Theater News

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Elaine Stritch At Liberty, June 24 - 27

A theatrical legend will take center stage in Hartford this summer and treat audiences to her unique blend of song styling and show-biz storytelling.  A special limited engagement of the Tony Award-winning Elaine Stritch At Liberty, written and performed by one of the all time great ladies of theatre, will play at Hartford Stage from June 24 - 29.

Having stolen so many moments on stage that she could be convicted of grand larceny, this tough but charming "Broadway Baby" with the still-shapely legs and deep whiskey voice isn't quitting anytime soon.  She became the toast of Broadway for her award winning turns in Bus Stop, Pal Joey, Company, and Showboat.  At Liberty chronicles her notorious private life - add to that a fair share of Hollywood gossip all joyously packaged with show-stopping songs and you have Elaine Stritch At Liberty.  Truly one of a kind!

Tickets for the limited engagement of Elaine Stritch At Liberty are $40 - $75; intimate cabaret seating with table service is available.  For more information, please call the Hartford Stage box office at 860-527-5151 or visit www.hartfordstage.org. 

Playhouse on the Green

P. T. Barnum, Bridgeport's Favorite Son" Takes Center Ring in "Barnum - The Musical"

Playhouse on the Green will bring the boisterous story of famous Connecticut native and former Bridgeport mayor, P.T. Barnum, to its stage in "Barnum - The Musical." The award-winning 1980 tuner runs June 13-22.

Audiences will watch as Phineas Taylor Barnum leaps through the many phases of his colorful life in song and dance, discovering Joice Heth (the world's oldest woman), Tom Thumb and Jenny Lind, "The Swedish Nightingale," along the way. His loyal wife, Charity, may try to tame him, but nothing can stop the irrepressible spirit of Barnum.  Adults and children alike will delight in the music, the colorful characters and the circus theme.

"Barnum - The Musical" opens Friday, June 13 and runs through Sunday, June 22 for eight performances only. Performances take place Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8 p.m.; Sundays at 3 p.m. Additionally, a Saturday matinee performance will take place at on Saturday, June 21 at 3 p.m. A complete calendar of performances can be found on-line at www.playhouseonthegreen.org.

Tickets are $27 for adults, $24 for senior citizens 65 and older. Tickets can be purchased 24/7 on-line at www.playhouseonthegreen.org or by calling TheaterMania at (866) 811-4111 (phone hours 9-9 weekdays, 10-6 weekends).

SWEENEY TODD The Demon Barber of Fleet Street!

Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd!

Experience, live on stage, the musical that inspired the Tim Burton and Johnny Depp movie. This revolutionary revival features a multi-talented ensemble of ten actor/musicians. When the infamous demon barber takes up with his crafty neighbor, Mrs. Lovett, the two embark on a delicious plot to slice their way through London’s upper crust. Justice is served—along with lush melody, audacious humor and hair-raising excitement. Don’t miss this phenomenal production—with full music and lyrics by multiple Tony-Award winner Stephen Sondheim and direction/design by Tony-Award winner John Doyle.

October 14 - 19, 2008 -- Mortensen Hall

Tickets on sale this Friday, June 13. Call The Bushnell Box Office at 860-987-5900

Seven Angels Theatre, Waterbury CT is looking for two Musical Directors for upcoming summer productions.

1) Music Director for an inaugural Collaborative Community Summer Stock Production with the Palace Theatre, Waterbury of Hello, Dolly! Rehearsals begin June 24; Performances August 2 and 3 at The Palace Theatre.

2) Music Director for its Stage II Community Division production of Babes In Arms. Rehearsals begin second week of July; Performances at Seven Angels Theatre September 5,6,7; September 11,12,13 and September 18,19,20.

Interested parties may submit their resume to Seven Angels Theatre, P.O.Box 3358,Waterbury, CT, 06705 Attention: Music Director Search, or via email to purdy@sevenangelstheatre.org.

ALTAR BOYZ TO TO KICK OFF LONG WHARF THEATRE’S 2008 SUMMER SEASON

Long Wharf Theatre begins its summer schedule with a presentation of a Windwood Theatricals production of Altar Boyz from July 8 through September 13 on the Mainstage.

Altar Boyz is a musical-comedy spoof about a fictitious Christian boy-band on the last night of their national "Raise the Praise" tour. The Boyz - five ultra-talented heartthrobs from Ohio - are lead singer Matthew (the pretty-boy hunk and leader of the pack), Mark (a sensitive young man with a deep faith in Cher), Luke (a bad-boy with an "interest" in communion wine), Juan (a hot-blooded crooner with a passion for pretty girls) and Abraham (a nice Jewish boy, who's not quite sure how he ended up here...though his mother would sure like to know).

For more information go to www.longwharf.org or call 203-787-4282.

Tickets: $36 - $46
Showtimes: Tue at 8 • Wed at 2 & 8
Thu & Fri at 8 • Sat at 3 & 8 • Sun at 2

They’re Playing Our Song”
By Neil Simon, Marvin Hamlisch, Carole Bayer Sager

At the Ivoryton Playhouse

Date: June 18-July 6, 2008
Theatre: Ivoryton Playhouse 103 Main Street, Ivoryton, Connecticut
Tickets: 860-767-7318
Prices: $35 adults/ $30 seniors/ $20 students/$15 children
Time: Wednesday & Sunday matinees at 2pm; Thursday & Friday evenings at 7:30pm; Friday & Saturday evenings at 8pm Website - www.ivorytonplayhouse.org

CURTAIN CALL

SEASON CLOSES WITH ALWAYS... PATSY CLINE

One of the best-loved names in country music is the subject of Always...Patsy Cline, a funny and touching tribute as narrated by one of her most devoted fans and friends. Presented in conjunction with Pie In The Sky Productions, this limited-run presentation will play in Curtain Call’s Dressing Room Theatre June 6 – 28. Two Stamford women will play Cline and her friend, Louise Seger – Lynne Colatrella and Ellen Krinick-Porto, respectively.

Always…Patsy Cline will play June 6 through 28 in The Dressing Room Theatre, Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00PM and Sunday afternoons at 2:00PM. There is one additional performance Thursday June 12 at 8:00PM. Seating is cabaret-style with a BYOEverything format. Doors open one hour before show time. Ticket prices for all performances are $24 for adults, $17 for senior citizens and $12 for students/children. Box Office: 203-461-6358 x39 or online at www.curtaincallinc.com.

YALE REPERTORY THEATRE ANNOUNCES 2008-09 SEASON

‘Passion Play,’ by Sarah Ruhl
‘Rough Crossing,’ by Tom Stoppard
East Coast premiere of ‘Lydia’ by Octavio Solis

World Premiere of ‘Notes From Underground,’ adapted from the novel by Fyodor Dostoevsky, by Robert Woodruff and Bill Camp

‘Death of a Salesman,’ by Arthur Miller, featuring Charles Dutton

…and a sixth play to be announced.

2009-09 Ticket information: Yale Repertory Theatre offers a variety of packages for audiences to enjoy the entire season.  Subscriptions, and 4- and 6-Ticket Passes are available beginning Friday, April 25 online at www.yalerep.org, by phone (203) 432-1234, and in person at the Yale Rep Box Office (1120 Chapel Street) during regular business hours (Monday through Friday 10AM-5PM, Saturday 12-5PM; Until 8PM on all performance evenings). Group Sales will also be available beginning on April 25 by calling (203) 432-1572. Individual tickets for the entire season will be available beginning on September 2.

THE ELM SHAKESPEARE COMPANY ANNOUNCES 2008 SEASON – 13TH SEASON OF OUTDOOR THEATER IN NEW HAVEN/HAMDEN’S EDGERTON PARK

Thornton Wilder’s The Matchmaker and Shakespeare’s Hamlet to be presented in rotating rep

Four weeks of performances – August 7 through 31, 2008

New Haven, CT – The Elm Shakespeare Company, beginning its 13th season of presenting free, professional theater productions outdoors – and third season of presenting two plays in rotating repertory – has announced the two plays selected for the upcoming summer of 2008. Artistic Director James Andreassi has chosen The Matchmaker, by long-time Hamden resident Thornton Wilder, and Shakespeare’s Hamlet to be performed in rotating rep from August 7 through August 31 in Edgerton Park on the border of New Haven and Hamden, Connecticut.

Aglet Meets BTF

Aglet Theatre Company, one of the newest theatre troupes in the tri-state area, will be performing at the Berkshire Theatre Festival, one of the oldest regional theatres in the country, beginning in February 2009. Though the fledgling company is looking forward to this developing relationship with the well-established regional theatre, they will continue to perform in the Bok Gallery at TriArts’ Sharon Playhouse in Sharon, Connecticut.

Aglet, which has been in existence for less than four years, has built a strong reputation and loyal following while presenting staged readings at Salisbury, Connecticut’s Chaiwalla Tea House. For the past year and a half the company has performed in the Bok Gallery where they have offered full-length productions along with the readings.

The opportunity to work at BTF is a major step for Aglet. Kate Maguire, Artistic Director and CEO of BTF, offered the company the use of the 122-seat Unicorn in order to utilize the facility during the winter months and to present to the theatre’s audience dynamic plays that complement the summer schedule.

TheaterWorks Hartford
Rabbit Hole

David Lindsay-Abaire’s touching family drama Rabbit Hole has had audiences laughing through their tears since its debut on Broadway.  A portrait of a family at a crossroads, Rabbit Hole won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and was nominated for a Tony Award.  In the play, Becca and Howard Corbett have everything they could want in life until fate shatters their idyllic home and leaves the couple drifting apart.  Rabbit Hole is a heartfelt, rich and funny journey through grief that reminds us of the human spirit’s ability to heal and get back to the business of living.  Variety called the play “a revelation…laced with wit…compassion and searing honesty.”  Rabbit Hole, produced in collaboration with Pittsburgh Public Theater, will be directed by TheaterWorks’ associate artistic director, Rob Ruggiero.

Tickets are $37, except Friday and Saturday nights, $47. Seating is general admission. Center reserved seats are $11 extra.  Student rush $11 at the door with valid ID (subject to availability). Group rates available for parties of 11 or more. For more information, visitwww.theaterworkshartford.org.

Hartford Stage Announces 2008 SummerStage Season of Music and Comedy with Ella and Wishful Drinking

 June Features Special Engagement of Elaine Stritch At Liberty

July Swings with Tina Fabrique as Ella Fitzgerald;

August Zings with Carrie Fisher's Hilarious Show-Biz Memoir

The ladies of summer will delight audiences this year as the Tony Award-winning Hartford Stage presents its annual SummerStage season.  July brings the swinging sounds of Ella Fitzgerald back to Hartford in Ella, starring the incomparable Tina Fabrique (Crowns).  An earlier version of Ella premiered at TheaterWorks in Hartford in 2005; this lushly revamped production is again directed by TheaterWorks Associate Artistic Director Rob Ruggerio.  In August, the irreverent Carrie Fisher hits Hartford with her hilarious, no-holds-barred look at her life in show-biz, Wishful Drinking, directed by Tony Taccone.  Before SummerStage officially begins in July, a special limited engagement of Elaine Stritch At Liberty, written and performed by one of the all time great ladies of theatre, will play at Hartford Stage from June 24 - 29.

Tickets for the limited engagement of Elaine Stritch At Liberty are $40 - $75; intimate cabaret seating with table service is available.  Please note that EZ Tix cannot be used to book tickets for Elaine Stritch At Liberty.  Tickets for the SummerStage productions of Ella and Wishful Drinking are $26 - $55.  A limited number of $10 "Ten Spot" tickets are also available for all performances of Ella and Wishful Drinking, making Hartford Stage among the most affordable entertainment options in Connecticut.  Hartford Stage has wheelchair accessible seating, assistive listening devices and other amenities.  For more information, please call the Hartford Stage box office at 860-527-5151 or visit hartfordstage.org.  Hartford Stage is located at 50 Church Street in downtown Hartford with parking located in the MAT Garage, directly adjacent to the theatre.  The theatre is easily accessible from I-84 and I-91.

Goodspeed’s Norma Terris Theatre
‘13’

Goodspeed Musicals announces the cast of 13, a new musical comedy about coming of age, teen traumas and high school survival. This latest Goodspeed production will hit the stage at The Norma Terris Theatre in Chester, Connecticut, May 9 – June 8. 13 is sponsored by Essex Savings Bank.

Evan Goldman has it all – he’s popular, has the ‘perfect’ family and lives in the greatest city in the world – New York. That is until his parents get divorced and he’s forced to move - to a small town in Indiana.  Uprooted from his old life, he has to make new friends and somehow maneuver the minefield of High School to become part of the ‘in-crowd’.

With wit and searing honesty, 13 is a hilarious, high-energy musical for all ages.  It’s about the lessons one learns throughout life and the discovery that the journey to who you want to be starts with discovering who you are.

Featuring an explosive rock score by celebrated composer Jason Robert Brown and performed by an astonishing cast of young actors, 13 is a grown-up story about growing up.

13 will run May 9 through June 8 at the Norma Terris Theatre in Chester, Conn.. Tickets are on sale now through the Goodspeed box office at 860.873.8668 or online at www.goodspeed.org. Special offer: Front row seating reserved for teens at just $13 each. Subject to availability.

THE CONNECTICUT CABARET SHINES AND SINGS WITH

“THE GRASS HARP”

The Connecticut Cabaret Theatre is pleased to present the beautifully moving and lively musical THE GRASS HARP, based on the novel and play of the same name by Truman Capote. Kris McMurray, owner and artistic director, has waited over 10 years to put together this talented cast for this amazing show. “It’s my personal favorite show”, says McMurray. “This musical is being produced for me, but I know that my audiences will fall in love with it as I did so many years ago.”

This 1971 musical has long been considered one of the lost treasures of the musical theatre. THE GRASS HARP (the title refers to the wind rustling through fields of tall grass) is the intimate story of Dollyheart, played by the golden voiced Jeanne Caillouette, a sweet-natured spinster with a secret recipe for an elixir cure, and her demanding sister, Verena, played by Broadway veteran Carolyn Kirsch, who is determined to exploit the recipe for her own purposes. When tensions rise, Dollyheart leaves her sister's house with their orphaned nephew and black housekeeper to take up residence in a tree house. It isn't long before other outcasts join their extended family, and the deep emotional currents of these shifting relationships lead to an uplifting, compelling reconciliation.

CT Cabaret Theatre is a non-equity professional cabaret theatre that produces Broadway-style musicals and comedies year-round. Being a cabaret theatre means you sit at cozy round tables and are invited to bring in whatever you like to eat or drink. Hence our motto being “BRING YOUR OWN, WE’LL PROVIDE THE REST”. We do have a small dessert bar that provides a variety of treats and beverages to purchase as well.

THE GRASS HARP runs every Friday and Saturday at 8:00pm. Doors open at 7:15pm. ALL MAJOR Credit Cards are accepted. CALL TODAY! 860-829-1248, or for more information, visit www.ctcabaret.com. The Connecticut Cabaret Theatre is located just off Route 9 (exit 22: Mill Street) and the Berlin Turnpike. Visit the website for detailed directions.

LONG WHARF THEATRE --Rodgers and Hammerstein's Classic Musical Carousel
May 7 - June 8

NEW HAVEN - Long Wharf Theatre, led by Gordon Edelstein (Artistic Director) and Joan Channick (Managing Director) wraps up its 2007-08 season with Carousel, the classic musical by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, on the Mainstage from May 7 through June 8. The play is a co-production with the Court Theatre in Chicago. Carousel has received fine reviews during its run at Court Theatre. "Newell forges an involving, intimate and provocative musical experience that will show you things about this great American musical you've not experienced," said Chris Jones, theatre critic for the Chicago Tribune, in his review. This acoustic production, helmed by Court Theatre Artistic Director Charles Newell and Music Director Doug Peck, the award-winning team behind last season's successful re-imagining of Man of La Mancha, promises to be an innovative revival of one of America's most beloved musical masterpieces that will move and delight audiences of all ages. For more information about the show or other Long Wharf Theatre offerings, call 787-4282 or go to www.longwharf.org.

LONG WHARF THEATRE-- 2008/2009 Season

Long Wharf Theatre, under the leadership of Artistic Director Gordon Edelstein and Managing Director Joan Channick, announces the 2008/2009 season, an interesting mélange of new works, star turns and classic plays. Long Wharf will open its season on Stage II with stage and screen star Brian Dennehy in a pair of one acts by master playwrights: Hughie by Eugene O'Neill and Krapp's Last Tape by Samuel Beckett.

The Mainstage opens with a new play by Pulitzer Prize winner Paula Vogel entitled A Civil War Christmas. This play featuring dozens of period songs and will provide families with a special holiday experience.

The theatre will also present the East Coast premiere of Victory, a dynamic new work by South African playwright Athol Fugard. Eric Ting, Long Wharf Theatre's Associate Artistic Director will present an innovative adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's Nobel Prize-winner novella The Old Man and the Sea. Additional plays are under consideration for the final two slots in the season.

SHAKESPEARE ON THE GREEN--Curtain Call Star Crossed Lovers
Selected from Darien & Stamford
July 11-13 & 18

Two of the most famous of all literary characters, Romeo and Juliet, will come alive this summer as Curtain Call presents its 5th annual Shakespeare on the Green presentation. Playing these young, star-crossed lovers will be Zoë Shwidock of Stamford High School and Paul Ciasullo of Darien School. Besides Shwidock and Ciasullo, the four other finalists, Minou Clark, Joe Cordaro, Raul Meruelo (all from Westhill High School) and Allison Prince (Darien High School), will be offered roles in the production. The semi-finalists were: Kathryn Laudadio and Matthew Zilinyi (Fairfield Ludlowe High School), Caroline Lellouche (Tomlinson School), Natalie Pawlak (Trinity Catholic High School), Erick Sanchez (Stamford High School).

The free summer production of Romeo and Juliet will be presented on Curtain Call's own version of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre stage July 11, 12, 13, 18 & 18 at 7:30 pm. The park opens for seating at 6:00pm. Families and groups are encouraged to make a full night of the festivities by enjoying a picnic meal available through The Royal Green Restaurant. "The responses and support received from our audiences over the past four years has been phenomenal" said Ursone "If ever there was a case of 'if you build it, they will come' this is surely it" he added. Admission is free with suggested contributions of $10 & $20. More information is available at www.curtaincallinc.com or by calling 203-461-6358 x13

WINDHAM THEATRE GROUP--Announces the Ct Premiere of HATS! The Musical
June 20-21 & 26- 28

The Windham Theatre Guild is pleased to announce that they will be presenting the Connecticut Premiere of one of the hottest new shows…HATS!

The Windham Theatre Guild will present the Connecticut Premiere of HATS! as a Special Event June 20th, 21st, 26th, 27th and 28th at 8:00pm, with one matinee performance on June 22nd at Leavitt Theatre, home of the Windham Theatre Guild, 779 Main Street, Willimantic. Tickets are $18 for adults and $15 for seniors/students. For reservations, call the Windham Theatre Guild at 860-423-2245, or you can purchase tickets on-line at www.windhamtheatreguild.org.

SHAKESPEARE ON THE SOUND--Educational outreach probes the sphere of Shakespeare

An interactive workshop probing the political and social dynamics in Shakespeare's play "Julius Caesar" has been added to Shakespeare on the Sound's educational outreach to popularize the creative vitality of The Bard.

"Julius Caesar, Meaning in Motion," as it's called, engages students in middle school and high school in issues such as ambition and honor and civic responsibility.

They are booking engagements for April, May and June of this year and as far ahead as spring of 2009. Information is available by e-mailing Paine at shakespearelp@gmail.com or by calling Shakespeare on the Sound at (203) 299-1300.

GOODSPEED MUSICALS--Happy Days: A New Musical celebrating poodle-skirts and sock-hops spins onto the Goodspeed Opera House stage.
April 11 - June 29

Goodspeed Musicals, the only two time Tony Award winning theatre in the country, has announced the cast of Happy Days: A New Musical. This tuneful smash hit comedy will delight Goodspeed audiences when the full scale musical celebration of 50's nostalgia begins April 11 - June 29, 2008. Happy Days is based on the hit Paramount Pictures television series created by Garry Marshall who also wrote the book, with music and lyrics by Oscar, Grammy and Golden Globe-winning Hall of songwriter Paul Williams. This musical comedy promises to be a treat for young and old alike. Happy Days is sponsored by Robinson & Cole L.L.C. and Webster Bank. For more info contact Elisa Hale at (860) 873-8664, ext. 323 or Elisa.Hale@goodspeed.org