It’s a tale as old as time … and New Fairfield Congregational Church’s Summer Theatre is proud to announce the opening weekend of their production of “Beauty and the Beast”. Follow Belle’s exciting journey to find adventure, in the great wide somewhere, in this full length Broadway production. Leads for the production are Ray Lubus as Gaston and Erin Walsh as Belle.
Performances are July 28, 29 and August 4, 5 at 7:30pm and July 30 and August 6 at 3:00pm. Tickets are $15 for Adults and $12 for Seniors, Students and Children. Call 203-746-2855 to reserve your tickets now! Performances will take place at The Congregational Church of New Fairfield located at 20 Gillotti Rd, New Fairfield, CT.
The CCNF Summer Theatre is a youth theater for ages 6-24. A New Fairfield tradition of theater excellence! In 1996, The Congregational Church of New Fairfield, with the help of Carl Anderson, our Minister of Music, decided to put on an all youth musical production of Godspell to help raise money to hire a youth minister. The production was very successful and as a result the CCNF Summer Theatre has put on a broadway musical production every summer for the past twenty years.
CCNF’s musical productions are a major fundraiser for the church with profits donated to the church’s general fund. Their theatre is staffed entirely by volunteers from all age groups. Volunteers are members of our congregation as well as people from New Fairfield and the surrounding communities.
Rev. Carl Anderson has been the Minister of Music at the Congregational Church of New Fairfield since 1994. He has directed many of the productions at the church and has been involved as music director for all the past 19 productions. In 2012, he earned his Masters of Divinity at Andover Newton Theological School with a concentration in health ministries and corporate spirituality. He is Vice President for Mission Effectiveness at Masonicare, the largest not for profit healthcare organization in Connecticut, where he is responsible for the organization’s community benefit and social responsibility, spiritual services and its relations with the Masonic family. In June of 2014, Carl was ordained as a Minister in the Fairfield East Association, United Church of Christ.
Carl has musically directed countless theater productions and has performed in many cabaret programs with his wife Betsy. He is a past president of Musicals at Richter and is the Grand Organist for the Grand Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Connecticut. He also directs the Sphinx Shrine Chanters, a men’s singing group composed of shriners from throughout the state.
Betsy Anderson has taught General Music, Chorus and Band at Branchville Elementary School in Ridgefield, CT for the past twenty years. She directs a 5th grade musical at her school annually. She has been a part of the production team at the CCNF Summer Youth Theatre for 17 years. Betsy received her Bachelors Degree in Music Education with Vocal Emphasis from The Hartt School, Hartford, CT and her Masters Degree in Music Education from Western CT State University. Betsy has studied voice with Sophia Steffan, Patricia McCaffrey, Joan Noland and Dr. Margaret Astrup. She sings in church and enjoys performing in cabarets with her husband Carl. In addition, Betsy has performed in many community theatre musicals over the years including Oklahoma (Laurey), The Music Man (Marion) and Carousel (Carrie).
Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.MTIShows.com. Find out more information on the CCNF Summer Theatre on Facebook at “CCNF Theatre” or visit our website at www.ccnftheatre.org.
Congratulations to the entire cast and crew of Beauty and the Beast:
Young Man (Selfish Prince): Ben Kile
Old Beggar Woman/Enchantres: Emma Bruzzi
Belle: Erin Walsh
Maurice: Christian Kutzy
The Beast: Kevin McNulty
Gaston: Raymond Lubus
LeFou: Jake Diller
Monsieur D’Arque: Ben Kile
Cogsworth: Ian McNulty
Lumiere: Ryan McNulty
Babette: Therese Kutzy
Mrs. Potts: Sarah Brundage
Chip: Christian Eklund
Madame De La Grand Bouche: Alex Magee
Townspeople/Servants – Enchanted Objects
Aristocratic Lady: Madison Bielmeier
Egg Man: Phoebe Opdahl
Sausage Curl Girl: Amanda Merritt
Baker: Gillian Melton
Lady with Cane: Allison Weibke
Candle Man: Emma Bruzzi
Hat Seller: Ainsley Mackenzie
Milkmaid: Emma Duffy
Shepherd Boy: Grace Kersting
A Mother: Angela Carozza
Book Seller: Emma Kersting
Silly Girl #1: Samantha Smith
Silly Girl #2: Olivia Melton
Silly Girl #3: Mary Lubus
Silly Girl #4: Zoe McCartney
Silly Girls/Servants – Enchanted Objects in the Castle
Jade Carriero
Teresa Hood
Megan Lovejoy
Riley Setzler
Kaitlin Surovy
Allison Weibke
Allison Weir
Gaston’s Cronies/Servants – Enchanted Objects in the Castle
Joseph Carrozza
Nicholas Eklund
Theodore Kutzy
Townspeople/Servants – Enchanted Objects in the Castle
Margaret Anderson
Maggie Davis
Maura Davis
Emma Duffy
Anna Martinez
Erin McNulty
Amanda Merritt
Ingrid Opdahl
Callista Reiker
Allison Weibke
Courtney Weir
Evelyn Zegley
Junior Cast (Village Children and Enchanted Objects in the Castle)
Gianna Bock
Molly Bates
Sadie Bates
Madeline Brogan
Olivia Brogan
Ava Cadovius
Emma Ciminello
Kate Ciminello
Sara Ciminello
Remy Dannucci
Molly Davis
Grayson Dawson
Emilie Dupre
Lucia Eklund
Alijah Formiga
Victoria-Ann Forster
Emma Giddings
Jordan Hirsch
Sophia Holguin
Madison Johnson
Skylar Kellogg
Katrina LaBounty
Phoebe McCartney
Emma Melton
Natalia Moore
Emma Morris
Calantha Mucchetti
Izabella Mullen
Emmett Naumann
Maggie Nusbacher
Kassidy Strazza
Cara Talbot
Mayson Wyckoff