12/7/03

Book Signing, Raffle, and Shopper’s Teas

11/30/03

11/16/03

11/10/03

10/25/03

10/22/03

10/03/03

Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward’s Delicious Donation to the Westport Historical Society Gingerbread Gala

A spectacular gingerbread reproduction of The Westport Country Playhouse, donated by Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, will be available as part of a silent auction at the Westport Historical Society's Gingerbread Gala on December 5.

"Paul and I are delighted to again support the Westport Historical Society's Gingerbread Gala,” said Ms. Woodward. “Preserving Westport landmarks has been a passion of ours for years, and we applaud the efforts of the Westport Historical Society and thank them for the assistance they have been providing to the Westport Country Playhouse as we prepare for our expansion.”

The Gingerbread Gala will take place on Friday, December 5, from 6:30 – 10:00 p.m.  Guests will be serenaded by festive guitar and piano music as wine and sumptuous hors d'oeuvres are served throughout historic Wheeler House and Sheffer Hall, decorated for the holiday season by Chelsea Gardens of Westport.  Tickets are $75 a person, and all ticket and auction proceeds benefit the Westport Historical Society.  Please call 203.222.1424 for tickets.

Also included in the silent auction are gingerbread recreations of Westport landmarks the Saugatuck Rowing Club, the Westport YMCA, The Inn at National Hall, Tavern on Main, and the Remarkable Bookshop.  All gingerbread houses will be on display at the Historical Society beginning on Friday, December 5. 

In addition, several exquisite items will be available in the Historical Society’s Holiday Raffle. Items include a crystal and pewter Italian cruet donated by Table Del’Arte; a holiday pet basket donated by Earth Animal; a Richel silk necktie donated by Robert’s; a gift certificate and cosmetics basket donated by Beautiful Faces; a leather travel vanity of Penhaligon’s products donated by Saks of Greenwich; and a skybox and 20 Bluefish tickets (winner to select date) donated by People’s Wealth Management and Trust.  All items are on display at the Historical Society.  Raffle tickets cost $5 for 1 ticket and $20 for 5 tickets, and are available at the Historical Society.

First Selectwoman Farrell’s 1764 Farmhouse Included in Westport Historical Society’s Holiday House Tour

The Westport Historical Society will present its 17^th Annual Holiday House Tour on Sunday, December 7, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  Visitors will tour 6 unique Westport-area homes decorated for the season by prominent local florists, including the historic home of Westport First Selectwoman Diane Farrell, built in 1764.  The Holiday House Tour, which benefits the Westport Historical Society, traditionally draws hundreds of visitors from throughout the region and is a widely anticipated holiday event. 

First Selectwoman Selects Antique Farmhouse
Built by Nathan Gray in 1764 as a farmhouse, First Selectwoman Diane Farrell and her family are only the fifth family to have lived in this historic home.

Antique elements can be seen in the exceptionally wide-board oak floors, with their original square nails, the massive cooking fireplace in the dining room, and the compact twists of one of the staircases. The height of the ceilings and the large number of lights in the original windows disclose the prosperity of that long-ago owner.

The kitchen-family room was renovated, but retains the country farmhouse feel with a big stone fireplace, mellow cabinets, and walls of windows and doors that open onto the lovely remnants of the old farmland and orchard.  The master bedroom is also new space and takes advantage of the same view as the family room. It has a vaulted ceiling and paneled walls with period trim. The early nineteenth century cherry four-poster bed fits right in.

Throughout the house there are antiques and artwork that show how Selectwoman Farrell and her family treasure history.  A collection of old documents includes a draft notice for the Revolutionary War and a notice of the agenda for an RTM meeting in Redding in 1764, and there is even an 1800’s photograph of the house (please contact us for a copy).  Antique elements have been seamlessly combined with a tasteful addition that makes this historic home suitable for a modern family.

Tickets are $45 in advance and $50 on the day of the tour.  Advance tickets are available at the Westport Historical Society, 25 Avery Place, by calling 203.222.1424, or visit www.westporthistory.org for a ticket form.

Westport Historical Society Presents 17^th Annual Holiday House Tour and Gingerbread Gala

The Westport Historical Society will present its 17^th Annual Holiday House Tour on Sunday, December 7, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  The Holiday House Tour, which benefits the Westport Historical Society, traditionally draws hundreds of visitors from throughout the region and is a widely anticipated holiday event. 

Visitors will tour 6 unique Westport-area homes decorated for the season by prominent local florists. On the tour this year is the historic home of Westport First Selectwoman Diane Farrell, built in 1764.   Also on the tour are two homes by designers Healing Barsanti: one a romantic 1860’s cottage and the other a custom-built contemporary retreat.  Rounding out the tour are three diverse homes:  a stunning 14,000 square foot Shingle-style "cottage" built by E.T. Bedford in 1899; a creatively updated 1930's cape; and a newly built Colonial that blends rustic casual with traditional elegance.

Tickets are $45 in advance and $50 on the day of the tour.  Advance tickets are available at the Westport Historical Society, 25 Avery Place, or by calling 203.222.1424. Please email housetour@westporthistory.org or visit www.westporthistory.org for more information.

In conjunction with the Holiday House Tour, the Westport Historical Society will also be presenting a Gingerbread Gala on Friday, December 5, 6:30 - 10:00 p.m. The festive holiday cocktail party will feature a silent auction of custom-designed gingerbread houses of local landmarks such as the Westport Country Playhouse.  Wine and hors d'oeuvres will be served throughout historic Wheeler House and the Society’s newly expanded Betty and Ralph Sheffer Hall, decorated for the holiday season by Chelsea Gardens of Westport.  Tickets are $75 a person, with all ticket and auction proceeds benefiting the Westport Historical Society. Please call 203.222.1424 or email housetour@westporthistory.org for ticket information.

First Selectwoman Selects Antique Farmhouse
Built by Nathan Gray in 1764 as a farmhouse, the current owners, First Selectwoman Diane Farrell and her family, are only the fifth family to have lived in this historic home. Throughout the house there are antiques and artwork that show how this family treasures history. A collection of old documents includes a draft notice for the Revolutionary War and a notice of the agenda for an RTM meeting in Redding in 1764. Antique elements such as wide-board floors with their original square nails have been seamlessly combined with a tasteful addition that makes the home suitable for a modern family.

Romantic 1860’s Jewel
Pat Healing, the designer-owner of the romantic 1860’s cottage, has created a little jewel.  Throughout there are accents of clear colors from chartreuse linen draperies, to celery-toned kitchen cabinets, to shades of pink, lime, yellow and blue upstairs.  A great deal of white provides a clean background that makes the owner’s spectacular collection of Impressionist art “pop.”  Located on picturesque Main Street in Southport, CT, every inch of space in this cottage has been ingenuously used to create a house with an emphasis on beauty, comfort and family life.

Contemporary Country Retreat
This custom built refuge was recently completed for a city couple who love to entertain.  The Ferry Lane East retreat was built by Karp Associates of New Canaan and decorated by Westport interior designers Healing Barsanti.  There are no formal rooms, allowing guests to interact while playing games, chatting, watching television, and cooking.   Clever custom furniture and an impressive art and photography collection fill this home with wit and panache.

Colonial Marries Rustic and Traditional
Set amidst towering pines along a sparkling river, the endearingly simple exterior of this Colony Road home hides the grand dimensions of the interior, and the unique nature of its décor. Formal spaces, complete with fine American antiques, are mixed beautifully with rustic areas full of wonderful painted wood pieces. As owner-designer Olivia Charney explained when speaking of the effective blend of formal and rustic style, "When we married each other we married our households."

Mid-Twentieth Century Collection Fills ‘30s Cape
The décor of this 1930's expanded cape is a triumph of originality, creativity, and an unerring aesthetic sense. Most of the furnishing are mid-twentieth century and have been collected from all over the country.  The kitchen-great room blends barn motif with a clean-lined modern effect.  With original touches, such as a bright yellow dock ladder leading from laundry room to a child's playroom, used restaurant doors in the pantry, a gas station mirror in the  powder room, an imposing concrete fireplace, and a master bed that looks like it comes from a thirties movie, this house combines practicality and excitement in the best way.

Mansion on the Hill
One of Connecticut's original grand Shingle style "cottages," this Mid-Victorian mansion takes your breath away. It is perched high on a hill, and wrapped in a gracious porch supported by river-rock pillars. Built by E.T. Bedford in 1899 and expanded by his son Charles in 1906, this 14,000 square foot house was scheduled for demolition until the present owners rescued it. This two-year project included restoration and painstaking reproduction of interior finishes.  The result is an imperceptible blend of old and new.

Westport Historical Society Offers Free Archival Workshops

The Westport Historical Society has hidden pieces of Westport’s history waiting to be found, indexed and made available for researchers.  A grant from the Connecticut Humanities Council has made it possible to offer–free of charge–three workshops for processing valuable research from our Archives. The workshops will be conducted by Lisa Broberg Quintana, former Director of the Historical Societies of Middlesex County and Glastonbury.

Organizing family and house information and preserving diaries, letters and photos will be part of the hands-on activities.

The Processing Workshops will take place on November 11, 18 and 25, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., at the Westport Historical Society, 25 Avery Place.

Westport Historical Society Presents Behind the Scenes in Children’s Television: Tickle Me Elmo and Other Stories

Wednesday, November 5, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. 

The world of children’s television comes to life at the Westport Historical Society!  Join Westport television and media executives Karl Kuechenmeister, Tina Peel, Baxter Urist and Rita Weisskoff, PhD, for this fascinating interactive program, as they share tales, clips, insights and laughs from inside the kids’ TV business.  With passion and humor, the panel will draw from their personal experiences with hit TV series including Sesame Street, Dragon Tales, Ghostwriter, the Nickelodeon series Max & Ruby, and The Cartoon Network to offer a fresh look at what’s going on in the shows your kids and grandkids watch.

Plenty of time for open discussion and questions make this event the perfect companion to the current exhibit TV Neighbors: Westport & Weston-Performers & Personalities 1946-2003, on view through January 15.  The program will take place in the Betty and Ralph Sheffer Hall at The Westport History Center, 25 Avery Place.

The program will be followed by a reception and an opportunity to meet and greet the speakers.

Individual tickets are $8.00 per WHS member, $12.00 per non-member. Ticket order forms are available at www.westporthistory.org, or tickets may be purchased at the door on the day of the program 

PANELISTS

Tina Peel is the Executive VP of Development and Production at Silver Lining Productions, a television production and brand management specialist with offices in New York and London.  Silver Lining's clients include such distinguished authors as Babette Cole (Dr. Dog, Princess Smartypants) Holly Hobbie (Toot & Puddle), Ian Falconer (Olivia) and Rosemary Wells (Max & Ruby, Timothy Goes to School). The company's first television series, Timothy Goes to School, currently airs on PBS.

Karl Kuechenmeister has held several senior level advertising positions with major television networks, including CBS and NBC. Most recently, he was the Senior VP at the Cartoon Network, where he oversaw the effort to increase advertising sales from $20 million annually to $300 million.  Karl is a local Staples graduate who later graduated from Dickinson College.

Baxter Urist has over fifteen years experience in the marketing and media industries, and has held a number of senior management positions at Children’s Television Workshop including Group President of International Television & Product Licensing.  Under Baxter’s leadership, the number of viewers who watched Sesame Street globally doubled.  His work led to a long-term strategic partnership with Mattel/Tyco, which produced a significant increase in revenues and the #1 selling toy globally, Tickle Me Elmo and Sing-and-Snore-Ernie. Most recently, Baxter was the President and CEO of The Smile Train, an international children’s charity. 

Rita Weisskoff, PhD is a writer and educator with a special interest in using the power of popular media to support children’s growth and development. She has extensive experience working with creative teams to design and integrate educational content into entertainment vehicles for children, including several preschool series currently on air and online: Dragon Tales and Timothy Goes to School (PBS) and Little Bill (Nick Jr. and CBS); and Ghostwriter (PBS, Nickelodeon, and Noggin), a television-based literacy project for older children.

Westport Historical Society Presents: It’s Never Too Late—An Afternoon with Brett Somers

The Westport Historical Society continues its popular TV Neighbors Program Series on November 2 with a special appearance by Brett Somers, star of stage, screen and cabaret.  Expect plenty of behind-the-scenes testimony and lots of juicy tidbits and laughter as Brett shares moments of her careers in TV and cabaret.  Best known as a panelist on Match Game, Brett was also Jack Klugman's on-screen ex-wife on The Odd Couple. 

Plenty of time for open discussion and questions, and the chance to see your favorites up close and personal, make this event the perfect companion to the current exhibit TV Neighbors: Westport & Weston-Performers & Personalities 1946-2003, on view through January 15.  The program will take place in the Betty and Ralph Sheffer Hall at The Westport History Center, 25 Avery Place.

The program will be followed by a reception and an opportunity to meet and greet the speaker.

Individual tickets are $8.00 per WHS member, $12.00 per non-member. Tickets will be available at the door of the day of the event. Ticket order forms are available at www.westporthistory.org, and tickets may be may also be purchased by phone at 203.222.1424.  

Westport Historical Society In The Spotlight!  Local Stars of Television and Broadway Gather for TV Neighbors Program on October 19

Sunday, October 19, 3:30 – 5:00 pm
Love In The Afternoon—Will Roger Come Back?  What Will Agatha Do In The Meantime? 

Soap operas come to life with your favorite local stars at the new Westport History Center of The Westport Historical Society.  Join the stars for behind-the-scenes testimony and lots of juicy tidbits and laughter. 

From soap opera to daytime serial, from 15 minute “live” shows to one-hour dramas videotaped in advance, this vital part of television history will come to life on October 19^th.  Hear from the actors who lived the wacky and exciting history through the years. Why do your favorite actors leave the soaps? What ever happened to your favorite soap opera families?  How has the writer’s freedom on “love in the afternoon” evolved from twin beds to the explicit scenes existing today? All your questions answered, from the viewpoints of the writer, actor and director.  The panel of seasoned soap opera professionals will include:

Dorothy Bryce, “Rose Ryan” on The Doctors
Scott Bryce, “Craig Montgomery” on As The World Turns
Harry Eggart, Director, The Guiding Light
Juliet Packer, veteran soap opera writer
Bobra Suiter, “Nurse Barbara” on The Guiding Light
Tom Wiggin,  “Kirk Anderson” on As The World Turns

Plenty of time for open discussion and questions, and the chance to see your favorites up close and personal, make this event the perfect companion to the current exhibit TV Neighbors: Westport & Weston-Performers & Personalities 1946-2003, on view through January 15.  The program will take place in the Betty and Ralph Sheffer Hall at The Westport History Center, 25 Avery Place.

The program will be followed by a reception and an opportunity to meet and greet the speakers.

Individual tickets are $8.00 per WHS member, $12.00 per non-member. Ticket order forms are available at www.westporthistory.org, or tickets may be may purchased by phone at 203.222.1424.  A limited number of seats will be available at the door; advance tickets are highly recommended.  

Other programs in the TV Neighbors series are:

Sunday, October 26,  3:30 – 5:00 p.m.
Television Journalism—Does it Meet the Needs of the 21^st Century?

Sunday, November 2, 3:30 – 5:00 p.m.
It’s Never Too Late—An Afternoon with Brett Somers

Wednesday, November 5, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. 
Behind the Scenes in Children’s Television: Tickle Me Elmo and Other Stories
 

PANELIST BIOS

Dorothy Bryce settled in Westport in 1966 with her late husband, actor Edward Bryce. Bryce was a television pioneer, appearing on shows including The Phil Silvers Show and The Bell Telephone Hour. She also appeared on The Today Show with Dave Garroway. Her longest-running soap opera role was as “Rose Ryan” on The Doctors. Dorothy continues to act in theater and is active in the Westport community.

Scott Bryce was raised in Westport and was one of the famous Staples Players, winning a scholarship to the Juilliard School of Drama.  Scott made his Broadway debut in Ceasar & Cleopatra with Rex Harrison and Elizabeth Ashley. He played the role of “Craig Montgomery” on As the World Turns for 8 years. Other television credits are Popular, L.A. Law, Matlock, Homicide: Life on the Streets, E.R., Judging Amy and Law & Order.  

Harry Eggart and his wife, Roberta, have lived in Westport for many years. He was the director of The Guiding Light for 18 years, and has directed several other shows, including Another World, One Life to Live, Loving, and Santa Barbara.  Harry has directed several stage productions, and is currently the Director of Daytime Emmy Awards for NATAS—The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

Juliet Law Packer has written for major television programs and soap operas, including The Waltons, Falconcrest, As the World Turns, All My Children, General Hospital, Days of our Lives, One Life to Live, Another World, and Search for Tomorrow. She has won 3 Writers Guild Awards for her work on All My Children, and has been nominated for multiple Daytime Emmy Awards.  Juliet is currently working on a novel for teenage girls.

Bobra Suiter appeared as “Nurse Barbara” on The Guiding Light for 27 years. She has appeared in several films and daytime serials, on television in Saturday Night Live, and in Broadway productions of Carousel and Brigadoon.  Bobra is currently a member of the Theatre Artist Workshop.

Tom Wiggin created the role of Kirk Anderson, which he played for 10 years, on the long-running soap As the World Turns.  He had a starring role on the TV series Breaking Away; other television credits include Law and Order. Tom has starred in several Broadway productions, including Grease, Abe Lincoln In Illinois (with Sam Waterston) and Breakfast with Les and Bess. Tom is starring opposite Farrah Fawcett in the play Bobbi Boland, which opens on Broadway this fall.