Elm City Beat

Movie Screening: Soylent Green February 16

noreply@blogger.com (Everlasting Designs) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:30:00 +0000

Thursday, February 16, 5:30 PM
New Haven Main Library
133 Elm St, Basement Community Room

Bring a snack to share
Movie will start at 5:45 PM sharp

Soylent Green is a riveting, cautionary tale that holds a mirror to a tomorrow rife with ecological disaster. The year is 2022, and the world is overpopulated to the point of disaster. In New York City, population 40,000,000, Thorn (Charlton Heston) works as a detective. He is given the case of a murdered politician to investigate; it looks as if the wealthy man has been attacked by an intruder to his exclusive apartment, but Thorn is suspicious about the way his bodyguard had been sent out and the security system had failed for the first time in two years. Could it have been an assassination? And could it be something to do with what the politician was threatening to reveal about the world's main producer of synthetic food, the Soylent Corporation?

Soylent Green is a 1973 American science fiction film directed by Richard Fleischer and starring Charlton Heston, and in his final film, Edward G. Robinson. The film overlays the police procedural and science fiction genres as it depicts the investigation into the murder of a wealthy businessman in a dystopian future suffering from pollution, overpopulation, depleted resources, poverty, dying oceans, and a hot climate due to the greenhouse effect. Much of the population survives on processed food rations, including "soylent green".

The film, which is loosely based upon the 1966 science fiction novel Make Room! Make Room!, by Harry Harrison, won the Nebula Award for Best Dramatic Presentation and the Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film in 1973.

Stop Handgun Violence: Short Film Auditions

noreply@blogger.com (Everlasting Designs) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:20:00 +0000

In collaboration with 4 Peace, the New Haven Police Department, the
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut and Stop Handgun
Violence, a non-profit organization will be creating a short film
that will address girls’ and women’s roles in violent crime. This short
film will depict the challenges uniquely felt by girls and women living
in distressed neighborhoods. The goal of the film will be to create an
educational piece to be shown in schools, outreach events and detention
centers, potentially nationwide.

4PEACE has performed in critically acclaimed productions,
winning numerous awards, and creating legendary hip-hop hits. Twice Thou & Edo.G grew up in the inner city of Boston, MA and have witnessed the negative changes in their city ravaged by violence, drugs, guns, gangs, and poverty. However, 4PEACE also recognizes the potential for communities to prosper and have taken the opportunity to use their talent and unquestionable street credibility to make a difference.

Retired Law Enforcement Officer, Charles Grady is an accomplished
stage, television and film actor. His TV credits include Law & Order, all My Children, Guiding Light, as well as film appearances in major motion pictures such as: Mystic River, Mail Order Bride, Passionata. He currently has roles in two independent feature films “An Affirmative Act” and “The Great Fight” both due out in late 2012

Long Wharf Theatre’s Next Stage Program Presents Youth Performances Of The Mischief Makers In Late March

noreply@blogger.com (Everlasting Designs) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:53:00 +0000

Long Wharf Theatre will present the family comedy The Mischief Makers, by Lowell Swortzell, directed by Kristianna Smith, as its annual Next Stage production for young audiences, slated for late March.

Performances for the general public will take place Saturday March 24th at 10:30am and 2pm, Sunday March 25th at 2pm, Saturday March 31st at 2pm. School performances will take place March 27th – Friday March 30th with performances at 9:30am and 11:30am. Admission is free for school performances and a suggested donation of $5 for the public performances. The play is suitable for first through eighth graders.

The cast is comprised of Jenn Mello (New York City), Kenneth Murray (West Haven), Tim Stabers (Norwalk), and Aleta Staton (New Haven). In addition to Smith, a Bristol native, the creative team is comprised of Marissa Friedman (Assistant Director/Dramaturg, New Haven), Luke Reinwald (Set Design, Branford), Jason Pratt (Lighting Design, Atkinson, NH), Abbey Steere (Costume Design, Manchester, NH), Darlene Richardson (Sound Design, Baltimore, MD), Craig Harlow (Props, East Haven). The stage manager is Maria DiFabbio of Guilford. The technical director is Gordon Granger of Mamaroneck, NY.

Stuck forever together on their totem pole in a beautiful part of the woods, Anansi the Spider, Reynard the Fox, and the Raven can’t decide who among them is the most clever – in short, the trickiest of them all. With tricksters’ pride, the trio argues, reenacting their most fanciful and amazing exploits, learning in the meantime that laughter can indeed change the world. African, Native American and European folklore comes together to create a fun and fantastical evening of theatre for the whole family. “Kids will enjoy the elements of surprise. Just when they think they know what’s coming, when they think they know the characters, some different and exciting thing happens. The characters are larger than life,” said Director of Education Annie DiMartino.

Smith sees storytelling – a fundamental theme of this play – as a universal human activity, crossing all ethnic boundaries. “Telling stories is something that connects all of us. I hope that this play will show children the magic and the importance of passing down certain tales from generation to generation,” she said.

In addition, in an effort to improve accessibility, Long Wharf Theatre will be offering sign-language performance of this production on Saturday March 31st at 2pm.

The Next Stage program is a program for early career theatre professionals.

Haven String Quartet presents: "Out of Africa, Into Europe"

noreply@blogger.com (Everlasting Designs) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:51:00 +0000

February 25, 2012
Haven String Quartet presents "Out of Africa, Into Europe"
6:30 p.m.: Pre-concert Lecture by Matt Beckmann
7:30 p.m.: Concert
Unitarian Society of New Haven, 700 Hartford Turnpike, Hamden, Conn.
Kevin Volans: String Quartet No. 1 “White Man Sleeps”
Justinian Tamusuza: Mu KKubo Ery 'Omusaalaba (On the Way of the Cross)
for String Quartet (1988)
Steve Reich: "Different Trains" (1988)
The Haven String Quartet presents a special performance of Steve
Reich’s iconic work for String Quartet and pre-recorded tape,
“Different Trains.”
In addition, the HSQ will perform music of African composers Justinian
Tamusuza and Kevin Volans.
This live performance of Reich’s 20th century masterpiece is not to be missed!
Tickets: $25, $12 students and seniors. Available at
www.musichavenct.org/concerts

March 6, 2012
The Haven String Quartet presents "Out of Africa, Into Europe"
7:00 p.m.: Pre-concert Lecture by Matt Beckmann
8:00 p.m.: Concert
Southern Connecticut State University
Charles Garner Recital Hall, 501 Crescent Street, New Haven, CT 06515
The Haven String Quartet continues its SCSU residency with a special
performance of Steve Reich’s iconic work for String Quartet and
pre-recorded tape, “Different Trains.”
In addition, the HSQ will perform the music of African composers
Justinian Tamusuza and Kevin Volans.
This live performance of Reich’s 20th century masterpiece is not to be missed!
Admission: $5

REACHING ZERO | Global Zero Student Summit

noreply@blogger.com (Everlasting Designs) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:30:00 +0000

On the heels of the recent Global Zero Summits of world leaders in London and Los Angeles, Global Zero will bring together more than 100 outstanding students from around the world for "Reaching Zero," a special Global Zero Student Summit at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, February 18-19, 2012.

Convening for two days, Global Zero student leaders will participate in intensive policy and campaign training and strategize on building the movement. The program, hosted in partnership with President Ernesto Zedillo and the Yale Center for the Study of Globalization, will include sessions with eminent leaders and experts on key steps to initiating the first in history multilateral nuclear arms negotiations; the $1 trillion per decade cost of nuclear weapons globally; nuclear weapons issues in the context of the upcoming presidential elections in the US, Russia and France; reduction of US and Russian tactical nuclear weapons in the European theater; civic engagement and movement building in the 21st century; as well as online and offline organizing strategies to galvanize the campaign.

Speakers include, among others:

•Hon. Rose Gottemoeller, Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance
•Dr. Hans Blix, Fmr. Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs and Fmr. Head of the UN Monitoring, Verification & Inspection Commission
•Gen. (Ret.) Jack Sheehan, Fmr. Commander in Chief, US Atlantic Command
•Amb. Richard Burt, Fmr. US Chief Negotiator, Strategic Arms Reduction Talks (START)
•Ms. Valerie Plame Wilson, Fmr. CIA Operations Officer
•Amb. Shyam Saran, Fmr. Indian Foreign Secretary, Fmr. Amb. to Indonesia and Myanmar
•Dr. Lawrence L. Korb, Fmr. US Assistant Secretary of Defense
•Amb. Seyed Hossein Mousavian, Fmr. Iranian Amb. to Germany and Fmr. Head of the Foreign Relations Committee of the National Security Council
•Amb. Steven Pifer, Director, Brookings Arms Control Initiative, Fmr. US Amb. to Ukraine
•Mr. Jonathan Schell, Distinguished Visiting Fellow, Yale Center for the Study of Globalization

Global Zero student leaders are a powerful force in the Global Zero movement. To attend the Global Zero Student Summit and become a student leader, please register by clicking the link above. Please direct all inquiries to reachingzero@globalzero.org.

The Global Zero Student Summit at Yale will begin at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 18th and conclude at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 19th. Please check Global Zero's Webite for more information on travel grants, speakers and programming at: www.globalzero.org/reachingzero

The registration fee includes two meals, entry to a special Global Zero reception and refreshments.

Participants in need of housing are encouraged to reserve a spot at the New Haven Marriott by purchasing a hotel room pass. The price for two nights is $40. Rooms will be shared with two other participants.

More information on the program can be found at: www.globalzero.org/reachingzero

Announcing the First Yale Writers’ Conference

noreply@blogger.com (Everlasting Designs) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:15:00 +0000

Yale will host the first annual Yale Writers’ Conference, an intensive for committed writers of all ages and all levels of experience, from June 12-22nd.

Attendees will have the opportunity to work closely with a distinguished roster of writers and teachers. The faculty includes fiction writers Julia Glass, Tom Perrotta, Richard Selzer, and Kate Walbert, and creative nonfiction writer M. G. Lord. Conference participants can specialize in Fiction, Nonfiction, or Screenwriting.

“Attendees can look forward to face-to-face interaction with well-known authors in what is essentially a ten-day writers' colony,” said Terence Hawkins, Program Director. “We've been lucky enough to attract faculty who are not only critically acclaimed and widely read, but who are also excellent teachers.”

Limited Enrollment Assures Personal Attention

The Yale Writers’ Conference features workshops, capped at 12 participants each, which will enable students to discuss their writing with one another and with their workshop leader. Additionally, each student will have a one-on-one manuscript conference with a faculty member, to help refine their work and prepare it for publication.

Throughout the conference, visiting faculty will host master classes related to their area of expertise.

The conference will also help aspiring writers prepare for the world of publishing. Panels with agents, editors, and publishers provide a crash course in the business of writing and the secrets to getting published.

About the Program and Application

During the ten-day intensive, students will live in one of Yale's residential colleges, where they will share breakfast and lunch with the faculty. They will have full access to the campus, including museums, libraries, and the gym.

To apply, visit http://www.yale.edu/summer/writing/apply.html and submit an application by April 15th. The application requires a five page writing sample and a $20 fee.

New Haven's Temple Plaza Receives International Acclaim

noreply@blogger.com (Everlasting Designs) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:47:00 +0000

Site Projects Inc, the City of New Haven, and the New Haven Parking Authority (NHPA) are pleased to announce that Temple Plaza in downtown New Haven and the Varini artwork, Square with four circles, exhibited there recently won second place in a national contest to determine the Top 100 Public Spaces in the United States and Canada. The competition was conducted by Planetizen.com and the Project for Public Spaces (PPS), an organization started in 1975 By Fred Kent. The ranking was based on a popular vote.

In 2010 Site Projects commissioned the Swiss artist Felice Varini to create his first large scale anamorphic wall mural in the United States in downtown New Haven. The work is installed in Temple Plaza, a small open space owned by the City of New Haven defined by a sculptural concrete exit ramp that is part of the Crown Street Garage. The garage was designed by architect Carleton Granberry in the early seventies and is owned by the NHPA.

Temple Plaza is an integral part of Downtown New Haven's revitalization efforts. Once vacant property, the City of New Haven worked to create an inspired public place in the heart of the Elm City. The plaza has helped link landmarks like New Haven's Omni Hotel with the historic Shubert Theatre and the city's thriving nightlife, as well as create opportunities for a dozen new retail, and 150 new residential units facing onto the unique plaza. Temple Plaza, and the Varini artwork have added to New Haven's renaissance and emergence as a cultural and economic hub in Connecticut and the Northeast.

Varini's signature wall murals based on optical tricks have been exhibited widely around the world for more than 30 years, but until 2010, Varini had not created one of his signature pieces in the United States. Site Projects is proud to have brought his first American artwork to New Haven.

Site Projects nominated Temple Plaza and the Varini artwork showcased there because of the exciting reinvigoration of the plaza inspired by the artwork's installation. The work is now estimated to have been seen by more than 100,000 people.

Site-specific public art has the power to enliven and refresh public spaces and the social transactions that form the center of contemporary urban culture.

For a photo of the project call contacts listed below or visit www.siteprojects.org . To learn about the New Haven Parking Authority, visit www.nhparking.com .

SOURCE: New Haven Parking Authority

Daily Deal: 50% Off BruCafé

noreply@blogger.com (Everlasting Designs) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:19:00 +0000

Sometimes -- no matter how much we troll celeb gossip and film sites -- getting within six degrees of our favorite Footloose and Animal House star -- can seem futile. If you haven't yet cracked the inner circle, we assure you today's deal at BruCafé is the next best thing.

Pay $10 for $20 worth of food and drink at this New Haven establishment -- home of the Baconator. This signature wrap is filled with bacon, goat cheese, pecans, lettuce, tomatoes, and ranch dressing. Other specialties include the grilled cheese, oozing with cream, American and cheddar cheeses, plus tomato, capers, and onions. Pair your panini, salad, or dessert with a flavored ice coffee -- and find a quiet spot to chill at this laid-back coffee house on Orange Street. With java this fresh (and savings, too) you'll be saying, "Thank you, sir, may I have another?"

Want more? Check out BruCafé on Facebook.

UNH Business Dean Issues Facebook Challenge to Prospective Students

noreply@blogger.com (Everlasting Designs) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:51:00 +0000

The executive dean of the University of New Haven’s College of Business has a message for incoming students: trump my entrepreneurship competition on Facebook and I will give you a full four-year tuition scholarship worth more than $120,000.

The online competition, which will have up to four awardees, is open to any incoming freshman or transfer student to UNH. It is the first time in the university’s nearly 100-year history that a challenge such as this has been given to students.

The “Dean’s Scholarship Challenge” Facebook competition seeks out students who have a passion for entrepreneurship, which the UNH College of Business emphasizes, said Larry Flanagan, executive dean of the college.

“We’re looking to discover students who have the potential to become future leaders in the business world, as many UNH College of Business alumni already have,” said Flanagan, himself a UNH alumnus. As the former chief global marketing officer for MasterCard, he spearheaded the famous “Priceless” advertising campaign before retiring and joining UNH.
“This is a really exciting time for the College of Business which is adding new programs and expanding its portfolio,” he said. “We want students with an entrepreneurial spirit to know their education here will prepare them for a successful career.”

Participants are asked to create a Facebook page for a business they wish to create. As part of the project, they will have to define what the business is, what it does, why it is unique, why it is needed, and how it will be positioned to achieve and sustain long-term success.

The student also must state why he or she is the person who should lead the business. Participants are encouraged to demonstrate ingenuity and to be creative. Entrants will be judged by Flanagan and a panel of faculty, alumni and business leaders.

In order to enter, prospective students must first visit the Dean’s Scholarship Challenge Facebook page at www.facebook.com/deanschallenge. A brief overview of the contest can be found within the “Info” tab and the full contest rules, as well as the process for submitting an application, can be found under “The Challenge” tab located on the left side of the page.
The scholarships will cover tuition for four years, providing the student maintains a minimum grade point average of 3.0. Up to four scholarships will be awarded. All submissions are due by March 1 and winners will be announced on March 16.

Long Wharf Theatre Presents, In Partnership With Hartford Stage, Bell, Book, And Candle

noreply@blogger.com (Everlasting Designs) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:54:00 +0000

Long Wharf Theatre, in partnership with Hartford Stage, presents Bell, Book, and Candle, by John van Druten, directed by Hartford Stage Artistic Director Darko Tresnjak, from March 7 through April 1 on the Mainstage.

Gillian Holroyd, a lively free spirit, is unlucky in love and restless in her life. She also happens to be a witch. So when she watches the love of her life, Shep Henderson, get engaged to her college rival, she uses every magical trick up her sleeve to stop the impending wedding. The mundane meet the miraculous in this bewitching romantic comedy set against the stylish backdrop of mid-1950s Manhattan.

“Bell, Book, and Candle is a forgotten gem, a simply delightful romantic comedy about leaving your life behind because you love someone so much,” said Long Wharf Theatre Artistic Director Gordon Edelstein. “It tells the tale of someone from one culture falling in love with someone from another culture.”

The cast of Bell, Book and Candle includes Kate MacCluggage (Violet Bick in Long Wharf Theatre’s production of It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play; Elliot Norton Award for ‘Portia’ in The Merchant of Venice; directed by Darko Tresnjak) as Gillian Holroyd, Michael Keyloun (Goodspeed’s City of Angels) as Nicky Holroyd, Robert Eli (Lincoln Center Theater’s Saturn Returns; Hartford Stage’s The 39 Steps) as Shep Henderson, Gregor Paslawsky (Goodspeed’s City of Angels/Long Wharf Theatre’s Travesties and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead) as Sidney Redlitch and Ruth Williamson (Broadway: Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, La Cage aux Folles, The Music Man) as Aunt Queenie.

The production team includes Tony nominee (for Roundabout’s Present Laughter) Alexander Dodge, scenic design; Fabio Toblini, costume design; Matt Richards, lighting design; Lindsay Jones, sound design; and Susie Cordon, production stage manager.

Bell, Book, and Candle marks the first show selected by Tresnjak in his new role as artistic director of Hartford Stage. The show will move to Hartford and run from April 5th through 29th. “John van Druten’s Bell, Book, and Candle is smart, sexy and provocative. It delves into the price of love in a completely entertaining and guilt-free fashion. I look forward to this collaboration between Long Wharf Theatre and Hartford Stage and to sharing the production with the people of Connecticut,” Tresnjak said.

The play, under Van Druten’s direction, made its debut in November 1950 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on Broadway and played for 233 performances. Rex Harrison and his then-wife Lilli Palmer

Women's Soccer Assist at Wallingford Ulbrich Boys and Girls Club Sports Night Event

noreply@blogger.com (Everlasting Designs) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:51:00 +0000

Members of the Southern Connecticut State University women's soccer team took part in the Ulbrich Boys and Girls Club weekly Sports Night Event on Monday night in Wallingford. The Owls' student-athletes conducted an array of fundamental drills before coordinating an intersquad soccer match.

Each Monday night, the club hosts a sporting-themed event. The highlighted sport for the month of February is soccer.

This program, which will continue throughout the spring semester, is just one example of many community outreach events that SCSU student-athletes will take part in as part of the Tim Greer Insurance Agency Community Service Cup.

Initiated in September, 2008, the 'Community Service Cup' program provides a competitive format that allows student-athletes to gain an enriched experience through engagement with the on-campus and local communities by supporting ventures of traditional citizens, campus community members and peer students and student-athletes. SCSU student-athletes volunteered more than 3,000 hours of their time to numerous outreach efforts, both on-campus and in Greater New Haven, during the 2010-11 academic year.

via SouthernCTOwls.com

Shoestring Theatre Company : The Shape of Things by Neil Labute

noreply@blogger.com (Everlasting Designs) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:15:00 +0000

On February 17th, 18th, 24th and 25th at 8p.m., Shoestring Theatre Company will proudly present The Shape of Things, by Neil Labute. The show will be at Lyric Hall, 827 Whalley Avenue, New Haven, CT. With a $20 suggested donation audience members will enjoy the performance, an art exhibit and a reception with complimentary beverages.

The Shape of Things is the story of Adam, a shy and insecure college student who seems to not give much thought to his appearance. Adam then encounters Evelyn, an assertive, seductive senior art student. When Evelyn shows interest in Adam, his entire world is changed as he falls deeply in love with her. Evelyn leads him down a path that challenges every aspect of Adam’s life from his friendships to his appearance, all while using art in creative, yet inconceivable ways.

Shoestring Theatre Company has been continually thriving since its founding in 2009. Over the years they have been in the New Haven area writing and performing original and classic plays, producing short films, and performing to raise money for charitable scholarships. In 2011 they received 3rd place for best local theatre group in the New Haven Advocate Reader’s Poll. Shoestring Theatre Company provides opportunities for new and seasoned actors, writers, and designers to excel in their art in a professional setting as they produce new, classic and popular plays.

Jack Wills Best Summer Job in America!

noreply@blogger.com (Everlasting Designs) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:49:00 +0000

UK Retailer Jack Wills Will Find Out with an Online Contest for College Students

UK University outfitters, Jack Wills, continues its search for the coolest, most adventurous students with the “Best Summer Job in America” contest. This time Jack Wills is asking for one boy and one girl to live, work and party on the island of Nantucket as a Jack Wills “Seasonnaire”. On February 2nd, Jack Wills will launch the online contest open to U.S. college and university students between the ages of 18 and 24, for the opportunity to compete to win $20,000 in tuition and a paid six-week internship as a Jack Wills “Seasonnaire”. The winners will live in the Jack Wills house, work at the Nantucket store, and participate in all that is involved in a Jack Wills summer from June 3rd to July 15th.

Jack Wills “Seasonnaires” are ambassadors for the brand who live the Jack Wills’ lifestyle. The internship will include not only traveling to their stores in resort locations around the U.S., (Martha’s Vineyard, Newport and Southampton), but also traveling to the Jack Wills headquarters in the United Kingdom andattending the biggest Jack Wills event of the summer, JW Varsity Polo. Students should expect to spend their summer hanging out on the beach, sailing and surfing during the day, and hosting parties in town at night.

What does it take to become a Seasonnaire? One awesome video, telling the JackWills team why you want this job.

Here are the details: contest applications will be available here - www.facebook/jackwills.com until March 9th.

UNH Scholarships for Magnet School Grads

noreply@blogger.com (Everlasting Designs) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:47:00 +0000

New Haven, West Haven, and University of New Haven officials today signed a joint statement that establishes a groundbreaking UNH scholarship program for Engineering and Science University Magnet School (ESUMS) students. The statement also affirms a joint goal to enhance the ongoing partnership between UNH and ESUMS in creating a rigorous science, technology, engineering, and math program that prepares and motivates students beginning in the sixth grade to obtain a college degree.

The agreement was signed by New Haven Mayor John DeStefano, West Haven Mayor John Picard, UNH President Steven Kaplan and New Haven School Superintendent Reginald Mayo.

“In public education, collaboration has never been more imperative,” said Sen. Toni N. Harp (D-New Haven), who spoke at the signing ceremony. “I’m very excited about this partnership, which will provide students with early access to a host of postsecondary opportunities. This type of collaboration is particularly critical in fields where a background in science and engineering is necessary, fields in which we have admittedly fallen behind.”

ESUMS is a New Haven inter-district magnet school with a college preparatory theme that emphasizes principles of science, technology, engineering and mathematics for grades 6 through 12. The school serves students from Ansonia, Bethany, Branford, East Haven, Hamden, Madison, Milford, New Haven, North Branford, Wallingford and West Haven. The school is temporarily located in New Haven, but a new state-funded facility is to be constructed on or near the UNH campus.

Currently there are approximately 360 students in grades 6 through 9 at ESUMS. Plans are for the school to move to its permanent home in West Haven once the new facility is constructed and to continue adding classes through the 12th grade. The school’s eventual enrollment will be more than 600 students.

"This is a great day for ESUMS and for New Haven,” said New Haven Mayor DeStefano. “I am grateful to the University of New Haven for extending this generous scholarship opportunity to New Haven area students, and for the university's willingness to expose younger students to a college-level science education. New Haven is quickly becoming a national hub for biotechnology and medical research, and opportunities like this are vital to assuring that New Haven students are prepared to compete and succeed."

The move to West Haven will permit students at the school, the first of its kind in the state, to take college courses at UNH for free. In addition, UNH will offer ESUMS graduates 50 percent tuition grants in addition to other merit and need-based aid if they are admitted to UNH as undergraduates. Lower-income students who graduate with at least a 3.5 grade point average and SAT scores of 1130 or higher will receive full-tuition scholarships to attend UNH.

“American students lag far behind their international peers in engineering, math and science achievement,” said UNH President Kaplan. “This partnership will enable generations of students to become tomorrow’s leaders in a wide array of scientific and technological fields, and it will directly benefit the citizens of our region, our state and our nation.”

The goal of this groundbreaking initiative is to increase the number of scientists, engineers and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) teachers in the greater New Haven region. The school is unique in that it begins a rigorous science and engineering curriculum at the sixth-grade level and prepares students to enter college seamlessly and pursue careers as scientists, engineers and teachers.

The ESUMS academic program is designed to enable students from across the greater New Haven region to obtain an undergraduate and eventually a graduate degree.

The FERP Midwinter Spring Tea Party

noreply@blogger.com (Everlasting Designs) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:48:00 +0000

February 12, 1-4pm
Inside the cozy Pardee Greenhouse (see map below)

- Meet new Friends and Neighbors inside a warm, green greenhouse!
- Listen to a string quartet from the Yale School of Music and 10 youth musicians from MusicHaven!
- Enjoy Tea and Cookies (Please bring a dessert to share if you can)
- Wear your best hat and tea party attire!- Help us help the environment
- Bring your own teacup or mug!
- Pot up an amaryllis (that’s a flower!) to take home with you!
- And celebrate and honor Ranger Dan’s more than 25 years of service to the city and East Rock Park!

Inspirational words to convince you to come: There are few times in your life where you are encouraged to be outrageously pretentious. Throw on that wacky hat, curl your upper lip, lift your pinky finger and sip some tea with your simply delightful neighbors! Oh, and could you pass the crumpets daaaling? Everything is free and everyone is welcome! If you’re thinking of not coming because you don’t know anyone, trust me, come and we’ll introduce ourselves to you.

Kehler Liddell Gallery Exhibit: Alan Shulik and Peter Wickenden

noreply@blogger.com (Everlasting Designs) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:39:00 +0000

February 2-March 11, 2011
Alan Shulik and Peter Wickenden
Artist Reception: Sunday, February 5, 3-6pm

Wickenden: Untitled 2

Sculptor Peter Wickenden’s finely crafted work reveals his love of the natural world; things that are born or come into being, have a life span, age and die. His deep respect for tribal art and artifacts, tool and weapon forms as well as his reverence for certain types of sacred art influence his unique imagery.

Shulik: Cabana Light

Photographer Alan Shulik's images range in content from abstract, painterly images to representations of real-world subjects, featuring architectural structures and landscapes. His abstract works utilize the interplay of light, space and form. Shulik’s photographs reveal an eye for atypical views of interior spaces and external structures.

Second UNH Faculty Member Selected To Vote on Grammy Awards

noreply@blogger.com (Everlasting Designs) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:38:00 +0000

Christopher Reba, assistant professor of music and sound recording at the University of New Haven, has been awarded full voting membership to the producers and engineers division of the Grammy Music Awards.

As a full voting member, Reba will now be able to cast his votes in this year’s Grammy Awards competition. Winners will be announced on Sunday, Feb. 12. He joins fellow UNH faculty member Roger Arnold, who is also a full voting member, in this privilege.

Reba, who plays the bass, is a composer and also works as a recording engineer, live sound technician and educator. Additionally, he runs a small independent record label from which he releases his own music and the music of other independent artists.

Reba, of Hamden, is a member of the Notations 21 Project, the College Music Society, a composing and publishing member of ASCAP, and a published member of the Audio Engineering Society.

The Grammy awards, given annually since 1959, are given by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences in the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry.

Black History Month

noreply@blogger.com (Everlasting Designs) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:38:00 +0000

The Greater New Haven region is distinguished by an African American historical legacy represented through monuments, tours, exhibitions, and special events. With over 350 years of history, there is plenty to discover, celebrate, and share. Encouraged by the efforts of school groups, historical societies, and some professional historians, many in New Haven are now active participants in the preservation and interpretation of local African American history.

AMISTAD
Greater New Haven played an important role in Connecticut's Amistad Trial. Visitors can explore historic sites and landmarks associated with the trial. The 1841 Supreme Court case began in the summer of 1839 when the schooner Amistad, carrying 53 kidnapped Mende farmers from West Africa, sailed from a port in Havana. The captives revolted and eventually floated into Long Island Sound where they were taken to New Haven's jail as competing lawyers debated their status as murderers, property, and free people. The courts freed the 37 remaining Africans in 1841 and they returned to Sierra Leone the following year. Through monuments, exhibits, and educational activities across the state, Connecticut citizens recognize this history with pride.

Amistad Freedom Schooner
New Haven Harbor, New Haven, CT

New Haven's Long Wharf is homeport for the Freedom Schooner Amistad. It sails nationally and internationally as an ambassador representing the themes of the Amistad triumph: racial reconciliation through perseverance, cooperation, and leadership.

The schooner is currently undergoing repairs at Mystic Seaport, but the plan is for the ship to spend the warm weather months operating between New Haven , New London and Mystic, running youth educational programs, day sails and short trips.

www.amistadamerica.net

Amistad Memorial
165 Church Street, New Haven, CT
Sculpted by Ed Hamilton in 1992, this monument of Sengbe Pieh (known as Joseph Cinque) stands on the former site of the New Haven Jail, where illegally kidnapped Africans were imprisoned in 1839 while awaiting a trial. The work is a majestic, 14-foot relief sculpture cast in bronze, and distinguished by its unique three-sided form, each side highlighting the capture, trial and return home of Sengbe and his fellow captives.
203-387-0370

New Haven Museum

114 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT
The collection includes original materials from the Amistad case. View "Cinque Lives Here" a permanent exhibit of Amistad artifacts, including the original portrait of Cinque.

203-562-4183
www.newhavenmuseum.org

Connecticut Freedom Trail
Connect with the statewide network of sites associated with African American heritage and the struggle for freedom. A guide to the sites is available by calling 860-566-3005 or

www.ctfreedomtrail.com. The audio tour on cassette tape is available through the Amistad Committee.
203-387-0370

Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library 121 Wall Street, New Haven, CT 06511
The Beinecke is home to 600,000 of Yale's most valuable books and many original manuscripts. It is also home to many of African America's literary treasures. When James Weldon Johnson, composer of "Lift Every Voice and Sing", died in a 1938 car accident, his friend, Carl Van Vechten, established the James Weldon Johnson Memorial Collection of American Negro Arts and Letters at Yale. First edition and hard to find publications by writers Vertamae Grosvenor, June Jordan, and others can be found here along with representative work by Augusta Savage and other Harlem Renaissance visual artists.
203-432-2977
www.library.yale.edu/beinecke

Sterling Memorial Library
120 High Street, New Haven, CT 06511
Sterling is the University's main library and the building's impressively dramatic architecture is a campus highlight. While at Sterling, look for Rudolph Zallinger's portrait of Edward A. Bouchet, Yale's first Black graduate.
203-432-2798
www.library.yale.edu

via Visit New Haven

Shubert Theater February Events

noreply@blogger.com (Everlasting Designs) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:33:00 +0000

Shubert Community Open House
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Free Family-Fun Events - 11am–3pm
Movie screenings – 11am &1pm
Enjoy this Free Open House that includes family-fun Valentine’s arts & crafts projects, face painting, refreshments, screenings of the popular Disney family movie, “Tangled,” and free popcorn!
This event is part of the 10th Anniversary events celebrating CAPA’s management of the legendary Shubert Theater.
All Events are FREE and Open to the Public

Yale Opera presents
Così fan tutte
February 10–12, 2012
Friday 8:00pm
Saturday 8:00pm
Sunday 2:00pm
Yale Opera’s new production of Mozart’s classic opera is performed in Italian with projected English translations.
Tickets $19–$41

State Ballet Theatre of Russia
Romeo and Juliet
February 18, 2012
Saturday 3:00 & 8:00pm
The tragic tale of Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers is told in this glittering performance of bravura dancing, breathtaking spectacle and heartbreaking intimacy. This enduring ballet masterpiece is set to the magnificent score of Sergei Prokofiev and performed by the dancers of the State Ballet Theatre of Russia.
Ticket Prices: $15–$58

Lisa Lampanelli
February 25, 2012
Saturday 8:00pm
Lisa Lampanelli is comedy’s Lovable Queen of Mean - a cross between Don Rickles, Archie Bunker, and a vial of estrogen. Howard Stern called her “a true original and a brilliant comedy mind who'll steal the show every time.”
Ticket Prices: $45

Record Crowd of nearly 600 expected at Sunday’s O, R & L - Run for Refugees

noreply@blogger.com (Everlasting Designs) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:02:00 +0000

Mayor John DeStefano will start a record crowd of nearly 600 runners at this Sunday’s O, R & L Run for Refugees, raising awareness and support for refugees who have settled in Connecticut.

Organized by JB Sports (Coordinator of New Haven, Christopher Martins, and Branford Road Races), the event benefits IRIS, New Haven’s refugee resettlement agency. Since 1982, IRIS has resettled over 4,000 refugees, people forced to flee their home countries because of persecution.

Last year IRIS helped more than 300 refugees and immigrants from nations such as Congo, Afghanistan, Iraq, Eritrea, and Cuba. Services include job training, English language training, health care, education, a food pantry, after school programs, and short term housing assistance. “Last year’s race was a huge success. It’s fun for the entire family, whether running, walking or cheering on the participants,” said Chris George, Executive Director of IRIS. “The Run for Refugees—Connecticut’s most international road race—offers a great chance to do something healthy for yourself and, at the same time, helpful to others,” George said.

This year’s race field includes refugees from all over the world. The 5K (3.1 miles) Run / Walk begins at 10:00 AM at New Haven’s Wilbur Cross High School (181 Mitchell Drive). The challenging certified course starts and finishes at New Haven’s Wilbur Cross High School and runs through picturesque East Rock Park. After the race, participants can enjoy a warm, post-race party featuring international foods, entertainment, and an awards ceremony.

“We are happy the response to the 5th annual event has taken off. Run for Refugees is truly a unique road race experience” states Chris George. Runners are encouraged to participate in costume or their favorite team’s jerseys to be eligible to win a number of prizes. Participants may still collect donations for IRIS or pay a flat entry fee until February 3rd. Prizes are awarded to the top fundraiser. Runners and walkers are also encouraged to participate in teams and solicit contributions.

Creative Arts Workshop Hosts Annual Open House

noreply@blogger.com (Everlasting Designs) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:49:00 +0000

Sunday, February 26, 2 to 5 pm

Free and Open to the Public

Creative Arts Workshop (CAW), New Haven’s community art school, hosts its annual Open House Sunday, February 26, from 2 to 5 pm, concurrent with the opening reception of the second Department Show. Visitors are invited to tour CAW’s studio facilities, take part in hands on demonstrations, meet the faculty and register for Spring Session art classes, which runs from March 12 to June 2.

CAW offers over 300 classes and workshops each year, taught by a faculty of more than 50 professional artists. Areas of study include book arts, design, drawing, fiber, jewelry, painting, photography, pottery, printmaking, sculpture, and a young people’s program.

Long Wharf Theatre To Host “I Am” Project In Conjunction With My Name Is Asher Lev

noreply@blogger.com (Everlasting Designs) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:33:00 +0000

There is nary the person who hasn’t been asked as a child what they wanted to be when they grew up. The response is often fanciful – an astronaut, a movie star, or President. But within that response is the germ of an idea, a thought about what sort of potential life holds.

Long Wharf Theatre’s Director of Education Annie DiMartino wants to encourage those thoughts, asking children from kindergarten to 12th grade to express what their lives can hold for them. In conjunction with Long Wharf Theatre’s upcoming production of My Name is Asher Lev, by Aaron Posner, based on the novel by Chaim Potok, local students will have the opportunity to display in the Mainstage Lobby during the run of the show self-portraits depicting their personal, public, and dream selves. The show runs from May 2-27.

“I have always believed that it is very important to give students a platform in which their voice can be heard. We so often inspire conversation through critical analysis after seeing the show, but in this case we want to offer a great opportunity for students to express how they see themselves to a larger audience,” DiMartino said. “Displaying these works will also give our audiences who don’t always see or connect with our student group base, a chance to discover who they are and what they want out of life through artwork.”

The project draws a direct connection with the upcoming show. Asher Lev is a young man who has a true artistic calling. But he is also growing up in a deeply observant Hasidic Jewish family. When he attempts to embrace this artistic calling, he runs afoul of his family's and community's traditions, forcing him to make the difficult choice between faith and art. It is a story about growing up and learning to be true to one’s own identity.

“Our hope is that this project will inspire students to make a reciprocal investment in the story being told on our stage from a “connection to self” perspective,” DiMartino said.

QUICK FACTS: “I Am” project

Long Wharf Theatre’s Education Department is calling for submissions of student self portraits to be displayed in our Mainstage Lobby during the run of My Name is Asher Lev. The guidelines for artwork are as follows:

* Students, age kindergarten to 12th grade are eligible to submit.
* Students can choose any medium they like to create a self portrait that best captures one of the following: Who they are now; who the world says they are supposed to be; what they secretly aspire to be; a triptych of their personal, public and dream self; a combination of any of the aforementioned.
* Art Work needs to have the words “I am” at the top of the page and their name clearly visible at the bottom.
* Portraits should be no larger than 11 x 17, and no smaller than 8 x 10.
* Submission deadline is April 30th, 2012 at 3:00PM
* Submissions can be mailed or delivered to Long Wharf Theatre, Attention Annie DiMartino, 222 Sargent Drive, New Haven, CT 06511

All questions should be emailed to Director of Education, Annie DiMartino at annie.dimartino@longwharf.org

$3 Million Gift Supports New Science Building at UNH

noreply@blogger.com (Everlasting Designs) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:31:00 +0000

A surprise $3 million gift from an anonymous donor will be used to help fund a new state-of-the-art science building at the University of New Haven.

The gift is the second unexpected major gift UNH has received in a month. The first was a $1 million gift from an anonymous alumni donor to the Tagliatela College of Engineering equipment fund.

The $3 million gift is from a long-standing friend of the university who is not an alumnus.

“We are very grateful for this generous donation which will serve as a catalyst for helping the University of New Haven create a cutting-edge science center,” said President Steven Kaplan. “The new facility will enable our talented faculty and students to conduct groundbreaking research and hands-on learning.”

The science building will permit the university to expand its programs in sustainable energy, biological science and biochemistry.

“Our goal is to allow our faculty to make new discoveries and prepare our students for the future. We want to enable academic collaborations and develop our bioscience talent,” Kaplan said. “As Connecticut continues its development of a bioscience corridor, we will be positioned to provide graduates for the highly competitive jobs that will be created here.”

The planned science building, expected to cost more than $35 million, will be a priority of fund raising over the next several years. The building will be used to house UNH’s biology and chemistry programs and will be built on the university’s main campus in West Haven.

“UNH desperately needs additional space for our rapidly growing science programs,” Kaplan said. “This building will offer our researchers not only additional space but state-of-the-art laboratories and facilities for educating students.

The University of New Haven is a private, top-tier comprehensive institution recognized as a national leader in experiential education. Founded in 1920 on the campus of Yale University in cooperation with Northeastern University, UNH moved to its current West Haven campus in 1960. The University provides its students with a unique combination of a solid liberal arts education and real-world, hands-on career and research opportunities. UNH enrolls approximately 6,400, including nearly 1,800 graduate students and more than 4,600 undergraduates – the majority of whom reside in University housing. Through its College of Arts and Sciences, College of Business, Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences, Tagliatela College of Engineering, and University College, UNH offers 75 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. UNH students have access to more than 50 study abroad programs worldwide and its student-athletes compete in 16 varsity sports in the NCAA Division II’s highly competitive Northeast-10 Conference.

2012 Annual NHFPL Poetry Contest

noreply@blogger.com (Everlasting Designs) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:29:00 +0000

The New Haven Free Public Library is once again gearing up for its annual poetry contest, open to those who live, study or work in New Haven. The 2012 theme is “New Haven + reading legacies,” and poems will be judged on original interpretation of the theme as well as other criteria.

The 2012 theme is “New Haven + reading legacies”

The New Haven Free Public Library Foundation will award cash prizes of $100 in each age category, and a $25 award for "Peoples’ Choice" winner, selected at the Winners Reception on April 21.

Contest guidelines

· Entries may be submitted between Feb. 1 and March 1, 2012

· Poems will be judged on original interpretation of theme as well as other criteria

· Contest is open only to those who live, work or attend school in New Haven

· One poem per person

· Poems must be original and previously unpublished

· Poems may not exceed one column, 25 lines, double-spaced

· Entry must include separate page with poet’s name, address (non-residents indicate school or workplace in New Haven), age category (youth, ages 9-13 / teen, ages 14-18 / adult, ages19+) plus phone and/or email

· Submissions may be dropped off at any New Haven Free Public Library branch or emailed to nhfplevents@gmail.com (use "poetry contest entry" in subject line) by March 1 at 5 pm.

Failure to follow guidelines will result in disqualification.
Poems will not be returned.

2012 Poetry Contest Winners Reception will be held
at Main (Ives) Library
Saturday, April 21, at 1 pm

Questions? 203-946-8835 or nhfplevents@gmail.com

Civil rights activists Bernard Lafayette and Andrew Young to discuss Freedom Riders Feb. 16

noreply@blogger.com (Everlasting Designs) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:24:00 +0000

Civil rights activists Bernard Lafayette and Andrew Young will discuss the Freedom Riders as part of Quinnipiac University's annual Black History Month event at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 16, at Burt Kahn Court on the Mount Carmel Campus.

Emmy Award winning journalist Ed Gordon, host of "Weekly With Ed Gordon" on Black Entertainment Television, will moderate the discussion.

The Freedom Riders were a group of civil rights activists who rode interstate buses into the segregated southern United States in the 1960s to test a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that outlawed racial segregation in the restaurants and waiting rooms of terminals serving buses that crossed state lines.

Lafayette, who was among the Freedom Riders, now teaches at Emory University and conducts workshops worldwide. Young is founding principal and chair of GoodWorks International, an organization that embraces his long-held mission of facilitating economic development in the Caribbean and Africa.

This event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 203-582-8652.