Friday: Free Public Discussion with Anna Deavere Smith and Samora Pinderhughes, "On Mentorship"

 

On Mentorship: Public Discussion with Anna Deavere Smith and Samora Pinderhughes

Friday, January 24, 2025 at 7pm

Wesleyan University's Center for the Arts

Crowell Concert Hall, 50 Wyllys Avenue, Middletown, Connecticut

Free and open to the public.

Anna Deavere Smith Hon. ’97, the 2024–2025 Artist in Residence at Wesleyan University's Center for the Arts, will engage in a discussion about art, civic engagement, art’s role in healing the wounds of history, and the importance of intergenerational mentorship with musician and composer Samora Pinderhughes. One of the most important relationships artists can have is to each other. In this conversation, Smith and Pinderhughes will explore the history and meaning of their relationship as mentor/mentee, and how they nurture similar reciprocal relations in the worlds they create through their individual arts practices. Learn more about this discussion...

And as the final engagement of her year-long artist residency with the Center for the Arts, Smith will assemble a multi-day convening of guests and hosts, thinkers and doers, from the Wesleyan University campus and beyond from April 9 to 12.

Read Anna Deavere Smith Hon. ’97 Starts Yearlong Artist Residency with Staged Reading of New Work in The Wesleyan Connection.

Anna Deavere Smith: Photo by Jeff Riedel.

Samora Pinderhughes: Photo by Sonia Broman.

Circophony’s “Coalesce” opens January 30 in Middletown

Circophony Teen Circus presents Coalesce, an original Circus-Theater performance, January 30 - February 1 at Oddfellows Playhouse in Middletown.

Coalesce, using acrobatics, juggling, unicycling, clowning and other circus skills,  explores each human's journey from isolated individuality and self-interest to community and mutual aid. Performed by a company of 12 young people ages 12- 20, Coalesce promises to be a fun and uplifting experience for all ages.

Coalesce is directed by Playhouse Artistic Director Dic Wheeler, with additional direction provided by Connecticut-based circus artists Naja Muller and Joel Melendez. Costume Design is by Marion Imbruglio, Lighting Design by Aaron Westcott, and circus trainers are Kayla Bucholz and Jasmine Peck. 

Performances are January 30 and 31 at 7 pm, and Saturday, February 1 at 2 pm and 7 pm. Tickets are $15 for adults, $8 for kids, and $25 for Big-Hearted Oddfellows. Seating is limited, and advance ticket purchase is recommended. Tickets may be purchased at https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/oddfellowsplayhouse/circophony-presents-coalesce.

Thursday, January 30 is a “Pay-What-You-Can” Preview.

Oddfellows Playhouse is located at 128 Washington Street in Middletown. For more information, call (860) 347-6143, email info@oddfellows.org, or go to www.oddfellows.org.

Circophony Teen Circus is a twenty year collaboration between Oddfellows Playhouse and ARTFARM to offer high-level circus training and performance opportunities to teenagers and young adults. 

Circophony’s Coalesce is made possible with the generous support of the City Middletown’s Department of Health; Connecticut Office of the Arts/DECD; Middletown Commission on the Arts; The Fund for Greater Hartford; American Savings Foundation; State of Connecticut Judicial Branch (Youth Violence Prevention); Evan Boyd Knoll Memorial Fund; Middletown Youth Services Bureau; Middlesex United Way; and many generous individual donors.

ZOOM Genealogy Club - Saturday, January 25, 2025

 

Host:    Godfrey Memorial Library, Middletown, CT
Time:    1:30 - 2:30 pm Eastern Time

Diane Boumenot joined us way back in May of 2021 to talk about vital records. It's way past time to have her join us again.

In the last five years, more records of importance to genealogists researching Rhode Island ancestors have been coming online. But these are in multiple places, and access and navigation may not be clear. Let’s explore the wealth of great Rhode Island records now available right from home.

The Zoom presentation will take place at 1:30 pm (ET).  Please register by 4:00 PM Friday, January 24.  The invite will be sent out on that Friday.

Godfrey Premium members can register for free at the following email: zoomregistration@godfrey.org

If you are not a Godfrey Premium member and want to attend the presentation, you can pay $10 via PayPal (https://www.paypal.com/us/home) with the payment sent to Godfrey Memorial Library.  Then register using the above email.