First Public-Staged Reading of Selections from the Catherine Lindsey Memorial Actors/Playwrights Workshop Series at Darien Library         

On Sunday, June 12 at 2 p.m., the Catherine Lindsey Memorial Actors/Playwrights Workshop will present the first public-staged reading of selections from the Workshop plays in the Library’s Community Room.

Now in its 19h year, the Actors/Playwrights Workshop offers local and regional playwrights and actors the opportunity to work together to produce original theatrical works in a supportive and creative environment. Co-founded by the late Catherine Lindsey and her husband Robert, the goal of the workshops is to encourage collaborative efforts in developing new plays, culminating in staged readings of scenes from full-length, one-act plays, musicals, and monologues before an audience. Catherine Lindsey was a beloved friend of Darien Library and director of the Darien Library Theater for over 25 years.   

Under the direction of Robert Cusack, the public-staged readings mark the conclusion of the 2011 Workshop series, which began in February.

The plays to be featured are:

Dream Catcher by Marlene Gaylinn

The Trouble with Rhonda by Bob Liftig

The Family Room by Robert Lindsey and adapted by Margaret D. Lindsey

E.R. by Jill Sapenoff

Vatican 3G by Joe Starzyk

An Untitled Me by June Whittaker 

Doors will open at 1:30 p.m. A reception will follow the performance. 

Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen's).

Contact: Judd Everhart (860) 594-3062

Road Closures on Route 1 Darien at

Metro-North RR Bridge

To Begin On or About Friday, March 4, 2011

                           RESCHEDULED FROM FEBRUARY 25 DUE TO WEATHER

Darien, Connecticut – Connecticut Department of Transportation officials have announced that there will be nightly road closures, weather permitting on Route 1 in Darien, under the Metro-North Railroad Bridge, between West Avenue and Tokeneke Road to erect a new portion of the railroad bridge. 

• Beginning Friday night, March 4 through Friday night, March 18

The roadway will be closed from 10:00PM to 6:00AM each night for work to be performed in order to erect the new bridge steel for Track 4.

To erect the steel, a crane will be in position on the street level to hoist the steel in place.  The contractor will require a 3-day consecutive window over the weekend (Friday –Sunday night) to secure the steel.  If unfavorable weather conditions are predicted over the 3-day window, the steel placement will be postponed to the following weekend.  The Department will provide weekly updates as necessary on the work progress.

During the week (Monday-Thursday), construction work will be performed on the top of the tracks, with limited vehicle and pedestrian access below.  The Route 1 underpass will be open each day by 6:00 a.m. to vehicle traffic and pedestrian access.

Drivers will need to follow the posted detour signs during this time. 

• Westbound Route 1 traffic will turn right onto Sedgewick Avenue and then left on Leroy Avenue to return to Route 1. 
• Eastbound Route 1 traffic will turn left onto Leroy Avenue and then right onto Sedgewick Avenue to return to Route 1.

During this time, local traffic will be permitted to access the railroad facilities and residences, but no traffic will be allowed to pass below the bridge.  Traffic control personnel will be on site directing motorists and pedestrians during the construction operations.  Pedestrian traffic below the bridge will also be restricted.

Please allow for extra time to reach the train station and board your train.  The Connecticut Department of Transportation understands the inconvenience of these closures and will complete this work as quickly as possible.  Your patience and cooperation are greatly appreciated.

This work is part of an ongoing project by the Department to replace bridges and catenary on the Metro-North New Haven Line between South Norwalk and Stamford.

LYME DISEASE & TICKS: SOME PREVENTION TIPS.

Please see the attached document for important information from David Knauf, Director of Health, Darien.

"Bag It," showing Sunday, March 6th at 5:30 p.m.

On Sunday, March 6 at 5:30 p.m., we will present, in an event co-sponsored by Choose to Reuse in Darien, a special screening of the documentary film Bag It.

Choose to Reuse in Darien promotes the use of reusable bags in every aspect of everyday life and seeks to eliminate disposable bags in Darien.

BAG IT – Documentary feature; Not rated; 65 minutes
Jeb Berrier is an average American guy who is admittedly not a “tree hugger.” He makes a pledge to stop using plastic bags. This simple action gets Jeb thinking about all kinds of plastic as he embarks on a global tour to unravel the complexities of our plastic world. When Jeb’s journey takes a personal twist, we see how our crazy-for-plastic world has finally caught up to us and what we can do about it. Today. Right now.
“Bag It” is a film that examines our society’s use and abuse of plastic. The film focuses on plastic as it relates to our society’s throwaway mentality, our culture of convenience, our over consumption of unnecessary, disposable products and packaging – things that we use one time and then, without another thought, throw them away. Where is AWAY?? “Away” is overflowing landfills, clogged rivers, islands of trash in our oceans, and even our very own toxic bodies. Jeb travels the globe on a fact-finding mission – not realizing that after his simple resolution, plastic will never look the same again!

To learn more about the film and to watch the trailer, please click here.

A wine and cheese reception will follow the screening.

Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen’s)

"The Piano Lesson,” is one of many plays about the African American experience that the late August Wilson produced during his long collaboration with Yale Repertory Theatre.  Happily, it is currently being revived with a top-notch cast under the superb direction of Liesl Tommy and includes original music by Elsa Davis.  The story takes place during the 1930’s in an area of Pittsburg where many Black folk have migrated to from the South.   It’s a haunting, morality play that weighs a proud, ancestral heritage against survival, and letting go of the past.

Anyone who has watched “Antiques Road Show” can understand a person’s amazement at learning the high value of an inherited treasure and the subsequent dilemma of whether to insure the object and keep it in the family or to sell it for what it is worth.  Sometimes the object’s monetary value is more than the owner’s house.  What would you do?  In this African American family’s case, an antique, hand-carved piano depicting images of departed relatives means much more than its monetary worth.  Its spiritual symbolism and psychological impact evolves into haunting ghosts representing slavery, white ownership and present day guilt.

When “Boy Willie” (LeRoy McClain) accompanied by his friend “Lymon” (Charlie Hudson) invades his sister Berniece’s (Elsa Davis) household and announces that he wants to sell the family’s heir loom piano, half of which is his, in order to buy the land that their family once worked on as slaves, he unleashes a highly emotional drama that affects his sister and the rest of the family which consists of Berniece’s young daughter, “Maretha” (Malenky Welsh) who is expected to inherit the piano, and uncle, “Doaker” (Keith Smith), who is a rail road employee and part time resident.  Other members of the cast are Charles Weldon as an itinerant musician, “Wining Boy,” Tyrone Mitchell as Berniece’s new suitor, a minister called “Avery,” and Joniece Pratt as Lymon’s loose girlfriend, “Grace.”  The entire cast is outstanding. Several members are multitalented singers and musicians who break out into some piano “Boogie-Woogie” and rhythmic, table slapping, railroad/convict work songs.  The recently included “Berta Berta,” is a fine example of a stirring, seldom seen, African American song-style that is certainly worth the hearing and seeing for its own sake.

Be prepared to accept that the play is 3 1/2 hours long with one intermission.  Much of it could be cut, but then, part of its prose would be lost.  Speaking of language, some members of the audience (alas, truth be said that most attendees were not African American) were standing in line for the women’s rest room and comparing notes.  They found it difficult to understand the fast-paced dialect and misinterpreted how some of the characters were related.   It would help to further identify the characters in the program notes and slow down the dialogue until the audience gets its drift.

“The Piano Lesson” is a play about the African American experience, but it contains a universal message for all cultures that had to struggle in a new land in order achieve success.  The acting is so real that you will feel part of this slice of life.  Don’t miss this rare experience.

Plays until February 19. For more information and tickets, call the Box Office: 203-432-1234.

Tuesday, February 8 at 10 AM

In Bringing Nature Home, author Douglas Tallamy discusses the tremendous value in sustaining biodiversity in our environments and how planting native species in our own gardens can help preserve the local wildlife - insects, birds and other animals. The health of local wildlife is one of the best indicators of how healthy our environment is for people, as well. And there are simple ways that we can all make a difference - no need to overhaul your exisiting garden!

On Tuesday, February 8th at 10 AM, The Garden Club of Darien will host guest speaker Dr. Douglas W. Tallamy for an event, being held in Darien Library's Community Room. Dr. Tallamy will present ways that we can help preserve wildlife and sustain the planet through our own gardens.

This lecture is free and open to the public. Come and hear how you can make a difference. Then, visit the Research Library on the 2nd floor for a handout and display of sustainable gardening resources at Darien Library.

Ah, spring!

In Bringing Nature Home, author Douglas Tallamy discusses the tremendous value in sustaining biodiversity in our environments and how planting native species in our own gardens can help preserve the local wildlife - insects, birds and other animals. The health of local wildlife is one of the best indicators of how healthy our environment is for people, as well. And there are simple ways that we can all make a difference - no need to overhaul your exisiting garden!

On Tuesday, February 8th at 10 AM, The Garden Club of Darien will host guest speaker Dr. Douglas W. Tallamy for an event, being held in Darien Library's Community Room. Dr. Tallamy will present ways that we can help preserve wildlife and sustain the planet through our own gardens.

This lecture is free and open to the public. Come and hear how you can make a difference. Then, visit the Research Library on the 2nd floor for a display of sustainable gardening resources at Darien Library.

Click the link below to view a list of additional books.

Also, take a look at these websites that are staples for the novice and experienced gardener!

National Gardening Association
A one-stop website for finding gardening news, expert advice, and educational opportunities, as well as reference resources such as weed finders, plant finders, pest control libraries, food care guides, landscaping calculators, and more. With a Q&A library of over 28,000 gardening questions, answered by 3 garden experts and easy-to-follow how-to videos, the site also offers free newsletters on topic including regional gardening reports, edible landscaping, and kid garden news.

Kitchen Gardeners: A Global Community Cultivating Change
An online community of over 20,000 people who are interested in achieving higher levels of "food self-reliance" through kitchen gardening and sustainable local food. Q&As are arranged by vegetable/fruit, and the site includes recipes, various blogs and foums, and a listing of local "pods" - kitchen gardeners located in nearby communities for easy collaboration.

KidsGardening!
The NGA's kid-focused site helps introduce the conecpt of gardening to youth of all ages, and includes a "parents' primer" and activities for children to create and manage their own gardens, both indoor and outdoor. Also includes lesson plans and classroom stories for teachers.

(Image courtesy of flickr user jurvetson)

January 23rd, 2011

February 13th, 2011

March 6th, 2011

March 20th, 2011

TEDX Darien meets from 4:00- 5:00 p.m. on Sundays.

The Catherine Lindsey Actors/Playwrights Workshop is excited to announce that the Actors/Playwrights Workshop, now in its 19th year, will present a series of workshops at Darien Library.

Interested playwrights should submit ten pages of their scripts to Robert Cusack at robert.cusack1@att.net by February 1, 2011.

The playwright participants will workshop their plays at the following sessions:

Thursday, February 10 from 7 – 9 p.m.
Thursday, March 10 from 7 – 9 p.m.
Thursday, April 14 from 7 – 9 p.m.

The workshops will allow the playwrights to refine their scripts, which will then be submitted to the Darien Library Selection Committee.

On Sunday, June 12 at 2 p.m., the Actors/Playwrights Workshop will present the first public-staged reading of selections from the plays in the Library’s Community Room.

The Actors/Playwrights Workshop welcomes Actors’ Equity actors and non-Equity actors to participate, brings together local and regional playwrights and actors, and encourages a collaborative effort to create new plays and present a public-staged reading.

Co-founded by the late Catherine Lindsey and her husband Robert, the workshop introduces original plays in progress to be developed in a workshop environment with the goal of the public-staged readings. Catherine Lindsey was a beloved friend of the Library and director of Darien Library Theater for over 25 years. The memorial workshops will offer actors and playwrights the opportunity to work together to create original theatrical works in a supportive and creative environment.

The Actors/Playwrights Workshop welcomes all interested playwrights and actors, with or without experience, to join. The sessions offer actors and playwrights the opportunity to work together to create original theatrical works in a supportive and creative environment, culminating in the June 12 program, which will feature  six staged performances. The musicals, monologues, short scenes from full-length and one-act plays to be performed will be chosen by the Darien Library Selection Committee. To register and/or for more information, contact Robert Cusack at (203) 655-7699 or at robert.cusack1@att.net.
 

Do you still need to get a flu shot? Now, you can make an appointment to receive your flu shot at Town Hall! The Darien Health Department has  made it very simple by establishing an on-line, "make your own appointment" system.  To make an appointment, visit darienhealth.info, or just click here.

Flu shots are available for anyone over 36 months and cost $20.00.