Get Out: 'Sylvester and the Magic Pebble' at Jorgensen, 'Family of Friends' at Cheney Hall, and Norm Macdonald at Foxwoods

Tales of transformation often involve discomfort, but they are the beloved comfort zone both for famous children's author and New Yorker illustrator William Steig and for the Enchantment Theatre Company of Philadelphia. Enchantment, whose stage adaptation employs masks, mime, music and magic, will present Steig's Caldecott-winning story of “Sylvester and the Magic Pebble” at Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts in 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. matinees on Sunday, Oct. 9.

Steig himself is a story of transformation, not forging into children's literature until he reached his sixties, and then winning a Caldecott, the highest honor of the genre, in 1970. Until then, armed with a palette of humor, hope and a dab of darkness, he created 117 magazine covers and 1,600 drawings for The New Yorker. Once he branched out into a second career, he wrote 25 children's books, many of them Caldecott and Newbery Medal winners, until his death in 2003.

His most popular work for children was “Shrek,” a story about an approachable green ogre that was transformed into four successful movies, one of which won the Academy Award for best-animated feature film in 2001, before a stage version opened on Broadway in 2008.

“Sylvester and the Magic Pebble” is the tale of a donkey with a rock collection. One day he happens across a shiny red pebble that grants wishes and, before he knows it and in reaction to a scare from a lion, he turns himself into a rock. That's all he could think to do at the time.

The rest of the saga involves his search to get back to his true self as his parents embark on their own search for their beloved only son. Sylvester's journey teaches him the value of family and friends, always a good lesson.

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble is Jorgensen's season kickoff to the Bank of America Children's Series. Jorgensen is located on the UConn campus in Storrs. Tickets are $13 for adults and $11 for children. For tickets and information, call 860-486-4226 or visit Jorgensen's Web site.

Avery Ensemble To Do Varied Program in Storrs

The Avery Ensemble is as much about story as it about song. The accomplished string quartet is used to evoking the stories of Shakespeare, Cervantes, Goethe, Tolstoy and others. It will draw from Shakespeare and “Peer Gynt” in its concert Saturday, Oct. 8, at 7:30 p.m. at von der Mehden Recital Hall at UConn.

The weekend program will include Carolina Reveille for Piano Quartet by Paul Schoenfield, Three Shakespearean Sketches for String Trio by Gordon Jacobs, Epilogue from “Peer Gynt” for cello, piano and tape by Alfred Schnittke, and Brahms' Piano Quartet in C minor, Op. 60. The ensemble will play the same concert on Friday, Oct. 7, at 7:30 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church in Hartford.

The quartet is composed of Adriana Jarvis on piano and harpsichord, Annie Trepanier on violin, Steve Larson on viola and Hans Twitchell on cello and bass viol. The Avery's artistry connects the 17th century to the 21st and those between. “Purcell and Mozart become not merely ancestors to Brahms and Schnittke, but siblings,” their Web site bio explains.

Single tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for students and children. For information, call 860-379-3190, e-mail info@averyensemble.org or visit the Avery's program website.

'Family of Friends' Folk Concert at Cheney

If you've been curious about Connecticut's folk acts, you can hear some of the best at “A Family of Friends” concert Friday, Oct. 7, at 7 p.m. at Cheney Hall. Performers will offer classic folk with seasonings of jazz and blues in individual sets, even collaborating on some numbers. Nina and the Quarry Cat, Bill Benson, Eric Paradine, The Guinea Pigs, Dave Fry, Trainwreck Jerry, the Knott Brothers and Ron Anthony will do right by both original and cover songs.

Admission is $10 in advance, $15 at the door. For tickets, call 860-647-9824 or visit the Cheney Hall box office at 177 Hartford Road, Manchester.

SNL Favorite at Foxwoods

SNL “Weekend Update” personality Norm Macdonald is comfortable with humor and with poker. He's played in the last few “World Series of Poker” tourneys. So, what are the odds that he'll stay onstage during his stand-up show at the Fox Theater at Foxwoods Saturday night, Oct. 8?

Probably pretty decent. Humor is more of a sure bet for Macdonald, who started out as a writer for “Roseanne” and “The Dennis Miller Show.” He joined “Saturday Night Live” in 1993 and replaced Kevin Nealon on the popular “Weekend Update.” He starred in the hit film, “Dirty Work,” and the ABC sitcom “Norm.” He launched his comedy album “Ridiculous” in 2006, and featured Will Farrell, Artie Lange and Molly Shannon.

Tickets for his 8 p.m. show are $30-50. For information call 1-800-200-2882 or visit the Foxwoods Web site.

Fundraising Gala for Hartt School

Fans of West Hartford's Hartt School of Music and of great entertainment might wish to consider supporting the school by attending its annual fundraising gala, Hartt Celebrates Its Future. The 10th annual event, to be held Oct. 15 at the Hartford Marriott Downtown, draws upon members of the Hartt community for a full evening's entertainment.

Tickets cost $250 per person; $350 for patron tickets. For more information about the event or to buy tickets, contact Monique Aduddell at 860-768-4806 or email HarttGala@Hartford.edu.

CT Trolley Museum Hosts Pumpkin Patch Weekends

Searching for the great pumpkin? Bundle the kiddies aboard one of the antique trolleys at the Connecticut Trolley Museum in East Windsor, and enjoy a ride through the Connecticut countryside that takes you to a pumpkin patch. Pick the pumpkin of your choice, then return aboard the trolley to the museum's Visitor Center where pumpkin decorating activities, contests, games and other activities are designed for pint-size participants.

Tours run most weekends in October, including on Columbus Day. For a complete schedule of dates and times, visit www.ct-trolley.org. Each child's admission includes one free pumpkin. On Sunday, October 31, children wearing Halloween costumes receive a 50 percent discount on admission. The Connecticut Trolley Museum is at 58 North Road (CT Route 140) in East Windsor. For more information, call 860-627-6540 or visit www.ct-trolley.org.

Rails to the Dark Side at CT Trolley Museum

Those stout of heart and fond of screaming in the dark shouldn't miss Rails to the Dark Side, the Connecticut Trolley Museum's annual Halloween scare fest. Spectral figures, ghostly apparitions and more await the valiant as antique trolleys navigate their way through Connecticut woodlands.

The nighttime rail rides run Fridays and Saturdays from October 7 through October 31 between the hours of 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. The Connecticut Trolley Museum is at 58 North Rd. (CT Route 140) in East Windsor. For more information, call 860-627-6540 or visit www.ct-trolley.org.