Summer Theatre Fun for Kids

The Missoula Children's Theatre provides a week-long residency "starring" 50-60 of your local students in a full-scale musical.   This week-long residency begins with an open group audition and culminates in two public performances.  Fifty to sixty students grades 1-12, or a combination of these ages, are cast and well rehearsed throughout the week, learning lines, songs and choreography to perform as an ensemble in producing a full-length musical. All of the shows are original adaptations of children's stories and fairytales—a twist on the classic stories that you know and love. Auditions will be held for the Missoula Children's Theatre (MCT) original adaptation of Robin Hood on July 7 from 10 am to 12 noon at the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center in Old Saybrook. Those auditioning should arrive at 10 am and plan to stay for the full two hours. Some of the cast members will be asked to stay for a rehearsal immediately following the audition.

All students, entering 1st grade through 12th grade are encouraged to audition. No advance preparation is necessary. Assistant Directors will also be cast to aid in rehearsals throughout the week and to take on essential backstage responsibilities.
MCT has been touring for 39 years. Annually, MCT visits nearly 1,300 communities in all 50 states, 3 Canadian Territories and 5 provinces and 16 countries. Our mission is the development of lifeskills in children through participation in the performing arts. Creativity, social skills, goal achievement, communication skills and self-esteem are all characteristics that are attained through participation in this unique and educational project. A team of two professional tour actor/directors arrive in your town with scenery, costumes, props, make-up and basic lighting—everything it takes to put on a play . . . except the cast.
The time is simply long ago and the place is the magical, mythical Sherwood Forest. Our hero, Robin Hood, and his Merry Band of colorful characters seek the help of the Foresters, manage to waylay the Aristocrats and set out to rescue Maid Marion and Marion’s Maid. Prince John tries to stay calm as his Sheriff, guards and horsemen botch Robin’s arrest thanks to the aromatic Skunks. Wacky humor and an original score add to this fresh new look at a legendary outlaw in a legendary time.

Shoreline Arts Alliance will offer a theater performing arts program to children in the community.  Session 1, Cinderella Shakesperience is July 21- July 25 and Session 2, King Lear Shakesperience is July 28 – August 1, from 9am-3pm on the Guilford Town Green.  Tents and rain location will be provided.  Rising Star is an outreach program for ages 7 – 17.  Tuition is $250.00 per week.   Need based scholarships are available.  These one-week energy-filled, fun, entertaining theater experiences will encourage creativity, reading and interpretation, and engagement in an artistic endeavor.  Rising Star embraces the theater arts and will speak to the child’s desire and need to be recognized, to have their own voice and yet be nurtured as a successful individual as well as a contributing member of a team.  The theater workshops will illustrate and educate participants on the issues and values that shed light on the human condition and are relevant to today’s world.  Alongside the goals of promoting creativity, critical thinking, cooperation, literacy enrichment, and self-confidence, this week-long program is designed to offer an educational experience for participants.  All participants will receive training from professional instructors in script analysis, interpretation and performance, and will briefly touch on set design, sound and lighting, costume design, and stage management.  Older participants will also benefit from training in work/life skills (i.e. proper dress, inter-personal development, work ethic, public speaking, communication, etc.) to develop and strengthen crucial skills aiding in admission to college or entrance into the work force.  Shoreline Arts Alliance is again working with Shakesperience Productions, Inc. for the operation of Rising Star summer theater experience.

For Ages 5 to 10

This state-licensed camp brings together professional teaching artists from two of the area’s leading providers of arts education – Community Music School and Tracy Art Center – at the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center. This summer arts day camp for boys and girls ages 5 to 10 years old is filled with music, dance, art, and theater and each week culminates in a performance for family and friends! The Camp has four one-week sessions, offering a diverse range of activities on a rotating basis that ensure a fresh experience for even the most frequent camper.

Hours: Monday through Thursday from 9 am to 3 pm and Friday from 9 am through the conclusion of the performance (approximately 2:30 pm).
Tuition: $250 per session (includes a camp t-shirt); 10% household discount for sibling registered for the same session, or for 2nd or 3rd session enrollment (discount not applied through online registration, please call).

Session II: July 21 – 25
Cool Cats! Jazz and All That

We are all about jazz this week!  Jazzy kids will play violin, dulcimer, recorder and various rhythm instruments,
as well as using their scat singing voices! Jazzy stories and fun games indoors and out will make this week so much fun. Music, art and dance will be included in our final performance along with a piece called, “El Gato Pizzicato”! Violin students must have at least one year of study and read music.  Performance 7/25

Session III: July 28 – Aug. 1
BROADWAY BEGINNERS – Go Fish

Musical theater for the youngest thespians!  A Tuna Fish who can’t carry a tune? A Star Fish who can’t get an acting job? A seven-legged Octopus? A Zebra Fish with spots? A Tiger Shark who wants to be friends with everyone? Join  in the aquatic fun as little Tiger Shark and his unique collection of friends discover how their differences make them each special. Performance 8/1

Session IV: Aug. 4 – 8
Tell Me A Tale: The Art of Storytelling 

We’ll bring storytelling and literature to life through music, art and dance! We will discover folk tales of diverse cultures and create a tale of our own. Bring your imagination and creativity to spin a golden tale to be told to family and friends! Performance 8/8

Joe Flood Featured at The Buttonwood Tree in Middletown

Playing a variety of stringed instruments, Joe Flood delivers original material in what Karen Schoemer in the New York Times called “a gravelly voice that perfectly straddles the fence between country and the blues.” His songs inhabit a place where folk and blues roots meet the craft of Tin Pan Alley and the soul of the street. They have been covered by artists as diverse as the New Orleans style jazz band The Flying Neutruinos and Alt Country Chanteuse Laura Cantrell. His individual style has made him a favored co-writer of Levon Helm of the legendary group The Band as well as producer/guitarist Eric “Roscoe” Ambel. Joe’s delivery on record and in person is straightforward, real, and engaging, a style that is a direct result of his years as a busker and journeyman musician whose survival depended on making it count every time he played or opened his mouth to sing. Joe hit the road at eighteen playing the streets of San Francisco, New Orleans, Montreal, and Boston, and seeing forty-six of the fifty states. He then headed to Europe where he honed his songwriting skills and toured the continent with, among others, the Lost Wandering Blues and Jazz Band, a continually evolving unit whose alumni include Joan Osborne, Madeleine Peyroux, Japanese harmonica virtuoso Chikara Tsuzuki, and such mainstays of the New York R&B scene as Mr. Thing and Ron Sunshine. While playing with the Lost Wandering, Joe wrote many of the early jazz-flavored songs that would later appear on his disc “Hotel Albert.”Performance is Saturday, July 5 at 8pm.  For tickets and more nformation visit: www.thebuttonwoodtree.org.

Nash Baroque Ensemble to perform in Guilford,CT July 12 at Christ Episcopal Church

Join period ensemble, “Nash Baroque” on Saturday, July 12 for a celebratory concert of music of the 17th and 18th century British Isles and Colonial America. Featuring music of Purcell, Handel and Arne, the program highlights the influence of the musical traditions of Ireland, Scotland and England on the music and culture of a young country.

Nash Baroque performs on Saturday, July 12th, at Christ Episcopal Church in Guilford at 7:30 pm again on Sunday, July 13, at the Unitarian Society of New Haven, Hamden at 4:00 pm . The ensemble’s members feature guest soprano, Jessica Petrus, Douglas Kelley, Viola da Gamba: Bay Area’s Katherine Heater, harpsichord and Vicki Melin, Baroque Flute. The program features Three Airs for soprano by Henry Purcell, Arias from Handel Odes; The “Ode to St. Cecelia” and “ L’Allegro e il Penseroso”, Songs from Thomas Arne’s Masque, “Comus” , Handel Flute Sonata in G major, Matthew Locke sonata for Viola da Gamba, and Assorted devotional, theatrical music,
songs, dances and military tunes of the American Colonies- including the first secular song by an American composer“ My Days Have Been so Wondrous Free”.

All specialists on historical instruments and styles, the members of Nash Baroque are made up of members from both the East and West coasts and are dedicated to the performance of historical chamber music of the 17th and 18th centuries. While living on the CT Shoreline, group member, Vicki Melin founded the Nash Baroque Ensemble, naming it after her forbear, Thomas Naish, a blacksmith and a founding member of the
settlement of New Haven and original signee of the Guilford Covenant of 1639.

7:30 pm, Saturday July 12 in Guilford, CT
4:00 pm Sunday July 13, in Hamden, CT

Saturday 12th: Christ Episcopal Church, 11 Park Street, Guilford, CT .Tickets $ 15.00 at the Door or Breakwater books in Guilford.

Sunday: Unitarian Society of New Haven; 700 Hartford Turnpike in Hamden Ct. Tickets: Good will donation at door.

For Information call (203) 453-2279 or visit Nashbaroque.org.

“Soulcology In Metal” Exhibit

Guilford Art Center is hosting Soulcology: An Exhibition in Metal, a national, juried exhibition of a wide variety of works by contemporary metal artists. The exhibit will be on view June 6-July 27, 2014.

Organized by GAC metalsmithing and jewelrymaking instructor Lanette Barber, Soulcology will display a broad spectrum of the many works that can be made of metal, expressively displaying the many techniques used to conform metal into items from the organic to the angular, from jewelry to sculpture, functional art and more.

‘Soulcology’ is a word to describe the emotional and psychological component of how personal lives affect artists’ work, design, and process,” explains Barber. “This show will express the rejuvenation that occurs from life’s distractions. This awakening brings us to new places in our minds and therefore transforms the work in many different ways.”

Juror for the exhibit was Robert Dancik, renowned metal artist and teacher who has exhibited his jewelry and sculpture in museums and galleries across the US and in Europe, Japan, and Australia. He has taught workshops at art centers in the US and abroad for more than 30 years.

The opening reception for Soulcology is Friday, June 13, 6-8pm; it is free and open to the public. Admission is free. Gallery hours are Monday through Saturday 10am-4pm, Sunday 12-4pm.

The Branford Festival 2014 June 13th – 15th Celebrating 30 years 1985-2014

Since its inception in 1985, Father’s Day Weekend in Branford has become synonymous with The Branford Festival. The Historic Town Green is transformed into a festival of crafts, activities, food, live music and much, much more. Whatever your interests, there is something available for the entire family.

Come celebrate!!! This year’s 30th edition of the Branford Festival will kick off on Friday, June 13th, 2014 and continue through Sunday, June 15th. If you have never been to the festival, check out the photo gallery of past weekends, then check the schedule and make your plans for the weekend. If you are a veteran of the festival, check out what’s new and make your plans for another fun-packed weekend. Click here for event schedule.

The Dialogue Continues - Things That Really Matter

The New Haven Chorale will present "The Dialogue Continues - Things That Really Matter,” a program of choral music and panel discussion, on Thursday, June 12, 2014 at Trinity Church on the Green free to the public. A panel of community religious leaders will explore important social issues confronting our communities today, with choral music complementing and emphasizing these topics. This event will continue a dialogue begun in panel discussions that accompanied the Chorale’s 2013 New Haven and Hartford performances of "Understanding" which explored common ground among religions.

Christopher (Kip) Bergstrom, Deputy Commissioner of Connecticut’s Department of Economic and Community Development, will moderate a discussion among the following panelists, with audience participation.

Mehlaqa Samdani is founder and executive director of Critical Connections, a Massachusetts-based non-profit committed to improving understanding of the Muslim world and Muslim Diaspora, and a peace-building associate at the Karuna Peacebuilding Center in Amherst, MA, developing a proposal to address sectarian violence in Pakistan.

Fr. James Manship of Saint Rosa de Lima Church in New Haven was named “Person of the Year” by the New Haven Register and featured in the Hartford Courant for serving as an advocate for people suffering racial discrimination.

Rabbi Joshua Rattner, of Congregation Kol Ami in Cheshire, CT, was ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary where he was a Joseph Neubauer Fellow and earned a Master's Degree in Midrash and a Certificate in Pastoral Care. Passionate about interplay between Judaism, culture, and public policy, he has worked as a rabbinic fellow for both the Rabbinical Assembly and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. He previously earned a JD from Columbia Law School and practiced law for five years before deciding to become a rabbi.

Rev. Frederick J. Streets served as the Yale University Chaplain and Senior Pastor of the Church of Christ in Yale from 1992-2007, where he established a model for multi-faith campus ministry. Jerry currently serves as Pastor of the Dixwell Avenue Congregational United Church of Christ. The Reverend Dr. Streets is no stranger to his current post, having served there as an intern during his seminary years.

To develop “The Dialogue Continues,” the Chorale gathered a working group last fall of community religious leaders, several of whom had also participated in developing the “Understanding” project, to frame its vision and plan the forum for community and religious leaders and the public to talk about pressing social issues affecting the community. It is hoped that upon leaving the event, attendees would:
1.   Recognize that we, as faith communities, are not doing enough to address severe social, economic, and health challenges impacting the larger community;
2.  Understand the web of causation and the challenges impacting inner cities in general;
3.   Recognize that no one faith community can solve the problems alone, and that stronger relationships, better understanding, and commitments to work together must be developed in order to address these challenges;
4.   Appreciate that even one small act of kindness can change a life, and that many acts of kindness can change communities.

The Chorale invites members of community organizations, senior residences, educational institutions, and the congregations of area churches, mosques and synagogues to this event since the social issues affect so many individuals and the quality of life in the community.

While not a religious organization itself, the New Haven Chorale believes that music is a universal language, and that choral music offers a powerful opportunity to eloquently communicate words of great impact and understanding. Since much of its repertoire is based on religious texts which express timeless insights into humanity’s search for meaning and purpose in life, the Chorale helps build community by collaborating with partners to put the power of choral music, with its great themes, to work. In so doing the New Haven Chorale hopes to expand interest in choral music and encourage civic engagement by other individuals and groups.

Press Release from New Haven Chorale

Summer Events Need Your Help: A Call for Volunteers - Shakespeare on the Shoreline

Shakespeare on the Shoreline
August and Shoreline Arts Alliance brings the 13th annual Shakespeare on the Shoreline production and ‘theatre under the stars’ to the Guilford Green.  Today, like boating, baseball and barbecues, Shakespeare on the Shoreline is the most popular and well recognized cultural mainstay of the community, drawing crowds from all over the area with its engaging, entertaining, and educational performances (according to the Wall Street Journal).


The 2014 season features the renowned Shakesperience Productions, Inc. of Waterbury, CT presenting this summer’s main stage performance of King Lear.  Shakesperience leads a highly trained theatrical troupe which employs the Shakesperience Approach.  This Approach blends artistry, positive behavior, interactivity, and business sense into a singular voice of leadership, thought and action, onstage and off.  Their productions are always family-friendly and provide opportunity for conversation about topics and subject matter that enhance family dynamics.  Performances are August 6 – 10.

Read below for the many volunteer opportunities in and around the Shakespeare performances.  Call the Shoreline Arts Alliance office at 203-453-3890 or email donita@shorelinearts.org to sign up or for more information.

Set Construction: The volunteer will work directly with the Managing Director and technical crew to build and paint the stage, sets and lighting towers.  Work days will be July 30, August 1, August 4, 5, & 6. No prior experience necessary.  Tech crew will provide instruction and supervision.

Housing:  Host families are needed to provide accomodations for members of the cast and crew from Monday, August 4 until Monday, August 11.  Cast and crew are responsible for their meals and transportation.  A great opportunity to show Guilford’s hospitality and to get to know the actors and technical crew.

Ushers: Volunteers are needed to assist in escorting audience to seating areas (especially those with special needs) for the pre and post show discussions and for the main production; to distribute playbills; collect surveys; take donations at intermission; assist in escorting those with special needs to their vehicles at the end of the show. In-service nightly at 5:45pm.  Volunteers may offer services for pre-show events, post-show events, intermission or all of the above.

Information Booth Assistant: One volunteer per evening is needed to assist in the Shoreline Arts Alliance information booth from 6pm until 10pm. In-service nightly at 5:45pm

Set Breakdown: Volunteers will work with the Sound and Lighting crew and the managing director to breakdown the set.  Help is needed Sunday night, August 10 at the close of the show and during the day on Monday, August 11. No prior experience required.  Tech crew will provide instruction and supervision.

Stage Hands: Jobs will vary based on the theatre company's needs. Volunteer needed nightly from Tuesday, August 5 through the close of the show August 10.  This is a great opportunity for a high school theatre student to learn 'behind the scenes' work.

Summer Events Need Your Help: A Call for Volunteers - EXPO

                             EXPO
In celebration of its 57th year, the GUILFORD ART CENTER’s annual Craft Expo will return once again to the scenic and historic Guilford Green, celebrating the arts with its extensive array of handmade crafts by American artists. Craft Expo 2014 will be held for three days*: Friday, July 18 through Sunday, July 20. *Note the day changes this year!

Craft Expo 2014 will bring more than 180 nationally-recognized craft artists to Guilford, whose exquisite-quality works help rank this event as one of the top craft shows in New England and the country. As a celebration of the arts and a signature happening for the town of Guilford and the Connecticut shoreline, Craft Expo is a must-see summer event.

Have some extra time? Want to contribute to the arts? Volunteering at GAC is a great way to meet new people, experience art up close and learn new skills. We can use your talents in our shop, gallery, and at our summer Craft Expo on the Guilford Green. Because we value our volunteers, we say “thank you” with a discount in our shop and on our classes.

Volunteer Opportunities:

Set up Help, Thursday, July 17, starting 6pm
Set up Help, Friday, July 18, 9-11am

Assist artists as necessary transporting goods from vehicles to tent sites. Can be arduous, but is very helpful for the very appreciative artists.

Gate/Ticket sellers  This  job will keep you busy and is one of the most fun and important tasks at the fair. You will greet each customer as they come through the gate, take their money, make change, collect $1.00 coupons and postcards, give them a program and answer any questions that they might have. You also will send people to the HQ table for membership sales and renewals, show visitors how to orient themselves with the map of the grounds, or direct them to the Rest Rooms or Food Court. You will also need to verify members against a current membership list, and stamp the hands of guests who whish to re-enter the show.  There will be a notebook with complete instructions at the gate.

Silent Auction Helper   You will be helping to run the Silent Auction table. Tasks may include gathering donations from exhibitors, filling out bidding forms, setting up the table for the day, and showing fair patrons how to sign up for a bidding number. You will be working inside a tent; further instructions will be provided.

Friday (7/18): 11am-2pm   2-5pm   5-8pm
Saturday (7/19): 10am-1pm   1-4pm   4-6pm
Sunday (7/20): 12-4pm

Artist Ally  This is a great shift for someone who loves to interact with people. Artist Allies provide booth relief to any exhibitor who may need it so that they can take a 15 minute bathroom break, lunch break, etc. You are not allowed to make sales in their absence, just watch their booth and safeguard their merchandise. You will also walk through the fair and report any problems to staff, let people know where restrooms are and answer basic customer questions.

Kids Crafts Table
Friday (7/18), Saturday (7/19), Sunday (7/20), 1-4pm

Summer Events Need Your Help A Call for Volunteers-Projects 2K

Projects 2K

With Summer Solstice just a few weeks away Projects 2K is gearing up for another spectacular multi-media presentation in the Stony Creek Quarry.  Projects for a New Millennium was established in 1993 by Joy Wulke, environmental artist, as a non-profit corporation to create collaborative events that foster the fusing of art, science, and ecological concerns as a means of discovery, appreciation, and stewardship of the natural world. Joy passed away on February 25 but Projects for a New Millennium and its collaborators continue to aspire to extend presentations and educational programming illustrating a useful and wondrous philosophy of life, a worldview that celebrates our differences while recognizing the importance of our timeless common goals of peace and freedom in an environmentally sound world.  Terra Tractus: The Earth Moves celebrates the 20th Anniversary of P2K by providing spectacular, thought provoking and educational programming June 19, 20, 22 and June 25-29, 2014! This dynamic multi-media marvel tells the story of the quarry’s geological and human history through the past, present and future, through laser light, original music, kinetic sculpture, LED’s, dancers, projections, rock climbers, fireworks, shadow puppetry, pyrotechnics and much much more.

Many volunteers are needed for this spectacular event. Please contact
p2kvolunteer@gmail.com and consider giving some time in one or more of these positions:

Bus Shaman -  Like a bus monitor, this position requires the volunteer to interact with the public. The Bus Shaman will ride with each shuttle bus providing guests with a scripted, yet entertaining explanation of the history of Projects for a New Millennium, the overall performance schedule/endeavor, and provide only brief hints about the Terra Tractus experience.

Trail Guides - The Trail Guide volunteer will greet passengers as they offload from the buses at the Quarry, and corral them into groups of 10 to 16 to guide them up a designated secondary trail, culminating at the Box Office tent for ticket taking and last minute admission changes.

Production Assistants - The volunteer will work directly with the production crew. Knowledge of theater production is a plus, as well as experience with stage crew, lighting and/or audio equipment. Must be able to lift and carry up to 50 pounds. Must be comfortable on rough terrain.

Pre-Show Tai Chi (experience preferred but not absolutely necessary)
Assist in enhancing the pre-show quarry atmosphere 6pm-to show time. Each Tai Chi participant will be assigned a block at a strategic location to practice Tai Chi routines and poses.

Parking and Security - Volunteers will be scheduled up to 2 hours before show time (6p).  A limited amount of VIP tickets will be available for purchase which include parking on-site at the Quarry.  Volunteers will guide cars into provided parking areas and direct audience members to Trail Guides

VIP Area - Need 1 Bartender and 1 Artist Docent each night

Merchandise and Exhibit area