Checking in on some familiar names this week: composers such as Charles Ives and Benjamin Britten, whose works have been embraced locally for much of the past century; rock icons Neil Finn and David Johansen; jazz players Candy Dulfer and Mary Halvorson, who’ve visited the region regularly; playwright Athol Fugard (on stage and screen) and the late lamented Marina Keegan.
Monday, April 7
Shadows of India
If you enjoyed the Indian Kutiyattam performance which the Yale Institute of Sacred Music brought to Co-op High School yesterday, visit the exhibit “Visions of the Sacred: Puppets and Performing Arts of South and Southeast Asia” in Room 108 of the Whitney Humanities Center (53 Wall St.; 203 – 432-0670). Gallery hours are Monday and Wednesday from 3 to 5 p.m.
Wee Reading Week
This is the national Week of the Young Child. Thus, lots of storytelling events at local libraries. Today, Mae Gibson Brown is at the Stetson branch library (200 Dixwell Ave.; 203 – 946-8119) at 4:30 p.m. Every child who shows up gets a free copy of Tomie DePaola’s book Strega Nona. A representative form the Early Childhood Council of New Haven will also be there to discuss educational resources available for little kids.
Tuesday, April 8
Tomie for Tots
More storytelling for the Week of the Young Child. In fact, Mae Gibson Brown, who was at Stetson branch library yesterday, is at Fair Haven branch library (182 Grand Ave.; 203 – 946-8115) today at 10:15 a.m. This time, the Tomie DePaola book they’re giving away is I Love You Sun, I Love You Moon. Then tonight, 6 p.m. at Wilson branch library (303 Washington Ave.; 203 – 946-2228), author Floyd Stokes leads a parent workshop on reading books to children. There’ll be crafts and snacks, not just books.
Open Seth
Tuesday means Seth Adam’s Open Mic Night at Stella Blues (204 Crown St.; 203 – 752-9764). Sign up is at 8 p.m.
Wednesday, April 9
Opposite Attracts
Marina Keegan died in a car accident less than a week after graduating from Yale last spring. She’d published a popular essay, “The Opposite of Loneliness,” in the Yale Daily News’ Graduation edition, which is now the title piece of a newly published collection of Keegan’s writings. Her friends will read and discuss her work, and honor her memory, at a special event 6 p.m. tonight in the Yale Barnes & Noble Bookstore (77 Broadway).
Britten at the British Art Center
Pianist Wei-Yi Yang, violist Ettore Causa and oboist Andrew Parker play “Strictly Britten: The Music of Benjamin Britten” 5:30 p.m. in the lecture hall of the Yale Center for British Art. (1080 Chapel St., 203 – 432-2800).
Thursday, April 10
What Rhymes With Emmaus?
Poet Spencer Reece, who graduated from the Yale Divinity School nearly three years ago, returns today to read from his forthcoming collection The Road to Emmaus, 5:30 p.m. at Marquand Chapel (409 Prospect St.; 203 – 432-5062). A signing and reception follows the reading.
Finn Time
Neil Finn, who has toured through Toad’s Place a number of times with Crowded House and some of his other bands, plays a special acoustic solo show at the Shubert tonight. The band Midlake, who like Finn are playing acoustic but unlike him have never played in Connecticut before, opens the 8 p.m. show. $38-$58.
Redolent Doll
David Johansen, the erstwhile New York Doll and Buster Pointdexter and Harry Smithian, had to cancel his Feb. 13 gig at Café Nine (250 State St.; 203 – 789-8281) due to bad weather. Tonight’s the rescheduled date. Better “Funky But Chic” now than never. 8 p.m.
Friday, April 11
Band Country
The Yale Concert Band has its big spring concert at 7:30 p.m. tonight, featuring the same parodic Charles Ives “Country Band March” that Orchestra New England did as an encore at its all-Ives concert earlier this year. Other selections include Elgar’s “Enigma Variations,” Grainger’s “Lincolnshire Posy” and Toch’s “Spiel for Wind Orchestra.” 7:30 p.m. Woolsey Hall (500 College St.; 203 – 432-4113).Free.
Sweet as Candy
Smooth jazz saxophonist Candy Dulfer blows at Southern Connecticut State University’s Lyman Center (on the school’s 501 Crescent St. campus) 8 p.m. $33, $30 SCSU faculty & staff, $18 SCSU students.
Putting the ‘screws On
For a more modern jazz experience, Thumbscrew (aka guitarist Mary Halvorson, bassist Michael Formanek and drummer Tomas Fujiwara) play two sets, at 8:30 p.m. ($18) and 10 p.m. ($12) at Firehouse 12 (45 Crown St.; 203 – 785-0468). Halvorson, based in Brooklyn, is a frequent visitor to Café Nine and the local jazz scene.
Saturday, April 12
Nest Building
Marina Forbes demonstrates and teaches techniques for painting Russian Matryoshka nesting dolls 11 a.m. at the Knights of Columbus Museum (1 State St.; 203 – 865-0400). The class is free, but registration is required, and necessary materials can be purchased in advance.
The Old Fugard
With playwright Athol Fugard in town performing in the world premiere of his new play Shadow of the Hummingbird at the Long Wharf Theatre, it’s a good time to catch a screening of the TV version of one of his best known works, Master Harold… and the Boys. The play had its world premiere at the Yale Repertory Theatre in 1982 and the TV version (directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg, and starring Matthew Broderick, Zakes Mokae and John Kani) first aired in 1985. It screens 2 p.m. this afternoon at the Mitchell Branch Library (37 Harrison St.; 203 – 946-8117).
Hip-Hop Nine
A four-act New England hip-hop and rap showcase? And it’s at Café Nine and not Toad’s Place? Duece Bug, Joey Batts and Them, Eli Hazel and Wednesday Atoms are on the bill, with DJs Splat, Ron Yeezy, Big Rush, MPL, Average Citizen, BNOC and NRKOTICS also in attendance. 9 p.m. 250 State St. (203) 789‑8281.
Sunday, April 13
Composers Beginning With “H”
The Yale Camerata and Yale Glee Club combine to perform “Music of Haydn and Honegger,” 4 p.m. at Woolsey Hall (500 College St.; 203 – 432-5062)
Boogie Down
Hip-hop legend KRS-One — rapper, author, filmmaker, actor and Boogie Down Productions manager — is at Toad’s Place (300 York St., 203 – 624-TOAD). 9 p.m. $25, $20 in advance.
