By Dirk Langeveld

Snow White & The Seven Shopkeepers
Snow White & The Seven Shopkeepers. Image from Downtown Cabaret Theatre

BRIDGEPORT — The children’s theater program at the recently closed Downtown Cabaret Theatre will continue on in a new home in Fairfield.

Theatre for Young Audiences will now be located at the Fairfield Theatre Company. Hugh Hallinan, the former director of the Downtown Cabaret Theatre, said this program had been instrumental in introducing children and families to live performances, with many returning as adults with their own children.

Hallinan said he was determined to see Theatre for Young Audiences continue after the closure of the Downtown Cabaret Theatre this summer. 

“After getting to know Patsy Fox, Connor Deane, and the entire team, I’m confident we’ve found the right home for this program,” said Hallinan. “They understand what Theatre for Young Audiences has meant to so many families, and I’m excited to see it continue for generations to come.”

A nonprofit center for arts and culture established in 2000, the Fairfield Theatre Company seeks to provide a full spectrum of live entertainment and cultural exchange. It features a range of venues including the 225-seat StageOne, which provides an intimate environment for live music; The Warehouse, a larger performance space; and the Art/Space Gallery.

Downtown Cabaret Theatre grew out of a cabaret program introduced at Sacred Heart University in 1971. Located in a former YWCA space in downtown Bridgeport, it hosted more than 13,000 performances over its 51-year history.

Hallinan announced the planned closure of the theater earlier this year, saying a sharp decline in ticket sales over the past two seasons had made it economically unfeasible to run the venue. Downtown Cabaret Theatre hosted its final performance, A Chorus Line, on June 28th.

Expanded coverage of Fairfield County cultural events is made possible with support from the Fairfield University Quick Center for the Arts

Dirk Langeveld

Dirk Langeveld has worked as a news reporter, content marketing specialist, and freelance writer. He is the author of “The Artful Dodger: The 20-Year Pursuit of World War I Draft Dodger Grover Cleveland Bergdoll” and has contributed to several books on Connecticut history.