Art Exhibits _____________________________

The Barn Gallery, 82 Rte 37 (Creative Corners), New Fairfield; 203-746-4502.

*(new show) April 11-May 30: “Earth’s Treasures,” multi-media art by Paula Renee; April 21, opening reception, 2-4 pm.

The Behnke Doherty Gallery, 6 Green Hill, Washington Depot; 860-868-1655.

*(new show) April 6-May 13: “Mastering Serenity: Asian Art and Its Influences,” works by printmaker Deborah Weiss, three dimensional artist Amelia de Neergaard & ceramicist Uko Morita, also master-works by sev important ceramic artists of Japan incl Kawase Shinobu, Fukami Sueharu, Tokuda Yasokichi & Inoue Manji.

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

On main floor: Through April 16: “The Traveling Doll Project: Art Dolls,” art dolls by Newtown artist Paula Brinkman Hughes incl “Ginny 1” & “Ginny 2,” done in honor of the late Ginny Lathrop.

In Olga Knoepke Meeting Room (lower meeting room): Through April 30: “Annual Flagpole Photographers Photography Competition & Exhibition,” favorite photographs by members of Newtown-based club.

Flagpole Photographers, at C.H. Booth Library, 25 Main St/Rte 25, Newtown; call 203-426-4533, http://www.flagpolephotographers.com/

Through April 30: “Flagpole Photographers Annual Photography Competition & Exhibition,” photographs in varying styles by members of local photography club.

Koenig FrameWorks, 97 Main St South/Rte 25, Newtown; 203-270-1887.

Through April 28: “Atmospheres,” very detailed line illustrations by DeAnn L. Prosia & oil paintings by Joanne Conant, gallery’s latest exhibition to be produced in partnership w/ Housatonic Valley Cultural Alliance; April 7, Artist Talk: Joanne Conant, 1 pm.

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

*(new show) April 7-May 14: “42 Years — Than and Now: A Retrospective Exhibition,” works by an artist whose work is in 70+ major public & private collections that “evoke passionate responses”; April 7, opening reception, 2-4 pm.

Woodbury Public Library, 269 Main St South/Rte 6, Woodbury; 203-263-3502.

*(new show) Through April 30: original acrylic paintings by Ruth Kole Cargill; April 15, opening reception, 1-5 pm.

Auditions, Juried Events _________________

Independent Living Day 2012, c/o Newtown Youth & Family Services, 15 Berkshire Rd, Sandy Hook; 203-270-4335, KJohnson@NewtownYouthAndFamilyServices.org.

April 28: Volunteers sought for Independent Living Day 2012, 9:30 am-2:30 pm, sign up for 1 or both shifts (9:30-11:30 am and 12:30-2:30 pm; lunch break at 11:30) to help low to moderate income senior citizens & disabled residents w/ variety of chores incl light yardwork, errands, organizing closets & garages, etc, contact Kaitlyn Johnson at NYFS, at above phone or email address, to volunteer or for details.

Concerts, Musical Events       ______________

April 6: HOE at Lyrics Coffeehouse, Redding Community Center, Rte 107, Redding, 7:30 pm, $10/adv, $12/door, $6 seniors & children, monthly music offering featuring singer-songwriters, refreshments available; 203- 938- 2551.

April 13: John Lennon Imagined: The Nutopians at The Palace Danbury, 165 Main St, Danbury, 8 pm, $30/adv, $35/door, performance by 8-pc band led by Rex Fowler (Aztec Two Step) & Tom Dean (Devonshire) re-creates the sounds of John Lennon during Beatles & solo years; 203-794-9944.

For Kids & Families ______________________

Through April 7: Ride A Vintage Train to Visit the Easter Bunny, Danbury Railway Museum, 120 White St, Danbury, Fri 10 am-4:30 pm, Sat 12-4:30 pm, $9 ages 2 & up, trains depart every 30 min, ride fully-restored 1953 New Haven RR Diesel Car (Budd RDC), over operational turntable, past 70+ vintage RR cars & locomotives, to visit Easter Bunny’s RR Car, sm gift from Bunny for each child, reservations suggested; 203-778-8337, http://www.danburyrail.org.

April 6-7: Bunny Watch 2012, Glander Field (Fairfield Hills campus), Mile Hill Rd South, Newtown, 10 am-4 pm, $5 incl Bunny Watch Hayride pulled by antique tractor (final ride departs 3:45), meet Easter Bunny, old-fashioned lawn games, bounce house & slide, Pig Says (adapted version of Simon Says) & more, presented by & fundraiser for Newtown High School Odyssey of the Mind team; 203-426-4001.

April 13: Friday Bingo Night, doors open 5:45 pm, games begin 6:30, $17 incl all regular & most special games, baked goods & dinner items available for purchase, sponsored by St Rose of Lima Home School Assn, all ages welcome; 203-426-5102.

April 14: “Colette’s Crafts: Reverse Painting,” Naugatuck Historical Society, 195 Water St, Naugatuck, 11 am, $2/child, children invited to get their hands on history through exploration of reverse painting, technique used in Salem Bridge Clocks on display at NHS museum, registration recommended; 203-7269-9039.

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

Children’s programs, free unless noted: April 19, Origami with Matthew Tassiello, 1 pm, ages 5-7 invited to to learn basic techniques & make simple shapes, registration required, donations to benefit Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Young Adult programs: April 18, Drawing Class with Suzanne Lang, 1-3 pm, $5 supply fee due at program, grades 5-12 at all levels of drawing ability invited for basic & perspective drawing glass, limited to 15 students, supplies provided, registration required.

 

Miscellaneous ____________________________

April 7: Spring Manure Drive, Second Company Governor’s Horse Guard headquarters, 4 Wildlife Dr, Newtown, 9 am-noon, public invited to BYO containers & take home well cured horse manure for gardening, donations appreciated, also April 14 & 21; 203-426-9046.

April 7: Puzzlethon 2012, Sacred Heart University Commons Auditorium, 5151 Park Ave, Fairfield, 10 am-3 pm, free (donations accepted for Autism Society of Connecticut/ASCONN), puzzle enthusiasts & supporters of autism community invited for fun, food, puzzles & prizes, presented by SHU grad students as service learning project; 203-371-7840.

April 9: Cut-A-Thon for Baby Alexa, Ricci’s Salon, 99 South Main St/Rte 25, Newtown, 4-8 pm, $25 haircuts by salon’s stylists, w/ all proceeds donated to family with 5-month old daughter fighting rare form of cancer, appointments strongly encouraged; 203-426-1611.

April 9: “We’re Still Here: Native American Communities in Western Connecticut,” C.H. Booth Library, 25 Main St, Newtown, 7:30 pm, free program by Lucianne Lavin (director of research and collections, The Institute of American Indian Studies) will offer overview of life before, during and after the arrival of the Europeans on the lives & communities of Native Americans, hosted by Newtown Historical Society, light refreshments; 203-426-5937.

April 11: Working Women’s Forum, The Villa Restaurant, 4 Riverside Road, $20 ($10 members), 6 pm, guest speaker Ethel-Anne Roome, certified grief recovery specialist, will speak on “The Topic We Don’t Want To Talk About... Grief,” reservations requested; 203-740-7305.

April 11: “Improvisation: Traditional & Creative Floral Designs,” Newtown Senior Center, 14 Riverside Rd, Sandy Hook, 7 pm, free program by teacher & speaker Terry Stoleson, who will create de-signs with containers & materials supplied by The Town & Country Garden Club of Newtown, all welcome; 203-426-5359.

April 11: “Cases That Made My Eyes Cross,” C.H. Booth Library, 25 Main St/Rte 25, Newtown, 7 pm, free, Newtown Genealogy Club will host program by Toni McKeen (professional researcher & club member) regarding difficult & unusual genealogical problems; 203-426-3981..

April 12: Seymour Christian Women’s Connection: “Your Choice,” The Inn at Villa Bianca, 312 Roosevelt Dr/Rte 34, Seymour, 11 am-1 pm, $20, lunch, then program by Patti Quantuccio, RN (& executive director, Hopeline Monroe) on young people & the truth about sex & waiting, reservations requested by April 9, hosted by SCWC; 203-426-0106..

April 13: Friday Bingo Night, St Rose of Lima Gathering Hall, 46 Church Hill Rd, Newtown, doors open 5:45 pm, games begin 6:30, $17 incl all regular & most special games, baked goods & dinner items available for purchase, sponsored by St Rose of Lima Home School Assn; 203-426-5102.

April 14: Putting on the Dog VI, The Hawley Warner Room at Stone River Grille, 1 Glen Rd, Sandy Hook, 6-9 pm, $35 donation incl appetizers provided by Stone River Grille & wine by World of Wine & Spirits, also silent auction, music provided by DJ, all proceeds from annual fundraiser by Canine Advocates of Newtown to help cover vet care for dogs at Newtown Animal Control; 203-426-5327.

April 14: Saturday Morning Bird Walk, Osbornedale State Park, 500 Hawthorne Ave, Derby, 8 am, free, leisurely walk/hike through Kellogg Estate & state park to search for & ID local birds, walks may last up to 2 hours, all levels of birders welcome, reservations requested, also May 12 & June 9; 203-734-2513.

April 14: “Whose Barn Is It Anyway” at Ridgefield Theatre Barn, 37 Halpin La, Ridgefield, 8 pm (doors open at 7, cabaret seating, audience welcome to bring food & drinks in), $22, original comedy & skits by The Role in The Hay Players (adult language & themes probable; parental discretion advised), proceeds benefit Theater Barn Building Fund, reservations strongly encouraged; 203-431-9850.

April 15: Open House & Living History Demonstration: Vintage Base Ball at The Matthew Curtiss House, 44 Main St/Rte 25, Newtown, 12-4 pm, free (donations welcomed), Newtown Sandy Hook Vintage Base Ball Club members Michael Paes & Ray Shaw will discuss differences between today’s games & those of 19th Century, Mr Paes will also demonstrate crafting vintage-style bats, also docent tours of Curtiss House, all hosted by Newtown Historical Society; 203-426-5937.

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

April 9, Daytime Book Group: discussion of Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese, 1 pm in the Antiques Room; April 11, “Cases That Made My Eyes Cross,” 7 pm, Newotwn Genealogy Club will host program by Toni McKeen (professional researcher & club member) regarding difficult & unusual genealogical problems (call 203-426-3981 about this program); April 14, Housatonic Model Yacht Club program, 12-4 pm, ongoing program by members of local club dedicated to running and racing radio control sailboats, all ages welcome; April 19, Evening Book Group: discussion of Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan, 7:30 pm in Old Board Room, newcomers welcome; April 20, Basic Computer Class, 9-11 am (library closed at this hour; use side or back door for entry to class only), free class for those who need to basic computer skills, registration requested.

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

FILM: Through April 7: Walt Disney’s The Muppets (PG), Fri-Sat 7 & 9 pm, mat Fri-Sat 1 & 4 pm.

April 9-13: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (PG-13), Mon-Thurs 7 pm, Fri 7 & 9:15 pm, mat Tues 1 pm.

Newtown Toastmasters, Town Hall South Parks & Recreation Conference Room, 3 Main St, Newtown; 203-313-5507, NewtownToastmasters.FreeToastHost.cc.

Local chapter of international organization meets 1st & 3rd Wed/month, guests & newcomers welcome.

Newtown VNA Thrift Shop, Edmond Town Hall (lower level, use rear parking lot), 45 Main Street, Newtown; 203-270-4377.

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.

Society of Creative Arts of Newtown, Inc. (SCAN), Newtown Meeting House, 31 Main St/Rte 25, Newtown; 203-426-6654, www.SCANart.org.

Programs 2nd Wed/month, 7:30 pm, free, public welcome, artist demonstrations, refreshments: April 11, oil painting demo by Kathy Anderson.

Soles4Souls Shoe Collection, c/o Pam McLaughlin, Newtown; 203-364-0615, 203-220-8573.

To May 1: First collection of gently used shoes of all shapes, sizes & styles, to be donated to Nashville-based charity that provides shoes to men, women & children, whether victims of natural disaster or extreme poverty, in US & around the world, collection locations set up at The Bee’s office, Hawley Elementary School, Head O’Meadow School, Masonicare at Newtown, Middle Gate School, Newtown Middle School, Newtown Youth Academy, Reed Intermediate School & Sandy Hook School, or contact Mrs McLaughlin (first phone # above or pam-mac2324@aol.com), Carol Zimmerman (second phone # or the5zs@aol.com) for details or to arrange pick-up of lg collection.

US Passport Acceptance Office, at PJ’s Laundromat, 110 Church Hill Rd, Sandy Hook; 203-770-9157.

Office open Thur-Fri 3-6 pm, Sat 10 am-1 pm, Peggy Jepsen available to help w/ passport paperwork (adult passport book $110, minors $80, US Passport Cards also available ($30, $15 respectively), photos also available at office, plus $25 service fee/application.

Theatre __________________________________

Sherman Players, Sherman Playhouse, 5 Route 39 North (Rte 37 at 39, behind the firehouse), Sherman; 860-354-3622.

Through April 21: The Subject Was Roses, curtain Fri-Sat 8 pm, mat Sun (April 15 only) 2 pm, $20, $10 students w/ ID at door (cannot reserve in advance); March 29, Half-Price Preview Night, $10, curtain 8 pm.

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Events that appear by date have Newtown items listed first, with additional events listed by their start time.

 EXPANDED CALENDAR ONLINE

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