This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Arts & Entertainment

[Update] Patti Smith Tickets, 9/11 Film Festival at UHart, Farm-to-Table Dinners and More

Enrich your life, September 8 – 14, 2011

Daylong Film Festival Memorializes 9/11

Marking the 10th anniversary of the attacks on September 11, the Progressive Coalition of Greater Hartford sponsors a daylong film festival on September 10. 9/11: Ten Years Later — a Daylong Film Festival is presented at the in West Hartford. To be screened are independent films highlighting various aspects of what happened on September 11, 2001. The schedule is as follows: From 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., In Their Own Words: The Untold Stories of the 9/11 Families. From noon to 1:30 p.m., Loose Change 9/11: An American Coup. From 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., The Great Conspiracy – The 9/11 News Special You Never Saw. From 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Ludicrous Diversion – 7/7 London Bombings Documentary. And from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Zero: An Investigation Into 9/11. Post-film discussions follow each of the screenings.

The film festival is free. It runs from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the Auerbach Auditorium at the University of Hartford, 200 Bloomfield Ave., West Hartford. Participants are invited to come for part of the day or the entire festival. Parking is in Lot B.  

Find out what's happening in West Hartfordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Playhouse Presents Around the World in 80 Days

West Hartford's opens a new season with Mark Brown's zany adaptation of Jules Verne's classic Around the World in 80 Days. Five actors play all 39 characters in this madcap comedy, which has been called "Monty Python meets Jules Verne." Set in 1872, it begins as Londoner Phineas Fogg wagers that he can circle the globe in 80 days. Traveling by rail, steamer and elephant, Fogg and his valet race through India, Asia and America. Drama Desk Award winner Russell Treyz directs a cast that includes Broadway veteran Russell Garrett and Drama Desk Award-winner Chris Mixon. The New York Times hailed the show as “fast-paced,” “unabashedly theatrical,” and “smart enough to make sophisticated adults laugh out loud and shamelessly silly enough to keep children in the audience interested and entertained.” 

Find out what's happening in West Hartfordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The family friendly production runs September 14 through October 2. Tickets start at $22.50. Playhouse on Park is at 244 Park Road, West Hartford. For more information, visit www.playhouseonpark.org or call 860-523-5900 x10.

Tickets Now On Sale for Patti Smith Performance

On October 20, Hartford's Wadsworth Atheneum presents a one-night-only performance by the legendary Patti Smith. The intimate performance is in conjunction with the museum's upcoming exhibition Patti Smith: Camera Solo. For the concert, Smith will be accompanied by longtime band member Lenny Kaye on guitar, and by her daughter, Jesse Smith, on piano.

The event will be held in the museum's Aetna Theater. Performance time is 7 p.m. Tickets are on sale now, and seating is limited. Tickets include a reception with Smith in the Avery Court from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., and open bar, and hors d'oeuvres. Tickets prices are $150; $125 member. Visit www.wadsworthatheneum.org/pattismith

Multiple Exhibitions at Farmington Valley Arts Center

Three exhibits open this month at the Farmington Valley Art Center in Avon. Grounds for Sculpture features sculptural works by local artists. Juried by Bruno Lucchesi and Ann Rosow-Lucchesi of New York, the works are displayed indoors at the center's Fisher Gallery and outside as well. The show runs through September 30.

Also on display in the Fisher Gallery are a series of photographs and sculpture by Andrea Morganstern of Bridgewater. Morganstern's work focuses on environmental themes and narratives.

Also on September 9 is an exhibition of works by fantasy illustrator and oil painter Jordan Deschene. Inspired by artists as diverse as Dr. Seuss and Salvador Dali, Deschene is at the conclusion of the arts center's three-month artist-in-residency program. His paintings and illustrations will be featured in studio 6A from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. From now through September 30, arts center visitors are invited to observe Deschene at work during regular hours in his studio. They are Wednesdays from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., and Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. 

A reception for all three shows is September 9 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The Farmington Valley Arts Center is at 25 Arts Center Lane in Avon Park North, Avon. For additional information, visit www.artsfvac.org or call 860-678-1867.

Stanley-Whitman Hosts Rare Tour of 'The Cedars'

The home of Captain Judah Woodruff, Farmington's most influential and productive 18th century architect and builder, is open for a rare tour on September 11. Woodruff's home, which he called "The Cedars," is a 20-room dwelling built in 1764. Lisa Johnson, executive director of the town's Stanley-Whitman House, gives a brief talk about Woodruff's life and his designs and buildings. 

The tour runs from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Cost is $15 per person. A reception follows. Reservations are required. The Stanley-Whitman House is at 37 High St., Farmington. For more information, visit www.stanleywhitman.org or call 860-677-9222.

Hill-Stead's Annual Dinner on the Hill

Reserve your seats early for the Hill-Stead Museum of Farmington's annual Dinner on the Hill on September 18. The third annual dinner features a multi-course harvest feast served al fresco at long farm tables on the museum's grounds. Fresh, seasonal, local foods are paired with select wines. Among the bottles this year are selections from Hill-Stead's wine collection by the Jonathan Edwards Winery of North Stonington. The food is prepared by chef Russell Pryzbek, owner of Russell's Creative Global Cuisine of West Hartford.

The event begins at 4:30 p.m. Tickets cost $150 per person and benefit museum programs including the farmers' market. For reservations or more information, contact Becky Trutter at 860-677-4787 ext. 132 or email her at trutterb@hillstead.org. Reservations may also be made on the Hill-Stead web site at www.hillstead.org. The Hill-Stead is at 35 Mountain Road, Farmington. 

Simsbury Celebrates Septemberfest

Live music that ranges from country to classic rock to jazz and classical, dancers, puppets, fitness demonstrations, and food from vendors all over town are all part of the lineup for Simsbury's annual Septemberfest, which runs September 9 through 11 at the Simsbury Performing Arts Center.

The Performing Arts Center at Simsbury Meadows is at 22 Iron Horse Boulevard, Simsbury. For more information on Septemberfest, contact Tom Vincent, manager of the Simsbury Performing viArts Center, at 860-462-9726 or visit the events calendar.

Mental Illness Discussion at Simsbury Library

Crazy: A Father's Search Through America's Mental Health Madness by author Pete Earley chronicles the author's frustrations in attempting to get help for his son, who began having psychotic episodes in his early 20s. The National Alliance on Mental Illness sponsors a September 14 discussion of Earley's book at the Simsbury Public Library in Simsbury.

The discussion runs from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The author will not be present. The Simsbury Public Library is at 725 Hopmeadow St., Simsbury. For more information, visit www.simsburylibrary.info or call 860-658-7663.

Suffield Players Present Play Reading

A reading of David Mamet's play Boston Marriage is presented September 15 by the Suffield Players. The script features two female characters in a relationship that may involve both physical and emotional intimacy.

The reading starts at 7 p.m. at the Kent Memorial Library, 50 North Main Street, Suffield. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.suffieldplayers.org.

Renowned Jazz Sextet at Windsor Art Center

Pedro Giraudo and his sextext have played the Blue Note in New York and Ryles in Boston. On September 15, they play the Windsor Art Center in Windsor, giving local audiences a rare treat. The argentine-born Giraudo has been hailed as one of the most creative composer/band leaders on the jazz scene today.

Concert time is 6:30 p.m. Suggested donation is $15 at the door. The Windsor Art Center is at the corner of Central and Mechanic streets in Windsor. For more information, visit www.windsorartcenter.org or call 860-688-2528.

Folk on Fridays at Cheney Hall

Folk music fans, Cheney Hall's Folk on Fridays invites performers and listeners to a September 9 open mic event. Musicians sign up at 6:30 p.m. for a 10-minute slot. The music starts at 7 p.m. 

Admission is free, but contributions are welcome. For more information, visit www.cheneyhall.org or call 860-647-9824. Cheney Hall is at 177 Hartford Road, Manchester.

Annual Billings Forge Farm-to-Table Dinner

Hartford's Firebox Restaurant and the city's Billings Forge Community Works presents the third annual Farm-to-Table Dinner in the Garden at Billings Forge. The September 15 fund-raising event features food, wine, entertainment, and auctions. It showcases the non-profit initiatives at Billings Forge Community Works.

Starting time is 6 p.m. The event is outdoors at 539 Broad St., Hartford. Dress is casual. Tickets cost $150. For reservations, visit www.billingsforgeworks.org.

Brian Friel's Molly Sweeney at Long Wharf

The Irish Repertory Theatre production of Brian Friel's Molly Sweeney begins performances September 14 on Stage II at New Haven's Long Wharf Theatre. Friel is best known as the author of Dancing at Lughnasa and Translations. Molly Sweeney, which was first staged in 1994, concerns the title character, a woman who has been blind since infancy and who knows the world only through touch, sound, taste, and smell. Goaded by her husband and her doctor into an operation to restore her sight, she sees for the first time all the glory and harsh reality of her life. The New York Times hailed the Irish Rep production as “A deeply moving meditation on hope, change and despair, it’s a compelling piece of theatre ...” It is directed by Charlotte Moore and features Simone Kirby as the title character with Jonathan Hogan as Mr. Rice and Ciaran O'Reilly as Frank Sweeney. 

Molly Sweeney continues in performances through October 16. Long Wharf Theatre is at 222 Sargent Drive, New Haven. For tickets or more information, visit www.longwharf.org or call 203-787-4282.

Restored Fellini Masterpiece at Cinestudio

A restored 35-millimeter print of Federico Fellini's 1960 classic  La Dolce Vita arrives at Cinestudio in Hartford for screenings starting September 11. Marcello Mastroianni is the journalist who finds himself torn between chasing the decadent diversions of cafe society, which happen to include Anouk Aimee and Anita Ekberg, and the quiet life of intellectual integrity. Can't a man have both?

Screenings run September 11 through 13. Cinestudio is on the campus of Trinity College, 300 Summit St., Hartford. For more information, visit www.cinestudio.org or call 860-297-2463.

Kids Free on September Weekends at Sturbridge Village

Save $7 per child when you visit Old Sturbridge Village in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, on September weekends starting September 10. All kids age 17 and under get in free when accompanied by an adult. (The offer does not apply to educational groups of 10 or more.) 

Old Sturbridge Village is at 1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge, Mass. For more information, visit www.osv.org or call 800-SEE-1830.

Antiques Weekend at Sturbridge Village

One more reason to head to Old Sturbridge Village September 10 and 11 is Antiques Weekend. Events include the unveiling of a new exhibit, By the Fireside: Decorating the New England Parlor Hearth, 1790-1840, a Collector's Forum on September 10, which is based on the exhibit, and an appraisal event called What Is It? What Is It Worth? A Closer Look at Your Antiques on September 11. The latter features antiques expert Stephen Fletcher of Skinner, Inc.

Adult admission is $20; $18 seniors. Children under 17 are admitted free on September weekends. On weekdays, their admission costs $7 for ages 3 to 17; free to under 3. Old Sturbridge Village is at 1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge, Mass. For more information, visit www.osv.org or call 800-SEE-1830.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?