The Arts Paper | March 2017

artists next door 4

nasty women 6

jazz at yale 8

smart people at long wharf 9

The Arts Paper a free publication of the Arts Council of Greater New Haven • newhavenarts.org

GalaEvent March 25, 2017

March 2017

Featuring a full-length concert by Irish Tenor

Anthony Kearns and an elegant pre-show reception

The Arts Paper march 2017

4

Artists Next Door Hank Hoffman Interviews Painter Willard Lustenader

staff

board of directors

Martha Murray interim executive director

Eileen O’Donnell president Rick Wies vice president Daisy Abreu second vice president

Debbie Hesse director of artistic services & programs Megan Manton director of development Winter Marshall executive administrative assistant Amanda May Aruani editor, the arts paper design consultant Jennifer Gelband communications manager

Ken Spitzbard treasurer Wojtek Borowski secretary

directors Susan Cahan Robert B. Dannies Jr. James Gregg Todd Jokl Mark Kaduboski Jocelyn Maminta Josh Mamis Greg Marazita Rachel Mele Elizabeth Meyer-Gadon Frank Mitchell John Pancoast Mark Potocsny David Silverstone Dexter Singleton Richard S. Stahl, MD

6

Nasty Women Art Making as Activism in the Era of Donald Trump

8

9

Jazz at Yale Tom Duffy and Yale Welcome Wynton Marsalis in Concert

The Arts Paper is made possible with support from AVANGRID / United Illuminating / Southern Connecticut Gas

Smart People Long Wharf Play Delves into Race, Intelligence, and Class

The Arts Council is pleased to recognize the generous contributions of our business, corporate and institutional members. executive champions Yale University

The Arts Council of Greater New Haven promotes, advocates, and fosters opportunities for artists, arts organizations, and audiences. Because the arts matter.

The Arts Paper is published by the Arts Council of Greater New Haven, and is available by direct mail through membership with the Arts Council.

For membership information call (203) 772-2788.

To advertise in The Arts Paper, call the Arts Council at (203) 772-2788.

Arts Council of Greater New Haven 70 Audubon Street, 2nd Floor New Haven, CT 06510 Phone: (203) 772.2788 Fax: (203) 772.2262 info@newhavenarts.org www.newhavenarts.org

senior patrons Knights of Columbus L. Suzio York Hill Companies Marcum Odonnell Company Webster Bank Wiggin and Dana WSHU corporate partners Alexion Pharmaceuticals AT&T Firehouse 12 Fusco Management Company Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce Jewish Foundation of Greater New Haven Yale-New Haven Hospital business patrons Albertus Magnus College Gateway Community College Lenny & Joe’s Fish Tale Newman Architects Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects

honorary members Frances T. “Bitsie” Clark Cheever Tyler

business members Access Audio-Visual Systems ChameleonJohn Duble & O’Hearn, Inc. Griswold Home Care Tobi Travel Ticker foundations and government agencies AVANGRID The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven Connecticut Arts Endowment Fund DECD/CT Office of the Arts The Ethel & Abe Lapides Foundation Josef and Anni Albers Foundation First Niagara Foundation NewAlliance Foundation Pfizer The Wells Fargo Foundation The Werth Family Foundation media partners New Haven Independent New Haven Living WPKN

In an effort to reduce its carbon footprint, The Arts Council now prints The Arts Paper on more environmentally friendly paper and using soy inks. Please read and recycle.

Featuring a full-length concert by Irish Tenor

150 Cook Hill Rd Cheshire, CT

GalaEvent

Anthony Kearns

and an elegant pre-show reception

March 25, 2017

$50 donation—admission to concert only $100 donation—admission to VIP reception with artist and concert $250 donation—2 passes to reception and concert, —plus quarter page ad in program Additional sponsor opportunities available.

Call 203.272.3547 x309 for info 2 • newhavenarts.org

march 2017 •

The Arts Paper march 2017

Letter from the Editor Welcome to the March issue of The Arts Paper. I’m your guest editor Daisy C. Abreu pinch-hitting for Amanda May Aruani while she’s on leave.

In this month’s issue, our writers explore artistic evolution and art making in response to the changing world. Hank Hoffman introduces readers to New Haven painter Willard Lustenader, whose two-plus decade career ranges from realism to geometric abstraction.

Hank talks to Willard about how and why his work has evolved, tracking his process and methods to keep his art making fresh for himself and his audience. “This is the only way you can discover new things—to do it,” the painter said in the interview.

Lucy Gellman previews Smart People, on stage at Long Wharf Theatre from March 15 through April 19. The play, about four Harvard young people grappling with racial stereotypes and survival after a transformative election cycle. The play is set at the beginning of Obama era, but in post-Obama, Trump-entrenched America, the show takes on a very different tone.

Zac Zuber-Zander gives us the long view of the Yale Center for British Art’s Long Gallery. A favorite space for many art lovers in the Elm City, Zac explores the dense beauty of this very special exhibition on view in the

newly renovated center.

Dan Hajducky explores jazz’s long and winding history at Yale University ahead of a major two-day festival at the Schwarzman Center featuring legends Wynton Marsalis and Maria Schneider Orchestra.

Our Director of Artistic Services and Programs Debbie Hesse Sounds Off on art making as activism and the creativity behind local artists’ responses to the new administration.

In addition to serving as guest editor, I’ve contributed a piece about actor, comedian, and host of the WTF podcast, Marc Maron, who brings his act to the College Street Music Hall on March 10. I’m especially thrilled to share news of the Writers Circle, a partnership project between The Arts Council and the Institute Library focused on expanding programming and creating a space for area writers.

I hope you enjoy this month’s issue as much as I enjoyed working with these writers to create it. Please take the time to recycle this issue when you’re finished with it!

Sincerely,

Daisy C. Abreu

On the Cover Means of Self Definition (detail) by Willard Lustenader.

The realist turned abstract painter is the subject of Hank Hoffman’s monthly Artists Next Door feature for this issue. Read the story on pages 4 & 5. Photo courtesy of Fred. Giampietro Gallery.

In the Next Issue …

Wilbur Cross Parkway, circa 1950. This postcard is just one of the many that make up the Road Trip! exhibtion at the New Haven Museum. For our April issue, Steve Scarpa will write about this nostalgia-inducing exposition, which is currently on view.

Image courtesy of the New Haven Museum, collection of Mary Donohue.

Museum Ad full 5x8_Museum Ad 5x7.875 3/24/15 1:45 PM Page 1

A journey through history, art & faith

Let Us March On Lee Friedlander and the Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom Through July 9, 2017 YA LE U N IV E R S IT Y A R T GA LLE RY Free and open to the public | artgallery.yale.edu 1111 Chapel Street, New Haven, Connecticut | 203.432.0600 @yaleartgallery

1 State Street, New Haven 203-865-0400 kofcmuseum.org l

Open Daily: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

l

l

Free Admission & Parking

l

Gift Shop

Lee Friedlander, Mahalia Jackson (at podium); first row: Mordecai Johnson, Bishop Sherman Lawrence Greene, Reverend Thomas J. Kilgore, Jr., and Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., from the series Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom, 1957, printed later. Gelatin silver print. Yale University Art Gallery, Gift of Maria and Lee Friedlander, HON. 2004. © Lee Friedlander, courtesy Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco. Photo courtesy Eakins Press Foundation

• march 2017

newhavenarts.org • 3

The Arts Paper march 2017

artists next door

Evolutionary Geometry longtime realist painter willard lustenader explores abstraction

Willard Lustenader in his studio. Photo courtesy of Fred. Giampietro Gallery.

hank hoffman

F

or painter Willard Lustenader, the challenge of trying something new is “half the game.” Lustenader’s work over the past two-plus decades— ranging from virtuoso realism to finely honed abstraction—exemplifies a relentless exploratory imperative.

“I don’t think you ever stop wanting to accomplish something that you haven’t tried yet if you’re really an artist,” Lustenader said in an interview at his New Haven loft/studio.

Lustenader, who studied art history in college, recalled recently visiting a Museum of Modern Art exhibit of Francis Picabia’s work. Picabia deftly surfed many of the art trends of his days, expressing himself through late Impressionism, Cubism, Vorticism, Surrealism, and more in succession.

“This is the only way you can discover new things—to do it,” Lustenader said. “I don’t want to be at the point where I can’t paint anymore and say, ‘I wish I had tried that.’”

His approach to painting has evolved significantly over the past five years. When I first met Lustenader at City-Wide Open

4 • newhavenarts.org

Studios in 2006, he was firmly rooted in shapes on tabletops. the realist camp. Dedicated to working “When I learned how to see color in refrom life, Lustenader painted nudes, landalism, I learned how to see every nuance of scapes, and still lifes with a breathtaking fa- reflected light and refracted light possible,” cility. He learned painting both through his Lustenader said. These series constituted studies of Old Masa tour de force of ters and his longtime light and shadow, friendship with—and mood, and temobservation of—the porality. “All of the late realist painter shadows were filled Nelson Shanks. with many, many These days, Luscolors. Even the flat tenader works from surfaces behind his imagination, my cutouts that painting geometric were white were abstractions. It was not pure white. The no abrupt change. background was Lustenader had filled with nuances explored color field of yellows, greens, painting at the start violets, crimsons. of his career before Just little touches so turning to realism in that every area has the early 1990s. And -Willard Lustenader a slightly different in the years prior to nuance to it but you his recent embrace can’t detect it with of pure abstraction, Lustenader worked the naked eye unless you really look at it on a couple of series of realist still lifes of super, super closely.” geometric forms—first, paper cutouts in But after doing a lot of these paintings, the shape of houses, then angular bent wire Lustenader felt he had hit a wall.

“I learned how to see every nuance of reflected light and refracted light”

“I wanted to take what I learned from this experience and put it back into what I hadn’t really finished with the earlier color field [paintings],” Lustenader explained. “I understood abstraction in a very different way having done realism.”

Lustenader derives particular satisfaction from not knowing where each new painting is going when he begins. “I’m trying to do something less conscious,” he said.

This is an about-face from his previous approach. With most of his realist paintings, he “pretty much knew everything what was going to happen…” before he started.

With the “fun part of creating the concept already finished,” the time-consuming work of finishing paintings occasionally became “boring” rather than energizing.

With his current approach, Lustenader puts down an element and then reacts to it.

He doesn’t do preliminary drawings. Showing me a painting in progress featuring orange and black shapes over a blue-green background, Lustenader said, “It’s going to sit there until I get an idea what the next element will be. It has to speak to me.”

As he did with his figurative work, Lustenader slowly builds up layers of paint, achieving a transparent effect. From a

march 2017 •

The Arts Paper march 2017

distance, the shapes appear to be flat solid colors. Up close, however, they reveal an underlife with nuances depending on the varying opacities of the paint used.

Complementary colors—blue and orange, yellow and purple—are often layered on top of each other. Lustenader explained that this “gives a nice flip-flop. If you can’t get the depth you were getting with reality, I tend to want to look for depth that’s still within the skin of the canvas.”

“It may be a very shallow depth but it fools you because you feel like you can enter it, even though it’s limited,” Lustenader said. “Each painting has a different personality, a different pattern of relationships.”

Lustenader’s focus is on color relationships. To that end, he keeps texture to a minimum. Working on Masonite panel facilitates that—panels don’t have the grain of a canvas.

“When you get up close to one of these and see another layer coming through from below—that’s about as textural as I’m going to get,” Lustenader said.

Even though the paintings aren’t representational, they can prompt viewers— even Lustenader himself—to offer their own interpretations. Some shapes suggest a head on a neck, some suggest signs. The horizontal orientation of a work may evoke the landscape while vertical orientation is associated with the figure.

• march 2017

“It’s part of the vocabulary. Once you’re there, it’s hard to unlearn things,” he said.

“I don’t think of narratives until after the picture is done because I don’t see the narratives until it’s done,” Lustenader said.

As an example, he offered his painting Alabama Process, which depicts a black shape framing a white interior on a reddish background. He dedicated it to his late mother. From Alabama, her family had been cotton farmers in the 19th century and later went into the iron ore business.

“I realized what was happening as I finished up,” Lustenader recalled. “I’ve created a crucible around a cotton field. It hadn’t entered my mind until I was putting in the last elements in the middle of the picture.”

When Lustenader embraced realism in the early 1990s, he did it to prove to himself that he could. “When you learn the way I learned how to paint—which was the Old Masters technique that I learned from watching my friend Nelson Shanks work—you learn how the brush works.

You learn by trial and error how to make an effect you’re desiring. It takes a lot of practice,” he said.

“The trick, if you want your paintings to look like they’re effortless, is to know how to translate what you have learned in a way that’s not conscious,” Lustenader said. “It just has to come out of your fingertips.” n

Avoiding the Void by Willard Lustenader. Photo courtesy of Fred. Giampietro Gallery.

newhavenarts.org • 5

The Arts Paper march 2017

the arts council sounds off on...

Art as Protest. Protest as Art. debbie hesse I was one of the nearly three million women who marched on January 21, 2017 to support women’s rights, or more accurately, human rights. My first such experience was as a kid, when I protested the Vietnam War with my dad. My faded, torn bell bottom jeans covered in peace sign patches contrasted my dad ‘s grey “establishment” suit; we marched to Bob Dylan and Joan Baez along with thousands of protesters who miraculously showed up without a cell phone or a Facebook event page. While memories blur over time, I remember every car and bus on the interstate between New York to Washington, D.C. was headed for the same destination.

At the Women’s March on Washington, there were many parents with small children, hoping to etch the moment into their consciousness and empower their future by their shared presence, just as my dad had done. I wonder what their future take-away message and memories will be…

Many veteran marchers, who probably had marched with me and my dad held signs saying “I can’t believe I am still doing this,” while others scrawled Bob Dylan’s timely and timeless lyrics.

For me, what set the Women’s March on Washington apart from the rest were the incredible, handmade, socially engaged art projects that emerged virally, connecting us all globally. The already iconic pussy hat project, suffragettes banner project (in which women wore diagonal banners saying Miss Understood, Miss Represented, or Ms. Ogyny), along with the unique, homemade posters, connected everyone through ageold “women’s work” of sewing, knitting, and writing. Humans, representing all generations and genders, donned pink hats and homemade signs displaying multiple human rights agendas—channeled through sixties protest lyrics to the repurposed offensive campaign remarks ”I am a Nasty Woman” and “Pussy Fights Back.”

The Nasty Women project, which erupted on November 9, 2016, gained momentum and purpose in the aftermath of the march, and has evolved into a cottage industry-style franchised platform consisting of shows, fundraisers, and conversations in over 23 locations (at the time of this writing). The Nasty Women show in January at the Knock Down Center in Queens, New York, raised over $35,000 for Planned Parenthood. Artist, mother, teacher, and local organizer- instigator Lucy McClure was immediately propelled into action. “Once I saw the Nasty Women show at Knockdown Center and the invitation to create your very own in your own state, I decided to do it. I knew it wouldn’t be easy but I just couldn’t do nothing. As a mother, immigrant, woman, and daughter, I felt it was my job to take action and make something happen.”

That she did. This month, Nasty Women takes over New Haven with a large, un-curated show that brings together hundreds of “nasty women.” The show takes place in the Institute Library’s 3,000 square-foot vacant first-floor retail space at 845 Chapel Street.

6 • newhavenarts.org

The Women’s March on Washington, January 21, 2017. Photo by Debbie Hesse.

Artists have self-curated their work on a firstcome, first-served basis, which, stylistically, is very much in keeping with the spontaneous protest spirit of the recent events.

Nasty Women, New Haven emboldens strong creatives to share solution-based ideas through regular meetings, a vibrant online social media forum, and artwork. According to Lucy McClure, “I just really felt that with the reality of Trump becoming president and everything that women everywhere have worked for could be taken away including [from] my own daughter, I decided I needed to stop talking and take action. As an artist, my vehicle of communication is the arts.”

Colleague Megan Shaughnessy, also a photographer/film artist in the show, shared that “it is hard not to be affected by what is happening in our society and across the globe at the moment, not only as a woman, artist, and mother, but on a more general level as a human being. I worry about our collective future and what kind of world we will leave for future generations. This worry is what keeps me up at night, why I took part in the rally in Hartford, why I am exhibiting in the New Haven Nasty Women show, and why I will continue to fight for what is right and just for all of us.” n

Film still from Confined by Megan Shaughnessy. Image courtesy of the artist.

The opening reception for Nasty Women, New Haven is on Thursday, March 9, 6-8 p.m. in the Institute Library’s first floor space, 845 Chapel Street, New Haven.

More information at institutelibrary.org.

Debbie Hesse is The Arts Council’s director of artistic services and programs. This is her opinion.

Just a few of the hundreds of signs seen at The Women’s March on Washington, January 21, 2017. Photo by Debbie Hesse.

march 2017 •

The Arts Paper march 2017

WTF is Marc Maron Talking About? daisy c. abreu I listen to a lot of podcasts. I hear about them from friends, get recommendations from my social media feeds, or do searches in the iTunes store by subject—usually “books” or “movies.” Somewhere between subscribing to Pop Culture Happy Hour, Serial, and The Moth, I discovered Marc Maron’s WTF. I let certain feeds fill up so I can binge-listen while I’m putting laundry away or running errands. Maron is one of those.

This week, I found out that, like me, Maron is “genetically New Jersey.” He says this to Bruce Springsteen on episode 773.

Yeah, he’s interviewed Springsteen. He’s also interviewed NPR icon Terry Gross, President Barack Obama, and every comedy legend from the late Robin Williams to Saturday Night Live’s Lorne Michaels.

The WTF format is more fluid than traditional radio talk shows. The basic structure is there. The show opens with a sponsor acknowledgement and a rundown of Maron’s upcoming comedy tour dates. Then there’s a cry of “Lock the gates!” and a rock riff that plays as the host welcomes his listeners to the show with an expletive-laced greeting. The opening salvo is Maron talking about his week and reading some

listener letters, moving missives about how the comedian’s frankness about his struggles with addiction has impacted the listener for the better. Maron’s raspy voice softens, disarmed by gratitude.

The interviews don’t begin as much as the listener seemingly stumbles on a private conversation. The guitar eases out as the voices come in mid-sentence. The most famous (and most downloaded) instance of this is the moment when President Barack Obama strides into Maron’s memorabilia filled California garage-cum-studio, and asks which chair is his. The main event is bookended by two special episodes: one teasing the interview and the other, an hour of giddy disbelief that the interview was real.

Maron’s interviews are combination super-fan meeting childhood idol (Keith Richards), old-school chat show (Lin-Manuel Miranda), and long form journalism with a big payoff (Maron famously asked every SNL-related guest in the garage about Lorne Michaels in preparation for meeting the producer in a two-part interview).

Maron is an interested interviewer, an active listener, and an eager participant in the conversation. He is genuinely curious about his guests, regardless of status or stature.

When he speaks with Fresh Air’s Terry Gross, in a live interview recorded for both of their shows, you can hear his excitement at having made the public radio professional let her guard down enough to swear.

Twice! He signs off of every episode with “Boomer LIVES!” a nod to a beloved pet cat who went missing five years ago.

Maron, a 20-year veteran of the comedy scene, also uses his platform as a showcase for his fellow stand-ups. For every famous voice meeting him on the other side of the microphone to promote their latest project, there is an up-an coming comedian or a fellow veteran of the comedy shops getting some quality time in the garage. Maron reminisces about the early days and late nights working tiny comedy clubs with old friends, gets the up-and-comer’s take from Ali Wong and Chris Gethard, and basks in the often never before heard stories of legends like Billy Crystal and Alan Alda.

Maron has all the time in the world for his guests and wants to hear every story. And so do his listeners.

Boomer LIVES! n

Marc Maron. Photo courtesy of College Street Music Hall.

Marc Maron appears at the College Street Music Hall, on Friday March 10. Tickets available at collegestreetmusichall.com.

Join the Arts Council!

The Arts Council of Greater New Haven is dedicated to enhancing, developing, and promoting opportunities for artists, arts organizations, and audiences throughout the Greater New Haven area. Join us today! newhavenarts.org/membership The Arts Paper Read our feature articles and download the latest edition. issuu.com/artscouncil9 #ARTNHV Blog The Arts Council’s blog, which covers all things art in Greater New Haven. artNHV.com Arts Council on Facebook Get the inside scoop on what’s happening in the arts now! facebook.com/artscouncilofgreaternewhaven

Families ~ Events ~ Community

Photography Judy Sirota Rosenthal info@sirotarosenthal.com www.sirotarosenthal.com 203-281-5854

• march 2017

Creative Directory Looking for something? Find local creative businesses and artists with our comprehensive arts-related directory.

You should be listed here! newhavenarts.org/directory E-newsletter Your weekly source for arts happening in Greater New Haven delivered right to your inbox.

Sign up at: newhavenarts.org

newhavenarts.org • 7

The Arts Paper march 2017

In Good (Jazz) Hands

Tom Duffy leads the Yale Jazz Ensemble during the 2010 Haiti Relief Concert. Photo by Harold Shapiro courtesy of Yale Bands.

dan hajducky In 1999, a Hamden man named Peter Cofrancesco bought a gravesite and memorial stone and hired an 18-piece band for a funeral service (total cost: more than $7,000) at Grove Street Cemetery to honor of one of his heroes…who just happened to have been pronounced dead more than five decades earlier.

That hero? None other than Glenn Miller, the wildly famous mid-20th century band leader, whose plane disappeared over the English Channel en route to Paris in 1944.

In May 1943, Miller had begun broadcasting a weekly radio show from Yale’s Woolsey Hall called “I Sustain the Wings,” to attract recruits to the Army Air Corps.

Miller had also formed the 418th Army Air Forces band at Yale and made New Haven his headquarters for concerts, radio shows, and parades.

“There was nothing in New Haven, not even a plaque, that said he existed,” Cofrancesco told the New York Times in 1999 after the service, citing Miller’s luminous 15-month stay in the Elm City. “We had the No. 1 band leader, the biggest band leader of all time, the greatest of all time in our backyard in New Haven during the war.

Nobody knew about that.”

Cofrancesco fell helplessly in love with Miller and jazz at a 1994 Yale event: Thomas Duffy’s Yale Concert Band playing Glenn Miller (in Woolsey Hall, no less) to honor the 50th anniversary of the invasion of Normandy.

8 • newhavenarts.org

The event has become part of Yale jazz lore.

For the first half of the 1994 performance, Yale’s Concert Band and Duffy— Yale professor of music and longtime director of bands—played music from the era (not Miller’s) in traditional modern clothing. At intermission, Duffy had a barber cut his hair short, slicked it back a la Miller, and shaved a beard and mustache he’d sported for two decades. Duffy put on Miller-esque wire-rimmed glasses and donned an olive-green military jacket. The story goes that even Duffy’s mother in the audience didn’t recognize him. Post-intermission, Duffy’s 70-plus undergraduate band members dressed as Miller’s 418th Army Air Forces band had, even adopting some of the musician’s names. Duffy arranged to have the original radio broadcast announcing Miller’s disappearance play before the last chord in performance finale Moonlight Serenade, while the audience was plunged into darkness.

Yale and New Haven have a deep and storied history with jazz, far beyond what can be encapsulated here. Just ask Duffy, who joined Yale’s faculty in 1982, the man who transformed himself mid-performance to pay tribute to one of the greatest jazz bandleaders in history.

“The history of jazz, both in New Haven and at Yale is incredible,” Duffy recalls, admitting that he was involved with the first New Haven Jazz Festival in the early 1980s.

Duffy’s voice is electric when talking about fellow Yale music professor Willie Ruff, a French horn and bass player who

came up in the mid-20th century as part of the Mitchell-Ruff Duo—playing with the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong, and Duke Ellington—introducing jazz music to the Soviet Union in 1959, mid-Cold War, at a time when a daily classroom activity for American children was the “duck and cover” drill.

Duffy moves on to Rudy Vallee, a drum major in Yale’s 1929 marching band, a crooner who’d go on to play a major part in influencing Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, and Perry Como.

He pulls back, wanting to focus more on the latter state of jazz at Yale, not so much the former. “At Yale,” he says with precision, “we really want to be good for the cause.”

In April of 2016—a month after legendary jazz pianist/bandleader (and once-roommate of Thelonius Monk) Barry Harris, and piano masters Toshiko Akiyoshi and Aaron Diehl played the Piano Jazz Summit at Yale’s Morse Recital Hall—the Yale Jazz Ensemble was reinstated for the fall semester after a brief hiatus due to loss of rehearsal space and lack of brass players.

Then in July, Robert Blocker, dean of the Yale School of Music, announced that an anonymous gift “will enable the School of Music to continue and expand its legacy of jazz studies at Yale.” Blocker wrote: “With our colleagues throughout the University and the wider community, the School will evaluate these elective offerings and engage in conversations that help shape future opportunities for our students.”

While some students felt the prospects of jazz at Yale were dimming, Blocker’s announcement was a resounding horn blare to the contrary, to the delight of faculty and students alike.

One opportunity to shape those future opportunities Dean Blocker mentioned?

From March 10 to 11, Yale will sponsor Jazz: A Celebration of America’s Sound, a two-day festival featuring director of Julliard’s jazz program and nine-time Grammy winner Wynton Marsalis—the internationally renowned trumpeter, bandleader, educator, who played the national anthem before Super Bowl XX in 1986—as headliner. Also appearing will be the five-time Grammy winner Maria Schneider Orchestra and clarinetist-saxophonist Anat Cohen.

The Yale Jazz Ensemble will perform alongside Marsalis in a clinic before Marsalis—one of the most gifted and famed jazz minds on the planet—plays solo. “I just want the students to have the best four years possible at Yale,” Duffy humbly notes. “That’s what all of this is about.”

To borrow a phrase from Glenn Miller, it’s hard not to get In The Mood for what lies ahead for jazz in New Haven and at Yale. n

Jazz: A Celebration of America’s Sound is at the Schwarzman Center at Yale, 168 Grove St., on March 10 and 11. All events are free and open to the community. Visit schwarzman.yale.edu for a complete schedule of events.

march 2017 •

The Arts Paper march 2017

I Don’t Want To Talk About It smart people comes to long wharf theatre lucy gellman

T

here’s a moment at the beginning of Lydia Diamond’s Smart People, on at Long Wharf Theatre from March 15 to April 9, when all four of the play’s characters appear to be falling apart at the seams.

Just a little. But it’s always just a little, right?

Aspiring actress Valerie can’t seem to break through to her director, who dismisses her every attempt to dig deep on Elizabethan character. Budding surgeon Jackson fights with his attending in a hospital hallway. Harvard prof and MacArthur grantee Ginny isn’t getting the respect she should at a panel on Asian women and self-confidence issues.

And well-meaning Brian, fatigued by his students’ inability to connect perceptions of race to racism itself, throws hundreds of exams in the garbage with a fast-burning contempt for humanity. ”I do hope you’re following this,” he announces to his Ivy-league undergrads, turning back to the data he so desperately wants them to understand. As the stage lights fall on him, those in the audience may get the sinking feeling that those students don’t follow at all—and neither do they.

That’s the thing about Smart People, whose script spans Barack Obama’s first campaign, election, and inauguration between 2007 and 2009. As its four Harvard-affiliated characters orbit each other like charged, zippy electrons waiting to collide (spoiler: they do), the work becomes a meditation on how we talk about race—or manage to avoid talking about it all together. How smart people can understand the idea of race profoundly, and get lost when dealing with its practical applications.

That’s where director Desdemona Chiang picked the piece up as she started to

envision its performance in New Haven, more broad—we’re focusing on straight a majority-minority city proud of its up racism. Which is hard! I still want to sanctuary status. As a woman of color, have conversations around intersectionChiang doesn’t separate her profession ality and allyship.” entirely from the work that is in front of Smart People, she’s hoping, will tease her—she doesn’t feel like she can. But out those nuances even for audiences Smart People had been selected long who may or may not be ready to have before November 2016, and preliminary those discussions. discussions with Long Wharf Artistic “What is interesting to me [about Director Gordon Edelstein focused on Smart People] is that in addition to race, how the work might appeal to audiences it’s also about intelligence and class,” academic and not, what its populist she added. “We don’t necessarily unroots were, and how derstand things like the community would institutional bias or respond to its mesunconscious bias, we “[Smart People sage. Would this rembristle when we’re provided] a chance trying to do the right iniscence on Obama’s beginnings feel nosto explore the delicate thing and make a talgic or cocky after a mistake. These are intersection of art and well educated people historic Clinton win?

Not at all, it turned real life, to reach out who are spending out. As Donald Trump their lives engaged in and find who New won the election, or studying race, and Chiang changed difind that no amount Haven’s ‘smart rections on the show. of education can people’ were, to take prepare you for the The work took on an elegiac feel, as if real life human intera city’s pulse as its she were entering a action. You can go to heartbeat quickened, however many diverperiod of mourning.

This was a chance to murmured and whirred sity trainings as you explore the delicate want, but we’re inunder a new intersection of art nately human. There’s and real life, to reach a difference between government.” out and find who the mind and the New Haven’s “smart brain, and this play people” were, to take goes there.” a city’s pulse as its heartbeat quickened, And it goes there again, and again, murmured and whirred under a new gov- and again. Smart People’s four young proernment. tagonists—Valerie, Jackson, Brian and “Pre November 8, the conversations Ginny—all grapple with the implications were around the well-meaning white of race in their personal and professional liberal who commits a bunch of microlives, navigating stereotype as if it is a aggressions,” said Chiang, who first hectic and devastating two-way road. became familiar with the work when When Valerie walks into a piece of stagshe saw an early version performed as ing equipment and ends up bloodied and a series of episodic vignettes. “Now I banged up in the emergency room, she think the conversation has become much assumes Jackson, who is black, cannot

be the doctor on her case. That goes both ways: He assumes that she, also black, has been a subject of intimate partner violence. Things snowball from there: Jackson takes Ginny, Chinese-Japanese American, to be a sales rep instead of a licensed psychologist. Ginny assumes Valerie is a secretary. Valerie doesn’t know what to make of Brian’s work, because it seems strange that a white guy would be earnestly trying to prove all white people racist. And Brian himself, whose whiteness has protected him from fully understanding the racism he so doggedly studies, lashes out at authority without ever appreciating how many times he can get away with it before he gets in trouble.

It may be delicate, messy, and eerily timely, Chiang said, but that makes her excited to have the work before her, and to watch the New Haven community respond to it. Grâce à Long Wharf, she has serious reinforcements on the ground to help her—like Elizabeth Nearing, Long Wharf’s director of community engagement. Planning a series of discussions at the New Haven Free Public Library’s four neighborhood branches, Nearing said she saw the work as a chance to dig deep on what it meant to have—or even try to have—a discussion about inherent bias and racism in the Elm City.

“I think in a lot of ways, the idea of a post-racial America [before and during the Obama years] created a greater toxicity,” said Nearing. “These talks are a search for understanding and empathy—people can come to them and feel heard. We’ve been asking: What does theater do? Why am I doing this? What are those gaps and how do we cross them?” n Smart People is at Long Wharf Theatre March 15-April 9, 2017. Get tickets at longwharf.org.

(Left to right): Tiffany Nichole Greene, Peter O’Connor, Sullivan Jones, and Ka Ling Cheung star in Smart People at Long Wharf Theatre. Photos courtesy of Long Wharf.

• march 2017

newhavenarts.org • 9

The Arts Paper march 2017

Lost in Space

Gallery view. Photo by Zac Zuber-Zander.

zac zuber-zander

T

he Long Gallery on the fourth floor of the recently renovated Yale Center for British Art, 1080 Chapel Street in New Haven, recalls founding director Jules Prown’s original intention as a space for students and faculty (and museum patrons) to get an up-close view of the art.

The Gallery is cozy but airy. The works are closely hung together, but the openness of the space balances this detail, creating an elegant and calm atmosphere.

Each wall panel represents a theme: Women of Distinction, Families, Portraits of Artists, Gardens, The British Theatre, Conviviality and Chaos, The Horse and Sporting Art, War and the Military, Species and Specimen (natural history), Marine Painting, Beaches and Coastlines, The British Empire, and Into the Woods. There are many interpretations of these themes throughout, keeping the viewer’s engagement consistent and unexpected.

10 • newhavenarts.org

One successful aspect of this gallery is its variety. Many styles are represented here, which made the experience so enjoyable. In one grouping, I noticed abstract art, hyper-realism, large landscapes, striking portraits, making me stop and really delve into the details of the work. Before I could settle in with one style or theme, another piece, another detail pulled me in a new experiential direction.

The beauty of the pieces is accentuated by the way each is framed. Dark and light woods, ornate gold, modernistic metals—each added character and depth. I spent as much time inches from a frame, inspecting the intricate carvings and detail work as I did studying the canvas it contained.

Another success is the use of sculpture in the environment. Though the gallery is narrow, sculptures are placed between groupings and on tables down the center of the room. The arrangement facilitates movement down the gallery. Instead of sidestepping around the perimeter of the

room, shuffling and leaning between other guests, I wove my way from wall to wall, engaging with the sculptures and busts as well as the paintings. Again, there are a lot of pieces here, and I believe the center perfectly crafted a display to keep the viewers engaged.

The Long Gallery does not have traditional exhibit labels next to each work. As Scott Wilcox explained to me, they “liked the idea of people coming to the works unburdened by label information.” This is an interesting idea, and one they tackled by having a podium at the head of the Gallery, encouraging visitors to download to thier phones a PDF with information about the featured works. They also provided printouts for viewers to use.

At first, not having information within your eyesight—but more at your fingertips—felt odd. It was something I was completely not used to, but it paid off because I was involved fully with the works.

I wasn’t squinting at tiny labels, confused what a title has to do with the work. In-

stead, I appreciated the works and the effort put behind them.

With more than 200 pieces of art on view, the Long Gallery is a dream space for those with time, patience, and appreciation for such an undertaking, but the reward is absolutely worthwhile. Viewers will be overwhelmed by the beauty and breadth of the exhibit, but not put off.

This is a space for those seeking immersion, as Wilcox also told me, “Our hope is that people will approach the gallery with a sense of discovery, responding to the works on display in a very immediate way, puzzling out the connections that have led us to group works together, and coming up with their own narratives.” This gallery does just that—it breathes, and lovers of art will definitely want to get lost in the space. n The Yale Center for British Art is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 12 to 5 p.m. More information at britishart.yale.edu.

march 2017 •

The Arts Paper march 2017

Frame details in the Long Gallery, Yale Center for British Art. Photo by Zac Zuber-Zander.

Sir Jacob Epstein, Albert Einstein, c. 1933, Bronze Lent by Yale University Art Gallery.

Photo by Zac Zuber-Zander.

• march 2017

Long Gallery, Yale Center for British Art. Photo by Zac Zuber-Zander.

(Paintings left to right, top to bottom: Henry Robert Morland, George Morland, ca. 1779, oil on canvas, Paul Mellon Collection; Eileen Hogan, Ian Hamilton Finlay, 2012, oil and charcoal on paper mounted on card, acquired with funds from the Bequest of Daniel S. Kalk; George Richmond, Self-Portrait ca., 1830s, oil on canvas, Paul Mellon Fund; John Linnell, Augustus Wall Callcott, R.A., 1847, oil on panel, Paul Mellon Collection; George Henry Harlow, Henry Fuseli, 1817, oil on panel, Paul Mellon Collection. Photo by Zac Zuber-Zander.

newhavenarts.org • 11

The Arts Paper march 2017

CALENDAR

Classes & Workshops

Paper is a Path. Jennifer Davies’ work gravitates toward Japanese fiber traditions. She makes paper from plants, printed with leaf or linear forms and sewn together with overlaps of translucent paper.

Stitching, weaving, and wrapping allow her to bridge the gap between craft and fine art. March 3-27. Opening Reception: March 5, 2-5 p.m. Artist Talk: March 27, 2 p.m. Gallery hours are Thursday-Sunday, 12-4 p.m. Free.

Bethesda Lutheran Church 450 Whitney Ave., New Haven. (203) 787-2346. bethesdanewhaven.org Ballroom Dance Classes. Bethesda Dance offers free weekly ballroom dance classes with Christina Castaneda. Flexible attendance policy. See church website for monthly schedule. Beginners and experienced dancers welcome. Singles and couples can attend. Wear comfortable clothing. Sign up and info: BethesdaDance@yahoo.com Tuesdays through May 30. 6 p.m.- 7 p.m. Suggested donation to the church $5 per week.

Creative Arts Workshop 80 Audubon St., New Haven. (203) 562-7279. creativeartsworkshop.org Chaos & Order. New England Wax presents an exhibition of encaustic artwork at the Hilles Gallery in the Creative Arts Workshop. March 13-April 21. Opening and artist talk Sunday, March 19, 2-4 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Free.

Institute Library 847 Chapel St., New Haven.

(203)562-4045. institutelibrary.org March Writers Circle: Write-In With Daisy Abreu.

A 3-hour session that offers time and space to write! Bring your laptop, writing pads, and pens. Light refreshments will be served. March 11. 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. $5 for members/$10 for non-members.

Storysharing at the Institute Library. A monthly story-sharing group that gives its members an opportunity to share stories in a very informal atmosphere. The group is open to all levels of experience, so people with no formal experience of storytelling can try things out. Third Thursday of the month through November 30. 6 p.m.-8 p.m.

Donations greatly appreciated.

The Poetry Institute. The Poetry Institute Poetry Series celebrates an eclectic mix of poetic voices.

Refreshments. (Participants are invited to bring something to share.) Open mic. Outstanding featured readers. In a casual setting. Open to all members of the public. Third Thursday of the month. 6:30 p.m.- 8:30 p.m. Donations to the Institute Library are greatly appreciated.

RSCDS at the Whitneyville Cultural Commons 1253 Whitney Avenue, Hamden. (203) 281-6591. rscdsnewhaven.org Scottish Country Dancing. Enjoy dancing the social dances of Scotland. Come alone or with a friend. All dances taught. Wear soft-soled nonstreet shoes. Every Tuesday evening through May 23. 7 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. $8 per evening. First night free.

Spectrum Art Gallery 61 Main St., Centerbrook. (860) 767-0742. spectrumartgallery.org Art Classes for All Ages. Spectrum Gallery offers art instruction for all ages including After School Painting and Mixed Media/Sculpture for children ages 7-11, as well as classes for adults: oil, acrylic, watercolor, drawing, and more. Try a Sunday afternoon workshop, and spend a few hours creatively experimenting with a variety of media. View schedule and register online!

Suzanne Siegel Studio 2351 Boston Post Rd., Bldg. 2, Suite 210, Guilford. (203) 215-1468. suzannesiegel.net New Drop-In Program. Come & work on your art among a supportive and friendly group of artists in a quiet, large, and comfortable studio with good light and large tables. Enjoy an interactive process with questions answered, tools supplied, and plenty of suggestions for improving your process with your materials.

Email to sign up - suzanne@suzannesiegel.net Wednesday mornings through May 31. 9 a.m.12 p.m. $30/week.

Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History 170 Whitney Ave., New Haven. (203) 695-1215. ctnsi.com CTNSI at the Yale Peabody Museum. Exciting art dlasses for adults starting in March:

12 • newhavenarts.org

Davison Art Center Wesleyan University Center for the Arts, 301 High St., Middletown. (860) 685-3355. wesleyan.edu Changing Visions: Prints, Drawings, and Photos During the Weimar Republic. The exhibition is drawn from the Davison Art Center collection and explores the creative ferment during the Weimar Republic and the travels of artists who fled after 1933 and brought new artistic ideas to audiences in Europe and the Americas. February 10-March 9.

Tuesday-Sunday, 12-4 p.m. Free.

Converging to a Center: Photographs from the Collection of Andrew Szegedy Photography has evolved dramatically since 1970, when Wesleyan’s Jane A. Seney Professor of Greek, Professor of Classical Studies and Environmental Studies Andrew Szegedy-Maszak started collecting.

Converging to a Center highlights 35 photographs acquired in the last two decades. March 31-May 28. Tuesday-Sunday, 12-4 p.m. Free.

Lisa Williamson portrays Eliza Doolittle in the New Haven Symphony Orchestra’s My Fair Lady in Concert, March 18 and 19. Photo courtesy of NHSO. Botanical Drawing, Drawing from the Peabody Dioramas, Vertebrate Anatomy for Artists, Insects Writ Large in Graphite, as well as many other classes. Contact: ctnsi.info@gmail.com.

Dance 3 Friday Urban Bush Women “Walking with Trane” Urban Bush Women returns to Wesleyan with the Connecticut premiere of Walking with Trane (2015), an ethereal investigation conjuring the essence of John Coltrane. Pre-performance discussion at 7:15 p.m. facilitated by Wesleyan DanceLink Fellowship recipient Luisa Donovan ‘18. 8 p.m. CFA Theater, Wesleyan University Center for the Arts, 271 Washington Ter., Middletown. (860) 685-3355. wesleyan.edu

30 Thursday Spring Senior Thesis Dance Concert. A collection of new works presented by senior choreographers as part of their culminating project for the dance major. March 30 - April 1. 8 p.m.

Patricelli ‘92 Theater, Wesleyan University Center for the Arts, 213 High St., Middletown.

(860) 685-3355. wesleyan.edu

Exhibitions Artists Live 23 Royce Circle, Mansfield Storrs.

(860) 933-6000. kathleen-zimmerman-artist.com Artists Live. is a visual arts program that was awarded a Regional Arts Grant. It features monthlong exhibitions starting the 1st Friday of each month March-December except for August. The final Friday of each month the exhibiting artist and Kathleen Zimmerman will have an artist conversation at 5 p.m. followed by a reception at 6 p.m.

March 3-December 29. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Free and open to the public.

Case Memorial Library 176 Tyler City Road, Orange. (203) 891-2170. orangelioninc.org Whisps of Air. Betsy Ratner and Susan Seseske Wolanic have created a unique abstract mixed media and watercolor exhibit that exudes a dynamic, energetic flow of air, whispering through the gallery. Your eyes move with the colors, shapes, lines, and perspectives. The wonder and awe of each work is a delight. Each complements the other. March 1 - March 31. Daily, closed Sundays 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free.

City Gallery 994 State St., New Haven. (203) 782-2489. city-gallery.org

Ely Center of Contemporary Art 51 Trumbull Street, New Haven. facebook.com/elycenterofcontemporaryart In Grace We Trust. A medley of projects in celebration of Women’s History Month to honor Grace T. Ely, founder of the John Slade Ely House, who gifted the art center to New Haven for the past fifty years. March 5-April 9. Friday-Sunday, 1-4 p.m. and by appointment. Public Reception: Sunday, March 5, 1-4 p.m.

Ezra and Cecile Zilkha Gallery Wesleyan University Center for the Arts, 283 Washington Terrace, Middletown. (860) 685-3355. wesleyan. edu/cfa/galleries/zilkha-exhibition/pages/ 01312016clari Clarissa Tossin’s Stereoscopic Vision. Brazilian-born, Los Angeles-based artist Clarissa Tossin’s first solo exhibition in the Northeast features key objects in photography, sculpture and video from several bodies of work to highlight the duality between natural and manufactured, two and three-dimensions, co-dependent economies, intention and actuality, and the United States and Brazil. Through March 5, Tuesday-Sunday, 12-5 p.m. Free.

Middletown Public Schools Art Exhibition Sponsored by the Middletown Board of Education, Middletown Public Schools Cultural Council, and Wesleyan University’s Center for the Arts. March 18-26. Free.

Institute Library 847 Chapel St., New Haven. (203) 562-4045. institutelibrary.org Mikhail Shevelkin: Paintings & Drawings. In the gallery upstairs: Mikhail Shevelkin is a working artist who has been living in New Haven for 21 years after immigrating from Moldova, former Republic of the Soviet Union, where it took him almost 10 years to break free from the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts and achieve pure abstraction. Through March 15. Monday-Friday:

march 2017 •

The Arts Paper march 2017

The Writers Circle is a program of The Arts Council of Greater New Haven. The March Writers Circle will be a Write-In at the Institute Library with Daisy C. Abreu, writer, Arts Council board member, and guest editor of this issue of The Arts Paper. It will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 11.

yale institute of sacred music presents

Kammerchor Stuttgart

Music of Fasch, Mendelssohn, and more

sunday, march 5 · 7:30 pm

Battell Chapel · 400 College St., New Haven

Prahlad Singh Tipanya

North Indian devotional folk music of Kabir and others

tuesday, march 28 · 7:30 pm

Marquand Chapel · 409 Prospect St., New Haven

Presented with support from the Department of Religious Studies and the South Asian Studies Council

10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Free.

Looking Then Reading. An exhibition of paintings by local artists, displayed in the nooks and crannies of the historic Institute Library.

Through May 25. Monday-Friday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Free.

Nasty Women Connecticut art exhibition and open call. New Haven is one of the 23 cities taking part in a nationwide movement to organize a Nasty Women exhibition in the first days of President Donald Trump’s term in office.

March 9-April 8. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Opening reception March 9, 6-8 p.m. Free.

Kehler Liddell Gallery 873 Whalley Ave., New Haven. (203) 389-9555. kehlerliddellgallery.com Solo Shows at Kehler Liddell ‘Studio Still Life’ by Frank Bruckmann and an exhibit of work by Edith Morrison. Opening reception on Saturday, March 11, 3-6 p.m. Through March 19. See website for hours and show details. Free.

Walls / Enigmatic Canyons Walls, a mixed-media exhibition by member artist Liz Antle-O’Donnell showcases prints, paintings, 3-D installation, video, and small works of fiction. Running simultaneously in the gallery is Enigmatic Canyons, a photography exhibit by member artist Alan Shulik. Opening Reception April 8, 3 p.m-6 p.m. March 23 - April 23.See website for hours and show details. Free.

Knights of Columbus Museum 1 State St., New Haven. (203) 865-0400. kofcmuseum.org Fleeing Famine: Irish Immigration to North America From 1845 to 1860, more than 1.5 million Irish immigrants sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to North America in the cramped quarters below the decks of the “coffin ships.” Through September 17. Open daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free admission & parking.

Mansfield Freeman Center for East Asian Studies Gallery Wesleyan University Center for the Arts, 343 Washington Terrace, Middletown. (860) 685-3355. wesleyan.edu The Old Northern Capital: Beijing. This exhibition’s prints from hand-tinted color lantern slides of the

Chinese imperial gardens, palaces, and ritual centers in Beijing date from the 1930s, when the city was no longer China’s capital and its old name, Northern Capital, had been replaced by “Beiping” or Northern Peace. The prints were in the collection of Henry Courtenay Fenn. Through May 10. Tuesday-Sunday, 12 p.m-4 p.m. Free.

New Haven Museum 114 Whitney Ave., New Haven.

(203) 562-4183. newhavenmuseum.org Road Trip! Exhibition at New Haven Museum. New Haven Museum’s exhibition, “Road Trip! is a celebration of the architecture, food, and fun found on the byways and back roads of America. November Through June 17. See website for museum hours.

Hats Off! at Creative Arts Workshop. Photo by Katrina Goldblum.

• march 2017

newhavenarts.org • 13

The Arts Paper march 2017

PEABODY2 Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, 1 Broadway, New Haven. (203) 4325050. peabody.yale.edu Identity, Difference, and Understanding: Lessons from Oceania and SE Asia. As part of its sesquicentennial celebration, the Yale Peabody Museum announces the opening of PEABODY2, a satellite gallery. The objective of this exhibition is to suggest new ways of thinking about what ethnographic art has to tell us about distant peoples, times, and places. Through April 30. Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday 1-6 p.m. Free.

Perspectives… The Gallery at Whitney Center Whitney Center, 200 Leeder Hill Drive, South Entrance, Hamden (203) 772-2788. newhavenarts.org Narrative Abstracts. Storytelling through visual elements. Featuring artwork by Lani Asuncion, Loren Britton, Megan Craig, Phyllis Crowley, Jennifer McCandless, and Polly Allison Shindler.

Curated by Debbie Hesse. Presented by The Arts Council of Greater New Haven. On view through April 28.

River Street Gallery at Fairhaven Furniture The Artists of Gallery One, 72 Blatchley Ave., New Haven. (860) 575-9113. galleryoneCT.com Unintended Conversations: The Artists of Gallery One. The work is by a diverse group of mid-career artists who utilize current modes of expression in a variety of contemporary media. The hanging intentionally emphasizes connections between representational and abstract work.

Through March 18. Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday, 12-5 p.m. Closed Tuesdays. Free.

Spectrum Art Gallery 61 Main St., Centerbrook.

(860) 767-0742. spectrumartgallery.org Walls, Doors and Fences: Obstacle, Protection, Honor.

This exhibit explores the question: What are walls, doors and fences for both positive and negative uses? Do they protect, honor, and entice?

Or are they obstacles, exclusionary, and isolating?

Can they be objects of beauty or ugly and nightmarish? Reception March 17, 6:30-9 p.m. March 17-May 7. Wednesday-Saturday 12-6 p.m.; Sunday 12-5 p.m. Free.

Sumner McKnight Crosby Jr. Gallery The Arts Council of Greater New Haven, 70 Audubon Street, Second Floor, New Haven. (203) 7722788. newhavenarts.org Represented. Portraying women in art. March 6April 14. Reception: Thursday, March 16, 5-7 p.m.

Vintage matchbook covers and other Road Trip! treasures are on view at the New Haven Museum through June 2017.

Image courtesy of New Haven Museum; Collection of Marvin Barger.

Film 11 Saturday BANFF Mountain Film Festival World Tour The largest and one of the most prestigious mountain festivals in the world! Join Denali when the Banff Mountain Film Festival brings the spirit of outdoor adventure to New Haven. 7 p.m., Shubert Theatre, 247 College St., New Haven.

(203) 562-5666. shubert.com.

Galas & Fundraisers 3 Friday

A Reading for Al-Mutanabbi Street is at the Institute Library on Saturday, March 4. Image courtesy of the Institute Library.

14 • newhavenarts.org

Hats Off! Fashionista Vintage and 116 Crown present Hats Off!, an auction to benefit Creative Arts Workshop. Come for an auction of artist-made hats modeled by stunning drag performers. MC is Todd Lyon of Fashionista Vintage.

Drinks by 116 Crown. Tickets online or at the door.

Creative Arts Workshop, 80 Audubon St., New Haven. (203) 562-4927. creativeartsworkshop.org.

12 Sunday 4th Annual Choir Cabaret The 4th Annual Choir

Cabaret features choir members and friends presenting a variety of music, comedy, and original performances. There will also be a special musical performance by Dr. Caterwaul’s Cadre of Clairvoyant Claptraps. Food and wine provided by local restaurants included and a silent auction adds to the excitement. New Haven Oratorio Choir, Whitneyville Cultural Commons, 1253 Whitney Ave., Hamden. (860) 339-6462. nhoratorio.org.

Kids & Families 12 Sunday Family Program, Stories and Art On the second Sunday of each month, families are invited to Stories and Art. Tales of distant times and faraway lands inspire children of all ages to view art in new ways. Gallery teaching staff tell folktales, myths, and exciting stories from all over the world that highlight unique features of selected objects in the collection. Drawing materials are available for older children. No registration required; please meet by the couches in the Gallery lobby. Yale University Art Gallery, 1111 Chapel St., New Haven 1 p.m. Free.

Music Together First Presbyterian Church 704 Whitney Avenue, New Haven. (203) 691-9759.

MusicalFolk.com Music Together Classes. Musical Folk offers a fun creative music and movement program for babies through 5-year-olds and the ones who love them! Come sing, dance and play instruments in an informal and fun setting. Classes are ongoing through the year and are held in New Haven, Hamden, Woodbridge, Cheshire, and Branford.

Classes held every day (morning, afternoon, and weekend classes available) at various locations.

Free demo classes also available. Four semesters per year: winter, spring, summer and fall! Tenweek semester is $220 and includes CD and songbook. Each semester is a new collection of music.

Paul Mellon Arts Center 332 Christian St., Wallingford. (203) 697-2398. choate.edu/arts ArtsPower’s The Rainbow Fish. Based on the beloved children’s book written by Marcus Pfister, ArtsPower’s The Rainbow Fish is relatable for audiences both young and old and provides a touching lesson about the value of true friendship. March 26, 2 p.m. $10.

march 2017 •

The Arts Paper march 2017

Music 2 Thursday Verdi’s Requiem The vocal forces of the Fairfield County Chorale and Hartford Chorale will combine for this blockbuster performance of Verdi’s dramatic Requiem. March 2, 7:30 p.m. $15-74; College students $10; Kids 7-17 free with the purchase of an adult ticket. New Haven Symphony Orchestra, Woolsey Hall, 500 College St., New Haven. (203) 436-4840.

NewHavenSymphony.org.

4 Saturday Wesleyan University Orchestra Children’s Concert Children and families can learn about all the instruments of the orchestra and how they work together in a fun interactive musical exploration. The performance by the Wesleyan University Orchestra is followed by a multi-station musical instrument petting zoo, a great experience for all ages. Limited seating. March 4, 3 p.m. Free. Wesleyan University Center for the Arts, Crowell Concert Hall, 50 Wyllys Ave., Middletown. (860) 685-3355. wesleyan.edu.

10 Friday Faculty Concert Series All That Jazz! NMS Ragtime Ensemble, The Hammond B3 Organ in Jazz, and original compositions by Jeff Fuller and Darren Litzie- representing contemporary, intimate, and exploratory trio jazz. NMS Recital Hall. 7 p.m. Free. Neighborhood Music School, 100 Audubon St., New Haven. (203) 624-5189. neighborhoodmusicschool.org.

18 Saturday USNH III: HSQ and Friends The members of the Haven String Quartet with Colin Benn on violin and Andrius Zlabys on piano present the music of Kodaly, Mahler, and Brahms. 7:30 p.m. $20 General Admission; $10 Seniors/Students/ USNH Members. Music Haven, Unitarian Society of New Haven, 700 Hartford Turnpike, Hamden. (203) 745-9030. musichavenct.org.

18 Saturday & 19 Sunday My Fair Lady in Concert I could have danced all night! The NHSO performs its first full-length musical, Lerner and Lowe’s My Fair Lady, with the New Haven Symphony Orchestra onstage.

Enjoy “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly,” ”On the Street

Where You Live,” “I’m Getting Married in the Morning,” in this concertized production.

March 18, 2:30 p.m.; March 19, 3 p.m. $35-49; College Students $10; Kids 7-17 go free with the purchase of an adult ticket. New Haven Symphony Orchestra, Hamden Middle School , 2623 Dixwell Ave., Hamden. (203) 407-3140.

NewHavenSymphony.org.

19 Sunday Hymn Festival Hymn festival in recognition of the 500th anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation, featuring varied songs from the global Christian church. James Bobb, professor at St. Olaf College in Minnesota, will lead a festival chorus and musicians, inviting the audience to join in festive song. Reception to follow. 4 p.m. Freewill offering to Habitat for Humanity.

Bethesda Music Series, Bethesda Lutheran Church, 450 Whitney Ave., New Haven. (203) 787-2346. bethesdanewhaven.org/music.

24 Friday Washington National Opera’s DomingoCafritz Young Artists Artists on the verge of international careers from this leading resident-training opera program will perform a

diverse program of opera, operetta, and musical theater favorites. 7:30 p.m. Adults $20; seniors and students $15. Choate Rosemary Hall, Paul Mellon Arts Center, 332 Christian St., Wallingford. (203) 697-2398. choate.edu/ arts/p.m.ac/event-details/~occur-id/6653891.

28 Tuesday Jerusalem String Quartet Oneppo Chamber Music Series. Haydn: String Quartet in D major, Op. 64, No. 5, “Lark.” Prokofiev: String Quartet No. 1 in B minor, Op. 50. Beethoven: String quartet No. 7 in F major, Op. 59, No. 1, “Razumovsky.” 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $26, students $13. Yale School of Music, Morse Recital Hall in Sprague Hall, 470 College St., New Haven. (203) 432-4158. music.yale.edu.

31 Friday Tempesta di Mare - A Tale of Two Italian Cities Philadelphia-based Tempesta di Mare performs baroque chamber music from Venice and Naples on period instruments for the Connecticut premiere of A Tale of Two Italian Cities. The six musicians from the ensemble, celebrating their 15th anniversary season, play recorder, violin, cello, lute, and harpsichord on trios, quartets,

Listening in Reverse Listening in Reverse is a two-day conference focused on influences forgotten, hidden, suppressed, or just not considered, and featuring concerts, talks, presentations, and other interventions. March 4-5, 8 p.m. Free. Wesleyan University Center for the Arts, World Music Hall, 40 Wyllys Ave., Middletown. (860) 685-3355. wesleyan.edu.

7 Tuesday Toneburst Sampler Wesleyan’s Toneburst Laptop and Electronic Arts Ensemble premieres new works for live-electronics and laptop ensemble under the direction of Associate Professor of Music Paula Matthusen. 8 p.m. Free.

Wesleyan University Center for the Arts, Ring Family Performing Arts Hall, 287 Washington Terrace, Middletown. (860) 685-3355. wesleyan.edu.

8 Wednesday Robert Blocker Piano - Horowitz Piano Series Faculty pianist and School of Music Dean Robert Blocker performs a program of works by Beethoven, Mozart, and more. 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $13, students $7. Yale School of Music, Morse Recital Hall in Sprague Hall, 470 College St., New Haven. (203) 432-4158. music.yale.edu.

Manic Productions and Premier Concerts Present: The Flaming Lips and A Place to Bury Strangers. Doors open at 7 p.m. $40. All ages.

College Street Music Hall, 238 College Street, New Haven. (203) 867-2000. collegestreetmusichall.com.

9 Thursday Senior Recital - Rachel Rosenman “The Music of Mel Bonis.” As a Catholic woman writing music in late 19th-century France, Mel Bonis faced unique challenges that influenced her compositions. 7 p.m. Free. Wesleyan University Center for the Arts, Romance Languages and Literatures Building, 300 High St., Middletown.

(860) 685-3355. wesleyan.edu.

Pamela Z - Correspondence, A Work in Progress Composer/performer Pamela Z creates an immersive ensemble performance that teases apart the history of personal communication from handwritten letters and telegrams to electronic messaging and video chats in Correspondence, a sonic and visual exploration of the ever-evolving modes of personal communication. 8 p.m. Free. Wesleyan University Center for the Arts, Ring Family Performing Arts Hall, 287 Washington Terrace, Middletown. (860) 685-3355. wesleyan.edu.

• march 2017

A detail from Frank Bruckman’s Studio Apples, oil on canvas. Part of the solo shows at Kehler Liddell gallery through March 19. Image courtesy of Kehler Liddell Gallery.

newhavenarts.org • 15

The Arts Paper march 2017

and concerti. 8 p.m. $28 general public; $26 senior citizens, Wesleyan faculty/staff/alumni, non-Wesleyan students; $6 Wesleyan students, youth under 18. Wesleyan University Center for the Arts, Crowell Concert Hall, 50 Wyllys Ave., Middletown. (860) 685-3355. wesleyan.edu.

Yale Philharmonia Principal conductor Peter Oundjian leads the Yale Philharmonia and pianist Yang Liu, winner of the Woolsey Hall Concerto Competition, in a program of works by Brahms, Prokofiev, and YSM faculty composer Martin Bresnick. Bresnick: The Way It Goes Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 16, with Yang Liu, piano Brahms: Symphony No. 4 March 31 - November 30.7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $10; Yale Faculty/Staff $8; students $5. Yale School of Music, Woolsey Hall, 500 College St., New Haven. (203) 432-4158. music.yale.edu.

Special Events 3 Friday Yale Schola Cantorum - Magnificats and More Juilliard415 Magnificats by Tawnie Olson and J.S. Bach, and the world premiere of This Love Between Us: Prayers for Unity by Reena Esmail.

March 3, 7:30 p.m. Free. 129 Edwards St., New Haven. (203) 432-3220. ism.yale.edu.

10 Friday Marc Maron: The Too Real Tour Manic Productions, Fistful of Jokes, and Premier Concerts present comedian, actor, and host of the WTF podcast, Marc Maron. Doors open at 7 p.m.

Show: 8 p.m. Tickets $30-$40. College Street Music Hall, 238 College Street, New Haven.

(203) 867-2000. collegestreetmusichall.com.

10 Friday & 11 Saturday Jazz: A Celebration of America’s Sound A two-day festival featuring headliner Wynton Marsalis, an internationally acclaimed musician, composer, bandleader, educator, and a leading advocate of American culture. Also featured will be the five-time GRAMMY award-winning Maria Schneider Orchestra and Anat Cohen, a clarinetist-saxophonist who has an international following. In addition to the concerts, the festival will offer a jazz improvisation clinic with Marsalis and a performance by the Yale Jazz Ensemble.

All events are free and open to the community.

Tickets are not required unless otherwise noted.

Schwarzman Center at Yale, 168 Grove St. New Haven. schwarzman.yale.edu.

24 Friday Center Stage Comedy Tour Featuring Sommore, Arnez J, and Tommy Davidson. 8 p.m. Varies by seat location. Tickets $56-$79. Shubert Theater, 247 College St., New Haven. (203) 562-5666. shubert.com.

Choice, a Wall Street Journal Juggle Book Club selection, and a national bestseller. Her novel Pachinko came out in February 2017. Copies of Pachinko will be available to purchase. 7-9 p.m. $5 for members/$10 for non-members. Institute Library, 847 Chapel Street, New Haven. (203) 562-4045. institutelibrary.org.

Talks & Tours

29 Wednesday

4 Saturday A Reading for Al-Mutanabbi Street On the 10th anniversary of the 2007 bombing of the booksellers’ market in Baghdad, in defiance of the ongoing attacks throughout the world against reading and readers. Daisy C. Abreu and Stephen Vincent Kobasa will read excerpts from the anthology Al-Mutanabbi Street Starts Here. 12:30-2 p.m. Free. Donations greatly appreciated. 847 Chapel St., New Haven. (203) 562-4045. institutelibrary.org.

9 Thursday Second Thursday Poetry Series: Sharon Olson Guilford Poets Guild presents poet Sharon Olson as part of its Second Thursday Poetry Series.

Refreshments served. More information: (203) 453-5213. 6:30-8:30 p.m., open mic from 6:30-7 p.m. Free. 67 Park St., Guilford. (203) 453-8282. guilfordpoetsguild.org.

1 Wednesday & 4 Saturday Shubert Backstage Tour This hour-long tour is the perfect activity for any theater or history enthusiast—be amazed by the incredible history of the legendary Shubert. Meet at the main lobby doors; no reservations required. 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Free. Shubert Theater, 247 College St., New Haven. (203) 562-5666. shubert.com.

2 Thursday Artful Lunch Series - Rhea Higgins One artwork, one speaker, 15 minutes. Join the Friends of the Davison Art Center for a presentation by Rhea Higgins, adjunct professor of Art History, Hartford Art School, University of Hartford about her favorite work in the Davison Art Center collection. Bring your bag lunch and enjoy homemade cookies and conversation following the talk. March 2. 12:10 p.m.

Free.

3 Friday Monique Atherton Performance Monique Atherton will convert the project room into a live peep show booth, inviting viewers to communicate with her through the window of a soundproof booth by picking up a telephone and paying a small fee. The conversation will begin once the money is placed into the slot at the rate of $1 per minute and end abruptly when time runs out. 6-8 p.m. Artspace, 50 Orange St., New Haven. (203) 772-2709. artspacenh.org.

Gigi Horr Liverant Gigi Horr Liverant will be the first of ten award-winning Connecticut artists to exhibit and participate in an artist conversation in the program, Artists Live. Her pastels are experiential and inspired by the familiar and inconsequential moments and places in life. Her exhibition runs the first Friday to the final Friday of March. Free and open to the public. Artists Live, 23 Royce Circle, Mansfield Storrs. (860) 933-6000. kathleen-zimmerman-artist.com.

Stephen Sondheim’s Tony-winning musical, Assassins, is at the Yale Rep, March 17-April 8.

Photo by Michael Le Poer Trench, Cameron Mackintosh Ltd.

16 • newhavenarts.org

This photograph by Phillis Crowley is part of the Narrative Abstracts show at Perspectives... The Gallery at Whitney Center. It will be on view through April 28.

8 Wednesday Visiting Author: Min Jin Lee In conversation with Cyd and Mark Oppenheimer. Min Jin Lee’s debut novel Free Food for Millionaires was a No. 1 Book Sense Pick, a New York Times Editor’s

Visiting Author: Kris Jansma & Taylor Larsen Please join us for the latest installment of our Visiting Author series, presenting writers Kris Jansma and Taylor Larsen. 6-8 p.m. $5 member/$10 non-members. Institute Library, 847 Chapel St., New Haven. (203) 562-4045. institutelibrary.org.

Theater Riverdance: 20th Anniversary World Tour The international Irish dance phenomenon is back by popular demand in Riverdance. Drawing on Irish traditions, the combined talents of the performers propel Irish dancing & music into the present day, capturing the imagination of audiences of all ages & cultures in an innovative & exciting blend of dance, music, and song. March 3-5. Friday 8 p.m., Saturday 2 & 8 p.m., Sunday 1 & 6:30 p.m.

Price varies by seat location. Shubert Theater, 247 College St., New Haven. (203) 562-5666. shubert.com.

Thesis Theater Production: Mnemonica. Virgil is desperately longing for Alice, who abruptly disappeared in search of his thought-to-be-dead father. A mummified corpse, dating back to more than 5,000 years ago, is discovered in the mountains. As each character remembers the events of the past, connections appear between the two narratives. Directed by Ali Jamali ‘17. March 7-9.

Free, tickets required. Patricelli ‘92 Theater, 213 High St., Middletown. (860) 685-3355. wesleyan.edu.

Napoli, Brooklyn A world premiere co-production with Roundabout Theatre Company. 1960, Brooklyn. The women of the Muscolino family are desperate to find a life beyond their four walls, hiding dreams, loves, and longings. Francesca, the youngest, yearns for her true love; Tina, for confidence and friendship; and Vita, for the chance to live the kind of life she pleases.

Their mother Luda nurses her own quiet pains.

Yet, in the quest for happiness, each of these women fights to find her voice. They struggle to hold on to them, and to each other. Napoli, Brooklyn is a poetic and beautiful play about sisterhood, freedom, and forgiveness. Written by

Meghan Kennedy and directed by Gordon Edelstein. Through March 12. Tickets $69.50-$79.50.

Long Wharf Theatre, Stage II, 222 Sargent Drive, New Haven. (203) 787-4282. longwharf.org.

Smart People A new play about identity and race by Lydia R. Diamond. Brilliant, hilarious, and incisive, Lydia R. Diamond (writer of The Bluest Eye and Broadway’s Stick Fly) explores the deep questions of race and identity in this controversial and fiercely funny play. On the eve of Obama’s first election, four intellectuals—a doctor, an actress, a psychologist, and a neurobiologist studying the human brain’s response to racial differences—find themselves entangled in a complex web of social and sexual politics.

March 15–April 9. Tickets $69.50-$79.50. Long Wharf Theatre, Stage II, 222 Sargent Drive, New Haven. (203) 787-4282. longwharf.org.

Assassins United in states of disillusionment and alienation, nine men and women emerge from the shadows of the 19th and 20th centuries to take their best and only shot at the American dream. Fueled by our national populism in politics and song, this Tony Award-winning musical masterpiece is a bone-chilling thrill ride through U.S. history. March 17-April 8. Every Tuesday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Saturdays at 2 p.m. Tickets start at $12. University Theater 222 York St., New Haven. (203) 432-1234. yalerep.org.

21 Tuesday Listen Here: Shock & Awe Join us for an evening of great short fiction performed by members of the New Haven Theater Company, followed by a half-hour talk back with the New Haven Review team. Donations accepted; registration encouraged. Marisa Silver: What I Saw from Where I Stood. Amy Hempel: Today Will Be a Quiet Day. 7-9 p.m. Free. Donations are greatly appreciated.

847 Chapel St., New Haven. (203) 562-4045. institutelibrary.org.

28 Tuesday A Conversation with Emily Mann Known for her politically edgy and documentary style, director and playwright Emily Mann is currently in her 27th season as Artistic Director and Resident Playwright of the Tony Award-winning McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, NJ. March 28, 7 p.m. Free. 221 High St., Middletown. (860) 685-3355. wesleyan.edu.

march 2017 •

The Arts Paper march 2017

BULLETIN BOARD

The Arts Council provides bulletin board listings as a service to our membership and is not responsible for the content or deadlines.

Call For Artists Shoreline Arts Trail Call For Artists 2017.

The Shoreline Arts Trail announces its 16th annual Open Studios Weekend on November 11 and 12.

Approximately 40 member artists who live and work in Branford, Guilford, and Madison show and sell their work during the weekend. To apply, please register at youjudgeit.org/sat. The entry deadline is March 15, 2017. Jurying will take place in March and artists will be notified by March 21, 2017.

Artists Multiple opportunities for artists throughout the year! The non-profit Spectrum Art Gallery in Centerbrook, CT is a contemporary gallery and fine artisan store. Spectrum hosts 6 exhibits per year and is always looking for artists and artisans working in various media. In addition, the Gallery and its affiliate, the Arts Center Killingworth, present two annual outdoor Arts Festivals (Summer Arts Festival, Essex Town Green, Essex, CT on June 17-18, 2017 and Autumn Arts Festival, Madison Town Green, Madison, CT on October 7-8, 2017).

Please visit www.spectrumartgallery.org to see the calendar of exhibits, themes and festivals.

Artists Friends of Willoughby Wallace Memorial Library, Stony Creek, CT seek artists to exhibit monthly from September, 2017-August, 2018. Drop off 1-3 pieces representative of work on Friday, April 21, 4-7 p.m. Pick up on Sunday, April 23, 1-4 p.m.

All media accepted. Entry Fee of $25 benefits the Friends of WWML. Bring a SASE. Questions: (203) 488-8702 / (203) 481-3921.

Artists The Nasty Women group exhibition and movement is coming to Connecticut this March and we’re inviting you and anyone who identifies as a “nasty woman” or “nasty woman” ally to participate. Apply as a contributing artist, performer, or author through our online form: institutelibrary.org/ nasty-women. It’s free to participate and the show is unjuried. We have 3,000 square feet of storefront exhibition space to fill, so get your nastycaps on. We’re adding art, actions, and papers until it’s filled. Artwork drop-off and install is International Woman’s Day (March 8, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.), Opening Reception is March 9, 6-8 p.m. Closing convening featuring readings from our contributing authors is April 8, 12-4 p.m. Individuals from New Haven, Connecticut, New England, and beyond are invited to join. The Institute Library, 845 Chapel Street, New Haven, ground level.

Artists Join us and participate in the 10th year of Rochester Contemporary Art Center’s (RoCo) international small art phenomenon 6x6x2017. Entries Due: April 16, 2017. Learn more about 6x6x2017 at roco6x6.org.

Artists Ten Fingers Ten Toes is for disabled artists who create visual art across a variety of media like photography, painting, sculpture, illustration, jewelry, and crafts. Deadline is March 10. Information and form contact: tenfingerstentoes931@ gmail.com.

Artist-in-Residence Artspace invites emerging and mid-career artists from all fields to apply for our one year Artist-in-Residence program. The dates of the residency run from August 2017 through July 2018. Deadline: March 5. Learn more/apply: artspacenewhaven.org/opportunities/ artist-residence-2017.

Housing Are you a New Haven resident with an extra bedroom willing to host a visiting Artspace alum during our reunion June 23-25? artspacenh. wufoo.com/forms/x8qo37v18rshsl.

• march 2017

Musicians The New Haven Chamber Orchestra has openings for strings for the 2016-2017 season.

The orchestra rehearses on Tuesday evenings at the Fair Haven School, 164 Grand Avenue. Rehearsals begin after Labor Day. The orchestra performs three concerts per season. To sit in on a rehearsal or to audition, contact the orchestra at info@newhavenchamberorchestra.org.

Past Staffers, Curators, and Volunteers of Artspace: Save the date for Artspace’s reunion June 23-25, 2017. Artspace is planning its 30th anniversary reunion to which you, and all artists, interns, and volunteers who have been associated with Artspace in its first three decades are invited.

Register: artspacenewhaven.org/reunion.

Photographers Are you a fan of photography? A program of The Arts Council of Greater New Haven, the Photo Arts Collective aims to cultivate and support a community of individuals who share an interest in photography through workshops, lectures, exhibitions, portfolio reviews, group critiques, and special events. The Photo Arts Collective meets the first Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Kehler Liddell Gallery, 873 Whalley Ave., New Haven.

Photographers A small group of dedicated friendly photographers is seeking a few new members. If you consider yourself an advanced creative amateur who can’t wait to get that next great shot, call us...

No fees, no b.s., just a lot of fun, and a great learning experience. Fred Rosenthal, (203) 481-0173, fmrosenthal@comcast.net.

Singers The award winning Silk ’n Sounds Chorus is looking for new members from the greater New Haven area. We invite women to join us at any of our rehearsals to learn more. We enjoy 4-part a cappella singing, specializing in the Barbershop Harmony style. Our repertoire has broadened to include Jazz, American Song Book, and other styles. Rehearsals are every Tuesday from 6:30-9 p.m. at the Spring Glen Church located at 1825 Whitney Ave. in Hamden. You can contact Lynn at (203) 623-1276 for more information. Visit us at silknsounds.org.

Singers Singers of all experience levels are invited to join Greater New Haven Community Chorus for the 2017 spring semester. The repertoire for GNHCC’s June 10th concert will feature John Rutter’s Requiem.

Thursday evenings through mid-June. 7-9 p.m. $50 per person per semester ($75 for two from the same household). Greater New Haven Community Chorus First Presbyterian Church, 704 Whitney Avenue, New Haven. (203) 303-4642. gnhcc.org.

Teachers Teaching positions at Neighborhood Music School. We are always on the lookout for talented and dedicated instrumentalists, vocalists, and dancers to join our exceptional faculty! If you are passionate about teaching, please send your CV/resume, along with a cover letter detailing your teaching interests and expertise to: jobs@neighborhoodmusicschool.org. Tell us what you value, and why you feel you might be a good fit for NMS. We look forward to hearing from you!

Volunteers The non-profit Spectrum Art Gallery and its affiliate, Arts Center Killingworth offer numerous opportunities for volunteers! Learn new skills, meet new people, and be part of a creative organization that gives to the community. Opportunities exist throughout the year for a variety of events and ongoing programs. Teens are welcome and can earn community service credit. Email Barbara Nair, director, at barbara@spectrumartgallery.org or call 860-663-5593.

Volunteers The Yale Center for British Art welcomes applications for Information Volunteers. Volunteers

make an invaluable contribution by helping to carry out our mission to inform and educate the public about our collections. Following training, volunteers commit to the program for a minimum of one year. Volunteers receive special benefits including private tours and a museum shop discount. If you would like to be part of a committed corps of individuals, possess a love and appreciation of art, and a fondness for interacting with the public. Please email ycba.volunteer@yale.edu or call (203) 432-9491 for more information.

Volunteers and Interns Volunteering at the Institute Library is a great way to meet your local community, have fun, and make a major difference at one New Haven’s great treasures. More volunteers means more (and longer) hours that we can stay open! Contact us if you are interested at home@institutelibrary.org. Our internship program is also expanding! Let us know if you are a high school, college, or continuing ed. student looking for credit and a meaningful professional development experience.

Creative Services Historic Home Restoration Contractor Period appropriate additions, baths, kitchens & remodeling, sagging porches straightened/leveled, wood windows restored, plaster restored, historic molding & hardware, vinyl/aluminum siding removal, wood siding repair/replace, CT & NH Preservation Trusts. RJ Aley Building Contractor: (203) 226-9933, jaley@rjaley.com.

Web Design & Art Consulting Services Startup business solutions. Creative, sleek web design by art curator and editor for artist, design, architecture, and small-business sites. Will create and maintain any kind of website. Hosting provided. Also available for low-cost, in-depth artwork analysis, writing, and editing services. (203) 387-4933. azothgallery@comcast.net.

Space Artist Retreat Opportunity Copper Beech Institute, a non-profit retreat center in West Hartford, Connecticut founded in 2014, announces free mindfulness retreats for artists, made possible by some very generous funding from the Hemera Foundation. Our programs explore the power and possibility of mindfulness and meditation practice to shape a world of compassion, creativity and peace. This retreat and refuge is comprised of 150 bedrooms, a labyrinth, and 50 wooded acres. You can learn more here: copperbeechinstitute.org/artists.

Artist Studio West Cove Studio and Gallery offers work space with two large Charles Brand intaglio etching presses, lithography press, and stainless-steel work station. Workshops and technical support available.

Ample display area for shows. Membership: $75 per month. 30 Elm St., West Haven. Individual studio space also available. Call (609) 638-8501 or visit westcovestudio.org.

Event and Classroom Space 1,300 sq. ft. of open space available for events, exhibitions, or to teachers looking for space to teach art classes or workshops. Beautiful new building, large storefront windows and natural light, free parking. Tables and easels are also available for use. Located in Woodbridge, just over the New Haven line. mail@paletteartstudio.com or (475) 282-1802.

Studio Space for Dance, Performing Arts, Events Hall A 1,500-square-foot space with adjoining rooms in a turn-of-the-century mansion in a historic district. Hardwood floors. Vintage stage with curtains. Mahogany woodwork and glass doors.

Ample natural light. Chairs and tables on premises. Contact whitneyartsctr@aol.com.

Jobs Please visit newhavenarts.org for up-to-date local employment opportunities in the arts.

The Arts Paper advertising and calendar deadlines: The deadline for advertisements and calendar listings for the April issue of The Arts Paper is: Monday, February 27 at 5 p.m.

Future deadlines are as follows: May 2017: Monday, March 27, 5 p.m.

June 2017: Monday, April 24, 5 p.m.

July/August 2017: Friday, May 26, 5 p.m.

September 2017: Monday, July 24, 5 p.m.

October 2017: Monday, August 28, 5 p.m.

November 2017: Monday, September 25, 5 p.m.

December 2017: Monday, October 23, 5 p.m.

Calendar listings are for Arts Council members only and should be submitted online at newhavenarts. org. Arts Council members can request a username and password by sending an e-mail to communications@newhavenarts.org.

The Arts Council’s online calendar includes listings for programs and events taking place within 12 months of the current date.

Listings submitted by the calendar deadline are included on a monthly basis in The Arts Paper.

Studio/Event Space at Erector Square in New Haven Available for dance and theatre rehearsals and performances, events, workshops, and exhibitions. 1,500 sq. ft., 1st floor, 14 ft. ceilings, white walls, great light, wooden floors. Contact Annie at anniesailer@gmail.com.

newhavenarts.org • 17

The Arts Paper march 2017

Writers Circle Takes Shape daisy c. abreu The Writers Circle is an event series created to support and engage New Haven area writers working at all levels. After running a lecture series under the banner Writers Circle in 2014 and 2015 with modest success, The Arts Council decided to expand the programming, acknowledging that there were limited services offered by the organization to members working in literary arts. The communications staff polled members and asked how The Arts Council could better support writers. Responses included requests for opportunities to meet and learn from working writers, occasions to engage an audience of their peers, and a space in which to practice their craft. There wasn’t a time of day that worked best for everyone, so the staff developed a series of events in quarterly rotation that allows members to choose based on interest in the type of event and when the event takes place. The Arts Council also partnered with member organization the Institute Library on the series. The two groups share resources and staffing, promote events across their respective social media and email lists, and take turns hosting Writers Circle events, giving the series a second home at

the Institute, an organization with a long and vibrant literary tradition.

In Conversation events feature authors discussing their recently published work.

Guest speakers give a short reading, followed by a Q&A moderated by the evening’s host. Last September, I had the pleasure of hosting author and activist Sonya Huber and New Haven Independent writer, host of WNHH’s Kitchen Sync, and radio station program manager Lucy Gellman for a discussion about the presidential campaign.

The two discussed Huber’s book, The Evolution of Hillary Clinton, and Gellman’s experience as a reporter covering the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

Lunch and Learn events give members the opportunity to meet and engage working writers in a classroom-like setting. The group meets at The Arts Council offices for a craft conversation over lunch provided

by a local restaurant. In October, Hirsh Sawhney, author of the novel South Haven, shared a meal with 10 fellow writers and talked about the challenge of producing creative work while teaching at Wesleyan University. Sawhney answered questions for two hours, with all attendees eager to keep the conversation going.

Members said that making the time and space to work on projects was their biggest challenge, so the Writers Circle team created a quarterly Write-In at the Institute Library.

Writers come to the Institute with their projects, and are provided coffee and tea, water, snacks, and a quiet space where they can work uninterrupted for three hours. The November 2016 event was so popular that it’s now a weekly event. Members Peter Sparks and Patricia Thurston host these Writers Hours from 3 to 6 p.m. on Friday afternoons at the Institute Library.

Writers Circle spring event schedule • Friday Writers Hours at the Institute Library, 3-6 p.m.

• Saturday, March 11, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Write-in at the Institute Library.

• Wednesday, April 19, 6-8 p.m., In Conversation with Suzanne Levine and Lary Bloom at the Institute Library.

• Thursday, May 25, 12-2 p.m., Lunch & Learn with Colin Hosten at The Arts Council of Greater New Haven.

• Saturday, June 10, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Write-in at the Institute Library.

The Writers Circle will also host an open mic/holiday party at the end of the year so members can share their work with the public. Write on!

All Writers Circle events are open to the public. Writers of all ages and stages of skill are welcome. Tickets to Writers Circle events are $10; $5 for Arts Council and Institute Library members. Membership to both organizations is encouraged, as are donations.

Contact The Arts Council of Greater New Haven at info@newhavenarts.org or (203) 772-2788 for more information about the Writers Circle. n

MARCH ON IN AND ENJOY OUR OIL PAINT SALE Storewide Savings all March long on Easels and Oil-Painting Supplies including...

Williamsburg Handmade Oil Colors 25% OFF

GAMBLIN OIL PAINT 25% OFF Artist Oil & 1980 Colors

French Easel or Lyre Studio Easel Only $89.99 and get a FREE 16x20 Stretched Canvas

W&N WINTON Oil Colors Buy 2 at 30% Off and Get a 3rd One FREE

Art Advantage Wood Panels Buy Two, Get One FREE

Stretched Canvas Buy 3 at 1/2 Price and Get a 4th One FREE

v

Enlightened Princesses caroline, augusta, charlotte, and the shaping of the modern world

February 2–April 30, 2017

So Much More Than An Art Supply Store!

Art & Craft Supplies Cards & Games Novelties & Creative Gifts Journals & Notebooks Fine Writing Instruments Decorative Papers Amazing Custom Framing & Ready-Made Frames 1144 Chapel Street New Haven Open 7 Days 203.865.4855 HullsNewHaven.com

18 • newhavenarts.org

Free and open to the public 1 877 BRIT ART britishart.yale.edu 1080 Chapel St., New Haven Organized in association with

Johan Joseph Zoffany, Queen Charlotte (detail), 1771, oil on canvas, Royal Collection Trust, UK, © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2017

march 2017 •

The Arts Paper member organizations & partners

Arts & Cultural Organizations A Broken Umbrella Theatre abrokenumbrella.org Alyla Suzuki Early Childhood Music Education alylasuzuki.com (203) 239-6026 American Guild of Organists sacredmusicct.org Another Octave-CT Women’s Chorus anotheroctave.org (203) 672-1919 Artfarm art-farm.org Arts for Learning Connecticut www.aflct.org Arts in CT artsinct.org Artspace artspacenh.org (203) 772-2709 Artsplace: Cheshire Performing & Fine Art cpfa-artsplace.org (203) 272-2787

Branford Folk Music Society branfordfolk.org

Elm City Dance Collective elmcitydance.org

Legacy Theatre legacytheatrect.org

New Haven Oratorio Choir nhoratorio.org

Spectrum Art Gallery & Store spectrumartgallery.org

Creative Businesses

Chestnut Hill Concerts chestnuthillconcerts.org (203) 245-5736

Firehouse 12 firehouse12.com (203) 785-0468

Long Wharf Theatre longwharf.org (203) 787-4282

New Haven Paint & Clay Club newhavenpaintandclayclub.org

Susan Powell Fine Art susanpowellfineart.com (203) 318-0616

Access Audio-Visual Systems accessaudiovisual.com

The Choirs of Trinity Church on the Green trinitynewhaven.org

Gallery One CT galleryonect.com

Lyman Center at SCSU www.lyman.southernct.edu

New Haven Symphony Orchestra newhavensymphony.org (203) 865-0831

Guilford Art Center guilfordartcenter.org (203) 453-5947

Madison Art Society madisonartsociety.blogspot.com

New World Arts Northeast (203) 507-8875

Make Haven makehaven.org

One True Palette onetruepalette.com

Mattatuck Museum mattatuckmuseum.org

Orchestra New England orchestranewengland.org (203) 777-4690

City Gallery city-gallery.org (203) 782-2489 Civic Orchestra of New Haven civicorchestraofnewhaven.org Classical Contemporary Ballet Theatre ccbtballettheatre.org College Street Music Hall collegestreetmusichall.com

Connecticut Gay Men’s Chorus ctgmc.org 1-800-644-cgmc

Hamden Art League hamdenartleague.com (203) 494-2316

Connecticut Natural Science Illustrators ctnsi.com (203) 934-0878

Ball & Socket Arts ballandsocket.org

Creative Concerts (203) 795-3365

Bethesda Music Series bethesdanewhaven.org (203) 787-2346

CT Folk ctfolk.com

• march 2017

Guitartown CT Productions guitartownct.com (203) 430-6020

Connecticut Dance Alliance ctdanceall.com

Creative Arts Workshop 203-562-4927 creativeartsworkshop.org

Branford Art Center branfordartscenter.org

Guilford Poets Guild guilfordpoetsguild.org

Greater New Haven Community Chorus gnhcc.org

ARTTN Gallery www.arttngallery.com

Blackfriars Repertory Theatre blackfriarsrep.com

Guilford Art League gal-cat.blogspot.com

East Street Arts eaststreetartsnh.org (203) 776-6310 EcoWorks CT ecoworksct.org

Meet the Artists and Artisans meettheartistsandartisans.com (203) 874-5672 Milford Fine Arts Council milfordarts.org (203) 878-6647 Music Haven musichavenct.org (203) 745-9030

Hamden Symphony Orchestra hamdensymphony.org

Neighborhood Music School neighborhoodmusicschool.org (203) 624-5189

Hopkins School hopkins.edu

Nelson Hall at Elim Park nelsonhallelimpark.org

The Institute Library institutelibrary.org

New Haven Ballet newhavenballet.org (203) 782-9038

International Festival of Arts & Ideas artidea.org

New Haven Chamber Orchestra newhavenchamberorchestra.org

Jazz Haven jazzhaven.org

New Haven Chorale newhavenchorale.org

Kehler Liddell Gallery (203) 389-9555 kehlerliddell.com

New Haven Free Public Library nhfpl.org

Knights of Columbus Museum kofcmuseum.org

New Haven Museum newhavenmuseum.org (203) 562-4183

Palette Art Studio paletteartstudio.com

Hull’s Art Supply and Framing hullsnewhaven.com (203) 865-4855

The Second Movement secondmovementseries.org Theater Department at SCSU/ Crescent Players southernct.edu/theater Wesleyan University Center for the Arts wesleyan.edu/cfa West Cove Studio & Gallery westcovestudio.com (609) 638-8501

Toad’s Place toadsplace.com

Community Partners Connecticut Experiential Learning Center ctexperiential.org

Pantochino Productions pantochino.com

Yale Cabaret yalecabaret.org (203) 432-1566

Paul Mellon Arts Center choate.edu/artscenter

Yale Center for British Art yale.edu/ycba

Play with Grace playwithgrace.com

Yale Institute of Sacred Music yale.edu.ism (203) 432-5180

Reynolds Fine Art reynoldsfineart.com

I Luv A Party 203-461-3357

Department of Arts Culture & Tourism, City of New Haven cityofnewhaven.com (203) 946-8378 DECD/CT Office of the Arts cultureandtourism.org (860) 256-2800

Royal Scottish Country Dance Society, New Haven Branch nhrscds.org

Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital Child Life Arts & Enrichment Program www.ynhh.org (203) 688-9532

Shoreline Arts Alliance shorelinearts.org (203) 453-3890

Yale Repertory Theatre yalerep.org (203) 432-1234

New Haven Free Public Library nhfpl.org

Shoreline ArtsTrail shorelineartstrail.com

Yale School of Music music.yale.edu (203) 432-1965

Town Green Special Services District infonewhaven.com

Yale University Art Gallery artgallery.yale.edu

Visit New Haven visitnewhaven.com

Shubert Theater shubert.com (203) 562-5666 Silk n’ Sounds silknsounds.org

Fractured Atlas fracturedatlas.org JCC of Greater New Haven jccnh.org

Westville Village Renaissance Alliance westvillect.org

Site Projects siteprojects.org

newhavenarts.org • 19

The Arts Paper arts council programs

Perspectives …

The Gallery at Whitney Center Location: 200 Leeder Hill Drive, south entrance, Hamden Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4-7 p.m., and Saturdays, 1-4 p.m.

Narrative Abstracts Curated by Debbie Hesse Storytelling through visual elements.

Multimedia show featuring work by Lani Asuncion, Loren Britton, Megan Craig, Phyllis Crowley, Jennifer McCandless, and Polly Allison Shindler.

Lani Asuncion. Narrative Abstracts. Perspectives... The Gallery at Whitney Center.

Sumner McKnight Crosby Jr. Gallery Location: The Arts Council of Greater New Haven, 70 Audubon St., 2nd Floor, New Haven Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Represented Curated by Debbie Hesse Portraying women in art.

Dates: March 6-April 14 Reception: Thursday, March 16, 5-7 p.m.

Arts on Air Listen to the Arts Council’s Arts On Air broadcast on Monday, March 20 during WPKN’s Community Programming Hour, 12-1 p.m. Hosted by the Arts Council’s Director of Artistic Services and Programs, Debbie Hesse, Arts On Air engages in conversations with local artists and arts organizations. This episode will celebrate Women in the Arts Month. Listen live and online at wpkn.org.

Advice from the AC

Need help finding exhibition space/opportunities, performance/rehearsal space or developing new ways to promote your work or creative event? Schedule a free one-on-one consultation with Debbie Hesse, the organization’s director of artist services and programs, by calling (203) 772-2788.

Walk-ins are also welcome.

Dates: Thursdays, March 16 & 23, 2-5 p.m.

Location: Branford Art Center, 1229 Main St., Branford

Photo Arts Collective Gallery view of Narrative Abstracts. Perspectives... The Gallery at Whitney Center.

The Photo Arts Collective is an Arts Council program that aims to cultivate and support a community of individuals who share an interest in photography through workshops, lectures, exhibitions, portfolio reviews, group critiques, and events. The Photo Arts Collective meets the first Thursday of the month at the Kehler Liddell Gallery, 873 Whitney Ave., New Haven, at 7 p.m. To learn more, email photoartscollective@gmail.com.

Technical Support Workshop Series: Budgets and Financial Planning for Artists and Arts Organizations How To Make a Grant Budget with Suneet Talpade Date: Wednesday, March 1, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Financial Literacy with Suneet Talpade Date: Wednesday, March 8, 12:30-2:30 p.m.

Polly Allison Shindler. Narrative Abstracts.

Perspectives... The Gallery at Whitney Center.

Cost (per workshop): $5 members, $15 non-members.

Light snacks provided.

Location: The Arts Council of Greater New Haven, 70 Audubon St., 2nd Floor, New Haven.

Rosa Ibarra. Represented. Sumner McKnight Crosby Jr. Gallery.

For more information on these events and more, visit newhavenarts.org or check out our mobile events calendar using the Arts, Nightlife, Dining & Information (ANDI) app for smartphones.