Stars Under the Stars

Everyone, it seems, wants to break through the bonds of Covid and resume life as we have known it. Slowly, venues are opening up, albeit with restrictions. But none is opening with more joie de vivre than Sharon Playhouse.

Managing Director Robert Levinstein and Artistic Director Alan M-L Wager have planned a jam-packed entertainment program that offers something for every taste. Caught flat-footed last year, with plans already made for a “dream season” that could not materialize, they had to scramble to put together alternate programming, an innovative combination of drive-in theaters and summer playhouse.

“Last year, we offered some entertainment to the community and it went so well, this year we decided to do it again and make it a little bigger and better,” said Wager. “We asked around, did a little ‘market research,’ and found people are ready to go out, but not to go back inside.”

So last year’s concept has been tweaked, the stage expanded, and the number of programs expanded to include an even wider selection of entertainment, including Broadway, Pop, Motown, Classical concerts, film, comedy, variety and the return of the popular dinner Cabaret series. Educational programming for children and teens has also been expanded, all following state and federal health guidelines.

For the outdoor stage, patrons will be given the option of sitting in their cars with audio delivered through the radio, or of paying for premium seating in front of the stage. “They can bring their own chairs or use ours,” Wager said, adding that sound has now been channeled into the cabaret and lobby, and low, angled speakers positioned to allow those outside the cars to enjoy the show fully. “If you go to get food in the cabaret or to the bathrooms off the lobby you won’t miss anything,” he said.

On the drive-in stage, patrons can choose to hear American Sweethearts, opening the season on July 3rd; Dancing Dream, an ABBA tribute, on July 10th; Motown Under the Stars, July 24th; Swingin’ with the Rat Pack, August 7th; Kings of Swing & Soul, August 21st; ELO Laser Encounter, August 27th and 28th; The Rave-ons, a Buddy Holly tribute, September 11th, and the Connecticut Virtuousi Chamber Orchestra, September 18th. All shows are at 8PM.

There will be both lunch and dinner cabaret shows on the Patio Stage, with appearances by Trevor Martin, July 9th, Cacophony Daniels, July 17th; The Emerald Trio, July 25th; Walkin’ After Midnight with Carter Calvert, July 30th; Hugh Panaro, August 6th; Michael Brown, August 20th; John Davidson, August 22nd; Maria B. Hickey, September 3rd; Kerri Louise, September 10th; Jalynn Steele, September 12th; Wanda Houston, September 17th, and Amanda Lea Lavergne, September 24th. All shows are at 8 PM, with the exception of The Emerald Trio and Jalynn Steele, who both perform at 2PM, and John Davidson, who will go on at 3PM.

The Summer Youth theater will present A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Seussical Kids; Frozen, and Playhouse Stars.

Admission for the Drive-in Stage is $30 per adult for standard and $35 for premium; $10 per child, standard, and $20 premium. Patio Stage with a meal is $45, show-only, $25. Youth theater tickets are $10. There is a 10 percent discount for packages of four shows.

In addition, the playhouse has launched a festival of new 10-minute plays and musicals called the Sharon Playhouse Writers Playground which will give writers, performers, directors and technicians in the Northwest Corner a platform to showcase their talents. The playhouse hopes to empower all people of any age and background to use their voice to tell diverse stories. Performances of the chosen works will be August 28th-29th.

“The community has suffered a lot—everyone has suffered,” Levinstein said. “The management really listened to what the people want. We say it is not community theater but theater for the community. It’s important for us and for the community with so many bad things happening in the world and with the pandemic, to turn off our brains and listen to a little Sammy Davis, to a little Sinatra … .

“Last year everyone was flying by the seat of their pants,” Wager added, “We had no idea what would happen but we never said ‘cancelled.’ We always used the word ‘postponed.’ We were very lucky—we were able to take last year and paint all the buildings and to install MERV 13 air filters, so, everything is bright and clean. We hope by October, people will be ready to go back indoors for the first time in two years.”

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