This Week in Local Arts- Friday and Beyond

Before we take a look at the busy weekend ahead, here's a "Sold Out!" announcement and an addendum to the schedule.

The Wesleyan Theater Department production of "The Threepenny Opera" is sold out for every show through its 5 performance run. Tickets are still available for the Oddfellows Playhouse Teen Rep Company production of the Brecht-Weill classic operetta opening Thursday December 4 and running for the next several weekends (through December 20.) Call 347-6143 for more information.

The addendum to the schedule is that, after the Anthony Braxton Large Ensemble concert concludes tonight at Crowell Concert Hall (approximately 10 p.m.), the Wesleyan Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Noah Baerman, will perform on the 2nd floor of the Usdan Student Center (across the street from the Concert Hall.) Also on the bill be performances by Jay Hoggard's Jazz Improvisation Class and by the Wesleyan Jazz Orchestra, Professor Hoggard, music director. If you like creative music, this is quite an evening. The music at the Usdan Center is free and open to the public.

The new exhibition at the Middlesex Historical Society, 151 Main Street, opens this Friday at 11 a.m. "Hard & Stirring Times: Middletown & The Civil War" is a fascinating look at how the War between the States affected our area. Pictures, diaries, newspaper reports, and more, give us a view of the cost of the war, in lives lost, interrupted or permanently changed. This is the Grand Opening Weekend so the General Mansfield House will be also be open Saturday and Sunday 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. After that, one should check with museum director Donna Baron at 860-346-0746 for viewing hours.

The Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main Street, has a busy weekend planned. Friday night, it's the annual "WESU-88.1 FM Variety Show". Members of the staff will perform stand-up comedy, read poetry, play music and keep you entertained. Saturday night, the performance space welcomes British singer-songwriter Rupert Wates for an 8 p.m. show. Wates has been living in the United States for the past several years. His music blends jazz and folk influences (not unlike Joni Mitchell) with his reedy tenor sounding not unlike Iain Matthews or like a less strident Jack Bruce (ex-Cream.) Sunday, Elizabeth Thomas hosts the Youth Poetry Slam & Open Mic at 3 p.m. The event, open to writer-performers ages 13 - 20, is a tune-up for applicants to the CT National Youth Poetry Slam Team 2009. For more information about these and all Buttonwood events, call 347-4957 or go to www.buttonwood.org.

Professor Anthony Braxton presents his Small Ensemble Music concert Friday at 8 p.m. in Crowell Concert Hall. The event is free and open to the public.

It's a busy Dance weekend on campus also. On Friday and Saturday nights at 8 p.m. in the CFA Theater, advanced student choreographers present new works in the Winter Dance Concert. For ticket information, call the University Box Office at 685-3355 or go online at www.wesleyan.edu/cfa. On Sunday at 2 p.m. in both Crowell Concert Hall and the World Music Hall, it's the Worlds of Dance Concert. You will see beginning dance students perform works of various styles including jazz, Afro-Brazilian, Bharata Natyam and Javanese/Balinese dance. This is event is free, open to the public and quite entertaining.

There's the poster for the new exhibition opening Friday at the MAC 650 Gallery, 650 Main Street. As you (hopefully) can read, it's a show of photography by women titled "Love: Interpreted" and the reception is 7-10 p.m. on Opening night. For more information, call 344-0169.

Saturday, Holiday on Main Street continues with a number of events planned to lure you and the family downtown. There will be Free Hayrides with Santa Claus from 10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. and a Holiday Story Time at 11:30 a.m. - 12noon in the Main Street Fire House featuring Franklin The Turtle and Fire Chief Gary Ouelette. For those of you who love kitsch, there will be a Pet Costume Contest & Pet Parade at 1 p.m. There's lots more going during the business day so call 346-6924 for more information.

The First United Methodist Church, 24 Old Church Street, presents a Holiday Music Festival featuring organist Susan Freimuth at 6 p.m. A silent auction is also on the bill.For more information, call 346-3689.

At 8 p.m. in Wesleyan's World Music Hall, the Wesleyan Gamelan Ensemble, under the direction of I.M. Harjito and Sumarsam, presents classical music of central Java. If you've never heard the gamelan orchestra, it's a wonderful combination of bells, gongs, xylophones, drums and more that can be both exciting and soothing. This event is free and open to the public.