After attending three funerals in eight days (with no weddings in sight), the message was clear: every day is a present, appreciate the daily gift.
On Saturday, April 18, I began the day on Audubon Street in New Haven at the Creative Arts Workshop attending a really neat and fun event, Edible Books. An international occurrence every April 1 or thereabouts, it invites children and adults to make a food offering applauding a favorite book, one that can be admired and then eaten.
At this year's display, the tenth or eleventh in a row, there were quiches to note "Julia and Julie," the prize chef and her fan, as well as a tasty egg concoction of the Israelites crossing the Red Sea to commemorate "Exodus." The children's table featured a trio of chocolate cakes to illustrate "Moby Dick," "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and a typewriter to recognize a children's book about cows who type. Get your fork and plate ready. Eat! What a super way to promote reading. Kudos to Paulette Rosen for organizing the morning and for making her yummy chicken soup in honor of Maurice Sendek. Ms. Rosen, an artist herself, will have an exhibit entitled "In Passing" at the City Gallery, 994 State Street, New Haven until Sunday, April 26.
Long Wharf Theatre inaugurated a weekend of new play readings sponsored by The Lord/Kubler Fund for New Works. Three plays, "Contemporary American Voices Festival," celebrated works by Janine Nabors, Julia Cho and Samuel D. Hunter who all took part in a symposium hosted by Associate Artistic Director Eric Ting, with the addition of Joe DiPietro whose world premiere play "The Second Mrs. Wilson" will grace the Main Stage from May 6-31. I attended Janine Nabors' emotionally shattering "Serial Black Face" that echoed the Atlanta children's murders of 1979 as well as the symposium of playwrights.
On Sunday, April 19, Julia Cho's "Aubergine" was presented as a reading, followed by Samuel D. Hunter's "Clarkston." In the fall a companion piece, the world premiere play "Lewiston" will be offered at Long Wharf, directed by Eric Ting. I trekked back to Audubon Street to visit the Silk Road Art Gallery for a trio of photographers: Phyllis Crowley, Roy Money and Paul Duda. All the photos were inspired by nature and personal visits to Shanghai, China, Vietnam and Cambodia. They offered views of walls and water, pines and rice paddies, in a soft lyrical manner.
That night the mood of seriousness lifted as the Palace Theater in Waterbury welcomed actress and comedienne Vicki Lawrence and her favorite persona, the sassy and sharp tongued Mama, a character shaped on The Carol Burnett Show. The night ended with a lot of laughter.
What a day and night! How wonderful to share in such talent in so many disciplines. Color me technicolor and grateful.
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