Coming up at the Windham Theatre Guild – auditions, Oscar Wilde, prizes

Mark your calendar for these exciting events coming up at the Windham Theatre Guild, located on Main Street in the downtown Willlimantic Arts District.

Auditions for Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida

If you’d like a chance to be a part of the pop-rock musical adaptation of this classic, penned by Elton John and Tim Rice, then make a date for auditions to be held on Monday and Wednesday, May 16 and 18th at 7 p.m. in the Windham Middle School Auditorium, Quarry Street, Willimantic.

A classic tale explodes with contemporary energy as the rich colors of Elton John’s music and Tim Rice’s lyrics bring to life this Tony Award winning musical, Aida

An epic story of love, loyalty and betrayal, Aida is majestic, passionate, powerful and extremely entertaining.

Seeking male actors, singers and dancers age 16-50-plus, as well as female actors, singers and dancers age 16-40. (Note: dancers must be able to sing.)

Auditions will include vocal, dance, movement and acting.

Please prepare a musical number (30 to 40 seconds) for the vocal audition and bring sheet music. Piano accompaniment will be provided. Dress comfortably for the dance/movement activities.

Character descriptions are available at www.windhamtheatreguild.org

This production will be directed by Laura DeBrincat LaCour; produced by Robin Rice, choreographed by Rachel Leigh Roccoberton and the music director will be Ken Clark.

Production dates are Friday, Saturday, Sunday July 15, 16, 17, and Friday, Saturday, Sunday July 22, 23, 24 and Thursday, Friday and Saturday July 28, 29 and 30, 2011.

Questions? Contact Laura DeBrincat LaCour at 860-428-1749 or shankstress@gmail.com

The Importance of Being Earnest

From the writer who once said, “The only thing worse than being talked about is… not being talked about,” and the creator of the Portrait of Dorian Gray, comes this well-loved, fast paced comedy full of verbal jousting.

Performance times at the Burton Leavitt Theatre will be 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday May 20, 21, and Friday-Saturday June 3, 4 and Thursday-Saturday, June 9, 10 and 11, as well as a 2 p.m. performance on Sunday, June 5.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for students and seniors (60+), $10 for UConn/ECSU/QVCC students and $8 for children under 12.

Make your reservations today by calling 423-2245 or visiting www.windhamtheatreguild.org (no refunds). Tickets will also be available at the door.

A Year of Dining Out

Buy a Windham Theatre Guild raffle ticket ($5 per ticket) and you could win:

First Prize -

$25 gift card redeemable at Aero Diner;

$25 gift card redeemable at Angellinos Restaurant;

$25 gift card redeemable at Apollo Restaurant;

$65 gift card redeemable at Blue Oak Cafe;

$25 gift card redeemable at Fred’s Brickhouse Cafe;

$25 gift card redeemable at Greg’s Pizza;

$30 gift card redeemable at Log Cabin Restaurant;

$25 gift card redeemable at Main Street Cafe;

Two $25 gift cards redeemable at Nita’s Restaurant;

$35 gift card redeemable at Olympic Restaurant;

$20 gift card redeemable at That Breakfast Place;

$15 gift card redeemable at Thread City Diner;

$50 gift card redeemable at Willington Pizza

… for a total value of $415.

Second Prize – $200 Gift Certificate redeemable at the East Brook Mall

Third Prize – $200 Gift Card redeemable at Stop & Shop

Fourth Prize – Two Season Show Tickets redeemable at WTG for 2011-2012 (Value $168)

Fifth Prize – $50 Gift Card redeemable at Cumberland Farms

The drawing will be held at 8 p.m. on July 21 in The Courtyard at Burton Leavitt Theatre (winner need not be present).

Prizes are not redeemable for cash and exclude alcoholic beverages.

To get your ticket, See a WTG Member or call 423-2245.

Posted April 19, 2011

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Donald E. Griffin Sr. – July 17, 1925 – April 17, 2011

Donald E. Griffin, Sr., former Hebron CT Fire Chief and Fire Marshal, and retired Captain of the UConn Fire Department.

Donald E. Griffin Sr. “Bompa” of Waterford, formerly of Hebron, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Sunday, April 17, 2011 with his granddaughter holding his hand.

He was the fourth child of 11, born to William Griffin and Ellen (Olin) Griffin.

He was born July 17, 1925 in Hebron, where he lived for most of his life, moving only to be closer to family and care for his good wife Bessie “Betty” (Hardy) Griffin, who predeceased him.

He was also predeceased by their son Bruce Griffin.

He is survived by his son Donald E. Griffin Jr.; his granddaughter Elizabeth Griffin; and great grandson Donald E. Griffin III of Florida.

He lived with and is survived by his granddaughter Christine (Griffin) Kisling and husband James Kisling Sr.; his great grandsons James Kisling Jr. and Joseph Kisling of Waterford; and by several brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews.

Don had many different jobs throughout his life. He worked for Fuller Brush, Pratt & Whitney, American Screw Company and H.L. Deal.

He was most proud to be a member of the Hebron Volunteer Fire Dept. and of his more than 65 years with them. He was the Fire Chief for 25 years, Hebron Fire Marshal and retired as a Captain in the UConn Fire Department.

He loved everything about fire fighting.

He helped build – and was a lifelong board member and instructor at – the Fire Training School in Willimantic, and served a term as President of the CT Fireman’s Association.

He and Betty owned Griffin Fire Equipment for many years, before he retired to spend his winter days on the golf course in Barefoot Bay.

Don was a member of the Masons in Colchester, and the Grange.

He served in the Merchant Marines in WWII, and was a member of the American Legion.

His family will receive friends and relatives from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 21, 2011 at the Potter Funeral Home, 456 Jackson St., Route. 195, Willimantic.

His funeral service will be 11 a.m. on Friday, April 22 at the First Congregational Church of Hebron, 1 Main St. Hebron, CT. Burial will follow in St. Peter Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or the Hebron Volunteer Fire Department.

Posted April 19, 2011

Obituaries, Letters to the Editor and news items for this news site can be sent to editor@htnp.com. Please include your town in the subject line of your email. Please also include a phone number where you can be reached if there are questions.

Gov. Malloy and humanitarian Mia Farrow to speak at UConn Commencement

Mia Farrow in Darfur with one of the thousands of starving children. Farrow will speak at the UConn School of Fine Arts commencement at 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 7 in the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts. Photo copyright by Mia Farrow, used by permission.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy will be joined by Mia Farrow an acclaimed actress and outspoken champion of human rights, as well as Hartford Mayor Pedro E. Segarra, and a host of other speakers during 2011 commencement exercises at the University of Connecticut in May.

Most of the more than 7,000 graduating students will take part in commencement ceremonies on Saturday and Sunday, May 7-8 on the Storrs campus.

Gov. Malloy

Malloy, who became Connecticut’s 88th governor in the November 2010 elections, was formerly mayor of Stamford, and played a critical role in the construction of UConn’s downtown Stamford campus, which opened in 1998.

He has earned accolades – and brickbats – since he took office and began a whirlwind tour of the state to explain his plan to erase a more than $3.3 billion deficit in the 2011-12 fiscal year.

Malloy will be the keynote speaker at UConn’s May 7 graduation ceremony, scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.

Mia Farrow

Farrow, selected by Time magazine in 2008 as one of the most influential people in the world, has traveled to the Darfur region of the Sudan many times since 2004.

She has written extensively about the genocide on her Web site (http://www.miafarrow.org/ ) and speaks regularly about human rights throughout the United States and Canada.

Farrow will speak at the School of Fine Arts commencement at 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 7 in the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts.

William E. Trueheart

On May 8, during twin ceremonies starting at 12:30 and 4:30 p.m., nearly 3,000 students from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences will receive their degrees after a keynote speech by William E. Trueheart, president and chief executive officer of Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count.

Trueheart, who earned a Bachelor’s degree from UConn in 1966, formerly led The Pittsburgh Foundation, one of the oldest and largest community foundations in the nation, and he served as president and CEO of Reading is Fundamental Inc., America’s oldest and largest children’s and family literacy organization.

Trueheart also served as president of what was then Bryant College in Rhode Island, and held several administrative posts at UConn from 1966 to 1972, including dean of undergraduate affairs in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, assistant to the president, and American Council of Education Fellow.

Mayor Pedro Segarra

Another inspiring keynote speaker will be Mayor Pedro Segarra of the City of Hartford, who will address the School of Social Work’s recognition ceremony at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 7, in the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts. Segarra earned a Master’s degree in Social Work from UConn.

Dr. Henry Lee

Dr. Henry C. Lee (http://drhenrylee.com/about/), a professor at the University of New Haven and founder of its forensic science program, will speak during ceremonies at the UConn Health Center on Sunday, May 15.

Other distinguished speakers

• Connecticut Atty General George Jepson, who will deliver the keynote speech at the UConn School of Law commencement, which will be held at 11 a.m. on Sunday, May 22 on the grounds of the Law School;

• Kelci Stringer, founder and CEO of the Korey Stringer Institute, a research center based in UConn’s kinesiology program in the Neag School of Education, who will speak at that school’s commencement, at 9 a.m. on Sundya, May 8 in the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts. The Institute is named after Stringer’s late husband, who died of complications from heat stroke in 2001 while playing for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League.

Commencement for the School of Medicine and School of Dental Medicine is 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 15 at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford.

More information, including the dates and times of all UConn’s celebrations, is available at the commencement Website http://www.commencement.uconn.edu/may/index.html

Posted April 19, 2011

Related links: Mia Farrow’s videos from Darfur, etc. http://www.miafarrow.org/videos.html

Pedro E. Segarra bio (prior to becoming Mayor) http://www.hartford.gov/government/council/COUNCILMAN_PEDRO_SEGARRA.htm

Have a news item or event you’d like posted on this news site? Simply send your information to editor@htnp.com and include your town in the subject line of your email. Please also include a phone number where you can be reached if there are questions. And follow us (HTNP) on Facebook and Twitter!

At Windham Hospital – Your Health and Intuition

The popular Integrative Health lecture series continues at Windham Hospital at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 27 with a presentation entitled, “Your Health and Intuition: The Essential Connection.”

The talk, led by Kimble Greene, Ph.D., will be in the Hospital’s Education Center.

“You know what is happening within you better than anyone else – even if you are not currently conscious of it,” says Greene.

“Your health and wellbeing are in a constant state of renewal and you have the power within you to create the health you desire. All aspects of your being – mind, body, emotions, spirit – operate in tandem,” she adds. “When something happens on one level, it is simultaneously happening on all levels.”

This talk will focus on “fine-tuning” our intuitive senses, increasing inner power, and attaining health and wellbeing.

Kimble Green, Ph.D. will lead a talk about health and one's own intution at Windham Hospital as part of the Integrative Health lecture series. Courtesy photo

Greene, who is a Connecticut resident, is a transpersonal counselor, author, speaker and consultant.

Her career as an administrator and counselor for nonprofit human services/juvenile justice agencies, between 1980 and 2006, focused on improving the quality of child/youth services, advocating for children’s rights and educating and training professionals who work directly or indirectly with children and youth.

Today, she supports people in understanding the nature of human and spiritual development, social and emotional development, and grief and trauma, as well as the nature of spirituality, energy and healing.

For more than 30 years, she has offered her services in the areas of transpersonal counseling, alternative healing and holistic health.

In 2010, she published her first book, “ ONE…Embracing Life and Illuminating Your Spirit .”

Greene believes in the power of love and faith in creating wellbeing and realizing one’s dreams.

This talk is one of a series of free lectures hosted by the Integrative Health Services Department at Windham Hospital.

Future programs in the nine-part series include:

• “Skin Cancer Awareness” on May 25, 2011 presented by the World Skin Project Group;

• “Eating Healthy: From Refined to Raw Foods” on July 27, 2011;

• “Tai Chi” on Sep. 28, 2011;

• “Flower Essences” on Oct. 26, 2011, and

• “Mind-Body Connections to Stress” on Nov. 30, 2011.

Questions? Please call 860-456-6002 or visit www.windhamhospital.org and click on “services,” then “integrative health.”

The educational programs presented by Integrative Health Services are provided as a community service, and are not necessarily endorsements of a particular health regimen or practitioner by Windham Hospital.

Posted April 19, 2011

Have a news item or event you’d like posted on this news site? Simply send your information to editor@htnp.com and include your town in the subject line of your email. Please also include a phone number where you can be reached if there are questions. And follow us (HTNP) on Facebook and Twitter!