New England Ballet Company is committed to promoting arts education in Connecticut; therefore on December 19, NEBC is providing Bridgeport students with a special showing of Nutcracker at the Klein. For every $10 donated to NEBC, sponsors can send one child to see this holiday treat.

Call 203-345-4800 for tickets or to sponsor a child at the student performance. The Klein is at 910 Fairfield Avenue; secure parking is available next to the theater.

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Holiday Festival In Connecticut’s Christmas Town

BETHLEHEM — Following the tradition of welcoming the holiday season during the first full weekend of December, the 23rd Annual Bethlehem Christmas Town Festival will be held Friday and Saturday, December 5-6, in and around the center of town – Routes 61 and 132

Festivities will open with a lighting of the town’s Christmas tree and the arrival of Santa Claus at 5 pm Friday. The festival will then run until 10 pm on Friday, and from 10 am to 5 pm on Saturday. Admission to the festival is free.

Visitors can enjoy shopping among more than 75 arts and crafts exhibitors in seven buildings on the Village Green. The annual Christmas Town Ornament, sold only during the festival each year, will be available. This year’s ornament, the 22nd in a series, is priced at $7.

There will be hay rides, strolling carolers and other live entertainment, and plenty of food concessions.

Thousands of visitors flock each year to Bethlehem Post Office to make certain their Christmas cards bear a Bethlehem postmark and decorate their cards with a special Christmas cachet. To meet these needs, the post office will extend its hours during the festival. The post office will be open from 8 am to 8 pm on Saturday, and 8 am to 5 pm on Sunday.

Special events will also include a candlelight procession and reenactment of Mary and Joseph looking for shelter; a Friday Night Advent Vespers service at The First Church of Bethlehem; photographs with Santa Claus; holiday story telling with Mrs Claus (Friday, at the library); a Friends of the Library New and Nearly New Book Sale; and book signings with WTIC Newstalk 1080’s Diane Smith (Saturday, at the library).

Music performances will be offered by The Bell Choirs of First Church of Bethlehem, Bethlehem School Chamber Singers, Nonnewaug High School Band, Nonnewaug High School Choral Ensemble, Woodbury Middle School Band, The Valley Chordsmen Barbershop Chorus, and The Salvation Army Band and Heartsong.

The Bellamy-Ferriday House & Garden will offer a special exhibition, “Christmas Traditions, Past & Present,” and also an ornament-making workshop for children.

550 Gallery will host the opening of its third annual holiday exhibition. “Angels Over Bethlehem III: Spirit of Giving – A Woodland Enchantment with St Nicholas” is a traveling exhibit of an angel and figures of St Nicholas in vintage costumes. The gallery is at 550 Main Street South (Route 61).

Free parking will be available at Bethlehem Fairgrounds on Route 61. Free shuttle bus service will be running from the fairgrounds to the center of town. Please note parking will be prohibited in the center of town. Call 203-266-5557 for additional information.

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Advent Concert By Yale Camerata

NEW HAVEN — The Yale Camerata will present its annual Advent concert on Saturday, December 6, at 8 pm, at Battell Chapel.

The concert, which is free and open to the public, will have as its centerpiece two cantatas from Christmas Oratorio of Johann Sebastian Bach, performed with orchestra and soloists Julia Blue Raspe, Kellie Van Horn, Paul Berry, Charles Kamm, and Richard Lalli.

Also on the program are works on Marian texts by Bruckner, Rachmaninov, and Crabtree, as well as the Village Wedding of Tavener.

The revised version of Daniel Kellogg’s Gloria will receive its premiere at this concert. Originally commissioned by Fairfield Chorale and performed by them under the direction of Johannes Somary, the piece is scored for choir and strings.

The concert will conclude, in its annual tradition, with the Willcocks arrangement of Goss’s See, amid the Winter’s Snow, with the Camerata joined by the audience.

Founded in 1985 by its conductor, Marguerite L. Brooks, the Yale Camerata is sponsored by the Yale Institute of Sacred Music. The group’s approximately sixty singers are Yale graduate and undergraduate students, faculty, staff, and experienced singers from the New Haven community. The group performs a widely varied spectrum of choral literature, with a specific commitment to choral music of our time.

For more information call the Yale Institute of Sacred Music at 203-432-5180 or visit www.yale.edu/ism. Battell Chapel is at 300 College Street, at the corner of Elm and opposite the green.

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Three Performances Planned For 36th Danbury Area ‘Nutcracker’

DANBURY — The 36th annual production of Danbury Music Centre’s Nutcracker Ballet will be performed the weekend of December 12-14.

Over 220 community dancers, all selected through open auditions, will be joined by the 50-piece Danbury Symphony Orchestra and 25 area children selected to be in Danbury Symphony Youth Chorus.

The production is fully staged with costume, scenery, and lights.

Returning this year is Arthur Fredric in the capacity of artistic director as well as choreographer of the ballet. He is assisted by his wife, Lisa Denton, and Bianca Johnson, who trained at Joffrey Ballet School.

Mayor Mark Boughton of Danbury will reprise his role as Mother Ginger; Ase AmenRa Kariamu and Jerry Walton, both of Danbury, will duel to the death in the famous Mouse King and Nutcracker battle; Clara, the young girl who receives the gift of the Nutcracker, is being danced by Tori Senete of Brookfield; and her Uncle Drosselmeyer will once again be played by Brad Bechard of Redding.

Lauren Jaeger from Poughquag, N.Y., will dance the Sugar Plum Fairy and Roddy Doble from Southbury will dance the role of the Cavalier. Caitlin Nolan of Danbury will return as the sinewy Arabian dancer and Alicia Magliaro from Brookfield will be the Snow Queen.

Performances will be Friday, December 12, at 7:30 pm; Saturday, December 13, at 6 pm; and Sunday, December 14, at 3 pm. All performances are at Danbury High School, on Clapboard Ridge Road (Route 39).

Tickets are $10 and $15. All seats are reserved. Tickets may be purchased at the box office at Danbury Music Centre, 256 Main Street, Monday through Friday between 9 am and 3 pm, and Saturday between 9 am and noon. Call the music center, 748-1716 for additional information.

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Breakfast For Christmas Shoppers

SEYMOUR — Trinity Episcopal Church, at 91 Church Street, will have its annual Christmas Shoppers’ Breakfast on Saturday, December 6, from 8 am to noon.

Men of the parish will prepare and serve an all-you-can-eat breakfast while the women of the parish will sponsor their Hollyberry Fair from 8 am to 2 pm, featuring holiday crafts and gift items, home-baked desserts, holiday decorations and fresh-picked holly.

Assistant church secretary Joyce Dainiak can be reached at 203-888-6596 for additional information.

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Allman Brothers Drummer To Join Jazz Ensemble For Winter Concert

FAIRFIELD — Legendary Allman Brothers drummer Jaimoe will be the guest artist for Fairfield University Jazz Ensemble’s winter concert on Thursday, December 4, at the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts. The ensemble will give two performances, at 7 and 8:30 pm, in the Quick Center’s Wien Experimental Theatre.

Born Johnie Lee Johnson in Ocean Springs, Miss., Jaimoe was one of the original six members of the Allman Brothers Band when it formed in 1969 and he was inducted in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with the band. His subtle, driving style has been an integral part of the band’s blend of blues, rock and jazz fusion, especially on the seminal The Allman Brothers at the Fillmore East.

In March, the Allman Brothers Band, known as one of the best jam bands in rock history, released its first studio album in nine years, Hittin’ the Note, with Jaimoe on drums.

In addition to playing with the Allman Brothers, the versatile drummer has also backed Otis Redding, Percy Sledge and Patti Labelle. Also a member of the band Sea Level, Jaimoe, who lives in Bloomfield, performed on several tours with American icon Otis Redding in the 1960s and has shared the bill with Smokey & the Miracles, Sam & Dave, Martha & the Vandellas, and Aretha Franklin.

The Jazz Ensemble is an accomplished group of university students who often invite notable guest artists to join them in concert. Past guests have included James Williams, Randy Brecker, Bob Mintzer, Steve Turre, three former members of Blood, Sweat & Tears, Dave Samuels, and Ingrid Jensen among others.

Brian Torff, director of the Fairfield University Music Program, will lead the ensemble through a program of standards and original works. Selections will include Torff’s “Dominating” and “Steady Flo,” “A La Mode” by Curtis Fuller, “Freedom Jazz Dance” by Eddie Harris, “Gingerbread Boy” by Jimmy Heath, and “Statesboro Blues,” a Willie McTell piece made famous by the Allman Brothers Band.

Tickets are $8 for adults, and $5 for students. For tickets, call the Quick Center box office at 203-254-4010. Additional information is available at www.fairfield.edu/quick/quick.htm. The Quick Center is on the campus of Fairfield University; the school’s main entrance is at 1037 North Benson Road.

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Artist-Designed Ornaments At Silvermine Guild

NEW CANAAN — Something new has been added this year to the annual Silvermine Guild Artists’ Holiday Show & Sale, which opens with a public reception Sunday, November 23, from 2 to 4 pm, and continues through December 22.

“An Enchanted Forest of unique ornaments and artwork” will feature, for the first time, an extensive collection of holiday ornaments handcrafted by Guild members in a variety of materials including ceramics, wood, glass, metal, paper and fiber. Prices range from $5, for silk-screened paper ornaments by the painter and sculptor Eve Stockton, up to $100, but the majority are priced under $50. Wooden artblocks decorated with collage and script by multi-media artist Jennifer Mazzucco are $15, or visitors can order a customized version for $20 and provide their own images, sayings or small objects to fit on a 2 by 3½-inch block.

Also featured are jewelry, ceramics, paintings, prints, photography, sculpture and works in fiber, glass, metal and wood. Decorative home accessories include wrought iron furniture created by the sculptor David Boyajian and hand woven rugs in colorful patterns designed by Heidi Coleman, a Guild member known for her vibrant abstract paintings. Other unique works include a collection of festive and amusing hand-painted Ukranian eggs created exclusively for Silvermine by the witty New Yorker cartoonist, Roz Chast.

“With a few exceptions, most of the artwork is priced under $200, especially for holiday giving,” says Silvermine Gallery Director Helen Klisser During. “We are especially pleased to be starting a tradition of unique handcrafted artist ornaments. We have over 300 artists who have been invited to participate. This is a wonderful opportunity for collectors to acquire original art at very affordable prices.”

Also for sale are works by the modern master printers in the exhibition “Director’s Choice: Gemini GEL (Graphic Editions Limited).” Included are works by David Hockney, Jasper Johns, Ellsworth Kelly, Roy Lichtenstein, James Rosenquist, Jasper Johns, Richard Serra, Frank Stella, and others

Silvermine Galleries are open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm, and Sunday from 1 to 5 pm, at 1037 Silvermine Road. For further information call 203-966-9700 extension 20.

 

 

Through Dec 22: “Silvermine Guild Artists’ Holiday Show & Sale featuring An enchanted forest of unique ornaments & artwork,” Silvermine Guild, 1037 Silvermine Rd, New Canaan, Tues-Sat 11 am-5 pm, Sun 1-5 pm, free adm, annual show & sale of Guild members’ work in variety of materials incl ceramics, wood, glass, metal, paper & fiber featuring jewelry, wooden art blocks, paintings, sculpture, wrought iron furniture, photography, home accessories & more; 203-966-9700 x20.

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