Tags

  • Performance Art Theatre
  • Landmark Historical Place
  • Landmark & Historical Place

Description

The Ivoryton Playhouse is a small professional theater located in the village of Ivoryton in the town of Essex, Connecticut, USA. The theatre is believed to be the first self-supporting summer theatre in the United States and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It produces shows year round, March through December. As Comstock-Cheney Hall, it is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.Comstock-Cheney HallConstruction began in 1910 and was completed 1911 as a recreation hall for the Comstock-Cheney factory. The building includes Classical Revival architecture. When listed the property included three contributing buildings on an area of.The New York PlayersMilton Stiefel was an actor who eventually became the right hand and confidant of David Belasco, considered one of the greatest directors to emerge from American theatre. After Belasco's death in May 1931, Stiefel continued as manager and stage director for many extravagant shows which traveled nationally, playing in every major American city. At the end of one of these tours, Stiefel came to Essex in order to rest, saw the unused recreation hall and thought it would be well-suited to accommodate a resident stock company. A Broadway comedy play titled "Broken Dishes" had just closed in New York (reportedly with Bette Davis in her first Broadway role), and Stiefel opened it in Ivoryton during the week of June 17, 1930. Thus the Ivoryton Playhouse came to be.

Location

0 Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to add a review.

Rate & Write Reviews