More From Moore: New Cabaret Act Will Benefit Arts Fund Scholarship

NEW FAIRFIELD — Returning to the boards, Donna Moore is breaking in a new cabaret show at Boyajian Sculpture Barn, located at the intersection of Milltown Road and Route 39, the weekends of March 19-20 and 26-27. Proceeds from her performances, scheduled for 8 pm on Fridays and Saturdays, will benefit the new Candlewood Arts Fund Scholarship.

Titled The Balancing Act: Laughing and Singing through Life, the two-act, one-woman show will presents Ms Moore in an evening of jazz songs, autobiographical monologue and comedy. The mother of two girls and a resident of New Fairfield, the multi-talented veteran performer (actress-singer-dancer-model) will be accompanied on piano by the accomplished arranger and conductor Arnie Gross, also of New Fairfield.

Ms Moore promises a night of fun and entertainment for everyone.

Completing the New Fairfield trifecta is Carter Timmins Boyajian, a performance artist and designer who is also serving as the show’s producer, director and choreographer. She and husband David Boyajian, the noted sculptor, recently purchased and renovated the Sculpture Barn, which is now their home and joint studios.

Performances will take place in their gallery among Mr Boyajian’s sculptures. The Boyajians formerly lived in Ridgefield, where Ms Timmins Boyajian was house manager of The Ridgefield Playhouse.

Donna Moore – a singer, actress and monologist – began performing at age 11 on the PBS television program Zoom, and graduated from NYU Drama School. For the last six years she has performed the one-person, two-character show New England Women, portraying Hannah Freeman, an 84-year-old Shaker Lady, and Goody Basset, a historical character also known as “The Stratford Witch.”

Her credits also include a number of on-camera TV commercials, voiceovers, Off Broadway Theater, and print advertising. She is also a cantor at St Edward’s Catholic Church in New Fairfield.

Arnie Gross conducted the original Broadway production of Annie, and provided orchestrations and dance arrangements for Sugar Babies. For the Bob Fosse film All That Jazz, Mr Gross not only created the dance arrangements, he also portrayed himself opposite the film’s star, Roy Scheider.

Proceeds from “The Balancing Act” will help support the Candlewood Arts Fund, a “donor advised” fund of New Fairfield Community Foundation awarding scholarships to graduating New Fairfield High School seniors who show extraordinary talent and aptitude in art-related fields. The one-time grant is based on the applicant’s arts portfolio, character, grade point average and overall artistic ability.

“We have the arts background to do [this},” the Boyajians say about supporting their community, “and now we have the perfect space for events like this.”

Refreshments will be served for all performances.

Tickets for the first three performances are $20. For the Candlewood Arts Fund “debut party” on March 27 tickets are $30, which includes a “meet the artists” reception following the show, with wine provided by The White Silo of Sherman and desserts by Two Steps of Danbury.

To reserve seats for “The Balancing Act,” call the Boyajian Sculpture Barn at 746-6101. For further information and directions visit www.SculptureBarn.com.