Library Receives "History Alive!" Grant

The library is pleased to announce that the Community Foundation of Northwest Connecticut awarded the library a grant to present a new and exciting series, History Alive!, during the 2015 year. During each History Alive! event,  an actor/musician will bring to life a particular figure and time period. Each actor/musician has researched the figure thoroughly to bring the most accurate and interesting information to the audience.   The following performances comprise the History Alive! presentations that the Community Foundation is sponsoring:

Exploring Alexander Hamilton
Presented by Trish Chambers Productions
Thursday, January 29th at 6:30

Bob Dylan: A Musical Tribute
Presented by Rick Laban
Thursday, March 12th at 6:30

Cat Stevens: A Life
Presented by Rick Laban
Thursday, May 12th at 6:30
 
John Barrymore: The Life of an Actor
Presented by Richard Clark
Thursday, June 4th at 6:30

The Life of Louisa May Alcott
Presented by Trish Chambers Productions
Thursday, July 9th at 6:30

For a description of each program, please click "read more" below. Thank you!

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Exploring Alexander Hamilton
Presented by Trish Chambers Productions
Thursday, January 29th at 6:30
This performance reenacts the story of Alexander Hamilton, one of the Founding Fathers of our country. It highlights the life of a brilliant immigrant and self-made man. The story is a timeline that traces his life from its meager beginnings of poverty and illegitimacy through his military, civic and political career to his untimely death in 1804. Alexander Hamilton introduced many concepts that are part of our lives today.


Bob Dylan: A Musical Tribute
Presented by Rick Laban
Thursday, March 12th at 6:30
Get inside the head of one of music’s greatest icons! Rick will give you a glimpse into this songwriters life and the infamous time period his music reflected while performing hits like Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright; Tonight I’ll Be Staying With You; Hey Mr Tambourine Man; Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door; Tangled Up in Blue; The Mighty Quinn; Blowin In The Wind; The Times They Are-a Changin’; Like A Rolling Stone; All Along the Watchtower.


Cat Stevens: A Life
Presented by Rick Laban
Thursday, May 12th at 6:30
Cat Stevens is launching his first American Musical tour in 25 years in 2015 and what better way to celebrate than to have the man himself at the Torrington Library? We couldn’t get Cat, but we did get Rick Laban to perform as Mr. Stevens during this one-of-a-kind musical performance.  Join us as we celebrate this Wild World singer’s life and work!
 
John Barrymore: The Life of an Actor
Presented by Richard Clark
Thursday, June 4th at 6:30
Enjoy the life and times of the “bad boy” actor of the early 20th century, John Barrymore. Have a rollicking good time as he takes us down memory lane to the era of the roaring 20’s and 30’s. Join the audience at a rehearsal of his greatest performance as Shakespeare’s “Richard III.” His trusty prompter tries to keep him on the straight-and-narrow and pick up the pieces as he stumbles through this boozy undertaking. This play is a charming concoction of comedy and pathos as  Barrymore struts what’s left of his “stuff”. Family history, theatre lore, and the rigors of marriage and Hollywood are mixed in a portrait of a great artist who has lost his way

The Life of Louisa May Alcott
Presented by Trish Chambers Productions
Thursday, July 9th at 6:30
Who was Louisa May Alcott? How did the society in which she grew up influence her writing, her beliefs, and her behavior. Explore her life as she grows from the rebellious child to an icon of American literature, following a life plan of her own design. This discussion introduces you to what made Louisa May Alcott the imaginative and creative woman she was.


For more information and additional programs, please contact the Torrington Library at 860-489-6684 or our calendar page for additional programs!