TheaterWorks Hartford Moves CIRCUS FIRE to New Venue in Downtown Hartford
The production was conceived by Lamarre, Mezzocchi, and Rob Ruggiero.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Jan. 30, 2026
TheaterWorks Hartford, under the direction of Artistic Director Rob Ruggiero and Managing Director Jeff Griffin, announces its upcoming World Premiere production of Circus Fire will be performed off-site at the historic First Company Governor’s Foot Guard in downtown Hartford.
The production will run from April 16 – May 17, 2026. Circus Fire is written by local playwright Jacques Lamarre (TheaterWorks Hartford’s Christmas on the Rocks, I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti), directed by Jared Mezzocchi (TheaterWorks Hartford’s Sandra), and conceived by Lamarre, Mezzocchi, and Rob Ruggiero. The off-site move aligns with the play’s themes around remembrance and Hartford-centric history. It also offers an exciting canvas of space for the multimedia components, as well as the opportunity to perform the piece in the round.
The First Company Governor’s Foot Guard was created in 1771 and is the oldest continuously serving military organization in the United States with an unbroken lineage. The organization was created to serve and protect the governor during travel between New Haven and Hartford. Today, the Governor’s Foot Guard provides escort to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and various dignitaries throughout the state of Connecticut. The First Company Governor’s Foot Guard is located at 159 High Street in Hartford, Connecticut. For more information, please visit their website.
The decision to produce Circus Fire at this venue reflects TheaterWorks Hartford’s ongoing commitment to engaging with the City of Hartford. By collaborating with the First Company Governor’s Foot Guard, TheaterWorks aims to create a theatrical, multimedia experience that honors the history and remembrance of the tragedy for the City of Hartford. The 12-person cast — including two Hartt students — will be comprised entirely of Connecticut- and Hartford-based artists, to be announced at a later date.
About Circus Fire
It’s July 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.
Performances of Circus Fire are Tuesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. Tickets and more information can be found at twhartford.org.
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