PLAN ON IT
Best of the arts in the weeks ahead
Music Knight’s night 1
Seven- time Grammy- winner Gladys Knight, whose hits include “Midnight Train to Georgia,” “I’ve Got to Use My Imagination” and “Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me,” is coming to Ridgefield. The songstress’ 2016 inspirational gospel album, “Where My Heart Belongs,” won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Gospel Album. She also has enjoyed acting success, with memorable roles and guest appearances on the big and small screens, including Lee Daniels’ “The Butler,” “Empire,” “The Jeffersons” and “Ally McBeal.” The Ridgefield Playhouse, 80 E. Ridge. Friday, Nov. 9, 7: 30 p. m. $ 175, $ 150. 203- 438- 5795, www. ridgefieldplayhouse. org
‘ Quiet’ time
Grammy Award- winning jazz pianist and singer Diana Krall is bringing her Turn Up the Quiet World Tour to Waterbury. The tour features material from her new album, “Turn Up The Quiet,” out now on Verve Records, as well as a wide mix of years- long fan favorites. Krall is reportedly the only jazz singer to have eight albums debut at the top of the Billboard Jazz Albums chart. The Palace Theater, 100 E. Main St, Waterbury. Wednesday, Oct. 3, 8 p. m. $ 137-$ 81. 203- 346- 2000, www. palacetheaterct. org
Exhibits
Cache of colors
The late Faber Birren spent his career exploring color and sharing what he learned in dozens of books and hundreds of articles. The Stamford Art Association has honored the life of this former Stamford resident for nearly 40 years with its show “Faber Birren Color Award Exhibit.” The multicolored display arrives this month, with the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Lindsay Ganter as its juror. Artists stand to earn $ 2,000 in cash awards. Stamford Art Association Townhouse Gallery, 39 Franklin St., Stamford. Sept. 23 to Oct. 25 ( reception Sunday, Sept. 23, 4 to 6 p. m.) Regular hours: Thursday to Friday, 11 a. m. to 3 p. m.; Saturday to Sunday, noon to 3 p. m. Free. 203- 325- 1139, stamfordartassociation. org
Water works
Olga Klymyk has been a teacher, a muralist an interior designer and retailer, but her latest output are her watercolors, which are on view in Norwalk through the end of this month. Originally from the Ukraine, she has long desired to be an artist and graduated from Arts and Crafts College in Kociv, where she majored in monumental art. In 2006, she headed for the United States and became a citizen in 2011. She lives in Stamford where she is involved in the artistic community. Sidewalk Gallery at Press Proof Studio, Inc., 18 South Main St., Norwalk. Through Sept. 30. ( exhibits seen from sidewalk; lights on until 1 a. m.) Free. 203- 857- 1240, facebook. com/ sidewalkgallery
Stage
Steinbeck classic
The Tony Award- winning stage version of “The Grapes of Wrath” is getting a rare Connecticut staging in Storrs. The Frank Galati adaptation won the 1990 best play Tony. Critics praised Galati’s fidelity to the the Pulitzer Prize- winning John Steinbeck novel about a farm family, forced off their land by the Dust Bowl, who plan a new life in California. Gary English, the founding artistic director of the Connecticut Repertory Theatre, is returning to Storrs to stage the Depression era epic. Connecticut Repertory Theatre, 2132 Hillside Road, Storrs. Thursday, Oct. 4 to Sunday, Oct. 14. $ 35-$ 10. 860- 4862113, crt. uconn. edu
Hannibal & Clarice
A special screening of the 1991 best picture Oscar winner “The Silence of the Lambs” is set for the non- profit Prospector Theater in Ridgefield. Based on the Thomas Harris novel, the film was the first to win the top five Oscars — best picture, director, actor, actress, and screenplay — since “It Happened One Night” 57 years earlier. Jodie Foster won her second Oscar for playing FBI investigator Clarice Starling and Anthony Hopkins was named best actor for playing the serial killer Hannibal Lecter. Prospector Theater, 25 Prospect Ave., Ridgefield. Thursday, Oct. 18 at 7 p. m. $ 8. 203- 438- 0136, prospectortheater. org
Yasgur’s farm
The 225- minute director’s cut of “Woodstock: Three Days of Peace & Music” is getting a screening at the Bijou Theatre. The 1970 film, covering both the music and the crowd activity at the legendary 1969 Woodstock music festival won the Oscar for best documentary. Director Michael Wadleigh’s movie lost 40 minutes when it was first released, but he has since restored this epic study of the hippie movement and late 1960s pop music. The film includes some of the greatest performers of that era from The Who to Sly & the Family Stone. Bijou Theatre, 275 Fairfield Ave., Bridgeport. Friday, Oct. 19 at 7 p. m. $ 12. 203- 296- 9605, bijoutheatrect. com
Etc.
Opening weekend
The Greenwich Historical Society will unveil its new campus to the public next month, with a requisite ribbon- cutting, as well as the debut of the inaugural exhibition, “History Is …,” which examines the ways history can be interpreted through objects and images from the society’s collections. Opening weekend will feature children’s crafts and games, live music, tours and food trucks, from which food can be purchased on the first day; tours will conclude the weekend. Greenwich Historical Society, 47 Strickland Road, Cos Cob. Saturday, Oct. 6, noon to 4 p. m. ( Register at greenwichhistory. org). Sunday, Oct. 7, noon to 4 p. m. Free. Tours begin at 12: 15 p. m.; registration is required. 203- 869- 6899
Room to bloom 1With
blooms that light up midsummer to first frost, dahlias are a welcome sight to gardeners and botanical fans alike. Colorful, with petals featuring multiple hues, they are eye- catching flowers. When they come together, they paint a beautiful picture. The botanical output of many of the area’s home dahlia growers will soon come together in Greenwich thanks to the Greenwich Dahlia Society. The public is invited to come and enjoy the view, and perhaps take a bloom or two home ( after the show, the plants are available for purchase. Greenwich Botanical Center, 130 Bible St., Cos Cob. Saturday, Sept. 29, 2 to 4 p. m.; Sunday, Sept. 30, 10 a. m. to 3 p. m. Free. 203- 869- 9242, gecgreenwich. org
What’s next?
Bestselling writer Michael Lewis will talk about “trends impacting America’s future direction” in a Fairfield appearance. Lewis will be questioned by Fairfield University students in this Open Visions series event. The writer has had an unbroken string of books that have captured the zeitgeist, including “Liar’s Poker” and “Flash Boys.” Three of his non- fiction bestsellers, “Moneyball,” “The Blind Side” and “The Big Short,” were turned into major Hollywood productions. Regina A. Quick Center for the Performing Arts, Fairfield University, 1073 N. Benson Road. Wednesday, Oct. 10 at 8 p. m. $ 35-$ 27. 203- 254- 4010, quickcenter. fairfield. edu
Comedy Laughs abound
Although busy with his new series, “The Last O. G.,” on TBS, Tracy Morgan has made room for the talent that shot him to stardom in the first place, standup comedy. His latest tour brings him to Stamford. An alum of “Saturday Night Live,” and “30 Rock,” he released his latest stand- up special “Staying Alive” on Netflix, his first since his near- fatal car accident. Palace Theatre, 61 Atlantic St., Stamford. Friday, Oct. 12, 8 p. m. ( Mature audiences) $ 65 to $ 31.50. 203- 325- 4466, palacestamford. org
Funny lady
Paula Poundstone is bringing a new show to Ridgefield. The comedian won the American Comedy Award for best female standup comic. She also has a large radio following for her regular appearances on the top- rated National Public Radio show, “Wait, Wait… Don’t Tell Me!” Poundstone is known for acute observational humor and her spontaneous interactions with audiences. Ridgefield Playhouse, 80 East Ridge. Saturday, Oct. 6 at 8 p. m. $ 55-$ 45. 203- 438- 5795, ridgefieldplayhouse. org