Honoring 40 Years of New Musicals at The Terris Theatre

EAST HADDAM, CT – Come celebrate with Goodspeed Musicals at their annual Gala & Auction on Saturday, May 18, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Goodspeed’s Terris Theatre. The evening will take place at The Society Room in Hartford, Conn., a glorious venue to celebrate a major milestone in Connecticut theatre: 40 years of new musical development at The Terris. Guests will enjoy reminiscing about their favorite new musicals shared with family and friends over the years as they mark The Terris Theatre’s ruby anniversary.
 
Festivities will begin with hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction at 5:30 p.m., followed by a four-course dinner starting at 7:00 p.m. Entertainment will occur throughout the evening including performances and performers from Terris productions, a live auction of unique experiences, and ending with a tribute to 40 years of new musicals developed at The Terris. The evening’s fundraising will be in support of Goodspeed’s development of new musicals.
 
Opening on July 10, 1984, with the new musical Harrigan ‘n Hart by Max Showalter and Michael Stewart, there have been 94 new musicals and 64 world premieres over the last four decades at The Terris. Six productions have moved on to Broadway and nine productions have moved on to Off-Broadway. The most recent Terris Theatre successes include Private Jones, which recently played at Washington, DC’s Signature Theatre; Here You Come Again, which will tour the U.K. and play London’s West End; and  Erica Schmidt’s adaptation of the romantic classic Cyrano starring Peter Dinklage and featuring music by The National, which subsequently played Off-Broadway and later became a feature film. Other notable titles include A Sign of the Times; My Paris; The Theory of Relativity; Snapshots; The Great American Mousical, which was directed by Julie Andrews; The Story of My Life; and All Shook Up.

"For 40 years, Goodspeed’s commitment to new work development has been highlighted on the stage at our Terris Theatre. And now, although we are very focused on the work of supporting and elevating new musical theatre and the artists who create it, we will take a night off to celebrate our anniversary!" said Artistic Director Donna Lynn Hilton. "I hope many will join us on May 18th as we are planning an exceptional evening, which will celebrate the rich history of The Terris and showcase some of the work being planned for future seasons." 

Goodspeed’s Managing Director David B. Byrd added, "Our growing audience has been the catalyst for everything we’ve achieved over the past 60 years. Collectively, we have launched 88 world premieres, many at our home in Chester, Conn. This year, we celebrate 40 years at our Terris Theatre, employing artists, technicians and theater-makers who will steward two world premieres for audiences of all stripes. At Goodspeed, we really do ‘Make It Here.’ We look forward to celebrating our bright future in May."
 
Tickets and tables for the Gala & Auction are available and may be purchased by contacting Sophia Voglino, Event & Corporate Relations Manager, at [email protected] or 860-615-0389, as well as online at goodspeed.org/pages/gala. Sponsorship opportunities are also available at several giving levels. For patrons who wish to support Goodspeed Musicals and are unable to attend, there are three other ways to participate: placing a Tribute ad in the Gala Program, making a monetary donation or bidding on the Silent Auction.