TheaterWorks Hartford Awarded Grant From CT Humanities

TheaterWorks Hartford, under the direction of Artistic Director Rob Ruggiero and Managing Director Jeff Griffin, has been awarded a grant from CT Humanities to support their TWtalks Series during the World Premiere Production of CIRCUS FIRE.

The Hartford Circus Fire: A Tragedy that Reshaped the Law is scheduled for Saturday, April 25 at 11am at Hartford Public Library in the Center for Contemporary Culture. Judge Henry S. Cohn, author of the definitive work on tort law: “The Great Hartford Circus Fire: Creative Resolution of Mass Disasters,” will lead a discussion on the legal aftermath of the Hartford Circus Fire and how it influenced the concept of “mass torts.” The conversation will be moderated by Debora Schandler, Connecticut State Librarian. The state library houses the largest collection of Hartford Circus Fire memorabilia.

This event is free with the support from CT Humanities - RSVP required. If you require special accommodations to take part in this program, please call (860)695-6320 at least two weeks in advance. The Hartford Public Library is located at 500 Main St. Hartford, CT 06103.

In July of 1944, with the nation at war and a heat wave settling over the city, the residents of Hartford, Connecticut eagerly await the arrival of “The Greatest Show on Earth.” The unthinkable occurs when a fire turns the big top into an inferno. In the minutes, hours and days following the blaze, two communities – Hartford and the Circus – find themselves irretrievably intertwined by tragedy, blame, heroism, and healing. This multimedia World Premiere honors the power of community in TheaterWorks Hartford's 40th Season.