Date: Fri 05-Apr-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNO

Illustration: C

Location: A-11

Quick Words:

Gateway's-schedule-Hodge

Full Text:

(Gateway's 1996 Summer Season announced, 4/5/96)

The Area's "Worst Kept Secret"-

Gateway's Releases Its 1996 Summer Schedule

(with photo)

By Shannon Hicks

NEW FAIRFIELD - With a great laugh, producer John Hodge called the 1996

line-up of shows at Gateway's Candlewood Playhouse in New Fairfield one of the

area's "worst kept secrets" early this week, minutes before unveiling the

theatre's summer schedule. A summer theatre, the playhouse is celebrating its

30th anniversary this year.

Mr Hodge was addressing a group of nearly 200 assembled in the grand ballroom

of the Danbury Hilton & Towers on Monday morning. His partner in producing the

theatre, Paul Allan, was out of town on Monday. Friends of the Playhouse,

volunteers, cast members, area delegates and members of the press had been

invited to the hotel, to enjoy breakfast and learn of the theatre's 1996

summer schedule of staged shows - something the theatre had been keeping under

wraps until the last possible moment.

"This year we really wanted to try our best to keep our season announcement a

secret, as much as we could. And we were actually keeping it a pretty good

secret..."

Mr Hodge cited a high number of inquiries he and his staff had fielded in

recent months concerning the theatre's upcoming plans. Being April Fool's Day,

however, it was fitting Monday's announcement carried not only an amount of

anticipation, but a punchline as well.

"Then on Friday [March 29], I drove down Route 39, and I noticed that, up on

my sign [in front of the Playhouse], the sign person announced our season for

us!" Mr Hodge was joined by the rest of the room in laughing at the joke.

"So here, ladies and gentlemen, is the worst-kept secret. To start the program

this year, starting on May 22, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers ..."

The theatre's season, after Seven Brides remains on stage through June 8,

continues with Evita , June 12-29; The Sound of Music , July 10-27; Crazy For

You , July 31-August 17; and an original production, Variety Scandals , August

21-September 7, which, Mr Hodges said, may be a pre-Broadway production. The

vaudeville-style show was written by Sugar Babies playwright Ralph Allen.

Gateway's box office opened Monday at 10 am.

Gateway's will also return its successful Children's Theatre this season.

Shows are Fridays at 11 am and 1 pm, with the exception of the final

production, Pocahontas , which will also have a Saturday morning and afternoon

performance.

This year's Children's Theatre, beginning July 5, will present Aladdin , Save

The Earth Circus , Alice in Wonderland , The Emperor's New Clothes ,

Cinderella , The Three Bears , Peter Pan , Snow White & The One Dwarf and

Pocahontas .

This year marks the playhouse's 30th anniversary season. Producers John Hodge

and Paul Allan took over the leadership of the Playhouse four years ago, from

previous producer Rick Belzer. The new producers also changed the theatre's

name, creating the moniker Gateway's Candlewood Playhouse.

Russ Dunham of New Fairfield built the theatre in 1964, featuring one of the

largest stages outside of New Haven. A standing-room-only crowd welcomed the

Playhouse's first production, Bye, Bye Birdie , in 1965. Originally named the

Meadowbrook Playhouse, the Playhouse was renamed with its Candlewood

connotation - to link it more closely with the Candlewood Lake area - in 1966.

Over the years, such performers as Marlene Dietrich, Betty Grable, Count

Basie, Jack Benny, Bernadette Peters, Ann Miller, Hume Cronyn and Jessica

Tandy have graced the theatre's stage.

Following a number of financial difficulties, the theatre went through a very

troubled period, beginning in 1977 and recurring off and on until the early

1990s. It present producers have infused thousands of dollars to turn the

theatre into a state-of-the-art showplace. In recent years, the theatre has

experienced record growth and critical acclaim.

"Last year things finally took off," Mr Hodge said Monday morning. From

1994-1995, the theatre's mailing list jumped from 15,000 to 27,000 people,

renewals are up by 50 percent and group sales have increased by 102 percent

since Mr Hodge and Mr Allan took over the theatre in 1993.

"It's amazing to look back and think back to three years ago, [when] we were

still hauling the garbage out of the theatre," the producer said.

Mr Hodge presented a number of awards to members of the gathered crowd Monday

morning, and was also presented with a few, all of which were accepted on

behalf of the Playhouse. Last winter's successful winter season - pulled off

"virtually without any notice," Mr Hodge said - featured the ice ballet

presentation of Sleeping Beauty on Ice , an undeniable success for the

Playhouse.

"I can't tell you how many people called the theatre and said `You can't put

ice on the stage... The stage will collapse... You can't do an ice show on a

proscenium stage...' and we went ahead and did it anyway," Mr Hodges said. He

then presented plaques of gratitude to News-Times publisher Wayne Shepherd and

Irv Goldstein, VP/general manager of radio station WLAD/98Q. Glenn Walker, of

the Danbury Hilton & Towers, which housed the Russian ice skaters/dancers who

performed in the show, was also presented with a plaque.

On behalf of the town of New Fairfield, First Selectman Cheryl Reedy addressed

Mr Hodge, presenting a proclamation which cited the Playhouse's active

participation in town events, the style and community spirit the Playhouse and

its owners and staff share, and the quality of the arts and entertainment the

producers have brought into the area.

Also, state representative Norma Gyle (R-New Fairfield) presented a letter

from Governor John G. Rowland, and a citation from Connecticut's General

Assembly.

"[`Gateway's] has played an important role in contributing to the quality of

life in New Fairfield. ...[the Playhouse] has consistently offered

high-quality arts and entertainment to the town of New Fairfield and

surrounding communities...," read part of Gov Rowland's letter.