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Scott Weinstein’s Jeff
Every Westporter knows the Tonys. The award — named for Antoinette Perry — is given in a number of categories, for excellence in Broadway theater. You may not know the Jeffs. Honoring Joseph Jefferson,...
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Mamma Mia! Curtain Rises On Another Great Staples Players Show
There were many reasons David Roth and Kerry Long chose “Mamma Mia!” as Staples Players’ fall musical. It’s a popular jukebox show with great music and non-stop laughs. Though ABBA was a ’70s band, the...
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Madelyn Spera And The Bitter End
The Bitter End calls itself “the oldest rock and roll club in New York City.” Since 1961, the classic red brick stage in the heart of Greenwich Village has hosted Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, Lady Gaga,...
View Article“Persona” Of The Week: “Mamma Mia” Cast And Crew
Staples Players‘ “Mamma Mia” opens tomorrow. It’s another fantastic show, from the nationally known high school troupe. If you’re like me, you go to Players’ musical every year and wonder, “Who are...
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Friday Flashback #168
In 1958 — prodded by a student named Christopher Lloyd* — Staples High School English teacher Craig Matheson directed “You Can’t Take it With You.” Staples Players was born. In the 61 years since, the...
View ArticleStars Shine For Staples Players
As remarkable as Staples Players is, they’re still a high school drama troupe. When they put on a show, the many “good luck” and “break a leg” wishes usually come from classmates, teachers, parents and...
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Pics Of The Day #1021
Two formal events for high school students — Counties, and Red & Whites — were held this weekend. Among the attendees: actors from Staples Players … (Photo courtesy of Ian Warburg) … and a...
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“Seussical”: Book It!
Books feed the imagination. That’s true whether you’re reading William Shakespeare or Dr. Seuss. Staples Players has staged Shakespeare’s works. Next week, they debut “Seussical: The Musical.” And...
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“Seussical” Sequel: It’s A Clean Show!
Coronavirus scare got you down? Never fear, there’s a doctor in the house. Dr. Seuss! To ease the minds of audiences for the upcoming show — “Seussical: The Musical” — Staples Players directors David...
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COVID-19 Update: Lamont Declares Emergency; Library Cancels Programming;...
The coronavirus continues to play havoc with Connecticut life. Gov. Ned Lamont has declared both a public health emergency and a civil preparedness emergency. The first edict gives the state power over...
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Ari Edelson: Coming Out Of A 2-Week COVID Battle
By this point, nearly everyone in Westport knows someone who has suffered from COVID-19. And by now, everyone should know that it does not strike only the elderly, or those with underlying health...
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Special Staples “Seussical” Streams This Weekend
The coronavirus put an abrupt end to countless events. Many were months in the making. But few came to a more crushing close than “Seussical: The Musical.” Over 100 Staples Players cast and crew...
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How To Survive A Quarantine? With Staples Players!
When “Seussical” was shut down just hours before opening night — collateral damage from the COVID-induced closing of all Westport schools — dozens of Staples Players were heartbroken. Audiences never...
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Westport Is Back! Musical Cabaret Set For Friday
In their 4 years at Staples High School, Sam Laskin and Sammy Guthartz made their marks on Players’ remarkable theater troupe. In less than a month of drive-in movies at the Imperial Avenue parking...
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Westport Is Back! Concert Proves It
A few weeks ago, Westporters expected a bleak, COVID-induced, entertainment-free summer. It’s been anything but. The Remarkable Theater’s drive-in movies are a spectacular success. The Westport Weston...
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Staples Players Plan 3 Special Shows. Global Audience Invited!
In the 1930s, American families gathered around the radio. They listened to live dramas, musicals and comedies, complete with sound effects. This fall — decades later — families can gather together to...
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Gather ‘Round The Radio — And Dine!
Remember when the family gathered together on Sunday night, sharing dinner while listening to a drama or musical on the radio? Neither do I. But Westporters — and anyone else with an internet...
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Roundup: Munchkins, Drugs, Halloween, More
Hey, Westport kids (age 5 to 13 ). If you’ve wanted to be in an amazing Staples Players production, here’s your chance! Players’ radio theatre kicks off with “The Wizard of Oz” this Sunday (October...
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Roundup: Betty Lou Cummings, Wizard Of Oz, Painting With A Twist, More
Back in the day — the mid-1950s — Betty Lou Cummings was a Michigan State University cheerleader — one of the first female cheerleaders in the entire Big Ten. After moving to Westport, she became a...
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Roundup: Staples Players, Alexandra Korry, Pumpkins, More
Mark Potts has written for the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune and — while he was a Staples student — the school paper Inklings. Last night he reconnected with his alma mater. He writes: Several...
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