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FOR REFERENCE ONLY: Spotlighting the 32-Year History of Gateway's Playhouse

(from 1998 playbill booklet)

1964 -- Local theatre enthusiasts John Kizarr and Bob Holmes convince

long-time resident Russell H. Dunham to build a theatre featuring one of the

largest stages this side of New Haven.

1965 -- Originally named the Meadowbrook Playhouse, a standing-room-only

audience greets the first production of Bye, Bye Birdie .

1966 -- The theatre is renamed Candlewood Theatre, linking it more closely to

the Candlewood Lake area. The adjoining restaurant, called Backstage, opens to

the public for the first time.

1967-1971 -- Alton Wilkes, who ran Candlewood Theatre during this period,

brings in equity theatre packages with stars such as Shelley Winters, Betty

Grable and Gloria Swanson.

1972 -- A series of Sunday concerts is introduced. Musical superstars Count

Basie, Woody Herman, Lionel Hampton, Buddy Rich and Glenn Miller do their

thing.

1974 -- New York producer Ken Gaston and local performer Wally Griffin take

over the operation of the theatre. Shows such as Prisoner of Second Avenue ,

The Music Man and The Sunshine Boys feature stars Anne Meara, Jerry Stiller,

Ann Miller and Jack Gilford. The concert series includes Jerry Lewis, Marlene

Dietrich and Jack Benny.

1977 -- Plagued by any number of difficulties, Candlewood Theatre goes dark.

1978-79 -- Candlewood reopens under the auspices of Broadway producer Burry

Fredrick. Her focus is developing a regional performance center, presenting a

mixture of package tours and concerts.

1982 -- After four years of successive financial difficulties, once again the

theatre has only the ghost of Hamlet crossing the stage.

1983-1992 -- Candlewood Theatre is under the auspices of Rick Belzer. It

changes its status to not-for-profit.

1993 to present [1998] -- Present producers John Hodge and Paul Allan take

over the reins and change the theatre's name to Gateway's Candlewood

Playhouse. They spends hundreds of thousands of dollars to turn the theatre

into a state-of-the-art showcase. In five year's time, the theatre has

experienced record growth and critical acclaim.

September 1998 -- Gateway's producer John Hodge announces the theatre will

close December 3, 1998.

(also from the playbill)

AWARD-WINNING THEATRE IN YOUR BACKYARD

After the votes were tallied and the results were in, the critics decreed

Gateway's Candlewood Playhouse is the best professional theatre in

Connecticut. In a stunning sweep, Gateway's Candlewood Playhouse won seven

awards of excellent from the prestigious Connecticut Critics Circle for the

1996-97 season -- that's more than any other theatre in the state.

Gateway's was honored with awards for the following: Outstanding Production of

a Musical, Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Musical, Outstanding

Direction of a Musical, Outstanding Choreography, Outstanding Set Design,

Outstanding Lighting Design, and Outstanding Sound Design.