Newtown Actors Among Those Taking The Stage In Outdoor Production Of 'Chicago'
MONROE — Southwestern Connecticut will be transported back to the steamy world of flappers and speakeasies as Two Planks Theater Company premiers its production of Chicago. Three Newtown actors will be front and center as the curtain goes up for the three-night production in neighboring Monroe.
Performances of Chicago are outdoors, under the stars, in Wolfe Park, 285 Cutlers Farm Road, as part of the town’s Theater in the Park series.
Curtain is 8 pm Thursday through Saturday, August 7-9. Grounds open at 6:30 for picnics.
Set in the roaring 20s, Chicago tells the story of two rival vaudevillian murderesses locked up in the Illinois Cook County jail and the tawdry world of intrigue that surrounds their trials.
Sandy Hook resident Saffy Poarch, a senior at Boston Conservatory where she majors in music theater, headlines the company as the ingénue Roxy Hart, imprisoned for murdering her lover while still trying to get her husband to provide her an alibi.
“This is my first production with Two Planks, and I couldn’t be more excited,” Poarch said. “This amazing team and cast have welcomed me so effortlessly into their company.”
Added to the mix is fellow Sandy Hook resident Caitlin Boles, who joins Poarch as a Merry Murderess on death row. During the day, Boles is a teacher in Bethel, but like so many of the cast, at night she returns to her love of acting to help bring the musical to life.
Rounding out the company is Saffy’s younger brother, Charlie Poarch, who joins the company as an ensemble dancer. Unlike many other shows, in Chicago the entire cast spends the majority of the musi-cal onstage undertaking a variety of different roles.
Tickets for Chicago are $20; online tickets will have an additional $1.50 ticket processing fee.
In addition, Two Planks Theater Company has partnered with Monroe Parks Department and Lake Zoar Drive-In to offer full service dinners and/or picnics to go during its summer productions. Meals may be ordered in advance at a discount when purchasing tickets.
More information, show tickets and menus for the dinner/picnic packages is all available at TwoPlanksTheater.org, via email at info@twoplankstheater.org or by calling 203-246-5991.