Elm City Beat

If you haven't been to the Mansion yet your missing out. This venue is an old large Victorian Gothic home once owned by James F. Babcock, a lawyer and publisher of the New Haven Palladium, the 1828 pro-Rebulican daily. An up close and personal kind of place, it is well documented that Abraham Lincoln and Capt. James Babcock were good friends. Lincoln spent many nights at the mansion and gave speeches from the porch.

There are fireplaces and hiding places and the juice is pouring. Located east of the Quinnipiac River what they call the Fair Haven Heights and once called the "DRAGON" oystering village area. During the Mansion "Happy Hours" every Friday and Saturday nights you get to sample great foods and hear live local musicians but you will need to call Mary or Ed to arrange your private invitation.

You never know who is going to show and sit in with the band or for that matter who the band will be. Dress is club attire. Oh, and if you need catering talk to Mary, she can arrange an elaborate feast on site or off.

Long Wharf Theatre will stage a new, contemporary adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s classic work A Doll’s House as the final play of its 2009-10 season.

Artistic Director Gordon Edelstein will both adapt and direct the play, which is scheduled to be performed April 28-May 23, 2010 on Mainstage.

After years of facing financial challenges a suburban family is finally solvent again. Dad has an important new job at an investment bank, the kids are doing well and Mom, at last, is able to make a home befitting her dreams. Unfortunately their financial resurrection is built on an illusion. Dad’s rise, unbeknownst to him, has been in large part illegally engineered by his wife. This world premiere adaptation casts Ibsen’s beloved, visceral drama in a contemporary light.

A Doll’s House continues Edelstein’s exploration of the classics, carefully re-examining the plays to search for what is vibrant and current about them, a process done to great critical acclaim in his recent productions of The Glass Menagerie (which is moving to New York in the spring), The Price and Uncle Vanya, among others.

“This is one of the most famous plays of the past 200 years. What I’m going to endeavor to do is rid the play of all of its expected baggage … This play has a lot of interesting people behaving in desperate ways. I think it is interesting to explore what drives these people. I am really going to take a look at what is contemporary about the play,” Edelstein said. “This play is a lot funnier than people realize, and a lot sexier. It should be very alive and vivid. This will not be A Doll’s House as you’ve seen it before.”

LONG WHARF THEATRE: 2009-10 SEASON

The Fantasticks
Book and Lyrics by Tom Jones
Music by Harvey Schmidt
Directed by Amanda Denhart
October 7-November 1, Mainstage
This hit musical with book and lyrics by Tom Jones and music by Harvey Schmidt, the longest running Off-Broadway musical in history, tells the story of Luisa and Matt, a pair entering the bloom of their youth. Their fathers, scheming to encourage their budding love, hire the trickster El Gallo to "thwart" their romance. By moonlight, Matt and Luisa fall hard for each other. However, can their romance survive the sunlight?

Have You Seen Us?
A World Premiere by Athol Fugard
Directed by Gordon Edelstein
November 24- December 20, Mainstage
Christmas Eve. A diner in a Southern California strip mall. Henry Parsons, a professor and South African transplant comes in for his usual—a turkey sandwich and insulting banter with Adela, the Mexican-American waitress. The two creep towards a fragile understanding until Solly and Rachael, an eastern European Jewish couple sit down to eat. The couple’s entrance forces Henry to a reckoning with the demons in his heart and, for a moment, unites four lost souls. Athol Fugard returns to Long Wharf Theatre, unrelenting in his search for our common humanity.

Lil’s 90th
A World Premiere by Darci Picoult
Directed by Jo Bonney
January 6-February 7, Stage II
As Lillian nears a milestone birthday, she and her family put the finishing touches on the much-anticipated party at which she’ll make her singing debut. There’s a speech to be written, a band to rehearse and, of course, an outfit to choose. But then Lil’s husband Charlie’s secret gets out—the birthday surprise that he hoped would make her day may instead tear their lives apart. In Darci Picoult’s playful and poignant new play, when reason fails, it is the power of love that stands the test of aging.

Sylvia
By A. R. Gurney
Directed by Eric Ting
February 17-March 14, Mainstage
Sylvia, a lovable dog, would do anything for Greg. A constant companion, she loves him unconditionally and hangs on his every word. Greg would do anything for Sylvia, even staying home from work to spend time with her. Greg’s wife Kate, on the other hand, isn’t thrilled that Sylvia’s made herself so at home, let alone that she’s sleeping on Kate’s precious couch. Add the fact that Sylvia is played by a vivacious young woman and you view the relationship between a man and his best friend in a whole new way. A.R. Gurney, author of The Dining Room and The Cocktail Hour, charms with his comedy, which has been a hit in the United States and internationally.

No Child…
written and performed by Nilaja Sun
directed by Hal Brooks
March 17-April 18, Stage II
In her revelatory solo show, writer/performer Nilaja Sun draws from firsthand experience as a teaching artist in New York City’s public schools, portraying 16 characters in 70 minutes to illuminate the trials and triumphs within America’s education system. No one—teacher, student, janitor, principal or security guard—is left behind by Sun’s hilarious and heartbreaking expose, which has been a smash hit off Broadway and across the nation.


For more information about purchasing subscriptions, call 203-787-4282, or visit the Long Wharf Theatre box office at 222 Sargent Drive, New Haven, CT.

Want to learn what makes the City of New Haven work (or not)?

This fall, the Office of the Mayor will be coordinating New Haven’s Democracy School – a seven session course aimed at introducing residents to their local government.
Residents will get to talk to key administrators and decision-makers in city government and local politics. These leaders will make presentations on their roles and priorities, as well as engage in structured discussions with participants. Hopefully, this will serve as a pathway for participating residents to increase their leadership and involvement in the community.

Topics will include:

Governing the City;
Community & Economic Development;
Budget, Finance & Taxes;
Quality Neighborhoods;
Community Services,
Health & A Livable City;
and Youth and Education

The Democracy School begins Wednesday, September 2nd and will meet on Wednesday nights, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm for seven weeks. Refreshments willbe provided by area restaurants.

Interested? Download an application at http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/government/pdfs/City%20of%20New%20Haven%20Democracy%20School%20Application.pdf

Or contact Emily Byrne at EByrne@newhavenct.net with questions.

Applications are due Friday, August 21, 2009

The Upper State Street Association is pleased to announce a new
farmer's market to take place in the East Rock neighborhood of New
Haven every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Upper State Farm
Market will be located at 1006 State Street, near the corner of State
and Lawrence. The market's opening day is Saturday, August 1, 2009. It is scheduled to open weekly through Thanksgiving.

The mission of the Upper State Farm Market is to help local farmers
connect with consumers while promoting community on Upper State Street
and in New Haven. Organized by a volunteer committee of neighborhood
residents, and coordinated by the Upper State Street Association, the
market will feature local farm vendors selling CT-grown produce, eggs,
meats (beef and pork), maple syrup, honey, and flowers. Featured
vendors include Eaglewood Farms of Barkhamsted, and Killam and
Bassette Farmstead of South Glastonbury. The Farm Market will also
feature local vendors Chestnut Fine Foods, selling breads and CT-made
cheeses, and Koffee on Audubon, selling coffee and baked goods.

The volunteer organizers of The Farm Market recognize that CitySeed
has done an extraordinary job of establishing the culture of farmer's
markets in New Haven, as well as educating the city's residents on the
importance of local agriculture and sustainability.
"In the last two years ago we have received multiple requests for a
farm market on Upper State," said Ben Berkowitz, president of the
Upper State Street Association. "I am always amazed at the energy put
forth by business and community leaders in this neighborhood to
volunteer their time to make the neighborhood what they want it to be.
This market fits perfectly with the mission of Upper State Street,
where we have strived to build a stronger community around the central
business corridor of the neighborhood. While business owners are
providing logistical support, like Bob Frew, who is contributing his
property as the site for the market, residents like Melissa Goodall
and Michelle Komie have reached out to farmers and led the charge, are
providing the energy and organizing the group. It's the kind of
business/resident harmony that you expect from a `main street
community.'"

"The past five years on Upper State have been the best five years of
our business," said Fred Walker, owner of Chestnut Fine Foods. "The
surrounding neighborhood is one built on a strong sense of community
and we've been proud to be a part of that. We look forward to having
the Upper State Street Farm Market as an opportunity to further
connect our business to our neighborhood. "

An exciting new addition to Upper State Street, a neighborhood with a
longstanding market tradition in New Haven, the Farm Market will
provide a welcome opportunity for local farmers, merchants, and
residents to celebrate the rich and diverse offerings of New Haven and
Connecticut.

http://www.upperstatestreet.org/index.php

Neighborhood Music School in New Haven will welcome students age 13 and up, to its Summer Jazz Program, from August 3 – 7. Both children and adults will participate in five days packed with playing, learning and making music with some of Connecticut’s best jazz educators. Students of all levels will be placed in an ensemble appropriate to their degree of experience. Beginners are welcome. Each ensemble specializes in a genre such as Traditional, Fusion, Bebop, Latin or Jazz/Rock. All students will receive specialized instruction in skills such as Basic Improvisation and Ear Training. More advanced students will be placed in the NMS Big Band.

This year’s special guest artist will be baritone saxophonist Hamiet Bluiett, who will be leading the Big Band throughout the week. Bluiett uses an exciting and unusual technique that involves the usual Big Band instruments as a nontraditional, improvisational choir. Mr. Bluiett will offer a Master Class for NMS Jazz Program participants on August 4, followed by a Concert at 5:30 pm, open to the public. The Concert admission fee is $10 for the General Public and $5 for NMS Families, Students and Senior Citizens and free to NMS Summer Jazz Participants.

For the first time, NMS Summer Jazz students will have the opportunity to perform in the New Haven Jazz Festival on August 22nd at 4:00 on the New Haven Green. This summer marks the 14th year of the NMS Summer Jazz program, which is run by Jazz Studies Chair, Jesse Hameen II. A few openings remain in the program and limited financial aid may be available. Registration forms, program information and fees are available on-line at http://www.nmsmusicschool.org/ or by calling NMS at 203-624-5189.

Neighborhood Music School (NMS) is a nonprofit community arts school offering high-quality music, dance and drama instruction and programming at sites in New Haven, Guilford and Woodbridge. Established in downtown New Haven in 1911, NMS is now among the ten largest schools of its kind in the country, with 130 professional and dedicated teachers providing unique learning experiences to 3,000 children and adults residing in more than 80 towns throughout Connecticut. NMS programs are made possible in part with support from the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism.

Move over Freddy Kruger.....Connecticut based independent film production company Dalton Gang Productions recently closed a cable VOD distribution deal for its debut feature ‘Hunting Season’. The brutal slasher-survivalist thriller will be premiering August 1st 2009 across the U.S, Canada and Puerto Rico through an agreement with Gravitas Ventures arranged by The Bosko Group. ‘Hunting Season’ will be on VOD for 90 days.

The Gravitas VOD deal will make the feature available to more than 13 million subscribers across the continental United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Gravitas programs 15 films per month to dozens of cable, satellite, and telco VOD providers including Charter Communications, DISH Network, RCN and Verizon FIOS.

Hunting Season is the feature debut from director Nathan Wrann and Dalton Gang Productions. Husband and wife producing team, Nathan Wrann and Kimberly Dalton set out to create the horror movie they’d like to see — literate and coherent in plot, and brutal and unrelenting in tension. With Hunting Season, they’ve hit the mark with a vengeance. Production began in the wet, hot summer of 2006 as they gathered their resources: a cast of 10 friends; access to13 acres of wooded property just outside New Haven, CT; 2 part time, crew members, a plastic-tip-of-the-shoestring budget and a large bucket of blood, sweat and tears. Despite these limitations Wrann and Dalton were able to realize their vision to the extent that Mr. Wrann calls Hunting Season “A complete personal success.”
Hunting Season’s plot follows 6 friends on a camping trip deep in the woods for, what should be, “the best weekend ever.” The good times take a turn for the worse when, after a tragic “accident,” a pair of sadistic hunters wreaks violent, bloody, unrelenting havoc on the stranded campers.

You can check out the trailers or visit the website for more info...but consider yourself warned....it's not pretty!

http://www.huntingseason-themovie.com/Home.html

By City of New Haven

July 26, 2009 marked the 19th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). New Haven teens Tim Head, Jr. and Fatu Sheriff know first hand the importance of the Americans with Disabilities Act as they are both deaf. These individuals are busy working this summer for the City of New Haven’s Department of Parks, Recreation of Trees, in its tennis program, helping to give tennis lessons and preparing for the Pilot Pen.

These two young people were hired through a collaborative effort with the City of New Haven’s Youth@Work Program and the Department of Services for Persons with Disabilities through a grant funded by the State’s Connect-Ability Initiative. The City of New Haven is a local partner of the Connect-Ability Initiative, whose mission is to identify and remove barriers to employment faced by people with disabilities. New Haven’s focus is on youth ages 14-20.

Head and Sheriff were hired after John Pirtel, an employee from New Haven’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Trees heard of the New Haven’s initiative to promote the hiring youths with disabilities.

The ADA gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities and guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities to employment as well as other areas of our community that encourage them to be productive and full contributing members of their communities. Pirtel also knows first hand the importance of the ADA due his own hearing disability. Pirtel requested that they work together to find two youths with disabilities who could work with him this summer in the tennis program. Supports were put in place and Head and Sheriff were chosen to work with Pirtel who has served as a mentor to these two young people. Head and Sheriff have helped to teach sign language to other staff in the tennis program learning where everyone is experiencing the benefits of hiring someone with a disability. Head and Sheriff were hired based on their skills and have the same expectations as other employees.

New Haven — Tweefort has been hard at work soliciting and compiling songs from bands from Connecticut, as well as out-of-state bands and some international acts. We will be releasing our first in a series of compilation albums — entitled “Home and Abroad Songs” — with a pop music showcase Friday, August 7 at Café Nine, 250 State St., in New Haven.

Four bands featured on the album will play, including Conversion Party, Boy Genius, The Bynars and Welcome. Copies of the album will be given away at the show while they last.
Conversion Party, from New London, CT., and Brooklyn, NY, borrows from bands such as Big Star, Teenage Fanclub and Spoon to craft its unique and catchy brand of pop. Their album, “More No More,” is a nod to traditional indiepop without straying into anything too precious. Conversion Party has been impressing audiences and bloggers alike.

Boy Genius, from Brooklyn, NY (with roots in Southeastern, Conn.), sites such bands as Miracle Legion, Pavement, Teenage Fanclub and the Pixies as influences, and the ’90s college rock ethos is evident in their sound. The indiepop blog Indie MP3 said about the band:

Boy Genius cast their influences a lot wider than simple Americana, they have an inner indiepop heartbeat and this is all adds up to a rather compelling mix of American college rock and British indiepop...I think this band are going to be something a little special.

The Bynars is a space-age synth-pop band from Boston. They site “Star Trek” and “Star Wars” as influences along side The Rentals, The Anniversary and Gary Numan. They are slated to release the third installment in their EP series in September, followed by their first full-length album in early 2010. The Bynars’ appearance in New Haven will be the first show in a tour that will take them up and down the east coast and as far west as
Chicago. Welcome is a staple in the New Haven, Conn., music scene. They are a three-piece, guitarless act playing fun, dance-inducing electro-pop.

The band said about themselves:

We like playing music and we try to do it at different places in front of
people. Sometimes we rock pretty hard, other times its all feelings. There are
only 3 of us but we do our best to make lots of pretty noise. Our music is a
great soundtrack for eating ice cream, dancing or punching someone mean in the
neck.

For more information on Conversion Party: http://www.myspace.com/conversionparty
For more information on Boy Genius: http://www.myspace.com/boygeniuses
For more information on The Bynars: http://www.myspace.com/thebynars
For more information on Welcome: http://www.myspace.com/welcomect

Tweefort will release its first compilation album with a 4-band indiepop showcase, Friday, August 7 at Café Nine, 250 State St., New Haven, Conn. Conversion Party, Boy Genius, The
Bynars and Welcome will perform. Doors open at 9 p.m. Music begins at 10
p.m. The show is free and 21+.

For more information please visit: www.tweefort.com
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=109802456077
http://www.cafenine.com

After recently unveiling their latest Mohegan Sun eatery, the owners of Pepe's have their eyes set on a Central Park Avenue location.

If things go according to schedule, on Nov. 2 the site will become the first New York branch of the legendary New Haven, Conn., pizza parlor Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana.

As done in the recently opened Connecticut locations in Fairfield, Manchester and the Mohegan Sun Casino, the latest location will stick to the tried and true elements of their New Haven eatery.

"In all our restaurants we use exactly the same ingredients, follow exactly the same recipe and make them in exactly the same ovens," said Kenneth Berry, chief executive officer of Frank Pepe's Development Co., who has presided over Pepe's expansion beyond New Haven.

If 80 years history has any bearing, the expansion of Pepe's, whose signature white clam pies have drawn pizza connoisseurs to New Haven for decades, should delight its New York fans.

Under mounting pressure from both Federal and state levels, DCF will be reorganizing into the five regional, Service Areas with the following Service Area Directors:

Bridgeport, Norwalk/Stamford, Danbury – Maria Brereton
Milford, New Haven , Meriden – Michael Steers
Middletown, Norwich , Willimantic – Christine Lau
Hartford, Manchester – Kelly McVey
New Britain, Torrington , Waterbury – Patti Zuccarelli

All Area Offices will remain.
The functions and duties of the Service Area Directors will be to make sure that that the Area Offices meet expectations, outreach, contract management, regulatory quality assurance, linkages, and prevention. The Service Area Director position will focus mainly on administrative matters, whereas the Area Director position will become one that focuses more on the DCF cases within the Area Office.

The five smallest Area Offices will no longer have an Area Director, but will instead be run by a Program Director. The duties/functions of the Program Directors and the Area Directors will be the same, save for the volume. Both will report to the Service Area Director in their Service Area.
The five Area Offices that will have Program Directors are:
Torrington – * George Doyle – He will maintain being an Area Director, but any who take this position after him will be Program Directors
Danbury
Norwalk/Stamford
Middletown
Meriden

The following Area Directors have been established:
Hartford – Michael Williams
Manchester – Derith McGann
New Haven – Janice DeBartolo
Bridgeport – Kenneth Mysogland

Did you know that plants for use in your tree strip/curb strip [that pesky, usually unattractive area between the sidewalk and the street which belongs to the city but which property owners are responsible for maintaining] can be obtained for free from Urban Resources Initiative (Yale School of Forestry)?

The Community Greenspace at the URI program provides material supplies, technical advice, and classroom-based and hands-on training delivered by URI staff and Yale graduate student interns to support inner city New Haven residents who wish to reclaim and then maintain their distressed urban neighborhoods. Since 1995, they have completed more than 221 urban restoration projects with an annual participation of more than 500+ New Haven residents. That adds up to over 1000 + trees of (more than 45+ different species) with an overall tree survival rate of 85 percent.

The Community Greenspace program can provide both material and technical resources. Supplies and equipment that are available through the program include: plant material (trees, perennial flowering plants, and shrubs) and gardening supplies (compost, mulch, soil, lumber, tools, etc.). Technical assistance involves the services of a community forester assigned to support and facilitate the development and implementation of a group's open space design. The community forester also helps neighbors conduct an inventory of existing trees; select and prepare sites for new plantings; select appropriate plants; and learn planting and maintenance techniques. In addition to the support of a community forester, training workshops are offered and landscape architects are available as needed.

The only requirement is that you work with a group of neighbors. The minimum size of a "group" is 3. URI simply requires that you assist at least in some minimal way with the planting and agree to maintain [e.g. water] the plants.

For more information, contact URI’s Greenspace Manager, Chris Ozyck: christopher.ozyck@yale.edu
230 Prospect St. 432-6570 or 432-6189
www.yale.edu/uri

Schooner Inc. runs public and specialty sails on board the schooner Quinnipiack. The Quinnipiack is a 92ft. tallship. All sails depart from the Long Wharf Pier in New Haven, CT. Choose from a Sunset Cruise, Harbor Discovery Cruise, Pirate Sail, Chantey and Ale sail, or a Brunch Cruise. Food and beverage is welcome on board. Beer and wine is permitted just no hard alcohol.

Now through September 6, 2009
Sunday Brunch Sail: Join Schooner Inc. and Chef Joe Berg for Sunday Brunch while enjoying views of the Long Island Sound coastline. Buffet includes muffins, Danish, bagels and fresh fruit (menu subject to change). Coffee and juice provided.
(No sail 8/2, 8/9).

July 25-Oct. 3 (check specific dates), 6pm
View the picturesque skyline of New Haven from the deck of New Haven's official flagship. Sit back, relax and enjoy a 2 1/2 hour summer evening sail. Bring a picnic dinner.

August 8-Oct. 3, (check specific dates), 3pm
Pirate Sail. Capt. William Kid and the Free Men of the Sea, re-enactors of the Golden Age of Piracy, welcome you aboard the S/V Quinnipiack! Learn what life was really like for pirates on the high seas!

August 28, September 5 & 29, 6pm
Chantey & Ale cruise with local Sea Chantey singer Under sail, Bru Rm brewmaster, Jeff Borwning, will offer a sampling of his microbrews. Raise a glass and enjoy a bit of maritime history with local Sea Chantey singers.


July 05, 2009 2:00 PM Through August 09, 2009 2:00 PM
Harbor Discovery Cruise: Discover the wonders of New Haven Harbor-its ecology and maritime history. A Discovery Cruise is ideal for children. They'll meet some of the Harbor's live animals, help hoist sails, learn about the Harbor's history and more! Bring the kids, a picnic and come on board for a 3-hour sail.

Head on over to the Schooner Calendar for specific dates and tickets.
http://www.schoonerinc.org/Calendar.asp

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (May 11, 2009): In keeping with the event’s continued effort to balance renowned national touring acts with local artists, Norwalk, CT-based singer, songwriter and musician PJ Pacifico has earned the final slot on the 2009 Gathering of the Vibes Main Stage. Pacifico will be the festival’s opening bookend to one of his earliest musical influences – Crosby, Stills & Nash (CSN), who will close the festival on Sunday, July 26.

Sunday-only VIP tickets are $125 per person. Sunday-only entrance is otherwise
$60.

Festival organizers have also selected artists to perform on the GreenVibes Stage,
which is powered in part by solar energy. The GreenVibes Stage features diverse
participants ranging from a founding member of the Allman Brothers Band, to talented
local performers from Connecticut and New York, to lectures from industry experts on
conservation and renewable energy options.

“GreenVibes Stage performers and guests represent a cross-section of the most
compelling artists on the scene today,” said Hays. “I truly believe this year’s line-up
has something to attract and inspire everyone.”

GreenVibes Stage bands include: Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band (Jaimoe is a founding member
of the Allman Brother’s Band); David Gans (CA), a noted author and Sirius satellite radio
host on the Grateful Dead Channel; Tao Rodriguez-Seeger (NY), grandson of folk icon
Pete Seeger; These United States (Washington, DC); Big Moon (Bridgeport, CT); Chris
Barron (Bridgeport, CT); Band Together (CT); The Queen Killing Kings (CT); The Pimps
of Joytime (NY); Steal Your Face (NY); Matt Turk and the Hobo Caravan (NY);
Reckoning (NY); Jennie Arnau (NY); Klyph Black and Rumor Has It (NY); Cornmeal (IL);
Blues & Lasers (VT); Daria Musk Trio (CT); and The McLovins (CT) – three middle and
high school kids who know how to jam.

Gathering of the Vibes 2009 marks the fifth time Seaside Park has hosted the annual
festival; the event is in the second year of its current five-year agreement with the City
of Bridgeport. Vibes caters to both weekend campers and single-day guests, all of
whom have access to the park's shaded groves, manicured fields and more than a
mile of Long Island Sound beachfront.

Weekend camping passes are on sale now for $185 and VIP passes for $420. Singleday
tickets are available for $60 per day, Friday, Saturday and Sunday only. Sunday
only VIP Tickets are also available for $125. Kids 12 and under are free all weekend
with a parent or guardian; kids 15 and under are free on Sunday.

For tickets or information, go to: http://www.gatheringofthevibes.com/, or call Gathering of the Vibes Festival 2009 Headquarters at 203.908.3030.

Reception for Kieran Maiorana Art Exhibit
Letters Never Sent
July 30, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Our next art exhibit will be Letters Never Sent, a collection of mixed-media works created by local artist Kieran Maiorana. The exhibit will run from July 27 until September 6, and is viewable in the cafe during business hours. Come join us for the reception on July 30 at 6:00pm: meet the artist, discuss the works, and enjoy wine and appetizers.

In its fourth year, the buy back program has taken well over 150 guns out of houses and off of streets in total. In the first two, over 200 guns were collected; folks can turn in the guns, no questions asked.

The Dixwell police substation, at 26 Charles St. is where anyone can turn in guns from July 21 to 25 from 2 to 6 p.m., no questions asked.

Guns in working order will earn a $100 Wal-Mart gift card, while assault weapons and sawed-off shotguns will generate two gift cards.

The gun buyback protocol includes the following:

• You MUST be a resident of New Haven;

• Firearms MUST be delivered unloaded;

• Firearms MUST be put in a clear plastic bag and put into another container (gym bag, backpack, etc);

• If depositing ammunition in addition to a firearm, ammunition must be delivered in a separate bag;

• If transporting the firearm by car, the firearm must be transported in the trunk of the car;

• After the firearm is screened by officers and determined to be a working firearm, a gift card will be given;

• Non-operational guns, rifles, shotguns, antique firearms, BB guns and holsters will be accepted but do not qualify for a gift card;

• The number of guns turned in by one resident can not exceed five (5) firearms per day.

Thanks to involvement of Cedar Hill residents and the proactive nature of the Parks Department, work on Phase I of the Cedar Hill Playground has begun!

Calling all Jedi! Long Wharf Theatre is offering a special Family 4-Pack for the hit comedy The One Man Star Wars Trilogy, created and performed by Charles Ross.

For two nights only, Thursday, July 23 and Friday, July 24 a family of four can come to this uproarious evening of pop culture comedy for only $50 – a 50 percent discount from the regular ticket price. Single tickets are only $12.50 for those two performances as well.

The One-Man Star Wars Trilogy is a one hour, high energy, non-stop blast through the three original Star Wars films. Ross plays all of the characters, recreates the effects, sings the music, flies the ships, and fights both sides of the battles. “A wild amusement park ride … my first impulse was to get in line and go again” (Chicago Herald). “A one man reenactment of Star Wars is nerdier – and funnier – than you could possibly imagine.” (Spin magazine).

For more information call 203-787-4282 or visit www.longwharf.org.

New Haven, CT (July 20, 2009) – In the midst of conversations about the economic downturn and service cuts, over 900 youth from 16 different youth-serving programs will gather on the New Haven Green to raise funds for youth services.

Right now, these youth are gathering pledges per lap to support their circling the lower Green. People can contribute on-line at http://www.cwyc.org/youthwalk2009.html.

On Thursday, July 30, these 900 youth will walk with the goal of raising over $16,000. All money raised will directly fund programs, support for field trips and save fall after-school programming.

This Youth Walk was made possible through sponsorships from United Way for Greater New Haven, Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, The New Haven Collaborative, New Alliance Bank, Church on the Rock, and T.G.I. Friday’s. Water and snacks were donated by: Regional Water Authority, Quiznos, and Rocco’s Bakery.

About Citywide Youth Coalition:

Citywide Youth Coalition is a network of over 175 youth-serving programs, stakeholders and individuals in greater New Haven. We are united in our vision that every child enjoys a high quality of life, an excellent free education, and the tools, opportunities and support to identify their potential and succeed.

For more information on CWYC, please visit them on the web at http://www.cwyc.org/.

Now more than ever we need to remind residents that an alternative, affordable health insurance is available.

For just over a year now the goal of the Charter Oak Health Plan has been to provide universal access to affordable health care coverage to Connecticut adults, aged 19 to 64, of all incomes. Under the plan uninsured adults in Connecticut can get quality, affordable health insurance, and it costs as little as $75 per month in premiums, depending on your income.

There are no income or asset limits to qualify, and pre-existing conditions are not a factor in determining eligibility. All plans cover medical care, prescriptions, and mental health and substance abuse treatment; none of the plans cover dental care. Premiums will range from $75 to $300 per member per month; the CT Department of Social Services will subsidize premiums for people below 300% of the Federal Poverty Level. The lowest premium, $75/month, is for individuals with household income under 150% of the Federal Poverty Level.

Participating health plans include:

Aetna Better Health
AmeriChoice of Connecticut
Community Health Network of Connecticut

The coverages and benefits for the plan:

Medical Benefit Features	Coverage
Premium	$75-$259*
Deductible	Varies*
Primary Care Office Visit	$25 co-pay
Specialist Office Visit	$35 co-pay
Preventive Care Office Visits	100% coverage, no co-pay
Emergency Room Visit	$100 (waived if emergency)
Prescription Medication	Three-tiered co-pay as low as $10, $7,500 annual benefit limit
Durable Medical Equipment	$4,000, no co-pay
Behavioral Health Services	$35/$25 co-pay (Please see the Charter Oak Behavioral Health website for details on co-pays)
Outpatient Rehabilitation	$35 co-pay, 30 visits per year
Maternity Pre – and Post – Natal Care	100% covered
Inpatient Rehabilitation/Skilled Nursing	14 days per year, 80% covered after deductible met
Inpatient Hospital Visits	90% covered after deductible met
Outpatient Surgical	80% covered after deductible met
Lifetime Benefit Maximum	$1 million
Annual Benefit Maximum	$100,000

NEW HAVEN – Sam Waterston, star of TV’s “Law and Order” and countless film and stage appearances, returns to the Long Wharf Theatre stage in the 2009-10 world premiere of Athol Fugard’s play Have You Seen Us?, directed by Artistic Director Gordon Edelstein.

Waterston, who last appeared at Long Wharf Theatre in the 2004-05 season’s hit production of Travesties, by Tom Stoppard, will play the role of Henry Parsons, a South African professor forced by a chance encounter to deal with the demons in his heart. The show will run from November 24 through December 20 on the Mainstage.

“Sam is one of the great American stage actors of our time. He was at the very top of my list to take on this challenging role, combining intelligence, humor, and great depth; thank God he said yes,” Edelstein said.

Master playwright Athol Fugard has a long history with Waterston, having worked with him on the film The Killing Fields. “I cannot think of better casting for the role in this play than Mr. Sam Waterston. Everything I’ve seen him do bears witness to his extraordinary command of his craft and also the generosity and humanity he brings to every role he undertakes,” Fugard said.

Have You Seen Us? takes place on Christmas Eve in a diner in a Southern California strip mall. Henry Parsons, a South African transplant comes in for his usual—a turkey sandwich and insulting banter with Adela, the Mexican-American waitress. The two creep towards a fragile understanding until Solly and Rachael, an eastern European Jewish couple sit down to eat. The couple’s entrance forces Henry to a reckoning with his inward struggles and, for a moment, unites four lost souls. “Sam brings dignity, intelligence, a brilliant command of language, charisma, power and vulnerability to the role,” Edelstein said.
Waterston’s portrayal of charismatic, tough District Attorney Jack McCoy, in Wolf Films/Universal Network Television’s Law & Order, has earned three Emmy nominations for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series, the 1999 Screen Actors Guild Award, a Screen Actors Guild nomination in 1998 and a Golden Globe nomination in 1995.

Waterston received a Best Actor Oscar nomination for The Killing Fields, three Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe Award for I’ll Fly Away, and Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actor and Most Promising Newcomer for the “Nick Carraway” role in The Great Gatsby. He was awarded an Emmy as host of the ten-part NBC informational series Lost Civilizations, and, in England, has received numerous BAFTA nominations.

Waterston’s extensive film credits include Woody Allen’s films Interiors, Hannah and Her Sisters and Crimes and Misdemeanors, John Waters’ Serial Mom, Hopscotch and Heaven’s Gate and two Anthony Harvey films; Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie with Katharine Hepburn, Michael Moriarty, and Joanna Miles and Eagles Wing with Martin Sheen and Harvey Keitel. He starred opposite Jeff Bridges in Tom McGuane’s Rancho Deluxe and with Reese Witherspoon in Man in the Moon. On television, he played “Oppenheimer” in mini-series of the same name, produced and starred opposite Jennifer Beals and Lisa Gay Hamilton in the cable movie A House Divided, and portrayed Abraham Lincoln opposite Mary Tyler Moore in Gore Vidal's television mini-series, Lincoln. Waterston starred in the NBC movie, The Matthew Shepard Story, opposite Stockard Channing and his recent films include The Commission with Martin Landau and Le Divorce with Kate Hudson, Glenn Close and Stockard Channing.

Waterston earned a Tony Award nomination as Lincoln in Abe Lincoln in Illinois at the Lincoln Center Theater in New York, and an Obie Award and a Drama Desk Award for his “Benedick” in Much Ado About Nothing. His stage work includes the New York Shakespeare Festival, productions As You Like It, Cymbeline, Measure for Measure and Hamlet. In 2000 Waterston played “James Tyrone” in Eugene O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey into Night, with his son James as “Edmund” at Syracuse Stage, with John Slattery and Elizabeth Franz. In 2003 Waterston starred in the world premiere production of David Rabe’s The Black Monk at the Yale Repertory Theater. In 2004 Waterston returned to The Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park in a reprise production of Much Ado About Nothing, portraying “Leonato” opposite his daughter, Elisabeth (The Prince and Me) starring in the “Hero” role. Most recently, Waterston appeared as “Polonius” in Michael Stuhlbarg’s Hamlet.

Waterston is a graduate of Yale University and currently serves on the board of Oceana, the world’s preeminent ocean conservation organization. Waterston lives in Connecticut with his wife. Their children James, Elisabeth, and Katherine, are a new generation of ever more successful actors, playing important roles on stage in New York, as well as on film and television. Their son Graham is a writer and director. They have two grandchildren.

Break out the Rolaids....It's Delaney's 5th Annual Beer Festival and Chili Cook-Off: slated for tomorrow, July 18, 2009. The festival is from 1:00-5:00pm on the closed down street in front of Delaney's. Over 75 beers from around the world will be served along with chili, live music, raffles, prizes, and a dunk tank. Tickets cost $30 in advance and $35 at the door. The proceeds will benefit The Hole in the Wall Gang and The Patti Ann Fund.

882 Whalley Avenue in Westville (New Haven)
(203) 397-5494
For more info visit www.delaneystaproom.com/

-----

Or how about free beer tastings at Prime 16? Head on over to 172 Temple Street in New Haven, CT every Wednesday night in July and check out the offerings. The beer tastings begin at 7:00pm and ends at 9:00pm. A different brewery will be featured each week. On July 15th enjoy tastings from Ithaca Brewery. July 22nd will feature Schmaltz Brewery tastings and July 29th South Hampton.

Location: Prime 16 (172 Temple Street)
Hours: 7-9pm
Phone: 203-782-1616
Fax: 203-772-2995
URL: http://www.prime16.com/page1088041.aspx

The Wines of Steve Miles
In the past 4 years, Steve Miles has quickly risen as a top contender in Spanish wine imports bringing in nearly 70 different wines from Spain, covering over 20 appellations. He is making a special trip here from his home in Colorado to showcase all of his Spanish wines available in Connecticut in a walk-around tasting. This informal dinner will include the opportunity to taste over 20 wines paired with a passed tapas menu by Executive Chef Mike Hazen.
COST: $48 plus tax and gratuity

July 23, 2009 (Thu)
7:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Location:
Barcelona New Haven
155 Temple St.
New Haven, CT 06510
ph. 203-848-3000
http://www.barcelonawinebar.com/

-----

The Annual Mediterranean Wine Festival event has become the most popular wine tastings for Wine Lovers Tours: dozens of wines, superb food and the sublime setting of the marina at New Haven Harbor. Bring your friends and experience new wines and food in a non-intimidating atmosphere.
COST: $49

August 24, 2009 (Mon)
6:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Location:
Sage American Grill
100 South Water St
New Haven, Conn 06519
ph. 203-469-4218

-----

Travel up the Coast a little for the Shoreline Wine Festival
Come and celebrate over 10 Connecticut Wineries and sample the fruits of their labor. Enjoy food from local restaurants. Meet and sample products from local businesses. Enjoy and purchase crafts from local artisans. Expand your knowledge of food and wine at seminars offered by local experts. Enjoy all of this while listening to the sounds of live music from renowned bands around New England.
COST: $30.00 per person

August 15, 2009 (Sat) - August 16, 2009 (Sun)
11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Location:
Bishop's Orchards Farm Market and Winery
1355 Boston Post Road
Guilford, CT 06437
ph. 203-453-2338

-----

Connecticut Wine Festival!
Support Connecticut agriculture by sampling fine local wines and delectable specialty foods. Peruse fine arts and crafts while relaxing to the sounds of various local musicians. This year’s festival offers the rare opportunity to purchase bottles and cases of wine directly from the wineries at the festival.

Ticket Cost: $25 daily, at the gate, for general admission, $10 daily for designated drivers and those under 21. A two-day ticket is available for $40. Tickets may be purchased in advance at a discounted daily rate of $20 from the following CT Vineyards:

Jones Winery, Shelton, CT
White Silo Winery, Sherman, CT
Hopkins Vineyard, Warren, CT
Sunset Meadow Vineyards, Goshen, CT
Miranda Vineyard, Goshen, CT
Land of Nod, Canaan, CT
Rosedale Farms & Vineyard, Simsbury, CT
Gouveia Vineyards, Wallingford, CT
Priam Vineyards, Colchester, CT
Sharpe Hill Vineyard, Pomfret, CT
Jonathan Edwards Winery, North Stonington, CT
Chamard Vineyards, Clinton, CT
Bishop’s Orchards Winery, Guilford, CT


Tickets are also available by calling 860-677-5467 Monday through Friday between the hours of 9:00am and 3:00pm (Visa, Mastercard, and Discover accepted). $0.50 handling fee per ticket on all phone orders. Phone orders accepted until July 24, 2009. Admission includes a commemorative festival wine glass and tote bag, 20 wine tasting tickets, specialty food samples, entertainment, the opportunity to purchase bottles/cases of wine and artisan crafts. Additional tasting tickets are available for purchase at the festival.

Entertainment includes the Shawn Taylor Duo, the Jerrod Cattey Double Trio and more.

Goshen Fairgrounds, Route 63 Goshen, CT
Saturday, August 1st and Sunday, August 2nd, 2009
Saturday, August 1st from 12pm-7pm
Sunday, August 2nd from 12pm-6pm
http://www.goshenfair.org/directions.htm

Eileen Wiseman, a Weston resident who joined the Long Wharf Theatre development staff in April, had spent the past eight years as the executive/artistic director of the Westport Arts Center, overseeing 60 programs a year including exhibitions, concerts, lectures, and literature and film programs. Recently, she was the Ideas Curator for the 2009 International Festival of Arts & Ideas. She has also been a manager with the New York Revels for eight years, the assistant director of The International Tennis Hall of Fame, a marketing and press relations associate for the The Big Apple Circus, among other positions. Wiseman has a bachelor’s degree in History from Trinity College.

“All my life I’ve been coming to this theatre---it is the place I learned to love live performance, the place that shaped my sense of what theatre should be. Long Wharf Theatre has a strong sense of mission and the artistic and organizational confidence to use this crazy time we’re in to plot an even more interesting, vital path into the future. I’m here to help build support and excitement for that future, inviting participation and support from people all over the state. Happily, Long Wharf continues to inspire the passionate commitment of subscribers, board members, staff, and loyal supporters, so there’s much to build on. I am thrilled to be here,” Wiseman said.

Wiseman will oversee all aspects of fundraising and provide strategic philanthropic leadership. “Eileen brings her incredible personal warmth and brain power to the position, plus her vast knowledge of the arts in New Haven and Greater Connecticut. I am overjoyed she has agreed to take on the position, and I look forward to working very closely with her,” said Managing Director Ray Cullom.

Wiseman is replacing Christina Montanari, a North Haven resident, who decided to pursue part-time work while raising her newborn son. “Christina has been a vital member of the Long Wharf Theatre staff for almost 10 years. She has served this institution and the community with dedication. That she is now choosing to focus her attention full time on the raising of her son is a loss for the institution, but is not a surprise to anyone who knows her and her dedication to her family,” said Artistic Director Gordon Edelstein.

Ok, So we know we're still waiting for Summer in CT where the weather is still downright Fall-like (are you sure it's really July?) but here's a couple of ways to get back in that beach-bum-state-of-mind. Enjoy~

Frozen Hurricane

Ingredients:

1 oz. white rum
1 oz. Jamaican dark rum
1 oz. Bacardi 151
3 oz. orange juice
3 oz. unsweetened pineapple juice
1/2oz. grenadine
2-1/2 cups ice

Preparation:

Put all the ingredients into blender. Add ice and blend until slushy. Pour into a tall high-ball or large margarita glass.

-----

Amazing Grace

Ingredients:

2 oz. Bacardi light rum
2 oz. Coco Lopez
6 oz. pineapple juice
1-1/2 cup crushed strawberries or purée
1 whole strawberry
1-1/2 cups ice

Prepration:

Place half cup of crushed strawberries on the bottom of a chilled medium or large wine glass. Gently swirl around the sides of the glass several times. Combine rum, coconut milk, pineapple juice and the remaining cup of crushed strawberries in blender.

Add ice and blend until smooth. Pour into the wine glass and garnish with whole strawberry.

-----

Frozen Irish Banana

Ingredients:

2 oz. Baileys Irish Cream
1-1/2 oz. Bacardi light rum
2 oz. Coco Lopez
1/2 cup of half-and-half
1 banana (diced and frozen if possible)
1/2 cup of ice
Nutmeg for garnish
1 strawberry halved for garnish
Shaved coconut to rim glass

Preparation:

In advance, rim the end of a chilled goblet with shaved coconut. Blend all the ingredients, except the garnishes, until the mixture is smooth. Pour into a goblet. Sprinkle the top with nutmeg, and garnish with half a strawberry.

-----

Frozen Positano

Ingredients:

2 oz. top shelf silver tequila
1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
1/2 oz. lime cordial
2-3 sliced, hulled strawberries (slice, cut and freeze all fruit the day before)
1 cup cubed pineapple
2 kiwis peeled and chopped
1 Tbs. superfine sugar
Splash of Campari
Sprig of fresh mint to garnish
Lime wedge to garnish
1 cup ice

Preparation:

Put tequila, lime juice, cordial and Campari into blender. Add fruit, then ice and sugar. Blend for 10 seconds (until smooth). Pour into a chilled martini goblet. Garnish with fresh mint and a wedge of lime.

----------

Caf'Cino Freeze

Ingredients:

1 cup brewed coffee
1 cup of milk
1/3 cup sugar
1-1/2 cup vanilla ice cream
2 cups crushed ice
Whipped cream
Chocolate shavings
2 soft ladyfingers or butter cookies

Preparation:

Add the coffee, milk, sugar and slightly softened ice cream in a blender. Add ice and blend until smooth. Pour into large cocktail glass or Irish-style coffee mug. Top off with whipped cream and sprinkle with chocolate shavings. Serve along with ladyfinger or butter cookies.
------

1-1/2 oz. Grand Marnier
2-1/2 oz. vanilla-infused vodka (such as Stoli Vanilla)
2 1/2 cups of orange sherbet
1 cup vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt
1 cup orange juice
1 dash vanilla extract
2 cups ice

Preparation:

Add all the ingredients in the blender, adding the ice last. Blend until smooth. Serve in a chilled glass of your choice.

PechaKucha Night comes to New Haven

New Haven is starting its own edition of PechaKucha Night, an event that celebrates creativity and innovation. It was founded by designers in Tokyo as a way to share ideas succinctly and creatively. The event has grown to include anyone and everyone (and 200+ cities): individuals or groups present cool ideas or innovations using slides: 20 images shown for 20 seconds each. The ideas can solve social problems or just be a cool innovation, or new project. Neighbors, colleagues, journalists, designers, architects, social entrepreneurs, and artists have all presented at Pecha Kucha nights around the world.