Business

Local Businesses and COVID-19: Performing Arts Conservatory

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For today’s Q&A with a local business owner, we hear from Melody Libonati, director of the Performing Arts Conservatory of New Canaan. 

Here’s our exchange. 

New Canaanite: Tell me about how the Performing Arts Conservatory is operating now. Melody Libonati: The Performing Arts Conservatory has not had classes at 70 Pine Street in New Canaan since March 12. The ten teachers at the Conservatory started teaching on FaceTime and Zoom on March 16. I was so proud of how quickly all of the teachers learned to teach the performing arts online. Private classes in voice, piano and guitar and group classes in music theatre, acting and dance are all being taught.

Around Town

Summer Theatre of New Canaan Seeks To Run 2019 Season in Pocket Park Downtown

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One of New Canaan’s favorite summertime entertainment venues is seeking to move closer to the downtown for its 2019 season. 

The Summer Theatre of New Canaan, a nonprofit organization founded by town residents Ed and Melody Libonati, is seeking a temporary special permit to run its acclaimed shows in New Canaan Library’s pocket park on the corner of Maple Street and South Avenue. Known as “Christine’s Garden,” the park would play host to popular Summer Theatre of New Canaan or ‘STONC’ shows—recent seasons have featured “Kiss Me, Kate,” “Singin’ in the Rain” and “West Side Story”—from the end of June into early August, under an application filed recently with the Planning & Zoning Commission. “For the past 15 years STONC has worked with multiple town departments and commissions to successfully present its theatre programs at Irwin Park and in Waveny Park,” the application said. “However, the Waveny location we have utilized for the past 10 years now presents significant issues that tend to inhibit our ability to deliver a season. This is largely due to recent major sports field construction and increasing programming/scheduling of these new adjacent sports fields.

Around Town

Summer Theatre of New Canaan Wows with ‘Kiss Me, Kate’

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Excited chatter filled the warm summer air Saturday night as more than 200 crowded under Summer Theatre of New Canaan’s large tent at Waveny for the opening night of ‘Kiss Me, Kate’. In its 15th season, the company founded by New Canaan’s Ed and Melody Libonati consistently delivers well-staged, professionally produced show that keeps audiences on their toes, and this year was no exception. A dazzling combination of catchy music, dramatic acting, and jazzy dances, ‘Kiss Me, Kate’ is a delight to see. The classic Cole Porter musical was brought to life by director Allegra Libonati. With a talented cast and singularly strong leads, the audience is truly transported to the Ford Theater and Baltimore ca. 1948 for the night.

Around Town

Enchanting and Hilarious: Summer Theatre of New Canaan’s ‘Singin’ in the Rain’

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Nothing quite compares to the magic one witnesses as three generations of town residents take their seats beneath a white canvas tent and a welcoming party of fireflies to enjoy a classic musical. This year, that enchanting energy is amplified tenfold with New Canaan Summer Theatre’s production of Singin’ in the Rain, a refreshingly traditional take on the iconic 1952 film. Under direction from Melody Libonati, the show is bursting with joy, and boasts a colorful, beautifully constructed set and committed performances from a  game cast. For the unfamiliar, Singin’ in the Rain follows silent film star Don Lockwood, whose wildly successful career is threatened by the introduction of the “talking picture.” Set in the undeniably romantic world of Old Hollywood, Lockwood must manage such a career transition while also dealing with a difficult leading lady and his growing feelings for a talented ingénue.

Around Town

A Perfect Form of Entertainment: Summer Theatre of New Canaan’s ‘West Side Story’

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As my mom and I arrived at Waveny Park for the Summer Theatre of New Canaan’s production of West Side Story, the rain clouds had just cleared, giving volunteers enough time to re-hang the banner and dry seats for the show. It was the first of three Thursday night “Ladies Nights Out”—featuring door prizes and restaurant specials—and the tent was soon packed to the brim. Arriving just before 7 p.m. for the 8 p.m. show, we sat on the grass above the tent, picnicked with a dinner from Walter Stewart’s and watched the actors rehearse a few numbers, including the Mambo scene and the Jet song. Despite the 90 degree heat, the young professionals’ energy levels were high—and remained this high for the rest of the show. It was clear from the interactions between the cast and just a few minutes of rehearsal that they would give this performance their all and that they were having a tremendous amount of fun acting together.