Much Ado about Everything (12/02-04)

Wednesday December 2:
That's Rita Parisi and she is your hostess for an "Edwardian Christmas Tea" at 12noon in the Hubbard Room of the Russell Library. In her guise as "Mrs. Gordon", she'll transport you back to 1908 and give one and all an appropriate picture of what life was like during the holiday season at the turn of the 20th Century. Ms. Parisi, founder of Waterfall Productions, creates these great shows that highlight her love of theater and costuming. Her presentation is part of the Library's "Lunch & Learn" series so bring a bagged lunch and the Russell staff will provide the dessert and beverages (perhaps tea and crumpets will be the order of the day.) The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 860-347-2528, extension 135.

South Congregational Church, 9 Pleasant Street, welcomes students of Wesleyan University organist Ronald Ebrecht for the first of 4 consecutive Advent Organ Recitals to be held each Wednesday of December (except 12/30) at 12:10 p.m. There is no admission charge but an offering will be taken for the Church's Organ fund. The Wednesday before Christmas, the organ recital will feature Professor Neely Bruce.

Thursday December 3:
The Mansfield Freeman Center for East Asian Studies at Wesleyan welcomes Kim Kono, Assistant Professor in the East Asian Languages and Literatures Department of Smith College for a 4:30 p.m. talk titled " Dangerous Companions: Cultural Cross-Dressing in Colonial Manchuria." Here's the department's description of the talk: "How dangerous is it to wear the clothing of another culture? Focusing on Imamura Eiji's short story "Companions" (Dtktsha, 1938), this talk will explore representations of Japanese and colonized subjects in colonial Manchuria attempting to "pass" as cultural others. While each of these characters tries to conceal his cultural identity through clothing, the effects of their cross-dressing differ because of their positions within colonial hierarchy. Kono will argue that these instances of cultural cross-dressing ultimately underscore the destabilizing effects of colonial assimilation policy, reveal the fragility of cultural identity and potentially pose a threat to both its participants and the colonial project." The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 860-685-2330.

The Elia Kazan Centennial Film Series at Wesleyan comes to its logical conclusion with the final movie of the director's long and somewhat controversial career. "The Last Tycoon" (1976), starring Robert De Niro, Tony Curtis, Robert Mitchum, Jeanne Moreau, Jack Nicholson, and Anjelica Huston, is based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's final novel (unfinished at the time of his death) - the screenplay was created by playwright Harold Pinter. De Niro plays a brilliant movie studio executive (based on MGM head Irving Thalberg) who has to deal with many different issues, from stubborn actors to fussy directors. It's a fascinating, if slow, look at Hollywood in the 1930s, unsentimental yet involving. The screening, which takes place at 8 p.m. in the Goldsmith Family Cinema of the Center for Film Studies on Washington Terrace, is free and open to the public. For more information, call 860-685-2220.

The Theater Department at Wesleyan presents "Our Day Will Come" Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m. in the Patricelli '92 Theater. The play is based on Seamus Heaney's "The Burial at Thebes", the Irish playwright's retelling of Sophocles' "Antigone." This production, the Senior Thesis Project of Ariela Rotenberg '10, is the culmination of three months of field research exploring music and other genres in the construction of narrative oral tradition in the Irish neighborhoods of Chicago. Heaney's play exemplifies the intersection of Greek drama and Irish oral tradition. David B. Jaffe, Visiting Professor of Theater, is the director. The event is free but one needs a ticket to attend. Call the Box Office at 860-685-3355 for more information.

Friday December 4:
The public is invited to the Mayor's Annual Holiday Celebration in the Foyer of the Council Chambers in City Hall. The event,, which begins at 9:30 a.m., is free and features music by the Joey Milardo Trio.

Singer-songwriter-guitarist Kenn Morr brings his songs and band to The Buttonwood Tree for an 8 p.m. show. Morr, whose voice is reminiscent of Greg Brown (less raspy, more melodic), writes little vignettes about daily life, about love, and other contemporary yet timeless themes. Joining him will be Bob Gaspar (drums), Dan Hocott (bass, guitar, vocals) and Tom Hagymasi (fiddle, button accordion.) For more about Morr, go to www.KennMorr.com. To reserve a seat or 2, call 860-347-4957.

Boney's Music Lounge welcomes Autopilot, a quartet based in Chester, who play an infectious blend of blues, Southern Rock, and r'n'b. They'll get going around 9 p.m.