History Lit
Tuesday, May 24, 7:30 pm

Join us for a very special evening of theatre: the launch of History Lit, a play reading series/collaboration between PMH and Unbound Productions, responsible for the popular Wicked Lit Halloween Theatre Festival.  History Lit draws its vision from literature that reflects a historical significance.  This year's theme was inspired by PMH's focus on women's history and features theatrical adaptations of classic short stories by some of the great women writers of the 19th and 20th centuries.  The three plays featured in the 2011 Reading Series include: The Garden Party by Jonathan Josephson, adapted from the short story of the same name by Katherine Mansfield; Two Pictures in One, by Paul Millet, adapted from the short story "The Two Alters: Or Two Pictures in One" by Harriet Beecher Stowe; and The Yellow Wallpaper, by Jeff G. Rack, adapted from the short story of the same name by Charlotte Perkins Gilman.  

Tickets: Free; Limited seating; Reservations suggested.

Image:  Charlotte Perkins Gilman (call # People - Gilman, Charlotte Perkins) 

Mad for Hats!

Ralph M. Parsons Foundation Gallery
Wed - Sun, Noon to 5:00 pm; Extended through September 25 

The popularity, size, and shape of hats has changed measurably over time.  In past decades, a respectable lady or gentleman would not have ventured outdoors without one.  The design of women's hats has been influenced by hairstyles, haute couture, new materials, even the popular use of the parasol.  The impact of men's hat designs - such as the top hat and the fedora - has also been remarkable.

The exhibition Mad for Hats! explores women's hats as social and fashion phenomena.  More than 100 hats and related photographs, selected from the Museum's collections, showcase the various materials, styles, and shapes of ladies' hats from the 1860s to the 1960s.

Image: Detail of Mrs. E.L. Cord, June 26, 1931 (call # People- Cord, E.L.)

Pasadena Patron:  The Life & Legacy of Eva Scott Fenyes
Willis B. Stork Gallery
Wed - Sun, Noon to 5:00 pm

In an era when well-to-do families took a special interest in creating significant and valuable collections, Pasadena's Eva Scott Fenyes devoted her discriminating tastes, vast knowledge, and ample funds to surround herself with furniture, textiles, china, silver, and art.  Eva and her second husband, Dr. Adalbert Fenyes, filled their home with art and antiques they assembled from their travels worldwide. 
 
Pasadena Patron offers an in-depth examination of the life and legacy of one of early Pasadena's most prominent and influential women.  Themes covered in this special exhibition include Fenyes family history, Eva as an art patron and watercolorist, the influence of Europe and the East Coast on her collection, and the social milieu she created here in Pasadena. Exhibition highlights include items from the Fenyes collection never before on public display.

 Image:  Richard Emile Miller (1875 - 1943).  "The Coral Necklace," 1917.  Oil on canvas, 119 x 125 cm. (acc. # 2000.019.0028)