Danbury's Musicals At Richter to Kick Off 40th Season With Benefit Celebration This Month

Musicals at Richter will kick off its 40th season with "40 Seasons Under the Stars," a festive outdoor benefit evening on Friday, June 21 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM (rain date Saturday, June 22). The event will take place on the back lawn of the Richter Arts Center, 100 Aunt Hack Road, in Danbury,

Co-chaired by MAR Artistic Director Denise Fontenelli of Danbury and MAR Executive Director Robert Bria of Redding, the special celebration welcomes guests to enjoy light fare from Anthony's Lake House as they view the new concessions/tech building and tour the recently renovated Richter House.

Attendees are also invited to bid on an incredible selection of silent and live auction items. Funds raised during the benefit will help offset the costs incurred during the initial phases of the theater's "Renaissance of Richter" construction, which allowed Musicals at Richter to build its brand-new, state-of-the-art stage deck and masking walls.

Entertainment for the evening will be provided by a cadre of MAR alumni performers, culminating in an appearance by special guest Broadway star and MAR alum, Matthew LaBanca.

For MAR, New Fairfield native LaBanca performed in West Side Story (Bernardo, 1994), The Wiz (Scarecrow, 1995), and South Pacific (Emile de Becque, 1997). He made his Broadway debut with the Mel Brooks musical Young Frankenstein, where he covered the title role and stepped in during previews, garnering acclaim. He also appeared on Broadway in White Christmas and the 2019 Tony Award winning version of A Christmas Carol. His self-penned solo show Good Enough played Off-Broadway at the United Solo Festival, winning the festival's Best Musical Award in 2014. Please visit MatthewLaBanca.com for more.

At the MAR benefit, LaBanca will treat the audience to "Many Hats," a one-of-a-kind solo performance. From Sondheim to Gershwin, he'll serenade the crowd with his favorite tunes and share the ups and downs of his career in the theater. You won't want to miss this chance to see a local talent shine on stage!

Grounds open at 6 PM for "40 Seasons Under the Stars" and the evening runs until 9 PM. Seating and tables will be provided. In case of inclement weather, the event will take place on Saturday, June 22.

Tickets are $50 per person ($60 at the door) and may be purchased online at https://bit.ly/3VrdNTe or through the Musicals at Richter website (musicalsatrichter.org). A portion of the ticket price ($25) may be considered a tax-deductible donation to Musicals at Richter, a 501(c)3 nonprofit. Please consult with your tax advisor or the IRS for further information.

Musicals at Richter's 40th season features full-scale productions of Disney's Beauty and the Beast (July 5-20) and Grease (July 26 - August 10) on its main stage, each showcasing accomplished local talent and accompanied by a live band. Children and families will also enjoy MAR's Fairy Tale Theater program Saturday mornings in July, which features hour-long interactive tales performed by young people for young people. The gala summer season closes with MAR's Summer Youth Theater Workshop's production of Seussical Jr. which plays on the main stage August 15-17.

For further information and tickets to the June 21 benefit and the entire season, visit the Musicals at Richter website at musicalsatrichter.org, leave a message at 203-748-6873 or e-mail info@musicalsatrichter.org.

To post a comment, you must register and login.