Ridgefield happenings: LowDown Brass Band, Broadway Unplugged, and ‘Introduction to the Universe’

The program, for children going into kindergarten through sixth grade explores constellations, ancient sky mythology and the galaxy. The presentation will include a reading of Bob’s book, There Once Was a Sky Full of Stars, which explains light pollution and offers hope by encouraging citizens to eliminate unnecessary lights at night.

Children’s summer performances are sponsored by the Friends of the Ridgefield Library. For more information, visit bobcrelin.com or call Children’s Services at 203-438-2282, ext. 12002.

Low Down Brass Band performs Tuesday, July 16, at 7 p.m., at Ballard Park, part of the CHIRP summer concert series. Rain venue is the Ridgefield Playhouse.

For more information, visit chirpct.org or acousticcelebration.org.

Buying and Selling on eBay, a class offered by Ridgefield Continuing Education will be held Wednesdays, July 17 and 24, from 10 a.m. to noon, at the Town Hall Annex (left of Yanity Gym). The class provides hands-on experience using eBay and can help you: buy old or new items with confidence; convert household clutter to cash; start an eBay business; and sell items to downsize a collection.

Cost is $79. Ridgefield seniors age 62 and over pay $63. Other tech and computer classes also are available. For more information, visit ridgefieldschools.org or call Peggy Bruno at 203-431-2812.

Online courses with ed2go are available through Ridgefield Continuing Education, beginning July 17 and Aug. 14.

These instructor-facilitated online courses allow one to learn from any location at any time. Many classes are available including business, computer, writing, psychology, languages, health and online test prep including C++, Network+, QuickBooks, GED, GMAT, SAT, GRE, LSAT, and many more certification prep classes. All courses run for six weeks. A new session of each course begins each month.

Courses are project-oriented and include lessons, quizzes, hands-on assignments, discussion areas, supplementary links, and more. Most of the courses cost from $99 and $120.

Visit ridgefieldschools.org and click ed2go online courses or call Peggy Bruno at 203-431-2812.

The Hillbenders perform in the CHIRP summer concert series Thursday, July 18, at 7 p.m., at Ballard Park. Rain venue is the Ridgefield Playhouse.

The Hillbenders formed in April 2008 and still tour with the original lineup.

Underwritten thanks to the John Katz Family Foundation.

For more information, visit chirpct.org or acousticcelebration.org.

One-on-one Interview Skills workshops are available through Ridgefield Continuing Education. Dates in addition to those listed below can be scheduled.

Interview Skills and Techniques, Resume Assistance, and Job Search Techniques may be scheduled on Fridays, July 19 or 26, from 1 to 2 p.m. or at other times. Instructor Glenna McNally has more than 30 years’ experience in executive recruiting and human resources consulting and is owner of G. McNally Enterprises in Danbury.

Interview Skills Training, Intro to LinkedIn One on One, and Using LinkedIn for Your Job Search may be scheduled on Fridays, July 19 or 26, from noon to 1 p.m. Instructor Louzette Dovaras has more than 20 years of recruiting experience. Her strengths include corporate, IT and executive recruiting for national and international corporations.

These one-hour one-on-one workshops cost $49 each. Advance registration is required. For more information, visit ridgefieldschools.org or call Peggy Bruno at 203-431-2812.

ACT (A Contemporary Theater) of Connecticut, 36 Old Quarry Road, Ridgefield announces Tony Award nominee Kate Baldwin, recent star of the Broadway revival of Hello Dolly!, will join ACT’s resident Music Supervisor Bryan Perri on July 20 at 8 p.m. for the Broadway Unplugged Series.

Each show in the Broadway Unplugged Series presents an intimate evening where Perri sits down at the piano with Broadway performers for never before heard stories, conversation, and vocals.

For tickets and more information, visit actofct.org.

ACT (A Contemporary Theater) of Connecticut kicks off its 2019 New Works Series with a professional reading of the new play by Megan Smith-Harris, Killing Mom Saturday, July 27, at 3 p.m., at 36 Old Quarry Road. The reading is free with general admission.

ACT of Connecticut’s New Works Series showcases the work of the next generation of writers and composers, educating the community on the creation of a Broadway-caliber show.

Killing Mom is a humorous drama about family, love, sibling rivalry, and mother/daughter relationships. Smith-Harris is the festival director of the Ridgefield Independent Film Festival (RIFF).

For tickets and more information about ACT of CT, visit actofct.org.

Toni McKeen, genealogist and lecturer, will present a PowerPoint lecture on “The Hidden (and Not So Hidden) Treasures of Venice” at the Ridgefield Library on Monday, July 15, at 7 p.m.

McKeen will draw on her extensive and frequent travels in the city to point out its wonderful highlights. This is the first of three lectures that will be presented this summer.

For more information or to register, call 203-438-2282.

A college essay writing boot camp for rising high school seniors will be held July 22-26, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. each day in Ridgefield.

The workshop is limited to 12 students and is led by writers Frances Greathead and Jen Mathy.

“I helped my own son through the college application process last year, and I know how daunting it can be,” said Mathy, a Ridgefield resident who holds an MFA in writing from Bennington College. “Our hope is that the boot camp will be fun, revelatory, and supportive, and take the stress out of writing the college essay.”

The workshop will be a mixture of group exercises and critiques, one-on-one sessions with an instructor, and individual writing time/exercises. The weeklong camp is $400 per student.

For more information, send an email to bootcamp.writers@gmail.com.