Student Summer Theatre Presents Broadway Favorites

By Larissa Lytwyn

Many counselors in this year’s regional Summer Theatre Connections program, which presents a revue of Broadway favorites, Night of A Thousand Stars, July 31 and August 1, are Newtown High School Drama Club alumni acting in Blood Brothers, benefiting the recently formed Newtown High School Arts Foundation.

According to Barbara Danzinger, publicity coordinator for Summer Theatre Connections, family of the alumni largely supports the foundation. Most of the Blood Brothers cast members are college students majoring in arts-related fields. Kelsey Crouch-Pinter, who plays Linda in Blood Brothers, is a Joel Barlow High School graduate majoring in musical theatre at Syracuse University in New York. A board member of Up and Running Productions, a student-operated theatre company, Ms Crouch-Pinter is directing many of Night of A Thousand Stars’ musical numbers. “I would love to perform on Broadway someday,” she said.

NHS Class of 2003 graduate Brett Boles, who plays Mickey in Blood Brothers, recently appeared in Broadway’s final performance of Les Miserables and is now collaborating with renowned producer Bill C. Davis on an original musical. Readings for the musical began July 15.

Now in its fifth year, Summer Theatre Connections is funded through the state’s Education Connection grant, an endeavor that seeks to establish intercommunity relationships within an academic setting. Each year, a maximum of 140 students register for the free program on a first come, first serve basis. Once admitted, students audition for various parts in productions or volunteer on set and costume crews.

“We are currently at maximum capacity,” said Sabrina Post, director of the program. Many participants return for consecutive seasons. In addition to Newtown, students representing Danbury, New Milford, New Fairfield, Roxbury, Bethel, Monroe, and Brookfield, among other towns, also participate. Night of A Thousand Stars will be performed at Newtown High School July 31 and August 1 at 7:30 pm, $10 general admission, $8 for students and seniors. Reserved seating tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for students and seniors.

To order tickets by mail, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope with your choice of show and a check payable to NHS Summer Theatre to Sabrina Post, NHS, 12 Berkshire Road, Sandy Hook, CT 06482. Proceeds will benefit the Summer Theatre Connections program. For more information, contact Nanci DiPerrio at 426-4212. Tickets will also be sold at the door prior to each performance.