Connecticut Arts Connections

THE PALACE THEATER's orchestra lobby will transform into into a jazz club featuring dancing and live music by international recording artist Bob Baldwin and Friends on Saturday, Oct. 4, from 8 pm to 1 am.

Tickets for the “ACT Smooth Jazz Affair” are $35 for general admission and $47.50 for V.I.P. seating and can be purchased by phone at 203-346-2000, online atwww.palacetheaterct.org, or in person at the box office, 100 East Main Street in Waterbury.

Hosted by Blue Plate Radio producer and radio personality Al “DJ ACT” Taylor, the night will begin with a performance by popular Jazz pianist Bob Baldwin, who will be joined by Connecticut artists Rohn Lawrence (guitar) and Dave Anderson (bass), as well as New York drummer Tony Lewis. Following the concert, guests will be invited to take to the floor for an Old School Dance Partyfeaturing popular '80s and '90s R&B hits spun by WBLS and WYBC radio personality, DJ Doc Martin.

As a Jazz artist, radio host and music presenter, Bob Baldwin is an unsung hero in the Contemporary/ Smooth Jazz genre. His recordings have featured accompaniment by such music greats as Grover Washington, Jr., Phil Perry, Will Downing, and Chuck Loeb, to name a select few. His latest release, "Twenty," marks his twentieth album as a solo artist and has reached #3 on the Billboard Jazz Charts, in addition to supplanting itself in Amazon’s ”Smooth Jazz Top 5." The album has also produced two, Top 10 Smooth Jazz radio hits.

More information: www.bobbaldwin.com.

WESTPORT COUNTRY PLAYHOUSE will stage as part of its 2015 season the world-premiere comedy, “Love and Money,” written by A. R. “Pete” Gurney, one of the most-produced playwrights in the theater’s history.  Mark Lamos, Playhouse artistic director and frequent director of Gurney’s plays, will helm the production, scheduled for July 21-August 8, 2015.  Lamos made the announcement at the Playhouse’s recent fundraising gala which honored Gurney for his body of work. New York’s Signature Theatre will co-produce the new play, with performances there set for later in August.  Signature Theatre currently features Gurney in its 2014-15 one-year playwright residency program which explores a series of his plays. For more information: 203-227-4177; www.westportplayhouse.org, 

PLAYHOUSE ON PARK:

Rae C Wright, who will be playing Hannah Pitt in Playhouse on Park's performance of Angels in America: Part 1: Millennium Approaches, will be teaching a two hour long workshop called The Business of Acting as part of the new Professional Guest Artist Series. This workshop will outline the steps to take to find work as an actor. Participants will leave with an "accountability partner" or team to keep them doing-the-work that enables actors to do-the-work. Rae C Wright is an actress, playwright, two-time Fulbright teaching fellow, and professor of screen acting at NYU's undergraduate film program. The Business of Acting workshop will be held on Saturday, Oct. 11th from 11 am to 1 pm. The cost is $40 per person. This workshop is for students ages 16 to adult. Space is limited on a first come, first served basis and advanced registration is required. To register: 860-523-5900 ext. 10; www.playhouseonpark.org for a registration form.

GOODSPEED:

Dee Roscioli, who played Elphaba in the hit musical Wicked, will play Jennie Dixianna in the upcoming Goodspeed Musicals production of The Circus in Winter this fall at The Norma Terris Theatre. Teal Wicks, who was previously announced to play the role, has exited the production to pursue an upcoming opportunity.