Westport Country Playhouse facts for kids
Westport Country Playhouse
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| Address | 25 Powers Court Westport USA |
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| Coordinates | 41°08′30″N 73°21′17″W / 41.1416°N 73.3548°W |
| Type | Regional theatre |
| Capacity | 578 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 29 June 1931 |
| Architect | Edwin Howard |
The Westport Country Playhouse is a special theater in Westport, Connecticut. It's a non-profit organization, which means it uses its money to support its mission, not to make a profit.
A theater producer named Lawrence Langner started the Playhouse in 1931. He took an old building from the 1830s that used to be a tannery (where leather is made) and turned it into a modern theater. It even had a stage like those on Broadway in New York City!
Contents
Discovering the Playhouse's Past
From Tannery to Theater: The Building's Start
The building that is now the Westport Country Playhouse was built in 1835. It was first used as a tannery, a place where animal hides are turned into leather. A company called R&H Haight owned it.
Later, in 1866, Charles H. Kemper took over the tannery. He renamed the business C.H. Kemper Co. The tannery stopped being used in the 1920s.
A New Beginning: The Playhouse Opens
In 1930, Lawrence Langner bought the old tannery building. He paid $14,000 for it. He hired Broadway designer Cleon Throckmorten to change the inside of the building. Throckmorten made it into a theater.
On June 29, 1931, the Westport Country Playhouse opened its doors. The first show was a big success! The Playhouse quickly became a popular stop on the "straw hat circuit." This was a group of summer theaters in New England where actors performed during the warmer months.
Growing Through the Years: The 20th Century
In the 1940s, the Westport Country Playhouse started a program for young people who wanted to work in theater. These young people were called apprentices. Many famous people learned at the Playhouse, including:
- Stephen Sondheim, a famous composer
- Frank Perry, a movie writer
- Sally Jesse Raphael, a TV host
- Mary Rodgers, a composer
- Cary Elwes, an actor
- Tammy Grimes, an actress
These educational programs for young theater professionals are still happening today!
The Playhouse closed for a few years during World War II, from 1942 to 1945. After the war, it had many successful shows. Some plays, like William Inge's Come Back, Little Sheba and Horton Foote's The Trip to Bountiful, even started at the Playhouse before moving to Broadway.
After the Langners left in 1959, other people managed the theater. James B. McKenzie was in charge from 1959 to 2000. Then, actress Joanne Woodward became the artistic director from 2000 to 2005. She is the wife of actor Paul Newman. The Playhouse became a non-profit organization in 1973. This means it focuses on its artistic and educational goals rather than making money.
The Playhouse Today: A Modern Theater
Today, Mark Shanahan is the artistic director of the Westport Country Playhouse.
The Playhouse has received high ratings from Charity Navigator. This shows that it is well-managed with its money and is open about how it operates.
The Playhouse Building: A Closer Look
Making It New: The Renovation Project
The "Campaign for a New Era" was a special fundraising effort. It helped the Westport Country Playhouse pay for a big renovation. This project cost $30.6 million and took 18 months, from 2003 to 2005.
Many people and groups gave money to help. Some of the biggest donations came from the State of Connecticut, the Devlin Foundation, the Lucille Lortel Foundation, and Elisabeth & Stanley Morten. Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman also gave a lot of money.
Joanne Woodward and executive director Alison Harris led this huge renovation. They changed the old barn into a modern theater that could be used all year. The renovated theater reopened in 2005. Joanne Woodward even suggested putting a piece of the original stage floor at the dressing room entrance. This was to give actors a little extra luck!
Where to Sit: Seating at the Playhouse
The Westport Country Playhouse has 578 seats. Before the renovation, the seats were wooden benches. Now, they are individual, cushioned seats. They still look like the old ones to keep the historic feel. Also, fewer seats now have a "limited view" of the stage.
Here's how the 578 seats are arranged:
- 424 seats are in the main floor area called the orchestra.
- 234 are in the center.
- 93 are on the left side.
- 97 are on the right side.
- 154 seats are on the second level, called the mezzanine.
- 118 are in the center.
- 18 are in boxes on the left.
- 18 are in boxes on the right.
Some seats in both the orchestra and mezzanine can be changed. This makes them wheelchair accessible for people who use wheelchairs.
The Stage: Where the Magic Happens
The stage is the heart of the theater. Here are some details about it:
- Stage Height: It is about 3 feet 2 inches (0.97 meters) above the main floor.
- Stage Depth: It is about 26 feet 2 inches (7.98 meters) deep from the front line to the back wall. With the front extension (apron), it's about 28 feet 3 inches (8.61 meters) deep in total.
- Wing Space: This is the area on the sides of the stage where actors wait and scenery is stored. There's about 13 feet 6 inches (4.11 meters) of clear space on the right side and 24 feet 6 inches (7.47 meters) on the left side.
- Proscenium: This is the arch that frames the stage.
- Height: It is about 15 feet 3 inches (4.65 meters) above the stage floor.
- Width: It is about 32 feet 9 inches (9.98 meters) wide.
- Orchestra Pit: This is a sunken area in front of the stage where musicians play. It is about 9 feet 3 inches (2.82 meters) below the stage floor.
Learning at the Playhouse: Education Programs
Many students have learned at the Playhouse through its internship and apprenticeship programs. Some have become very famous, including:
- Stephen Sondheim
- Frank Perry
- Tammy Grimes
- Sally Jessy Raphael
- Mary Rodgers
- Christina Crawford
A lot of these young people have gone on to have careers in theater or related fields.
The Joanne Woodward Internship Program
This program is named after Joanne Woodward, who was a co-artistic director. The Westport Country Playhouse offers internships to students aged 19 and older. These internships are available in the summer and during the school year.
Interns are given important tasks and are treated like staff members. They get to learn a lot about how a theater works. Each intern has a specific job, but they also work as a team. They help with things like moving scenery, helping people find their seats, selling snacks, and directing parking.
To join, applicants must be serious and motivated. They need to be able to work for at least twelve weeks, sometimes for long hours and up to 7 days a week. This program is for college students, graduate students, or recent graduates who already have some theater training and experience. It helps them take the next step toward a professional theater career.
Famous Faces on Stage: Notable Performers
Many well-known actors have performed at the Westport Country Playhouse since 1930. Some of these famous names include:
- Billie Burke
- Liza Minnelli
- Eartha Kitt
- Gene Wilder
- Paul Newman
- James Earl Jones
- Jane Curtin
- Ruth Gordon
- Kitty Carlisle
- Henry Fonda
- Hume Cronyn
- Jessica Tandy
- Olivia de Havilland
- Eva Gabor
- Johanna Day
- Robert Sean Leonard
- Michael Allinson
- Jane Fonda
Behind the Scenes: Technical Details
The Fly System: Moving Scenery and Lights
Before the 2003-2005 renovation, the "Old Barn" used a "hemp house" system. This meant steel pipes were hung from ropes made of fiber, balanced by sandbags. Stagehands would operate this system from a platform above the stage.
Now, the Westport Country Playhouse has a modern counterweight fly system. This system uses weights to easily move scenery and lights up and down. It has 22 battens (long pipes) and space for more in the future. The height from the stage to the top grid is about 40 feet (12 meters). This allows for a large range of movement for scenery. Each weight holder can hold up to 1200 pounds (544 kg).
Lighting the Stage: How Shows Shine
The lighting for shows is controlled from a special booth at the back of the theater. It uses a Strand 520 console. For practice sessions, a control spot can be set up in the middle of the theater.
The Westport Country Playhouse uses many different types of stage lighting instruments:
- 2 – ETC Source Four 19° ERS (spotlights)
- 61 – ETC Source Four 26° ERS
- 58 – ETC Source Four 36° ERS
- 24 – ETC Source Four 50° ERS
- 18 – Altman 6 inch 500w Fresnels (soft, wide lights)
- 7 – Altman 1 kW triple unit far cycs (lights for the backdrop)
- 42 – PAR 64 (bright, focused lights)
- 7 – T-6 six cell, three circuit, 4-foot 6 inches
- 6 – Birdies (very small lights)
They also have special attachments for the lights, like color changers, irises (to change the light's shape), and barn doors (to block light). Film and projection equipment can be used on stage by special arrangement.
Images for kids
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The Westport Country Playhouse building.
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The Playhouse's fly gallery, where scenery and lights are moved.
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The rehearsal room of the Playhouse, where actors practice.
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Some of the stage lighting instruments used at the Playhouse.
