Clik here to view.
Adam Kaplan’s “Kinky Boots”
Just 6 years out of Staples High School, Adam Kaplan was on Broadway. The 2008 grad — who starred in Players, then earned a degree in musical theater from Elon University — had 2 roles (and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
“Laramie Project: 10 Years Later”: The Back Story
At a time when Americans express more hatred against “others” — and more loudly — than in a long, long time, Staples Players addresses the issue of differences head-on. This weekend, the stellar high...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Arts Lovers: You May Not Want Wells Fargo As Your Bank
Wells Fargo thought they were being cute. A new series of ads — promoting “teen financial education day” — showed (of course) happy young people. One headline read: “A ballerina yesterday. An engineer...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Remembering Gene Bayliss
Since the 1960s, Staples Players has earned renown for its Broadway-style productions. The directors and technical advisors deserve plenty of credit. But so do the choreographers. Beginning in the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Remembering Noah Witke
Noah Witke — the very talented Staples Players actor who thrilled audiences as Romeo in “Romeo and Juliet,” and starred in other productions including “The Laramie Project,” “The Diary of Anne Frank”...
View ArticleClik here to view.
[UPDATE] Mourning Noah Witke
Earlier today, the New York Daily News added details to its story on the death of Noah Witke. The Staples High School Class of 2009 graduate was a talented actor, and a beloved friend to many. The...
View ArticleClik here to view.
76 Trombones, 5 Musicians, 2 Posters, 1 Painting
Exactly 70 years ago today — on October 19, 1946 — the Saturday Evening Post cover showed 5 high school band musicians. As many “06880” readers know, Westport artist Stevan Dohanos used 5 Staples High...
View ArticleClik here to view.
“Music Man” Tootles Into Town
Some people want Hillary. Others want Trump. Everyone wants “The Music Man.” This fall — with our nation so divided — Staples Players co-directors David Roth and Kerry Long are staging what Roth calls...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Legendary Painting Restored; Prints On Sale Now
In the fall of 1946, Westport artist Stevan Dohanos invited 5 students from the 40-member Staples High School band — led by John Ohanian — to be models. Dohanos was creating a Saturday Evening Post...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Ghost Light
For as long as anyone can remember, “ghost lights” have lit otherwise darkened theaters. Some say the lamps or bulbs are there to ward off ghosts. Others think the tradition began as a way to prevent...
View ArticleClik here to view.
You’re In Luck: “Urinetown” Opens Soon
When David Roth and Kerry Long saw “Urinetown” on Broadway in 2001, they thought it was one of the funniest shows they’d seen. They loved the story, writing, music and choreography. The Staples Players...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Liz Hannah Goes Hollywood
Add Liz Hannah to the long list of Staples High School graduates with a major movie connection. Liz Hannah The 2003 graduate — who served as an assistant director for Staples Players — wrote a...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Jack Norman’s Very Positive Direction
Jack Norman’s parents divorced when he was young. His dad had a drinking problem. When he lost his job, Jack’s mother picked up a second job, to support Jack and his younger brother. One day when Jack...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Stop The Presses! Staples Players’ Fall Production Is “Newsies”!
Just when you think Staples Players directors David Roth and Kerry Long have no more theatrical tricks up their sleeves — they stage a new one. Every spring, they gather their cast and crew together to...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Staples Players’ Summer Musical “Working”: A Perfect Day Off For Audiences
When the school year ends, David Roth and Kerry Long don’t stop working. After directing Staples Players’ 2 mainstage productions and a host of Black Box Theater shows, they turn their attention to the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Players Learn From A Real-Life Newsie
Most high school theater groups prepare for a show by listening to the cast album. They watch a video. The director adds whatever insights he or she can. Staples Players is not most high school theater...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Nick Massoud’s Spizzwinks Circle The Globe — And Find Westport
There are nearly 20 a cappella groups at Yale University. With his strong musical background at Staples High School, Nick Massoud could have auditioned for any. But he was drawn to the Spizzwinks. The...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Read All About It: Reid Thompson Makes “Newsies”
When audiences pack the auditorium this weekend for “Newsies” — Staples Players’ eye-popping production of the Tony Award-winning show — they’ll rave about the Broadway-quality singing and dancing....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Adam Kaplan’s Bronx Tale
What’s a nice Jewish boy from Westport doing in 2017 with an Italian-American Bronx teenager during the 1960s? Acting. On Broadway. Adam Kaplan — the 2008 Staples High School grad whose post-Players...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Remembering Jessica Shure
Jessica Shure — a Staples Players star in productions like “Guys and Dolls,” “Mame,” “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” and “The Sound of Music” — died on Wednesday of a brain aneurysm. The 2001 graduate is...
View Article