Ivory Playhouse Announces Its 100th Anniversary Gala, 5/28

The Ivoryton Playhouse will celebrate its 100th anniversary Saturday with a gala at the Essex location. On Sunday the town will continue the celebration with live music, performances and family events such as mask-making, story-telling and buggy rides.

The Playhouse at 102 Main St in the Ivoryton section of Essex was built originally as a recreation hall for the workers of the Comstock-Cheney Factory.

Later the 300-seat Playhouse also featured traveling vaueville shows and silent films. The Playhouse came into its own as an on-going summer theater under the directorn of Milton Stiefel  and saw such actors as Katherine Hepburn, Helen Hayes, Tallulah Bankhead, Berty Grable, Marlon Brando, Groucho Marz, Paul Robeson, Ezio Pinza and Don Ameche on its boards. (Many autographed pictures of these stars are featured in The Playhouse.)

It is now a year-round, not-for-profit theater, run by artistic director Jacqui Hubbard. "Barefoot in the Park" runs June 8 to 26, followed by the musical "The Producers" July 6 to 31. "Ring of Fire: The Johnny Cash Musical" plays Aug. 10 to Sept. 4, followed by "The Marvelous Wondrettes" on Sept. 28 to Oct. 16. "The Women in Black" ends the 2011 season Nov. 2 to 20.

For more information, call: (860) 767-9520 or visit:  http://www.ivorytonplayhouse.org.