Adults discuss living in a very tiny home, while kids hunt for Easter eggs in a very large ’park.
Tuesday, April 15
Tax Day arrives, and so does a talk concerning a revolutionary Brit born four days after taxation helped spark the American Revolution. In conjunction with exhibition J. M. W. Turner: Romance and Reality, which describes Turner as “the most radical and innovative painter of his time,” the Yale Center for British Art hosts Caterina Franciosi, a Yale PhD candidate in art history, for a 12:30 presentation on Turner’s Staffa, Fingal’s Cave. Finished in 1832, the painting “depicts a small steamboat battling the tumultuous waves near the remote Scottish island of Staffa, famous for its towering basaltic formations.”
Wednesday, April 16
Madison bookstore RJ Julia hosts a book talk featuring a couple who put their own spin on van life. “Ever dreamed of living in a tiny, steampunk-inspired house built from thrifted treasures? Chloe Barcelou and Brandon Batchelder made it a reality—and a viral sensation. In Tales of a Not So Tiny House, they share their journey of building and living in a 300-square-foot fairytale cottage on wheels. Come hear their story, get a behind-the-scenes look, and find inspiration for creative small-space living!”
Thursday, April 17
Over the course of staggered time slots between 6 and 9 p.m. (with current availability from 7:15 on), the Yale Schwarzman Center hosts The Gift, “a multilingual, immersive reading experience about two stars, their fates intertwined…” Via an “illustrated book,” an “enveloping musical score” and “tactile and emotional” interactivity, organizers say viewers can expect “a therapeutic storytelling experience that connects astrophysical research to universal human experiences of loss, transformation, and renewal.”
At 7:30, the Shubert presents The Simon & Garfunkel Story, an “immersive concert-style tribute” “using state-of-the-art video projection, incredible lighting and a full live band” to show and tell “the amazing journey shared by the folk-rock duo, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel.”
Friday, April 18
Today and tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Shore Line Trolley Museum in East Haven invites visitors to enter “a whimsical world where the magic of Easter meets the charm of vintage trolleys” with scenic rides, photo ops, door prizes and a scavenger hunt.
At Witch Bitch Thrift at 8, Pinned & Sewtured performs a puppet cabaret—“an evening of short-form puppet theatre for adults,” with a raffle, too.
Also at 8, alt-pop multi-Grammy winner St. Vincent comes to College Street Music Hall.
Saturday, April 19
The Raging Knights Firefighter Motorcycle Club holds a “poker run” charity fundraiser starting at 11 a.m. (registration opens at 10) at 290 Dodge Avenue, East Haven. Basically, you ride around to different locations—no motorcycle required, I think—and draw a playing card at each of them. At the final location, the player with the best poker hand wins prizes, while the Arthur C. Luf Children’s Burn Camp wins the entry fee proceeds.
Also at 11, Where the Love Is Rescue in Hamden hosts the Easter Bunny for a pet-friendly fundraising photo op to go with an Easter egg hunt (starting at 11:15) and tag sale. Advance registration requested.
From noon to 4 on founding father Roger Sherman’s birthday, the reading room downstairs at Yale’s Beinecke Library “will showcase historic newspapers, broadsides, maps, correspondence, and other materials by and about Sherman and his time. Visitors will be able to see the historic first printing of the Declaration of Independence, the first printing of the United States Constitution, and other items about the American Revolution.” Sherman was a New Havener and the only person to sign all four of the country’s major founding documents.
At 6 p.m. in Quinnipiac’s Burt Kahn gymnasium, an “unforgettable” showcase of Indian classical and Bollywood music and dance featuring santoor player Bipul Kumar Ray and tabla player Aditya Narayan Banerjee with local performers is rounded out by food vendors, games, henna tattooing and more.
At 8 p.m. at Space Ballroom in Hamden, “medieval fantasy doom metal band” Castle Rat, fronted by a protagonist who calls herself the Rat Queen, headlines with an unusual piece of musical theater. While playing on stage, the band is known to act out its “mission to expand and defend ‘The Realm’ from those who seek to destroy it,” in a story featuring characters such as The Count, The Plague Doctor, The Druid and their mortal or perhaps immortal enemy, The Rat Reaperess.
At 9, a “Repurposed Thrift Art Edition” of Art In The Back…Music In The Front fills Three Sheets with sound curated by DJ Shaki and art from about a dozen contributors.
Sunday, April 20 - Easter
At 1:10, minor leaguers the Hartford Yard Goats take on the Portland Sea Dogs. But before the game, families are invited to celebrate Easter with the Easter Bunny and a holiday hunt for “thousands of eggs hidden all over the [ball]park.”
Meanwhile, special dine-out Easter meals can be found at Union League Cafe, Amarante’s, Anthony’s and the Madison Beach Hotel.
Written by Dan Mims. Image features Castle Rat. Readers are encouraged to verify times, locations and prices before attending events.
