with Jan Silver

HIGHLIGHTS
There is a wide variety of entertainment on the South Fork this week before Thanksgiving. Manhattan musician/composer/bandleader Hayes Greenfield and quartet perform at Southampton’s Parrish Art Museum on Saturday evening, and flamenco guitarist David Edelstein gives a concert Sunday afternoon at the Southampton Library. Ballet director Frank Ohman presents a talk and demonstration about The Nutcracker ballet on Saturday afternoon in Hampton Bays, and the Naked Stage Theater collective gives a staged reading of Thornton Wilder’s classic American play Our Town on Saturday evening at Guild Hall, East Hampton.
There are several informative talks scheduled, including James Barron speaking about the making of a Steinway grand piano with guest pianist Philip Fisher at noon today in Southampton, and Dr. Chris Gobler speaking at Stony Brook/Southampton tonight about threats to our coastal ecosystem. There are independent movie screenings in Sag Harbor, Westhampton Beach and Southampton this week, and Stages Children’s Theatre presents the popular musical Little Shop of Horrors at Bay Street Theatre on Saturday and Sunday. The Harvest Gospel choir performs its Thanksgiving concert tonight in Bridgehampton.
An outstanding benefit this weekend is the Sag Harbor Fire Department’s casino night at the Brick Kiln Rd. firehouse from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The evening supports the Sag Harbor food pantry. The event includes hors d’oeuvres, an open bar, games of chance and some very good door prizes. Tickets are $60 in advance (call 631-267-3398) or $75 at the door.

THEATER
The Naked Stage, a local collective of professional theater artists, presents a staged reading of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town on Saturday, 8 p.m., at Guild Hall, East Hampton (free admission). The evening caps the opening day of two photo exhibits at Guild Hall: “Our Town” displays Fritz Leddy’s 20th century photos of life in East Hampton, and “Our Town Today” features contemporary photos by outstanding local photographers including Anne Chwatsky, Doug Kuntz, Ken Robbins and Kathryn Szoka (4 to 6 p.m. opening).

Stages, a local children’s theater workshop with a high degree of professionalism, performs the “adult” Howard Ashman/Alan Menken musical Little Shop of Horrors at Bay Street Theatre, Sag Harbor, this weekend. Directed and choreographed by Helene Leonard, the show includes puppets. Performances are Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets ($15 adults, $12 children) are available at the Bay Street box office (631-725-9500).

MUSIC AND DANCE
Former New York City Ballet principal dancer Frank Ohman will present a brief history of the classic holiday ballet The Nutcracker on Saturday, 2 p.m., at the Hampton Bays Public Library. Dancers will demonstrate ballet techniques to accompany his talk. This program is free, courtesy of Friends of the Library but reservations are requested; call (631) 728-6241.
Saxophonist Hayes Greenfield and his quartet give a jazz concert at the Parrish Art Museum on Saturday at 7 p.m. Greenfield is a Manhattan music producer, composer and bandleader who was also artist Roy Lichtenstein’s sax instructor. Tickets to the concert are $10 for Parrish members, $15 for non-members. Seating is limited so please call the Museum at (631) 283-2118 for reservations.

The Harvest Gospel chorus presents its Thanksgiving program tonight at the First Baptist Church, Bridgehampton, and on Saturday evening at the Friendship Baptist Church in Flanders. Both programs begin at 8 p.m. There is no admission charge but a donation would be appreciated.

Flamenco guitarist David Edelstein will play and discuss flamenco music on Sunday, 3 p.m. at Rogers Memorial Library, Southampton (free admission).

Recommended performers at local clubs and restaurants: Amagansett - Stephen Talkhouse (call 631-267-3117 for tickets) - several local bands at the Katherine Penanti benefit (8 p.m. Sat., $25); Montauk - music weekends at Gurney’s Inn; East Hampton - Turtle Crossing (Annie Morgan band Thurs., Mama Lee & friends Fri.), Maidstone Arms (Jane Hastay and Peter Weiss on Fri., jazz and classical guitarist Herb Levine on Sat.); Sagaponack - wine/cheese/music 5 to 7 p.m. Thurs. at Wolffer Estate Vineyards; Bridgehampton – pop standards and soft jazz at Kipling’s Fri. and Sat.; jazz brunch Sun. at World Pie; Dennis Raffelock on Sun. eve and Jody Carlson on Tues. at Pierre’s; Southampton - Celtic band Mactalla M’or at Publick House (Sat., 10 p.m.), music weekends at 75 Main St. and Tugboats North Sea (Fri.); Hampton Bays - pianist Bruce Dinsmore on Fri. at Edgewater; Westhampton Beach - Annona’s (Fri.), music weekends at The Patio, Casa Basso (Sat.) ; Riverhead—Eastenders Coffee House (Thurs.-Mon.), Tweed’s (Fri. and Sat.).

FILMS
The John Jermain Library, Sag Harbor, shows The DaVinci Code tonight at 6:30 p.m.; there is no admission charge but arrive a few minutes early for good seats. The Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center screens the well-received independent film Half Nelson (USA, 2006) starring Ryan Gosling, this Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday afternoon at 1 and 4 p.m.; tickets are $10 adults, $7 seniors and students, $3 Film Society members (call 631-288-1500 for screening times). The Rogers Memorial Library, Southampton, shows the critically acclaimed film Akeelah and the Bee with Laurence Fishburne on Monday, 3 p.m. (free admission but call 631-283-0774 ext. 523 to reserve seats).

SPEAKERS
The New York Times reporter James Barron will talk about his book Piano: The Making of a Steinway Grand and pianist Philip Fisher will perform at noon today, Rogers Memorial Library, Southampton (no admission charge).
Dr. Christopher Gobler, an associate professor of marine sciences, will speak on “Harmful Algae Blooms: A Threat to the Coastal Ecosystems” tonight, 7:30 p.m., at Chancellors Hall on the Stony Brook/Southampton college campus. There is no admission charge and a reception follows the talk.

Poets Carol Sherman, Jean Kemper and Gloria Beckerman will read from their work on Sunday, 2 p.m., at the John Jermain library, Sag Harbor. Admission is free and refreshments will be served.