December Newsletter

All library programs are free and open to all.

Saturday December 8, 2018th: African Americans in Children's Literature! 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM, Hubbard Room. Historically, African Americans have not been portrayed favorably in children's literature. Professor William Foster III will share his extensive collection of children's books that feature African American characters, and speak to the significant role children's literature plays in the lives of children of all races.

Sunday, December 9th 2pm Free Concert: Alex Nakhimovsky In The Hubbard Room.

Pianist Alex Nakhimovsky enjoys a versatile career as a performer, recording artist, producer, arranger and educator. After emigrating to the United States from Russia in 1978, Alex studied at the Hartt School of Music in Hartford, CT with Jackie McLean and Luiz Castro among others. He has been a full time faculty member at the Greater Hartford Academy for the Arts, and adjunct faculty at the University of Hartford's renowned Hartt School of Music since 1999.
Alex's musical accomplishments as a Jazz and Classical artist include musical direction and arranging as well as solo and ensemble performances, visiting over 50 countries and 6 continents. He has toured throughout the United States, Russia, Japan and Israel, performing with Jazz legends Benny Golson, Jackie McLean, Jimmy Cobb, Valery Popnomarev, Sheila Jordan, Curtis Fuller, Victor Bailey and Grammy nominated artists Bill Evans and Carla Cook.

This concert is part of Russell Library's Immigrant Artist Series, and is sponsored by The Friends of the Russell Library and the Middletown Commission on the Arts.

Live drama from East Haddam Stage Co. Sunday, December 16th at 2pm Hubbard Room:

The East Haddam Stage Company presents a new one-man drama on the life of Yukitaka Osaki, the Japanese valet of actor William Gillette, featuring New York-based Japanese actor Taku Hirai.
It was 1888 when Osaki-San and his older brother came to visit the US from Japan. His brother Yukio returned to Japan, where he went on to become the mayor of Tokyo. He was behind the famous gift of cherry trees to Washington D.C.

Yukitaka, however, decided to stay. He became the quiet soul who worked behind the actor William Gillette for almost forty years as valet, secretary, confidante and friend.

This production is part of the Immigrant Artist series sponsored by a grant from the Middletown Commission on the Arts.

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