Issue #30, October 20, 2006

Take Five 2006 with Jan Silver

 

HIGHLIGHTS

The Hamptons International Film Festival is going on in East Hampton, Southampton, Sag Harbor and Montauk. There are often “rush tickets” available at the East Hampton or Southampton theaters 10 minutes before a screening, and there are seminars and events with available seating. Tickets are sold online at www.hamptonsfilmfest.org or at the box office (101 Main St., East Hampton) or by calling 1-866-HIFF-TIX. Next Monday is “Locals Day” at the East Hampton Cinema; several Festival films will be shown at no charge on a first-come, first-seated basis. (The schedule is posted on the Cinema’s front doors Sunday evening.)

There is much additional entertainment here this weekend, including Patti Smith performing at Amagansett’s Stephen Talkhouse on Saturday and jazz pianist Chuk Fowler at Estia’s Cantina on Friday and Saturday. Hampton Theatre Company’s production of The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife continues in Quogue, and actress Connie Nielsen heads a cast reading Gretchen Somerfield’s new screenplay about Hedy Lamarr, Face Value, at Bay Street Theatre on Friday afternoon. There are concerts in East Hampton, Southampton, and Hampton Bays this weekend, plus several classic films being screened at local venues (see “Films” section).

A benefit of note this weekend is for the South Fork Breast Health Coalition. Actress Renee Zellweger, as honorary chairperson, helped encourage well-known artists, celebrities and politicians to design birdhouses. Their creations will be on display for silent auction during a cocktail reception in Parrish Hall, Southampton Hospital, on Saturday from 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets are $35; call (631) 726-8606.

THEATER

Charles Busch’s hit comedy The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife continues this Thursday through Sunday at the Quogue Community Theater. The Hampton Theatre Company production plays Thurs. through Sat. evenings, 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Tickets ($20 adults, $18 seniors, $10 students) can be reserved by calling (631) 653-8955.

Famous 1940s/50s film star Hedy Lamarr and composer George Antheil created a remote-control guidance system which helped defeat the Nazis in World War II. A new screenplay about their venture, Face Value, by Gretchen Somerfield, will be read by actors at Bay Street Theatre, Sag Harbor, on Friday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at Festival outlets or the Bay Street Theatre.

East Hampton’s professional theater group Naked Stage presents the improvisational comedy troupe Just Say Yes next Tuesday, October 24, 7:30 p.m. at Guild Hall. There is no admission charge but be prepared to join in the fun, led by zany comic actor Jonathan Peters.

MUSIC

The Hampton Trio and baritone Ryan Scott Ebright will perform selections from Haydn, Brahms, Smetana, and Ferrante on Saturday, 7:30 p.m., at the First Presbyterian Church, 120 Main Street, East Hampton. Suggested admission is a $15 donation.

Recording artist Lou Paoli will sing contemporary ballads and pop standards at the Hampton Bays Public Library on Sunday at 2 p.m. There is no admission charge, courtesy of Friends of the Library.

Belgrade-born pianist Tatjana Rankovich, a much-awarded faculty member of the Mannes College of Music with many recordings and media performances, will perform on Sunday, 3 p.m., at the Rogers Memorial Library, Southampton. The program is a gift from the Friends of the library and a reception follows the concert.

Recommended performers at local clubs and restaurants: Amagansett – Stephen Talkhouse (call 631-267-3117 for tickets) – disco rock band Booga Sugar (Fri.), Patti Smith then Nancy Atlas (Sat.); Estia Cantina – jazz pianist Chuk Fowler (Fri. & Sat., call 267-6320); Montauk – Montauk Yacht Club (Fri. 3-7 p.m.), music weekends at Gurney’s Inn; East Hampton –Turtle Crossing (Annie Morgan band Thurs., Mama Lee & friends Fri.), Maidstone Arms (Jane Hastay and Peter Weiss on Fri.), Babette’s (pianist Paul Gene on Sat.); Sagaponack – wine/cheese/music 5 to 7 p.m. Thurs. at Wolffer Estate Vineyards; Bridgehampton – pop standards and soft jazz at Kipling’s Fri. & Sat.; jazz brunch Sun. at World Pie; Peter Weiss on Sun. eve at Pierre’s and Jody Carlson on Tues.; Southampton – music weekends at Lori’s (75 Main St.) and Tugboats North Sea, jazz Sun. 4-7 p.m. at Southampton Inn; Hampton Bays – Edgewater; Westhampton Beach – Annona’s (Fri.), music weekends at Casa Basso (Sat.) ; Riverhead – Eastenders Coffee House (Thurs.-Mon.), Tweed’s (Fri. & Sat.).

FILMS

If you can’t get into a film festival screening, there are many other choice films to see at local venues this weekend. Bay Street Theatre, Sag Harbor, has three “Picture Show” films on consecutive evenings at 8 p.m. ($5 admission): Midnight Cowboy (Thurs.), Citizen Kane (Fri.), Easy Rider (Sat.).

The John Jermain Library, Sag Harbor, shows Robert Altman’s latest ensemble-cast film, the comedy Prairie Home Companion, tonight at 6:30 p.m. (free); arrive a few minutes early for a good seat.

The Pollock-Krasner House “Artists on Film” series finale is tonight. Film scholar Marion Weiss will speak briefly with artist April Gornik about her choice, Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away. The program starts at 7 p.m. at the Springs Study Center (East Hampton); tickets are $4 for members, $5 for guests.

Southampton’s Parrish Art Museum shows last year’s Oscar-winning film Crash tonight, 7 p.m. ($5 members, $8 guests). Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center screens the critically-acclaimed Brazilian film The House of Sand (2006) this Friday through Sunday; call (631) 288-1500 or online www.whbpac.org for times and tickets. Southampton’s Rogers Memorial Library shows Blake Edward’s classic 1968 comedy The Party starring Peter Sellers on Monday, 3 p.m. (free admission but call 631-283-0774 ext. 523 to reserve seats).

SPEAKERS

Actress Ellen Burstyn will be at BookHampton, East Hampton, today at 4:30 p.m. with her new memoir Lessons in Becoming Myself. – Independent film producer Christine Vachon will be at BookHampton, Sag Harbor, tonight at 6 p.m. with her new book A Killer Life. Author Charlie Scheips and photographer Christophe von Hohenheig will speak about their book Andy Warhol: The Day The Factory Died at Guild Hall, East Hampton, on Sunday, 3 p.m. Professor Mark Ciabattari will talk about Francis Collins, the geneticist who went from atheist to committed Christian while deciphering the human genome, next Thursday, 7 p.m., at the Rogers Memorial Library, Southampton.

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