Around Town

Summer Theatre of New Canaan Presents ‘Mary Poppins’ for 2024 Season [Q&A]

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The Summer Theatre of New Canaan returns for the 2024 season with “Mary Poppins” (tickets here). The show will run July 12 to 28. 

We caught up with the nonprofit organization’s artistic director, Melody Meitrott Libonati, and its executive director, Ed Libonati (they’re married) about the headline show and full upcoming season, including STONC’s popular educational programs such as the Junior Company and DramaRamas Performance Program for kids with special needs. 

Here’s our exchange. ***

New Canaanite: For our readers who are not yet familiar, could you just—before we get into the specifics of this summer’s activities—give a very brief background on Summer Theatre, please? 

Ed Libonati: This is our 21st professional season based here in New Canaan. We started in 2004 and have been presenting musicals and plays in the summer for New Canaan and surrounding communities. And it has grown each year.

Around Town

Summer Theatre of New Canaan’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’ Opens July 15 [Q&A]

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The Summer Theatre of New Canaan’s 2023 season—marking the nonprofit organization’s 20th anniversary—is set to kick off next month with “Beauty and the Beast.” Shows will run July 15 to 30, at 7 p.m. Fridays through Sundays, with additional 2 p.m. matinees on Saturdays and Sundays. On Monday, we talked to Ed Libonati, Summer Theatre’s executive producer, about the upcoming season and other offerings from the organization. 

Here’s a transcription of our interview:

New Canaanite: Ed, you guys have been here for so long that this may sound a little silly, but we do have new readers who are new to town. So briefly, before we get into what’s coming this season, could you give us some background on Summer Theatre? 

Ed Libonati: Sure. Well, Summer Theatre is now celebrating our 20th anniversary. We started in 2004.

Bill Kapp

Parks & Rec Approves ‘Summer Theatre of New Canaan’ for 2022 Season in Waveny

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For the second straight year, parks officials have approved use of Waveny Park for the long-established Summer Theatre of New Canaan’s shows and programs.

Following discussions at its Feb. 9 meeting, the Parks & Recreation approved an approximately monthlong use of the southwest corner of the soccer fields at Waveny. Summer Theatre of New Canaan, known locally as “STONC,” offered up a pandemic-shortened season last summer in the same area. STONC will launch its Thursday-through-Sunday shows around July 7, following a unanimous vote by the Commission at its regular meeting. The traditional Family Fourth picnic and fireworks are scheduled to be held in Waveny on Saturday, July 2, with a first rain date of July 3 and backup rain date of July 9.

Ed Libonati

New Location in Waveny Approved for Summer Theatre of New Canaan’s 2021 Season

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Parks officials on Wednesday approved a new location in Waveny for the Summer Theatre of New Canaan’s 2021 season. The organization’s 18th outdoor season, featuring a production of “Honky Tonk Angels,” will run near the southwest corner of Waveny’s main athletic fields, north of the main road through the park, following a unanimous vote by the Parks & Recreation at its regular meeting. 

Summer Theatre Executive Producer Ed Libonati said the area near a landmark pine tree opposite the parking lot for the paddle tennis courts and dog run turned out to be “an exceptionally great location for us.”

“We have an abridged season this year, a shorter one than normal,” Libonati told the Commission during its meeting, held via videoconference. “I was not sure how everything was going to turn out but it has turned out beautiful. We anticipate with the majority of the people being vaccinated that the protocol and the comfort level the health protocols and comfort level should go very well with the audiences. Obviously we have taken extreme care with protocols with our staff and everyone in our organization will be vaccinated who works with the Summer Theatre.

Government

Parks Officials Recommend Waveny Athletic Fields for Summer Theatre of New Canaan 2021 Location

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Saying a proposed location near the walled garden won’t work, parks officials last week suggested Summer Theatre of New Canaan figure out a way to put on its 2021 performances on the main athletic fields. Members of the Parks & Recreation Commission voted 10-1 at their April 14 meeting to have town officials and a designee from the appointed body work with the organization to arrange for a stage, tents and audience seats to be located near the southwest corner of Waveny’s main athletic fields, north of the main road through the park. “I think that field is amazing,” Chair Rona Siegel said during the meeting, held via videoconference. The area is flat, with good access to parking and restroom facilities, she said. It also will be visible to those using the park and especially motorists entering from Lapham Road, she said.