SHELTON — Newtown resident Brett Boles will appear as Mitch Albom in Tuesdays with Morrie at Center Stage Theatre in Shelton, which opens this weekend.

Mr Boles has participated in many Center Stage productions, appearing most recently as E.K. Hornbeck in Inherit the Wind. He is also an award-winning musical theatre composer, lyricist, and book writer.

His musical Foreverman premiered at the New York Musical Theatre Festival in 2012, and his latest musical, Benjamin Button, just had a staged reading at the York Theatre Off-Broadway in Manhattan. Mr Boles also co-conceived and helped organize a benefit concert for Sandy Hook (his hometown) with Tony Winning Producer Van Dean, called “From Broadway With Love,” which aired regionally on PBS and is currently available on CD, BluRay and DVD.

“Brett is simply one of the most talented people I have ever known,” said Center Stage Artistic Director Gary Scarpa. “Whether acting, singing or composing, he brings a level of professional excellence to the stage that is exciting and inspiring.”

Based on Mitch Albom’s book and “made for TV” movie, starring Hank Azaria and Jack Lemmon, the autobiographical Tuesdays with Morrie tells of a work consumed sports journalist who is inspired to live life more fully, when he reconnects with an old college professor, who is dying of ALS. The play teaches lessons of acceptance, love, communication, values, openness, and happiness.

“Ironically, we chose Tuesdays with Morrie before the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge was in full swing,” said Mr Scarpa. “Center Stage plans do our part to contribute to ALS during the run of Tuesdays by taking donations from our audiences at every performance.”

Having one of the leads in the Center Stage production has had an unexpected effect for Mr Boles.

“Playing Mitch in Tuesdays With Morrie has caused me to examine my own priorities and relationships,” Mr Boles said recently. “I had a relationship with a college professor that was very similar to the relationship Mitch and Morrie shared.

“I reached out to him the other day, and I’m not sure I would have had the presence of mind to do so had it not been for this play. It’s been an eye-opening and life affirming experience, and Mitch is a role that I know will always hold a special place in my heart.”

Stan Alpert has the other lead in the play, that of Morrie Schwartz.

Performances are scheduled for Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 pm, October 3-18; as well as Sunday matinees at 2 pm; and a special Thursday evening performance, at 7 pm, on October 16.

Tickets are $25 for adults, $10 for students, and group rates are available.

Center Stage is located within the former Lafayette School, 54 Grove Street in Shelton.

For further information, visit www.centerstageshelton.org or call 203-225-6079.