Author: Stuart Brown

Stuart Brown, President of the Connecticut Critics Circle, has a dual life on the other side of the footlights. The West Hartford resident is also an award-winning playwright whose works have been staged across the country. This month, Brown will be represented at four different playwrighting events. “It’s going to be a very exciting September,” he said. “Both my one-act works and 10-minute plays will be showcased throughout the state.” On Friday, September 5 , at 7pm, his play, Lady Jigsaw, will lead off the Chestnut Street Playhouse Theatre’s 5th Annual Playwrighting Festival. The event runs from Friday, September 5,… read more

Connecticut Critics Circle member Tim Leininger interviews Sharon Playhouse Artistic Director Carl Andress, Jen Cody, and Hunter Foster about upcoming productions of Sylvia, starring Cody, and The Mousetrap, directed by Foster, presented at the Sharon Playhouse. Watch and listen to the interview here: Sylvia and The Mousetrap at Sharon Playhouse – An Interview with Carl Andress, Jen Cody, and Hunter Foster For tickets and more information about both shows, visit: https://www.sharonplayhouse.org/ read more

Five plays in five days – my recent trip to London allowed me to see some outstanding productions, as well as observe the vibrant London theatre scene. Musicals — Many of these are American imports or shows that hope to go to Broadway. The Devil Wears Prada bombed in Chicago, but it is going strong in London. Other American musicals that made relatively quick exits from Broadway, including Back to the Future, are still running. Of course, there are the shows that seem to run forever – Phantom, Wicked, Comedies tend to be more slapstick. The Play that Goes Wrong… read more

Connecticut Critics Circle member Tim Leininger interviews Hartford Stage’s Artistic Director Melia Bensussen, discussing the theater’s 2025-26 Season. Watch and listen to the interview here: Hartford Stage’s 2025-26 Season – An Interview with Artistic Director Melia Bensussen For more information, visit their website at www.hartfordstage.org read more

Connecticut Critics Circle member Tim Leininger interviews TheaterWorks Hartford’s Artistic Director Rob Roggiero, discussing the theater’s 40th Season. Watch and listen to the interview here: TheaterWorks Hartford’s 40th Season – An Interview with Rob Ruggiero For more information, visit their website at https://twhartford.org/ read more

Bridgeport — The Pulitzer Prize winning play, “Primary Trust,” a moving, bittersweet drama about loneliness and friendship, which played at TheaterWorks Hartford, and a powerful, emotionally stirring production of “Ragtime” at Goodspeed Musicals took top honors at the 33rd annual Connecticut Critics Circle Awards (ctcritics.org) held on Monday, June 23. The event, which celebrates the work from the state’s professional theaters during the 2024 – 2025 season, was held at the Event Center, Housatonic Community College, in downtown Bridgeport. The ceremony was emceed by Stuart Brown, President of the CT Critics Circle. For the first time, the Annual Awards Ceremony… read more

For the first time, the Annual CT Critics Circle Awards will be available for viewing via live-stream. The link goes live on Monday, June 23, 2025 at 7:30pm EST. Paste this link into your browser tor the live-stream link – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBrXUMIzgts “We are very excited to be able to offer real-time viewing,” said Stuart Brown, President of the organization. “We know many of the nominees are working throughout the country and cannot attend the ceremony. This will allow them to be part of our 33rd annual event.” In addition to the live-stream, a recording of the ceremony will be also… read more

At last week’s Semina-bration, a well-attended event that honored retiring Seven Angels Artistic Director Semina De Laurentis, attendees were the first to learn who will be leading the theater into its next era. It was announced that two theatre professionals have been selected to lead the 35-year-old professional theater. Constantine Pappas will act as the company’s artistic director and Craig David Rosen will serve as the theatre’s managing director. De Laurentis, who co-founded the theater in 1991, acted as both artistic and managing director since its inception. As Seven Angels posted on social media: “Yes, it takes two men to… read more

Goodspeed Musicals’ rousing production of “Ragtime” and two plays from TheaterWorks Hartford – “Fever Dreams” and “Primary Trust” – lead the shows nominated for the 33rd annual Connecticut Critics Circle Awards. The awards event, which celebrates the best in professional theater in the state, will be held Monday, June 23 at 7:30 p.m. at the Event Center at Housatonic Community College in downtown Bridgeport. The event is free and open to the public. Click here to reserve a ticket to the ceremony. “Ragtime” received 11 nods, including outstanding musical production, director, leading actor and actress, and four best featured actor… read more

The 33rd Annual Connecticut Critics Circle (CCC) Awards Ceremony will take place on Monday, June 23, 2025 at the Event Center at Housatonic Community College (HCC). The Awards period covers shows that opened between June 1, 2024 – May 20, 2025. The annual awards show is the only event in the state which brings the theater community together. It is a powerfully moving evening with artists —many who have devoted their careers to regional theater — receiving an all-too-rare tribute. It’s also an opportunity to promote the vast talent and productions our famously theatrical state has produced, from its Tony… read more