Watching, Listening, and Taking Part

Tuesday Jazz at Public, 337 Main Street, continues this week with a quintet featuring Matt McCauley (bass), Sandy Stoddard (keyboards), Phil Palonen (guitar), with Middletown residents David Davis (saxophones - pictured on left) and series host Trevor Davis (drums.) As usual, the music can be heard 5:30 - 9 p.m.

The Distinguished Writers Series at Wesleyan welcomes Amy Bloom for an 8 p.m. reading Wednesday in The Russell House, 350 High Street. Bloom, Wesleyan class of 1975, has written several novels, numerous short stories, and investigative articles. Her latest novel,"Away", is described by the publisher (Random House) as "the epic and intimate story of young Lillian Leyb, a dangerous innocent, an accidental heroine. When her family is destroyed in a Russian pogrom, Lillian comes to America alone, determined to make her way in a new land. When word comes that her daughter, Sophie, might still be alive, Lillian embarks on an odyssey that takes her from the world of the Yiddish theater on New York’s Lower East Side, to Seattle’s Jazz District, and up to Alaska, along the fabled Telegraph Trail toward Siberia." It's a quite a read and Ms. Bloom is an excellent reader. The event is free and open to the public.

Also on Wednesday at 8 p.m., the Wesleyan Orchestra, Roy Wiseman, guest conductor, will perform works by Native American composer Barbara Croall(pictured on left.) Born in 1966, Odawa Indian Croall (Manitoulin Island, Kineu Dodem, Ontario Province, Canada) has had her works performed around the world; her new composition on global climate change, commissioned by Wesleyan's "Feet to the Fire" project, will be rehearsed during the program. The event is free and open to the public.

The Center for the Arts and the Dance Department at Wesleyan present the annual Dr. Cynthia Novack Lecture Thursday at 7 p.m.. in The Russell House. Dr. Novack (1947-1996) taught dance at Wesleyan for both undergraduates and students in the Graduate Liberal Studies Program and wrote several books on improvisation and movement. Speaking this year will be Constance Kreemer, author of "Further Steps: What's the RAGE in Dance" (Routledge Press), a comprehensive look at 14 of the finest choreographers in the world. Included in the book are Lucinda Childs, Douglas Dunn, Molissa Fenley, Rennie Harris, Bill T. Jones, Kenneth King, Nancy Meehan, Meredith Monk, Rosalind Newman, Gus Solomons jr, Doug Varone, Dan Wagoner, Mel Wong and Jawole Zollar. The event is free and open to the public.

Claude Masse, an artist and frequent lecturer for the Audubon Society, begins a new series Thursday evening at 7 p.m. in The Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main Street. The program, titled "The Armchair Geographer", will focus on Masse's interest in art, nature and history. His inaugural lecture is titled "Migratory Birds of Spring." For more information, call 347-4957.

This just in: ARTFARM will be holding auditions on Sunday, March 15 for this summer's Shakespeare in the Grove production of "The Taming of the Shrew”. Auditions will be held 11 am to 2 pm or 4 pm to 7 pm at Oddfellows Playhouse, 128 Washington St. in Middletown . Must be 18 or over to audition, and there is a particular need for experienced male actors. Bring resume, Shakespeare monologue, dress to move and prepare to stay for the entire three hour session. Some stipends available. To register for one of the audition sessions, or for more information, contact ARTFARM at (860) 346-4390 or info@art-farm.org.