Theater

Theatre 308 Nominated for 22 Awards in Two Statewide Drama Competitions

Letter: Thanks, Darien, for Supporting ‘Cabaret’ with Nine Sold-Out Performances

‘Cabaret’ Musical Starts Friday on Darien Arts Center Stage

Come to the Cabaret at the DAC Stage With an All-Female Cast: Starts April 27

Playwrights Invited to Submit Scripts for 10-Minute Plays to Join Darien Library Workshop

Everybody Get ‘Footloose’ Tix — Theatre 308 Show Runs March 22 to 24

Auditions for ALL FEMALE ‘Cabaret’ at Darien Arts Center Stage on Jan 29 and 31

Wall Street Theater’s New Musical Program for Teens 12 to 18 Starts Feb 19

Upcoming Events at the Restored Wall Street Theater in Norwalk

DAC Stage Presents ‘Sylvia’ — a Romantic Comedy About a Husband, a Wife and a Dog

Theatre 308 Students Videoconference with 2 DHS Grads Who Write, Produce ‘The Simpsons’

Casting Call: Four Adult Actors Needed for Darien Arts Center Stage Production of ‘Sylvia’

‘Going in Style’ – Friday Night Feature Film at Darien Library

‘Little Mermaid Jr.’ Musical, with 70 Local Kids at Darien High School, Thursday to Saturday

Darien High School Students, Middlesex Teacher Win Theater Awards in Statewide Competition

Education

By David Gurliacci | May 23, 2018

Darien Arts Center

By David Gurliacci | May 14, 2018

Darien Arts Center

By David Gurliacci | April 24, 2018

Theater

By David Gurliacci | March 29, 2018

Theater

By David Gurliacci | March 12, 2018

Teens

By David Gurliacci | March 5, 2018

Auditions

By David Gurliacci | January 23, 2018

Education

By David Gurliacci | January 20, 2018

Arts & Entertainment

By David Gurliacci | November 13, 2017

Arts & Entertainment

By David Gurliacci | October 20, 2017

Arts & Entertainment

By David Gurliacci | October 14, 2017

Darien Arts Center

By David Gurliacci | September 5, 2017

Darien Library

By Alex Wang | August 2, 2017

Parents & Kids

By David Gurliacci | July 25, 2017

Education

By David Gurliacci | June 2, 2017

Drama in and around Darien

Darien High School’s Theatre 308 has been recognized in not one, but two state-wide theater awards programs.

For the second year in a row, both of the Theatre 2018 mainstage productions have received nominations for The Halo Awards, which honor high school student achievements in dramatic and musical theatre from over 60 high schools in Connecticut. — an announcement from Theatre 2018

In addition, this year’s musical was entered in the first ever Stephen Sondheim Awards, the gateway production into the National High School Musical Theater Awards show, also known as the Jimmy Awards. Theatre 308 had numerous nominations for both the Halos and the Sondheim awards. Halo Awards
For the Halos, Theatre 308 received the following nominations for both the spring musical Footloose and the fall drama Mr. Burns, A Post-Electric Play:

FOOTLOOSE

-Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Contemporary Musical – Lexi Staubi as Ariel Moore

-Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical – Grady Allen as Willard

-Best Featured Dancer – Jackson Wood

-Best Sound Design and Execution – Kasey Mazzone & Nick Giotis

-Best Scenic Design and Execution – Justin Mossa

-Best Stage Management – James Cherico (PSM), Anan Durango (SM), Skyler Bennett (ASM)

-Best Original Program Cover Design or Artwork – Jack Ryan O’Keeffe

-Best Chorus

-Best Contemporary Musical

MR. BURNS, A POST-ELECTRIC PLAY

-Best Male Standout Performance in an Ensemble Play or Musical: Grady Allen as Gibson/Burns

-Best Costume Design – Meaghan Dempsey, Audrey Hagen, Natalie Christopher & Mackenzie Lauture

-Best Special Effects – Audrey Hagen

-Best Performance by a Cast in an Ensemble Play or Musical

-Fearless Award

-Best Contemporary Play
Sondheim Awards
For the Sondheim Awards Theatre 308 received the following nominations for the production of Footloose:

FOOTLOOSE

-Best Musical

-Best Direction – Tim Sorensen

-Best Actor – Grady Allen

-Best Actress – Lexi Staubi

-Best Choreography – Emily Frangipane

-Best Costume Design – Sophie Howard

-Best Scenic Design – Justin Mossa

Theatre 308 students will be performing at both award ceremonies. At the Halo Awards, students will perform the opening number of Footloose.

To the editor:

Thank you, Darien, for coming out in droves to enjoy the Darien Arts Center production of Cabaret. Because of your support we had nine sold-out performances of this show in a setting that gave the community a high-quality theatre experience.

It took countless volunteers — including the all-female cast of incredible performers — to make the magic on stage. We collaborated with the Lipstick Project, to produce this show that is so relevant to our current events. Thank you to all who gave their time and talent meeting the needs of the Darien community for this important artistic expression.

DAC Stage, in collaboration with The Lipstick Project, is producing the first ever all-female cast of Kander and Ebb’s musical, Cabaret. The show will open on Friday, April 27 and run three weekends at the DAC’s Weatherstone Studio. For this special production, Darien Arts Center Stage, the DAC’s community theatre group, has augmented their pool of talent with that of The Lipstick Project, an all-female theatre group from Darien and surrounding towns, with a mission of empowering women through artistic opportunity and expression. The original Cabaret debuted on Broadway in 1966 and returned in 1998 for a successful six-year run. It takes place in a Berlin nightclub, as the 1920’s draw to a close.

DAC Stage, in collaboration with The Lipstick Project, is producing the first ever all-female cast of Kander and Ebb’s musical, Cabaret. The show will open on April 27 and run three weekends at the DAC’s Weatherstone Studio. For this special production, Darien Arts Center Stage, the DAC’s community theatre group, has augmented their pool of talent with that of The Lipstick Project, an all-female theatre group from Darien and surrounding towns, with a mission of empowering women through artistic opportunity and expression. — an announcement from Darien Arts Center

The original Cabaret debuted on Broadway in 1966 and returned in 1998 for a successful six-year run. It takes place in a Berlin nightclub, as the 1920s draw to a close.

Catherine Lindsey Playwrights Workshop 2018

Playwrights are invited to submit their final scripts for consideration to the Catherine Lindsey Actors/Playwrights Workshop and contest by March 23. The program, now in its 26th year, will present a series of workshops at Darien Library, culminating in the presentation of four 10-minute plays on June 10. The Darien Library Selection Committee will choose musicals, monologues, short scenes from full-length and one-act plays to be performed. When writing your piece please keep in mind that the number of cast members is limited, only one play may be submitted per person, and plays must be 10-minutes long or less. Please limit your plays to 10-pages double-spaced, 12 point font.

Theatre 308 will be reviving the ‘80s with their upcoming production of Footloose the Musical. Based on the original screenplay by Dean Pitchford, Footloose premiered in 1988. It has been presented on London’s West End and Broadway. Now, 308 is bringing the iconic movie to the stage once again. Footloose is a feel-good musical about the importance of self-expression and individual freedom. Ren McCormack (Nick Servas) is forced move from the vibrant city of Chicago to the quiet rural town of Bomont, Okla.

DAC Stage is holding auditions for its spring musical, Cabaret, on Jan. 29 at 7:30 p.m. and Jan. 31 at 8 p.m. in the DAC Weatherstone Studio, 2 Renshaw Road, behind Darien Town Hall. Audition detail: Open auditions for women who should come prepared with a song and sheet music if song is not from the show. Sides will be provided.

The Wall Street Theater’s Teen Musical Theater program, kicking off on February 19 for area teens ages 12-18, runs six weeks. The program will teach all aspects of putting on a theatrical production, leading up to three performances of the musical, FAME the Musical. The Wall Street Theater, which recently opened its doors after undergoing an extensive renovation, is launching its Teen Musical Theater program, providing area teens with a theatrical background in the arts to learn the components of mounting a high-energy, musical production. Led by working professionals in the industry, participants will receive instruction from pre-production through stage performance of FAME the Musical. “We are excited to welcome area teens – ages 12-18 – to learn from professionals who are currently working in the theater,” said Billy Blanks, Jr., Artistic Director, Wall Street Theater. “Our students will experience real training in acting, dance, voice and backstage and front of house technical aspects.

The Wall Street Theater, which recently opened its doors in Norwalk after undergoing a $10 million renovation, has released its schedule of upcoming events. About the New/Old Theater

The historic theater showcases professional music, comedic, dance and stage performances from nationally recognized names, as well as local organizations. Located at 71 Wall St. in Norwalk, the 700-seat theater recently underwent a $10 million-dollar project to restore this national historic landmark to its original glory from the early 1900s. Originally known as The Regent when the location opened in 1915 featuring Vaudeville performances, the theater was also known as The Norwalk and The Roxy (during this time period, the theater was outfitted as a movie theater showing such blockbusters as “Jaws” and “Blues Brothers”).

Cast of Sylvia Darien Arts Center DAC 10-20-17

Darien Arts Center Stage is proud to announce its production of the comedy, Sylvia, a comedy in which a dog becomes a major bone of contention between a husband and wife. The play by A. R. Gurney will run from Nov. 3 to 11. The cast includes Jacquie Carlsen, David Jackins, and Giovanna Olcese of Norwalk and Susan Stanton of Westport. Christian Amato is director.

The cast of Theatre 308’s fall drama — Anne Washburn’s Mr. Burns, a post-electric play — had the opportunity to deepen their exploration of the play through a videoconference with two Simpsons writers and producers who are also Darien High School alumni.
Brian Kelley, DHS Class of ’90, and Tom Gammill, DHS Class of ’75, responded to the students’ questions about the process of writing Simpsons episodes, The Simpsons’ enduring popularity over the show’s 29-year run, and the references to The Simpsons embedded in Anne Washburn’s play. ___________

— an announcement from Darien High School

___________
Kelley also gave the cast a virtual tour of the FOX studio, including the “writers’ room” where episode ideas are generated and developed, and shared the production copy of the script for this season’s premiere episode, which he penned. Organized by drama director Andrew Rejan and a parent volunteer, the videoconference was conducted using new technology introduced at DHS this year — Facetime-equipped iPads that sync seamlessly with classroom projectors through Apple TV. Mr. Burns, a post-electric play, which will be performed at DHS on Nov.

Auditions for the fall DAC Stage production of Sylvia by A.R. Gurney are being held on Thursday, Sept. 14 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 16 from 1 to 4 p.m. in the DAC Weatherstone Studio. If callbacks are necessary they will be held on Sunday, Sept. 17 from 1 to 3 p.m.

— an announcement from Darien Arts Center

Four adults, ages 18 and older, need to be cast for the production, which will run on weekends from Nov.

Going In Style movie poster thumbnail square 08-02-17

Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine and Alan Arkin team up as lifelong buddies Willie, Joe and Al, who decide to end retirement and step off the straight-and-narrow for the first time in their lives when their pension fund becomes a corporate casualty. Desperate to pay the bills and come through for their loved ones, the three risk it all by embarking on a daring bid to knock off the very bank that absconded with their money.

You can watch this Friday Night Feature at 6:30 p.m. or 8:30 p.m.

The 2017 film features Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Alan Arkin, Ann-Margret, Joey King; Rated PG-13; 96 minutes; Presented with Captions for the hearing impaired. _____________

– an announcement from Darien Library

_____________

Over 70 kids and teens are presenting “The Little Mermaid Jr” this weekend as part of the Musical Theatre Workshop’s Darien Summer School program at Darien High School.

This adaptation of the hit Broadway musical is colorful, whimsical, and perfect for the whole family! ___________

— an announcement from Musical Theatre Workshop

___________

The show will be presented at 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, July 27 and 28, and at 2 p.m., Saturday, July 29 at Darien High School Auditorium. General admission tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children and seniors. Tickets will be available at the door!

Theatre 308 and Sorensen 06-02-17 Halo awards

« August 2022 »

DHS Theatre 308 is thrilled to announce two awards in a statewide competition for the club’s fall 2016 drama “As You Like It,” William Shakespeare’s gender-bender, mistaken-identity comedy. In addition, Middlesex Middle School teacher Tim Sorensen was recognized for 10 years of leading outstanding middle school theater. Theatre 308’s Grady Allen won “Best Leading Actor in a Classic Play” for his role as Orlando. __________
— an announcement from Theatre 308
__________
A group of five students won “Best Original or Incidental Music in a Play” for the original music they both wrote and performed in the play: Jack Savage, Evelyn Sload, Isabelle Hole, Caeleigh O’Connor and Elizabeth Kelly. Sorensen was the only middle school teacher recognized by the Halos. Sorensen has also been nominated for the 2017 Tony Award (Excellence in Theater Education).