Westport Country Playhouse Hosts A Writing Contest for The Greatest Gift 12/13

In association with Westport Country Playhouse's Script in Hand reading of a new play with music, "The Greatest Gift," on Monday, December 13, at 7 p.m., students are invited to participate in a writing contest on the theme, "What Is the Greatest Gift in Your Life?" The contest is open to students enrolled in public, private, home and parochial schools in Fairfield County, grades three through eight.

Entries, limited to 100 words or less, must be received by Friday, December 3, via regular mail at "The Greatest Gift" Writing Contest, Westport Country Playhouse, 25 Powers Court, Westport, CT 06880, or via email at contests@westportplayhouse.org. Each entry must include: name, parent/guardian's name, age, grade, school, telephone number and parent/guardian's email address.

Winners will receive tickets to "The Princess and the Pea" at Westport Country Playhouse on Sunday, January 16 and/or gift certificates to Barnes & Noble. A selection of winning entries will be published in a Hearst Media Services publication. They also will be displayed in The Playhouse lobby for the Script in Hand playreading of "The Greatest Gift" on Monday, December 13, at 7 p.m., when all winners will be recognized prior to the performance.

The panel of judges includes David Wiltse, "The Greatest Gift" playwright; Ann Sheffer, Playhouse board of trustees member; and Joe Meyers, entertainment writer, Hearst Media Services.

"The Greatest Gift," a Script in Hand playreading, is a charming new holiday play with music for the whole family. When little Emma bumps her head, she enters a fantastical dream world where she and her parents discover that love means more than material things. Book and lyrics are by David Wiltse; music is by Denis King. Mark Shanahan will direct. Tickets are $15.

Script in Hand playreading series sponsors are Michele and Marc Flaster. "The Greatest Gift" board of trustees production partners are Darlene Krenz, Ann Sheffer and Bill Scheffler. The Script in Hand playreading series is supported, in part, by the White Barn Program of the Lucille Lortel Foundation and Newman's Own Foundation.

Hearst Media Services is sponsor for the 2010 holiday special events series. In addition to "The Greatest Gift" on Monday, December 13, other December events include "The Nutcracker," a holiday ballet presented by Ballet Etudes, on Saturday and Sunday, December 4 and 5; "Seasons" with Tracie Thoms, a concert, on Friday, December 10; "The Clowns and Mr. Beckett," an evening with Bill Irwin and Doug Skinner, on Saturday, December 11; "Season's Greetings," a family festivities afternoon, on Sunday, December 12; and The Broadway Boys, a holiday concert Broadway style, on Saturday and Sunday, December 18 and 19.

About The Playhouse
Westport Country Playhouse, a not-for-profit theater, serves as a treasured home for the performing arts and is a cultural landmark for Connecticut. Under the artistic direction of Mark Lamos and management direction of Michael Ross, The Playhouse creates quality productions of new and classic plays that enlighten, enrich and engage a diverse community of theater lovers, artists and students. The Playhouse's rich history dates back to 1931, when New York theater producer Lawrence Langner created a Broadway-quality stage within an 1830s tannery. The Playhouse quickly became an established stop on the New England "straw hat circuit" of summer stock theaters. Now celebrating its 80th season, Westport Country Playhouse has produced more than 700 plays, 36 of which later transferred to Broadway, most recently the world premiere of "Thurgood" and a revival of Thornton Wilder's "Our Town" with Paul Newman, and in earlier years "Come Back, Little Sheba" with Shirley Booth, "The Trip to Bountiful" with Lillian Gish, and "Butterflies Are Free" with Keir Dullea and Blythe Danner. For its artistic excellence, The Playhouse received a 2005 Governor's Arts Award and a 2000 "Connecticut Treasure" recognition. It was also designated as an Official Project of Save America's Treasures by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and is entered on the Connecticut State Register of Historic Places. Following a multi-million dollar renovation completed in 2005, The Playhouse transformed into a year-round, state-of-the-art producing theater, which has preserved its original charm and character. In addition to a full season of theatrical productions, The Playhouse serves as a community resource, presenting educational programming and workshops; a children's theater series; symposiums; music; films; and readings.

Westport Country Playhouse's five-play 2011 season: "Beyond Therapy," a wicked, and wickedly funny, look at the days and nights of the young and single, written by comic master Christopher Durang and directed by Tony Award winner John Rando, April 26 - May 14; "The Circle," the scintillating comedy of manners, written by W. Somerset Maugham and directed by Nicholas Martin, June 7 - June 25; "Lips Together, Teeth Apart," a perceptive comedy about people struggling against their limitations, written by Terrence McNally and directed by Mark Lamos, Playhouse artistic director, July 12 - July 30; "Suddenly Last Summer," the poetic, sensual and evocative drama, written by Tennessee Williams and directed by David Kennedy, Playhouse associate artistic director, August 23 - September 10; and "Twelfth Night, or What You Will," the beguiling comedy/romance, written by William Shakespeare and directed by Mark Lamos, October 11 - October 29.

For more information about the contest or ticket purchases, call the box office at (203) 227-4177, or toll-free at 1-888-927-7529, or visit 25 Powers Court, off Route 1, Westport. Tickets may be purchased online at www.westportplayhouse.org. Stay connected to The Playhouse on Facebook (Westport Country Playhouse) and/or follow on Twitter (@WCPlayhouse).