Ivoryton Playhouse To Present TEA AT FIVE Celebrating Local Legend Katharine Hepburn

The second production in Ivoryton Playhouse's 2025 season offers audiences an up-close look at a Hollywood icon with deep local roots. Tea at Five, a compelling solo show about the life of Katharine Hepburn, begins previews on May 15th and opens May 16th, running through June 8th.

Before Hepburn was a household name and record-breaking Oscar winner, she was a bold young talent performing in places like Ivoryton Playhouse—just miles from the Fenwick home where she later spent her most private days. In Tea at Five, audiences are invited into that very sunroom to witness Hepburn reflect on her life, career, and legacy.

This intimate production paints a vivid portrait of a woman who defied Hollywood norms, championed independence, and stayed true to herself through triumph and heartbreak. Equal parts sharp, moving, and charming, Tea at Five is a chance to revisit one of America's most legendary women through a distinctly local lens.

Taking on the role is returning favorite Carlyn Connolly, an NYC-based performer who wowed Ivoryton audiences in The Great Gatsby (2022) and Cabaret (2019). Connolly is also a classically trained vocalist, accomplished entrepreneur, and founding member of the musical trio Always Andrews: A Tribute to the Andrews Sisters. She brings both strength and nuance to the role, capturing Hepburn's essence with uncanny authenticity.

“Staging this show here—where Hepburn herself once performed—feels incredibly meaningful,” says Jacqueline Hubbard, Ivoryton's Executive Director and the director of Tea at Five. “It's a thrilling glimpse into some of the history of our community.”