Mr. David Grausman at the Steinway Piano.
6:00 – 9:00 PM
Drop in for dinner or a drink at the bar.
Since schedules can change, it is suggested to call ahead of time to double check if David is playing. Or/in addition, you can follow him on his Instagram: @david.grausman. He posts his Fife engagements on Saturdays.
Fife n’ Drum Restaurant
52 Main Street
Kent, Connecticut. 06757
Reservations: (860) 927-3509
Don’t miss this free community screening of the massive 1985 hit Back to the Future on the big screen at the Colonial. The first installment in a family-friendly film series, this sci-fi classic starring Michael J. Fox will whisk you back to the fictional Hill Valley, California in the ‘80s –– and then even further back to the ‘50s, where Marty McFly must make sure his parents get together and fall in love so he doesn’t imperil his own existence. One of the most critically acclaimed sci-fi films of all time that’s also one of the great comedies of the era, Back to the Future became such a big part of the culture that it spawned two sequels, video games, theme park rides, a television series and a stage musical. Space is limited. RSVP at the Colonial Theatre website.
Event Location
Colonial Theatre, 27 Railroad St., North Canaan, CT
HAPPY HOUR PIANO SERIES
Who doesn’t need to decompress and unwind after the grind? AMP’s popular Happy Hour Piano Series eases you into the weekend with live piano music and libations in
Connecticut’s most unique art space.
Held the fourth Friday of the month from 5pm to 7pm, AMP’s Happy Hour Piano Series features a captivating pianist performing in a variety of styles including jazz, blues, pop, classical, and more. It can be a relaxed hang with friends or an intimate evening out.
Reserve your $8 tickets in advance or purchase at the door.
AMP’s regular Friday exhibit hours (10am to 5pm) are extended for the Happy Hour Piano Series, 5–7pm. The cash/credit bar opens at 5pm. Live music begins at 5:30pm.
Christopher Casey, Jazz
Friday, January 23
5–7pm I Music Starts: 5:30pm
Christopher Casey earned a bachelor’s degree from The Hartt School and studied under Jackie McLean, Jackie Byard, and Hotep Galeta. An active pianist, composer and arranger, Chris performs extensively throughout New England and the New York area. He has performed with such greats as Jackie McLean, Nat Reeves, Steve Davis, Claudio Roditi, Slide Hampton, Houston Person, Jacomo Gates, Bob Berg, Jimmy Greene, and Greg Banaszak. His works have been commissioned by Jackie McLean, Curtis Fuller, Steve Davis, PBS Television, and The Polish National Chamber Orchestra of Slupsk. Recordings include “Double Vision”, “Jazz in the Wild”, “Sounds of Hartford”, “Head over Heals”, and “Imagination”.
The Happy Hour Piano Series is supported in part by the Greenberg family.
American Mural Project
90 Whiting Street
Winsted, CT 06098
https://www.americanmuralproject.org/piano-series
Create, explore, and connect at monthly Teen Art Workshops for ages 13–18—led by guest artists in a welcoming studio setting.
Game On! with Gerald Moore
Artist and Educator Gerald Moore leads this interactive workshop featuring his very own creation: THE GAME.
Using 3D acrylic shapes, participants create neighborhoods, cities, characters and storylines. THE GAME engages your creativity as every choice you make when placing the objects impacts the narrative. Working (and playing!) with Gerald, gamers collaborate on universe-building and storytelling in a way where individuals can shine and everybody wins!
About Teen Art Workshops @AMP
Fourth Saturdays | 10:30am–1:30pm | Ages 13–18 | Suggested Donation: $10
Monthly Teen Art Workshops at AMP give young artists time and space to focus on their creative interests—surrounded by inspiration and guided by guest teaching artists.
Each session offers hands-on projects, conversation, and feedback in a supportive studio setting or off-site art destination. Workshop topics vary and reflect what matters to teens—exploring personal voice, creative process, and new techniques.
Open to all skill levels. Materials provided. Suggested donation is $10, but all teens are welcome regardless of ability to pay.
You may also be interested in AMP’s Teen Art Studio on second Saturdays.
About the Teaching Artist
Gerald Moore is an artist, educator and entrepreneur. His style is informative and inspiring. He believes deeply in the power of creativity and design principles to have a positive impact on the everyday life of each of us. While admittedly an expert in nothing, he is an explorer of everything. He consistently receives enthusiastic responses from those who have accepted his invitation to play and have experienced his work.”
Come ready to make art, try new things, and connect with a community of teen creatives. Registration appreciated.
American Mural Project.
90 Whiting Street,
Winsted 06098.
https://www.americanmuralproject.org/teen-art-workshops
The Hickory Stick Bookshop is delighted to welcome author George Packer, who will be here talking about his novel “The Emergency” on Friday, January 2nd at 4.00 pm. The talk will be followed by a book signing.
ABOUT THE BOOK
An empire has collapsed from boredom and loss of faith in itself. In the emergency that follows, youth rebellions of urban Burghers and rural Yeomen embrace radical new ideas of humanity. Doctor Hugo Rustin, chief surgeon at the Imperial College Hospital, is increasingly estranged from his city and his family—from his wife, Annabelle, who finds fulfillment in their changed community, and especially from his teenage daughter, Selva, who has turned against her father’s values. When an incident at the hospital leads to Rustin’s disgrace, he seeks redemption in a quixotic and dangerous journey into the countryside, with Selva as his companion, just as the conflict between Burghers and Yeomen is reaching a crisis.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
George Packer is an award-winning author and staff writer at The Atlantic. His books include The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America (winner of the National Book Award), The Assassins’ Gate: America in Iraq, and Our Man: Richard Holbrooke and the End of the American Century (winner of the Hitchens Prize and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for biography). He is also the author of two novels and a play, and the editor of a two-volume edition of the essays of George Orwell.
PRAISE FOR THE BOOK
“Every once in a while, a good dystopian novel strikes the perfect balance… The Emergency is one of these novels. What Packer is trying to tell us about our world is neither too obvious nor too ambiguous… [Packer] approaches all of his characters with empathy, showing readers where we can do better… A well-wrought, colorful and interesting story which asks us urgently to spend time with these questions and figure them out for ourselves–before it’s too late.”
—Claire Rock, The Michigan Daily
“A propulsive Orwellian novel… Packer writes with spare elegance and mounting urgency, and while the depictions of rising class and intergenerational conflicts have clear parallels to real-world matters, the novel never loses its taut dramatic edge. It’s a knockout.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Packer’s gifts are Steinbeckian in the best sense of that term.”
—Dwight Garner, The New York Times
This event is free and open to the public. If you are unable to attend this event, you may reserve signed copies of The Emergency by calling The Hickory Stick Bookshop at (860) 868 0525, or shop our website 24/7 at www.hickorystickbookshop.com.
Hickory Stick Bookshop
2 Green Hill Road
Washington Depot, CT
https://hickorystickbookshop.com/event/2026-01-02/author-talk-book-signing-george-packer
6:00 PM-7:30 PM
We are proud to present the work of emerging artist Katiana Jarbath Smith, whose bold, realist paintings celebrate the people, stories, and spiritual heritage of the African Diaspora. Through vibrant color, expressive brushwork, and large-scale figurative forms, Smith captures moments of resilience, dignity, and deep emotional presence.
Rooted in a lifelong artistic journey and shaped by a commitment to representation and inclusion, her work honors marginalized communities while affirming their essential place in the American story. Infused with reverence for indigenous and African spiritual traditions, Smith’s paintings invite reflection, connection, and transformation—using art as a powerful tool for education, empowerment, and social change.
Light refreshments will be served.
COST | FREE—please RSVP if you plan on joining us
Wisdom House Retreat and Conference Center
229 E Litchfield Rd
Litchfield, CT 06759
https://www.wisdomhouse.org/program-calendar/gallery-reception-katiana
The Hotchkiss Dramatic Association presents Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, February 13–15, in Walker Auditorium. This visually striking adaptation, written by Nick Dear and based on Mary Shelley’s classic novel, follows the Creature’s journey from creation to self-discovery, reframing the story through his eyes. Directed by Derek Brashears, the production blends powerful physical theatre, vivid imagery, and emotional depth.
Performances will take place on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public.
The Hotchkiss School – Walker Auditorium
11 Interlaken Road
Lakeville, CT 06039
https://www.hotchkiss.org/arts/theatre
Historic Presence Opening Reception – Saturday, February 21, 4-6 p.m.
Historic Presence features work by Brooklyn-based artist Taha Clayton, curated by Terri Moore. Inspired by the 1930s to 50s, Clayton celebrates elders and the American experience through richly detailed oil paintings and drawings that highlight everyday strength, beauty, and resilience. On view at the Tremaine Gallery, February 14 through April 5, 2026.
The Hotchkiss School – The Tremaine Gallery
11 Interlaken Road
Lakeville, CT 06039
https://www.hotchkiss.org/arts/tremaine-art-gallery
The Hotchkiss Dance Company presents its annual performance, The Becoming, a powerful exploration of identity and transformation through original choreography by Claudia McGuigan, guest artist Amber Cameron, and student choreographers.
Performances will take place in Walker Auditorium on Friday, February 27, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, March 1, at 2:00 p.m. Admission is free, and all are welcome.
The Hotchkiss School – Walker Auditorium
11 Interlaken Road
Lakeville, CT 06039
https://www.hotchkiss.org/arts/dance
LIVE @AMP
Our Live @AMP series offers intimate musical performances against a huge, colorful backdrop. With its five-story mural and multiple viewing platforms, Connecticut’s most unique art space is also the Nutmeg State’s coolest concert space. Whether it’s an evening of jazz, rock, folk or R&B, Live @AMP is a stellar night opportunity to vibe out with fellow music-lovers, award-winning musicians and vocalists in an unparalleled setting.
Women Take the Lead
This year’s LIVE @AMP lineup puts the spotlight on women artists who bring a diverse array of styles and artistry to vibrant life.
Nicole Zuraitis: My Favorite Songs
Saturday, February 7
Doors: 7pm | Show: 8pm
Nicole Zuraitis is a 2X GRAMMY winning and 4X GRAMMY-nominated jazz singer-songwriter, pianist and arranger, New York-based bandleader and winner of the prestigious 2021 American Traditions Vocal Competition Gold Medal. With a “heart as big as her remarkable voice,” (Jazz Police), Nicole is a trailblazing artist who is redefining vocal jazz and jazz songwriting, or as she has coined “modern songbook”, earning her a place as one of the top artists and “prolific songwriters” (Broadway World) to watch in jazz and beyond.
The ‘My Favorite Songs’ program is a rare chance for jazz fans to hear this singular talent at the piano, singing the songs that shaped her journey and sharing the stories behind them.
Located at the American Mural Project,
90 Whiting Street,
Winsted CT 06098
About the Concert Venue
AMP’s spacious, renovated mill gallery offers an artistic club atmosphere like no other. Its centerpiece is the incredible indoor mural—120 feet long and five stories high—that celebrates American workers on a grand scale. With the mural as the backdrop to the show and three tiers for viewing and mingling, concert-goers have an exceptional experience that fuses live music with collaborative art.
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