Westport Country Playhouse

The Westport Country Playhouse is a historic theater in Westport, Connecticut that has hosted a number of famous actors and actresses. The playhouse seeks to " probe deep into the human psyche and explore relationships and issues that are particularly relevant in the world today." The goal of the theater is to bring intellectual performance art to the community in a way that is uplifting and sometimes shocking. Their goal is to enlighten, engage and enrich the community and bring art lovers, students and artists themselves to the theater. The theater is by no means a new project in the community, but it has changed over time. In 1930, Lawrence Langner and his wife Armina Marshall had co-founded the Theatre Guild and were considered two of the most influential producers on Broadway. The Langners wanted to establish a theater company outside of New York City so they purchased a bar in Westport with the intention of creating a community theater. They named their theater Westport Country Playhouse. It was a non-profit theater and was considered a cultural landmark in Connecticut. Over the years, the theater has continued to entertain and to grow. The theater has hosted a variety of famous names in the entertainment industry including John Austin, Patty Duke Austin, Cicely Tyson, Joann Woodward, Rip Torn, Gloria Vanderbilt, Cybil Shepherd, Mickey Rooney and Fred Savage.