Arts and culture in Stamford, Connecticut

Avon Theatre on Bedford Street

Arts and culture in Stamford, Connecticut Stamford, Connecticut.

Theater

Stamford Theatre, about 1919

Starting in the 1870s a theater operated from the third floor of the old Town Hall until the building was burned down in 1904. Edwin Booth, a Cos Cob, Connecticut resident, is said to have acted in that theater. The nearby Grand Opera House, which stood on the site of the Palace Theatre, also burned down.

The Alhambra Theatre on the present Washington Boulevard, later sprang up and was running as early as 1909. It provided "High Class Vaudeville" without swearing or dirty jokes. In 1914, Emily Wakeman Hartley founded the Stamford Theatre at the corner of what is now Atlantic Street and Tresser Boulevard, where the Rich Forum stands today. Wakeman became manager of the theater, which hosted many famous performers of the day, often before their fame crested. In 1924, Humphrey Bogart trod the boards in a supporting role of a comedy, Fool's Gold. In 1927, Bela Lugosi starred in Dracula: The Vampire Play four years before he played the same role on film. George Gershwin's first Broadway show, La La Lucille played in the theater in 1919, and in 1921, the Al Jolson-produced play, Lei Aloha opened at the theater, six years before Jolson created a sensation with his role in the movie The Jazz Singer. In 1928, the theater advertised a Sunday performance of the "World's Greatest Pianist", Sergei Rachmaninoff, calling him simply "Rachmaninoff".[1]

Current theater venues

Movie houses

Music

Distinctive Architecture

VICTOR BISHARAT'S BUILDINGS

Many of the most distinctive buildings in Stamford were designed by the late Victor Bisharat, a Jordanian who received his education at the American University in Beirut, Lebanon and at the University of California at Berkeley. His Stamford buildings were designed for F.D. Rich Co.[4] (See also Downtown Stamford.)

Science and nature

In the 20th century, particularly after World War II, educational and cultural institutions were founded in the city or expanded in a range of areas.

The nature center's farm includes llamas, pigs and sheep. In early 2007, more than seven lambs were born at the farm, as well as some piglets. The sheep are mixtures of Jacob, Dorset and Black Welsh Mountain sheep breeds.[5]

Visual arts

Stamford has many opportunities to see wonderful pieces of art by both local artists as well as national and international ones.

Examples of two of the painted electrical boxes.

Footnotes

  1. Parry, Wynne, "Vaudeville and Beyond: Before the heyday of movies and television, stages offered a cavalcade of acts", article, The Advocate of Stamford, Connecticut, December 24, 2007, pp 1, A4, Norwalk and Stamford editions
  2. Dunlap, David W., "Stamford Reinvents Its Downtown Once Again" New York Times, January 5, 1997
  3. Fenwick, Alexandria, "Centennial Milestone: St. Mary Roman Catholic Church marks 100 years of faith, tradition, fond memories," article in The Advocate of Stamford, Saturday, August 12, 2006, page A12
  4. Emporis web site, accessed July 5, 2006
  5. Damast, Alison, "Are EWE my mother? Lambs are first spring arrival", article in The Advocate of Stamford (Stamford and Norwalk editions), page 1
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