Readers Theater, "Buyer and Cellar", Monday 3/12

Readers Theater returns to the Hubbard Room of The Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, in Middletown on Monday March 12 to present "Buyer & Cellar."  The 2013 play, written by Jonathan Tolins, takes place (mostly) in the basement of Barbra Streisand's home in Malibu, California, where the mega-star keeps a mall in her basement.  No, really, she does - there are pictures to prove it (see below - there is no "fake news" in the EYE).  The one-person play tells the fictional story of an out-of-work actor who gets the job of managing the mall and his relationships with his boyfriend, Ms. Streisand's personal secretary, James Brolin, and the STAR!!  It's a delightful premise and a very funny "What if?" story.

For the Readers Theater production, co-directors Anne Cassady and Richard Kamins decided to create a five-person cast instead of one actor playing all the parts.  To that end, the staged reading features the talents of Robert Donahue, Julie Greeman, Elizabeth Dougan, Michael D'Agostino, and Jerry Rankin.



Doors to the Hubbard Room (not pictured) open at 6:30 p.m. and the play commences at 7.  Since the Library closes at 6 p.m., you just enter from the Court Street doors in the parking lot.  The play is free and open to the public.

At 5:30 p.m. that day, the City of Middletown and its Commission on the Arts celebrates Arts Advocacy Day by honoring the works of Vintage Players and artist David Schulz.  The event takes place in City Hall on DeKoven Drive and should leave you enough time to get to the Library.  You can and should do both - I understand the next snow storm starts later in the evening.

A Unique Holiday Celebration

This is not a review.  This is not a press release.  Just an invitation. 
 
 A Civil War Christmas:An American Musical Celebration opened on Thursday night at Oddfellows Playhouse.  The production is a collaboration between CT Heritage Productions and Oddfellows Playhouse, bringing a multi-generational cast together to tell this story.

It is a different show than you might expect to see onstage around the holidays.  It is a play, with music - not a musical. Traditional carols and other popular folk songs and hymns of the time serve to weave together a series of vignettes of characters, both historical and fictional, to tell the story of Christmas 1864. 

It is a play that contains history, thought, heartbreak and humor.  It is not saccharine sweet holiday-fare, but thoughtful and thought-provoking.  It is history, so yes, you might be cynical and say "I know how it ends", but what it does offer in ending is not fact, but hope.  And isn't hope something we all could use a little more of these days?

We hope you'll join us.

A Civil War Christmas: An American Musical Celebration
by Paula Vogel
Music by Daryl Waters
Made possible by CT Humanities, 
Middletown Commission on the Arts 
Eli Cannon's Tap Room & many CT Heritage Production Donors
Friday December 7 - 7:30pm
Saturday December 8 - 7:30pm
Thursday December 13 - 7:30pm - JUST ADDED!
Friday December 14 - 7:30pm
Saturday December 15 - 7:30pm
$15 Adults / $8 Students & Seniors
860-347-6143 or www.oddfellows.org

The reservations are getting pretty full.  So we recommend calling in advance to order tickets.  860-347-6143. 

The Circus Comes to Town

24th Annual Children’s Circus of Middletown to perform August 3

Design by Jason Leinwand

Oddfellows Playhouse and the Middletown Commission on the Arts present the 24th Children’s Circus of Middletown: The Circus of Science.  The one-time-only show will be presented on August 3 at 5 PM at Macdonough School, with a rain date of August 4 at 5 PM.
The talented young performers of the Circus of Science will bounce around like molecules in an atom, explore the elements of fire, earth, air and water, and of course a mad scientist or two.  The Circus of Science will explore a range of scientific subjects all the way from the dinosaurs and marine biology to string theory.  And of course many famous scientists, or at least famous scientist clowns, will be making an appearance.

The Children’s Circus is a 5-week, half-day program for 130 children ages 8-14 that has become not only a huge local event but also a national model for nonprofit municipal partnerships.  Over the five weeks, participants learn a huge variety of circus skills such as acrobatics, dance, juggling, unicycling, stilt walking, clowning, and visual arts.  After deciding on two areas of specialization, the participants train daily and perform for the camp at the end of each week.  For the last two weeks of the program, the participants are cast into featured roles in a circus act, and rehearse these acts before performing in front of over 1,000 people. The performance features the live circus band of local musicians led by Dirck Westervelt, costumes by Betsy Spiro, and scenic and prop design by Ro Seidleman.  

Photo by Andy Szegedy-Maszak

The Children's Circus offers an exceptionally unique program where the whole family and the entire whole community, can get involved in the making of something truly inspiring and special.  Jason Leinwand, this year’s circus director, is especially excited about the community focus of this arts program, “As the Technical Director I was fortunate to spend a lot of time building, paper macheing, painting, cutting watermelon and laughing with circus kids and their families during our bi-weekly tech sessions held in the evenings at the Remington Rand space.”  Leinwand goes on to say, “In my opinion, this is the essence of what the circus is. It's a place where everyone is welcome to participate. The circus is a place where all of our individual skills are collaged together to create an unbelievable spectacle that everyone can be proud to be a part of. We become a community of artists and over time, one big circus family.”

Photo by Andy Szegedy-Maszak

This year, Oddfellows is asking everyone to bring a non-perishable food item to donate to Amazing Grace Food Pantry.  Bring a lawn chair and enthusiasm to Macdonough School and enjoy the spectacle.  The 24th Children’s Circus of Middletown: The Circus of Science will perform at 5 PM on August 3 at 66 Spring Street in Middletown.  Parking is limited to street locations, so carpooling is recommended. The Macdonough School lot is reserved for handicapped and elderly patrons.

Tickets are available at the gate for $5 for Adults and $3 for Students and Seniors.

The Children’s Circus is made possible by the Middletown Commission on the Arts, the Middlesex United Way, Stop and Shop Foundation, Peter Abare-Brown and Courtney Antonioli and Oddfellows Playhouse’s many generous supporters.  For more information, call (860) 347-6143.

For more information on programs, to register for classes or to purchase tickets to performances, call Oddfellows at (860) 347-6143 or log onto www.oddfellows.org. 

Oddfellows programming in 2012-13 is made possible through the generous support of the American Savings Foundation, the CDBG Scholarship Program, the CT Department of Economic and Community Development, the CT Department of Education, Daphne Seybolt Culpeper Memorial Fund, Elizabeth Carse Foundation, the Fund for Greater Hartford, the George A. and Grace L. Long Foundation, the Irving Kohn Foundation, the J. Walton Bissell Foundation, Liberty Bank Foundation, Maximilian E. & Marion O. Hoffman Foundation, Middlesex County Community Foundation, Middlesex United Way, the Middletown Commission on the Arts, Middletown YSB, the National Endowment for the Arts, Northern Middlesex Cable Advisory Council, Pratt & Whitney—Middletown, Price Chopper Golub Foundation, the Stare Fund, Stop and Shop Foundation, Thomas J. Atkins Foundation, Triple Frog, LLC and WESU (88.1FM).

Serious (But Fun) Lessons From A Clown

For a world-renowned professional clown, Jef Johnson can be a pretty serious guy. He smiles and laughs with ease, but sounds at times more like a philosopher.

Johnson, who has performed on Broadway and taught workshops to Cirque du Soleil performers, will give a free talk entitled "Q&A: Expectation, Hope and Promise" at The Buttonwood Tree at 8pm Thursday night.

Then he’ll lead a 3-day workshop this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. . The cost is $50 per person for the 3 days - down from $200 thanks to a grant from the Middletown Commission on the Arts.

“Making it affordable, we’re hoping to attract a wider range of people”, said Johnson.

That wide range of people includes not only clowns, actors, and performers, but anyone else with a creative urge, or anyone who wants to get closer to what they enjoy doing. “We get actors, olympic athletes, painters, florists” he said.

Johnson’s workshops are not just about clowning. They’re also about eliminating the pre-judgment and self-expectations that often hinder the creative or spiritual flow. That’s where the clown comes in, although a more Eastern/European idea of the clown than that presented by Ringling Bros., et al. (Click here to see an example of Johnson's performance.)

“The clown - not the circus clown - is a pure being encountering the world naively.” That naive state is where Johnson tries to lead people in his “Creative Awakening” workshops. The idea is to react to the world in a more direct way, not only as a performer but even as audience. “We’ve lost the ability to be [just] witnesses. We go in as critics. Why does this exist?” Johnson asks. “I’m investigator as much as teacher--more of guide.”

That guidance includes exercises that are really games. “Play” is a key concept, trying to tap into that child-like wonder. “Play is what happens when there is no social consideration,” he says. “Play can emulate social relationships but can be more primary than that, can be just about experience. When we play, even as strangers, [people] can in 5-10 minutes find a very balanced way of presenting a solution to a problem. I can provoke them into creative problem solving.”

Middletown resident Aryn Kyer is one of the people responsible for bringing Johnson to town (he lives in Mexico and teaches worldwide.) She also helped get the grant from the MCA. “I wanted to share the work with everyone that I love, share it with my friends. I wanted to make it the world I live in everyday.”

Art of Recycling Ceremony Highlights

A ceremony marking the installation of brightly painted recycling barrels on Main Street was held this morning on the South Green. Middletown resident and artist Pierre Sylvain designed and crafted the barrels, which will help the city decrease the amount of recyclables that get thrown in the trash. The project was Sylvain's idea and was a collaborative effort between Public Works, the Commission on the Arts, and the Recycling Commission.

In talking to Pierre, it is very clear that he is not accustomed to being in the spotlight. He modestly expressed that he is very happy to be a part of this project and that he thinks it brings an exciting and useful element to Main Street. The ceremony was well attended by many members of the Common Council, the Commission on the Arts and various other city departments. Spotted in the crowd were Kim O'Rourke the City's Recycling Coordinator, and John Hall and Susan Hall of the Jonah Center for Earth and Art.

During the ceremony, Joyce Kirkpatrick, former Arts Commissioner, called Pierre Sylvain the "Steve Jobs of Middletown" for his success in combining vibrancy and design with function. She thanked him for the "love, energy, and talent" that he put into the project. Director of Public Works Billy Russo said that it's important that we start recycling downtown, and that the barrels are already getting attention and comments about how they liven the area. Common Council member Ron Klattenberg compared the recycle barrels to the sculptures that once adorned Main Street, saying that they bring back some uniqueness to Main Street that he feels was lost when the sculptures were removed.

Mayor Giuliano, who is always so strongly supportive of the arts in his words and actions, had this to say:

“As far as I'm concerned, you can turn everything into a work of art... There was a time in the world where that was the culture. No matter what it was, it had to be a work of art... Even the public works projects of the last century, they had to be more than utilitarian, they had to provide an aesthetic benefit to everybody. I don't know if we ever lost that in Middletown. I think it's something we want to continue to encourage. When we have citizens that are willing to step forward and do that they really are owed a debt of gratitude by the community.”

The entire ceremony is available to watch online, in two parts, at the following links:

Click here to see Part 1, featuring remarks by Joyce Kirkpatrick, former Chair of the Middletown Commission on the Arts, Billy Russo, Director of Public Works, and Ron Klattenberg of the Common Council.

Click here to see Part 2, featuring remarks by Mayor Sebastian Giuliano, who makes some beautiful comments about the importance of art and how art keeps Middletown great.

Busy Nights in July (part 1)

Neely Bruce is a fine pianist, intrepid interpreter of the music of Charles Ives and quite a composer. He's been friends with fellow composer William Duckworth for over 4 decades; in fact, he debuted Duckworth's "The Time Curve Preludes"  in a solo piano recital at Wesleyan in 1979.  The "Preludes" have been called one of the most impressive works of "Post-Minimalism."

This Tuesday evening at 7:30 p.m.,  Professor Bruce revisits the program once more, a concert that will also include a performance of the "Thoreau" movement of Ives' "Concord Sonata" (in honor of Henry David Thoreau's birthday on 7/12) and "Duckworth's "Walden Variations."  The concert is free and takes place in Crowell Concert Hall. 

Perhaps, you'd rather take in a classic flick - head over to the Goldsmith Family Cinema at Wesleyan (Washington Terrace) for week #2 of "Bogie & Bacall."  This week, it's the 1944 Howard Hawks' adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's "To Have and Have Not."  The screen writers include William Faulkner and Jules Furthman who work hard to tell the story of an American expatriate Humphrey Bogart) hired to bring a Free France Resistance Fighter and his wife to Martinique (Cuba in the book.)  He is also friends with the beautiful singer (Lauren Bacall) and her piano player (Hoagy Carmichael) and does his best to avoid a slew of bad guys.  Lots of adventure, cigarette smoke and the occasional kiss plus the snappy dialogue make this a great piece of "escapist cinema."  This was the first time the couple met; they married a year later and stayed together until Bogart's death in 1957.

The screening is free and open to the public.

Arts Walk Opens Today

After yesterday's deluge, it's good to see the sun and the opening of the "Arts Walk" in Riverview Plaza.  Created and sponsored by the Middletown Commission on the Arts, the space on the Plaza gives local arts group the opportunity to spotlight what they offer to the people of Middletown and beyond. 

The MCA Blue Tent opened this afternoon at (approximately) 1 p.m. with members of the Circus for a Fragile Planet, an offshoot of ARTFARM, manning the make-shift booth.  Throughout the day, they'll be showcasing different aspects of the Middletown-based troupe, from readings to circus games to stories and so much more (stilt-walkers, anyone?)  And, they'll be there right through until 9 p.m. tonight.  Tomorrow, the fun takes place from 1 - 6 p.m.   So, get out and get some Arts into your life!

Kick off to Wadsworth Concert Series July 6/ Art Walk July 8

2 awesome on-going arts events kick off this week:

1. Arts Walk at Riverview Plaza:

Where: Amici Italian Grill, 280 Main St, Middletown, CT 06457

Date: July 8, 2011 / July 15, 2011 / July 22, 2011 / July 29, 2011 / August 5, 2011 / August 12, 2011 / August 19, 2011 / August 26, 2011 / September 2, 2011

Next on: Friday, July 8, 2011Middletown’s Upper Main Street Will Feature Live Artistic and Cultural Performances and Vendors Weekends Through Labor Day.

The Middletown Commission on the Arts announces an exciting new project in conjunction with the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Business District this summer.

Beginning July 8 and running through Labor Day, weekends will feature street performers, vendors, arts groups and arts organizations introducing themselves and their wares to passersby on Main Street at Riverview Plaza.

Fridays from 6-9 p.m., Saturdays from 1-9 p.m. and Sundays from 1-5 p.m. will feature dozens of performers, to start this off summer will be :

July 8-10, ARTFARM actors will enact Shakespeare in the Grove selections from “Shakespeare’s Argument”

July 16, Wesleyan University’s Center for the Arts will host acoustic musicians and the Center for Creative Youth will exhibit a student art show and demonstrate stage, vocal, instrumental and musical skills learned over five weeks of intensive summer study.

July 22-24, Oddfellows Playhouse teens will perform scenes from “Romeo and Juliet” and “Comedy of Errors” and Children’s Circus members will be juggling, doing acrobatics and stilting.

For information on how to become a vendor or exhibitor, contact the MCA office at (860) 344-6620, Ext. 201, or email lkgodburn@aol.com.

___________________________________________________________

2. Summer Concert Series Music at the Mansion

Where: Wadsworth Mansion at Long Hill Estate, 421 Wadsworth St, Middletown, CT 06457

Date: July 6, 2011 Time: 6:30pm

Opening the 2011 Series on July 6th will bePrelude playing music from the ‘80s to the present.Prelude covers all of the great songs, including classic pop and rock, funk, disco, swing, country and Motown. [www.prelude.com]

All of the concerts will begin at 6:30 p.m. The grounds will be open for picnicking at 5:30 p.m. free and open to all!
Information will be available on the Wadsworth Mansion website at www.wadsworthmansion.com or by calling (860) 347-1064. Did you know the Mansion has a blog ? http://wadsworthmansionct.blogspot.com/
Check out the blog for a full calendar of events

Mayor's Ball Committee and Neely Bruce To Receive Arts Advocacy Awards

From Stephan Allison, Middletown Commission on the Arts. The photo shows Bruce leading sacred harp singing in 2003.
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Annually, in honor of National Arts Advocacy Day, the Middletown Commission on the Arts celebrates an individual and a group who have shown extraordinary support and initiative for the arts in the city.

This year, Arts Advocacy Day is being held from April 4-5 in Washington, D.C. Locally, the MCA will host a reception to honor its choices for the city's 2011 Arts Advocacy Awards.

Mayor Sebastian Giuliano’s committee that produces The Mayor’s Ball will be the recipient of the group award. This active and successful group of volunteers has hosted this benefit for the past five years, with proceeds funding arts-related projects throughout the city.

Neely Bruce will be granted the individual award for his lifelong commitment to the arts. Bruce is a professor of music and American studies at Wesleyan University, a composer, conductor, pianist and scholar of American music, past chorus director for Connecticut Opera, and director of music at South Congregational Church. These just begin the list of accolades for this gifted individual.

The reception will be hosted by The Shadow Room, 170 Main St., April 4 at 5:30 p.m. The Shadow Room, owned by David Gere and Nick Cacaci, is an eclectic space that mixes an appreciation of the arts with a youthful vibe.

Members of the community and art aficionados are encouraged to attend the free event to meet and congratulate the recipients, learn more about the affect they have had on our community, and check out a cool new space to enjoy the arts in Middletown. Appetizers will be served and a cash bar is available.

Celebration of the Arts

Come celebrate Arts Advocacy Day on Monday April 4 at 5:30 p.m. in The Shadow Room, 170 Main St.

This year, the MCA honors composer/performer/educator Neely Bruce (pictured left) and the Mayor's Ball Committee. Professor Bruce, a member of the Wesleyan faculty for over 3 decades, has a CV the length (and breadth) of Middletown's Main Street, producing operas, concerti, song cycles, chamber works and more.  I vividly remembering standing on the New Haven Green for the world premiere of his "Convergence", an event that took place in June 2000 as part of the International Festival of Arts & Ideas.  The composition is described thusly: "a series of three composed parades with auxiliary musical events of a stationary nature, is scored for multiple marching bands, multiple choruses, three or more organs, fife and drum corps, bagpipes, two orchestras, jazz band, West African drumming ensemble, Native American ensemble, Javanese gamelan, West Indian steel drums, and two solo trumpets."Over the past decade, Bruce has presented the entire song cycle of Charles Ives in various venues, a musical presentation that opened the eyes, ears and minds of many who believed that Ives' work was largely unapproachable.

The Mayor's Ball Committee, chaired this year by Town Clerk Sandra Russo-Driska and City Treasurer Christine Bourne, is one of the few gatherings of Republicans and Democrats in Middletown that seems apolitical - you can read Jen Alexander's account of the 2011 event, held to support Oddfellows Playhouse, by clicking here. 2011 was the 6th year that the event has been held and previous recipients include ART FARM, Middletown High Goes to The Symphony and The Middletown Commission on the Arts.  

The event, sponsored by the City of Middletown Commission on the Arts, is free and open to the public. For more information, call 860-343-6620, extension 201.  

To fond out more about The Shadow Room, go to www.shadowroomct.com. 

Much Deserved

Tuesday April 20 is Arts Advocacy Day in Middletown and, on Monday evening at 5 p.m. in the Middletown Room of First & Last Tavern on Main Street, the Middletown Commission on the Arts presented its choices for the 2010 Arts Advocacy Awards.  Marco Gaylord, music director of both the Middletown High School Band and the Middletown Symphonic Band, was recognized for his stellar work upgrading the instrumental music offerings in town (his cohort at MHS, choir director Michael Gosselin could not attend as he was stranded in England due to the ash strewn by the Icelandic volcano.) Gaylord's work with "MHS Goes to the Symphony", the biennial joint concert with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, has raised the quality of the school's music and musicians and provides keen insights into the workings of a major music ensemble and the professional lives of its members.

Also honored was the Greater Middletown Chorale and its music director Joseph D'Eugenio.  Maestro D'Eugenio has shaped the vocal ensemble into one of the most impressive amateur singing groups in the state, if not the Northeast.  In its 3+ decades, the GMC has presented major choral works, sung for the Governor, traveled to Europe, and not once shied away from difficult material.  On May 2, the Chorale, augmented by voices from other choral groups and supported by a large orchestra, will present Mendelssohn's magnificent oratorio, "Elijah", at 4 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at Middletown High School.  To find out more about the GMC and the next performance, go to www,greatermiddletownchorale.org. 

MCA Chair Joyce Kirkpatrick served as Master of Ceremonies and Mayor Sebastian Giuliano bestowed the awards upon the recipients and spoke about their contributions to the people of Middletown.  All in all, a delightful late afternoon.

Continuing Journey for Father and Daughter Artists

The Continuing Journey, a father and daughter show at Wesleyan Potters Gallery in Middletown will feature monoprints by Kyle O’Neil and pottery by Gary O’Neil.

The exhibit, on view Oct. 7 to Nov. 8, is co-sponsored by the Middletown Commission on the Arts and Young Audiences Arts for Learning Connecticut/VSA arts. It is part of a three-year statewide initiative to provide opportunities for Connecticut artists with disabilities to showcase their work in the visual and performing arts.

Kyle, 23, was born with Down’s Syndrome. Her father Gary made a commitment to Kyle to encourage her to be the best she can be and has encouraged her exploration of all mediums from clay to paper.

Gary has been a ceramic artist for more than 30 years. He is a teacher at Washington Middle School in Meriden and a Wesleyan Potters faculty member. His approach to pottery reflects a marriage of form and function.

Kyle made her international artistic debut in Argentina in 2005 following successful exhibits of her monoprints in Connecticut. She was one of four artists on the National VSA arts Artist Registry who exhibited at the Exploring Possibilities conference hosted by YAC/VSA arts in 2007 in at the Green Street Arts Center in Middletown.

“It’s been a wonderful journey to see Kyle develop, mature, and enjoy art,” Gary says. “It has been so important for all of us in the family to stand by her and see her blossom in this way and we want to make sure that other people get to see her work and enjoy it as well.”

“It is a pleasure to support this wonderful exhibit of Kyle’s monoprints and her father’s ceramic art,” says Judith Mortensen, Young Audiences of CT- VSA arts program manager. “Through inclusive exhibits and performances such as The Continuing Journey at Wesleyan Potters, VSA arts raises community awareness and provides opportunities for people throughout the state to experience the arts created by artists with and without disabilities.”

An opening reception for The Continuing Journey will be held on Saturday, Oct. 10 from 4 to 6 p.m. at Wesleyan Potters Gallery, 350 South Main St., Middletown. For gallery hours and more information, call 860-347-5925 or online www.wesleyanpotters.com. For more information about VSA arts exhibits and programs in Connecticut, contact Judith Mortensen at 203-230-8101, ext. 15 or email jmortesen@yaconn.org.

Young Audiences Arts for Learning Connecticut is one of 33 nationwide chapters of Young Audiences, Inc. that make the arts an integral part of the lives of children in school and community settings. As an affiliate of VSA arts— an international nonprofit organization—Young Audiences seeks to create a society where all people with disabilities can learn through, participate in, and enjoy the arts.

Connecticut artists with disabilities are invited to join the national VSA arts artist registry at www.vsarts.org.

Support from the Middletown Commission on the Arts

In the comments at the bottom of my post about ARTFARM's pre-show concerts during "Shakespeare in the Grove", several people were wise to point out that the music is underwritten by the Middletown Commission on the Arts.

With egg on both my face and keyboard, I must mention that I am the publicity chair for the MCA and should have included that in the article as well as the sponsorship for the entertainment for the Fireworks Festival on July 2.

At a special meeting of the MCA several weeks ago, the commissioners unanimously approved funding projects and organizations that the city has supported in the past. The money had been removed from the Mayor's 09-10 budget but returned by the Common Council. (To the current administration's credit, the proceeds from this year's Mayor's Ball was earmarked for the MCA.) Money was granted to ARTFARM for this month's production (much needed because the funds promised by the State of CT may never show up), to North End Arts Rising and to the Neighborhood Troupes programs of Oddfellows Playhouse.

The last program cited has proven very successful in helping children from low income families get involved with theater, being part of the greater community, and taking care of their school work. The Playhouse reaches out to as many children as is humanly possible and the support is crucial.

Everyone who serves on the MCA are aware that we are stewards of the taxpayers money and we take that into account whenever artists and organizations apply for funding. Middletown is known for being an "arts-friendly" community and the Commission as well as its coordinator Stephan Allison strive to keep it that way.

Swine Flu Advisory

From the Middletown Health Department:

Clarification on Today's Middletown Press Article

Dear Friends,

An article published in today’s Middletown Press (DARE Program Slashed From Proposed Budget) wrongly took words that were not mine and attributed them to me.

In the article, it appears as though I was speaking about tonight’s city budget hearing. In fact, I was not interviewed for the story. The information attributed to me was actually taken from an email I received (and forwarded to NEAT’s members) from Dic Wheeler, of Artfarm.

I do believe that it is important that people come out and speak about the proposed budget, but NEAT’s positions is slightly different from Artfarm’s. I’d like to take a minute to explain our positions.

NEAT is most concerned about funding to the Summer Arts Programming and the City's Matching Grant Program.

As for summer arts, families that live in the North End would be most affected by any changes to the sliding scale that is offered for summer arts programming. Many North End kids take part in those programs, run through the city Arts Office (including the Summer Circus), and wouldn't be able to if not for the financial aid that is offered. For many parents, the summer program is the only affordable option, giving kids a chance to participate in summer programming, and parents a way to work. It must be maintained.

Additionally, NEAT receives funding through the Middletown Commission on the Arts and the Youth Services Bureau for our Arts in the Garden Series and our Youth Leadership Initiative. If the matching grants and after school challenge grants ratio is changed to 4:1, small organizations like NEAT (there are a lot of us in Middletown!) would be unable to participate, leaving some effective, well-deserving programs unfunded.

I do urge each of you to come out to support the much-deserving groups in Middletown that are working hard to ensure that every city child has access to quality arts programming. And, though it wasn't my idea, I encourage you to show your unity and wear red.

Thank You,
Izzi Greenberg
Executive Director
North End Action Team (NEAT)

Come Celebrate Arts Advocacy Day in Middletown

On Tuesday March 31, the Middletown Commission on the Arts celebrates National Arts Advocacy Days by honoring the work of Peter Loffredo and the Art Guild of Middletown. The ceremony and reception will take place from 4:30 - 6 p.m. in the new Fishbone Cafe, 106 Court Street (1/2 block down from Main Street.

Loffredo, a native of Middletown, is the founder of both Connecticut Heritage Productions and the Free At Last Players. An actor, director and educator, Loffredo has worked on stages in England and the United States. CHP began in 1981 and its first major work was a film documentary of Connecticut-born actor William Gillette (1855-1937.) In recent years, the organization has produced a number of plays at Oddfellows Playhouse, the Green Street Arts Center and the Little Theatre in New Haven. The Free At Last Players, now in its 20th years, is "a not-for-profit theater group dedicated to dispelling some of the myths and misconceptions that surround mental illness." In all he does, he has a propensity for working on plays that look at social and cultural issues. Loffredo has also served as Theater Director for The Buttonwood Tree and currently teaches at ACES/Educational Center for the Arts in New Haven.

The Art Guild of Middletown came into existence in 1972, the merger of the River Valley Art Guild and the Middletown Art Association. Today, the Guild has over 90 members and is governed by a 13-member executive board. Its mission is to foster and encourage art and the development of the visual artists in the Middletown area by developing quality programs to bring artists together, provide venues for the artists to exhibit their work and provide art instructions and workshops in drawing and painting and related visual arts. They meet monthly and sponsor a yearly Juried Arts Show that takes place in the Zilkha Gallery at Wesleyan.

The reception, which features a presentation of citations to the honorees by Middletown Mayor Sebastian Giuliano at 5:30, is free and open to everyone. For more information, call the MCA office at 343-6620, extension 201.