Clay Zambo News

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On Saturday, December 9th, at 2:00 PM, I had the pleasure of attending my favorite annual theatrical tradition, A CHRISTMAS CAROL EXPERIENCE, as performed by Fairfield Center Stage, at Burr Mansion in Fairfield, CT.  In my youth, I have appeared in three stage productions of A Christmas Carol.  I have seen numerous movie versions, whether animated or otherwise.  I have also seen it on stage.  Fairfield Center Stage, however, has found a brilliantly unique new way of presenting this timeless classic story, while staying true to the original.  In A CHRISTMAS CAROL EXPERIENCE, the audience moves from location to location inside and outside of Burr Mansion, following Ebenezer Scrooge and the other characters from scene to scene.  I am convinced that the absolute best live performance of this timeless story that has impacted generations, internationally, is this one annually performed by Fairfield Center Stage.  This is a wonderful experience all-around!  The direction of Kevin Pelkey, choreography of Lindsay Johnson, songwriting and musical direction of Clay Zambo, and stellar performances by this spectacular ensemble cast all combine to bring life to this phenomenal adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic, adapted by artistic director Christy-McIntosh Newsom.

On Saturday, November 11th, I had the pleasure of seeing ELF, the musical, performed by Fairfield Center Stage, at Wakeman Hall inside First Congregational Church of Fairfield. With book by Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin and music by Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin, this musical is based on the 2003 movie. Director Marcelle Morrisey, musical director Clay Zambo, and choreographers Emily Frangipane & Kelsey Kaminski combine their talents to bring out the best in this phenomenal ensemble cast. The music is of the traditional show-tunes genre, a rarity in more recently written musicals.

Community theater group Fairfield Center Stage (FCS) will present the musical comedy ELF, based on the hit movie starring Will Ferrell, in downtown Fairfield, CT. The show runs for two weekends, Nov 10-19, 2023 at Wakeman Hall inside First Church Congregational of Fairfield at 148 Beach Rd.

Fairfield Center Stage, a community theater group, will produce the Tenth annual 'Playathon', a presentation of new 10-minute plays to be written, cast, rehearsed and performed in the course of a 26-hour timespan.

​Fairfield Center Stage will present the classic musical comedy GUYS & DOLLS in downtown Fairfield, CT. The show runs for two weekends, May 12-21, 2023 at Wakeman Hall inside First Church Congregational of Fairfield.

The latest standings as of Monday, December 19th, have been released for the 2022 BroadwayWorld Connecticut Awards! Nominations were reader-submitted and now our readers get to vote for their favorites.

The latest standings as of Monday, December 12th, have been released for the 2022 BroadwayWorld Connecticut Awards! Nominations were reader-submitted and now our readers get to vote for their favorites.

On Saturday, December 10, at 8:00 PM, I had the pleasure of seeing one of my absolute favorite annual shows, A CHRISTMAS CAROL EXPERIENCE, as put on by Fairfield Center Stage. This annual production is easily the show that I talk up the most frequently during the year, every year. I am also excited that it has returned to the Burr Mansion, where it originally was performed, and where I feel it fits the best! Fairfield Center Stage has successfully repeated the groundbreaking excellence that I experienced for the first time back on December 22 of 2018.  This is a show I have subsequently enjoyed every year since then!

The latest standings as of Monday, December 5th, have been released for the 2022 BroadwayWorld Connecticut Awards! Nominations were reader-submitted and now our readers get to vote for their favorites.

The first live standings have been announced for the 2022 BroadwayWorld Connecticut Awards! Nominations were reader-submitted and now our readers get to vote for their favorites.

On Wednesday, December 15, I had the pleasure of seeing one of my absolute favorite annual shows, A CHRISTMAS CAROL EXPERIENCE, as put on by Fairfield Center Stage.  This annual production is easily the show that I talk up the most frequently during the year, every year.  While in the past, it has been at the Burr Mansion, and was virtually performed last year, this year, it is at a new venue, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, which Fairfield Center Stage has also made perfectly fit this show!  Fairfield Center Stage has successfully repeated the groundbreaking excellence that I experienced for the first time back on December 22 of 2018, and have subsequently enjoyed every year since then! 

Winners of the prestigious international Search for New Musicals for 2021 were announced today at New Musicals Inc. in Los Angeles.

On Friday, October 15, I had the pleasure of seeing yet another phenomenal production by Fairfield Center Stage, an innovative theatre company that continues to go that extra mile to bring the audience fresh new experiences with familiar shows that Fairfield Center Stage brings to life in positive ways that the audience has never seen before.  Here we go, again, with MAMMA MIA!, which is written by Catherine Johnson, based on the Swedish group Abba’s songs that were written by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus.  Performed outdoors on the back lawn of the Scandinavian Club, in Fairfield, CT, the venue fits the show perfectly!  With the help of the strong skills of choreographer Kelsey Kaminski, executive producer Eli Newsom and artistic director Christy McIntosh-Newsom bring out the best in this outstanding cast of talented actors and actresses who have tremendous stage chemistry with each other.  The cast members all shine forth with positive energy that radiates outwards through the audience, creating a positive vibe that enhances the audience’s enjoyment of this production, seeing how much the performers are clearly enjoying their roles.

On Thursday, June 24, I thoroughly enjoyed Rogers and Hammerstein’s THE SOUND OF MUSIC, performed by Fairfield Center Stage, under the open summer skies on a beautiful Fairfield evening, at Fairfield Museum Commons.  I always look forward to Fairfield Center Stage productions, because they take innovative and creative risks that always manage to pay off for them!  They consistently provide a unique set that is perfectly suited to whatever show they are performing, giving the audience a true experience that goes beyond merely showing us the setting; it draws us right into it, as if we are there!  In this case, the hills are truly alive, because we, as the audience, sit on the outdoor land upon which Maria sings “The Sound of Music,” while making her entrance, through the audience.  Betzabeth Castro is phenomenal in the role of Maria, right from the start, showing true enjoyment in her singing, truly selling every note, and every line, with a powerful singing voice and stage presence. 

Fairfield Center Stage (FCS), an environmental community theater group, along with partner Fairfield Museum & History Center, will present an outdoor musical production of THE SOUND OF MUSIC in downtown Fairfield this June. The show runs for five performances over one weekend only: June 24-27, 2021 at Fairfield Museum Commons at 370 Beach Rd behind Old Town Hall.

Fairfield Center Stage along with partner Fairfield Museum & History Center will present an outdoor musical production of THE SOUND OF MUSIC in downtown Fairfield this June. The show runs one weekend only: June 24-26, 2021 at Fairfield Museum Commons at 370 Beach Rd behind Old Town Hall.

As the first offering of its brand-new winter season, Northern Sky Theater is pleased to announce The New Year with Northern Sky, a collection of videos of original songs by Northern Sky artists in honor of the New Year, presented virtually over YouTube.  

Fairfield Center Stage, a community theater group, begins its second season of the online variety show, FAIRFIELD CENTER COUCH, with a holiday variety special, FAIRFIELD CENTER COUCH HOLIDAY EXTRAVAGANZA! This performance will be broadcast on Facebook Live and also be made available on YouTube after the performance.

Fairfield Center Stage, a community theater group, resumes its postponed 2020/21 season with A Quarantine Christmas Carol Experience, December 19-20. The show will be live streamed on YouTube, and will also remain available for purchase after the live performances.