Antiques Shows______

Jan 1: 26th Glastonbury Antiques & Collectibles Gala New Year’s Show, Glastonbury High School, Hubbard St, Glastonbury, 9 am-4:30 pm, adm $6, 130 dealers from New England, NY & RI; 860-342-2540.

Jan 7-8: 49th Papermania plus, Hartford Civic Center, Hartford, Sat 10 am-5 pm, Sun 10 am-4 pm, adm $6, 160 exhibitors, free appraisals (Sun 11-2 only); 860-563-9975.

Jan 7-8: Mystic Antiques Show & Sale, Mystic Hilton, 20 Coogan Blvd, Mystic, Sat 11 am-5 pm, Sun 10 am-4 pm, adm $5 (early buying Sat 10 am, $10), to benefit American Heart Assn; 860-625-4860.

Art Exhibits, Museums Historic Places__ _____

Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, 258 Main St, Ridgefield. Call 203-438-4519.

Through Jan 8: “Black Like Me — Fred Wilson: The 2002 Larry Aldrich Foundation Award Recipient,” major solo exhibition for award-winner will focus on artist’s growing interest in glass incl signature style of using found objects as vehicle for cultural & institutional critique.

Through Jan 8: “Lisa Signal: A House of Many Mansions,” site-specific work by Brooklyn-based artist whose paintings have moved off canvas & onto lg pcs of sheetrock & sometimes directly onto gallery walls, new pcs will wrap around museum’s Leir Atrium.

The Barnum Museum, 820 Main St, Bridgeport. Call 203-331-1104.

Through Jan 9: “Celebrate The Season,” annual holiday exhibition interprets history of Victorian holiday era through display of 19th Century Christmas trees & period costumes (also, children’s craft activities offered daily).

Permanent exhibit: “Grand Adventure: A Celebration of the American Spirit in Bridgeport,” permanent exhibit on museum’s 2nd floor provides in-depth exploration of Bridgeport’s 19th Century industrialization & urbanization w/ emphasis on P.T. Barnum’s role in the city’s growth.

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

On library’s main floor — Through Dec 31: “Al’s Trail,” collection of paintings by Newtown resident Pat Barkman that depict scenes along the 10-mile hiking trail that stretches from Pond Brook to Reed Intermediate School.

Boyajian Sculpture Barn, Milltown Rd, New Fairfield. Call 746-6101.

Through Dec 24: “Primitive Icons,” series of small scale, one-of-a-kind cast bronze sculptures of mythical, biblical & Darwinian motifs, also previous works from ’04-05 season.

Brookfield Craft Center, 286 Whisconier Rd (Rte 25), Brookfield. Call 775-4526.

Through Dec 31: 30th Annual Holiday Exhibition & Sale, annual event offers unique designer quality hand crafted gifts incl scarves, jewelry & jewelry boxes, hats & gloves, ornaments, glassware, ceramics, kitchen items, clocks, turned wood, frames & much more, inventory replenished constantly, proceeds to benefit American craft artists & craft center’s classes & workshops.

Bruce Museum of Arts & Sciences, One Museum Dr, Greenwich. Call 203-869-0376.

Through Dec 31: “Art and Artists: New Yorker Cartoons from The Melvin R. Seiden Collection,” light-hearted look at art & artists portrayed by New Yorker cartoonists, also selection of artists’ portraits by the photographer Anne Hall.

Through Jan 8: “American Impressionism: The Beauty of Work,” exploration of an overlooked aspect of Impressionism will analyze how a group of turn of the century artists the theme of celebrating recreations, collections offers 46 works by 20 artists incl Chase, DeCamp, Hassam, Sargent, Spencer, Twachtman, Weir, et al

Through Jan 29: “Small Scales IV: Miniature Rooms & Houses,” update of a favorite Bruce Museum exhibition offers some of the most professional & comprehensive examples – 38 rooms & houses – representing many types of miniatures, some works in half-inch & even quarter-inch scale.

Connecticut Historical Society, One Elizabeth St, Hartford. Call 860-236-5621.

Through Jan 22: “A Camera At War: World War II Photographs of The Pacific Theater by Arthur J. Kiely, Jr,” selections from the late West Hartford’s resident’s wartime work that vividly depict the struggle against Japan also celebrates the evolution of American battlefield photography.

Danbury Railway Museum, 120 White St, Danbury. Call 778-8337.

Permanent exhibitions on railroad history (museum is along old New Haven RR line & housed in former Danbury station & railyard), also original & restored rolling stock incl a New Haven RR Mack FCD railbus, Alco RS-1 diesel locomotive, fully operating turntable, etc. (see Misc calendar for ongoing programs schedule)

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

Through Jan 10: hand cut wood silhouettes by Frank F. Turechek, ranging from angels to locomotives, cut using Hegner scroll saw.

Fenn Gallery of Contemporary Art, 345 Main Street/Rte 6, Woodbury. Call 203-263-2821.

Through Jan 29: “Simple and Complex,” contemporary still life paintings in pastel & oil by Peter Seltzer, figurative sculpture “w/ a touch of whimsy” by Michael McLaughlin.

Fine Line Art Gallery, 586 Main St South/Rte 6, Woodbury. Call 203-266-0110.

Through Dec 31: “Holiday Miniature Show,” small original artwork by gallery members.

FrameWorks, South Main Marketplace, 97 South Main St/Rte 25, Newtown. Call 270-1887.

Through Dec 31: historic photographs from The Newtown Historical Images Archive (project of Newtown Historical Society), incl 10 images on view for first time.

Gregory James Gallery, 13 Main St (new location), New Milford. Call 860-354-3436.

Through Dec 31: “Holiday Show,” grand reopening in gallery’s latest location offers works by Rick Daskam, Robert Ferrucci, Joseph Grieco, Roger Kastel, Christopher Magadini, Edward Martinez, Alain Picard, Bill Rice, Anda Styler, John Swatsley, Danielle Wexler & Scott Zuckerman.

Gunn Memorial Library Stairway Gallery, 5 Wykeham Rd, Washington Green. Call 860-868-7756.

In Stairwell Gallery — Through Jan 6: “In Living Color,” color photos by Carl Weese, who recently returned to color work & small, hand-held cameras following nearly 2 decades shooting black & white w/ lg tripod-mounted cameras, new works also explore digital capture & printing technology.

Through Jan 8: “No Batteries Required: Toys that Whizz, Buzz, Click & Pop,” toys loaned by area residents that move in some way incl wheeled toys, horse-drawn wagons, spring-wound toys/toys w/ clockwork mechanism, sand toys, optical toys, marionettes, jack in the box, cast iron toys & more.

Knights of Columbus Museum, 1 State St, New Haven, Wed-Sat 10 am-5 pm, Sun 11 am-5 pm. Call 203-865-0400.

Through Jan 29: “Fifth Annual Christmas Tree Festival,” annual festival exhibit of 25 trees decorated w/ ornaments created by CT school children in grades K-5, this year’s theme is “The Nativity.”

Through Jan 29: “Christmas In Miniature: Crèches from Around the World,” examples of crèches from Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Germany, Eastern Europe, Africa, Asia & the US, incl 3rd Century gravestone of Severa (first recorded display of Nativity).

Miller Studio & Gallery, 495 Main St/Rte 6, Woodbury. Call 203-263-3939.

Through Jan 12: “Second Annual Black Tie: Little Works of Art Dressed in Exquisite Frames,” second annual exhibit showcasing select group of little paintings all dressed up for the holidays in Miller Studio’s handmade frames, incl works by Thomas C. Adkins, Pete Bergeron, Joy Bristol, Ella Crampton Knot, Robert Holden & Tom Yost.

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

Through Jan 2: bronze sculptures of ballerinas by Sterett-Gittings Kelsey.

Peabody Museum of Natural History, 170 Whitney Ave, New Haven. Call 203-432-5050.

Through Jan 30: “Gargantua The Great,” presentation of skeleton & photos of Gargantua, one of most famous circus attractions of all time.

Through spring (exhibition dates extended): “Landscape Under Siege: Invasive Plants of Connecticut,” botanically accurate watercolors by members of Greater New York chapter/Guild of Natural Science Illustrators, w/ identifying names & descriptions, highlight plants besieging the New England landscape.

River Glen Fine Arts Gallery, 3 Washington Ave/Rte 34, Sandy Hook. Hours: Tues 12-4 pm, Sat-Sun 11 am-4 pm. Call 270-1199.

Through Jan 29: “American Impressionists in France,” paintings by Frank Federico & Dick McEvoy done in Paris, Giverny & Provence.

Paintings by Rainie Crawford, Frank Federico, Leslie Lillien Levy, Dick McEvoy, Alain J. Picard & Peter Seltzer, sculpture by Sterett-Gittings Kelsey.

Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, 600 Main St, Hartford. Call 860-278-2670, TDD 860-278-0294.

Through Dec 31: “Reflections & Shadows: Impressionism & Nineteenth Century Style,” French masterpieces focusing on fin-de-siècle (end of 19th C) sensibilities in fine & decorative arts.

Through Dec 31: “Dali, Picasso and The Surrealist Vision,” homecoming of exhibition that debuted at Wadsworth 2½ years ago (and has traveled across country since) offers signature modern works by leading European Surrealists incl Dali, Ernst, Tanguy, de Chirico, Picasso, Cornell, Calder, et al; exhibition tours every Sat 1 pm & Sun 2:30 pm.

Through Jan 15: “Old Masters/New Directions: A Decade of Collecting,” approx 120 works drawn from more than 2,100 gifts, bequests & purchases by the museum during past 10 yrs.

Westover School, Rte 188 (opposite the green), Middlebury. Call 203-758-2423.

Through Jan 3: composite photographs of Tibet by Michael Gallagher, who spent 6-month sabbatical in Tibet, China, Cambodia & Thailand, that present multiple perspective images examining the sacred & daily life of Saga Dawa, the holiest of Tibetan Buddist celebrations.

Weir Farm National Historic Site, 735 Nod Hill Rd, Wilton. Call 203-834 203-834 1896.

Through Dec 31: “Sperry Andrews: Works Circa 1939-1990,” approx 30 drawings, watercolors & oil paintings by Andrews illustrate the late artist’s contribution to 20th Century art.

Wisdom House/Marie Louise Trichet Gallery, 229 East Litchfield Rd, Litchfield. Call 860-567-3163.

Through Dec 31: “Dreams, Myths & Subconscious Doodles,” paintings, drawings & sculpture by New Hartford artist David J. Skora, whose work seeks to unfold the metaphoric & symbolic meanings of the subconscious dramas that appear through dreaming.

Yale Center For British Art, 1080 Chapel St (at High St), New Haven. Call 203-432-2800.

Through Dec 31: “Sensation & Sensibility: Viewing Gainsborough’s ‘Cottage Door,’” groundbreaking exhibition offers for first time Gainsborough’s “Cottage Door” & other works that take up the subject of cottage & cottage life via 40 paintings, 25 works on paper & sev optical devices.

Through Dec 31: “The Worlds of Francis Wheatley,” highlights from YCBA’s rich holdings of Wheatley’s work in all genre & media incl oils, watercolors, drawings & prints

Auditions, Juried Events  _____

Ridgefield Theater Barn, 37 Halpin La, Ridgefield. Call 203-431-9850.

Jan 8-9: Auditions for Lend Me A Tenor, Sun 1-4 pm, Mon 7-9 pm, director Beth Harding seeks 4 men & 4 women ages 20-60, 3 characters require good singing voices, strong acting is most important, show is physical & incl lots of running, shouting, door slamming & love scenes, visit TheaterBarn.org for full character list, story line & directions, rehearsals will be eves & some weekends mid-Jan to opening night, production will run weekends Feb 25-March 25.

Concerts, Musical Events ____

Dec 30: 5th Annual Concert Society Chamber Orchestra Holiday Concert, Trinity Episcopal Church, 36 Main St/Rte 25, Newtown, 8 pm, tickets $25 (must be purchased or reserved in adv, no sales at door), group conducted by Richard E. Serbagi will perform concert that has been standing room only for previous 4 years, works of Vivaldi, Frescobaldi, J.S. Bach, Tchaikovsky & Beethoven, guest pianist Andrew Armstrong & soprano Maria Ferrante, reception to follow, all proceeds to benefit Kevin’s Community Center; 270-6200, 426-0496.

Ridgefield Playhouse for Movies & Performing Arts, 80 East Ridge Ave, Ridgefield. Call 203-438-5795.

Performances 8 pm unless noted: Jan 14, John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band, $40 & $45; Jan 28, Blue Oyster Cult, $60.

Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra. Call 203-438-3889.

Concerts at Ridgefield High School, 700 North Salem Rd/Rte 116, Ridgefield, 8 pm, tickets $15-$50: Jan 7, “Marvelous Mozart V,” all-Mozart program to incl Symphony #9 in C, Violin Concerto #3 in G (w/ violin soloist Christopher Collins Lee) & Sinfonia concertante in E flat, K. 297b (feat Dorothy Darlington, oboe, Edward Wojtowicz, clarinet, T. D. Ellis, bassoon & Sara Della Posta, French horn).

Concerts at First Presbyterian Church, 178 Oenoke Ridge Rd, New Canaan, 5 pm, tickets $45: Jan 8, see Jan 7 details above for program.

Waterbury Symphony Orchestra. Call 203-574-4283.

Concerts at Naugatuck Valley College Fine Arts Center, 750 Chase Pkwy, Waterbury, 3 pm, tickets: $25-$40 adults, $5 students: Jan 15, “A Mozart Celebration,” Mozart’s Violin Concerto #3 “Straussburg” (feat violinist Timothy Fain) & Bruckner’s Symphony #7.

Films _________________

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

Alliance Française Cinémathèque series, free, screenings 2 pm: Jan 29, Cyrano de Bergerac.

Independent Film Festival, free, screenings 7:30 pm: Jan 10, Wilby Wonderful.

Danbury Library, 170 Main St (at West), Danbury. Call 797-4533.

Independent Film Series, free, screenings at 2 pm: Jan 8, Morlang.

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

Dec 23-29: Walt Disney’s Chicken Little (G), Fri, Mon-Thurs 7 & 9 pm, mat Sat 1 pm, Mon-Thurs 1 & 4 pm.

For Kids & Families _________

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

Young Adult programs, free unless specified: Jan 8, Young Adult Theater: It’s a Mystery… @ the Library!, 3 pm, readers in grades 6 & up can watch mystery unfold & try to figure out who guilty party is (snow date Jan 14); Jan 11, YA Book Talk, 4 pm, one-hour discussion will concern Goblin Wood by Hilari Bell, session will also include voting for 2006 Battle of The Books.

New Haven Colony Historical Society, 114 Whitney Ave, New Haven. Hours: Tues-Fri 10 am-5 pm, Sat 12-5 pm (museum library open Wed-Fri 10-5 only). Call 203-562-4183.

Through Jan 14: “The Faithful Friend: New Haveners & Their Pets, 1880-1920,” New Haven family photos from 40-year period, also paintings, engravings, literary works, needlework & 3-D objects explore cultural changes during 19th C that led to the new definition of the American family, one that began to incl domestic pets.

 

Miscellaneous ___________

Through Dec 31: 30th Annual Holiday Exhibition & Sale, Brookfield Craft Center, 286 Whisconier Rd/Rte 25, Brookfield, Mon-Sat 10 am-5 pm, Sun 12-5pm, annual event offers unique designer quality hand crafted gifts incl scarves, jewelry & jewelry boxes, hats & gloves, ornaments, glassware, ceramics, kitchen items, clocks, turned wood, frames & much more, inventory replenished constantly, proceeds to benefit American craft artists & craft center’s classes & workshops; 775-4526.

Dec 31: Emergency Blood Drive, St Rose of Lima, 46 Church Hill Rd, Newtown, 8 am-12:45 pm, American Red Cross will sponsor blood drive to increase dangerously low reserves across the state; 792-8200.

Dec 31: First Night Danbury, CityCenter Danbury, area of Main St, Patriot Dr & Ives St, Danbury, 5 pm-midnight, adm by button (call for prices), music, dancing, children’s entertainment & more; 792-1711.

Jan 5: First Thursday, a Contemporary Cocktail Hour, at The Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, 258 Main St, Ridgefield, 6:30-8:30 pm, adm $20 incl snacks & tours of exhibitions (cash bar); 203-438-4519.

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

Programs free unless noted: Jan 3, book discussion, 1 pm, Newtown Slaves by Dan Cruson, newcomers welcome; Jan 9, book discussion, 1 pm, Gilead by Marilynne Robinson, newcomers welcome; Jan 14, computer class for beginners, 9 am-noon.

Flagpole Photographers, C.H. Booth Library lower meeting room, 25 Main St, Newtown. Call 270-8576.

Meetings 3rd Thurs/month, 7:30 pm, non-members always welcome: next meeting Jan 19, members’ competition will be “Texture – Prints.”

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

Hikes leave from lower lot @Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main St, Newtown, 9:30 am (winter season), free, all welcome (children must be accompanied), bring bag lunch/beverage, wear sturdy shoes, destinations & leaders as follows: Jan 7, Rockefeller Preserve, Tarrytown, N.Y. (leader is Nancy Ziegler, 203-732-2618).

Newtown VNA Thrift Shop, Edmond Town Hall (lower level), 45 Main Street, Newtown. Call 270-4377.

Shop is open every Wed 12-3 pm & Sat 9 am-noon, access is from town hall’s back parking lot, shop carries discounted items from local businesses & private donors incl clothing, sm home accessories & more.

Shepaug Eagle Observation Area, Shepaug Housatonic Hydroelectric Station, River Rd, Southbury. Call (Tues-Fri 9 am-3 pm) 800-368-8954.

Observation area open Dec 28 to March 17, Wed, Sat-Sun 9 am-1 pm, free adm but reservations absolutely required.

Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS), Newtown Meeting House, 31 Main St/Rte 25, Newtown. Call 426-6224.

Non-profit weight loss support group meets every Mon 6-8 pm (weigh-ins 6-6:45, meetings 7-8), meetings $2/week, membership $20/year.

Treehouse Comedy Productions.

Shows at Marisa’s Ristorante, 6540 Main St, Trumbull (call 459-4225), tickets $10 unless noted, comedy shows start 10 pm, live music starts at 6 (unless noted), no cover charge (unless stated): Dec 30, Rich Vos & Bonnie McFarlane.

Shows at The New Sorrento, 32 Newtown Rd, Danbury, 9:30 pm, first act, featured act & headliners as follows, tickets $15 unless noted: Dec 31, Laugh-In 2006 (dinner, show, balloon drop & champagne toast, dancing), tickets $34.95 (show) & $54.95 (w/ dinner), performers Eddie Clark, Perry Gardner & Peter Vouras.

Wednesday Night Poetry, NEW LOCATION: at Molten Java, 102 Greenwood Ave, 5 Depot Place (in former railroad station), Bethel. Call 426-3388 (Faith Vicinanza), 739-0313 (Molten Java).

Series presented ev Wed 7:30-10 pm (featured poets 8:30 pm, poetry workshop 9:15 pm), adm $1 ($3 requested if out-of-state or major guest poet), guest/featured poets as follows: Dec 28, no program; Jan 4, official kick-off of another year – 11th anniv season – of poetry.

Theatre ______________

Long Wharf Theatre, 222 Sargent Dr, New Haven. Call 203-787-4282.

On Stage II: Aphrodisiac, through Jan 1, curtain Tues-Wed, Sun 7 pm, Thurs-Sat 8 pm, mat Sat 3 pm, Sun & Wed 2 pm, tickets (previews $40 Sun-Thurs, $50 Fri-Sat pm & Sun mat) $50 Sun-Thurs eves, $60 Fri-Sat evening & Sun mat, $55 Wed & Sat mat.

TheatreWorks New Milford, 5 Brookside Ave, New Milford. Call 860-350-6863.

Ghost of A Chance (original holiday production is sequel to Christmas Carol; performance dates extended), through Jan 7, curtain Fri-Sat 8 pm, tickets $17.50; Dec 31, New Year’s Eve Gala, 8 pm, tickets $35 incl hors d’oeuvres & open bar.

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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 the Enjoy calendar of events or the Enjoy section must be received by MONDAY NOON for publication in that week’s edition of The Newtown Bee. Send to the attention of Shannon Hicks, Arts Editor, Newtown Bee, 5 Church Hill Road, Newtown 06470, or to shannon@thebee.com. Photos are welcome and can be black & white or color, but must be in sharp focus. Please call for specs if you plan to email digital photo files.