Dan's Papers - October 26, 2007 - Take Five 2007 with Jan Silver

With Halloween night next Wednesday, this week is filled with ghoulish events for both children and adults. The Long Island Paranormal Society presents a brief talk tonight at the Sag Harbor library (7 p.m.) and there's a Halloween Blues show at Riverhead's Vail-Leavitt Music Hall tonight (read more below). Stony Brook University's Center for Wine, Food and Culture has distinguished authors speaking at the Southampton campus on Saturday afternoon followed by a harvest cocktail party at 5 p.m.

Actress Melanie Lipton portrays Emily Dickinson this afternoon at the Southampton library, and Russian-born pianist Victor Goldberg gives a concert there on Sunday afternoon. This is the last weekend to see the Hampton Theatre Company's fine production of the Tony Award-winning play Doubt, and Naked Stage presents a staged reading of Daniel Damiano's new play Dreams of Friendly Aliens next Tuesday at Guild Hall. There are also three celebrated films at local venues this week. For details, read on.

East Hampton Historical Society has a five-day "Festival of Frights." starting with spooky story-telling tonight, 7 p.m., at Clinton Academy, a scarecrow contest and viewing from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Mulford Farm on Saturday, a "haunted ghoul" walk through the Mulford Barn from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, a tour of the South End Burial Ground with Hugh King on Monday at 6:30 p.m., and more spooky stories for children at Clinton Academy next Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.

Activities start in Southampton on Saturday with the Rag-A-Muffin Parade and Pumpkin Trail from Agawam Park through the village at 9 a.m. From 1 to 3 p.m., there's a party in the barn at the Southampton Historical Museum. In Hampton Bays, the children's costume parade starts at 10 a.m. Saturday from the 7-11 parking lot, then a carnival from noon to 4 p.m. at the American Legion ($3 adults). Sag Harbor's Ragamuffin Parade down Main St. starts at 10 a.m. Saturday from the parking lot behind the launderette, and there's also a trick-or-treat pumpkin trail down Main St. next. Wed. starting at noon. Westhampton Beach has its trick-or-treat time on Main St. next Wed. from 4 to 5:30 p.m.

Actress Melanie Lipton performs the delightful play about poet Emily Dickinson, William Luce's The Belle of Amherst, 3:30 p.m. today at Rogers Memorial Library, Southampton. There is no admission charge but reservations are requested; call (631) 283-0774 ext. 523.

STAGES Children's Theater presents several performances of its annual musical. Revue, Frankenstein Follies, this evening through Sunday afternoon at Bay Street Theatre, Sag Harbor. Call the box office at (631) 725-9500 for performance times and tickets ($15).

The Hampton Theatre Company's production of the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play Doubt by John Patrick Shanley, about a priest's possibly dubious behavior with a parochial schoolboy, closes this weekend at the Quogue Community Hall. The show plays Thursday to Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $22 for adults, $20 for seniors and $10 for students; call (631) 653-8955 to reserve seats.

Naked Stage, the collective of local theater professionals, presents a staged reading of Daniel Damian's new drama Dreams of Friendly Aliens next Tuesday, 7:30 p.m., at Guild Hall, East Hampton (free admission). Actors in the staging include Nora Ferrari, Phyllis Italiano, Joe Pallister, Raphael Shapiro and Josh Paul.

The "Monster Halloween Blues Show" with Frank Latorre, the King Bees, Pamela Betti and Blue Ruin is tonight, 8 p.m., at Riverhead's Vail-Leavitt Musical Hall ($22; 631-727-5782).

The Doug Dwyer Trio performs Saturday starting at 7 p.m. at Amber (formerly the Cruiser Club) on Canal Rd., Hampton Bays, at a benefit for the Wildlife Rescue Center of the Hamptons. Admission is a $25 donation at the door and includes hors d'oeurves (cash bar).

Friends of the Rogers Memorial Library, Southampton, invite you to hear Russian-born pianist Victor Goldberg play selections from Beethoven, Chopin and Brahms on Sunday, 3 p.m. A reception follows the program; please call (631) 283-0774 ext. 523 to reserve seats.

Recommended entertainers at local clubs and restaurants this week: Amagansett - at the Stephen Talkhouse (631-267-3117) Fri.- Little Charlie & the Nightcats, Sat.-10:30 p.m. Halloween party; East Hampton - Fri. pop and jazz standards with Jane Hastay and Peter Martin Weiss at Coco Restaurant (Maidstone Arms), Halloween party Fri. from 6 p.m. at Turtle Crossing, pianist Paul Gene at Babette's Sat., "Rowdyween" party from 7 p.m. next Wed. at Rowdy Hall; Sagaponack - Twilight Thursdays (5-7:30 p.m.) at Wolffer Estate Vineyard with live music. Sag Harbor - Annie Morgan Band on Fri. at Mumbo Gumbo; Bridgehampton - World Pie jazz brunch Sun. with Stefanie Cardinali Group, Pierre's Restaurant-light jazz with Vanessa Trouble on Sun. and Jody Carlson next Tues., Monica sings at One Ocean on Thurs.; Water Mill - guitarist Steve Fredericks at Muse on Thurs; Westhampton Beach - musicians Thurs., Fri., Sun. at The Patio, musicians Fri. & Sat. at Annona; Riverhead - jazz at Tweed's Restaurant, Fri. to Sun.

The new documentary about NASA's Apollo missions, In the Shadow of the Moon, will be shown at the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center tonight through Sunday afternoon ($3-10); call PAC for screening times (631-288-1500). The film of Stephen King's psychological thriller Room 1408, with John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson and Tony Shaloub, will be shown on Sat., 2 p.m., at the Bridgehampton library (free). The acclaimed political thriller The Lives of Others (Germany, 2006) will be screened on Monday, 3 p.m., at Southampton's Rogers Memorial Library; admission is free but please reserve a seat by calling (631) 283-0774 ext. 523.

Stony Brook Southampton's "Sublime Tastes" symposium is Saturday, 1 p.m., with talks by well-known food writers Jonathan Gold (Los Angeles Weekly), Florence Fabricant (The New York Times), and master gardener Patricia Klindienst - then a panel discussion with Sybille Van Kempen of Loaves & Fishes and master chef Eberhard Muller. There's a "Harvest Celebration" cocktail party featuring local wines and restaurants' specialties. The afternoon symposium is $85, the cocktail part is $50; (reservations 631-632-9404)