Westport Country Playhouse will present a community engagement initiative, “The Individual & American Society: Celebrating Arthur Miller at One Hundred,” through October 26. The series of events, many of which are free-of-charge, will run concurrently with the Playhouse’s production of Miller’s “Broken Glass”, directed by Mark Lamos. The Tony Award-nominated play takes place at the time of Kristallnacht, The Night of Broken Glass, in Nazi Germany, as a Brooklyn Jewish couple’s marriage begins to shatter.
"Given Miller's deep roots in Connecticut, this has been an especially gratifying series of events to put together, particularly because so many people knew him, were touched by his work, or believed in his causes as an artist and a citizen,” said David Kennedy, Playhouse associate artistic director. “And I've been amazed by the overwhelming response of our community partners, old and new, to the prospect of celebrating this important, vital, and ultimately inspiring giant of the American theater."
“The Individual & American Society: Celebrating Arthur Miller at One Hundred” will explore Miller’s life and the multi-faceted themes of his works. Programming will include speakers, discussions, workshops, films, family events and a month-long lobby exhibit, as well as events off-campus. The enrichment programs are designed to deepen the audience’s experience of the play.
A complete calendar of community engagement events, with details, dates, times and locations, is available online at westportplayhouse.org, or a special brochure may be requested by calling the Playhouse box office at 203-227-4177.
Event highlights include speaking engagements by Arthur Miller scholars Susan Abbotson, author of “The Critical Companion to Arthur Miller” and “The Student Companion to Arthur Miller”, and Stephen Marino, founding editor of “The Arthur Miller Journal”, on Sunday October 11, following the 3 p.m. performance of “Broken Glass”; Rita B. Gabis, author of “A Guest at the Shooter’s Banquet”, on Tuesday, October 13, noon, at Westport Library; World War II child survivor Aleena Rieger, author of “I Didn’t Tell Them Anything,” on Wednesday, October 14, 6:30 p.m., in WCP’s Sheffer Studio; and J.J. Goldberg, editor-at-large of “The Forward”, on Sunday, October 18, following the 3 p.m. performance.
Film screenings of Miller’s works, followed by talkbacks, will include “Focus”, starring William H. Macy and Laura Dern, on Saturday, October 3, at 7:30 p.m., at Unitarian Church in Westport; and “The Crucible”, starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Joan Allen and Paul Scofield, on Monday, October 5, 7 p.m., in WCP’s Sheffer Studio.
Arthur Miller’s 100th birthday on Saturday, October 17 will be celebrated with refreshments in the WCP lobby prior to the 3 p.m. performance of “Broken Glass”.
The Norwalk Library will host a book discussion group around Miller’s 1945 novel “Focus”, on Thursday, September 24, at noon; and Norwalk Community College will present a student/faculty forum celebrating Miller on Thursday, October 1, at 2:30 p.m.
This year marks the sixth consecutive year that the Playhouse has undertaken an enhanced programming initiative surrounding one of its productions. This year’s community partners for “The Individual & American Society: Celebrating Arthur Miller at One Hundred” are The Arthur Miller Society, Barnes & Noble of Westport, Carver Center of Norwalk, Federation for Jewish Philanthropy of Upper Fairfield County, Housatonic Community College, Norwalk Community College, Norwalk Public Library, Team Westport, Unitarian Church in Westport, Westport Cinema Initiative,and Westport Library. Sponsors of the initiative are Connecticut Humanities, GE Capital, Graham Foundation of Connecticut, NEA Arts Work and National Endowment for the Arts.