Concert for the animals

Violinist Tim Fain and pianist Robert Koenigh will give a benefit concert for the Cornell University Hospital for Animals, Nov. 15 at 4 p.m. in James Law Auditorium, Schurman Hall. The artists will perform works by Saint-Saens, Ravel, Zhurbin and Massenet.

Ticket prices are $27 in advance; $30 at the door for general admission. Patron tickets are $100, including reserved concert seating and a private multi-course dinner with the artists. Tickets are available at http://www.BaileyTickets.com or by calling 607-273-4497.

The concert is sponsored by Clement and Karen Arrison and presented by the Stradivari Society of Chicago, on behalf of the animal hospital at the College of Veterinary Medicine.

Ithakid Film Fest

Cornell Cinema and the Ithaca Youth Bureau present the IthaKid Film Fest, a twice-a-year series of out-of-the-ordinary children's programming, Saturdays at 2 p.m. in Willard Straight Theatre. Tickets are $3 for adults and $2 for ages 12 and younger.

The series will feature Kids Flix Mix Nov. 14, a collection of short films from the New York International Children's Film Festival, with 65 minutes of traditional, CGI, collage and stop-motion animation, recommended for ages 3 to 8.

The very first screen adaptation of "Peter Pan" screens Nov. 21, a 1924 silent feature with live musical accompaniment by pianist Philip Carli. The animated Estonian film, "Lotte from Gadgetville," screens Dec. 5 and features an English soundtrack. The series concludes Dec. 12 with Wolfgang Petersen's adaptation of the classic tale "The Neverending Story," co-sponsored by the Family Reading Partnership.

Haiti and history

A French studies conference and workshop will consider perspectives on "History and the Experience of Haiti," Nov. 14 at 11 a.m. at the A.D. White House. The workshop will open a dialogue among several disciplines, including political science, history and literature.

Participating Cornell faculty and topics will include Gerard Aching, Spanish, "On Being Adequate to the Task: An Abolitionist Translates a Slave Narrative"; Laurent Dubreuil, Romance studies and comparative literature, on "Anachronism and Postcolonial Theory"; and Susan Buck-Morss, the Jan Rock Zubrow Class of 1977 Professor of Social Sciences and author of a recent book on Haiti and Hegel, on "Haiti, Universal History and the Humanities." Natalie Melas, comparative literature, will moderate a discussion following the presentations.

The workshop is co-sponsored by the Africana Studies and Research Center, the Institute for Comparative Modernities and the Society for the Humanities.

'Romeo' in the city

A new version of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet," onstage Nov. 19 to Dec. 5 at the Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts, brings grit, graffiti and hip-hop to the classic tale of love, revenge and tribalism.

Set in a contemporary, urban environment undergoing gentrification, the struggle between the Capulets and Montagues highlights such modern concerns as economic stability, unemployment, class strife and youth violence.

"This play speaks especially to teenagers," director Melanie Dreyer-Lude says. "With its universal themes and issues for young people, we can all recognize ourselves in these circumstances."

Evening performances are Nov. 19-21 and Dec. 3-5 at 7:30 p.m.; a matinee will be held Dec. 5 at 2 p.m. Actors and designers will hold a post-show discussion with the audience Dec. 3. Tickets are $8 and $10, at the Schwartz box office, open weekdays at 430 College Ave.; by calling 607-254-ARTS or online at http://www.schwartztickets.com.

Katie's coming

Katie Brown '85 will talk about her career path, from Cornell art history major to PBS television host, "lifestyle expert," entrepreneur and author, Nov. 19 at 4:30 p.m. in Kaufmann Auditorium, Goldwin Smith Hall.

Brown is the host of the home arts show "The Katie Brown Workshop" on PBS. She was a caterer, a vintage boutique owner and advertising pitchwoman looking for an acting break after eight years in Los Angeles when she was offered a show and tapped as "the next Martha Stewart" by Lifetime Television.

The free event is presented by the Munschauer Guest Speaker Series and Career Services in the College of Arts and Sciences.

While on campus, Brown will also dine and meet with art history faculty and student residents of Flora Rose House, and will attend a reception at Delta Gamma sorority.