Arts Events Monday - Wednesday 5/04-06

The Buttonwood Tree presents its weekly Open Mic at 8 p.m. Monday night. Hosted by Jennifer Schafer Wood, it's an opportunity for local poets, authors, singers and musicians to "do their thing." Sign-ups begin 30 minutes before the microphone "opens." For more information, call 347-4957.

Professor Anthony Braxton presents his "Large Ensemble Music" concert at Monday 8 p.m. in Crowell Concert Hall. Students and invited guests perform Braxton's music, some of which is thorny and complicated, other pieces that are "straight-ahead" and melodic, all of which is uniquely Braxton. The event is free and open to the public.

Tuesday is "Cinco de Mayo" and Jazz at Public celebrates with an evening of "Latin Jazz" from 6 - 9:30 p.m. with vocalist Theresa Wright (pictured.) Joining her will be an all-star band including Don DePalma (keyboards), Bob Laramie (bass), Rob "The Drummer" Gottfried (drums, naturally) and Greg Allen (congas, percussion.) Public is located at 337 Main Street, in part of the old "Bob's Store" building.

The "Celebration of Silent Sounds" takes place Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the World Music Hall at Wesleyan. "Silent Sounds" is the literary magazine for the Middletown Public Schools grades 6-12 and features one-act plays, short stories and poetry. The authors, poets and playwrights will read from their works and you'll be both amazed and pleased by the quality of the writing. The event, free and open to the public, is co-sponsored by the Center for the Arts and the Middletown Public Schools Cultural Council.

Also on Tuesday, the Wesleyan Wind Ensemble, aka "WesWinds", Peter Hadley, music director, performs its Spring Concert at 8 p.m. in Crowell Concert Hall. The program, titled "Blue", features works by Frank Ticheli (U.S., born 1958), David Holsinger (U.S., born 1945) and George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue", featuring pianist Jose Garcia-Leon. The event is free and open to the public.








The final presentation in The Russell Library's "Screwball Comedy Film Series" is "The Thin Man", the 1934 classic starring (from left to right) Myrna Loy, Asta (screen name), and William Powell. Based on the Dashiell Hammett novel of the same name, the movie became the first in a series of 6 featuring the same lead characters. It, also, is the blueprint for the style of movie that blends murder, mayhem and comedy (not to mention the basis of other shows such as"Moonlighting.") The screening takes place at 12noon in the Hubbard Room - bring your lunch and the Library will provide soft drinks and dessert. Hosting the event is Richard Alleva, film critic for Commonweal magazine and Assistant Head of Children’s Services at Russell Library. For more information, call 347-2528, extension 135.