All stories by Christopher Arnott on BroadwayStars

Friday, July 21, 2017

'Finding Neverland' At The Bushnell, John Douglas Thompson At Gunn Library by Christopher Arnott

"Finding Neverland," the Broadway musical about how J.M. Barrie created Peter Pan, has been on a national tour since October 2016. That's long enough for it to have undergone a few cast chan…

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Thursday, July 20, 2017

Director Looks For Right Tone For Goodspeed's 'Oklahoma!' by Christopher Arnott

In East Haddam, the wind goes sweeping down the Connecticut River rather than the plain. But Jenn Thompson is feeling right at home, bringing Rodgers and Hammerstein's game-changing 1943 mus…

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 08:58AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, July 18, 2017

A Simple, Unassuming 'Love's Labour's Lost' Outdoors At St. Joseph's by Christopher Arnott

The Capital Classics presentations at the University of St. Joseph are so simple, unassuming and unadorned that they're more about resting on a comfortable lawn than having to get too deeply…

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 11:49AM[SHARE]
Monday, July 17, 2017

'Raging Skillet' A Louder Food Tale From Jacques Lamarre At TheaterWorks by Christopher Arnott

For his third play about food, Jacques Lamarre wanted to whip up something fresh, try some fresh spices and increase the portion size. "Raging Skillet," having its world premiere at TheaterW…

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 01:07PM[SHARE]
Friday, July 14, 2017

Hartford Stage's 'Christmas Carol' Has A New Scrooge by Christopher Arnott

"Spirit!" he cried, tight clutching at its robe, "hear me! I am not the man I was. I will not be the man I must have been." " Ebenezer Scrooge, in "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens It's…

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 02:06PM[SHARE]
Monday, July 10, 2017

A Romantic, Realistic 'Newsies' At CT Rep by Christopher Arnott

New "Newsies" is good "Newsies." The Disney musical about enterprising newsboys in early 20th-century New York played more than 1,000 performances on Broadway from 2012-14, then spent anothe…

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 12:42PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, July 5, 2017

A Stage Checklist: Outdoor Shakespeare, 'Mamma Mia!' And 'Oklahoma' by Christopher Arnott

The outdoor Shakespeare season is on! Middletown's Artfarm is staging "Hamlet" July 9 to 16 and July 19 to 23 as part of its Shakespeare in the Grove series. Director Dic Wheeler has describ…

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 04:20PM[SHARE]
Monday, July 3, 2017

Westport Playhouse Preparing for Social Drama 'Grounded' by Christopher Arnott

"Grounded" is a dark, isolated, legal and social drama by George Brant. It's about war, sacrifice, personal ethics and clashes with the system. But director Liz Diamond beams. "I'm so enjoyi…

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 12:21PM[SHARE]
Thursday, June 29, 2017

CT Rep Wraps Up Summer Series With 'Newsies' by Christopher Arnott

"Newsies" is still in circulation. Disney's decision not to continue doing national tours of its jaunty journalism musical after an initial two-year go-round (which played Connecticut twice)…

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 12:40PM[SHARE]
Friday, June 23, 2017

'West Side Story' At Ivoryton by Christopher Arnott

What would summer be without "West Side Story" at some small Connecticut theater? The Bernstein/Laurents/Sondheim/Robbins street fight is at the Ivoryton Playhouse, 103 Main St., Ivoryton (E…

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Thursday, June 22, 2017

'Complete Works of William Shakespeare' At Playhouse On Park by Christopher Arnott

The works of William Shakespeare have been around for about 500 years. "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)," a popular multistyled comic romp through those works, has been …

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, June 21, 2017

Author Neil Gaiman Says Meeting His Readers Is 'Enormously Fun' by Christopher Arnott

Ancient battles among gods will mingle with modern mortal realities when celebrated English storyteller Neil Gaiman returns to The Bushnell July 10. Gaiman has written some of the finest fan…

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 12:00AM[SHARE]

'Fun Home' Honors A Daughter's Coming-Of-Age Story by Christopher Arnott

"Fun Home" is where the heart is. The national tour of "Fun Home" is a large, rich production of a musical known for its small, tender moments. It concerns a young woman coming of age and co…

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Friday, June 16, 2017

'The Wolves,' 'Hand of God' At TheaterWorks 2017-18 Season by Christopher Arnott

TheaterWorks has announced its 2017-18 season. All of the playwrights are new to TheaterWorks, but some are well-known from other theaters in Connecticut. The season opens in October with "T…

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Thursday, June 15, 2017

'Fun Home' Broadway Musical Arrives At The Bushnell by Christopher Arnott

"Fun Home" is the consummate "alternative" comic that became a maverick Broadway musical. The national tour of the show comes to The Bushnell June 20 through 25. The original format for "Fun…

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 12:00AM[SHARE]

Connecticut Playwright A.R. Gurney Dies At 86 by Christopher Arnott

A.R. "Pete" Gurney not only lived in Connecticut, he became one of the most produced playwrights at the state's regional theaters. The eminent dramatist died Tuesday at the age of 86. He had…

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Hip-Hop Theater Production Confronts Society's Toughest Issues by Christopher Arnott

"(Be)Longing" belongs to two well-established traditions at New Haven's International Festival of Arts & Ideas: it's a world premiere, and it tackles provocative social issues. The show, whi…

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 12:00AM[SHARE]

Director From Mexico Brings 'Frida Kahlo' Story To Carriage House by Christopher Arnott

In his native Mexico, Hiram Marina is a well-known theater director and producer who's helmed shows involving more than a hundred performers at once, for audiences that numbered in the tens …

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Monday, June 12, 2017

'Indecent' Among Tony Winners With Connecticut Connections by Christopher Arnott

Tony Awards were given Sunday night to several Broadway shows that were first seen or developed at Connecticut theaters. Rebecca Taichman won for directing "Indecent," the klezmer-scored his…

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 11:08AM[SHARE]
Friday, June 9, 2017

'Fade' Is Grander Than Its Office Setting by Christopher Arnott

An insecure writer named Lucia is settling into her first real job, at a big TV studio. She shares her hopes and fears with a custodian, Abel, who comes in regularly to change the liners in …

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Thursday, June 8, 2017

Two Theatrical Highlights Of Arts & Ideas: 'Black Girl' And 'The End of TV' by Christopher Arnott

For nearly all of its 22-year existence, New Haven's International Festival of Arts & Ideas has been known for creating strong working relationships with the artists it presents. It arran…

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 10:35AM[SHARE]
Monday, June 5, 2017

'Motown The Musical' At The Shubert by Christopher Arnott

"Motown the Musical" is an ensemble drama roiling with temptations, miracles and all those other fantastic Detroit groups of the 1960s and '70s. The central characters in the musical are Ber…

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 09:56AM[SHARE]

A 'Reset' Arts & Ideas Promises Big Agenda On Smaller Budget by Christopher Arnott

Many aspects of the 2017 International Festival of Arts & Ideas will seem familiar " well-known bands playing for thousands of people on the New Haven Green, world-premiere music and theater…

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Friday, June 2, 2017

'Deathless' An Intimate New Musical At Goodspeed by Christopher Arnott

Tina Landau says she got involved with the new musical "Deathless" "roughly six months ago. I forget." She laughs. "In this show, time has no meaning." "Deathless" is a new musical at Goodsp…

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 11:35AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, May 24, 2017

'King & I' Music Director Reunites With HSO For Bushnell Stop by Christopher Arnott

It's good to be "The King & I." The Rodgers and Hammerstein classic that introduced the songs "I Whistle a Happy Tune," "Getting to Know You," "I Have Dreamed" and "Shall We Dance?" was give…

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 10:01AM[SHARE]
Friday, May 19, 2017

'King And I' At The Bushnell For A Week by Christopher Arnott

Rodgers and Hammerstein are busier in Connecticut now than they were 60 or 70 years ago, when their musicals routinely had out-of-town try-outs at the Shubert in New Haven. Tours of "Cindere…

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Thursday, May 11, 2017

Hartford Stage Takes On Challenge Of Steering Shaw's 'Heartbreak House' by Christopher Arnott

Darko Tresnjak is looking forward to taking a break this summer. Hartford Stage's much-lauded artistic director spent the winter crafting his knockabout version of Shakespeare's "Comedy of E…

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 12:51PM[SHARE]
Friday, May 5, 2017

World Tour Planned For 'Anastasia' by Christopher Arnott

"Anastasia" is on the move again. The producers of the Broadway musical, which had its world premiere at Hartford Stage a year ago, announced plans Friday for the show to be seen internation…

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 01:09PM[SHARE]

'42nd Street' At Foxwoods, 'Trav'lin' At Seven Angels' by Christopher Arnott

Come on along and listen to the lullaby of Broadway. Shuffle off to Buffalo while you're at it. Mostly, enjoy the serendipity of hearing dozens of performers sing "We're in the Money" at a c…

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Thursday, May 4, 2017

'Most Beautiful Room In New York' Debuts At Long Wharf by Christopher Arnott

You never know who's going to walk into your restaurant. "The Most Beautiful Room in New York," a new musical premiering at the Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven through May 28, has some fasci…

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, May 2, 2017

'Anastasia' Receives Two Tony Nominations by Christopher Arnott

Anastasia didn't get much recognition from the Tony Award nominating committees Tuesday morning. But her grandmother did all right. Mary Beth Peil was nominated for Best Featured Actress in …

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 11:11AM[SHARE]

All that Chat

2025-2026 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 12, 2025: Call Me Izzy - Studio 54
Sep 16, 2025: Art - Music Box Theatre
Oct 08, 2025: Beetlejuice - Palace Theatre
Nov 13, 2025: Oedipus - Studio 54
Nov 16, 2025: Chess - Imperial Theatre
Mar 23, 2026: Giant - Music Box Theatre
Apr 06, 2026: Becky Shaw - Hayes Theater
Apr 16, 2026: Proof - Booth Theatre
Apr 26, 2026: Drama Desk Cut-Off