ACT of CT
Broadway in Our Backyard
A Contemporary Theater of Connecticut, or ACT of CT as it’s known, is a nonprofit, professional, Actors Equity, 182-seat theater located on the old Schlumberger property, in a Philip Johnson designed building, at 36 Old Quarry Road - right here in Ridgefield!
ACT of CT was founded in 2018, just a season-and-a-half before the pandemic, by Daniel C. Levine, who is ACT of CT’s Artistic Director, together with Katie Diamond, who is President of the Board, and Bryan Perri, who is known for his work as Music Director on smash Broadway productions like Wicked and Jagged Little Pill, is ACT of CT’s Music Supervisor. R. Erin Craig, who joined ACT of CT in 2020 and has moved to Ridgefield, is the Producing Director. While ACT of CT has enjoyed widespread community engagement and support, and now also garners grants to help with the two-thirds or so of total funding that doesn’t come from ticket sales, ACT of CT has been particularly fortunate to have the support of The Anna-Maria And Stephen Kellen Foundation and to have Caroline Kellen serving on the Board of Directors.
Levine, who bought what was originally intended as a weekend home in Ridgefield a dozen years ago, is a bundle of positive energy, and a big every-Broadway-musical-you’ve-ever-seen Star in his own right. Born and raised outside of Boston, Brandeis undergraduate, and headed to becoming a Dentist at Tufts Dental School, Daniel auditioned for a role in the Broadway production of Les Miserables on a dare…got the part…dropped-out of dental school…and, now at 51, has had a successful career and full life as an actor, director, and producer.
Producing Director R. Erin Craig, who immediately makes everyone feel like they’ve known her for a lifetime, is from Rochester and a graduate of the Baldwin Wallace College Conservatory of Music, and did start-out as a performer, but eventually transformed to being a Producer. “I’ve always loved the creativity involved in the business side of theater production and the different things that make up the landscape of the theater business,” Erin reflects. “Our stated mission at ACT of CT is to foster a sense of community through the arts by producing exceptional theater and encouraging an environment of inclusivity and artistic excellence. We believe that theater is a holistic experience that we want to be overwhelmingly positive for our patrons. During Covid, with seating limited to fifty percent of capacity, we live-streamed our performances…including a filmed version of Steven Schwartz’s Snapshots…and our cast album of the production received a Grammy nomination for Best Musical Theater Album of the Year! …And then we were one of the first union theaters in the country to reopen at 100%! …Some of my favorite moments are when one person in a couple tells me they were first dragged to the theater to see one of our productions, and now they have a Season subscription for two!”
“We consider ourselves lucky to work in a community where the arts are considered vital to a thriving society, and our audience has expanded far outside of Fairfield County,” Levine declares. “We’re producing three or four full-scale mainstage musicals per Season. Each production - from rehearsal to opening and through closing - spans nearly three months. We also present and produce a ‘Broadway Unplugged’ Series, where we invite Broadway celebrities to do one-night special concert events.”
Now in its 6th September-to-June Season, ACT of CT is producing and presenting a full calendar of large-scale musicals with limited runs…and there’s nothing else like it in or around the B&NC MAG area!
“This place is great because we are a union theater that’s relatively close to New York City, so we’re able to employ actors, directors, and choreographers who have major Broadway credits. Dan proclaims, “The level of talent that we get is really exciting! As Artistic Director, it’s really important for me that my audience walks into each production having a totally unique experience - from the cast to the costumes to the scenic design…so there’s a totally different aesthetic for every production. We bring in a variety of Broadway set designers and costume designers specific for each production, and come up with resourceful and imaginative ways to transport our audiences and take them on a fantastic journey.”
Sunset Boulevard, which ran in 2023, is the tale of faded glory and unfulfilled ambition in Hollywood; the production starts in Paramount Studios and quickly moves to a grand Hollywood mansion. Dan says proudly, “We had a fabulous scenic designer and great technicians who were able to completely transform our stage from a ‘movie set’ to a stately home in a matter of twenty seconds. We also rented a lot of the costumes from the original Broadway production of Sunset Boulevard and then mixed in some of our own flair. Our theater has an automated turntable stage, which we use in many of our productions, and last year for our production of The Secret Garden, we added a production element that we’d never used before at ACT of CT - a giant LED wall! The Secret Garden is a show that takes place across dozens of locations, including London, Paris, and India… and so it’s important for the audience to be transported. …We utilized this terrific video and LED technology in order to create an interactive set that allowed us to change the scene as rapidly as was required. Multiple patrons mentioned to me that, for the five minutes they were ‘in a place’, they really felt like they were there!“
Central to ACT of CT’s mission of expanding access to theater and performing arts, the New Works program is a developmental series with professional actors and playwrights working in a kind of incubator to foster creativity and allow for the development of new shows. Dan shares, “People sometimes don’t realize that the amazing shows that we’ve come to know and love don’t just magically appear on Broadway… they need a space to grow and flourish…and be discovered. We provide that space and opportunity for artists, and we give our audience the opportunity to witness that first hand.” Some ACT of CT regulars might remember the mainstage production Austen's Pride from the 2019 Season, which was born out of the New Works Program. It started as a reading, with actors holding scripts and nothing more than a piano on stage, and flourished into a full-on production based on the enthusiasm and interest of ACT of CT patrons. Since then, the musical had a Carnegie Hall concert production, and now seems to have a bright future.
The theater also has an Audience Access initiative, which invites people who wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to come to a theater to attend a professional production. Erin explains, “It’s made possible through the support of our amazing donors, and it’s steeped in the idea that people shouldn’t have to afford the theater to be able to experience it. We believe this is so important to the growth of children and adults’ creativity! … And I’m most proud of our First Act! Sensory Friendly Program,” Erin shares, “where we dedicate free performances to an audience reserved for patrons with special needs and sensitivities, and their families. We adjust stage lights and remove any jarring special effects in order to make these specific audiences feel safe and comfortable.”
Even during the ‘off-season’, from July to September, ACT of CT hosts a myriad of performing arts programs for young people, including a Summer Showcase for younger kids and a Conservatory Program for middle and high schoolers. “We strive to get our youngest community members involved in theater and excited about performing,” Dan beams. “The Conservatory is a two week, audition-based program that allows young actors to create and perform a completely original musical, written based on their set of talents. Each cast member receives private voice lessons from a Broadway voice coach in advance of rehearsals, and we have an exciting and fulfilling rehearsal period which culminates in a live performance. It’s intense and exhilarating, and we’ve had some really amazing alumni emerge from that program.” This year, the program will also be adding opportunities for ‘non-performing’ participation from students who are interested in other components of theater, like lighting design and stage management. Erin adds, “There are so many pieces that have to come together for a performance to be great, and though there are lots of people who love theater, not everyone wants to be on stage…so we want to provide that environment for more technical opportunities as well.” The Summer Showcase is open to kids in 2nd-6th grade, and is geared around a 2 week schedule, and culminating with a performance for parents, friends, and family on the professional stage…a first for many involved!
Million Dollar Quartet is on stage at ACT of CT through March 17, 2024, and the 2023-2024 Season at ACT of CT will conclude with the Tony Award winning musical Kinky Boots, written by Ridgefield-local Harvey Fierstein, with music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper, to run from May 23 to June 16, 2024.
Even B&NC Mag couldn’t get Erin and Dan to spill on next Season’s line-up of shows, which is announced every year at the annual ACT of CT Gala…to be held on June 7, 2024.
…At about $84 for a good seat… with the same cast that’s on Broadway, in a more intimate environment, with drinks at a fraction of the price, and parking a non-issue…this is Broadway in our backyard!
