Dinner, Theater & A Night to Remember

Between work, home life and the bustle of every day, you deserve at least one night of indulgence. And if one night is all you get, we recommend making it as memorable as possible. Pick up the phone or call into the next room and tell your spouse or loved one you are going out for the night – the whole night! 

This spring, the Palace Theater in Waterbury features plenty of shows worth planning your night around, including Menopause The Musical, John Tesh: Big Band Live!, and Otello. Once you have picked your show and locked in your tickets it’s just a matter of picking a place to eat. The hard part is not finding a place; it is choosing one. Waterbury G.R.E.A.T (Gimme a Reason to Eat Around Town) Restaurants are a group of restaurants that have come together with a promise to provide customers like you fine hospitality. From Italian to German, steak to seafood, casual to fancy – there’s bound to be something to satisfy your appetite. After the show, retire to one of Waterbury’s many lodging options, such as the romantic, classic New England B&B, House on the Hill Bed & Breakfast.

If the New Haven area is where you are headed, we have got just the thing. La Quinta Inn & Suites, located right across the street from the Long Wharf Theatre offers beautiful accommodations at reasonable prices. Parking is free and convenient, which if you are coming from the city, is more than half the appeal. Once you are checked in, simply head outside (do not forget your show tickets) to find plenty of restaurants in walking distance like the Greek Olive, Brazi’s Restaurant, the Turf Club Restaurant and more. Finally, head to the theater to enjoy My Name is Asher Lev, which runs May 2 through May 27. 

Among Bridgeport’s must-sees is the Downtown Cabaret Theater, presenting several performances this spring, including Defending The Caveman (April 13 to April 28), and Children’s Company’s Allison Wonderland (April 15 – May 20), and Jay and The Americans (June 2). If you cannot choose just one, treat the shows as a checklist and pair each one with a different restaurant. Fast becoming one of Connecticut’s “foodie” destinations, downtown Bridgeport serves up a flavorful feast of favorites from Italian to Portuguese, Soul food to Chinese, and everything in between. Too many to list, we recommend checking out the theater’s Web site for a comprehensive list of nearby restaurants. If you are staying the night, the Bridgeport Holiday Inn provides affordable accommodations, just a mile from the theater. 

In our capital city of Hartford, you will find The Bushnell, which is in and of itself quite the site to see. Experience the glamour of the historic Mortensen Hall; marvel at the luxuriousness of the Belding Theater; and do not forget to look up or you will miss the 14-foot Chihuly chandelier in the Autorino Great Hall. Showing at The Bushnell this spring: Fiddler on the Roof (April 10 - April 15); Buddy Valastro: The Cake Boss (April 27); Pathetique, presented by the Hartford Symphony Orchestra (May 10 - 13); and Come Fly Away (May 29 – June 3). The ideal city location makes for nearby restaurants and hotels galore such as Max Downtown and the Hartford Marriott Downtown (a Connecticut certified green lodging hotel). The Bushnell website provides a great resource for finding the restaurant and hotel that best suits your taste. 

Open Air Art

If you want to see fine art, but prefer to enjoy the warm spring day outside, you are in luck! Thanks to the Connecticut Office of the Arts Art in Public Spaces program, Connecticut is a virtual museum, with nearly 400 impressive works of art installed inside and outside more than 100 municipal buildings, universities, parks and state offices throughout the state. Take a day (or more!) to walk the grounds of these sites and discover unique, thought-provoking sculptures and environmental installations. 

The grounds of Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven include three very different exterior pieces. Located behind Brownwell Hall, End of Line/West Rock by Nancy Holt is a 510-foot long sculpture that begins with a trail of boulders and ends at a metal circular viewfinder installed in a stone wall. Inside the circle is another ring, both of which were created to preserve the viewing point that frames West Rock, a famous New Haven landmark. Between Engleman and Morrill halls, you can see Serie Metafisica XVIII, a bronze sculpture created by Herk Van Tongeron that consists of four Greek columns and two large spheres poised on an inclined plane. The piece pays homage to the arts and sciences with its geometric forms and classical columns. Near the north entrance of Engleman Hall, H20: Liquid Zone by Mikyoung Kim interacts with seasonal changes. Standing 15 feet tall and spanning 81 feet, it is comprised of wavelike forms fabricated of stainless steel channels and mesh that disperse rain, ice and snow throughout its surface. If you happen to visit during a rainstorm, you will see that the structure temporarily collects and retains water, and as the water trickles down it, the structure creates a calming sound. In the winter, it takes on the appearance of a wall by holding ice and snow along its vertical surface. 

Western Connecticut State University is also home to several Art in Public Spaces works. Among the outdoor pieces is an untitled corten and stainless steel sculpture by Warren Owens on the lawn of the Westside Classroom Building. The east and west sides of this pyramid of steel blocks are made of stainless steel and reflect the rising and setting sun, while the north and south facings are made of corten steel, which, over time, rusts to a deep earthy brown, creating a striking contrast between the two materials. Outside of the Memorial Hall Student Center, you’ll find Western Totems by David Colbert, consisting of seven multi-faced columns arranged to resemble students on the move. The shortest (22 inches) doubles as a sitting bench, while the tallest (109 inches) acts as a “grand gestural figure” at the main entrance of the building. As the sun moves throughout the day, the columns create ever-evolving shapes and reflections. 

If you prefer to create your own art outside, visit the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme. Visitors can paint “En Plein Air,” just as the Lyme Art Colony artists once did. By making reservations several days ahead of your visit, you have the great opportunity to set up a canvas and enjoy the scenic surroundings of the gardens and Lieutenant River. 

Now That’s Comedy!

Need a good laugh? Try out one of Connecticut’s comedy clubs and venues featuring comic legends, today’s top talent and up-and-coming comedians. 

Connecticut’s first-full time comedy showcase, Treehouse Comedy Productions began as the Treehouse Comedy Club in Westport in 1983. In its 29 years, the company has featured numerous budding comedians who later went on to become celebrities, including Rosie O’ Donnell, Denis Leary, Tim Allen, Jon Stewart and Andrew Dice Clay, as well as already-famous comics like Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno and Chris Rock. Today, the company showcases up-and-comers at restaurants around the state, most often at Lorenzo’s in West Have and Aldario’s in Milford. 

Showcasing comedy entertainers of today and tomorrow, the 200-seat Brew Ha Ha Comedy Club, of City Steam Brewery Café is located in the heart of downtow Hartford. Shows take place every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening and feature three comedians – each usually very different in style. 

In nearby Manchester, the Hartford Funny Bone Comedy Club & Restaurant hosts television and comedy club stars in one-person shows. The club has 350 seats “in the half round,” with raised platforms and banquet seating that create a dinner theater atmosphere. Choose from seven shows offered each week, Wednesday through Sunday. 

Comedy legends and today’s comic forces alike take the stage at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket. See Natasha Leggero (April 26-28), Christian Finnegan (May 17-19), or Hannibal Buress (May 24-26) at the Comix comedy club. Likewise, the Fox Theater brings in the best of the best such as Vicki Lawrence (May 2) and POW WOW Comedy Jam (May 5).