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July 29, 2024

Legacy Theatre’s New Family Musical Sweet Dreams: A Bedtime Story Comes to Life Promises to Ignite Your Imagination and Warm Your Heart 

Saturday, August 17 at 10am at The Legacy Theatre in Branford, CT 

The Legacy Theatre continues their 2024 Family Series on Saturday, August 17 with Sweet Dreams: A Bedtime Story Comes to Life. This fun production for children and families plays at Legacy for one performance only at 10:00 AM. The performance will also be livestreamed for audiences to enjoy from the comfort of their home. 

Embark on a captivating journey with a young girl as she drifts into a slumber filled with her beloved bedtime stories! Join her as she encounters a hopeful dragon, a wise fairy, and a realm of enchanting creatures. Sail through the clouds on magic ships, gather around a campfire to make smores, and lose yourself in the magic of this extraordinary adventure. This world-premiere musical promises to ignite your imagination and warm your heart from start to finish. Sweet Dreams: A Bedtime Story Comes to Life is a Legacy Theatre production with book, music, and lyrics by Chelsea Dacey (The Princess and the Pauper, A Princess Tea) and additional songs by Keely Baisden Knudsen, Legacy’s Artistic Director and Co-Founder. 

The production is set to feature familiar faces to Legacy audiences, including Kiersten Bjork (A Christmas Carol, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Joan Joyce!), Dan Frye (A Christmas Carol, The Play That Goes Wrong, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast), and Bella Pacheco Rarick (Disney’s Beauty and the Beast), and will introduce Lowie Channell and Epifany Meeks in their Legacy debuts. The production is directed by Lisa DeAngelis (The Princess and the Pauper, A Princess Tea). 

Tickets for Sweet Dreams: A Bedtime Story Comes to Life are on sale now and can be purchased through the Box Office (203.315.1901) or Legacy’s website, LegacyTheatreCT.org. The Box Office is open Monday-Friday, 10am-3pm on non-performance days. For a full schedule of Box Office hours and performances, please visit Legacy’s website. Sweet Dreams: A Bedtime Story Comes to Life is sponsored by Valpak. Legacy Theatre’s 2024 Family Series is sponsored by Christensen Landscaping and Morgan Stanley, with generous support from the Seedlings Foundation. The Legacy Theatre is located in the village of Stony Creek in Branford, CT, at 128 Thimble Islands Road. The Legacy Theatre is committed to providing live theatre and related programming that is accessible to the widest possible audience. Full accessibility and accommodations details can be found on Legacy’s website or by calling the Box Office. 

July 19, 2024

Beat the Heat with Christmas in July at Branford’s Legacy Theatre! 

Now through the end of the month, take $10 off tickets to Legacy Theatre’s acclaimed production of A Christmas Carol 

Christmas is coming early at Branford’s Legacy Theatre! Beat the heat with thoughts of that fan-favorite holiday production and save $10 off tickets to A Christmas Carol now through the end of July with code JULY at checkout. Tickets are available at legacytheatrect.org or by calling the Box Office at (203) 315-1901. Please note that there is a maximum of 4 tickets per order, the sale does not apply to previous purchases, and the sale will end on Wednesday, July 31st. Many performances sell out, so take advantage of this early Christmas gift and book your seats now! 

A Christmas Carol is set to run December 4-15, with performances Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 2pm and 7pm, Fridays at 7pm, and Sundays at 2pm. Legacy Theatre's enchanting musical adaptation of this classic tale by Charles Dickens, adapted and directed by Artistic Director and co-founder Keely Baisden Knudsen, illuminates the journey of one Ebenezer Scrooge and his guided self-reflection amidst the Christmas season in 1800s England. A Christmas Carol has pleasantly haunted generations of audiences around the globe, and Legacy invites audiences to make merry and ring in the holidays with their annual acclaimed rendition of the famous story. Local favorite Jim Andreassi is set to return as Ebeneezer Scrooge, and audiences can expect to see other familiar faces as part of the annual holiday tradition at Legacy. 

The Legacy Theatre is located in the village of Stony Creek in Branford, CT, at 128 Thimble Islands Road. The Legacy Theatre is committed to providing live theatre and related programming that is accessible to the widest possible audience. Full accessibility and accommodations details can be found on Legacy’s website or by calling the Box Office. 

For more information on upcoming productions, classes, community events, and sponsorship and partner opportunities, please email Kiersten@LegacyTheatreCT.org. 

May 29, 2024

Expedition: Dino Squad, A Very Magical READasaurus Adventure, and more will be featured in pop-up events at the Stony Creek Museum and Legacy Theatre 

Dinosaurs will descend upon the Stony Creek village of Branford, CT from July 16-18 as part of Dinos in the Creek Week. Dinos in the Creek Week will feature programs such as Expedition: Dino Squad, A Very Magical READasaurus Adventure, and more. 

Expedition: Dino Squad is a kid-sized, family-friendly, and kiddo-approved experience that allows children and their families to walk among the dinosaurs – or some of their bones, at least! This exhibit will run at the Stony Creek Museum on Wednesday, July 17 and Thursday, July 18 from 9:00am-4:00pm, and is FREE! Expedition: Dino Squad is a look at four kid-favorite dinosaur groups: T. Rex, Velociraptor, Sauropods, and Triceratops. The program includes real dinosaur fossils, dinosaur model replicas, terrific Paleo art, the Dino Activity Center with fossils under digital microscopes, the Fossil Touch Station, and the Dino Book Library, which all come together to tell the story of these amazing animals in a unique Dino Adventure! 

Who knew books could be this much fun? A Very Magical READasaurus Adventure features books that come to life through puppetry, storytelling, magic tricks, and interactive participation, and it will take place at the Legacy Theatre on Wednesday, July 17 at 5pm – tickets are only $5! Your Mr. Rogers/Andy Griffith-esque host of the proceedings is Magical Storyteller Mark Daniel, an enthusiastic champion of reading who has brought wonderful books to life for millions of children in thousands of appearances in schools, libraries, and performing arts centers throughout much of the US. Join Mark and Steggie the Stegosaurus as they share one of the funniest new books in years, Jonathan Fenske’s A Unicorn, A Dinosaur, and a Shark Walk into a Book. The book is an interactive celebration of the genius of illustrator Herve Tulet with Press Here, a special nod to the brilliant Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and a very magical retelling of The Very Lonely Firefly. Did you know that fireflies have been around since the time of the dinosaurs? Perfect for ages four and up (and for the whole family!), A Very Magical READasaurus Adventure is a love letter and exclamation point to Summer Reading and beyond! 

Expedition: Dino Squad and A Very Magical READasaurus Adventure are exhibits of The Traveling Dinos Museum; a Pop-up Nature History Museum Experience that is invited into communities throughout the US. Dinos in the Creek Week is made possible by a grant from the Branford Community Foundation. 

“It’s been 76 million years since Stony Creek has seen dinosaurs,” said Mary Lee Weber, Executive Director of the Stony Creek Museum. “Thanks to the Branford Community Foundation we look forward to welcoming them back with this special program for kids of all ages!” 

“We’ve been actively looking for opportunities for the Stony Creek Museum and the Legacy Theatre to partner together to bring kids and families to “the Creek” in a meaningful but fun way,” said Jeff Provost, Legacy’s Managing Director. “I’ve known Mark Daniel for over 20 years and seen him perform parts of his magical storytelling act several times. I can’t wait to see him share his passion for dinosaurs and his love for reading books with our Branford community this summer at “Dinos in the Creek Week.” 

For more information on upcoming productions, classes, community events, and sponsorship and partner opportunities at the Legacy Theatre, please email Kiersten@LegacyTheatreCT.org. 

The Legacy Theatre is a professional regional theatre company that enhances the Connecticut shoreline’s cultural scene, economy, educational opportunities, and quality of life through live theatre and related programs. This historic theatre in the Stony Creek village of Branford offers Mainstage Productions, Broadway Concerts, a Family Series, holiday performances, new works, classes, special events, and more to the town of Branford, the shoreline, and beyond. The Legacy strives to be a premiere Arts house and to ensure ongoing seasons of uplifting, inspiring, and challenging professional theatre, and theatre training, for all. With a dedicated staff and supportive volunteer base, Legacy Theatre enters their fourth season in Stony Creek this year, with performances including the opening Mainstage Production, Mark Twain’s The Diaries of Adam and Eve, and the highly anticipated musical, The Great American Mousical, directed by Julie Andrews. More information on Legacy Theatre and the 2024 Season can be found at www.legacytheatrect.org. 

The Stony Creek Museum celebrates the rich history of a Connecticut shoreline village, which grew out of the pink granite underlying its soil. The quarries in the area provided stone for the foundation of the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, and the facades of many Manhattan Skyscrapers. Immigrants arriving throughout the world to work the quarries formed a diverse and eclectic community. Other attractions shown in the exhibits include the well-known Stony Creek Fife and Drum Corps, historic firefighting equipment, and puppets from the Weil family Sicilian puppet collection. A century old Apothecary Store complete with original drugs is also displayed. www.stonycreekmuseum.org 

The Traveling Dino Museum – The wonder, the science, the books, and the pure magic of dinosaurs come together to create one of the most unique experiences you can give your kiddos, families, and community. Traveling Dinos is a complete museum experience in your building with real fossils, incredible museum replicas, stunning dino art, and more! www.travelingdinos.com 

May 8, 2024

Entertaining Adaptation of Mark Twain’s The Diaries of Adam and Eve to Play Branford’s Legacy Theatre beginning May 30 

Performances May 30-June 16 at The Legacy Theatre in Branford, CT 

The Legacy Theatre kicks off their 2024 Mainstage Season with David Birney’s entertaining adaptation of Mark Twain’s The Diaries of Adam and Eve. The production is set to run May 30-June 16, with performances Thursdays at 7pm, Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 2pm, and Sundays at 2pm, with additional performances on Saturday, June 1 and Saturday, June 15 at 8pm, and Thursday June 6 at 2pm. 

Mark Twain’s The Diaries of Adam and Eve is the portrait of two very unusual people: those first lovers who met under rather complicated circumstances and found a way to build a life together. Written through the eyes of America’s greatest humorist, Mark Twain’s story set within the Garden of Eden bursts with wit, laughter, and the lyric poignance of the first love and the first loss, taking audiences on a delightful journey of self-discovery and exploration. 

The production is set to star Rod Brogan and Mariah Sage in the titular roles. Brogan starred as series regular Chip Russell in the first season of the CBS sitcom Major Dad and as bad guy Tripp Tucker on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live. Sage has been seen on the Legacy stage in productions such as last season’s hit comedy, The Play That Goes Wrong, and the comedy-thriller Deathtrap, and is a professional actor/acting coach based in New Haven with more than 20 years of performance experience. Jonathan Onyango and Christine Voytko serve as understudies for the production. 

Legacy is partnering with the Mark Twain House and Museum for the production, and the team at the Twain House will present a talkback in collaboration with the theatre on Thursday, June 13 following the 7pm performance. Performance attendees are welcome to stay after that evening’s show to learn more about Twain and his wife, Livy, as well as the history of Mark Twain’s The Diaries of Adam and Eve, concluding with a Q&A with audience members. 

“We’re very happy to partner with the historic Mark Twain House in Hartford for this production,” said Jeff Provost, Legacy’s Managing Director. “Connecticut was Twain’s home for nearly two decades and he died here in our state. To hear his words, written in two separate literary pieces and at different times in his life, come together so beautifully (in Birney’s adaptation) on our Legacy stage is both a thrill and an honor.” 

Tickets for Mark Twain’s The Diaries of Adam and Eve are on sale now and can be purchased through the Box Office (203.315.1901) or Legacy’s website, LegacyTheatreCT.org. The Box Office is open Monday-Friday, 10am-3pm on non-performance days. For a full schedule of Box Office hours and performances, please visit Legacy’s website. Mark Twain’s The Diaries of Adam and Eve is sponsored by Branford Coworking and WSHU Public Radio, and Legacy Theatre’s 2024 Mainstage Season is sponsored by Atlas Healthcare. The Legacy Theatre is located in the village of Stony Creek in Branford, CT, at 128 Thimble Islands Road. The Legacy Theatre is committed to providing live theatre and related programming that is accessible to the widest possible audience. Full accessibility and accommodations details can be found on Legacy’s website or by calling the Box Office. 

For more information on upcoming productions, classes, community events, and sponsorship and partner opportunities, please email Kiersten@LegacyTheatreCT.org. 

April 24, 2024

Legacy Theatre and International Festival of Arts and Ideas Partner to Present Compagnia Tpo’s +ERBA: A Forest in the City 

Performances May 2-5 at The Legacy Theatre in Branford, CT 

The Legacy Theatre is thrilled to announce an exciting partnership with the International Festival of Arts and Ideas. As part of the Festival’s Gordon Geballe Environmental Series, the Festival and Legacy have partnered to host Compagnia Tpo’s performances of +ERBA: A Forest in the City in their U.S. premiere May 2-5, 2024, at Legacy Theatre. 

“The International Festival of Arts and Ideas is such a revered mainstay of the artistic programming that has been offered to New Haven and the surrounding communities at such a high caliber for so many years,” said Legacy Theatre Artistic Director, Keely Baisden Knudsen. “It is a tremendous honor to partner with the festival to present this multimedia dance piece that engages youth in such a dynamic way. This type of family programming and community partnership is at the core of the inspiring level of entertainment and education Legacy strives to present. It is very exciting and a wonderful way to spread the love throughout our community!” 

+ERBA: A Forest in the City is an interactive show designed for children and families that combines the use of projected images with dance and storytelling to create a unique, one-of-a-kind theatrical experience. Children from the audience are invited to create an imaginary city with two dancers from Compagnia TPO. One dancer builds the houses and streets, while the other creates the insects, grass, and trees. Children from the audience help color and populate the city. The newborn city becomes a living environment as new characters and events are added. Dancers and audience members share the stage in this cross-collaboration of art and play. 

“Compagnia TPO from Italy is known for introducing young audiences to the performing arts through play, vibrant imagery, and exploration,” said Festival Director of Artistic Planning & Operations Melissa Huber. “We are thrilled to partner with The Legacy Theatre in Branford to present this beautiful performance.” 

Tickets for +ERBA: A Forest in the City start at only $15 and are on sale now. They can be purchased through the Box Office (203.315.1901) or Legacy’s website, LegacyTheatreCT.org. The Box Office is open Monday-Friday, 10am-3pm on non-performance days. For a full schedule of Box Office hours and performances, please visit Legacy’s website. The Legacy Theatre is located in the village of Stony Creek in Branford, CT, at 128 Thimble Islands Road. The Legacy Theatre is committed to providing live theatre and related programming that is accessible to the widest possible audience. Full accessibility and accommodations details can be found on Legacy’s website or by calling the Box Office. 

For more information on upcoming productions, classes, community events, and sponsorship and partner opportunities, please email Kiersten@LegacyTheatreCT.org. 

The Legacy Theatre is a professional regional theatre company that enhances the Connecticut shoreline’s cultural scene, economy, educational opportunities, and quality of life through live theatre and related programs. This historic theatre in the Stony Creek village of Branford offers Mainstage Productions, Broadway Concerts, a Family Series, holiday performances, new works, classes, special events, and more to the town of Branford, the shoreline, and beyond. The Legacy strives to be a premiere Arts house and to ensure ongoing seasons of uplifting, inspiring, and challenging professional theatre, and theatre training, for all. With a dedicated staff and supportive volunteer base, Legacy Theatre enters their fourth season in Stony Creek this year, with performances including the opening Mainstage Production, Mark Twain’s The Diaries of Adam and Eve, and the highly anticipated musical, The Great American Mousical, directed by Julie Andrews. More information on Legacy Theatre and the 2024 Season can be found at www.legacytheatrect.org. 

The International Festival of Arts and Ideas When Anne Calabresi, Jean Handley, and Roslyn Meyer founded the Festival in 1996, their aim was to gather world-class artists and thinkers from around the globe, showcasing the city and the state as a major arts destination. Our Mission, as set by our founders, is to create an internationally renowned festival in New Haven of the highest quality with world-class artists, thinkers, and leaders, attracting and engaging a broad and diverse audience celebrating and building community and advancing economic development. There is a powerful synergy that happens when authors, scientists, and leading innovators are presented alongside outstanding artists. Our founders believed, as we do today, that when great ART and big IDEAS come together, we heighten our ability to understand and imagine. Our Festival was modeled after the great European arts festivals including Edinburgh Festival, which was founded in the ashes of World War II. The underlying goal of our festival and those worldwide is to bring people together to increase international understanding, social cohesion, and celebrate diversity. 

Compagnia TPO – Based in Prato, Italy, Compagnia TPO used interactive, digital scenery to enhance theatrical dance performances that engage young audiences. Using their bodies to “paint” and “play music” with the ever-changing visuals onstage, the performers gently invite children in the audience to join them in their creative movement. Images and sounds interface with the bodies onstage, transforming live gestures and virtual landscapes into a charming interactive gallery. The company’s work has received awards for innovation and artistry in China, Poland, Italy, the United States and Spain. 

The Gordon Geballe Environmental Series is inspired by board chair emeritus Gordon Geballe’s longtime commitment to environmentalism. Programs in this series explore the natural world and climate change through music, dance, theater, workshops, and more. 

@LegacyTheatreCT 

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April 16, 2024

Legacy Theatre Promotes Anne Runolfsson to Development Director 
Runolfsson joined the team as Development Manager in 2022 and is excited to continue her work with the company in a new capacity.  

Legacy Theatre is thrilled to announce that Anne Runolfsson has stepped into the role of Development Director as of April 1, 2024. Runolfsson has worked professionally in the theater for the past 40 years, a career path driven by passion and a fierce belief in the importance and value of the arts. Having spent much of her career onstage with starring roles on Broadway, off-Broadway, National Tours, Regional theaters, and as a soloist with symphony orchestras all over the world, she has also produced, written, and directed for the theater. 

“Stepping into the role of Development Director for a theatre that I hold dear to my heart and have such passion for is a gift. Having spent the past 40 years working in the theatre in New York and throughout the country, I am thrilled to now focus my enthusiasm and energy on Legacy. I look forward to honoring and ensuring the mission of providing professional theatre and theatre education for all to the Connecticut Shoreline.” 

Fueled by a fervent desire to help secure funding opportunities for live theater, theater education and theater artists, Anne joined the Legacy Theatre part-time in the role of Development Manager in 2022. While serving in that position, which included the launching of the Annual Giving Society, overseeing the annual appeal (surpassing the annual fundraising goal), securing institutional giving, grant writing, major gift cultivation, donor stewardship, CRM management, and the planning and execution of all fundraising events, she realized that her passion had shifted from being onstage to one of raising money for the arts. Anne is greatly honored to serve in the role of Development Director for Legacy Theatre and would love to meet you and hear YOUR story of why the arts matter. 

“We’re thrilled to have Anne with us in her new full-time position as Legacy’s Development Director,” said Legacy Theatre Managing Director Jeff Provost. “Anne is a wonderfully authentic arts advocate and her passion for our work at the Legacy, both onstage and off, is contagious. It’s also great to have her working and living here, right within the shoreline community that we serve.” 

The Legacy Theatre is located in the village of Stony Creek in Branford, CT, at 128 Thimble Islands Road. To learn more about the Legacy Theatre 2024 season, please visit LegacyTheatreCT.org or call the Box Office at (203) 315-1901. The Legacy Theatre is committed to providing live theatre and related programming that is accessible to the widest possible audience. Full accessibility and accommodations details can be found on Legacy’s website or by calling the Box Office. 

February 15, 2024 | newhavenarts.org

Branford's Legacy Theatre Gets ARPA Boost

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June 1, 2023 | From the Desk of Jim R, Take 2

From the Desk of Jim R, Take 2, Column 402, A Review: "Masters of Puppets" (Legacy Theatre)

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May 11, 2023 | wrestlezone.com

Masters Of Puppets Pro Wrestling Play To Premiere May 25 At Connecticut’s Legacy Theatre

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May 11, 2023 | Medium.com

This New Play on Marriage, Politics and Professional Wrestling Will Change Humanity (Or it might not)

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May 11, 2023 | BroadwayWorld.com

James Roday Rodriguez and Legacy Theatre Present The World Premiere Of Masters of Puppets

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May 16, 2023 | iheart.com

The Vinnie Penn Project: James Masters of Puppets Roday Rodriguez Interview

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May 17, 2023 | shorelinechamberct.com

James Roday Rodriguez & Branford’s Legacy Theatre present the World Premiere of Masters of Puppets

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May 20, 2023 | jimruoccodesktake2.blogspot.com

From the Desk of Jim R, Take 2, Column 400, Front Row Center: Legacy Theatre Presents Masters of Puppets

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May 4, 2023 | Broadwayworld.com

Broadway's Jenn Colella Performs Live with John McDaniel at Legacy Theatre on May 7

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April 26, 2023 | New Haven Register

Legacy Theatre Kicks Off 2023 Mainstage Season with World Premiere, 'Masters of Puppets'

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April 13, 2023 | WTNH.com

Improv for Autism: Unique program encourages eye contact, spontaneity and connection

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PRESS RELEASE

March 30, 2023

Register Now for Legacy Theatre’s Spring Classes – Acting, Improv, Musical Theatre and more!

BRANFORD, CT – Have you ever wanted to try improv? Do you know a child interested in stepping into the spotlight? Perhaps you’re an experienced performer looking to brush up on your auditioning skills? No matter your age or skill level, Legacy Theatre has a class for you!

This Spring, join Legacy Theatre for a series of intimate performance classes for theatre lovers and theatre novices alike, beginning April 1 and running Saturdays through June 3. There is also a special Wednesday night class program that will run April 19 through May 24. Taught by theatre professionals, these classes are an exceptional opportunity to learn from the best! The class offerings include: “Toddler Time!,” “Fairy Tale Musical,” “Auditioning Class for Plays & Musicals,” “Improv for Adults,” and the Wednesday night program “Scene Study Workshop: Acting for Film and TV.”

Legacy also continues their long-running program for actors who ambulate with crutches or use wheelchairs (and their buddies!), the Wheel Life Theatre Troupe, on Saturdays April 1-June 3. This troupe is free to participants and meets weekly, with pre-registration required. Please email Keely@LegacyTheatreCT.org for more information.

Legacy’s Spring Classes are in partnership with Branford Parks and Recreation and will take place at the Joe Trapasso Community House at 46 Church Street in Branford. With classes for all ages, there truly is something for everyone. For more information and registration, please visit LegacyTheatreCT.org/classes. Please email Info@LegacyTheatreCT.org with any questions, or call (203) 315-1901.

March 28, 2023 | Patch.com

$47K Performing Arts Grants Earmarked For Legacy Theatre: Sen. Cohen

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PRESS RELEASE

March 17, 2023

Legacy Theatre and Doctors United for Ukraine Raise Over $6700 for Ukrainian Relief with Darkness to Light Event

Branford, CT – Branford’s Legacy Theatre and Yale-based non-profit Doctors United for Ukraine are pleased to announce that over $6,700 was raised for Ukrainian relief as part of their fundraiser performance, Darkness to Light: A Sharing of Poems and Songs from Ukraine, on Saturday, March 11.

Darkness to Light: A Sharing of Poems and Songs from Ukraine consisted of Ukrainian poetry (read in translation) and songs by Ukraine's leading poets. Featuring local performers—non-Ukrainian and Ukrainian— including singers Kyle Picha and Gene Stenger, pianist Victor Markiw, and readers Anne Tarpey Flanders, Richard Flanders, Marika Kuzma, Lori Lowe, Mariah Sage, and Luke Williams, it was an incredible evening of uplifting and inspiring art. Many of those in attendance had just arrived from Ukraine in the past year, and for them, hearing Ukrainian songs and poetry embraced by Americans was a very healing experience in the face of so much hardship.

Doctors United for Ukraine is a non-profit incorporation of Yale medical professionals with Ukrainian roots. Its mission is to deliver precision aid to foster the health and well-being of Ukrainian people in the face of Russia’s war and its consequences. DU4U is able to address specific needs because they are in direct contact with fellow doctors in Ukrainian hospitals. Their focus is in three vital areas: critical care, women’s and infant health, and mental health. DU4U coordinates with and pays directly to companies and providers in Ukraine and just across the border in Poland. The funds raised through Darkness to Light will be sufficient to deliver a portable ultrasound device to those on the front line, or to bring one more physician to Yale for training, both of which are high impact options. For more information on the organization, please visit dwighthall.org/doctors-united-ukraine/.

Donations are still being collected for this important cause and can be made by visiting dwighthall.org/doctors-united-ukraine/. Dwight Hall at Yale serves as a fiscal sponsor for this urgent campaign. Your gift is tax-deductible to the full extent allowable by law and your tax acknowledgment will come from Dwight Hall at Yale.

March 8, 2023 | Broadwayworld.com

Branford's Legacy Theatre to Host “Darkness to Light: "A Sharing of Songs and Poems from Ukraine”

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February 28, 2023 | Patch.com

Smiling Through It All: Comedy for a Cause Fundraiser for Local Family

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February 23, 2023 | Guilford Courier

Legacy 2023 Broadway Series: Making a Connection With Something They Love

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February 21, 2023 | MiddletownPress.com

Review: Branford's Legacy Theatre presents Broadway in Sunday concert series
by Bonnie Goldberg

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February 17, 2023 | Patch.com

Legacy Theatre Appoints Jeff Provost as Managing Director

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February 13, 2023 | Shoreline Chamber

Legacy Theatre Appoints Jeff Provost as Managing Director

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February 13, 2023 | Shoreline Chamber

Legacy Theatre Announces 2023 Sunday Broadway Concert Series Featuring Tony Award Winner Nikki M. James (Book of Mormon), Jenn Colella (Come From Away), Hugh Panaro (Phantom of the Opera), and more!

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February 8, 2023 | Patch.com

Legacy Theatre Announces Exciting 2023 Sunday Broadway Concert Series

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PRESS RELEASE

February 8, 2023

Legacy Theatre Appoints Jeff Provost Managing Director

Branford, CT – The Board of Trustees of Legacy Theatre has appointed Jeff Provost of Southport, Connecticut as Managing Director. He will begin his tenure on February 15, 2023. In addition to a New York City tenure off and on Broadway, Provost has worked for many of Connecticut’s finest theaters including Westport Country Playhouse, Hartford Stage, Yale Repertory and Fairfield Theatre Company. A graduate of The Catholic University in Washington, D.C., Jeff earned his MFA in Theatre Management from the Yale School of Drama.

“I’m thrilled to be joining Legacy Theatre at this early point in its artistic and producing life in Stony Creek,” said Provost. “For me personally, it’s also a return to the professional theatre as an administrator, manager and leader. The Legacy team is making big things happen in a beautiful and intimate theatre space just ten minutes outside New Haven. I’m looking forward to helping drive the organization into a post-pandemic surge of artistic creativity with the continued support of many generous people on the Connecticut shoreline and beyond.”

After holding management positions in the non-profit arts and commercial entertainment industries, Provost joined Red 7 Media in Norwalk, CT where he helped launch the Event Marketing Institute. He founded PRO Management LLC in 2015 where he worked with a wide variety of clients including the Experiential Designers & Producers Association, the Healing NET Foundation and McDonald’s.

“Jeff’s passion for theater and extensive experience and expertise in the field of theatre management make him the perfect addition to the Legacy family. We are delighted to welcome him aboard as our managing director,” said Stephanie Stiefel Williams, Legacy’s co-founder and president of the Board of Trustees. “Jeff’s leadership skills will be invaluable as we launch our 2023 season.”

Legacy Theatre is a non-profit professional theatre company that enhances the Connecticut shoreline’s economy, educational opportunities and quality of life through live theatre and related programs.

February 6, 2023: Broadwayworld.com

Tony-Winner Nikki M. James, Jenn Colella, Hugh Panaro and More Join Legacy Theatre 2023 Sunday Broadway Concert Series

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December 15, 2022: Connecticut.News12.com

Road Trip: Close to Home Attractions

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December 14, 2022: Zip06.com

Wyeth Architects Receives Fourth CT Architectural Award for Legacy Theatre

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December 12, 2022: CT Insider

I can’t believe a theater like this is here in this little community. Legacy Theatre ready for 2023

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December 1, 2022: News12.com

Road Trip: Legacy Theatre, a state-of-the-art live theater house with 19th century charm

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August 2, 2022: CTInsider.com

Film ‘Born on the Water’s Edge’ celebrates history of Stony Creek, Thimble Islands

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November 22, 2021: BroadwayWorld.com

You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, I Do! I Do! and More Announced for Legacy Theatre 2022 Season

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November 9, 2021: BroadwayWorld.com

Legacy Theatre to Present A Christmas Carol This Holiday Season

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November 6, 2021: Patch.com

Preview of Legacy Theatre’s A Christmas Carol

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September 2021

The Last 5 Years Stories & Reviews

• Click here to read the Patch.com Story on The Last 5 Years

• Click here to read Jim Ruocco’s Review of The Last 5 Years

• Click here to read Bonnie Goldberg’s Review of The Last 5 Years

Republican American Theater Review
Legacy breaks your heart with ‘Last Five Years’
by Nancy Sasso Janis

“The Last Five Years” is a beautiful and heartbreaking musical written and composed by Jason Robert Brown.

The sung-through musical tells the same love story told from Jamie’s point of view forward in time for five years, and from Cathy’s point of view backwards in time five years. The couple meets in time only once, marking the halfway point of the performance. It is a celebration of all of the stages of love, especially when it is lost and when it is found.

Brown is an equally skilled composer, lyricist, conductor, arranger, orchestrator, director and performer, who wrote the song cycle “Songs for a New World” and the musical “Parade.”

Armed with knowledge from the Brett Boles’ series “The M Tea,” I paid especially close attention to the score. I picked up on Cathy’s melody from “Still Hurting” when Jamie reprises it in “Moving Too Fast” with a sense of foreshadowing. I also noticed during this performance the “musical through line” in “Still Hurting” and the final song “Goodbye Until Tomorrow.”

Boles shared this insight in another TikTok video he posted about the similar harmonic vocabulary the composer employs in these two “The Last Five Years” pieces.

Legacy artistic director and co-founder Keely Baisden Knudsen directed the actors with a good sense of the layers in each of the characters.

Adams uses her strong singing voice to underline Cathy’s pain, but her strong acting skills bring the imperfect young woman to life. Her opening number “Still Hurting” is exquisite but is almost painful to witness. “Climbing Uphill/Audition Sequence” offers a welcome bit of comic relief.

Adams returns to Legacy where she recently performed with her mother, Anne Runolfsson, as part of the Broadway Cabaret Series. Adams made her Broadway debut at the age of 7 in the 2006 revival of “Les Miserables” and is a recent graduate of Quinnipiac University.

Cassidy, a Branford native, is a strong singer and brings a subtle charm to the role of the younger Jamie. The actor has performed in several productions with Legacy, most recently in the chorus of “Oedipus Rex.”

Matthew Harrison, a graduate of Amity Regional High School in Woodbridge, serves as musical director and performs the often haunting score from backstage.

Jamie Burnett designed the set that includes small spaces for the various scenes and a small wooden boat in Central Park set into the space in front of the stage. The suggestion of two apartments makes it easy for Jamie to move his things when the two become a couple.

Contemporary costumes by Elizabeth Bolster matched the characters nicely, with very specific prop design by Callie Liberatore. A copy of the book that Jamie gets published makes several appearances and Cathy’s watch weaves in and out of the relationship.

The Legacy Theatre production runs 90 minutes without an intermission. Performances at 128 Thimble Island Road, Branford, are scheduled through Sept. 26. Visit LegacyTheatreCT.org or call (203) 315-1901 to reserve seats. Tickets are on sale now for $45, with student rush tickets at $10.

All staff, cast and crew at the theater are vaccinated. All staff are required to wear masks and the theater strongly encourages masks for all patrons.

August 5, 2021: Wellesnet.com

Orson Rehearsed to be screened at historic Too Much Johnson theatre

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August 2021

Oedipus Rex Reviews

• Click here to read Bonnie Goldberg’s Review of Oedipus Rex

• Click here to read Jim Ruocco’s Review of Oedipus Rex

July 21, 2021: Patch.com

It’s Not Complex, Get Tix Now For Legacy Theatre’s Oedipus Rex

First performed in around 429 BC, the classic Greek tragedy by Sophocles opens at the Stony Creek theatre July 28 and runs to Aug. 22.

Read the article

July 7, 2021: Fox61

WorkinCT: Legacy Theater in Branford

June 22, 2021: Daily Nutmeg

Scene Change

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June 20, 2021: BroadwayWorld

BBW Review: Just Desserts at Legacy Theatre

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April 28, 2021: zip06.com

Legacy Theatre CT Celebrates Grand Opening

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April 25, 2021: Courant.com

Legacy Theatre reopens its doors following $4 million renovation

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April 20, 2021: Patch.com

Historic Stony Creek Puppet House Reborn As The Legacy Theatre

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April 6, 2021: Two on the Aisle

A New Theater Prepares to Open in Branford’s Stony Creek

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April 5, 2021: News8 wtnh.com

Curtain about to open on new theater with a lot of history in Branford

Read/view the article

March 31, 2021: Zip06.com / The Sound

Silver Linings As Legacy Theatre Opening Approaches

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March 22, 2021: Connecticut Magazine

The curtain is rising once again on a historic CT shoreline theater

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February 11, 2021: Zip06.com / The Sound

Legacy Theatre on Track

The Legacy Theatre in Branford’s Stony Creek is still on track to open Friday, April 23 with a concert by Broadway’s Telly Leung followed by a production of Neil Simon’s Barefoot in the Park from Wednesday, April 28 to Sunday, May 23. The theater will operate at 25 percent capacity with extensive COVID-19 protocols. For information, visit LegacyTheatreCt.org.

November 10, 2020: WTHN.com

Branford’s renovated Legacy Theatre with social distancing additions set to open Spring 2021

September 4, 2020: Patch.com

Branford’s Legacy Theatre Springs Ahead With April Debut Season

STONY CREEK, CT — Hard-hat wearing workers on the roof and inside the building watched and pointed their camera phones down on the crowd gathered as ORL Construction president Todd Renz explained the origins of a topping off ceremony.

“We’ve reached a milestone,” he said. The “structure is complete, the last steel beam and wood frame is in place in this building. We're commemorating it by raising an evergreen tree.”

“A tradition,” he said, that “goes back a long way.”

August 31, 2020: zip06.com

Branford Celebrates 100th Year of Women's Right to Vote; Recognizes Racial Barrier Delays

With a ceremony outside Town Hall and Suffragette "Silent Sentinels" the town green, Branford marked the 100th anniversary of Women's Right to Vote. As noted at several points during the event, it was an significant anniversary for women – but not all women, as racial barriers delayed and suppressed many minorities.

The Aug. 26 ceremony was capped off with Legacy Theatre CT's Stephanie Stiefel Williams singing a stirring rendition of a song made famous in 1971 by singer Helen Reddy, "I Am Woman." Click here to see a video of Stiefel Willams' performance on The Sound’s Facebook page.

August 26, 2020: News 8 wthn.com

Branford’s Legacy Theatre looking forward to welcoming guests following renovation

August 25, 2020: zip06.com

“Topping Off” Celebrated at Legacy Theatre in Stony Creek

Non-profit Legacy Theatre CT and supporters held a “topping off” celebration for the renovated structure of the historic Stony Creek building on Friday, Aug. 21, when a traditional evergreen tree was set atop the building by a crew from O,R & L Construction (Branford).

August 21, 2020: YouTube

Video: The Legacy Theatre Topping Off Ceremony

Video filmed and edited in a collaboration with OR&L Construction and Lauren Rosenay.

Drone Footage Credit:
Christopher Powell Productions LLC
christopherpowellproductions.com
(203) 376-3188

The Legacy Theatre is a professional theatre company that enhances the Connecticut Shoreline's economy, educational opportunities and quality of life through live theatre and related programs. The Legacy strives to be a premiere Arts house and to ensure ongoing seasons of uplifting, inspiring, and challenging professional theatre and theatre training for all.

August 20, 2020: zip06.com

Mother, Daughter Talk Face to Face

The Legacy Theatre’s Social Distance Theatre is offering a new episode of its video series Face to Face.

In this episode, Tess Adams (Broadway’s Les Misérables) interviews her mother and quarantine-mate, fellow Broadway vet Anne Runolfsson, with Broadway credits include Les Misérables, Phantom of the Opera, Victor/Victoria, Aspects of Love, James Joyce’s The Dead, and Cyrano the Musical (a Drama League Honoree).

August 12, 2020: zip06.com

On Another Note: Wyeth Crafts Creative Solutions

Perhaps you’ve heard that Chester-based architect Leonard Wyeth is the design mind at work on the restoration of Stony Creek’s historic Legacy Theatre. But did you know he’s also the founder and creative force behind Guilford’s renowned Acoustic Music fine guitar shop, the father of AcousticMusic.Org, and now promoter of a newly launched weekly YouTube series featuring local musicians?

News Archive

July 2020: Patch.com
Interior Progress on the Legacy Theatre

June 2020: zip06.com
Legacy Theatre Planning 2021 Season

April 2020: Hartford Courant
Hartford Theatres Forge Community Online with Virtual Series while Performance Spaces are Dark

March 2020: Patch.com
Social Distance Theatre with The Legacy Theatre

March 2020: zip06.com
zip06.com: History in the Making: Legacy Theatre Renovation Underway

March 2020: wshu.org
During Coronavirus, A Connecticut Theatre Finds New Ways To Get Art To Audiences

March 2020: Patch.com
3rd Annual Hometown Harmonies 202: Branford

February 2020: zip06.com
77 U-Turn, a Play About Mental Illness and Hope, Offered Again

February 2020: zip06.com
Wheel Life Theatre Troup Seeking Participants

February 2020: Patch.com
A Loss in Our Community

February 2020: CTInsider.com
Remembering Joe Davis, one of the last living puppeteers of the Stony Creek Puppet Theater

February 2020: zip06.com
Homewown Harmonies: Headlines and a Hero in Branford

September 2019: Patch.com
Legacy Proudly Participating in Guilford Performing Arts Festival

June 2019: zip06.com
Building a Legacy: Legacy Theatre Celebrates Groundbreaking in Stony Creek

June 2019: zip06.com
Legacy Theatre to break ground Thursday for Stony Creek Puppet House renovations

June 2019: zip06.com
Legacy Theatre CT Presents A Midsummer Night’s Dream Live on the Branford Green 

June 2019: zip06.com
Legacy Theatre Presents A Midsummer Night’s Dream on the Branford Green

May 2019: zip06.com
Legacy Theatre Celebrating Groundbreaking at Historic Stony Creek Puppet House 

May 2019: zip06.com
Legacy Theatre Restoration Supported by CT Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit

April 2019: zip06.com
Orson Welles, William Castle and Stony Creek Theatre Combine for One Tall Theatre Tale

April 2019: zip06.com
Legacy Theatre Seeking Support, Memories, Stories, Suggestions

February 2019: zip06.com
Legacy Theatre Presents Private Lives at Stony Creek Museum

December 2018: zip06.com
It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play Offered by Legacy Theatre

August 2018: zip06.com
Hamlet Takes the Stage for 17th Annual Shakespeare on the Shoreline

August 2018: zip06.com
August Free Shakespeare on the Guilford Green

August 2018: zip06.com
Creating the Magic That is Shakespeae’s Hamlet

August 2018: zip06.com
Shakespeare on the Shoreline: Hamlet

July 2018: Middletown Press
Shakespeare on the Shoreline begins July 20

May 2018: zip06.com
“Though This Be Madness, Yet There is Method In’t”

May 2018: zip06.com
Cabaret with Legacy Theatre Students

April 2018: Middletown Press
Shoreline Arts Alliance announces outdoor theatre series with Legacy Theatre of Branford

October 2017: zip06.com
Free Acting Workshop, and More at Inaugural Guilford Performing Arts Festival

September 2017: zip06.com
Tony Nominee Norm Lewis Comes to Branford

August 2017: zip06.com

“Broadway in Branford” Brings Biggest Star Yet

August 2017: zip06.com
Broadway Star Appearing at Legacy Theatre Benefit

July 2017: Patch.com
Future of “Puppet House” in Branford Comes Into Focus

June 2017: zip06.com
Branford Legacy Theatre’s Doors Closer to Opening in Stony Creek

June 2017: branfordseven.com
RTM Approves Puppet House Settlement Between Legacy Theatre, SCA

June 2017: zip06.com
Legacy Theatre’s Curtain Rising: RTM Approval, ZBA Votes June 20

December 2016: New Haven Register
Stony Creek Association gives green light to Legacy Theatre in Branford

September 2016: zip06.com
Stony Creek’s Legacy Theatre Hosing Gala at Goodspeed Terris in Chester

September 2016: zip06.com
Music of the Night: Legacy Gala Brings Big Talent to Chester

July 2016: zip06.com
Legacy Theatre, Seaview Productions Sponsor Third Annual Broadway in Branford

July 2016: zip06.com
Wish Granted at Broadway in Branford

February 2016: zip06.com
Play reading, Legacy Theatre

January 2016: zip06.com
Actors, Playwrights, Artists Converge in Upcoming Performance

January 2016: zip06.com
Plans for Stony Creek Puppet House Still Being Discussed

July 2015: zip06.com
Broadway’s Espinosa Heads Legacy Theatre Branford Benefit