Little Red Riding Hood Visits the New Canaan Historical Society

Hurricane Sandy and the recent nor’easter are no match for Little Red Riding Hood!  An opening night celebration for the New Canaan Historical Society’s new exhibit, Seeing Red: Little Red Riding Hood Visits the New Canaan Historical Society, is rescheduled for Friday, November 30th.  Designed to delight visitors of all ages, the exhibition will feature the collection of Peggy Rice who has spent 50 years collecting all things Little Red Riding Hood.  To celebrate this extraordinary exhibition, the Society will host an evening with cocktails beginning at 6pm at the Society, which is located at 13 Oenoke Ridge Road in New Canaan. 

The evening will be marked with special touches.  A ribbon cutting ceremony will officially open this enchanting exhibition, and guests will meet and mingle with collector Peggy Rice.  At 7pm attendees will listen to a lecture with Catherine Orenstein, author of Little Red Riding Hood Uncloaked: Sex, Morality & the Evolution of a Fairy Tale, which explores stories told about women over 500 years across multiple continents and how they shape our lives today.  Tickets are on sale now.  Reservations are limited, and are available at a cost of $75 per person by calling 203-966-1776.  A portion of the ticket price will benefit the New Canaan Historical Society’s educational programming.

The following day, December 1st, a Little Red Riding Hood Puppet Show and Holiday Tea will be held as part of the exhibit’s public opening day celebration.  From 10am–4pm the community is invited to come explore this magical new exhibition. Admission is just $5 to enjoy Peggy Rice’s sizeable collection of Little Red Riding Hood memorabilia as you follow the path that Little Red took through town and into the shadowy woods to her grandmother’s cottage.  Unique New Canaan and Little Red Riding Hood items will also be available for purchase. From 12pm-3pm the Society will be hosting a Holiday Tea (reservations required) where you can meet friends while enjoying tea and goodies.  Additionally, at 2pm, a Little Red Riding Hood Puppet Show will be performed by WonderSpark Puppets, where hand-held puppets will tell the tale of Little Red’s journey to her sick Grandmother.  The show, which is fun for ages 5 and up, is just $8 and includes admission to the exhibit. Call 203-966-1776 to make your reservations for this special family program and the Holiday Tea. 

Mark your calendars for a series of exhibit-related programs you won’t want to miss.  The Town Players of New Canaan will present Little Red Riding Hood – The Panto on December 7,8,9 and 14,15, 16 at the Powerhouse Theatre at Waveny Park.  Additionally, the community is invited to see a special program featuring a live wolf entitled The Wolves of North America at 3pm on January 12, 2013.  The exhibition remains on display through January 26, 2013.  Exhibition hours are 10am–4pm Tuesday–Friday, and 10am–12pm on Saturdays.  Admission to the exhibition is $5.  For additional details please visit www.nchistory.org or call 203-966-1776.

About the Exhibition:

Visiting the exhibition, you will be transported back in time, following the path that Little Red took through town and into the shadowy woods to her grandmother’s cottage.  Along the way you will be delighted by Peggy Rice’s sizeable collection of Little Red Riding Hood memorabilia.   As revealed in her book, The Peggy Rice Collection of Little Red Riding Hoods, II, Rice’s collection has amazing depth and variety, and includes advertisements, paintings, film, household items, toys, music and more.  Children and adults alike will have fun spotting Rice’s charming collectibles throughout the exhibition, while they enjoy an enchantingly delightful show.

The New Canaan Historical Society would like to thank the exhibition’s sponsors, Impala Asset Management, Rick Crolla, OD of New Canaan Eye Associates, Paul D. Harbottle, DDS, LLC, Dann Hearing Center, Rubicon Seven, Prudence Parris and Inger Stringfellow of Sotheby’s International Realty, Mr. Robert Perkins, JPMorgan Chase Bank, Hoyt Livery and the Board of Governors of the New Canaan Historical Society.  The Society seeks to educate and enlighten the public in an atmosphere that is welcoming, friendly and fun by offering innovative educational exhibitions and programs for adults, children and families.  The New Canaan Historical Society is a not-for-profit, privately supported, educational facility.  Please visit www.nchistory.org for more information.