Ivoryton Playhouse Announces End To Capital Campaign

While Ivoryton Playhouse’s production of 1776 moves audiences inside the historic theatre, excavators and dump trucks are at work across the street, bringing the Playhouse’s next act into view. Ivoryton Playhouse has announced that it has exceeded the $1.5 million goal for Act II: A New Creative Space, a capital campaign focused on the long-term sustainability of the historic theatre and its role as a cultural and economic anchor for the Shoreline region.

Launched earlier this year, the campaign includes a generous grant from the State of Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, as well as extraordinary support from donors, neighbors, local businesses, community partners, and Playhouse patrons. Ivoryton Playhouse extends special gratitude to Campaign Chair Sally Mayer, whose leadership helped guide the campaign to this milestone, and to the many lead donors, trustees, and committee members whose hard work and generosity made Act II possible. Their names can be found on the Playhouse website at ivorytonplayhouse.org.

Mayer credited the campaign’s extraordinary achievement to the generosity of the community and the sustained work of the campaign committee, saying, “Thanks to the many generous and loyal community donors and two years of hard work by the Act II: A New Creative Space Campaign Committee, I am pleased to announce that we have surpassed our original $1.5M goal and have raised $2,057.615 for this Capital Campaign, which is record-breaking and the largest in Playhouse history. This includes $500K in planned giving for the Endowment Fund, $350K in State grants, and $1,207,615 from donors in the community. We look forward to a gratitude celebration soon at the completion of the new Rehearsal Studio.”

At the heart of the campaign is the new Sally and George Mayer Rehearsal Studio, now under construction across from the Playhouse following completion of the required local review process, including approval from the Wetlands Commission and issuance of the building permit. Designed with dimensions that closely simulate the Playhouse stage, the new rehearsal space will allow directors, actors, designers, and production teams to work with greater precision and efficiency before moving each production into the theatre.

The new building will also include a dedicated storage area for props, scenic elements, furniture, and production materials. This added infrastructure will help streamline the Playhouse’s production process, reduce the distance actors and production elements must travel, and support a more sustainable producing model for years to come.

For more than a decade, Ivoryton Playhouse has rehearsed its plays and musicals at the Centerbrook Meeting House. The completion of the new rehearsal studio will allow the Playhouse to return access to that cherished space to the local community, while strengthening its own ability to produce professional regional theatre in Ivoryton.

“Our work happens on a remarkably fast timeline,” said Ben Hope, Executive Producer of Ivoryton Playhouse. “From the first rehearsal of a production to opening night, we often have just 17 days. This new space gives our artists and production teams the room, tools, and efficiency they need to keep creating at the highest level. It is an investment not only in a building, but in the future of how theatre is made here.”

In addition to the new rehearsal and storage facility, Act II: A New Creative Space also supports major improvements to the historic Playhouse itself, including a new ADA ramp, a significant overhaul of sound equipment, and essential stage lighting upgrades. Together, these projects improve accessibility, enhance the audience experience, and strengthen the theatre’s infrastructure for future generations.

The success of the campaign reflects the broad community commitment behind Ivoryton Playhouse and the belief that cultural institutions play a vital role in small towns. According to the Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 study for the Shoreline and River Valley Region, nonprofit arts and culture organizations and their audiences generated more than $62 million in total industry expenditures and supported more than 1,000 jobs in FY2022. The study also found that audiences recognize the deep civic value of cultural spaces, with 86.7% of surveyed attendees saying they would feel a great sense of loss if the activity or venue they attended were no longer available. For Ivoryton Playhouse, Act II is an investment not only in production infrastructure, but in the cultural and economic vitality of the community it serves. 

“This campaign has always been about long-term sustainability,” said Jacqueline Hubbard, Executive Artistic Director of Ivoryton Playhouse. “It is about making sure Ivoryton Playhouse can continue to create accessible, professional theatre right here in our community for generations to come. We are deeply grateful to everyone whose generosity and belief in the Playhouse helped bring this vision to life.”

As Ivoryton Playhouse looks toward its 2027 season and beyond, the campaign marks a defining step forward for the organization and for the community that has sustained it for nearly a century.

More on Ivoryton Playhouse

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1776

6/25 - 7/26/2026

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8/6 - 9/6/2026

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