Musicals At Richter Announces 2003 Season

 DANBURY — Muscials at Richter, Fairfield County’s longest-running outdoor theater has announced its 2003 season of musicals, cabaret evenings and children’s theater.

The season opens this weekend with the Lerner and Loewe classic My Fair Lady (June 19-July 5), continue with the exhilarating Caribbean-inspired musical Once on This Island written by the Tony Award-winning team of Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens (July 10-26), and close with Gilbert and Sullivan’s ever-popular nautical romp H.M.S. Pinafore (July 31-August 16).

Performances are outdoors under the stars Friday through Sunday evenings on the grounds of Richter Arts Center, next to Richter Park Golf Course at 100 Aunt Hack Road. Curtain is 8:30 pm, and grounds open at 7:15 for picnicking.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for seniors, students and children.

Specially priced preview performances are offered the first Thursday of each run (June 19, July 10 and July 31). Tickets for these performances are $10.

The mainstage offerings will also include It’s A Musical World, a special cabaret revue celebrating travel and destinations in song and dance, ranging from Cape Cod to Copenhagen. The cabaret evenings are July 14 (raindate July 15) and August 4 (raindate August 5) at 8:30 pm, and tickets are $8.

Musicals at Richter will continue its popular Fairy Tale Theatre series for children Saturday mornings in July. Performed by an ensemble of young actors under the direction of Elyse Jasensky, the productions will feature music, arts and crafts activities and plenty of audience participation.

Shows include The Three Little Pigs and The Three Billy Goats Gruff (July 5), The Frog Princess (July 12), Selections from Aesop’s Fables (July 19), and Pinocchio (July 26). Due to the increased popularity of these children’s shows, performances for the Fairy Tale series will be held offsite on the grounds of The Wooster School, Ridgebury Road in Danbury.

Grounds open at 10:30 am for a performance-related craft activity prior to the curtain at 11. Audience members should bring blankets and chairs for lawn seating; tickets are $5 for adults and children.

Group rates are available and chair rentals may be made with advance reservation. For reservations and further information, call the Musicals at Richter box office at 748-6873 or visit www.MusicalsAtRichter.org.