Historic Stony Creek Puppet House Reborn As The Legacy Theatre

BRANFORD, CT —A decade after the initial idea that turned into a dream that turned into a plan that turned into a reality, on Friday, the curtain will again rise in the Legacy Theatre —appropriately named as it is a gift.

Artistic director and co-founder Keely Baisden Knudsen took Patch on a tour of the historic but brand new theater she described as a "jewel box" just days before its grand opening and a decade after she first imagined the now re-imagined theater, one brought back to life during a pandemic.

The theater in Stony Creek has a rich history from its time showcasing early silent film, as home for film and stage master Orson Welles, and later, a renowned and beloved puppet theater.

Knudsen said that though the building was all but gutted and built "from the ground up, that was within the walls."

"The exterior is historic. In fact, we took pains to to take off each plank of wood from the front, restore it entirely, number it and then put it back where it was at the turn of the 20th century," she said. "The exterior is the same, the awning on the side is indicative of how it was in the 1920s and 1930s, but inside, it’s magic; a dreamy little jewel box of brand newness.”

She said that, "So many have have contributed in so many different way, from cash to in kind labor design its been a huge ensemble that’s work on this. The building itself is a work of art. The theatrical part is icing on the cake."

The theater had its first staging rehearsal last week.

Neil Simon's 'Barefoot in the Park' is the first show set for a run from April 28 to May 23. When Patch visited set and lighting designers were working on the set for the socially distanced, masked audience performance. Knudsen, who sat in the house and gave her notes, said she was moved by the experience.

“It’s kind of indescribable,” she said. “When you make theatre, it’s ephemeral. You’ve put so much work and love and labor and vision into it and then it closes, you move on. This is something where the building itself won’t close. This is a living, breathing canvas for whatever we paint on it. It’s just indescribable. And after so many years, and often so much heartache along the way, and then the wins. It’s hard to describe the feeling. The joy.”

She began her effort to bring the Legacy back to life a decade ago, almost to the day.

“Ten years ago, the first weekend in April, I came up with a business plan and pitched it for the first time to a donor,” she said. Then eight years ago, she said, “We succeeded in purchasing the building.”

It’s been a long journey with many milestones along the way.

“I had three kids when I first started. And now I have five. And they’re old,” she said with a laugh.

What to expect at The Legacy Theatre

The Legacy Theatre's inaugural season will bring play productions in spring, summer, and fall, with a rotating repertory of musicals, classics, new works, and shows for young audiences. Theater training at all levels will be offered through Legacy's Artist Teachers, members of the resident repertory company. Courses in performance technique will be available for professional actors, serious amateurs, teens, and children. Training in aspects of technical theater will also be offered, utilizing the theater's state-of-the-art facility for hands-on learning.

The 2021 season begins Friday with Broadway stage and television star Telly Leung. The show is sold out, but there will be a virtual performance available in May.

The season will be filled with plays, a Broadway performer series, theater for children on Saturdays, and series' for marginalized and under-represented communities of artists, like 'Expanded Voices: The Great 8,' a live, on-stage dramatic series of eight stories of life after incarceration.

The theatre's Family Series begins May 1 through May 29 with 'Polkadots: The Cool Kids Musical' inspired by the events of The Little Rock 9, the musical "serves as a colorful history lesson for children, reminding them that our individual differences make us awesome, not outcasts."

This summer will be filled with performances including in July, 'Carole’s Kings,' where the iconic singer-songwriter gets a brand-new sound performed by "the world’s first all-male Carole King tribute."

Learn more here.

Theater in a pandemic

As the theater was built during the pandemic, and will open while it's ongoing, the 147 seats, for now anyway, will not be filled. The first performance sold out, she said, at 46 seats with every other row is empty. She explained that both capacity — 50 percent for indoor theaters — and social distancing requirements are built into the online box office.

And, as she noted, because they were "already building when the pandemic hit, and because construction workers are essential workers, we were able to get that coveted HVAC Merv 13."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-recommended air filtration system.

The theater has also been built with inclusivity and access in mind, Knudsen said. For example, a lift was installed for access.

"It allows for those differently-abled to be able to wheel themselves into the tech booth and run a show," she said.

With thoughtful design "by theater majors," she said, attention to detail and historic preservation, and with the health and safety of both the thespians and theater-goers a priority, the Legacy will open its doors and live theater in Stony Creek will live again.

"We're going to make the magic happen."

Read more >> Branford's Legacy Theatre Springs Ahead With April Debut Season