“From Broadway to Hollywood,” a concert celebrating iconic stage and screen scores, will be presented by Westport Country Playhouse for four performances, Thursday and Friday, July 24 and 25 at 8 p.m.; and Saturday, July 26, at 3 and 8 p.m. Part of the series, “Broadway Scores at the Playhouse,” the show will feature renowned songs and untold stories behind the musicals that made the leap from stage sensation to Hollywood hit – and vice-versa. The concert is conceived by Drew Wutke and Mark Shanahan and directed by John Andrew Morrison.
A cast of six Broadway professionals, backed by a live band, will explore such classic musicals as “Singin’ in the Rain,” “The Sound of Music,” “Wicked,” “The Color Purple,” “A Chorus Line,” “Little Shop of Horrors,” “In the Heights,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” and many more thrilling scores that lit up Broadway and took the big screen by storm.
“’From Broadway to Hollywood’ is a joyful celebration of the songs we all love, those showstopping numbers that leapt off the stage and onto the silver screen!,” said Mark Shanahan, Westport Country Playhouse artistic director. “And yes, we’re also tipping our hat to the musicals that did things in reverse, starting at the movies and dancing their way on to Broadway.
“With music director and Playhouse favorite Drew Wutke’s incredible, original arrangements created especially for a powerhouse cast, this concert takes us on a musical ride from the golden age stage and screen to hits of today,” said Shanahan. “Whether born under Broadway’s footlights or on Hollywood’s backlot, these songs have stood the test of time – and this concert is the perfect way to savor a summer night at the Playhouse.”
The six-member cast includes Aaron Arnell Harrington (Broadway/Off-Broadway: “Little Shop of Horrors” as longest-running “Voice of Audrey II”; NPR’s “Tiny Desk” concert series; Paper Mill Playhouse: “Wanted,” premiere; National Tour: “Rent,” 20th anniversary; Film: “Influence”; Television: “The Tonight Show,” Good Morning America”; IG: @aayron._); Kristen Hahn (Westport Country Playhouse: “The 39 Steps,” “Our Town,” starring Paul Newman, four Script In Hand playreadings, Laurence Maslon’s “I’ll Drink To That!”; Broadway and National Tour: “Floyd Collins,” “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder,” “Hello, Dolly!,” “Our Town”;Regional: “The 39 Steps,” “Guys & Dolls,” “Death Takes a Holiday”; BFA Carnegie Mellon University); Barnaby Reiter (Off-Broadway: “Titanique”; National Tour: “Jersey Boys”; Geva Theatre: “The Wizard of Oz”; Australasian Tours: “Grease” as Doody, “Hairspray” as Fender/US Link; originally from Melbourne, Australia; IG: @barnabyreiter).
Leanne Robinson (West End, Broadway Tour: “The Book of Mormon” as Nabulungi; Original Cast Recording: “Mandela: The Musical,” 2022 London premiere; Upcoming: Radio City Music Hall with Hugh Jackman, September 19-20, 2025; Instagram/TikTok: @leannermusic); Kat Rodriguez (National Tour: “Wicked”; Herbst Theater: “If/Then”; Festival Playhouse: “Mamma Mia”; 54 Below: “Swear by the Moon”; BFA Musical Theatre, Wright State University; IG: @seeyanerds; katrodriguez.com); and Sean Steele (Off-Broadway transfer: “Kinky Boots” as Don; “Once” as Billy; “Margaritaville” as Brick; “Titanic” as Edgar Beane; 3 Redneck Tenors; Greenroom 42, 54 Below, Chelsea Table and Stage).
Band members are Paige Durr, drums; Edward W. Hardy, violin; Jake Krasniewicz, bass; and Hajime Yoshida, guitar. Many Playhouse patrons will recognize Krasniewicz as Playhouse box office supervisor.
Director is John-Andrew Morrison (Tony Award nomination, Lucille Lortel and Obie awards for the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning musical “A Strange Loop”; Keen Company: “Blues for an Alabama Sky” – Outer Critics Circle Award honoree; Hartford Stage: “A Christmas Carol – A Ghost Story of Christmas” for six seasons, returning this year as The Ghost of Christmas Present; La Jolla Playhouse: “3 Summers of Lincoln”); musical director isDrew Wutke (Westport Country Playhouse: “A Night for Swifties,” “Me, Myself & Barbra”; music directs and plays piano on Broadway, Off-Broadway, regionally, and on tours, collaborating alongside Tony, Emmy, Oscar, and Grammy award winners; resident music director with a private coaching studio in New York City; drewwutke.com; IG@drewwutke); and
stage manager is Zach DeBrino (Westport Country Playhouse: “Theatre People,” production assistant; Westport, CT, native; Staples Players: former assistant director; Playwrights Horizons: “Teeth”; Spoleto Festival USA, TAIT New York; BFA Stage Management, Ithaca College).
Tickets are $45, $55, and $65. Running time is approximately 90 minutes, no intermission. Appropriate for all ages.