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IN T EL development by a conservation easement. The two-mile trail is well suited to novice hikers. The inspiration for the trail’s name comes from Scoville Rock, which sits atop the summit of the hill.
Connecticut’s Number’s Problems
Free Shakespeare NEW HAVEN — The National Endowment for the Arts has awarded the Elm Shakespeare Co. a grant of $10,000 to support free Shakespeare in the Park. Now in its 16th year, Elm Shakespeare will mount outdoor performances of the Bard’s comedy Measure for Measure, directed by James Andreassi, at 8 p.m. August 18-21, 23-28 and August 30-September 4 at New Haven’s Edgerton Park. To learn more visit elmshakespeare.org
Happy Trails To You MIDDLETOWN — The Connecticut Forest & Park Association and Connecticut Light & Power have opened a new hiking trail in Middletown. Dubbed the Scoville Loop, the trail off River Road was carved from lands owned by the utility, part of more than 1,000 acres in the region owned by CL&P parent Northeast Utilities. The land is protected from
NEW HAVEN — In early June the C-Hit, a health news website, reported that since 1999 the cost of health insurance in Connecticut has more than doubled (a 102-percent average premium increase) for Connecticut families in Connecticut. Over the same period, median household income in the state rose by less than a third. The news website said that a family in New Haven County paid the highest amount — $14,259. The average annual premium for state workers and their families was $16,278 — but in one plan available to workers they paid 15 percent and taxpayers the rest. The state budget in 1990 was just over $7 billion. By 2000 it had reached just under $11 billion. In 2011 it will come in at $19 plus billion an 80% increase in the decade. Population growth in Connecticut is not nearly as robust as health-care or government costs. The 1990 population was 3.28 million and is expected to reach 3.7 million some time in 2025. (For the math-impaired, that’s 12 percent — over 35 years.)
Trying To Clean Up Dirty Genes GUILFORD — Jonathan Rothberg, founder of Guilford’s Ion Torrent, told the Hartford Courant that the e-coli bacteria that is ravaging Germany is “a Frankenstein” — a cross between two deadly strains. German scientists used Ion Torrent’s sequencing machines to break the genetic code of the deadly strain but haven’t yet found a method to arrest its spread. Rothberg is also the founder of 454 Life Sciences of Branford, which also rapidly sequences genes. 454 was sold to the Roche Pharmaceuticals in 2007 from CuraGen Pharmaceuticals — also founded by Rothberg.
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Cure for the Common Hangover WALLINGFORD — The Last Round brand of all-natural “hangover support” has inked a deal with the movie, The Hangover Part II and will introduce moviethemed packaging that showcases The Hangover Part II logo and movie callout on bottles and display boxes. Last Round is also kicking off its cobranded national advertising and social media efforts, which will employ text messaging to drive consumer participation in contest activations as well as to generate awareness of the movie, which opened May 26.
the newspaper’s ad rates would bring the revenue from “escort” ads in the weekly newspapers to more than six figures annually for the media giant. Said the impassioned lede by author Gregory Hladky: “Somewhere in Connecticut a young teenage girl is being forced to have sex with a stranger who paid to use her body.”
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The article did acknowledge that court documents in the trial of one trafficker cited the Advocate as a prime source of advertising for prostitution in Connecticut. So-called “alternative newspapers” such as the New Haven and Hartford Advocates often cite First Amendment obligations for running the ads for “sex industry” services. Should the media giant donate its escort advertising revenues to help combat human trafficking? Maybe you can ask group Publisher Joshua Mamis (203-789-0010, jmamis@ newhavenadvocate.com) to take up the cause.
HARTFORD — In a nearly 1,000-word article outlining the menace of human trafficking and underage prostitution in Connecticut, the weekly Hartford Advocate (corporate sibling of the New Haven Advocate) skirted the subject of the pimping profits made by its parent organization, the Tribune Co. Estimates based on
| Vol. 4, No. 4 | June/July 2011
Publisher Mitchell Young, Editor Michael C. Bingham, Design Consultant Terry Wells, Contributing Writers Brooks Appelbaum, Susan Cornell, Duo Dickinson, Mimi Freiman, Jessica Giannone, Liese Klein, Melissa Nicefaro, Karen Pasacreta, Cindy Simoneau, Karen Singer Photographers Steve Blazo, Anthony DeCarlo, Lisa Wilder
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TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE NEW GRADUATE AND HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER ON OUR NORTH HAVEN CAMPUS. Extraordinary health care laboratory and teaching facilities enhance the learning experience for our nursing, physician assistant, diagnostic imaging, occupational therapy, physical therapy and radiologist assistant students. And be on the lookout for our new medical school which is expected to open in 2013, pending all appropriate approvals. MBA and MAT classes also are offered at the easy-to-reach facility off I-91 in North Haven. For more information, visit www.quinnipiac.edu.
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A quarter-century after his arrival, Quinnipiac’s John Lahey has created a new model for higher education PHOTOS: STEVE BLAZO 8
June/July 2011
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wenty-five years ago John Lahey, 64, president of Quinnipiac University, arrived at the campus tucked beneath Hamden’s Sleeping Giant. Quinnipiac then was a small commuter school. Today Quinnipiac has been revealed as the real sleeping giant. It was Lahey’s vision that launched it on a trajectory to become a major university, a national brand and a leading economic engine for the region. NHM Publisher Mitchell Young interviewed Lahey for ONE2ONE.
YYY So you were just recently chosen as the Irish American the Year by… and I remember back in 1997 you were with Rudy Giuliani and were the Grand Marshall of the New York Saint Patrick’s Day Parade. Just how Irish are you? I grew up in a very, very Irish neighborhood: the Riverdale section of the Bronx. I was pretty parochial — I went to the neighborhood school, St. Margaret’s. Everyone teaching was Irish, the priest in the parish, the cops on the beat were Irish, the firemen. I grew up thinking the whole world was Irish. At least my whole world. You have a collection of Irish paintings at Quinnipiac. I credit Murray Lender [former Lender’s Bagels entrepreneur and philanthropist] for us getting the collection. When I was the Grand Marshall in ’97 [New York St. Patrick’s Day Parade], the easy part is walking down 44th to 86th street. The difficult part is that from January 1 to March 17 every Irish organization has an annual event and the Grand Marshall is invited. I attended 25 or 30 [events]. I was the youngest Grand Marshall at the time by probably 20 years. Most [of the others] had been born in Ireland and they could talk about their roots. I was born in the States. I didn’t think talking about myself would be all that interesting. In 1997 there were events in Ireland commemorating ‘The Great Hunger’ that took place from 1845 to 1850. The worst year was 1847 — it was referred to as ‘Black ’47’. It was the third consecutive year of the failed potato crop and it was
also one of the coldest winters Ireland ever had. 1997 was the 150th anniversary and Ireland was doing a number of things, including commissioning artwork for the first time. I thought that was a good theme to talk about. Murray Lender had heard a number of these speeches, he said, ‘I grew up in New Haven it had a large Jewish population, large Italian population and a large Irish population and I never heard word about this famine.’ Why do you think that is? What would we know about the Holocaust if Hitler had won the war? We know about it because we won the war and exposed it. Whereas England continued to rule Ireland for another 75 years and had no desire to let the facts out about it. Historians have more recently documented that while the potato crop failed, there was more than adequate food in Ireland to feed the starving Irish if they had closed the ports. Christine Kinealy wrote a book, The Great Calamity, and she documents that the export of food out of Ireland actually increased as the famine got worst. Ireland was part of the United Kingdom, it would have been a tragedy of some proportion but it didn’t need to be what it became and changed Ireland for the better part of 150 years. The Irish, as I told Murray, almost had a victims mentality and didn’t want to talk about it. Tony Blair in 1997 made the first apology.
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So why didn’t you end up a fireman? Well, that’s a story, too. My mother was a teacher [in the neighborhood Catholic school] and my father was bricklayer and had a construction company. [The Laheys] were stone masons in Ireland and they came to this country and started a construction company. When I was seven or eight my father would work weekends for some extra money and I wanted to go work with my father. In those days we had to mix our own cement. My father was a perfectionist…. [Interrupts] So that’s why this entire campus is brick? Actually, no. The brick was here before I came. Well, it’s a New England look and we’ve had the same architects [for
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each successive building]. My father was a perfectionist and he had no patience, he would have been the worst teacher in the world. I’m there and I’m stepping in the cement and I knock his level into it. ‘Go over and sit,’ [he told me]. I must have been there for eight hours. On the way home he said, ‘Look, John: You’re doing well in school — stick to that. You have no talent for any of the skilled trades, never mind bricklaying. And as my wife of 42 years will tell you, I am pretty incompetent [with handiwork]. People see you as a hard driver today, but you pursued a degree in philosophy. Were you thinking of a teaching career?
Lahey on his own choice of a major in college: “Philosophy was the most exciting subject, that’s what you talked about.”
You have to back to the 1960s. To be on a college campus in the ‘60s, there was so much intellectual activity and debate — the antiwar movement, the civil-rights movement, the beginning of the women’s movement. Philosophy was the most exciting subject, that’s what you talked about in philosophy, and some of the professors were some of the most soughtafter and well known people on campus. You were at three very different colleges between undergraduate and graduate schools — Dayton, University of Miami, Columbia. What did you bring from your
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experiences into academic administration, first at Marist and here at Quinnipiac? After I ďŹ nished my Ph.D. the only teaching job I could get, which is somewhat analogous to the economy today, was teaching philosophy down in Alabama. They told me it was a ‘dry county.’ I thought it had to do with the rainfall but I had to drive an hour to get a drink. That might have been tough on an Irish kid. It was tough. It was not the ideal place. The governor was George Wallace and it was a different world. I decided I might be stuck down there [Alabama] for the rest of my life if I was just going to teach philosophy. I liked everything about university life — being around young people, intellectuals — so I thought I would try my hand in administration. There were more jobs in administration than teaching philosophy. So that’s when you went to Columbia? I had my summers off, and I went back to New York. It took me two summers [to complete a doctorate]. I ďŹ nished up that degree in ’77 and there was a job at Marist I was able to get.
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Do you still teach? Yes. Most recently Introduction to Logic, logical reasoning. I’ve taught philosophy and business ethics in the past. The Marist student body is similar to Quinnipiac’s, isn’t it? It was when I came here, Marist hasn’t grown as much. But yes, it’s a Northeastern school with a lot of kids from New York, New Jersey, upper middle income, hard working families. I moved [up] pretty quickly. I started as director of continuing education. I was made a dean the next year and made executive assistant to the president, then vice president for development and in four years executive vice president. Today Quinnipiac has a national profile, but when you arrived it frankly was considered mostly a commuter school. You were on pretty good track at a pretty good college — why did you leave? It was a small little commuter school, 1,900 students. The [Marist] trustees tried to get me to stay. One of the trustees told me I should take a short contract [at Quinnipiac] because they wanted me to take over as president. The president there at the time is still the president [laughs]. That wouldn’t have worked. The difference was this was a presidency. I had just turned 40, and I had been a
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vice president and I’ve been a president — being president is much better. I came in 1987. This is my 25th year. What here attracted you? It was a small place, but I could see the potential. It had this campus, the red bricks were already here. We did have some temporary buildings, a trailer. But it had a beautiful suburban campus, and the Sleeping Giant. It had some health programs that it was known for, but wasn’t playing them up much. My predecessor was trying to change it into more liberal arts. [QU] actually started as a business school, it was an extension center [for Northeastern University]. In 1929 they shut it down and the students here convinced an accounting professor Sam Tator to start his own college so they could continue their education. I used to think that Quinnipiac competed for students with Northeastern, but it seems more like Boston University now. We compete with both of them — Syracuse, Hofstra, Villanova. Twenty five years ago, of our 1,900 students, 80 percent lived in greater New Haven. Today, 80 percent come from outside the state. We have we have just under 6,000 full-time undergraduates. [In 1987] we had no graduate students; now we have 2,300.
Are more of the graduate students local? No, they come from all over; we recruit on a national basis. We’ll probably go up to about 10,000 [total enrollment] in the next five to seven years and that will be pretty much it — 6,500 full-time undergraduates and 3,500 graduate — adding a little over 1,000 [in grad programs]. Five hundred will be in the medical school. When you acquired the University of Bridgeport law school, wasn’t that a big risk at the time? Well, it was a stretch. It was 1992 [with a weak New England economy] and we were still a small institution. It did require us to look at our mission and make our commitment that we would develop other graduate programs. That was a major step up. How much of the big plan to grow the institution was serendipity? Being in the right place at the right time and having a little bit of luck always helps. The law school came as an opportunity, but everything else was done as part of a grand plan. When I came in ’87 we were already known for physical and occupational therapy on a national basis, not so much in higher education but within the medical profession.
So what was the plan? We started as a business school and our business school had started to go a little bit downhill. We had a business school and a health school, we had a college of arts and sciences but that’s not where the students were coming from. It was the core of education for all our students. I saw a mission as being strong in professional areas, but we only had two [professional schools] and I didn’t think that was enough. If we were going to grow — and we needed to, to be financially viable — it wasn’t going to be from within the state. Connecticut is a net exporter of students. We couldn’t be a local college competing with local institutions. We had to get our name outside of the area. What were the tactics? We did a variety of things, I started the polling [Quinnipiac Polling Institute, which has developed a national profile]. That certainly got the name out. If you were to watch our poll progress, you can follow the expansion of our student body. We started the poll here in Connecticut. We started off-Broadway, but New York was always where it was going. We moved into New York, did statewide polls in New York City, then New Jersey, then Pennsylvania, Ohio
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and then Florida. Florida picks up the whole Northeast, getting the grandparents and the kids knowing about Quinnipiac. As we moved the poll around it gave enormous visibility and we do national polls. We’re adding Virginia for this upcoming presidential election. We did [polling] in areas we wanted to recruit students. It wasn’t just the poll people were reading about; they were also seeing our advertising and our recruiting efforts were there. You have to have product to promote, though. Academically, we needed another leg on the stool. The obvious thing was communications. I had built up a communications program at Marist. I raised all the money and was friends with [former CBS News head] Fred Friendly in New York. When I came here, I said [Hamden] is actually closer than Poughkeepsie [to New York City]. Our [communications] program had 50 students, five professors. I saw it as a third leg of a stool. I added resources, more faculty. We also needed a new facility. You have raised a lot of money here, how did you do it?
I was at Marist and five of those [years] I was vice president for development. It’s very important that you have something to raise money for — it’s not just go to someone who has money and they give it to you. People who give big gifts — seven-, eight-figure gifts — it’s not charity. They’re making an investment in something. They want to know that what they are going to have their name associated with is going to be a going concern, it will be exciting. Doesn’t that apply to the region’s economic development as well as it tries to attract business investment? When I came I didn’t know much about Connecticut or New Haven. When I came they were trying to raise money for the ‘therapeutic and rehabilitative sciences building.’ I could barely pronounce it with my Bronx accent, which was stronger back then. I felt the need to be broader. We had a medical laboratory program, nursing, so it became Health Sciences and we ultimately raised the funds for what became the Health Sciences building. We received a major gift from the Echlin Co. and from Beryl Echlin and Fred Mancheski, who was CEO of Echlin at
the time. New Haven was struggling, losing businesses — Armstrong, SNET, Echlin — and the philosophy at the time was try to attract any kind of business — and that’s not the way. You find one thing you have that maybe somebody else has, an historical strength. Like [Quinnipiac] had with physical therapy. It was so clear what New Haven needed to do back then in ’87, ’88, and I talked with leaders here. It had health, biomedicine and pharmaceuticals. For a relatively small state and city, it had Yale-New Haven Hospital, Bayer Pharmaceutical, it had Upjohn, it had Bristol Myers, it had Pfizer in New London, U.S. Surgical. I’m looking at your flyer raising funds for the Health Sciences Center back then and it’s the same pitch we hear being promoted only recently. Yes, people at the time thought this was very strange. I referred to this place in 1987 as the Silicon Valley of health, biomedicine and pharmaceuticals. And went and raised money, and you can see Quinnipiac is here [on the brochure] in the middle of all of it We have lost some of it. Bayer is gone, Pfizer cut back.
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We’ve lost some, but what’s going on right now is that three important people — four, add [New Haven] Mayor [John DeStefano Jr.] because he is very much on board in terms of economic development and Quinnipiac is benefiting from and is part of it. [Yale President] Rick Levin, Bob Alvin, the dean of the [Yale] Medical School and [YNHH President] Marna Borgstrom — those three together have a very clear vision of greater New Haven becoming a center for health and biomedicine. They’re doing research, bringing in big-time doctors, the quality of people they are bringing in here. Yale is investing significant resources.
stories online before the print version of the paper was published.] The other thing that’s challenging is that with the [broader] industry cutting back, they will take stories from a student newspaper — ‘as it says in the Quinnipiac Chronicle’ — even if what it says may be totally
How did the medical school plans unfold?
They didn’t really come onto this until post1995.
We had developed in our School of Health Sciences physician assistant and nurse practitioner programs. They are big programs at the graduate level. I was approached about buying New York Medical College about six years ago. It was owned by the Archdiocese of New York and they were interested in getting out. It was eventually purchased by Touro College. Because of that opportunity I began thinking about it. I didn’t have it in my [original] vision. Two years earlier we had acquired the North Haven property [former Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield].
Maybe even 2000. When I left Poughkeepsie, I said it’s got nothing. While Lowell Weicker was governor, I was trying to make an even broader argument that with the insurance industry and the Aetnas turning over to health companies, it could be a statewide approach. Back to Quinnipiac. How did Ed McMahon come to become a donor? When we built the business school building we put a high quality broadcast studio in it. We were fortunate that Ed McMahon’s daughter went to Quinnipiac. She stayed for just a year, actually, but I asked if anyone knew her. It turned out she was married and living in Westchester, she came up and we had lunch. I told her I had my sights on doing something in communications and she set up a meeting and I went to California, met with Ed at his home. He gave a gift as well as helped us raise money from his friends. Communications now is about 1,400 [students]. But with all your efforts to promote a communications school, you did get into a little trouble with journalists at the school and beyond. Wow did that feel? That was more a tempest in a teapot. I think the external media largely misrepresented it. Newspapers on campus are a challenge today. First of all, they’re students. You can’t really criticize them; they’re your students. We never interfered with what they wrote. The external media tried to make a First Amendment issue. It was never the issue; it had to do with the electronic version, you had instant news. [The school enjoined the studentrun Quinnipiac Chronicle from posting
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the ink. They have the final word. They attempted to make it a First Amendment issue, it had only to do with timing and the release of information about our own students. I felt it was protecting the students who were here from not being inappropriately or untimely identified. It was a learning experience for our students and for us. They don’t get these things vetted with a professional editor or publisher. They’re all students. They print something and the world picks it up. We did hire a full-time person to work with the newspaper and to provide more guidance and we’ve had three or four editors since and haven’t had any issues.
You hadn’t already decided to do the medical school when you bought that? inaccurate. I’ll admit the students weren’t happy about it, they wanted to print whatever they want, whenever they want, with no lag time whatsoever. The outside media wants to act as if [student media] are just like them. But the students live on campus, they pick up information, rumors or whatever. We have privacy issues with students. The paper has printed the names of students accused of something, not [always] accurately. We had to make some changes. Twenty-five years ago I’d sit down [for an interview] with the student newspaper editor without thinking about it. Now, he’s got to go to [the university public affairs office] just like anyone else. This was the first time you were being criticized so openly. I was thinking Lahey was going to be the next John Silber [combative Boston University]. I don’t think it ever got to that level. I think the media exaggerated it, because it was part of their business. It was never that serious but I admit you don’t want to pick a fight with someone who owns all
I did not. We knew it was going to be a graduate center and we were going to move many graduate programs to it — the law school, the health-care programs. As we were looking at New York Medical College, I learned more about what it would take to do a medical school and became convinced we could do it. The pieces came together. Health care was very much in the news, there was also some discussion about educating doctors in primary care in conjunction with nurse practitioners and physicians assistants — two of the pieces we already had. To the outside it may look like a big leap, but it was adding the third piece to the primarycare issue. We’re going to have a medical school. It’s not going to be like Yale, research-oriented. We train professional people, give them the education and they go out and practice and in our case specifically primary care. So it will train mainly primary-care physicians?
The mission of this medical school is going to be different. Even though we have doctorate-level programs we have no Ph.D. programs. This vision I had [was not for] Quinnipiac to be a researchoriented Ph.D. university. That’s not our mission. One thing that prevents someone from starting a medical school is you need a facility. Even with the growth in the graduate programs in our plan we were not going to fill that space [the North Haven campus]. It’s 570,000 square feet of space, 100 acres — it’s a whole campus. It was a natural. Rather than building $200 million of medical school, we’re going to renovate one for $50 million or $60 million and give a beautiful state-of-the-art medical school building. With that modest amount we could get a medical school, tie into our primarycare mission, strengthen the physician assistant and nurse practitioner programs and we could become a medical school oriented to primary care, which is the big need the country has. You’re sixty-five now. Not yet. This summer. But apparently not ready to retire. No, definitely not. Back to why research isn’t important to you. There have been two kinds of models. One is the small liberal-arts colleges — the Amhersts, the Williams, Wesleyans. Then there are the large research-oriented universities — the Yales, the Harvards, the BUs. The small liberal-arts colleges are viewed as teaching institutions and undergraduate education. The Ph.D. level the emphasis is on research and graduate students and tend to give less to undergraduate education. It’s hard to mix those two cultures, Quinnipiac is very much in the middle — a third way. When you add a Ph.D. program you want to hire people not because they’re great teachers, but great researchers who bring grants. You wind up with 500 in a class and graduate assistants doing teaching. That’s not our mission. Even though we have doctor programs — J.D. degree in the law school, doctorate of physical therapy, we’ll have MDs — those are not researchoriented degrees. They’re professional degrees.
These things go in cycles. Right now Quinnipiac graduate are doing a lot better than a lot of small liberal-arts colleges. Almost all of our health graduates have jobs — physical therapists, occupational therapists, nursing, physicians assistants, nurse practitioners — they’re being gobbled up. In the business area, accountants are all doing well, financial, they are not being hired as much. Journalism is weak, they are still laying off and the law firms are not hiring to the same degree.
As a graduate of Quinnipiac as opposed to myself, I would not want my own kids to major in philosophy and go out into this world and get a job. How old are your children? Thirty and 35. My oldest son is a periodontist. He went to Wesleyan as an undergraduate, and Temple Dental School. My other son has a J.D./MBA degree and is in finance in New York City. He works for a boutique investment firm in alternative energy.
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He’s one of my unpaid advisors, but he’s not the reason. The interest was to have a green campus and to help educate our students. The York Hill campus [where the student center and TD Bank Arena were built], at the turn of the century there were trolleys coming up Whitney Avenue and the people that owned that property marketed it as a kind of miniBerkshires — it was literally coming to ‘the country.’ They had cabins and outdoor activities, it had a healthy clean-living kind of thing. The big house where you would get your meals and stay overnight was called Rocky Top. A day like today you could look across and see Long Island. There was some criticism about moving some trees, but we very much wanted to restore it in a way and have a little bit of the history. We decided to make it as green a campus as we could. We put 25 vertical turbines up there and hundreds of solar panels. We’re going to meet with Fuel Cell Energy in Danbury to add a fuel cell and we have some geothermal heat being produced. The student center we refer to as the Rocky Top Student center and it has a lodge motif to it. I believe in history and tying into what you have in the community. The green campus there was very much a tipping of the hat to that history. So can the young man from the Bronx really stay an outsider anymore? Yes, to some degree. I would say there is no way our School of Health Sciences could offer those programs at the level we’re offering if it were not for Yale-New Haven Hospital and some of the health and medical resources in this community. I’m from New York; I still think of New York as the center of the universe. Soon almost half of our board will live or work in New York. We have six board meetings a year, two on the Hamden campus. We give the Fred Friendly Award (for communications) in New York. We have focused on getting visibility in New York, which still makes me an outsider.
peries and Frolics, frip rsions to help ive delicious d mmer on get your su Nicefaro By Melissa All the world’s a beach at East Haven’s Silver Sands.
S
ummer is here and we’re confronted with the age-old question: What do are you actually going to do between now and Labor Day? The old standbys are fun, but they’re getting, well, old. This summer, why not explore some new ways to enjoy the days and nights?
The festival kicks off the night before the event with a free jazz concert and features an antique car show, musical entertainment throughout the day, multiethnic cuisine vendors and discounts at local eateries the day prior to the event, as well as the day of the event.
Walk on the Wild Side
All Westville’s a Stage
In early May Milford’s Walnut Beach Boardwalk, a 4,000-foot-long walkway, opened, connecting Silver Sands State Park and Walnut Beach. At three-quarters of a mile long, it’s a perfect spot for a slow stroll or an invigorating run. The boardwalk, of course, is available for use all summer long, but on August 7, it will likely be a hot spot as the 13th annual Walnut Beach Arts Festival takes place. The event starts with a 5K race with free ice cream for every runner and walker. A free kids’ run kicks off at 8 a.m.
Lyric Hall Antiques & Conservation is a restored c. 1912 vaudeville theater in Westville. It is owned and operated by John Cavaliere, an antiques conservator and expert gilder.
At 10 a.m., the juried arts and crafts festival opens with the winning entry of the student Wall of Art contest unveiled. The contest winner will be invited to paint a mural to be added to the wall of art, joining murals from past festivals.
In 2005 Cavaliere bought the store, which had seen a variety of uses since its opening as a Vaudeville theater at the turn of the 20th century. It had been an antiques store and even a mechanic’s garage at one point until Cavaliere restored the theater and the storefront that houses his antiques conservation business. He salvaged beautifully crafted historical elements from other area landmarks undergoing renovation, including pillars, a historic chandelier, balustrade and doors, making it a “green” building by virtue of its use of recycled materials.
The festival originally was known as Walnut Beach Day and was mainly an attraction for local residents. Each year, the festival has grown in the number of vendors and attendees, which this year will exceed 2,000.
The theater restoration was completed last summer and immediately became a hub of constant activity: parties, original plays, a circus, and silent movies accompanied by a live orchestra (the Lyric Hall Theater Orchestra) playing to sold-out crowds.
The theater and adjoining rooms host merchant and community meetings, book signings, and benefits for which Cavaliere has donated use of the space.
Accessorize! Lisa Jones Boutique, which specializes in stylish and affordable (with emphasis on the affordable) home and fashion accessories, opened in late April at 1022 Chapel Street with an official ribboncutting. Jones, who runs a store in Princeton, N.J. as well as an online shop, says her love for home and fashion accessories that brought her to New Haven, where she has family and once she arrived, she fell in love with the Chapel Street space and neighborhood.
Life’s a Beach Silver Sands Beach & Tennis Club has been an East Haven mainstay for decades, but this year is a year of change for the club. Last winter, the owners of Anastasio’s on Wooster Street opened a new steakhouse at the beach club in a spot formerly known as the Lodge at Silver Sands. Kevin Anastasio designed a menu that features cold and hot appetizers, salads, pasta, chicken, veal, pork, fish, seafood and, of course, steak. Silver Sands has also developed a new summer camp program that will focus on summer fun and games while new haven
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indoor space features metal beams, resawn wood and millwork, lending it a clean, contemporary finish. The club’s most distinctive feature is a 60-foot “Home Tree,” which has been cored, dried and is now comfortably nestled between the bar and dance floor. A VW Bus has been converted into a DJ booth. Sargent Pepper’s provides event space for parties as well a stage that will feature live music performances and other attractions, such as Vinny from Jersey Shore. Seriously. He’ll be at Terminal 110 Friday, July 8. VIP tables are available.
Sail Away
incorporating educational themes. The camp runs for five hours each weekday, with weekly activities centering around a theme. For example, during “Lemonade, Anyone?” week, campers will learn about all aspects of running a business and launch their own lemonade stand. During “Wacky Water Week,” campers will make merry with water balloons, slip and slide, pool games, and more. Other activities will include tennis two days per week, karate, two-day clinics in cheerleading and other sports, as well as swimming and dance time. Here’s the prize: while the kids are at camp, you can relax at the beach, or even leave the kids behind and go to work.
Cart Before the Horse Last summer, a tiny Mexican food cart would often be found in the parking lot at Dino’s Car Wash in Madison. This year, the little cart grew up. At 16 feet in length, Taco Pacifico is now twice as large as its predecessor, and the menu has expanded as well to include chicken, fresh vegetables, fish tacos and even rotating special meals. Last year’s popular Cabos (homemade tortilla chips) will be returning, as will salsa fresco.
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Diners can wash it down with Coca-Cola straight from Mexico that is made with pure cane sugar as opposed to the high fructose corn syrup used by U.S. bottlers. The truck’s menu and schedule are available at tacopacifico.com.
In Clubland Entering its second year in operation, Terminal 110 is home to Keys to the City — Connecticut’s only rock ‘n’ roll dueling piano bar — and Sargent Pepper’s Nightclub. Keys to the City hosts nightly performances by some of the best dueling piano players in the Northeast. The dueling piano bar was originally on Chapel Street downtown, but owner Giuliana Maravalle had bigger plans to grow an entertainment complex at Long Wharf Park and moved her business to 1 Brewery Street just over one year ago. Ground-level Keys to the City features 4,000 square feet of outdoor patio space, two full-service bars with a wide selection of cocktails, a restaurant that stays open until 1 a.m. and 15 high-definition television screens showing sports. On the second floor, Sargent Pepper’s features an open-air disco deck. The
Joy Sherman grew up on the water. From a young age, her father would take her on sailing trips exploring Long Island Sound. From those excursions grew a business. This summer, Joyride Charters sails from Pilot’s Point in Westbrook, chartering small family gatherings, romantic sunset sails, birthday parties, and even therapeutic sails or memorials at sea. Captain Joy offers private or tailored group lessons. She believes that sailing lessons on a larger vessel such as her 35-foot Pearson yacht are sure to build confidence and awareness to what it takes not only to sail but perhaps one day own a boat of your own. For women suffering from breast cancer, Sherman offers wave-motion therapy. As part of a clinical trial, she is helping a researcher at Waterbury Hospital determine that women can enter such a relaxed state while being rocked in a boat by the waters that they’ll feel as if they’re back in the womb. For this purpose, Sherman believes that Hado, her boat, is a special place afloat since it provides ailing women with the space and support they need and receive through the healing effects of the water. A captivating two-hour charter cruise educates and guides guests through an intimate personal journey on the waters of Long Island Sound. It includes the essence of healing on and in the sea, renewal of mind, body and spirit. She calls it a unique day for a special someone, couple, or even (why not) yourself? Sherman has her U.S. Coast Guard Master 100-ton license and maintains current certification in American Red Cross First Aid and infant/child/adult CPR. She also has a U.S. tow and sail endorsement and life-raft certification. She also says she intends to offer summertime yoga at the marina.
Window on the World Back from the brink of recession-induced hardship, Arts & Ideas turns Sweet 16
By Michael C. Bingham
E
veryone knows that when it comes to New Haven’s International Festival of Arts & Ideas, the I’s have it. In fact, they’re what set the event apart from nearly every other U.S. arts festival.
The first I stands for International, which is part of the DNA of Arts & Ideas, which returns to the Elm City for the 16th time this June 11-25. This year’s festival theme, “Across Borders, Beyond Time,” captures the transcendent essence of the event and the performers who bring it to life. “We live in a community that is very international,” explains festival Executive Director Mary Lou Aleskie. “We have a huge immigrant population here, and Yale University is obviously an international draw. Internationalism is part of our DNA
as a community. So it’s important that we celebrate a diversity of cultures to advance how we understand one another in the world.” The second I stands for Ideas, which share top billing with the arts in the two-week festival. At most arts festivals, audience members are passive consumers of visual and auditory stimulation. At Arts &
Ideas “Ideas” events, attendees are active participants in intellectual exploration and dialogue with key figures at the center of important issues such as this year’s “The Black Panthers and Young Lords and the Civil-Rights Movement” (June 16), “Imagine Ireland: An Irish State of Mind” (June 18) and “Music, Warfare and the Soldier’s Story” (June 25).
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To those two I’s, Aleskie adds a third I: inclusiveness. The theme “Across Borders,” she explains, “is not just [about] physical international borders, it’s also about the barriers that prevent us from coming together as a society and community. The fact that we offer so much for free or at low ticket prices allows people to feel included. It’s about bringing people together beyond borders — physical, emotional and societal borders. So there’s an inclusiveness about what we do.” Festival headliners Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Connection perfectly embody both the international dimension as well as the inclusiveness of Arts & Ideas. “Here you have a great cellist [steeped in] the classical tradition,” Aleskie explains. “But where he’s finding his heart and soul is in commissioning works for a combination of ancient instruments both Western and Eastern. You see that repeated over and over again in this festival.” Similarly, of Benin-born jazz guitarist and vocalist Lionel Loueke, “You can hear the Afro-pop in his playing, but who did he study with?” Aleskie asks. “Herbie Hancock, and he’s embraced the jazz idiom that’s distinctively American to create something of his own. “People are people, and traditions don’t separate us,” she adds. “They give us an opportunity to understand one another better and bring us together.” Viewed as an enterprise challenged with weathering a deep recession, Arts & Ideas last year was forced to do more with less — a festival budget that at $2.8 million represented a 30-percent cut from 2009 levels. State government was destitute (it reduced the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism’s marketing budget for the year to one dollar), and individual and corporate donors were reeling from evaporating investment portfolios. Not exactly a good time to be in the arts-festival business. For that reason, the 2010 event marked a low ebb. “We had no choice but to
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collapse our spending,” explains the director. The performance schedule was pared from three weekends to two, outdoor events were not “rainspaced” (given alternate indoor venues in event of inclement weather) due to the cost of renting and setting up secondary sound and lighting systems. (That accommodation has returned this year.) As a financial entity, Arts & Ideas is a four-legged stool. State government provides 25 percent of the budget (slightly less than $800,000 this year). Aleskie says that individual giving — at 35 to 40 percent, comprising the most substantial leg of the budget most years — is on the rebound this year compared to 2010 — “both in terms of the number of people giving as well as the size of the gifts,” she explains. Another ten percent of the budget comes from ticket sales, though Aleskie explains that the long-term trend of this festival is to reduce the proportion of ticketed events in favor of free performances. There’s that “inclusiveness” thing again. “It’s really important for us to present worldclass work that brings people together without any economic barriers,” says Aleskie. Beyond the state budget, individual donors, ticket sales and sponsorships, this year Arts & Ideas is the beneficiary of two significant new sources of support. Buffalo, N.Y.’s First Niagara Bank, whose acquisition of New Haven-based NewAlliance Bank created a PR problem best solved by throwing dollars at both the festival and the August event most recently known as Pilot Pen Tennis, committed $100,000 to titlesponsoring opening night of Arts & Ideas. In addition, National Endowment for the Arts gave the festival $108,000, part from an American Masterworks grant. That money, Aleskie says, “is obviously important financially. But also those grants come from a just of your peers, and we have now been [recognized] as a national leader, and that’s quite rewarding.”
As for attendance, the last two years have been stable at just under 100,000 for all events, free and ticketed. “It seems like we’ve settled into the 100,000-to-120,000 range in any given year,” Aleskie says. “We are in fact an economic engine,” Aleskie says. “Last year our economic impact on the community was $14 million,” based on hotel stays and restaurant meals purchased by attendees, in addition to temporary labor and equipment rentals by the festival itself. What most confounds Aleskie is the reality that, even after 16 years, Arts & Ideas remains utterly invisible to so many residents of greater New Haven. A visitor asks the director: After a decade and a half of presenting work that is, literally and figuratively, world class, why isn’t the two weeks of Arts & Ideas greater New Haven’s Christmas, Easter, birthday and wedding day all rolled into one? Aleskie whips out an edition of National Geographic Traveler magazine. “Did you see this?” she asks. “We’re one of the top 20 destinations in the world for June, along with things like the Mahler Festival in Salzburg [Austria].” Part of the problem is getting the message out in a fragmented media market. “Connecticut is a very challenging media market — no question,” she acknowledges. For example, the New York Times pays more attention to the festival than the state’s largest newspaper and television station — the Hartford Courant and WFSB-TV, respectively. Yet few denizens of, say, Huntington, N.Y. or Morristown, N.J. are likely to trek to New Haven for a day or weekend. “I always joke that the Housatonic River is the Mason-Dixon line of Connecticut,” says Aleskie. “Below that, most people get their news from New York. We’ve had an easier time getting national [media coverage] than [from Connecticut media outlets].”
June 17 at Whitney Humanities Center, 53 Wall St. Free.
Weekend Showcase. Featuring an array of local and regional artists performing dance, music, theater and storytelling. Folkloric and aquatic dances, world music and painting are among the events to explore. Noon-5 p.m. June 11-12 at Box City Venue. Also, noon-6 p.m. June 18 & 25, 3-5 p.m. June 19 on the New Haven Green. Free.
Films of Petra Epperlein and Mike Tucker. Part of The Iraq Experience film series, selections from a forthcoming documentary on Petra Epperlein and Mike Tucker will follow a presentation by Patricia Aufderheid. 11 a.m. June 18 at Whitney Humanities Center, 53 Wall St. Free.
Courtyard Concert Series: Lionel Loueke. Creating a warm, intimate “feel-good sense of joy” (DownBeat) jazz guitarist and vocalist Lionel Loueke combines soaring melodies of harmonic sophistication grounding in West African music in a 90-minute performance. Loueke has recorded with Terence Blanchard and Angelique Kidjo. He earned praise as “a musical painter” by mentor Herbie Hancock. 8 p.m. June 15 at Yale Law School Courtyard, 127 Wall St. $30.
Gunner Palace (2004). Part of The Iraq Experience film series, a screening on the thought-provoking portrait of American Soldiers of the 2/3 Field Artillery who face prolonged hostility in the months following the end of major combat in a palace built by Sadaam Hussein during the Iraq War. 1 p.m. June 18 at Whitney Humanities Center, 53 Wall St. Free. How To Fold a Flag (2009). Part of The Iraq Experience film series is this portrait of 2/3 Field Artillery soldiers, from a Congressional candidate in Buffalo to a cage fighter in Louisiana, as they embark on their post-Iraq War lives. 3 p.m. June 18 at Whitney Humanities Center, 53 Wall St. Free.
Susan Marshall & Co. Adamantine/Frame Dances. Adamantine extends beyond dance confined to pure movement and portrays the intersection of dance, sound design, visual art and theater, challenging the limits a shifting stage imposes through changing lighting and machinery as dancers move with “intensity and abandon.” The intense 60-minute contemporary performance juxtaposes light and dark, freedom and constraint, joy and difficulty. Frame Dances is a 30-minute partner video of the Adamantine performance featuring the creation of filmed dances originally in confined spaces. Ticket holders to Adamantine may watch Frame Dances in the hour before or after the live performance of Adamantine. 8 p.m. June 1517, 5 p.m. June 18 at Frederick Iseman Theater, 1156 Chapel Street. $25.
off the Irish coast emerges in this comic masterpiece directed by Tony awardwinning Artistic Director Garry Hynes. The production has won NINE international awards, and is part of Imagine Ireland, and initiative of Culture Ireland celebrating ad year of Irish Arts in America. 8 p.m. June 15-17, 3 & 8 p.m. June 18, 3 p.m. June 19 at Yale University Theatre, 222 York St. $40.
The Cripple of Inishmaan. The two and a half hour-long tale of a man aspiring to break away from the bitter tedium of his daily life, eager to audition for a film by a Hollywood director in an isolated island
Courtyard Concert Series: Emeline Michel. Through politically and socially inspirational lyrics, vocalist/ songwriter and “Queen of Haitian Song” Emeline Michel sings in French and Haitian
Creole combining traditional Caribbean beats. She will perform a 90-minute show displaying her captivating rhythmic talent. Emeline has appeared throughout the Caribbean, Europe, North and South America, Carnegie Hall and the Montréal Jazz Festival. 8 p.m. June 16 at Yale Law School Courtyard, 127 Wall St. $30. Yale Institute for Music Theatre. In collaboration between the Yale School of Drama and the Yale School of Music, the Yale Institute for Music Theatre will present workshop readings of three new works: Maren of Vardo by Jeff Myers and Royce Vavrek
(4 p.m. June 16, 7 p.m. June 17); The Pregnancy Pact by Julia Meinwald and Gordon Leary (7 p.m. June 16, 1 p.m. June 18); The Profit of Creation by Tim Rosser and Charlie Sohne (4 p.m. June 17-18). All at Off Broadway Theater, 41 Broadway. $15. Bulletproof Salesman (2008). Part of The Iraq Experience film series, a screening depicting a self-confessed war profiteer who finds the perfect business opportunity during the U.S. occupation of Iraq to supply top-notch armored vehicles in a place of crucial security. Q&A with the filmmakers will follow the screening. 7 p.m.
Panel: Living the War in Iraq/ Reliving the War at Home. Panel discussion featuring Petra Epperlein, Mike Tucker and two of the “Gunners,” Stuart Wilf and Jon Powers. 4:30. June 18 at Whitney Humanities Center, 53 Wall St. Free. Natalie MacMaster. One of Canada’s most thrilling and captivating performers, Cape Breton fiddler Natalie MacMaster amplifies and reinvents traditional sounds of maritime Canada for contemporary times through stylistic sound in this 90-minute showcase on the four-string instruments. Natalie’s “signature sound” has touched audiences through ten albums and numerous Juno and East Coast Music Awards. 7 p.m. June 18 on the New Haven Green. Free.
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The Prisoner; Or How I Planned to Kill Tony Blair (2006). Part of The Iraq Experience film series, this film depicts a freedom-loving Iraqi journalist who threads an unlikely friendship with a special guard at Abu Graib prison after having been mistaken for Tony Blair’s would-be assassin.1 p.m. June 19 at Whitney Humanities Center, 53 Wall St. Free. Panel: Working Under Duress in Iraq. A panel discussion with “The Good Soldier,” Benjamin Thompson, who worked at Abu Graib Prison and Alaa Majeed, an Iraqi journalist and translator who worked with Yunis. 2:30 p.m. June 19 at Whitney Humanities Center, 53 Wall St. Free. Presentations on “Documentary and the Iraq Experience”. Presentations with Jim Dingeman, Zareena Grewal and Charles Musser followed by a Q & A with the scholars and filmmakers. 3:45 p.m. June 19 at Whitney Humanities Center, 53 Wall St. Free. The Ebony Hillbillies with the Deedle Deedle Dees. Embodying a homegrown American style, the Ebony Hillbillies reflect transcendence through racial and cultural boundaries as one of the premier black string bands in the U.S. Playing rock ‘n’ roll, hip-hop, punk, folk and New Orleans piano music, the Deedle Deedle Dees celebrate revolutionaries and enrich children with American history, the natural world and social action. Children are encouraged to “spread their arms and fly.” 6 p.m. June 19 on the New Haven Green. Free. Embodying Creativity: Engaging Creative Collaboration Through Movement And Play. Be prepared to move as part of the “Unleash Your Creativity” workshop to explore how the physical experience of moving can unlock your creativity and imagination, and join national leaders in dance, movement and play. Includes workshop, lunch and ticket to Susan Marshall Dance Co.’s Adamantine. 9-4 p.m. June 21 in the Bree Common Atrium in Aquinas Hall, Albertus Magnus College, 700 Prospect St. $99. Creativity At Work: Engaging Creativity, Design & Innovation in Organizations. Become inspired at this “Unleash Your Creativity” workshop, which involves discovering creative tools and processes that can help you
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and your organization unleash more creativity and innovation. Learn applied skills that can help you overcome blocks to creativity, innovative problem-solving approaches and practice behaviors that support creative thinking. Includes workshop, Paul Bloom lecture on “How Pleasure Works” and ticket to Jack Hitt’s Making Up the Truth. Noon-4 p.m. June 21 at Yale University School of Art, 1156 Chapel St. $99. Making Up the Truth. A regular contributor to NPR’s This American Life, Jack Hitt asks the question, “Why do these things happen to me?” as Making Up the Truth plumbs the mysteries behind contemporary brain science and leaves Hitt recalling astonishingly true tales ranging from his childhood neighbor’s sex change operation to his NYC apartment super with a deadly secret identity. From this 90-minute solo show we can learn about the world of wonders he discovers that is just beyond our conscious reach. 8 p.m. June 21-24 at Long Wharf Theatre Stage II, 222 Sargent Dr. $30. Body Against Body. Duets of Tony Award-winning choreographer Bill T. Jones and his partner Arnie Zane, the adventurous dance partners of the late 1970s and early ‘80s, will be revisited through this 75-minute display of performance pieces, reflecting the different styles and racial/ethnic origins of these dynamic partners. Jones is a recipient of the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors, as well as an honorary doctorate from Yale University. 8 p.m. June 23 at Yale University Theatre, 222 York Street. $40. Soldier Songs. Through moving interviews with veterans of five wars, composer David T. Little’s 60-minute blend of opera, rock-infused concert music and theater are portrayed in timely animations performed by the amplified octet Newspeak and baritone David Adam Moore. Produced by Beth Morrison Productions and directed by Yuval Sharon. 8 p.m. June 23-24, 5 p.m. June 25 at Frederick Iseman Theater, 1156 Chapel Street. $25. Serenade/The Proposition. This 90-minute work by renowned dancers choreographed by Bill T. Jones projects blends of classical and folk music reflecting on American history and Abraham Lincoln’s writings, exposing
an “image-rich rumination” of social, political and historical themes still resonating in the present times. 8 p.m. June 24, 3 p.m. June 25 at Yale University Theatre, 222 York Street. $40. Composing a Creative Life on Purpose: Engaging Meaning in Life & Work. Learn to think in new ways, generate new ideas and make new connections at this “Unleash Your Creativity” workshop which involves learning practical strategies for applying creativity and exploring connections between creativity, purpose, spirituality and intuition. Includes workshop, lunch and ticket to David T. Little’s Soldier Songs. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 25 in the Bree Common Atrium in Aquinas Hall at Albertus Magnus College, 700 Prospect St.. $99. Freshlyground with Mandingo Ambassadors (Concert). Openers the Mandingo Ambassadors recreate music of the Guinean dance bands of the golden age, as Griot-guitarist Mamady Kouyate recreates the old “glorious sounds.” Featuring seven diverse musicians from South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, Freshlyground combines jazz, rock and Afro-pop to unleash an energy built and projected through live performance. In 2010 Freshlyground was the featured band in Shakira’s Waka Waka (This Time for Africa), the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. 7 p.m. June 25 on the New Haven Green. Free. IDEAS Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Connection. Cellist Yo-Yo Ma is artistic director of the Silk Road Project. His lecture connects the ancient trading route to the idea that art and music are today’s “Silk Road,” providing cross cultural exchanges that connect us globally and culturally. 3 p.m. June 11 at Sprague Hall, 470 College St. Free. Bringing the U.S.-China Cultural Divide: the Role of Chinese-Americans in U.S.-China Relations. A panel of contemporary Chinese American artists and intellectuals share their unique hybrid experiences to illuminate how we might better understand cultural and social differences and commonalities between the U.S. and China. 3 p.m. June 12 at Yale University Art Gallery, 1111 Chapel St. Free.
Imagine Ireland: The Irish Literary Landscape. Irish writers share their stories and discuss writing for the 21st century. Featuring Colm Toibin, an award-wining novelist, short-story writer and critic whose bittersweet novel Brooklyn (2009) was awarded the Costa Fiction Award, and Belinda McKeon, journalist, playwright and writer. 5:30 p.m. June 14 at Yale Center for British Art, 1080 Chapel St. Free. The Black Panthers and Young Lords and the Civil Rights Movement. Steven Sapp and Mildred Ruiz, founders of the 15-year old poetry theater ensemble Universes, lead a conversation with Emory Douglas, visual artist who served as the Black Panther Minister of Culture, Miguel (Mickey) Melendez, former Young Lord and an activist for Latino and Puerto Rican rights, and Black Panther historian Billy X. Jennings. 5:30 p.m. June 16 at Yale University Art Gallery, 1111 Chapel St. Free. Imagine Ireland: An Irish State of Mind. Fintan O’Toole, Ireland’s foremost cultural commentator and assistant editor for The Irish Times, discusses the country’s robust cultural landscape, which continues to flourish amidst tough economic times, with Margaret Spillane, culture and politics writer for The Nation and other magazines. 3 p.m. June 18 at Yale University Art Gallery, 1111 Chapel St. Free. David Pogue: When Science Meets Music and Technology. David Pogue, personaltechnology columnist for the New York Times, examines how the intersections of art, science and technology have led to a cultural and social revolution in how we create and perceive music. 3 p.m. June 19 at Yale University Art Gallery, 1111 Chapel St. Free. How Pleasure Works. Yale psychology professor Paul Bloom leads a wide-ranging and humorous discussion about the deep and surprising commonalities in the pleasures that we get from art, food, sex, stories and consumer products. 5:30 p.m. June 21 at Yale Center for British Art, 1080 Chapel St. Free. Identity, Politics and Rights in the Arts and Practices of Justice. Yale law professors Judith Resnik and Dennis Curtis provide an international and historical overview of the iconography and architecture of justice, as they discuss how demands for equality have
transformed and challenged international legal systems. 5:30 p.m. June 22 at Yale Center for British Art, 1080 Chapel St. Free. Freedom’s Journey: Poetic Reflections on AfricanAmerican Legacies. Robert Stanton, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior and noted African-American environmentalist, will talk about the importance to preserve and commemorate heritage sites.5:30 p.m. June 23 at Yale University Art Gallery, 1111 Chapel St. Free. Music, Warfare and the Soldier’s Story. John Schaefer, radio host of Soundcheck and New Sounds on WNYC, and David T. Little, composer of Soldier Songs and founder of the contemporary classical ensemble Newspeak, which explores the relationship of music and politics, discuss the music of war. 3 p.m. June 25 at Yale University Art Gallery, 1111 Chapel St. Free. ‘NOON TO NIGHT’ ON THE GREEN A family-friendly mélange of music, dance and all-out fun on Green. All events in this program are free. Ball in the House. Ball in the House is a soul-pop-/R&B vocal band that has opened for and performed with artists such as the Beach Boys, Lionel Richie and Gladys Knight. Following the performance, attendees can learn how to beatbox and use rhythm as they experience the history of a capella singing, and discover how this musical skill works as you listen to the blend of the various voice parts that make beautiful harmonies. Noon and 3 p.m. June 14. The Kerry Boys. Features 2007-08 Connecticut State Troubadour Pierce Campbell and Mark James, who have been performing together for more than 20 years. Infused with humorous energy, the duo perform a wide array of traditional and original Irish/ Celtic songs. 6 p.m. June 14. Mon Monarch. Presenting a well-crafted blend of contemporary folk tunes from the 2011-12 State Troubadour Chuck E. Costa (NHM, May 2011), with rock-infused touches from bandmates Eric Tate, Colin Meyer. Noon June 15. Swathi K. Subramanian. Children of all ages will be introduced to Indian folk movements and storytelling through dance, as Bharatanatyam performer,
choreographer and instructor Swathi K. Subramanian spreads cultural awareness. 3 p.m. June 15. St. Luke’s Steel Band. One of New Haven’s most exciting ensembles, the St. Luke’s Steel Band comprises members of all ages from all over the West Indies. The group creates sounds ranging from classical tones to reggae and Latin/ jazz/pop/R&B. 6 p.m. June 15. Dan Stevens and the Fiery Band. Enjoy the rootsy sounds of vintage blues and original tunes from Stevens’ homemade three-stringed guitar before the upbeat and interactive program introducing kids to the vibrant sounds of the blues. Stevens and his Fiery Band encourage participation, dancing and playing rhythm instruments. Noon and 3 p.m. June 16.
as fusion with ballet and modern, and Indian classical and semi-classical will be performed by Bharatanatyam performer Swathi. Noon June 17. Bossy Frog Band. Children of all ages will be inspired to sing and dance to the Bossy Frog Band’s humorous, highenergy tunes, featuring Jeffrey on a guitar and banjo, Alice the hula-hooping fiddler, Joe on bass and the Bossy Frog himself in the big green costume. 3 p.m. June 17. Underground System Afrobeat. Bringing an infectious Afrobeat sound and blend of Nigeria and West Africa touches from the ‘70s, Domenica Fossati leads the group that gets you “off your feet and into the groove.” 6 p.m. June 17
Roosevelt Dime. The Roosevelt Dime band blends classic Motown soul, modern alternative country and acoustic jug-band blues to create an original sound that has audiences singing along, dancing and clapping. 6 p.m. June 16.
Corina Bartra. Evincing a vocal style that blend sounds of Afro-Peruvian and criolla music with jazz, this contemporary world singer from Peru explores “exciting instrumental textures” as she performs written tunes filled with harmony and rhythm. Noon June 21.
Swathi K. Subramanian. A variety of vibrant dances, such
Dave Fry Music. Fusing banjo, mandolin and country guitar,
Hurt now? We’re here.
this musician performs a mélange of folk, rock ‘n roll, stories and playground songs to get families involved in fun. 3 p.m. June 21. Andy Akiho Quartet. Enjoy a performance from eclectic composer Andy Akiho, whose interests range from steel pan to classical music, chamber and orchestral compositions. In the last year he has composed for the Bang on a Can Marathon, the Red Line Saxophone Quartet, the Playground Ensemble and the 2010 Norfolk Chamber Music Festival. 6 p.m. June 21. ¡Con Fuego! Original flamenco and classical Spanish dance choreography accompany the transcendent musical beauty of the Spanish guitar and cello. With the artful blend of traditional, modern and classical bolero techniques, castanets, footwork and song, the Spanish music experience is brought to a new level. Noon June 22. The Spirit of Spain with ¡Con Fuego! Leading audiences through the beautiful sights and sounds of Spain in this interactive performance, guitarist Aaron Larget-Caplan collaborates with flamenco a dancer to teach audiences
the techniques that make flamenco and guitar unique. 3 p.m. June 22. Waterfront Jazz Project. A sophisticated and hip musical experience as the Waterfront Jazz Project explores musical improvisation superimposed upon the “songbook” from North and South America. 6 p.m. June 22. Los Sugar Kings. The Los Sugar Kings amuse audiences as they bring acoustic instrumentation, vocal harmonies and incorporate Spanish and English lyrics to present a display of songs that kick down cultural doors. Noon June 23. Around the World in Song with Guy Mendilow. Performing music from around the world, Guy Mendilow Band members will demonstrate their instruments ranging from the berimbau, munnharpa and Peruvian cajon to their voices. The audience will enjoy stories, rhythm games and sing-along in six languages. 3 p.m. June 23. Guy Mendilow Band. Blurring boundaries and connecting sounds, stories, rhythms and roots is what Israeli performer Mendilow and his band are
all about. The multicultural group’s colorful canticas and romanzas abound with stories of seduction, intrigue and fantastic dreams. 6 p.m. June 23. Goldrush. Cutting-edge original acoustic show that blends country and electric bluegrass music. Appearances from founders Mary Beth and Gary Sippin include TNN Country Music and the Grand Ol’ Opry. Noon June 24. History Alive! Two for Freedom. In a remarkable oneman theatrical performance, the stories of Jack Arabus and Frederick Douglas, two African-American slaves with dreams of freedom, are told through this piece on civil rights in the U.S. 3 p.m. June 24. Carrie Ashton Band. Carrie Ashton is a rock/alt-country singer/songwriter who has been performing for more than 15 years, sharing the stage with Natalie Merchant, the Go-Gos and REO Speedwagon. Her wideranging vocals and the raw emotions of her lyrics take listeners on an incredible musical journey. 6 p.m. June 24. — Jessica Giannone
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open 7 days* only orthopaedics *BRANFORD 84 N. Main St. Mon-Fri. 3 pm-8 pm Sat. 8 am-3 pm Sun. 11 am-3 pm HAMDEN 2408 Whitney Ave. Fri. 3 pm-8 pm Sat. 8 am-3 pm
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Adding On Separately A latter day barn-raising bar arn n raising changes the lives of a Woodbridge couple Â
By Duo Dickinson
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AT H O M E
W
hen Marlys and Trevor Youngberg purchased their home in early 2009, they wanted a traditional house in a town with a great school system. Starting a family was definitely on the agenda of the soonto-be-married couple, and Trevor had plans of his own as well. As he puts it: “We were looking for a traditional New England home that could be embellished with additions that flow naturally with the form of the original structure. Beyond house design, we were looking for a property that had room for a barn.”
A barn built by an intrepid young couple in a back yard cleared of 60 years worth of overgrowth. Its windows salvaged, its roof designed to fit the pattern of the photovoltaics that sit upon it and newly set arced frames ready for summer plastic cladding to create a greenhouse for vegetables.
They hit on all criteria in the inventoryrich housing market and found a 1946 Cape with lateral wings, sitting to the south end of a nearly two-acre lot in Woodbridge. Traditional home, roomy site, great school system — but a completely overgrown lot and a house in need of some cosmetic repair and, as one might expect, precious little budget left over after the purchase to do what the Youngbergs wanted to do. They set about clearing the site of 50 years’ worth of overgrowth and added some crown molding and fresh paint to get the home’s interior family-friendly. Even though they had taken the leap to start a family, they also realized they could not have the home they wanted without some help. But instead asking the in-laws, they found the state of Connecticut might offer them a helping hand to create an addition that stood alone — a barn where teacher Trevor could pursue his “other” life as a potter.
Photos: Anthon Decarlo
The Connecticut Clean Energy Fund’s (CCEF) Solar Lease Program offered the Youngbergs an opportunity to have save money now and in the out years. The new haven
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PotosAnthony DeCarlo
The site: a 1946 Cape in the foreground (right) fronts the street with a classic, timeless presence in the rural Woodbridge neighborhood while the new barn (background, left) has sufficient distance to allow for full solar access to its various sun-worshipping design influences.
Marlys and Trevor Youngberg celebrating Trevor’s pottery, the nearcompletion of their backyard focus — a new barn, and the impending birth of their first child.
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program offers a 15-year lease for a photovoltaic (PV) panel array that would eliminate their monthly $110 monthly electrical bill. There was one hitch, however. “We have mature sugar maples in the front yard that prohibited the installation of the PV array on our new home’s front southfacing roof,” Trevor Youngberg explains. “We were unwilling to cut the trees in the front yard.” Not only was the siting problematic, the array had to be installed by before December 2009 to take advantage of the CCEF program. Absent money, innovative thinking and elbow grease get results. The Youngbergs opted to get the “future” garage up as an armature for the virtually free electrical power as soon (and as cheaply) as possible. That meant repurposing, scavenging and bartering in extremis to get a frame up to accept the PV array before the December 2009 deadline. A short list of some of those free found objects were many. Spending $500 to rent a portable sawmill and some backbreaking log moving, the timber for the barn frame came largely from trees cut down from their yard. The rocks for the heat sink came from the excavation for the barn’s foundation. The Youngberg’s created their own exterior rigid wall insulating panels insulation from salvaged material from a program offered by Firestone in Bristol. Windows were bought dirt cheap from the Habitat Restore shop in Stratford. Copper wire, butcher-block rubber membrane roofing and other insulation were also scavenged, salvaged or bartered for. Trevor and a hired hand used a rented tractor to dig the foundation trenches and to remove the old driveway and repurpose the asphalt for fill
beneath the barn’s concrete floor. That concrete mass was designed to be an active solar heating device where the very thick concrete floor is surrounded by insulation that the sun heats in the winter and the ground’s 50-degree subsoil temperature and shade (and a venting cupola) cool in the summer. Once the site work and concrete were completed, the wedding and honeymoon could consume the balance of the summer of 2009. The carpentry side took over in the An Independent College Preparatory, fall, with Trevor creating the Co-Educational PreSchool through salvaged timber “bents” on Grade 12 Day School the slab that then were raised vertically to create the entire Excellence • Support barn frame. As Trevor notes: Participation • Accountability “The barn raising went well Respect after literally finishing up the last joints that morning. Once the raising was under way and 1108 Whitney Ave. • Hamden, CT • 203.752.2610 www.hamdenhall.org three and a half hours later the structure was standing. It went together perfectly — no cuts or New Haven Book of Lists Ad.indd 1 5/13/2011 2:05:50 PM chiseling required!”
Hamden Hall Country Day School
That degree of precision was not by chance. Trevor Youngberg spent many hours during his youth in Minnesota and here in Connecticut working on framing crews — building a deck here, a DIY project there. But clearly the barn was his biggest building challenge to date. With the frame and roof in place, the PV array could be ordered to meet the December deadline. Taking a breather through the winter, work began after the school year ended in 2010. Installing siding, doors, trim and making the cupola windows were the next order of business. The new domestic duet that is shaping up on this Woodbridge site benefits from the diversity of its parts. A soft and comforting streetfacing home seems virtually unchanged from its mid-20th century conception. But the raw and clearly kinetic barn is set almost parallel to it, but 80 feet away, back-dropped by the
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Barn interior created using salvaged and locally sourced lumber with a polished concrete ďŹ&#x201A;oor. The large spans and open space are perfect for the various creative endeavors of Trevor Youngberg
The view upon entry of the barn shows the major solar array of windows (right), the loft space (above), and the site of a future kiln (left), fully stone-backed.
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trees, surrounded by the trappings of longterm, owner-builder paced construction — stacked lumber, raw earth, in-process parts. The original home is the safe harbor of met expectations — an interior of compact, defined rooms, the exterior a yellow-painted nicety, fully symmetrical at its Cape core. The barn is inherently ad hoc and its untreated wood and crafty expressions of hardware, material and home brew technology are a perfect foil to the Cape. The contrast is made present in the visual connection between the two parts — each is the visual focal point as seen from the other’s interiors. You might think this was an allconsuming endeavor that caused Marlys and Trevor to take time off from work, but that did not happen for two simple reasons. After the PV array was installed, timing was determined by the couple’s work schedules: She is the director of social work for the Smith House eldercare facility in Stamford, while he is a ceramics instructor at Trumbull High School. Secondly by adding on remotely,
home and hearth remained intact — there was a walk-away reality to the project — other than the muddy boots and sawdust that occasionally staged a home invasion. Indeed, the nest was so inviolate that another new addition has been conceived and is close to being delivered — the Youngbergs will welcome their firstborn any day now — something a more stressful in-your-face add-on to home and hearth might not have allowed for. Additionally Trevor and Marlys are exercising the options of work/home juggling that have become the norm. Trevor can now work from home during summers and school vacation days, but the home can be completely distinct from the noise, heat and toxins of pottery making. Taking time in building usually saves money — spending hours to shop, barter, or sleuth for freebies took thousands upon thousands of dollars off the barn’s price tag, not to mention the free hours upon hours of sweat equity invested in the project. But an open-ended schedule means chaos can destroy domestic
tranquility. By keeping chaos at arm’s length, away from the finished nest, economy and sanity can coexist. A new family has many things to be concerned about, but here the house part was tackled with a fearless gusto that is palpably present in the barn’s zesty innocence and in-process status (bent wood ribs are newly in place to act as armatures for a removable plastic sheet greenhouse for the non-summer-solarcollecting south side, and the kiln has yet to be installed). Clearly the metaphoric reality of these dynamic dyads (both house and marriage pairings) is not lost on Trevor. “Overall, the project has already surpassed my expectations,” he says. “The barn itself has exceeded my hopes, but the connections with friends and family throughout the project have made the hard work and expense totally worthwhile. I think of the project as ‘captured energy’ that may be enjoyed into the future.”
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OF NOTES and composer penned the music and libretto to Soldier Songs, an evocative, deeply moving cantata that marries theater, opera, rock-infused concert music and projected animations. The song cycle will be performed as part of the 2011 International Festival of Arts & Ideas. The soloist will be baritone David Adam Moore, accompanied by Little’s amplified octet Newspeak, with the composer on percussion. The theme — powerfully relevant at a time America is fighting two-plus wars — is what is means to be a soldier and engage in combat. To begin to gather raw material for the Soldier Songs libretto, Little interviewed veterans of five U.S. wars. Their anecdotes became the fabric from which the cantata was woven. Written and composed over two years, which Little says is the longest he’s ever spent on a single work, Soldier Songs received its debut in New York City Opera’s VOX Contemporary American Opera Lab in 2008. So, how did non-soldier Little become engaged with the subject of wars and the human beings who fight them? Growing up as a boy, he tells NHM, he played soldier games like typical boys, he says, exploring “war as a game.” But as a teen he developed a deep pacifist streak — becoming what he calls “hardcore antiwar.”
Martial Music As part of Arts & Ideas, a new musical exploration of the unspeakable horror of war War — what is it good for? Absolutely nothing! Say it again, y’all…) —“War,’ Edwin Starr (1970)
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In the trough of the national neurosis over the Vietnam War, Motown singer Edwin Starr recorded a Billboard 100 hit song about war. (It was less than laudatory.) During the previous decade, millions of records were sold featuring war-protest songs by titans of the Great Folk Scare from Bob Dylan (“Masters of War,” “With God on Their Side”) on down. But beyond functioning as whiny grist for combat-avoiding singer/songwriters, what does war have to do with music? Do they intersect at any point between here and an imaginary horizon, or are they like cucumbers and Toyotas? For David T. Little, they do indeed intersect. The New Jersey-based drummer
“What emerged was the this conflict between the kid that I was — playing these war games — and the adult that I had become, being very anti-military,” he recalls. But at the same time, as a young adult coming of age in the first years of the 21st century as America became embroiled in wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, Little knew plenty of others his age who volunteered for combat overseas. “These were people who I care about and respected,” he says. “What arose was a conflict within myself between this [antiwar] attitude I had with the reality that I was experiencing,” explains Little, who is 31. Thus the seed that would become Soldier Songs was nourished “by the desire to explore that [conflict] for myself.” The central theme of Soldier Songs, Little explains, is simple: “What does war do to the people who fight it?”
To begin to answer that question, Little interviewed veterans of World War II, the Cold War, Vietnam and Iraq. (Although he didn’t directly interview any Korean War veterans, Little says he did correspond with folksinger U. Utah Phillips, who served in the U.S. Army during that conflict and whom Little came to regard as something of a model.) “The most powerful thing that emerged from these interviews and became something of a theme [of Soldier Songs] is the fact these veterans had never talked about their [combat] experiences with anybody,” Little explains. “That was a really powerful revelation for me, especially as these were people [including older family members] I had known my entire life.” The tension between children’s carefree playing at war and the brutal reality of combat that is too horrible event for grown men to talk about is at the heart of Soldier Songs. In the end, Little says, for those who have never experienced combat, “no one can really understand it.” Mindful of the power of music to bridge cultural divides and unite listeners in its healing power, Little speaks of Soldier Songs’ potential “to help veterans and their families to possibly bridge that communications gap” between those who have experienced the unspeakable horror of war and those who never will. “Hopefully individuals can be helped by the piece,” he says.
broadcaster John Schaefer for a discussion of “Music, Warfare and the Soldier’s Story” at 3 p.m. June 25 at the Yale University Art
Gallery, 1111 Chapel St. Admission is free. Phone 203-562-5666 or visit artidea.org.
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Of his compositional output to date, Little says, no works “have changed me as much as this piece did,” he says. The evolution of the composer’s feelings about war and warriors over the 24 months of crafting the work, he says, was “monumental.” For musical adventurers, Soldier Songs straddles the boundary between classical art music and rock. Little’s band Newspeak mixes traditional and contemporary instruments — electric guitar, clarinet, violin, cello, vibraphone, synthesizer and of course Little himself on percussion. Among Little’s musical influences in his formative years were edgy art-rock ensembles such as British pathbreakers King Crimson. But the irony is that Little’s very first musical experience came as a boy playing in a fife-and-drum corps — the earliest martial music in the American experience. Soldier Songs will be performed at 8 p.m. June 23-24 and 5 p.m. June 25 at the Frederick Iseman Theater, 1156 Chapel Street. Tickets are $25. Composer David T. Little will join
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Photo: Diane Sobolewski
The Toes Have It Goodspeed’s My One and Only is totally tapped out My One and Only, music by George Gershwin. Lyrics by Ira Gershwin. Book by Peter Stone & Timothy S. Mayer. Choreography by Kelli Barclay. Directed by Ray Roderick. Produced through June 25 by Goodspeed Musicals, East Haddam. 860-8738668, goodspeed.org.
Tony Yazbeck gives a triplethreat (singing, dancing, acting) performance as Billy in My One and Only.
By Brooks Appelbaum
arly in Act One of My One and Only (which opens Goodspeed Musicals’ 2012 season), the Rev. J.D. Montgomery tells us, “Less is more.” He is pointing to the scantily-clad girls vying for the crown of Miss Havana, but his notion could well be applied to much of this high-tech show.
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Director Ray Roderick has chosen to use the movie culture of the 1920s as his main concept, so projections are ubiquitous. Some of these — such as the creation of an airplane out of dancers (wings, left and right and fly-boy hero Billy in the cockpit) — are charming and ingenious. Others, such as a long dance sequence referencing Esther Williams, seem to go on forever without advancing the story or characters. My One and Only was originally conceived as a new musical based on the Fred and Adele Astaire tap show, Funny Face, which featured George and Ira Gershwin’s wonderful score and was a success on Broadway in 1927. Goodspeed’s Education Director/Librarian Joshua Ritter must be commended for his excellent program notes, which tell of the 1980s near-debacle. When the idea of reviving Funny Face first surfaced, numerous instances of creative difference arose between the original director, Peter Sellars (who was eventually fired), and Tommy Tune, the star and finally the co-choreographer (with Thommie Walsh). After the production (newly named My One and Only) finally opened on Broadway, Variety called it “one of the most successful salvage efforts in 32
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recent Broadway history.” My One and Only garnered nine Tony nominations in 1983, but Goodspeed’s high-concept production cannot mask the book’s many weaknesses: Tommy Tune’s version was clearly a victory snatched from the jaws of disaster, and I can’t help wishing that all the talent — human and technical — on the Goodspeed stage had been deployed in the service of a worthier production. Some of the film references are clearly written into the script; however, just because one can merge the experience of watching a movie with the experience of watching a stage production doesn’t mean one should. The most exciting moments of technical theater do not, in fact, lie in watching the projections; rather they come during the seamless transformations from one scene to another. These moments (and there are many in the show) are magical, and scenic designer James Youmans is the highly skilled magician. The costumes, by Robin L. McGee, also tell their story well, especially when we see our hero Billy (the extraordinary Tony Yazbeck) transformed from a Texas hayseed into a slick top-hatted, tapdancing urban swell. Occasionally (as in the Miss Havana scene) the women’s costumes go over the top, and these instances (especially when combined with especially dated humor) contribute to the sense of being somewhat more battered than entertained.
That said, let’s move to what is at the center of this show: tap dancing, and more tap dancing. It’s difficult not to smile when young, energetic, lovely people are working their hearts out in a form of dance that is, by definition, joyful. Choreographer Kelli Barclay (who recently did such wonderful work in Goodspeed’s How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying) is in fine form here again, especially with the men’s dances. When Billy longs to learn to be a swell who can win his lady love’s heart, he goes to Mr. Magix’s Emporial. There he gets the makeover to die for, and we get a marvelous top-hat-white tie-and-tails routine from the male ensemble. In a follow-up scene, Billy wants to know how to step up the romance, and Mr. Magix (Alde Lewis Jr.) finally gets up from his barber-chair-cum-throne to show him. And what a show! Lewis is a relaxed pro, and he and Yazbeck create a completely charming number that, though long, in this case leaves the audience wanting more. Although the production’s tone wobbles uneasily between spoof, satire, and pure silliness, Yazbeck gives the show its strongly beating heart. He can play every note of the scale, from high comedy to pure drama through his dancing, singing and acting. At the end of Act I, Billy finds that his girl, Edythe (Gabrielle Ruiz), has Continued on 35
A Century Onstage Having hosted legends like Brando and Hepburn, Ivoryton Playhouse turns 100
Executive/artistic director Hubbard touts the ‘live human connections that you only get in the theater.’
By Jessica Giannone
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s the sun goes down, the stars come out — not just the ones beneath the moon, but the stars of the stage. In the quiet village of Essex, tucked away behind an old maple tree, across from a quaint café and a more than century-old library, stands another venerable structure: the Ivoryton Playhouse. Over its 100-year history, the small (280-seat) theater has hosted some of the world’s most renowned actors, including Katharine Hepburn and Marlon Brando.
In addition to staging seven professional productions a year and additional community events, the playhouse is known for its history as the first selfsustaining summer theater in the nation. What originally was built as a recreation hall for Comstock, Cheney & Co. ivory factory employees in 1911 turned into an acclaimed theater that became the heart of the little community of Ivoryton — we can call it a true “Colonial America.” Late producer and director Milton Stiefel was the first to mount theatrical productions at the playhouse in 1938, after Stiefel bought the building and turned it into a summer theater. The building currently hosts year-round performances for audiences of all ages and presents timeless musicals, comedies and other productions ranging from The Buddy Holly Story to The Producers. Ivoryton Executive and Artistic Director Jacqueline Hubbard directs productions in what was once a shabby and dusty building that turned into a summer destination for hundreds of professional actors who come from New York, or right around the corner. “The fact that we’re still here, it’s 2011 and we’re still here to celebrate,” says Hubbard. “That’s an accomplishment in itself.”
With the help of 12 staff members, more than 120 volunteers, donors — not to mention faithful audience members — the playhouse is still able to remain operating. Visitors who first walk up the steps into the playhouse are greeted by a bust of Hepburn, who performed in seven productions at the theater in 1931, including Just Married and The Man Who Came Back (though Hepburn herself never came back, having moved on to Hollywood glory). The playhouse family celebrated their 100-year anniversary at the end of May, remembering all the theater’s past performances and the actors who made up the soul of theater. The celebration started with a May 20 performance that was a sneak preview of the Saturday night production and told the history of the playhouse through brief skits from past plays and vocal performances about the theater’s evolution over the decades. On Sunday locals gathered around the block for horse and buggy rides, to decorate cupcakes and watch performances on the town green with their children. Townspeople expressed gratitude at the weekend event in honor of the playhouse. Miss Connecticut 2011, Regina Turner, who made an appearance at the theater’s Sunday event, expressed her reaction to the theater community. “It’s a real homey feel,” said Turner. “All the people come together. You don’t see this anywhere else.” Children stood in line with their parents and grandparents to wait for buggy rides as others reclined on blankets with their
Khalid Rivera in the title role of Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, one of the highlights of the 2010 Ivoryton season.
dogs and watched their sons and daughters frolic around the big gazebo on the green. “The [theater] is such a part of Ivoryton,” explained Aggie Waterman, the owner of Aggie’s restaurant and the furniture shop Something Special across the street from the playhouse. “We don’t want to change the town. We want more people to come in so we can always keep the playhouse.” As Waterman reflected on how the playhouse is “such an asset” to the community, she recalled how she met Stiefel and noted his dedication to the playhouse and how he transformed it into an enduring legend. Julia Crowell, owner of the Ivoryton Tavern and Café, says she always notices women coming in the theater with smiles on their faces. She attributes the theater’s success to the mindset of the staff, aware of the history of the town. “The playhouse is the heartbeat of Ivoryton, best neighbors that anyone can have,” says Crowell.
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CALENDAR BELLES LETTRES The Mystery Book Club meets the first Wednesday to discuss a pre-selected book. Books are available for check out prior to the meeting. 3-4 p.m. June 1, July 6 at Blackstone Library, 758 Main St., Branford. Free. 203-483-6653, blackstone. lioninc.org/booktalk.htm. New members are welcomed to the Blackstone Library Second Tuesday Book Club. The group meets on the second Tuesday to discuss a preselected book. Books available for loan in advance of discussion. 6:45-8 p.m. June 14, July 12 at Blackstone Library, 758 Main St., Branford. Free. 203-4881441, ext. 318, blackstone.lioninc.org/ booktalk.htm. Release your inner poet. Time Out for Poetry meets third Thursdays and welcomes those who wish to share an original short poem, recite a stanza or simply to listen. Ogden Nash, Robert Frost, William Shakespeare, Dr. Seuss and even the Burma Shave signs live again. 12:30-2 p.m. June 16, July 21 at Scranton Library, 801 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Free. 203-245-7365. The Hagaman Library’s Contemporary Fiction Discussion Group reads Jane Green’s Dune Road, the story of life in an exclusive Connecticut beach town after the tourists have left for the summer and the eccentric (and moneyed) community sticks around. 3 p.m. June 20 at East Haven Beach House, Cosey Beach Ave., East Haven. Free and open to all. 203-468-3891, hagamanlibrary.info. The New Haven Free Public Library displays a facsimile of an Abraham Lincoln Letter dated January 16, 1865 which authorized the release of two Confederate prisoners from Rock Island (Ill.) Prison, and also contains the signatures of several Springfield, Ill., notables, including Lincoln’s former law partner, William H. Herndon. This letter has been privately owned for 74 years and has never before been shown in public. This is the story of one document, one prisoner of war, and the oath that was designed to mend the Union. Through June 30 at New Haven Free Public Library, 133 Elm St., New Haven. Open noon-8 p.m. Mon., 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Tues.-Thurs., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Fri.-Sat. Free. 203-946-8130. How Is a Book…Written? Illustrated? Printed? Bound? This summer exhibition shows just how a book goes from idea to ink-on-paper. Drawn from the archives in Beinecke Library’s collections of children’s literature, visitors will see the many stages a (pre-digital) book goes through on its journey from inspiration to the hands of a reader. Using Ingri and Edgar Parin d’Aulaire’s Book of Greek Myths, the exhibition follows the trail from
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research, through drafts, sketches, press proofs and color separations, to the bound book. A companion display, ““Dummies!,” shows off early book mockups by Peter Newell, Lillian Saarinen, Ludwig Bemelmans and Maud and Miska Petersham. July 11-October 1 at Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, 121 Wall St., New Haven. Free. Open 9 a.m.-7 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Fri., noon-5 p.m. Sat. 203-432-2977, beineckelibrary@yale.edu. Author Patricia Lapidus leads Write To Bear Witness: A Workshop on MemoirWriting. 6 p.m. July 20 at New Haven Free Public Library, 133 Elm St., New Haven. $5 (bring writing materials). 203946-8835, bearwitnessjuly.eventbrite. com.
Public Library, 133 Elm St., New Haven. Free. 203-946-7431.
COMEDY Every Wednesday evening Joker’s Wild opens its stage to anyone who wants to try standup comedy — from brandnew comics to amateurs to seasoned pros. As Forrest Gump might say, each Open-Mic Night is kind of like a box of chocolates. 9 p.m. Wednesdays at Joker’s Wild, 232 Wooster St., New Haven. $5. 203-773-0733, jokerswildclub.com. Comedian Billy Gardell, star of the CBS sitcom Mike & Molly, brings his popular standup act to the Birthplace of the Nation’s Great Hits. 8 p.m. June 18 at Shubert Theater, 247 College St., New Haven. $29.50. 203-562-5666, shubert. com.
The Hagaman Library’s Classics Discussion Group reads Elizabeth Gaskell’s Mary Barton (1848), One of the best-known novels on the “condition of England,” a 19th-century movement to come to grips with the sweeping cultural, economic and social changes wrought by industrialization. 3 p.m. July 25 at East Haven Beach House, Cosey Beach Ave., East Haven. Free. Registration. 203-468-3891, hagamanlibrary.info.
Baltimore native Yamaneika Saunders’ comedic range goes far beyond typical “female” humor, delving into issues such as the Baptist church or why women have to kayak in the middle of the Pacific to discuss feminine hygiene. Mike McKenna opens. 8 p.m. June 24, 8 & 10:30 p.m. June 25 at Joker’s Wild, 232 Wooster St., New Haven. $16.50. 203-7730733, jokerswildclub.com.
Susan Campbell: Telling Your Own Story. The Hartford Courant columnist won a 2010 Connecticut Book Award for her memoir Dating Jesus: A Story of Fundamentalism, Feminism & the American Girl. Noon July 26 at CFA Hall, 283 Washington Terr., Middletown. Free. 860-685-3355, wesleyan.edu/cfa.
Last Thursdays are Lethal Thursdays at Joker’s Wild, featuring funnymen Chris Clarke and John Moses alongside some of the best comedians from New York City and around the country. 8:30 p.m. June 30, July 28 at Joker’s Wild, 232 Wooster St., New Haven. $16.50. 203-7730733, jokerswildclub.com.
CINEMA
CRAFTS
As part of its Cinema at 6 series, the New Haven Free Public Library (NHFPL) screens the Weimar avantgarde classic Kuhle Wampe (1932, Germany, 71 min.), directed by Slatan Dudow. 6 p.m. June 20 at NHFPL, 133 Elm St., New Haven. Free. 203-946-7431, cinemaat6june20.eventbrite.com.
Calling all knitters and crocheters! Meeting last Tuesdays, the Hagaman Library’s casual Knitting Circle is open to all who want to share tips and show off new projects. 6-8 p.m. June 28 at Hagaman Memorial Library, 227 Main St., East Haven. Free. 203-468-3890, hagamanlibrary.info.
After her cheating husband leaves her, Mildred Pierce (1945, USA, 111 min.) proves that she can become independent and successful, but can’t win the approval of her spoiled daughter. Joan Crawford, Jack Carson star. 5 p.m. June 30 at Hagaman Memorial Library, 227 Main St., East Haven. Free. Registration. 203-468-3890, hagamanlibrary.info.
CULINARY
The library refers to it as a “children’s” film, but Steven Spielberg’s E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982, USA, 115 min.) is beloved by children of (as they say) all ages. 1 p.m. July 23 at Case Memorial Library, 176 Tyler City Rd., Orange. Free. 203-891-2170. The Queen and I (2008, Sweden, 90 min.). Documentary follows Farah Pahlavi, the former Queen/Empress of Iran and the director, former communist Nahid Persson Sarvestani, as they share ideas and concerns about the country they were both forced to leave after the revolution. Nominated for Grand Jury Prize at 2009 Sundance Festival. 6 p.m. July 27 at New Haven
Consiglio’s Cooking Class Club. Chef Maureen Nuzzo explains and demonstrates how to prepare mouthwatering southern Italian dishes that have been passed down from generation to generation. June’s menu features eggplant Caponata, broccoli with orecchiette (“little ears”), filet of shrimp, sole Florentine and a strawberry chocolate tarte. July’s menu: grilled portobella with sundried and gorgonzola fettucini in a shallot sherry lemon sauce with veal Champagne followed by strawberries with chocolate marsala mascarpone. Are you hungry yet? 6:30 p.m. June 23, July 7, 13, 21, 28 at Consiglio’s Restaurant, 165 Wooster St., New Haven. $65. Reservations. 203-8654489, consiglios.com. Cruising Connecticut with a Picnic Basket. Author Jan Mann shares recipes, day trips and picnic areas from her book of the same name. 7 p.m. July 14 at Hagaman Memorial Library, 227 Main St., East Haven. Free. Registration. 203-468-3890, hagamanlibrary.info.
City Farmers Markets New Haven. Eat local! Enjoy seasonal fruits, vegetables, and herbs from local farms including seafood, meat, milk, cheese, handcrafted bread and baked goods, honey, more. WOOSTER SQUARE: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. first and third Saturdays at Russo Park, corner Chapel St. and DePalma Ct. EDGEWOOD PARK: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. second and fourth Sundays at Whalley and West Rock Aves. 203-7733736, cityseed.org.
DANCE Choreographer Kyle Abraham and his ensemble Abraham.In.Motion present excerpts from Live! The Realest MC, a new work that reimagines the classic Pinocchio in an urban environment. Inspired by the duality of Pinocchio’s plight to be a “real boy”, the darkly humorous, abstracted narrative investigates gender roles in the black community, and societal perspectives of the quest for acceptance in the world of hip-hop celebrity. Noon July 12 at Crowell Concert Hall, 283 Washington Terr., Middletown. Free. 860-685-3355, wesleyan.edu/cfa. The Trey McIntyre Project, a contemporary ballet company from Boise, Idaho founded in 2004, presents the New England premiere of works set to music by the Preservation Hall Jazz Band: Ma Maison (2008), depicting a joyful New Orleans funeral procession/ street party, and The Sweeter End (2011), inspired by the ongoing recovery from Hurricane Katrina. 8 p.m. July 21-22 at CFA Hall, 283 Washington Terr., Middletown. $22 ($19 seniors, $10 Wesleyan faculty/staff ). 860-685-3355, wesleyan.edu/cfa.
EXPOSITIONS Sponsored by WoodenBoat Magazine, the 20th annual Wooden Boat Show comes to Mystic Seaport. Featured exhibitor is Vixen, a 34-foot gaff cutter designed by John Atkin and launched in Black Rock in 1952. Plus, family boat-building event, Lance Lee tribute dinner, toy boatbuilding for wee ones and much more. June 24-26 at Mystic Seaport, 75 Greenmanville Ave., Mystic. $19.95 ($14.95 children). 207-359-4651, thewoodenboatshow.com.
FAMILY EVENTS Each Tuesday the Yale Astronomy Department hosts a Planetarium Show. Weather permitting there is also public viewing of planets, nebulae, star clusters and whatever happens to be interesting in the sky. Viewable celestial objects change seasonally. 7 & 8 p.m. Tuesdays at Leitner Family Observatory, 355 Prospect St., New Haven. Free. cobb@astro.yale.edu, astro.yale.edu. Creating Readers Saturdays at 2 Program. A fun, interactive program that engages young readers by bringing books to life using theater, dance and music. Each family that attends receives a copy of that week’s book to take home. 2 p.m. Saturdays at Connecticut Children’s Museum, 22 Wall
St., New Haven. $5. 203-562-5437, childrensbuilding. org. Derby Day. Enjoy live music, fun and food for the whole family at this town-wide celebration. Talented crafters and artisans from throughout New England will be selling their wares, tours of the historic Opera House will be available and visitors can either watch or participate in the Derby Duck Race and the Derby Dash 5K race. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. June 25 on Derby Town Green. Free. Information: 203-906-4343, invalley.org/ derby. The annual Connecticut Irish Festival, Feis & Agricultural Fair highlights the best in Celtic dance, sports, music and culture. On Sunday, hundreds of dancers will participate in a competition that prepares many of them for world-class events. June 25, 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m. June 26 at North Haven Fairgrounds, Washington Ave., North Haven. $10 advance, $12 at door (children under 16 free). ctirishfestivaltickets@ gmail.com, ctirishfestival.com. This summer’s Berry Fest features breakfast on the deck, a berry scavenger hunt, free face-painting, horsedrawn wagon rides with Foxglove Farm, blueberry pie-eating contest, and pick-your-own blueberries, raspberries and jostaberries (a hybrid cross of black currants and gooseberries — who knew?). 8 a.m.-5 p.m. July 9 at Lyman Orchards, 32 Reeds Gap Rd., Middlefield. 860-349-1793, lymanorchards.com. Hagaman’s Geneology Club is a group of novice genealogists who meet second Wednesdays to help one another in the quest for that elusive ancestor. 7 p.m. July 13 at Hagaman Memorial Library, 227 Main St., East Haven. Free. 203-468-3891, hagamanlibrary.info. It’s The Wiggles Big Birthday, featuring those lovable Aussie children’s entertainers. 3 p.m. July 19 at Oakdale Theatre, 95 S. Turnpike Rd., Wallingford. $97.50-$30. 203-265-1501, livenation.com.
MIND, BODY & SOUL Led by Nelie Doak, Yoga promotes a deep sense of physical, mental and emotional well-being. Classes are designed to help cultivate breath and body awareness, improve flexibility, strengthen and tone muscles, detoxify the body and soothe the spirit. All levels welcome. Bring a yoga mat. 5-6:30 p.m. Fridays at Blackstone Library, 758 Main St., Branford. $10. 203-488-1441, ext. 313, yogidoakie@earthlink.net or events@blackstone.lioninc.org, blackstone.lioninc.org. Full Moon Gong Relaxation. Deep sound healing with Kundalini yoga and meditative gong vibrations promise to bring you awareness and balance, physically and spiritually. 7-9 p.m. June 17, July 15 at Your Community Yoga Center, 39 Putnam Ave., Hamden. $20. 203-287-2277, yourcommunityyoga.com.
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NATURAL HISTORY National Geographic Crittercam: The World Through Animal Eyes is a 6,000-square-foot traveling exhibition developed by the National Geographic Museum in Washington, D.C. The exhibit — which includes interactive displays, firsthand footage and evocative environments — focuses on Crittercam’s deployment on seals and sea lions, sharks, sea turtles, whales, penguins, bears and lions. Through November 30 at Mystic Aquarium, 55 Coogan Blvd., Mystic. Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. $26 ($23 seniors, $19 children). 860572-5955, mysticaquarium.org.
SPORTS/RECREATION Canoeing Join the Connecticut Audubon Society on a Guided Canoe Tour of the Charles Wheeler Salt Marsh in Milford. Steeped in local history, the marsh hosts an abundance of birds and other wildlife. Bring water and wear shoes that can get wet. 12:30-2:45 p.m. June 18, 11:15 a.m.-1:45 p.m. July 2, 16, 4:15-6:45 p.m. July 23, 10:15 a.m.-12:45 p.m. at Coastal Center at Milford Point, 1 Milford Pt. Rd., Milford. $25/person, $65/canoe (3 people) members, $35/$95 others. 203-878-7440, ctaudubon.org.
Cycling Elm City Cycling organizes Lulu’s Ride, weekly two- to four-hour rides for all levels (17-19 mph average). Cyclists leave at 10 a.m. from Lulu’s European Café as a single group; no one is dropped. 10 a.m. Sundays at Lulu’s European Café, 49 Cottage St., New Haven. Free. 203-773-9288, elmcitycycling.org. The Little Lulu (LL) is an alternative to the longstanding Sunday morning training ride. The route is usually 20-30 miles in length and the ride is no-drop, meaning that the group waits at hilltops and turns so that no rider is left behind. The LL is an opportunity for cyclists to get accustomed to riding in groups. Riders should come prepared with materials (tubes, tools, pumps and/or CO2 inflators) to repair flats. 10 a.m. Sundays at Lulu’s European Café, 49 Cottage St., New Haven. Free. 203-773-9288, paulproulx@sbcglobal. net, elmcitycycling.org. Tuesday Night Canal Rides. Medium-paced rides up the Farmington Canal into New Haven. May split into two groups based on riders’ speed but no one will be left behind to ride alone. Lights are essential. 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays at Café Romeo, 534 Orange St., New Haven. Free. william.v.kurtz@gmail.com. Elm City Cycling monthly meeting occurs on the second Monday. ECC is a non-profit organization of cycling advocates who meet to discuss biking issues in New Haven. Dedicated to making New Haven friendlier and more accessible to cyclists and
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pedestrians. 7 p.m. June 13, July 11 at City Hall Meeting Rm. 2, 165 Church St., New Haven. Free. elmcitycycling. org.
Golf Hit the links for a good cause at the 15th annual Northeast Golf Classic, which benefits Emergency Shelter Management Services Homeless Shelter. Format is four-player scramble, and entry fee includes awards for closest to pin on selected Par 3s and luncheon. 10:30 a.m. (check-in 9:30) June 18 at Orange Hills CC, 389 Racebrook Rd., Orange. 203-562-4468, lmannuel0@snet.net.
Road Races/Triathlons The 31st annual Branford Road Race is a fast five-miler. 10:15 a.m. (11:30 fun run) June 19 at Branford Green. $28. branfordroadrace.net. Celebrate Independence Day with the Chester Rotary Club’s Four on the Fourth, a scenic, sanctioned fourmile road race. 9 a.m. July 4 at St. Joseph Parish, Rt. 154, Chester. $20 by 6/20; $25 after. chesterrotary.org. Dip your toe into the world of triathlons with the 25th annual, USAT-sanctioned Pat Griskus Sprint Triathlon — a half-mile swim in spring-fed Lake Quassapaug, 10.mile bike around the lake finishing with a 5K outand-back run. 6 p.m. July 13 at Quassy Amusement Park, 2132 Middlebury Rd., Middlebury. $70 USAT members, $80 others. 860-868-0540, patgriskustri.com. It sounds so romantic — and it is! The Trumbull Sunset Run is a 5K sponsored by the Trumbull Rotary Club. 6:45 p.m. July 29 at Twin Brooks Park, Trumbull. $20 ($15 18 and under) advance, $25 race day. 203-2685934.
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tried to use him — and his airplane — to get out of the United States, rather than truly loving him as she had claimed. Instantly, Billy reverts back to his original purpose in life before he met Edythe: to be the first man to make a transatlantic flight to Paris, France. His ambition (now fueled by a broken heart) is captured in the strongest number of the evening: “Strike Up the Band.” As I listened to the remarkable build of the song and felt Yazbeck’s outpouring of emotion, I couldn’t help but see him playing another “Billy”: the Billy of Carousel, for which all the colors he has as an actor/singer/dancer could fully unfurl. In one sense, “Strike Up the Band” makes the whole evening worthwhile. In another, the song’s power makes me wish that back in the 1980s Tommy Tune and his crew had taken their cue from this song to create a musical that had something substantial to say. With all of this marvelous music (“He Loves & She Loves,” “‘S Wonderful,” “How Long Has This Been Going On?” and “Nice Work if You Can Get It”), one can’t help wanting a story that truly lives up to the Gershwins’ sensibility new haven
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ART CALLS FOR ARTISTS The 43rd annual Celebration of American Crafts Exhibition & Sale at Creative Arts Workshop takes place October 29-December 24. National juried and invitational show open to all craft media. Over 300 craft artists represented. Submission deadline July 31. For prospectus send SASE to: Celebration/CAW, 80 Audubon St., New Haven 06510, visit creativeartsworkshop. org/celebration or phone 203-562-4927. Juried Monotype/Monoprint Exhibition, sponsored by Monotype Guild of New England, takes place September 21-November 18 at Paul Mellon Arts Center, Choate Rosemary Hall, Wallingford. Juror Anthony Kirk, Center for Contemporary Printmaking. Open to MGNE members and nonmember artists residing in New England. Deadline June 17. Three digital images. MGNE members $25, nonmembers $35. Prospectus mgne.org. Seeking New England realist and modern painters, sculptors, jewelers, crafters, fabric artists and photographers to take part in the Arts Center at Killingworth’s seventh annual Autumn Art Trail October 8-9. Registration form and $60 fee due September 9. Download prospectus and registration form at artscenterkillingworth.org. 860-6635593, e-mail artscenterkillingworth@ gmail.com.
WORKSHOPS & LECTURES Connecticut artist James Grashow has been creating works that address themes of man, nature and mortality since his first sculpture show at the Allan Stone Gallery in 1966. He will discuss his current work, “Corrugated Fountain,” inspired by the Roman Fountains of the Baroque sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bermini. Noon June 28 at Center for the Arts, Wesleyan University, 283 Washington Terr., Middletown. Free. 860-685-335, wesleyan.edu/cfa. Adult Pottery Classes are open to beginners and intermediates. Curriculum includes hand building, wheel throwing, glaze application and decorative techniques on highfired stoneware. Seven- and eightsession classes offered. June 6-July 30 at Wesleyan Potters, 350 S. Main St., Middletown. $173-$152. 860-347-5925, wesleyanpotters.com. Hand-Build a Distinctive Cup/Mug in one night. David Frank will teach a number of styles. Basic forming and joining methods will be taught; no experience necessary. Lizard skin surfaces, four-toed feet and other animated expressions will be explored. 7-9 p.m. June 24 at Wesleyan Potters, 350
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’Yellow,’ from Out of Sight, an exhibition of documentary photography by Tom Peterson at City Gallery. S. Main St., Middletown. $25. 860-3475925, wesleyanpotters.com.
EXHIBITIONS Opening A co-operative gallery, All Member Exhibition showing the work of midcareer artists working in a variety of styles from representational to abstract in photography, printmaking, painting, sculpture and ceramics. June 14-August 14 at Gallery One at the Clayhouse, 665 Boston Post Rd., Old Saybrook. Open 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily except Mon. (until 8 p.m. Thurs.), noon-5 p.m. Sun. Free. 860388-0907, galleryonect.com. Jason Friedes & Hank Paper. For his gallery debut, Friedes presents massive steel cages that viewers may open, enter and lock. Paper will present street photographs from Cuba that illustrate the impact of the U.S. trade embargo. June 23-July 24 (artist reception 3 p.m. June 26) at Kehler Liddell Gallery, 873 Whalley Ave., New Haven. Open 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Thurs.-Fri., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. weekends. 203-389-9555, kehlerliddell.com. The International Summer Showcase Exhibition group show features select works by top international artist. July 2-31 at Gallore Gallery, 68 Washington St., Middletown. Open 5-10 p.m. Thurs.-Fri., 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sat., 11 a.m-4 p.m. Sun. 860-770-2461, galloregallery.com. Palettes is the 2011 Arts Council members show, including works in all media. July 22-September 16 at the Sumner McKnight Crosby Jr. Gallery, 70 Audubon St., New Haven. Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays. Free. 203-772-2788, newhavenarts.org. Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness draws upon YUAG’s
collection of American paintings, decorative arts and prints to showcase the diverse and evolving American experience from the time of the settlements of the late 17th century to the World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893. More than 200 works in this traveling three-part exhibition including Winslow Homer’s “Morning Bell.” July 29-December 31 at the Yale University Art Gallery, 1111 Chapel St., New Haven. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays except Mon. (until 8 p.m. Thurs.), 1-6 p.m. Sun. Free. 203-432-0600, artgallery.yale.edu.
Continuing Botany is a juried exhibition of works in all styles and media pertaining to, made from or containing plants. Juried by watercolorist, printmaker and basketmaker Keith Hatcher, who holds an MFA from Tulane and is currently on the art faculty of Southern Connecticut State University. Through June 16 at the Firehouse Art Gallery, 81 Naugatuck Ave., Milford. Open noon-5 p.m. Thurs.-Sun. Free. 203 306-0016, milfordarts.org. Vincent Giarrano: New York City Street Scenes is a one-man exhibition of oil paintings. Through June 18 at Susan Powell Fine Art Gallery, 679 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Open 11 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays, noon-5 p.m. Sat., noon3p.m. Sun. Free. 203-318-0616, susan powellfineart.com. The works of three figurative New Haven painters — K. Levni Sinanoglu, John Keefer and Steven DiGiovanni — are featured in the exhibition Three Painters. Through June 18 at River Street Gallery at Fair Haven Furniture, 72 Blatchley Ave., New Haven. Open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon., Thurs.-Fri., 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat., noon-4 p.m. Sun. Free. 203776-3099, fairhaven-furniture.com.
The Feathered Brush is a selection of Long Island Sound plein-air landscapes and bird paintings in watercolor and oil by Sean Murtha. Through June 19 at Greene Art Gallery, 29 Whitfield St., Guilford. Free. 203-453-4162, greeneartgallery.com. Artists have rendered the human figure since the beginning of time, the first instances in chalk on cave walls. A new exhibition by Joe Adolphe and Rod Cook highlights contemporary iterations of the figure in paint and photographs. Through June 19 at Kehler Liddell Gallery, 873 Whalley Ave., New Haven. Open 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Thurs.-Fri., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. weekends. Free. 203-3899555, kehlerliddell.com. Seeing Seeing: Capturing a Moment is CAW’s annual juried show which highlights photography in 2011. Juried by Felice Frankel, an internationally renowned science photographer. Through June 24 at Creative Arts Workshop, 80 Audubon St., New Haven. Open 9:30 a.m. -5:30 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m.-noon Sat. Free. 203-562-4927, creativeartsworkshop.org. Poser is a group exhibition of artworks in all media that explore various notions of posing for an image, as it relates to artist, subject and/or viewer. Through June 26 at the Mill Gallery, Guilford Art Center, 411 Church St., Guilford. Open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily. Free. 230-453-5947, guilfordartcenter.org. The floral paintings represented in the exhibit In Bloom: Mountain Laurel and the Lyme Art Colony, is a reflection of how Connecticut’s state flower inspires artist. The works for this exhibit were drawn from the Museum’s permanent holdings as well as from select private collections. Through June 26 at the Florence Griswold Museum, 96 Lyme
on the effects of weather and time to create a statement of everyday decay and perseverance. Through June 26 (artist reception 2 p.m. June 19) at City Gallery, 994 State St., New Haven. Open noon-4 p.m. Thurs-Sun. Free. 203-782-248, city-gallery.org. A decade ago, the Florence Griswold Museum received a gift from the Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection & Insurance Co. of a collection of 190 American paintings, prints and sculptures from the 18th to 20th centuries. To commemorate the tenth anniversary of this gift, the Gris presents Inspiration and Impact: The Legacy of the Hartford Steam Boiler (HSB) Collection, which highlights the works from the original collection as well recent acquisitions that reflect the museum’s focus on American art. Through June 26 at the Florence Griswold Museum, 96 Lyme St, Old Lyme. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily except Mon., 1-5 p.m. Sun. 860-434-5542, florencegriswoldmuseum.org.
Arts and crafts of every stripe will be represented at the Milford Fine Arts Council’s 25
St, Old Lyme. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily except Mon., 1-5 p.m. Sun. 860-434-5542, florencegriswoldmuseum.org. A collaboration among a team of students from Yale and the University of Maryland/College Park, Embodied: Black Identities in American Art from the Yale University Art Gallery
features works that address, question and complicate the paradigms that have mapped meanings onto AfricanAmerican bodies throughout history. Through June 26 at the Yale University Art Gallery, 1111 Chapel St., New Haven. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily except Mon.
th
(until 8 p.m. Thurs.), 1-6 p.m. Sun. Free. 203-432-0600, artgallery.yale.edu. Out of Sight, documentary photography by Tom Peterson, focuses on fragments of businesses and neighborhoods, integrated with people who often go unseen. Cropping, texture and color are used to focus
The Arts Council of Greater New Haven presents See Inside, a highly collaborative art exhibit that gives incarcerated youth a chance to share their stories. Through June 30 at the Parachute Factory, Erector Square, 319 Peck St., Bldg. 1, New Haven. Open 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Wed., noon-5 p.m. Thurs.-Fri. Free. 203-772-2788, newhavenarts.org. Blessed: A Tribute to John Paul II featuring some of Pope John Paul’s
Continued on 38
Hopkins Summer School Two New Additions to our Popular Summer Program:
Squash and Chess Camps For more information:
www.Hopkins.edu
203-865-0400 kofcmuseum.org Free admission & parking One State Street, New Haven
hopkins school 986 forest road new haven ct 06515
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MUSIC
as well as the premiere of The Time Curve Preludes, considered the first work of post-minimalism. 7:30 p.m. July 12 at Crowell Concert Hall, 283 Washington Terr., Middletown. Free. 860-685-3355, wesleyan.edu/cfa.
Classical
Popular
First performing at the Kate when the academy’s concert hall was being renovated, the Coast Guard Chamber Players were such a hit that the audience demanded an encore performance. Hear some of the finest musicians in our nation’s service. 7 p.m. June 14 at Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. Free (ticket required). 860510-0473, katharinehepburntheater.org.
Grammy Award-winning singer/ songwriter Rodney Crowell brings his Chinaberry Sidewalks Tour to the Kate. 7:30 p.m. June 15 at the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. $30-$28. 877503-1286, katharinehepburntheater.org.
Tenor Ronan Tynan was first introduced to international audiences as a member of the Irish Tenors. But what made him a household name in these parts were his soaring renderings of “God Bless America” during seventh-inning stretches at Yankee Stadium following 9/11. Tickets benefit the Foundation for the Advancement of Catholic Schools. 8 p.m. June 25 at Palace Theater, 100 E. Main St., Waterbury. $75-$45. 203-3462000, palacetheatrect.com. Neely Bruce Plays the Piano Music of William Duckworth. Wesleyan music and American studies professor Bruce revisits his 1980 recital of piano music composed by William Duckworth, which included his Walden Variations
Art Calendar Continued from 37
personal effects as well as mementos of his apostolic journeys to North America. Exhibition also includes a selection of paintings by Italian artist Franceso Guadagnuolo (b. 1956) which were on exhibition at the Vatican as part of a 2010 symposium by the Pontifical Council for Health Care Ministry. Through June 30 at the Knights of Columbus Museum, 1 State St., New Haven. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Free. 203-865-0400, kofcmuseum.org. Out of Line features works on paper by Caitlin Foster, Elizabeth Gourlay, Sarah Gustafson, Nina Jordan, Janet Lage, Elizabeth Livingston, Willard Lustenader, Alyse Rosner, Lucy Sallick, Gerald Saladyga and Nomi Silverman. Organized by Leslie Nolan. Through June 30 at Artspace, 50 Orange St, New Haven. Open noon-6 p.m. Wed., noon8 p.m. Thurs.-Sat. Free. 203-772-2709, artspacenh.org. The State of the Moment exhibition pairs the New Haven-area artists Emilia Dubicki and Jonathan Waters. Including paintings by Dubicki, sculptures and collages by Waters, along with five collaborative mixed media works by the two, the exhibition focus on being in the moment while making and viewing the artwork. Through July 1 at Gallery 360, 360 State St., New Haven. Open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
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Paul Collins Beat. Native New Yorker Collins formed the seminal punk band the Nerves in 1974, before moving to LA to co-found the Beat three years later. 8 p.m. June 16 at Café Nine, 250 State St., New Haven. $10. 203-7898281, cafénine.com. Describes as “folk’s newest supergroup,” Red Horse is John Gorka. Eliza Gilkyson and Lucy Kaplansky. 8 p.m. June 18 at the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. $30-$28. 877-503-1286, katharinehepburntheater.org. With a new record (Brooklyn Sound Solution) on the Yep Roc! label, the Fleshtones have been grinding out garage rock since before it was even called garage rock. The Reducers open. 9 p.m. June 18 at Café Nine, 250 State St., New Haven. $10. 203-789-8281, cafénine.com.
Sat., noon-5 p.m. Sun. 360statestreet. com. Handbuilding: Members Pottery Show. Through July 10 at Wesleyan Potters, 350 S. Main St., Middletown. Open 10 a.m.6 p.m. Wed.-Fri., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat., noon-4 p.m. Sun. Free. 860-347-5925, wesleyanpotters.com. Ancient Javanese artifacts in gold displaying exceptional skill and artistry and are on view at the inaugural exhibition from the gallery’s department of indo-pacific art Old Javanese Gold: The Hunter Thompson Collection. Through August 14 at the Yale University Art Gallery, 1111 Chapel St., New Haven. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily except Mon. (until 8 p.m. Thurs.), 1-6 p.m. Sun. Free. 203-432-0600, artgallery. yale.edu. Loose Thread, Rich Colors: Xiang Embroidery from Early 20th Century China showcases contemporary and historic examples of fine embroidery and jewelry from Hunan. Xiang embroidery has long been treasured for its beauty, intricacy, vibrant colors and exquisite craftsmanship. Through August 30 at the Yale-China Association, 442 Temple St., New Haven. Free. 203432-0884, yalechina.org. Marie Celeste is an environmental thematic group exhibition, ranging from site-specific installations to painting and photography. The 11 artists represented here ask viewers to see and think about humankind’s
If you took the gritty charm of oldschool country and injected it with the drive of punk rock, you might well end up with something very close to the music of Brian McGee. Check out this remarkable Ashville, N.C., artist. PJ Bond opens. 9 p.m. June 21 at Café Nine, 250 State St., New Haven. Free. 203-789-8281, cafénine.com. The Milford Concert Band performs a family-friendly soufflé of popular music and show as part of the Summer Nights by Harbor Lights concert series. 7 p.m. June 24 at Rotary Pavilion, Fowler Field, Milford. Free. Singer/songwriter Jesse Malin was the face of the glam/hard rock band D Generation for eight years, following the dissolution of Heart Attack, the hardcore punk act he fronted as a teenager in the ‘80s. Mike Sembos opens. 8 p.m. June 24 at the Outer Space, 295 Treadwell St., Bldg. G, Hamden. $10. 203-288-6400, thespace. tk. One of the most exciting new bands to emerge on the national bluegrass scene in the new millennium, NewFound Road specializes in a powerfully streamlined sound delivered with heartfelt honesty and passion. 8 p.m. July 1 at the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. $25. 877-5031286, katharinehepburntheater.org. Roots reggae pioneers Steel Pulse rock York Street. 9:30 p.m. July 2 at Toad’s Place, 300 York St., New Haven. relationship to science, and nature — both as a physical environment and an idea. Debuts new works by Stephen Bush, Nick Lamia, Shari Mendelson, Jessica Schwind, Joseph Smolinski and Alison Williams. (Williams will realize “Homage to Guerilla Gardening,” a new public art installation in the nearby Chapel Street greenspace, The Lot. Working with a team of students and local volunteers, Williams will design and install a community garden using donated household materials from throughout New England. The public will be invited to participate in the growth and care of the garden as it gradually transforms the space during the four-month exhibition.) Through September 9 at Artspace, 50 Orange St, New Haven. Open noon-6 p.m. Wed., noon-8 p.m. Thurs.-Sat. 203-772-2709, artspacenh.org
ART & CRAFT EXPOS Branford Craft Expo is part of the 2011 Branford Festival, a three-day event featuring more than 200 local craft and community vendors. June 17-19 on the Branford Green. branfordfestival.com. Meet the Artists and Artisans 2011 Connecticut Juried Art and Craft Show. One hundred artists exhibit and sell works including watercolor paintings, wood carvings, sculpture, turners, mosaics, photography, jewelry and ceramics. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. June 25-26 at the Orange Fairgrounds, 525
$25 ($20 advance). 203-624-8623, toadsplace.com. Kenny Barron Trio. Grammynominated pianist Barron’s elegant playing, sensitive melodies and infectious rhythms have been heard over the past five decades with Dizzy Gillespie, Yusef Lateef, Ron Carter, Stan Getz, Charlie Haden and many others. Named a National Endowment for the Arts “Jazz Master” in 2010, Barron will perform with bassist Kiyoshi Kitagawa and drummer Johnathan Blake. 8 p.m. July 7 at Crowell Concert Hall, 283 Washington Terr., Middletown. $20 ($18 seniors, Wesleyan faculty/staff, $10 students). 860-685-3355, wesleyan.edu/cfa. All-American crooner Steve D’Agostino has been performing chestnuts from the Great American Songbook for 20 years, giving new life to music and lyrics made popular by immortal vocalists such as Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darin, Tony Bennett, Dean Martin, Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash. 7 p.m. July 8 at Rotary Pavilion, Fowler Field, Milford. Free. Duke Robillard Band. What do Roomful of Blues, Bob Dylan, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Pinetop Perkins and Robert Gordon (to name a few) have in common? Duke Robillard has played with them all! 8 p.m. July 15 at Café Nine, 250 State St., New Haven. $15. 203-789-8281, cafénine.com. Winner of nine All-Ireland fiddle contests and dubbed the “Jimi Orange Rd., Orange. Free. 203-874-5672, meettheartistsandartisans.com. Milford Fine Arts Council’s 25th annual New England Arts & Crafts Festival. Event features more than 100 juried fine art and crafts exhibitors, food court, music, theater and live events. 10 a.m.5 p.m. July 9-10 on Milford Green. Free. 203-878-6647, milfordarts.org. Artists from across the country are represented in the Guilford Art Center’s Craft Expo 2011, with works in nearly every medium — clay, glass, leather, metal, mixed media, metal and non-metal jewelry, wearable and non-wearable fiber, paper, photography, polymer clay, soap and wood. Additional events this year include a silent auction of donated crafts, a food court and music. Noon-9 p.m. July 14-15, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. July 16, noon-5 p.m. July 17 on the Guilford Green. $7 (seniors $5, members and children under 12 free). 203453-5947, guilfordartcenter.org. Midsummer Festival is Old Lyme’s annual showcase of its artistic heritage. Two-day event features French-style farmer’s market, art exhibitions and sales, musical performances, artisan fair, book signings, and hands-on kids’ activities spanning two locations along Lyme Street, the Florence Griswold Museum and the Lyme Art Association. July 29-30, Florence Griswold Museum, Lyme Art Association, Lyme St., Old Lyme. 860-434-5542, oldlymemidsummerfestival.com.
a role she played for years. With Immigrant Soul. 8 p.m. July 16 at the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. $55-$50. 877-503-1286, katharinehepburntheater. org. Kelly Riley is an Old Saybrook native and Berklee College of Music alumna who has opened for Willie Nelson and Lyle Lovett. The Porch Party Mamas are established Boston-area musicians and singer/songwriters who decided to combine their individual talents to create their own distinctive brand of urban folk, country and blues. 8 p.m. July 17 at the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. $20 ($10 children). 877-5031286, katharinehepburntheater.org.
Rising from the Rust Belt ruins of Buffalo, N.Y. in 1986, the Goo Goo Dolls became alt-rock legends after, as guitarist/ frontman John Rzeznik puts it, ‘We sort of figured out how to write songs.’ The band rocks the Oakdale July 20.
Hendrix of the violin” by the New York Times, Eileen Ivers will change the way you think about the violin. A founding member of Cherish the Ladies and one
third of the acclaimed Fiddler’s Three, Ivers may be best known as the fiddler with the blue violin in Riverdance,
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The high-energy Vermont-based band They Might Be Gypsies, led by the duo of Greg Ryan and his 15-year-old son Aidan, is inspired by the 1930s jazz of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli, as well as modern influences from Argentina to Barcelona. Noon July 19 at Crowell Concert Hall, 283 Washington Terr., Middletown. $20. Free. 860-685-3355, wesleyan.edu/cfa. Alt-rock legends the Goo Goo Dolls rock Wallingford’s face off. 7 p.m. July 20 at Oakdale Theatre, 95 S. Turnpike Rd., Wallingford. $62.10-$39.75. 203265-1501, livenation.com.
brings his “Just Me” tour to the Brass City. 7:30 p.m. July 21 at Palace Theater, 100 E. Main St., Waterbury. $55-$35. 203-346-2000, palacetheatrect.com. The pride of Haledon, N.J., The Feelies formed in 1976 and subsequently released four critically acclaimed LPs (starting with the breakout Crazy Rhythms). The band broke up in 1991, but reunited last July 4 for an NYC show with Sonic Youth. 9 p.m. July 22 at Daniel Street, 21 Daniel St., Milford. $18. 203-877-4446, danielstreetclub. com. It’s country & western night for the Summer Nights by Harbor Lights concert series as Gunsmoke holds court. 7 p.m. July 29 at Rotary Pavilion, Fowler Field, Milford. Free. A New Jersey rock band that formed in 1980, the Smithereens are best known for writing and playing catchy 1960s-influenced power pop hits like “Blood and Roses.” 8 p.m. July 29 at the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. $45-$40. 877-503-1286, katharinehepburntheater. org. Singer/songwriter/country legend/ architectural marvel Dolly Parton brings her 2011 tour to the Oakdale. 7:30 p.m. July 30 at Oakdale Theatre, 95 S. Turnpike Rd., Wallingford. $84.25$62.35. 203-265-1501, livenation.com.
An intimate acoustic evening of R&B, pop, gospel and hip-hop as singer/ songwriter/producer Brian McKnight
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ONSTAGE Cabaret The 2011 Yale Summer Cabaret Shakespeare Festival showcases three unique productions in rotating repertory and includes a series of free workshops. The Tempest (June 23-August 12), As You Like It (July
1-August 14), and Rose Mark’d Queen (July 7-August 13). 8 p.m. Tues.-Sat., 2 p.m. Wed., Sat.-Sun. at Yale Summer Cabaret, 17 Park St., New Haven. $25. 203-432-1567, summercabaret.org. Consiglio’s restaurant continues its Outdoor Garden Theatre season with Garlic: The Musical, by Elizabeth Fuller, who also penned last summer’s popular production of Nonna’s Summer Wine Party on Wooster Street. Garlic is an interactive Italian entertainment that tells the amusing story of Mama
Aglio and her delightfully wacky family. The audience is drawn into joining the fun as they sing, clap and dance along to fabulous oldies. Gordon Costello directs. Doors open 6 p.m. Fri.-Sat. (also, 4:30 p.m. Sun. beginning 7/11) through September 5 at Consiglio’s, 165 Wooster St., New Haven. $54.95 (includes prix fixe dinner). Reservations. 203-865-4489, consiglios.com.
Opening With lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and music score by Jerome Kern, Show Boat is an American classic musical. It’s a tale, spanning four decades, of the lives of three generations of show folk on the mighty Mississippi River. Songs include “Ol’ Man River,” “Can’t Help Loving Dat Man,” and “You Are Love.” Choreographed by Noah Racey and directed by Rob Ruggiero. July 1-September 11 at Goodspeed Opera
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$65. includes show and four course dinner. Doors open 6pm Friday and Saturday, 4pm Sunday Reservations required 203-865-4489 Written by Elizabeth Fuller Directed by Gordon Costello
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June/July 2011
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House, 6 Main St., East Haddam. $75.50-$31.50. 860873-8668, goodspeed.org. The Producers: A New Mel Brooks Musical is adapted to the stage by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan from Brooks’ wildly popular 1968 film of the same name, with lyrics and music by Brooks and Glen Kelly. The story involves two theatrical producers who scheme to get rich by overselling interests in a Broadway flop. Directed by Julia Kiley. July 6-31 at Ivoryton Playhouse, 103 Main St., Ivoryton. $40 ($35 seniors, $20 students, $15 12 & under). 860-767-7318, ivorytonplayhouse.org. The off-Broadway hit Menopause: The Musical is a joyful musical parody that highlights the effects of aging gracefully. Set to classic tunes from the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s, writer and producer Jeanie Linders created the show as a celebration of “The Change.” July 12-August 7 at the Long Wharf Theatre, 222 Sargent Dr., New Haven. $51.50. 203-787-4282, longwharf.org. Hip-hop theater artist Marc Bamuthi Joseph combines dance, poetry, music and visual arts in the Living Word Project. He performs excerpts from Word Becomes Flesh, documenting letters from a single father to his unborn son, as well as the work-in progress red, black and GREEN: a blues (rbGb), a play about the eco-equity movement towards green-collar jobs in black neighborhoods. 8 p.m. July 14 at the Center for the Arts, Wesleyan University, 283 Washington Terrace, Middletown. $15 ($13 seniors). 860-685-3355, wesleyan.edu/cfa.
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Tap-dance spectacular My One and Only (see review this issue) brings the glamorous Roaring Twenties back to life. A classic Gershwin score including “’S Wonderful,” “Funny Face” and “Kickin’ the Clouds Away.” Directed by Ray Roderick, who also directed Double Trouble, Singin’ in the Rain and 42nd Street. Through June 25 at the Goodspeed Opera House, 6 Main St., East Haddam. $75.50-$31.50. 860-873-8668, goodspeed.org. Barefoot in the Park, Neil Simon’s Tony-nominated classic romantic comedy, is about newlyweds Corie and Paul who discover that adjusting to married life isn’t so easy. Directed by R. Bruce Connelly. Through June 26 at Ivoryton Playhouse, 103 Main St., Ivoryton. $40 ($35 seniors, $20 students, $15 under 13). 860-767-7318, ivorytonplayhouse.org. Mad Bomber unfolds the true story of a media frenzy over a series of bombings in New York City which leads to a quiet street in Waterbury. A wild tale, set to music, of two cities — of cops, politicians and tabloid reporters, and ultimately justice over a terrorist’s master plan. Book and lyrics by Charles Monagan, music by Richard DeRosa. Through June 26 at the Seven Angels Theatre, Hamilton Park Pavilion, 1 Plank Rd., Waterbury. $37. 203-757-4676, sevenangelstheatre. org.
Japanese Woodblock Prints Antique Prints Assorted Art Prints and Posters
Continuing Incorruptible, a dark comedy about the Dark Ages, is a fun satire on how we can twist our convictions to rationalize our bad behavior. Written by Michael Hollinger and directed by Geoffrey Gilbert. 8 p.m. Sat., 2 & 8 p.m. Sun. through June 19 at Center for the Arts, 40 Railroad Ave., Milford. $15 ($12.50 seniors/ students). 203-878-6647, milfordarts.org.
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W O R D S o f M O UT H NEW EATS: Zafra Cuban Restaurant & Rum Bar Photo: Lisa Wilder
stopper. A basket of bread came to the table cold but was elevated by a sweet, mint-infused “mojito butter.” Also beautifully presented was a shrimp entrée with tender fried plantains and chicken and rice in the flavorful arroz con pollo. Best of all was the Cuban classic lechon asado, or slow-roasted pork. Zafra’s version was tender enough to be cut with a fork and rich with meat juices and al dente onions. With a side of boiled yuca, it was like a trip to Miami, minus the heat and traffic.
Dominick and Amanda Splendorio with Chef Haya (right) ready to serve a ‘Cuban’ sandwich and Ceviche in a Margarita glass.
N
o, that’s not Fidel Castro’s picture on the wall, neither is it Che Guevara. An intense, mustachioed young Ernest Hemingway looks out from the wall of the new Zafra Cuban Restaurant & Rum Bar on Orange Street, giving the new eatery some literary cachet along with a touch of tropical ambience. Opened this spring in a former Korean spot, Zafra will open your eyes about both the spectrum of sugar-derived spirits available in the world and the possibilities of a cuisine that hasn’t yet been overly “fusioned.”
With its spare décor and diminutive dining area, Zafra has a casual vibe augmented by the friendly and attentive
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June/July 2011
staff. They’ll help you pick from one of the dozens of rums available for sipping, from places as far-flung as Guatemala and Venezuela. We started with some of the house mojitos, made with fruit purée and perfect for sipping with appetizers. The coconut mojito was nicely dry if a bit gritty with congealed coconut oil, although a mango version scored on both flavor and texture. Meaty, well-spiced Cuban dumplings as part of the Havana Sampler got the meal off to a great start, along with empanadas with a tasty corn filling and coconut-crusted shrimp. Arriving on a banana leaf, the sampler was a show-
s l a de
The eatery’s black beans also did Cuban cuisine proud, smoky and soupy and worth an entrée all their own. The tres leches cake was fresh and not overly sweet, swathed in cream, fruit and chocolate sauce. Zafra’s fine rums are perfect for an aperitif: We tried a Guatemalan spirit with a rich molasses flavor and subdued kick. A Venezuelan rum was more aggressive and perfect with just a splash of water to “open it up.” Or try a cafecito — a tiny shot of Cuban-style espresso brewed strong enough to keep you up all night. With the expansion of Ay Salsa on High Street and the ongoing quality of Sol de Cuba’s and Bespoke’s kitchens, New Haven is coming into its own as a destination for Latin food. Zafra brings low-key charm and succulent pork to the table, along with rums to suit every palate. Buen provecho (dig in)! Zafra Cuban Restaurant & Rum Bar, 259 Orange St., New Haven (203-859-5342).
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NewHaven.com
Photo: Lisa Wilder
JUST A SIP: Rudy’s Bar & Grill scarred with graffiti and sticky with beer brought together town and gown s, until a dispute with the landlord closed the doors in 2010 after 76 years. Now Rudy’s has reopened in a new location, and like much of New Haven, has undergone a transformation that will both attract new customers and trigger fits of nostalgia in old-timers. The carved initials are now relegated to back room, and the funk of spilled brew and bodily fluids is gone. The new Rudy’s opened in May in an expanded space on the corner of Chapel and Howe, once a hot spot for ladies of the night.
Rudy’s Bartender, John Paul and Pugliese, Pork Belly braised with Wittekerke White Ale and apples served with a salad of endive, raddichio and asparagus.
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ew Haven has plenty of traditional watering holes, but Rudy’s bar had an especially devoted following at its longtime location on Elm Street. Tables
The new space blends industrial chic Strange Cask Republic with trendy greenbrews: touches such as proprietor Christian Burns reclaimed wood floors, although the awkward layout manages to be both cavernous and cramped at the same time. A ring of tables surrounds an empty central space, herding imbibers into a narrow bar area up at the front and leaving diners to yodel across the floor to be heard. Luckily, Rudy’s has brought back its crack team of servers who help you navigate the menu.
The new menu keeps the best of the old Rudy’s — flavorful Belgian frites — and adds some great new touches. Just be warned: Portion sizes on some dishes are in line with modern restaurant realities — as in, microscopic. Those artisanal cheeses came in tiny bites, but still please with uncompromising flavor, complemented by Judi’s European Bakery bread. Entrées were generous and tasty, including a onion-packed veggie burger deemed “the best in New Haven,” by a companion who has sampled them all. Merguez sausage, a spiced Moroccan lamb delicacy, took center stage on a cracker-crisp flatbread of generous proportions and impressive complexity. Also improved in scope and presentation is the main attraction of the old Rudy’s — beer. The new bar now offers New Haven’s best selection of Belgian ales, potent brews often with hint of sweetness. La Chouffe Golden in a bottle was crisp and dry with complex notes of fruit and spice. Tripel Karmeliet on draft Continued on 44
We’ve Moved 932 State St. (next to Humphrey St.) New Haven, CT 203.787.0227 Come see our new location. Same great food & original cocktails. Our meticulously composed small plates provide our guests with a premier dining experience while offering seasonal American selections in the heart of New Haven Our signature cocktails incorporate fresh fruits, herbs, house made infusions and modern cooking techniques all for the sake of deliciousness. Our guests can also enjoy an extensive wine list with over 27 wines by the glass, specialty beers and a vast selection of spirits.
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opened with a hit of sweetness, followed by a lingering hoppy bite. Beers on tap range from traditional Belgian-style ales from European and North American craft brewers to rare Belgian pilsners and even a triple IPA. Plan a Belgian tasting if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not familiar with these brews â&#x20AC;&#x201D; arrange a designated driver.
JUST A TASTE: Hao Si Chaun releasing a gush of broth with each bite.
PhotoL Lisa Wilder
Rudyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
Another lashing of Szechwan pepper oil was the main ďŹ&#x201A;avor note on a dish of sliced ďŹ sh, the white ďŹ lets swimming in a sea of scarlet. â&#x20AC;&#x153;That looks dangerous,â&#x20AC;? my dining companion said, taking note of the dried chili peppers adrift in the oil. The mild ďŹ sh didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have much to add ďŹ&#x201A;avor-wise, but cilantro, scallions and gingers held their own to make for an intoxicating blend over rice.
No, this is not your freshman-year Rudyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x201D; which for this old-timer is just ďŹ ne. With its top-quality food and adventurous beer list, the new Rudyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s deserves to attract a new generation of fans ready to hoist a glass downtown. Rudyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bar & Grill, 1227 Chapel St., New Haven (203-865-1242).
HaoSiChuan owner, Judy zHu.
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oes this come with a side of earplugs?
That question arose on a recent evening at Hao Si Chaun in West Haven, when a boisterous table of men nearby conducted a vigorous debate in Chinese, jugs of wine sitting on the ďŹ&#x201A;oor. A TV blaring â&#x20AC;&#x153;the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s funniest videosâ&#x20AC;? above our table added to the din: We could have been in a hole-in-the-wall in Chengdu or a sports bar in Stamford. But authenticity is ďŹ ne when it comes to whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s served at Hao Si Chaun â&#x20AC;&#x201C; some of the ďŹ nest and ďŹ ercest Szechwan food in an area already gaining notice for a wealth of top-notch Chinese restaurants.
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A meal at Hao Si Chaun starts with a snack of cabbage pickle, doused in oil spiced with numbing Szechwan peppercorn. The crunch of the cabbage and bite of the pepper interweave to wake up the palate and signal the uncompromising ďŹ&#x201A;avors to come. Dan Dan noodles, a popular starter, come doused in chili oil and scallions, tender noodles serving as a perfect foil for the bright ďŹ&#x201A;avors. An appetizer of vegetable dumplings could have served as an entrĂŠe, pillowy in a steamer with a potent soy dipping sauce. Pork soup dumplings also arrived in daunting quantities, full of seasoned pork and
Duck rich with crispy skin did better holding up to a red chili sauce, augmented by tender green beans and a salty punch of soy. A side of bok choy, garlicky and tender, and excellent white rice cooked to perfection help bank the ďŹ res set by the generous use of chili and pepper. Yes, the lighting is harsh and the dĂŠcor perfunctory, even by Chinese-restaurant standards. But friendly and helpful servers add some warmth, explaining the more mysterious menu items like â&#x20AC;&#x153;Elder Duckâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;SautĂŠed Sponge Cucumber.â&#x20AC;? With West Havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Iron Chef, Lao Sze Chuan in Milford and Shanghai Gourmet in Orange, the Post Road and its environs have become a destination for quality Chinese food. Hao Si Chaun brings some ďŹ re to the lineup and is well worth a visit. Hao Si Chaun, 1049 Boston Post Rd., West Haven (203-934-8800).
A Century
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Hubbard says the Ivoryton Playhouse Foundation, which was founded in 1978, works to sustain the theater ďŹ nancially in an era of exploding entertainment options. She notes how the world has changed since the theater ďŹ rst opened, with movies, computers, TV and so many other distractions. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For me personally, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more important to keep theater going because so much of our lives now are â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;virtual,â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? Hubbard expresses. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So much of what we do and how we relate to each other is not live. I think the most important thing is the live human connections that you only get in the theater.â&#x20AC;? The theaterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ofďŹ ce manager, Diane Miezejeski, explains that the playhouse has an intimate feel due to its size, and audience members are not far from the action. She explains how the theater really hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been changed a lot over the decades. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not big and glitzy,â&#x20AC;? Miezejeski says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;but you never know whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on our stage now will become famous at some point.â&#x20AC;? In recent years the building has undergone several improvements, including a new HVAC system, shingles, seats and sound and lighting systems. The stage has had new decking and ďŹ&#x201A;ooring added, but still remains at the original height. Bobbie Hardgrove, who has lived in Essex for 45 years, says the playhouse looks so much better than when she ďŹ rst attended performances there as a kid. She says the playhouse has brought more life back to the town. The theater is quite an economic driver for the
town, as the people who see the shows will have a bite at the cafĂŠ or stay at the Ivoryton Inn. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the reason people come here,â&#x20AC;? says Hubbard. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think regardless of the economy theater has a place. It has a place to lift you up when times are hard, and when times are good itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a time to celebrate. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll still be here.â&#x20AC;?
distinctive
Locals say what makes the theater special isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just its size, location or history, but the ghosts of actors left behind who still lurk the tiny halls and dressing rooms. Hubbard says her staff is convinced thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a ghost inhabiting the premises. No one has yet gotten a good look at her (they think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a female, who may be clad in darkish garb), but some have sensed her running down the hall or heard her footsteps on the stage. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s probably the reason it is still here,â&#x20AC;? jokes Hubbard. Hubbard says the theaterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s endurance comes down to thinking ahead and choosing the right plays to produce. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When you come to the playhouse,â&#x20AC;? says Hubbard, â&#x20AC;&#x153;youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re part of that. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the difference between watching and being part of it.â&#x20AC;? The Ivoryton season runs from March to November. Monday-night cabarets and a Christmas â&#x20AC;&#x153;spectacularâ&#x20AC;? are among the off-season productions. Aside from maintaining the building and paying the bills, Hubbard says the challenge is ďŹ nding shows that people want to come and see: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think if we can do those things, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be good for another 100 years.â&#x20AC;?
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By SUSAN E. CORNELL
A Rose by Any Other Name Beautiful, sweet scented roses are plentiful at Elizabeth Park, a 102-acre breath of fresh air (and a site on the National Register of Historic Places) located on the Hartford/West Hartford town line. The park is home to a 2.5-acre rose garden replete with 15,000 bushes and more than 600 varieties of roses. The property was once owned by Charles M. Pond, a wealthy industrialist and statesman whose résumé included serving as director of Hartford Hospital, the Phoenix Fire Insurance Co. and the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad. Pond’s career also included a stint as president of the Hartford Trust Co. as well as a term as Connecticut State Treasurer.
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When Pond passed on to his great reward, the property went to the city of Hartford with the stipulation that it be used as a horticultural park and that be named for Pond’s late wife, Elizabeth. Theodore Wirth, considered the dean of the local parks movement, was engaged to design the garden areas. He proposed a rose garden because, he said, “It would please the people.” Today’s Elizabeth Park encompasses garden areas, pathways, lawns, a pond, a picnic grove and recreation areas. Regardless of whether you are into one of the most stunning spots in Connecticut (so beautiful that Elizabeth Park is a hot spot for proposals and weddings), there are ample concerts and other events that are free and open to the public. And if you are planning on tying the know, note that three or four weddings are held each weekend in the park during warm-weather months, so plan accordingly. This summer’s concert schedule is hosted by the Friends of Elizabeth Park, a nonprofit organization that maintains, restores and preserves the park’s
horticultural gardens. All concerts begin at 6:30 p.m. on the Rose Garden Lawn, so pack a picnic and enjoy fabulous and free entertainment. June 22: Eight to the Bar (swing band) June 29: Tirebiter (rock ‘n’ roll) July 6: Times Square (rock, ‘50s & ‘60s) July 13: Latanya Farrell (soul, R&B) July 20: Steppin’ Out (Beach Boys, Abba) July 27: Fiesta del Norte (Mexican) August 3: Zydeco Hogs (Zydeco & Cajun) August 10: Soul Sensation (soul, R&B) August 17: Goza (Latino & Brazilian salsa) August 24: MassConnFusion (rock, R&B) Elizabeth Park also hosts rose garden tours, history tours, perennial garden tours, full moon tours, poetry readings, a rose show and a dahlia show. Visit elizabethpark.org for a full schedule of events.
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DROPS IN HOLLAND BECOME PINTS IN AMERICA. The people of Holland craft a mighty fine brew, that’s why every drop of Heineken is taken straight from Amsterdam. Every. Single. Drop. And if these pints could talk, well, we’d need someone who spoke Dutch.
Enjoy Heineken Responsibly ©2011 Heineken® Lager Beer. Brewed in Holland. Imported by Heineken USA Inc., White Plains, NY.