When most people imagine community theater, they think of the thrill of the stage — the lights, the applause, the moment in the spotlight. But for many in Ridgefield, Wilton, and the surrounding towns, that’s the cherry on top of the sundae. The greatest joy comes from everything else: the friendships formed over late-night set builds, the laughter in rehearsals, the sense of belonging that grows in the wings and lingers long after the curtain falls.
Community theater in the area has always been about more than performance. “The goal is to be in the show, not just on the stage,” says Laura Ploss, Executive Director of The Wilton Playshop, currently celebrating its 88th season with a production of Sweeney Todd. For newcomers rediscovering a love of theater or residents picking up a paintbrush, sewing needle, or script for the first time, these theaters create a space where everyone can contribute and feel at home.
“Throughout all cultures and throughout all time, people have a need for community – that common experience of joy, grief, war, peace—it’s primal,” says Pamme Jones, Executive Director of Ridgefield Theater Barn (RTB), which is celebrating its 61st year with a production of Our Town, and gearing up for holiday shows.
In many ways, theater mirrors youth sports. Parents often get involved because of their children, helping to sew costumes, run lines, or build sets. And just like in sports, some kids age out — but the parents often stay. What starts as support for their children evolves into a personal passion and a community that becomes hard to leave behind.
Actor Bruce Apar, a Westchester resident, calls himself an evangelist for Connecticut’s many community theaters. “There just aren’t that many in Westchester,” he explains. “In Connecticut, theater is woven into the cultural identity of
its towns.”
Apar’s first taste of acting came in the early 1970s, when he took a class alongside a then-unknown Sylvester Stallone. He set the stage aside and went on to build a decades-long career in journalism, covering the home entertainment industry before turning to local media as an editor, publisher, and columnist. But in 2010, a friend asked him to play the Rabbi in Fiddler on the Roof, and the spark reignited. “As rewarding as it is to be on the stage, what I found most appealing was the offstage camaraderie,” he says. “It was warm, fun, very social… and creative.”
Fellow actor Timothy Huber found the same thing. A Fairfield County resident and records manager who also spent years as a pastor, Huber first acted as a child, drifted away as a teen, and came back later in life. “Once I returned, it was exhilarating,” he says. “Like finding a lost friend I didn’t know I’d lost.”
For Huber, the connection is as much about community as craft. “The incredible number of local theaters in Fairfield County means there are so many talented people and great productions,” he says. “RTB sees itself as part of the community and with that takes on the responsibility to respond to what’s happening around us.” Theater has also been a safe haven. “In the process of being gay and coming out, it was an extremely safe space,” he reflects. “I didn’t always feel that in other places.”
The “forced famine” of COVID gave theaters like RTB and the Playshop unprecedented time to renovate, regroup, and welcome new faces. “We’ve been able to bring in younger folks,” Ploss says. “It’s exciting to see new faces at auditions. We want the person who has never done anything before to say, ‘I’m going to take a class, or I’m going to audition.’” Jones adds with enthusiasm, “We love when more than half the cast is brand new.”
Local actress Rachel Konstantin, a professional performer for 40 years with credits in film, television, and stage, agrees that the pull is less about the spotlight and more about the people. “I just love the people. There’s something about theater people — they’re so loving and outgoing and warm,” she says. “Being welcomed into the theater community — people like Pamme welcome you with open arms. It’s nice to know they appreciate me, my skills, my experience.”
For Jones, that’s the heart of it all. “It’s not just about the folks on stage,” she says with her signature smile. “It’s the family we create with everyone — from stage to box office — and the way theater brings in people from all around the community.”
For information on volunteering, auditions, tickets to upcoming shows, rentals, classes, and the Ridgefield Theater Barn Kids program, visit www.ridgefieldtheaterbarn.org. Information on volunteering, auditions, tickets, and subscriptions at The Wilton Playshop is available at www.wiltonplayshop.org. •
