Repertory Theatre Of New Britain

The Repertory Theatre of New Britain's philosophy is to produce quality community theater at an affordable price that is suitable for the family. The entire community is invited to participate. This theater is supported and run by an all volunteer group of individuals.

History:
The Rep is the first and largest community theater group in Connecticut to own its own theater. Its direct antecedents go back to 1931 and the Drama League who produced plays on old Church Street. During the depression, it was subsidized by the WPA (Works Progress Administration) as a vehicle for providing theater for the schools, and survived until the worst of the depression passed and the government subsidy was withdrawn. It then became the Elihu Burritt Players, still operating out of the YWCA, but playing on such places as front lawns.

This ancestor was a war casualty, but the members reassembled after WWII as the Repertory Players. In 1946, the group organized formally and became the Repertory Theatre of New Britain in 1955, they acquired the Norden Street Lodge, our present home. To do this, members sold bonds to theater members and friends. Every year, bondholders received interest on their investment, sometimes as much as 65 cents.

Since 1955, the theater has regularly produced 4 Broadway or Off Broadway shows each season and, since 1999, have produced cultural events that reflect the current population of the community. In addition, they have had children's theater, and original one-act playwriting competitions which brought in playwrights from all over the US, Canada, Australia and England. The theater also co-sponsors events.

The theater traditionally takes a large photo of actors on the stage in costume after each show which becomes part of the its history. There have been some notable persons who have participated onstage or backstage at the Rep. Meryl Streep was active in childrens' theater at the Rep while a student at Yale, other recent participants have gone on to Broadway and other theatrical activities, most recently was a student who was in Pippin at the Rep then was on Broadway actor in The Man Who Came to Dinner with Nathan Lane.

Contact person: Jerilyn Nagel, Volunteer Coordinator, (phone), (email)

Address:

23 Norden Street New Britain, CT 06051 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.nbrep.org

Directions:

From Route 9 South Take exit 28 onto Rte. 72W. Take 72W to Corbin Ave. exit. Turn left onto Corbin and go to fifth traffic light. Turn left onto Shuttle Meadow Ave. At 2nd stop sign (Linwood St.), turn right. Norden. . . (more) For maps or information, please see http://www.cttransit.com/

Last updated on November 18, 2009