Huck Finn This Weekend

 Oddfellows Playhouse’s Junior Repertory Company will present Huck Finn by Eric Coble, Adapted from the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. 

Huck Finn flees the claws of "civilization" for the freedom of the mighty Mississippi, only to find himself running from mobs, getting shot at, stealing gold, digging escape tunnels and dressing as a woman. And perhaps his greatest adventure: unexpectedly finding his own moral compass in a world of corruption and hypocrisy.  This highly-theatrical adaptation presented by the Junior Repertory Company and directed by Lorra Webb, is the second of Coble’s work produced at the Playhouse, following 2006’s Gold in the Bones.  This classic tale of adventure is great for families and students of all ages.

The production runs Thursday thru Saturday, November 29, 30 and December 1  All performances begin at 7:00 p.m.  Tickets are $15 for Adults and $8 for Students/Seniors.  Anyone bringing a canned food item for Amazing Grace Food Pantry will receive a $2 discount on their ticket.  Tickets are available online at www.oddfellows.org or by calling 860-347-6143. 

The production is made possible by major support from CT State Department of Education, Middlesex United Way, The Stare Fund, Pratt & Whitney, the Middletown Commission on the Arts, Eli Cannon’s Tap Room and Daphne Sebolt Culpeper Foundation.   Media support provided by Comcast and WESU 88.1FM. 

Holiday On Main Tomorrow

The annual start of Middletown's Christmas season begins Friday, with wreaths, hot chocolate, pretzel, the Cat in the Hat, hayrides, and Santa.

Mayor Dan Drew and Santa Claus will jointly turn on the South Green tree lights at 5PM, followed by a parade featuring the High School Marching Band.

The full schedule is HERE.

Holiday Season Offerings at Oddfellows

With the holiday season approaching, there are multiple chance to take the family out to see some live theater here in Middletown. So you better start planning!

Huck Finn
by Mark Twain

Adapted by Eric Coble from the novel "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" 
November 29, 30 and December 1 - 7:00pm

Oddfellows Playhouse’s Junior Repertory Company will present Huck Finn by Eric Coble, Adapted from the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. 

Huck Finn flees the claws of "civilization" for the freedom of the mighty Mississippi, only to find himself running from mobs, getting shot at, stealing gold, digging escape tunnels and dressing as a woman. And perhaps his greatest adventure: unexpectedly finding his own moral compass in a world of corruption and hypocrisy.  This highly-theatrical adaptation presented by the Junior Repertory Company and directed by Lorra Webb, is the second of Coble’s work produced at the Playhouse, following 2006’s Gold in the Bones.  This classic tale of adventure is great for families and students of all ages.

The production runs Thursday thru Saturday, November 29, 30 and December 1  All performances begin at 7:00 p.m.  Tickets are $15 for Adults and $8 for Students/Seniors.  Anyone brining a canned food item for Amazing Grace Food Pantry will receive a $2 discount on their ticket.  Tickets are available online at www.oddfellows.org or by calling 860-347-6143. 
A Civil War Christmas: An American Musical Celebration
by Paula Vogel, Music by Daryl Waters
December 6,7,8, 14, 15 - 7:30pm

The play, directed by Peter Loffedo, will feature a multigenerational cast of actors from the community, including members of Oddfellows’ Teen Repertory Company and CT Heritage Productions.  The Connecticut Humanities Council and Middletown Commission on the Arts is generously helping to fund this production because of its unique combination of historical significance, audience appeal, and educational storytelling.  

The play is set is Washington, D.C., on Christmas Eve 1864, during the Civil War.  President Lincoln has just been reelected and General Sherman is marching troops into battle.  Interweaving historical figures with fictional characters, A Civil War Christmas not only entertains but inspires the audience by portraying the real-life struggles that occurred and the human spirit that endured during one of the most difficult times in our history. Moving swiftly from scene to scene, it chronicles many aspects of the period, from something of the private life of Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln to the moving story of an African-American soldier whose wife has been cruelly kidnapped.  Christmas carols and folk songs are sung throughout by the ensemble, with additional period music performed by a group of instrumentalists. 

The production runs December 6, 7, 8, 14, 15 at Oddfellows Playhouse.  All performances are at 7:30pm.  Tickets are $15 for adults and $8 for students and seniors. Thursday December 6 is a Pay-What-You-Can Performance.  Please bring a non-perishable food item to donate to Amazing Grace Food Pantry.  Tickets are available online at ww.oddfellows.org or by calling860-347-6143.  The performance is made possible through special funding from the Connecticut Humanities Council, The Middletown Commission on the Arts, and Eli Cannon’s Tap Room.

Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story

Oddfellows Playhouse Junior Repertory Company
presents
Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story
Friday 12/9 - 7:30pm
Saturday 12/10 - 7:30pm
Adults $15 / Students & Seniors $8

Call 860-347-6143 for reservations or purchase tickets here.

Holiday Offerings on Stage at Oddfellows

Well have you been naughty or nice this year? Oddfellows Playhouse has something for you in either case.

For those that have been Nice: Oddfellows Playhouse’s Junior Repertory Company presents Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story, adapted by Jerry Montoya from the story by Charles Dickens.

The story is one we all know, Ebenezer Scrooge and the eerie visits of the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future. However, Montoya’s adaptation quickly dispenses with the merriment, because “after all this is a ghost story.” The trimmings and trappings that have become synonymous with the Dickens’ tale are stripped down to a darker, more theatrical telling of the story.

Director Lorra Webb sets the tale in an orphanage on Christmas Eve. The children act out the tale on their dreary Christmas Eve, and explore their own Christmas past, present, and the Christmases yet to come. Taking a cue from the traditional Victorian practice of telling ghost stories at Christmastime, the young actors tell the story of Scrooge, Marley and the Cratchits.

Performance Dates: December 8-10
All performances begin at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $15 for Adults and $8 for Students/Seniors and are available online here or by calling 860-347-6143.

The production is made possible by major support from CT State Department of Education, CT Commission on Culture & Tourism, Middlesex United Way, The Stare Fund, Pratt & Whitney, with special support and sponsorship from the Middletown Commission on the Arts.

And for those that have been Naughty:

Oddfellows Playhouse brings to the stage author David Sedaris’ satirical, biting examination of our holiday shopping culture, Santaland Diaries. Adapted for the stage by playwright Joe Mantello, “Santaland Diaries” launched the career of writer and commentator David Sedaris. The play recounts Sedaris’ days as a Christmas elf at Macy’s department store in New York City.

The show is a fundraising event for Oddfellows Playhouse – the youth theater provides programming and productions by and for young people. The many theater artists involved are donating their time and energy to put the show together. “We have been venturing into the world of “grown-up” theater more and more over the last several years as a way to raise money for the Playhouse, our scholarship funds and operating costs. We have this great theater space available and we want to maximize our exposure to audiences”, said Executive Director Matthew Pugliese.

Tickets are $25 for Adults and $10 for Students/Seniors and available online here or by calling 860-347-6143.

Oddfellows Playhouse’s production is directed by Tony Palmieri, who owns and operates Datura – A Modern Garden, a wedding and event floral studio. Palmieri played the role of Crumpet last December at the Playhouse. On directing this year instead of performing, Palmieri said, “When I first sat down with Oddfellows earlier this year to discuss working on the role, I had some reservations about reprising the role. I thought it would be more interesting as an artist and for the audience to see another actor’s interpretation.”

Santaland Diaries is appropriate for mature elves only. Performances are December 15-17 at 7:30pm.

Countdown to Holiday Kickoff

An employee of Bish Electric was working hard stringing holiday lights in the trees on the South Green today. He told me that he'd be there working on the lighting all week. The tree-lighting will be in the Veteran's Memorial Gazebo on the day after Thanksgiving, Friday November 25th as part of the HOLIDAY ON MAIN STREET event which will feature entertainment, hot pretzels & popcorn, and family fun on Main Street!

From 9a to 5p there will be a Festival of Wreaths at Liberty Bank, wreaths were decorated by area businesses and will be auctioned at a later date.

From 1 to 4 pm the Middlesex County Historical Society will be open for visitors to view the exhibits and activities for children including stories, ornament making and refreshments.

Free Hayrides & Carriage Rides 4pm until 8pm!

At 5pm, 2 Tree Lightings on the South Green / Union Park– the City Tree & Middlesex Hospital “Tree of Lights” (in the Gazebo) with holiday carols led by the Middletown High School Band & Chorus & the Woodrow Wilson Middle School Chorus. Special guests include the Mayor, Santa & Wild Thing.

At 6pm, Parade from Union Park to light the tree on top of the Chamber of Commerce. Hayrides, Horse & Carriage Rides, Free Pictures with Santa and Music.

At 8:15p Tree Lighting in front of Eli Cannon’s Tap Room. Join Santa & his Elves for hot chocolate, cider and cookies!

The festivities start at 9am. Call 347.6924 or visit the Chamber website for more information.

A HUGE THANK YOU TO WESU 88.1 FM for keeping this information easy to find on the "Jive at Five" section of their website, available here: http://www.wesufm.org/jive

This is always a wonderful place to look for events and happenings around town. Apologies to anyone who was confused by the incorrect date I had listed which has since been changed, as well as the link to the Press article which turned out to be from last year, and has been removed.

Arts Around Town

The Russell Library, always a hub of activity, is featuring the action photography of Tony Donovan in its Information Area on the second floor through January.  Hoopfest 2010, an annual event organized by 1FamilyInc, brings together young athletes from a number of CT communities including Bloomfield, Hartford, Waterbury, Bristol, Meriden, New Haven, Cromwell, Middletown, and Portland, takes place on the campus of Connecticut Valley Hospital.  Most of the images show the players in action; one can see the intensity and determination on their faces. 

You probably already know about Oddfellows Playhouse presentation of David Sedaris's "The Santaland Diaries" taking place this weekend.  The one-elf show, starring Tony Palmieri, relates the "true" adventures of the author's stint as one of Jolly St. Nick's helpers in Macy's Department Store.  The show is quite funny but definitely not for suitable for young children or true believers - however, you will be able to pick out anyone in the audience who has ever worked retail by their knowing smiles and nodding heads.  Performances are 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday with a 9 p.m. Saturday show and 2 p.m. on Sunday.  Proceeds from ticket sales go to support the OP scholarship fund.  For more information and to make reservations, call 860-347-6143. 

The Buttonwood Tree has a busy weekend of music planned. On Friday evening, singer-songwriter Sandy Bailey brings her father Jim, brother Eric and sister Sharon to Middletown to celebrate the Holiday season with a concert of original music and traditional bluegrass and gospel tunes. If you love handsome harmonies and good melodies, the music starts at 8 p.m. 

On Saturday, guitarist Sean Clapis has invited pianist Noah Baerman for a duo concert at 8 p.m.  The Hartford native and recent graduate of the Hartt School of Music has performed throughout the state as a leader.  Clapis first met Baerman when he spent a summer as a student in the Center for Creative Youth at Wesleyan but, I believe, this is the first time they have worked together.  Expect melody to reign supreme while improvisational sparks light up the performance space.  For more information about both shows and to reserve a seat or 2, call 860-347-4957. To learn more about the young guitarist, go to http://seanclapis.com/.

Other events to capture you fancy this weekend include the "Holiday on Main Street" festivities from 10 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. There will be Hay Rides up and down Main Street, Story Time at Broad Street Books, Santa Claus in residence at It's Only Natural Market,  and a showing of "Frosty's Winter Wonderland" in the Goldsmith Family Cinema at Wesleyan -all free and open to the public.  Also, the Middlesex County Historical Society, 151 Main Street, will open its doors from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.  Check it out.

Sunday, the Middlesex Hospital Vocal Chords presents its 21st Annual Winter Concert at 2 p.m. in the main auditorium of Portland High School.  For more information, go to http://vocalchords20.org/contact.htm.

Still stumped for the right gift for this Holiday season.  Well, here's one for the music lovers in your extended family.  Buru Style, the septet led by drummer and Wesleyan grad student Bill Carbone, has issued "The Omnidenominational Holiday Experience" (Figbag Records), a short but exuberant set of seasonal treats that will you up and dancing in not time.  If you want to find out more and hear a tune or 2, go to http://burustyle.bandcamp.com/album/the-omnidenominational-holiday-experience.

Holidays come early at the Chamber

Even though it's March, the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce spent Tuesday night ringing the bells of Holiday Cheer and asking everyone to imagine twinkling lights on decorated trees, carols sung to candlelight, and tiny tots with their eyes all aglow.

That's because Tuesday night's Chamber Auction is the primary fundraiser for the Holiday on Main celebration which the Chamber hosts every weekend from Thanksgiving to Christmas. With the funds raised (typically in the $10,000 range), the Chamber coordinates hayrides, a sidewalk train, photos with your favorite red-suited, white-bearded holiday elf, and the big tree-lighting and carol-sing on the South Green which opens the season. The events, which are liberally promoted in the media, are a draw to holiday shoppers and help Main Street compete with the mall.

This year's Chamber Auction was standing-room-only in the old Sons of Italy hall on Court Street, with a dozen or so local restaurants providing the nosh, and hundreds of donated items up for the silent and live auction. Unless I missed something, the top selling item was a tie between a weekend on Harbour Island, RI, and going to a baseball game with Chamber President Larry McHugh -- each went for $700.

By the way, if you know anyone who is new in town who wants to make new friends quick, joining the Chamber's Holiday on Main committee is a sure thing. This energetic group always seems to be having a lot of fun while producing one of the biggest downtown events of the year. The top photo shows committee member Daniel Ostrow of Tat Wong Kung Fu (left) showcasing an auction item which promises lunch with Fire Chief Gary Ouellette (right).

Post-Turkey Day Fun

Friday November 27:
The 54th Annual Wesleyan Potters Exhibit & Sale begins on this day at 10 a.m. Not sure if this work pictured on the left created by Priscilla Palumbo will be on sale but it's pretty to look out. Works by over 200 artists will be on display and on sale for the next several weeks and the show is truly a highlight of this (or any) Holiday season. To find out more, go online to www.wesleyanpotters.com/events.shtml or give at call at 860-347-5925. Regular hours are Thursday and Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. as well as Saturday through Wednesday, 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Middletown's "Holiday on Main Street" begins this weekend with a slew of events for people of all ages. During the early afternoon on Friday, there will be free Fun Train rides for the young ones while at 4 p.m., you can start taking free hayrides. At 5 p.m., Mayor Sebastian Giuliano heads down to the South Green to dedicate the new gazebo, to light the Christmas tree and to announce the "One Book, One Middletown" selection for 2010 (more on that in a later posting.) Joining him will be Ronald McDonald and Santa Claus with emcee Don DeCesare from WMRD & WLIS. At 6 p.m., there will be a parade heading to the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce office for the lighting of the second tree (atop the building.) That's not all - at 8:15, there's yet another Tree Lighting in front of Eli Cannon's Tap Room in the North End (a perfect time for hot chocolate and mulled cider, though, by this time, Santa and his helpers might prefer a Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome.) All these events are free - for more information, call 860-347-6924.

There are those people who say "If you can't come to Collinsville, Collinsville will come to you!" (I'm not at liberty to say who "those people" are.) The Buttonwood Tree heeds that call and presents a intriguing double bill at 7:30 p.m. Singer-songwriter Jason Krug bring his acoustic folk ensemble Citizen Spy to the performance space. Krug's recent electric endeavor, DayDrug, released a very fine CD last year - his songs are witty, sardonic, and makes one ponder on the foibles of everyday life (really.) Also on the bill is poet-author-essayist David Leff. I have his latest book, "Deep Travel", by my bedside and it's a fascinating true story of the author (and several companions) retracing Henry David Thoreau's trip on the Merrimack and Concord Rivers. The book pictured on the left, "The Last Undiscovered Place", is Leff's loving portrait of his adopted hometown (yes, it's Collinsville.) His book of prose-poems, "The Price of Water", was issued in 2008 by Antrim House Books. For more information about this event, go to www.buttonwood.org. Below is a piece from Leff's book of poems (printed courtesy of Antrim House.)

SPRING IN HELL’S KITCHEN

The dark stone canyon walls of Hell’s Kitchen are fractured horizontally, in cracks that grin and leer at hikers. Laurel clings to life on the precipitous ledges where plump mosses drip alongside the last fading tusks of winter ice. Water seeps invisibly through the jumbled rocks beneath the trail, briefly revealing itself as a sparkling stream and disappearing again. It echoes in rocky chambers, trickling and percolating in multiple voices. I bend and listen to the liquid speech suddenly joined by the melodic weet, weet, weet, weet, tsee, tsee of a flagrantly yellow warbler perched in the leafless brush like a light bulb. Other birdsong and the hum and buzz of insects will soon harmonize in an accidental orchestra prophesizing a season of the migrant, temporary, and intermittent.

***********************************************************************

Perhaps the only thing that can rouse you from your turkey leftovers is a healthy dose of "the Dead." You're in luck because Shakedown, "New England's Premier Grateful Dead Cover Band", returns to Boney's Music Lounge for several sets of Garcia/Lesh/Weir/Robert Hunter-inspired rock and soul (the quintet also plays music by The Meters, Bob Marley, Bob Dylan and others.) They'll start "rocking the room" at 9 p.m. For more information, call 860-346-6000.

Weather Wins, Audiences Lose

Although the snow started falling later than predicted, the storm (as of 2:30 p.m) seems to be making up for lost time. And, the performance scheduled for tonight at Oddfellows Playhouse has been canceled while the Daniel Salazar concert at the Green Street Arts Center has been postponed. Oddfellows fully expects to be open tomorrow night for the final performance of "The Threepenny Opera."

The Middlesex Chamber of Commerce has also canceled Saturday's "Holiday on Main Street", a wise move considering what Main Street looks like after a major snowstorm (with the snow piled in the middle waiting to be carted away.) I'm not sure what that means for the programs at The Buttonwood Tree from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. or the book signing at Broad Street Books. Call 347-4957 for the former and 685-7323 for the latter.

Weather Permitting

As of Thursday 8 a.m.,Connecticut residents were being warned of a possible large snowstorm, 6 - 12 inches of heavy, wet, snow scheduled to commence Friday mid-morning. The heaviest snow will, presumably, fall between 12 noon and 6 p.m., disrupting traffic, business, and arts events.

Which is too bad, especially for the Teen Repertory Company of Oddfellows Playhouse. It's the 3rd and final weekend for their production of "The Threepenny Opera" and all reports are that the actors have hit their stride and the show is a knock-out! Performances are scheduled for Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m. If you were thinking of going or already have tickets, best call 347-6143 to see if the show will go on. A number of the actors and stage crew come from outside Middletown and, if the roads are as bad as the forecast says they might be, Oddfellows may have to call off Friday's production.

Guitarist Daniel Salazar is the featured performer in The Green Street Arts Center "In The Limelight: Latino Voices" series scheduled to take place at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Currently living in Hartford, Salazar has performed in venues around the world and his repertoire ranges from popular Latin music to classical masterpieces from Spain and Mexico. For ticket information, call 685-7871.

The final "Holiday on Main Street" celebration is scheduled for Saturday from 10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Hay Rides on Main Street to "Corduroy Bear"making an 11:30 a.m.appearance at Broad Street Books is on tap. There will be food and plenty of other activities. For more information, go to www.middlesexchamber.com.

The Buttonwood Tree has 3 events planned but both are set to take place on Saturday. At 10 a.m., the Middletown Park & Recreation Department is using the North End space for its annual Ornament-making Workshop, an opportunity for children and parents to get creative with their holiday decorations. At 12 noon, there will be a book-reading & puppet show in the performance space. Robert Edward Perron's "The Adventures of Bum & Carey Bear" is the featured book and children ages 8 and older should enjoy the event. The author will be on-hand (literally and figuratively) to read and present the puppet show. Both events are free and open to the public.

At 6:30 p.m., the Central Valley Poetry Series, hosted by Colin Haskins, presents Greg Scott. This event is also free and open to the public. The Buttonwood will accept non-perishable food items for its neighbor, St. Vincent De Paul Place. For more information about these and all events at The Buttonwood Tree, go to www.buttonwood.org or call 347-4957.

Saturday, Holiday on Main

As is tradition, we arrived back from Thanksgiving weekend in Philadelphia (where my sons encountered Santa at Macy's, and on Broad Street), we arrived back in Middletown to head to Main Street where they could jawbone with Santa one more time (one of my son's want to be quite sure that Santa knows he wants the book, Walter the Farting Dog, under the tree).

The holiday events were in full swing, with Santa, Curious George and the Wesleyan Cardinal greeting children who were in queue for a "hayride" down Main Street.




At the Inn at Middletown, Mayor Sebastian Giuliano found himself upstaged by Curious George himself. While the children squealed in delight for the michievous monkey, hugging, mugging for pictures, and high-fiving, Giuliano was ignored, and left pondering his role at storyteller - a task he handled ably.

In a story about Curious George at Christmas, the mayor ad libbed: "I'm sure we'll have plenty of snow before Christmas, and we'll enjoy it, as long as all the snow falls between 7:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on weekdays." Every concientious mayor worries about overtime.

In the Creative Juice holiday stores, local artists and craftspeople sold their one-of-a-kind wares in the space formerly occupied by It's Only Natural grocery.

Creative Juice Holiday Shop

CREATIVE JUICE HOLIDAY SHOPPE at Main Street Market (386 Main St), where members of the Arts & Creative Industries Council of Middlesex Chamber will be selling their wares, including fine arts & crafts, photography, mosaics, musical instruments, beaded jewelry, caricatures, hand-knitted items and much more! Those participating include:

Judyth Crystal Arts, Westmont Mosaics, Waring Music,
Gr. Midd. Concert Assoc., Kindermusik, Middletunes,
Ray Ross Photography, Dougal Art / Caricatures, Karen’s Kreations, Pamela Roose / Hand Knit Items, Curtis Studio of Photography, Friedlander 2

The hours of the Holiday Shoppe are the same as Holiday On Main Street:

Friday, November 28 - 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Saturday, November 29 - 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Saturday, December 6 - 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Saturday, December 13 - 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Saturday, December 20 - 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

For complete information about Holiday On Main Street, go to www.middlesexchamber.com

Holiday on Main Street Kicks Off on Friday

The annual celebration of the holiday season begins Friday on Middletown's Main Street with hayrides, train rides for the kids, holiday music, an simultaneous appearance by Mayor Sebastian Giuliano and Santa Claus (so you know, for sure, that Seb is not Santa), and a tree lighting on both the North and South end of Main Street.

A listing of events is available on the Middlesex Chamber of Commerce website.

From the Chamber's press release:

The first tree-lighting will take place on the South Green at 5:45 p.m. and will be led by Mayor Sebastian Giuliano and Santa. In the effort to go "green," the city will use over 10,000 energy-saving LED bulbs on the South Green tree! Also on hand on the South Green will be the Middletown High School band and chorus along with the Woodrow Wilson Middle School chorus. Last year, over 1,000 people were able to enjoy the holiday sights and sounds on the South Green and more are expected this year.

Also, there will be a parade up Main Street to the Chamber where the tree on the roof will be lit at 6:15 p.m. for the second tree-lighting of the night followed by free pictures with Santa.

After the second lighting at the Chamber, there will be festivities in front of Eli Cannon's Tap Room at 695 Main Street for the third and final tree-lighting of the night, at 8:15 p.m. Here, Santa will arrive to light the tree and there will be elves on hand to provide all children with complementary popcorn, cookies, hot chocolate and other treats.

Each tree-lighting is free of charge to the public.

HOLIDAY ON MAIN STREET CONTINUES EVERY SATURDAY UNTIL CHRISTMAS. STAY TUNED FOR MORE EVENTS DURING DECEMBER!