All stories by Christopher Arnott on BroadwayStars

Saturday, February 8, 2025

Catch a piece of Americana this week in CT with everything from bluegrass to Kelsea Ballerini by Christopher Arnott

The Courant's arts picks for Feb. 9-15 include bluegrass bands, country star Kelsea Ballerini and singer/songwriter Eric Bellinger.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM
Friday, February 7, 2025

Lauded film based in Hartford and directed by CT native wins award at Sundance Film Festival by Christopher Arnott

"Ricky," the first feature film by Hartford native Rashad Frett, won a directing award at the Sundance Festival in Utah and earned rave reviews from film critics.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 08:52AM
Thursday, February 6, 2025

Theater review: New look ‘Peter Pan’ a high-flying, family-oriented delight at The Bushnell by Christopher Arnott

A new tour of the 1954 musical "Peter Pan" has a modern sensibility, a stronger ensemble feel and grander spectacle but retains the show's classic feel.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM
Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Theater review: Hartford Stage gives August Wilson’s ‘Two Trains Running’ a warm, friendly feel by Christopher Arnott

The intriguing new production of August Wilson's "Two Trains Running," at Hartford Stage through Feb., 16, offers a more optimistic and community-oriented feel.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 09:04AM
Monday, February 3, 2025

Willie Nelson’s Outlaw Music Festival is returning to CT featuring Bob Dylan and Sheryl Crow by Christopher Arnott

Willie Nelson's Outlaw Music Festival will be at Hartford's Xfinity Theatre in September with Willie Nelson & Friends, Bob Dylan, Sheryl Crow, Waxahatchee and Madeline Edwards.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 03:52PM

HartBeat Ensemble takes the lead as CT theaters pay tribute to Black History Month by Christopher Arnott

Connecticut theaters are presenting works by or about Black writers including August Wilson, Steve Carter and James Baldwin during Black History Month.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM
Sunday, February 2, 2025

‘Peter Pan’ musical gets a modern rethinking for new national tour coming to The Bushnell by Christopher Arnott

The new version of the 70-year-old musical "Peter Pan," at The Bushnell Feb. 4-9, is set in modern times with care taken to discourage outdated stereotypes.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM

Exhibit featuring centuries worth of European drawings draws attention at CT museum by Christopher Arnott

"Paper, Color, Line" is on display through April 27 at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in Hartford, features over a thousand European works that span more than 500 years.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM
Saturday, February 1, 2025

This week in CT arts features everything from comedy duos to chamber music by Christopher Arnott

The Courant's arts picks for Feb. 2-8 includes an immigration-themed concert, country crooners and a side of comic relief.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM
Thursday, January 30, 2025

A musical about a notorious CT serial killer? How you can catch the final performances this weekend by Christopher Arnott

The Podium Players are producing a staged reading of "Amy's House," about a woman who poisoned dozens of residents at her nursing home between 1907 and 1916.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM
Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Remembering Jacques Cartier who set Hartford Stage up to becoming a top regional theater in U.S. by Christopher Arnott

Jacques Cartier, who made the dream of bringing a professional theater company to Hartford come true in 1963, died recently at 94.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM
Monday, January 27, 2025

Theater review: Yale Rep delivers a high-end, expansive revival of ‘Eden,’ a Black theater classic by Christopher Arnott

"Eden," Steve Carter's melodrama about clashes between two Black families in 1927 New York, gets a deluxe revival at Yale Repertory Theatre through Feb. 8.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 10:19AM
Sunday, January 26, 2025

TheaterWorks Hartford’s ‘King James’ offers a courtside view of friendship and LeBron fandom by Christopher Arnott

Rajiv Joseph's "King James," about a couple of Cleveland fans of LeBron James, is at TheaterWorks Hartford Jan. 30 through March 2.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM

Timeless stop/time dance troupe takes its final bow with farewell show at Playhouse on Park by Christopher Arnott

West Hartford's stop/time troupe is celebrating its 22-year history with its final show, "OUR SHOW: The stop/time Story," Jan. 29 through Feb. 9 at Playhouse on Park.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM
Saturday, January 25, 2025

Drive-By Truckers, Jim Belushi and a spate of tribute bands on deck this week in CT arts by Christopher Arnott

The Courant's arts picks for Jan. 26 through Feb. 2 include an additional spate of tribute bands and a range of original acts such as Ollabelle, American Football and Drive-By Truckers.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM
Friday, January 24, 2025

Theater review: Pa’lante Theater christens new home with ‘World Classic’ performance by Christopher Arnott

Judging from the first play in Pa’lante's new space in Waterbury, it is clear that the Afro-Latine company is a magnet for local theater talent.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM

Hartford Film Showcase at Real Art Ways celebrates local filmmaking achievements by Christopher Arnott

The Hartford Film Showcase at Real Art Ways on Feb. 1 will screen eight shorts and three features, all made in Hartford and released in the last year or so.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM
Thursday, January 23, 2025

From ‘Wicked’ to Edward Norton, 2025 Oscar nominees have a familiar feel in CT by Christopher Arnott

The 2025 Oscar nominations included several actors who attended Yale, including Edward Norton and Jeremy Strong, as well as those who appeared in stage shows in Connecticut.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 11:40AM
Sunday, January 19, 2025

August Wilson’s ‘Two Trains Running’ comes to Hartford Stage 35 years after CT premiere by Christopher Arnott

The Hartford Stage production, part of August Wilson's Century Cycle, is directed by Gilbert McCauley and will run Jan. 23 through Feb. 16.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM

Iconic musical ‘Annie’ back in the state where it all began, this time at the Oakdale Theatre by Christopher Arnott

The current national tour of "Annie," a musical which had its world premiere in Connecticut nearly 50 years ago, is coming to the Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford Jan. 25 and 26.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM
Saturday, January 18, 2025

This week in CT arts brings the funny and reaches into the soul by Christopher Arnott

The Courant's arts picks for Jan. 19-25 includes comedians Ms. Pat, Orlando Baxter and Ali Siddiq and a range of music acts from the Isley Brothers to G. Love & Special Sauce.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM
Thursday, January 16, 2025

Famed actor Ryan Reynolds, director Shawn Levy to speak at Yale in February by Christopher Arnott

Actor Ryan Reynolds and his frequent filmmaking partner director/writer/producer Shawn Levy will speak at Yale on Feb. 26 in an event open to the public.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 05:57PM
Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Do you have what it takes to be CT’s next state troubadour or poet? Here’s how to earn the title. by Christopher Arnott

The nomination process is now open to find Connecticut's 19th State Troubadour and ninth State Poet Laureate.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 10:36AM
Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Festival of New Musicals features new-look ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ boy bands and a dysfunctional family by Christopher Arnott

The 2025 Goodspeed Festival of New Musicals offers musicals-in-progress, cabaret performances, panel discussions and more at Terris Theatre.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM
Monday, January 13, 2025

Grammy-nominated vocalist Shemekia Copeland brings her electrifying blues to Infinity Music Hall by Christopher Arnott

The extraordinary blues singer Shemekia Copeland and her powerful band are at Infinity Music Hall in Hartford on Jan. 17.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 08:55AM

Afro Latino Film Festival expands to five nights and two CT cities by Christopher Arnott

The second annual Afro Latino Film Festival, organized by the Pa'lante Theatre, offers around 40 films, most of them shorts, spread over five nights.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 05:45AM
Sunday, January 12, 2025

Winter theater in CT offers a range of shows from big musicals to insightful intimate dramas by Christopher Arnott

Autumn used to be the main thrust of the Connecticut theater season, but winter is now the core of it. Here's what to watch for.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM

The ‘dustbuster’ debate is back, inspiring current exhibit at Wadsworth Atheneum and Museum by Christopher Arnott

An installation by Alan Ruiz at the MATRIX gallery recalls a memorable time in the museum's history when there was a considerable debate over a renovation.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM
Saturday, January 11, 2025

Shake off the winter blues in CT with rockers, R&B stars, punk legends and hardcore acts by Christopher Arnott

The Courant's arts picks for Jan. 12-18 include a concert by three legendary guitarists, Billy Joel's backup band and a night of music, art and spoken word in Bristol.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM
Friday, January 10, 2025

CT community theater institution ending 35-year run following death of co-founder by Christopher Arnott

Square One Theatre Company, a community-based theater in Stratford, will be ending its 35-year run.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM
Sunday, January 5, 2025

Opus’ annual metal-happy Blizzard B-Day Bash morphing into week-long, multi-state tour by Christopher Arnott

This year, Opus' Blizzard Bash metal festival has extended into a multi-state tour featuring Dead by Wednesday and California metal band Skinlab.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM

All that Chat

2024-2025 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 05, 2024: Home - Todd Haimes Theatre
Jul 11, 2024: Oh, Mary! - Lyceum Theatre
Jul 30, 2024: Job - Hayes Theater
Sep 12, 2024: The Roommate - Booth Theatre
Nov 14, 2024: Tammy Faye - Palace Theatre
Nov 17, 2024: Elf - Marquis Theatre
Dec 12, 2024: Cult of Love - Hayes Theater
Dec 19, 2024: Gypsy - Majestic Theatre
Mar 17, 2025: Purpose - Hayes Theater
Apr 10, 2025: Smash - Imperial Theatre
TBA: Titanic
TBA: Ragtime