Rent is a rock musical with music, lyrics, and book by Jonathan Larson. It is inspired by the 1896 opera La Boheme by Puccini. Rent tells the story of a group of impoverished young artists struggling to survive and create a life in the East Village of New York city , in the days of before gentrification and when HIV/Aids was still raging.
The young artists live in a rundown loft in Alphabet City and are months behind on their rent. They band together to feed each other, stay warm and keep a roof over their head even when the electricity it turned off. A former friend who now owns the building with his wealthy wife wants to evict them. It is this pending eviction, the knowledge some of their friends are HIV positive, strengthen their bonds and their friendship to stay in the only home they have. The story and music is both emotional and moving and you cannot leave the production without being touched by this story.
Rent stars Jacob Heimer (B’way- Beautiful) as Roger, Joe Tolentino (Regional- Rent w/ director Adam Pascal) as Mark, Cedric Leiba JR. (Tour- Rent, Miss Saigon) as Angel, Darrick Penny (Regional- Rent w/ director Adam Pascal) as Tom, LaDonna Burns (Nat’l Tour- Rent, MTC- Ghost (CT Critics Circle Award Winner)) as Joanne, Olivia Fenton (Ivoryton- Hank Williams: Lost Highway, MTC- Moon Over Buffalo) as Maureen, Gabriela Gomez (Disney Cruise- Aladdin) as Mimi, Matt Mancuso (Valley Shakespeare- As You Like It, MTC- Ghost) as Benny, and Ensemble cast includes Sadie Seelert (B’way- Mary Poppins), Leeanna Rubin (Nat’l Tour- Annie), Carlos Pérez (SToNC- The Little Mermaid), Charles Romano (Legacy- Sweeney Todd). Rent is directed & choreographed by Chris McNiff with music direction by David Wolfson. The production team also includes stage management by Theresa Stark, fight & intimacy direction by Dan O’Driscoll, scenic design by Marty Marchitto, lighting design by Scott Borowka, prop design by Claudia Ruck, costume design by Diane Vanderkroef, and sound design by Jon Damast. Ticket prices range from $45-$60 plus fees and can be purchased online.
We all need a night of laughter and great entertainment. Now on stage at The Ridgefield Theater Barn is the hilarious comedy “Moon Over Buffalo”. The comedy will be presented starting May 30th through June 21, 2025. The play by Ken Ludwig was staged on Broadway in 1995 starring Carol Burnett and ran for over 300 performances.
The play takes place in Buffalo New York in the early 1950s where we meet George and his wife Charlotte who are both actors and are presenting two plays in their small repartory theatre, Cyrano De Bergerac and Private Lives. We meet the characters as they have a sword fight to and fro across the Theatre Barn stage. The sword fight is only a hint of the highly physical comedy that is to come during the two act, two hour performance.
George and Charlotte love the theater, but they crave one last fading hope at starring in a Hollywood feature film. Such a chance happens when the leading actor in a Frank Capra film is injured and the legendary director is coming to see George and Charlotte perform in person with the possibility of casting them in the film.
Chaos breaks out in the preparation for the performance. Joining the cast is Eileen one of the company actors who announces she is pregnant with George’s child. Also arriving is Roz (the daughter of George and Charlotte) and her fiancé, a television weatherman. When Charlotte discovers that George has fathered a child she plans to run off with her own lover, Richard. George starts drinking and runs off. As Capra will be arriving soon for their performance, the players make a crazy physical chase through the elaborate stage in search of George and aided by Charlotte’s half deaf mother, Ethel.
The pace of comedy becomes frantic, fast and physical. The Theatre Barn set has numerous doors and a staircase which becomes the backdrop for a desperate search to find George and somehow stage the play in time before Capra’s arrival. The laughs are nonstop with wonderful performances from the cast.
The cast is George Hay – Fred Rueck, Charlotte Hay – Gillian Holt, Ethel – Elayne Gordon. Rosalind – Julia Preis, Howard – Seth von Schmidt, Eileen – Clara Sussmann, Paul – Matthew Donovan, and Richard – Timothy Huber.
Directed by Diana Canova who expertly guides this hilarious and over the top comedy by using every square foot of the stage and directing the actors to deliver their lines with hysterical result. An evening of laughs not to be missed. The set design was very impressive and really was an important part of the play.
The Ridgefield Theater Barn is a great experience. The audience in the small intimate space can bring in their own food and drink to enjoy prior to the performance. It is a very special venue and the productions are always of high quality.
Fans of creative independent film should head to Ridgefield Connecticut for the annual Ridgefield Independent Film Festival (RIFF). The Ridgefield Independent Film Festival is back for its 10th year.. The festival is an exciting venue filled with independent short film, narrative films and documentaries. There is something for everyone. This is one of our favorite events of the year and if you love film, this is a great way to experience cinema you just do not see on your streaming service.
There will be numerous (over 30) films in the festival so we encourage you to check the RIFF website for more details and ticket information. We encourage you to buy tickets in advance.
The festival will kick off on May 15th with Rebel With a Clause which will also include a filmmaker Q and A as well as a reception and book signing. Friday the festival will get into full swing with the Psych Night program featuring “Thanks for the Room” at 4pm and then a slate of 5 short films at 7pm.
Saturday May 17th will feature a full slate of movies. “Across the Lens” is a series of narrative short films at noon on Saturday. There will be additional short films series “Black Flag Shorts 1 and 2” that will be screened at 2pm and 4:30pm. Short films really allow independent film makers a forum to present their craft to a wider audience.
Saturday will continue with a documentary feature, “The Trouble with Mr.Doodle” and wrap up with the Saturday night feature film “Under the Volcano” at 7pm.
Sunday May 18th the festival will wind down with the RIFF 10th Anniversary Awards ceremony and brunch at Keeler Tavern.
Ridgefield Independent Film Festival was founded in 2015 by local playwright and filmmaker, Joanne Hudson and presented its first iteration in May of 2016 at ten venues throughout Ridgefield, CT; screening 72 films from 26 countries. Now in its 10th year this intimate and highly curated festival continues with the same independent spirit in which it began: in the hopes of making the world a more compassionate place through the film.f
As we have done for years, I On The Valley is proud to promote the Ridgefield Independent Film Festival. It is a local treasure we encourage local residents to take advantage of this cultural resource. See you at the movies.
“Theatre People!”, exclaims Olga the Maid as she expresses her frustration with the guests staying at a Newport Mansion. The crowd at the Westport Country Playhouse laughs in unison at the remark and it will be a night filled with constant laughter. The play draws its inspiration from past stage romantic comedies. It includes all the elements including an interesting scenario and setting, rapid fire dialogue and jokes, physical comedy, and a cast of memorable characters.
The people to whom Olga the Maid refers are the guests at the mansion that evening. This hysterical comedy is set in 1948 in a Newport mansion filled with characters that are a part of the theater: Charlotte and Arthur Sanders, a married playwright couple; Margot Bell, a celebrated vocalist and actress, Victor Pratt, a Broadway baritone; and Oliver Adams, a young, naive novelist. Rounding out the cast of characters as is Olga, the mansion’s housekeeper whose snide remarks and sarcasm delivered in a Russian accent deliver some of the best comedic lines of the evening.
The play begins with the playwrights Charlotte (Isabelle Keating) and her husband Arthur (Michael McCormick) entering a beautifully decorated bedroom suite in a posh Newport mansion. They immediately begin to describe the suite as if they were writing a play and even look out at the theater audience and stating this is where the audience would sit. This immediately pulls the audience into the action on stage. This play within a play is a very clever and effective technique. They are soon joined by Oliver the novelist (Rodolfo Soto) who is hoping to reunite with the woman he met once but whom he is madly in love. He wants to tell her about his novel that she inspired him to write, It is that very book that Charlotte and Arthur are desperate to make into a Broadway play. The subject of Oliver’s love is an actress and vocalist, Margot (Mia Pinero) who is at the mansion to sing. She is performing with the bombastic Victor Pratt (Michael McCorry Rose) whose ego is far greater than his talent.
When Oliver, Charlotte and Arthur overhear Margot and Victor in the next room, all their plans for the weekend become unraveled. In a wild attempt to salvage the hope to stage their play, and reunite Oliver and Margot, Charlotte writes an entire new 2nd act to their play based on Oliver’s book which he is hesitant to publish. Charlotte enlists the help of Olga the maid who enters and exits the suite injecting laughs into every appearance.
Theatre People has all the elements of a classic stage comedy including a great setting, over the top characters, clever writing, rapid fire dialogue, and brilliant comedic timing. Theatre People has it all and add beautiful set design and direction and you have an evening of non stop great comedy. With Broadway actors and Broadway quality set, lighting and sound, Westport Country Playhouse is the place to experience live local theatre.
The cast includes Erin Noel Grennan as Olga, Isabel Keating as Charlotte Sanders ( Broadway: Upcoming “Queen of Versailles,” “Doubt: A Parable,” “The Boy from Oz” – Tony, Drama League, Outer Critics nominations, Drama Desk and Theatre World awards. Michael McCormick as Arthur Sanders Broadway: 15 shows including “Wicked,” “1776,” “Kiss Me, Kate,” “Curtains,” “Chaplin”; National Tours: “The Producers,” “Les Misérables”; Off-Broadway: “Fly By Night,” “A Man Of No Importance” at Lincoln Center Theater; TV: “Blue Bloods,” ”Brain Dead,” “Elementary,” “House Of Cards”; 18 Broadway and Off-Broadway cast albums Mia Pinero as Margot Bell (Broadway: “Sweeney Todd” as Johanna/Beggar Woman, “West Side Story” as Maria. Michael McCorry Rose as Victor Pratt (Broadway/Tours: “Wicked,” “Anastasia,” “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder,” next season’s “The Queen of Versailles”; Film: Universal Picture’s “Wicked,” “Disenchanted” for Disney, and Rodolfo Soto as Oliver Adams (Westport Country Playhouse: “In the Heights” as Usnavi.)
Playwright Paul Slade Smith is an actor and playwright living in Brooklyn with his wife, who is a member of the “Theatre People” cast (Erin Noel Grennan). Smith’s play, “Unnecessary Farce,” is the winner of nine regional theatre awards, and has had over 325 productions throughout the United States, and in Canada, Great Britain, Australia, Switzerland, Iceland, Singapore, and Japan.
Director Mark Shanahan is Playhouse artistic director and Script in Hand curator. In 2024, he directed “The 39 Steps,” the Playhouse’s inaugural production for the 2024-25 season, as well as the Playhouse’s holiday offering, “A Sherlock Carol.” Mark also warmed up the crowd prior to the show by having the opening night attendees shout in unison “ We are Theatre People!”.
“Theatre People” running time is approximately two hours, including one 15-minute intermission. The first act is around 35 minutes with the second act being around 50 minutes. Single tickets start at $40 and are subject to change based upon availability.. For information on special offers, including discounts for students, senior citizens, educators, military and first responders, Indigenous peoples, professional playwrights, and groups, as well as options for pay-what-you-will and library passes,
Do not miss “Theater People” now on stage at the historic Westport Country Playhouse!
Guitarist extraordinaire, Martin Barre is coming to Edmond Town Hall in Newtown on April 13th. Martin Barre is best known for his four plus decades of work as lead guitarist of Jethro Tull. Martin also is the leader of his own group, the Martin Barre Band since the 1990s. Jethro Tull is a Grammy award winning English rock/folk band that has sold over 60 million records worldwide.
His signature solo on the 1971 Jethro Tull standard “Aqualung” was voted by the readers of several guitar magazines as on of the best rock guitar solos in rock history. On this tour, the music of Jethro Tull and Martin’s solo work will be unplugged with no electric guitars. This will be a unique musical experience not to be missed.
If you have not been to the Edmond Town Hall, you are in for a fine evening of music. The theater is housed in a 1930s building, has great viewing from all seats, and the acoustics are excellent. There is plenty of free parking.
Now on stage at the historic Westport Country Playhouse is “Native Gardens”. A comedy about new neighbors who quickly turn on each other. The show is playing February 18 through March 8. The iconic Playhouse is presenting this play as part of it’s 2024-25 “Season of Laughter”
Upon entering the theater on opening night we were struck by the amazing and complex stage décor. The play is set in a historic Washington D.C, neighborhood and the set presents two houses side by side. One house is brick and stone, with a beautiful rear deck of stone and a garden worthy of a layout in Home and Gardens magazine. The other house is clad in wood with steps to the yard made of construction lumber. The yard is devoid of landscaping with the exception of a large old oak tree which drops its leaves, acorns and branches onto the two yards. The contrasts will continue to the owners themselves.
The fine brick home is occupied by long time residents Frank and Virginia Butley. Frank works for the federal government, and Virginia reminds us more than once she is an aerospace engineer working in a predominately male field. They keep their home and yard immaculate and abide by the traditions of this historic neighborhood. The new neighbors, Pablo and Tania Del Valle are millenials and their idea for their new yard is to bring in native plants in sharp contrast to the well manicured plantings of the Butley’s.
The well intentioned friendliness of the new neighbors meeting quickly dissolves into a comedic back and forth between the neighbors about a disputed property line. The dispute over property rights the play quickly reveals the clash of taste, and issues of race, ageism, sexism, colonialism and class distinction. Despite handling all these thorny topics, the play keeps the audience engaged with a light hearted and rapid fire comedy from start to finish. The underlying tensions may be serious, but the lighthearted way in which they are approached reveals in the end these are good people with good intentions that have gone astray. It is a very clever written and meaningful play.
Native Gardens is the kind of relevant comedy we need today. From the brilliant set design and relevant soundtrack, the play delivers a delightful comedic evening with wonderful performances. The opening night attendees approved with a rousing standing ovation. A play that exposes the issues that divide us but wrapped in comedic brilliance which lifts the spirit and lightens your evening.
The play is written by Karen Zacarías, who was recently hailed by American Theatre magazine as one of the 10 most-produced playwrights in the U.S. Director is JoAnn M. Hunter. “Native Gardens” is the fourth production in the Playhouse’s 2024-25 “Season of Laughter.
The cast includes Paula Leggett Chase as Virginia Butley (Broadway: “Tootsie,” “On the 20th Century,” “Bye Bye Birdie,” “Curtains,” “The Pajama Game,” “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” “Kiss Me, Kate,” “Damn Yankees,” “Crazy for You,” “A Chorus Line”; 2020 Drama Desk Featured Actress nominee for “The Unsinkable Molly Brown”; Tours: “A Chorus Line,” “Cabaret”; TV/Film: “The Sound of Music, Live”;
Linedy Genao as Tania De Valle (Native of Hamden, CT; first Latina performer to originate the leading role in an Andrew Lloyd Webber Broadway musical; named to Variety’s “Broadway Actors to Watch List”; Broadway: “Bad Cinderella” as Cinderella, “On Your Feet!,” “Dear Evan Hansen”; Off Broadway: “Women on Fire”; Tours: “Dear Evan Hansen”; Regional: “Passing Through,” “West Side Story,” “In the Heights”; TV/Film: “Death Saved My Life.
Adam Heller as Frank Butley (Westport Country Playhouse: Script in Hand playreading “The Outsider”; Broadway’s “Some Like it Hot,” “It Shoulda Been You,” “Elf,” “Caroline, or Change,” “Victor/Victoria,” “Les Misérables”; Off-Broadway’s “Merrily We Roll Along,” and others; Goodspeed’s “Fiddler on the Roof” – Connecticut Critics Circle Award/Best Actor), “Rags”; other regional theatre includes “Chicago”- St. Louis Theater Circle Award, “1776,” “Gypsy,” “Falsettos,” “The Chosen”; NYU/Tisch).
Anthony Michael Martinez as Pablo Del Valle (Off-Broadway: Classic Stage Co., 59E59, Vineyard Theatre, New Ohio, The Flea, Theatre Row. Regional: Great Lakes Theatre, Idaho Shakespeare, more; Film/TV: “After Forever” Amazon Prime series; MFA: Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Academy for Classical Acting in DC; resident teaching artist for Red Bull Theater.
A fun comedy is coming to one of our favorite local venues. Music Theatre of Connecticut (MTC) MainStage, Fairfield County’s award winning professional theatre company, continues its 38th season with Ken Ludwig’s Moon Over Buffalo
This comedy is a wild ride of eccentric characters, a show-within-a show, and a hilarious love triangle. The production runs from February 7th through the 23rd with performances on Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 2pm & 8pm, Sundays at 2pm. In the madcap spirit of Lend Me a Tenor, Moon Over Buffalo is a riotous farce about George and Charlotte Hay, fading stars of the 1950s, who are performing Private Lives and Cyrano de Bergerac in Buffalo, New York. Their hopes of stardom are reignited when they learn Hollywood director Frank Capra is coming to see their matinee, with a potential movie role on the line. But chaos takes center stage as George’s dalliance with a young ingénue sparks marital drama, their daughter’s clueless fiancé adds to the confusion, and Charlotte’s sharp-tongued, hard of-hearing mother wreaks havoc backstage. With mistaken identities and endless mix-ups, this fast-paced comedy delivers non-stop laughs. It looks to be a fun filled evening. MTC always presents a great show.
We will attending the show and provide a review in the coming days.
We all need a good laugh right now. Westport Country Playhouse has just what we need , an evening full of laughter. On stage now at the iconic playhouse is the comedy masterpiece, The 39 Steps.
The 39 Steps is a parody adapted from the John Buchan’s 1915 novel and the 1935 film by Alfred Hitchcock . The story of intrigue and spies as portrayed in the book and the movie remains, but the plot is now framed in an over the top physical comedy format.
The play calls for the entirety of the 1935 adventure film The 39 Steps to be performed with a cast of only four actors. It is this constant and brilliant change of characters by the cast plus lightning fast costume changes that add to the comedic effect.
Plot:
The story concerns an ordinary bachelor in London , Richard Hannay, , who becomes caught up in preventing an spy ring from stealing sensitive British military secrets. Mistakenly accused of the murder of an intelligence agent who tells him about the “39 Steps” ,Hannay goes on the run to Scotland and finds himself mixed up with an attractive woman. Trying to avoid the police and while hoping to stop the spy ring and clear his name. He has found his ordinary and somewhat boring life turned into a real live spy thriller.
The theatrical version keeps the basic story of the spy thriller, but injects a heavy dose of physical British comedy. The four actors keep the audience on the edge of their seats with the non -stop action as Richard is chased from London onto a train car and north into Scotland where he attempts to solve the mystery of the spy ring, unmask the 39 Steps and prove he is innocent. The chase scene on the train is particularly funny.
From start to finish the cast had the Playhouse audience laughing and clapping through the many jokes, gags, and innovative use of props. Homage is paid to Hitchcock himself with his memorable profile on stage, his voice use to introduce the play and the references to his films Dial M For Murder, Psycho, and North By Northwest.
We were laughing throughout the performance and long after the curtain call. For the laughs you need, run to the Westport Country Playhouse and enjoy this hilarious classic comedy. First rate theater is right in your backyard at this historic and iconic venue.
Cast:
Joe Delafield, Seth Andrew Bridges , Sharone Sayegh, and Evan Zes
Directed by Mark Shanahan (also the Playhouse Artistic Director)
Jimmy Buffet is a music legend with a career that spanned over 5 decades. His music was a blend of rock, country, calypso, with a taste of New Orleans jazz. His albums sold millions and his concerts were legendary for their good time atmosphere. He and the Coral Reefer Band crafted a new genre of music dubbed “Island Escape” with its well crafted lyrics and timeless melodies. Jimmy wanted his fans to “keep the party going”, and that’s why new and seasoned fans alike can enjoy his music with bands like “Changes in Latitudes.”
Changes In Latitudes is the country’s premier tribute show to Jimmy Buffett. It’s the ultimate beach party that’s fun for all ages. Over their 20-plus year history, the band has toured all over the country. Members of Jimmy Buffett’s “Coral Reefer Band” have both performed live and recorded with Changes In Latitudes.
Attendees will enjoy world class musicians that will recreate the epic fun filled concerts that Jimmy Buffet fans loved and miss so much. Not only do they sound like the Coral Reefers but they replicate the stage sets that were a signature of his concerts.
Edmond Town Hall in Newtown Ct. will host Changes In Latitudes on Saturday September 7th at 8pm. If you want to keep the party going, or never had the opportunity to see a Jimmy Buffett concert, this is your chance to escape to the islands for a few hours. See you there!
A warm summer night, cocktails, a great seafood menu and the music of Jimmy Buffett are the perfect combination. Stonebridge Restaurant in Milford Ct. will be hosting a fun event with a real island vibe. Buffett is best known for his “island escape” music and attendees can enjoy his music as recreated by The Island Castaways Band. The fun kicks off at Stonebridge at 6pm.
The restaurant features a wide variety of delightful dishes and there is even a Pub Fare menu to enjoy with Lobster rolls, Fish and Chips, salads, burgers, Ahi Tuna Tacos and so much more.
The event will have a $10 cover charge and there will be a 50/50 raffle to benefit the Charles Island reforestation project.
So get your island vibe on at Stonebridge Restaurant and sway to the island tunes of Jimmy Buffett.
Also check the Stonebridge calendar for fun events coming up in the next few weeks.
I On The Valley 