Tag Archives: Westport Community Theater

Sunday Matinee @ 2:00, April 11 (and 18 and 25)

Scott Brill as Dr. Mortimer, Kate Rakowski as Laura Lyons

Dr. Mortimer (Scott R. Brill), Laura Lyons (Kate Rakowski) "Well, as it happens, Dr. Watson, Laura Lyons is typing some medical reports for me at the present time. She promised to deliver them this afternoon, but I can just as easily ask her to bring them here."

Did you know that Westport Community Theatre is on Twitter? You don’t have to “Tweet” – follow along to stay up to date with all the latest news and events from WCT, including behind-the-scenes peeks at upcoming shows, staged readings and more! “The Hounds of the Baskervilles” is this month’s featured background – take a look at http://twitter.com/Westport_WCT

Praise for “The Hound of the Baskervilles, ” directed by Skip Ploss and produced by Bob Lasprogato, continues to come in; the title causes some confusion, however. One or more hound? One or more Baskerville? To “The” or not to “The”?! All the title variations are irrelevant when it comes to audience reaction this first weekend – they love the performances and love the story! Follow Off-Book this week for more insights into Sherlock Holmes and his author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Returning to the WCT stage in The Hound of the Baskervilles is Scott R. Brill in the pivotal role of Dr. Mortimer. Scott received his Masters in Theatre Directing from Emerson College in Boston where he directed Man of La Mancha, The Ruffian on the Stair, four plays by Samuel Beckett and numerous one-acts. For Westport Community Theatre, Scott directed this season’s opener, Barefoot in the Park as well as productions of Da, What the Butler Saw, ART, Vanities, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella and Rumors. Scott’s other directing credits for area theatres include: Blithe Spirit, A Grand Night for Singing (New Canaan Town Players); Our Town, Rumors, A Thurber Carnival, Steel Magnolias (Darien Players); The Sisters Rosensweig, The Real Thing (Wilton Playshop); As Bees In Honey Drown (Brookfield Playhouse); The Actor’s Nightmare, Blithe Spirit (Eastbound Theatre); GYPSY, South Pacific (Musicals at Richter) and Jeffrey, Burn This and several one-act plays (Grand Finale Production Company). As an actor, Scott’s roles include his recent critically acclaimed performance as Crumpet the Elf in The SantaLand Diaries (Playhouse on the Green), Allan Felix in Play It Again, Sam (for which he won the Square One Theatre Subscriber’s Award for Outstanding Actor); Antony Wilding in Enchanted April (New Canaan Town Players); Gonzalo in The Tempest, Hortensio in Taming of the Shrew (Putney Players); Ko-Ko in The Mikado (Musicals at Richter); Wes Hurley in Fifth of July, Lloyd Dallas in Noises Off, Jesus in Godspell (Wilton Playshop); Albert in The Secret Garden (Warner Theatre) and Prince Dauntless in Once Upon A Mattress (SHU Center for the Performing Arts). Scott is an Associate Member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, a past President of the Westport Community Theatre and currently serves as the Workshops and Education Chair on the Board of the Wilton Playshop where he recently directed a staged reading of the award-winning new musical, Greenbrier Ghost.

Scott R. Brill as Dr. Mortimer, Sam Mink as Sherlock Holmes, Raymond Stephens as Dr. Watson

"Now is the dramatic moment of fate, Watson, when you hear a footstep upon the stair which is walking into your life, and you know not whether for good or ill." Sherlock Holmes (Sam Mink), Dr. Watson (Raymond Stephens), Dr. Mortimer (Scott R. Brill)

Saturday, April 10 – “Hound” Opening Night a SUCCESS!

Audience reaction to Friday night’s opening performance of The Hound of the Baskervilles was absolutely wonderful – a success! Excellent performances and the play’s tight direction was cited by many opening night audience members; now, on with the remaining weekend performances, tonight at 8:00 PM and Sunday at 2:00 PM! Get a look at the opening night curtain call courtesy of Dave Matlow and westportnow.com:

http://www.westportnow.com/index.php?/v2/comments/27528/

And here’s coverage provided by Westport Patch:

http://westport.patch.com/articles/westport-community-theatre-brings-mystery-to-the-stage#photo-322968

The ensemble cast features an outstanding performance by Raymond Stephens as Dr. Watson. Raymond has been away from the footlights at WCT for far too long – he returns to the WCT stage after his last appearance as Charlie in The Foreigner, also directed by Skip Ploss, several years ago. Last month he was seen as Brendan in the excellent New Cannan production of The Weir. Other shows include Brutus in Julius Caesar (Darien Town Players), Inspector Gore in An Inspector Calls (Forthill Players) and Blore in And Then There Were None (Curtain Call). When not on stage, he is designing sound plots, such as the sound for Catch-22 (Curtain Call).”

The Hound of the Baskervilles

Dr. Watson (Raymond Stephens), Sherlock Holmes (Sam Mink)

The Hound of the Baskervilles

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson

Sam Mink as Sherlock Holmes, Raymond Stephens as Dr. Watson

Directed by Skip Ploss, F. Andrew Leslie’s play is adapted from the novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – perhaps the most famous and popular of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries, it is a gripping tale that deals with the curse of the Baskerville family and the fiendish killer-hound which stalks its members.

As the action begins, Sir Charles Baskerville has died under mysterious circumstances, and his nephew and heir, the young Sir Henry, has been threatened even before his arrival at Baskerville Hall. Enlisting the aid of Sherlock Holmes, he sets out for his ancestral home on the Devon moor in the company of Dr. Watson, Holmes’ trusted colleague – a journey that brings him to danger, mystery, and a menacing series of events that build with suspense. Hard-pressed to protect his charge, and to fathom the strange mishaps besetting him, Dr. Watson is relieved when Holmes himself appears…

The talented cast features Steve Benko, Scott R. Brill, Bob Filipowich, Sam Mink, Kate Rakowski, Victoria Roy, Raymond Stephens, David Victor and Debbie Zager. Produced by Bob Lasprogato, Trish Goldring is the Production Stage Manager; the production’s inventive lighting design is by Jeff Klein and the intriguing sound design is by Raymond Stephens; both are executed by Amy Louise Carter.

Tickets range from $14 to $18. Groups of 10 or more enjoy a $2 per ticket discount, and there is a special “Student Rush” discount 15 minutes prior to performances for students of all ages with a valid student identification card. For reservations, contact the Box Office at (203) 226-1983. Go to www.westportcommunitytheatre.com for directions to the theatre.