Westport Country Playhouse Announces Plans For 2004 Off-Site Season

WESTPORT — While the Westport Country Playhouse undergoes a major renovation next summer, “the show must go on.” And so it will, at another location.

In 2004, the Westport Country Playhouse will produce a shortened season of two plays and a series of special events in partnership with The Ridgefield Playhouse for Movies and The Performing Arts, utilizing the Ridgefield venue as a temporary home while construction takes place. The Westport Country Playhouse will re-open in 2005, its 75th anniversary year.

With the goal of continuing the same high-quality summer theatre for which Westport Country Playhouse is known, the Playhouse’s management visited two dozen different venues in Fairfield County in search of an interim stage.

“The Ridgefield Playhouse came out on top for several reasons,” explained Joanne Woodward, the Playhouse’s artistic director. “First, it is close to Westport, only 15 miles door-to-door. It’s a beautiful theater, recently restored in 2000, with comfortable seating, great sightlines, convenient parking, and all the backstage necessities to produce theatre of the caliber that we strive to bring our audiences.”

Ms Woodward added, “If you haven’t been to Ridgefield, it is a lovely place to spend an evening – with great shopping and restaurants.”

Andrea Jabara, Ridgefield Playhouse’s board president, said, “Ridgefielders and area residents appreciate fine theater, so we welcome the opportunity to help a well-established and highly regarded arts organization like Westport Country Playhouse maintain its theatrical presence in 2004.”

In addition to the two plays at The Ridgefield Playhouse, the Kids’ Playhouse will be presented at a location in Westport to be determined. Other Westport Country Playhouse programming for the transitional 2004 season – including music, film, staged readings and more – is currently under consideration and will be announced at a later date.

In addition to its regular 2003-04 season commencing in September, The Ridgefield Playhouse will present a childrens’ series in the summer of 2004.

“We invite our loyal audience to come with us on this magical journey, full of wonderful surprises,” said Ms Woodward. “And at the end of our adventure, in June 2005, we’ll be treated to all the amenities of a fully renovated Westport Country Playhouse.”

Subscriptions are now on sale for the Westport Country Playhouse’s interim 2004 season at The Ridgefield Playhouse, located at 80 East Ridge Avenue in Ridgefield. A $75 subscription includes one ticket to each of the two shows during summer 2004. In addition, the purchase of a 2004 subscription insures priority seating when the renovated Westport Country Playhouse re-opens in 2005 with an improved, but different, seating configuration.

The subscription offer is available through October 15. To subscribe for the 2004 season, contact the Westport Country Playhouse subscription office at 203-226-0153.

 For more information about The Ridgefield Playhouse visit www.RidgefieldPlayhouse.org.