Westport Country Playhouse has received a $150,000 gift from the Eunice and David Bigelow Foundation for a new lighting communication system., The lighting system installed during the playhouse”™s 2005 renovation is now almost obsolete due to the speed of advancements in computer technology, according to a press release.
“Eunice and David Bigelow”™s extraordinarily generous gift is a direct expression of their love for and understanding of our playhouse, its needs and its artistry,” said Mark Lamos, playhouse artistic director. “They have consistently demonstrated joyous interest in how our staff and the artists who work here make theater. This much-needed gift will make possible the installation of state-of-the-art lighting equipment and will give lighting designers and electricians the ability to expand their horizons. The Bigelows understood that. And I thank them from the bottom of my heart.”
In addition to funding this transformative project, the Bigelows have been committed to the playhouse for many years, supporting some of the theater”™s most complex productions, including Ayad Akhtar”™s “The Invisible Hand,” winner of the 2017 Connecticut Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Play. In August, the Eunice and David Bigelow Foundation will sponsor Theresa Rebeck”™s comedy “The Understudy.”
“We love giving support to the playhouse because the work is so good,” said Eunice Bigelow.
Added David Bigelow, “One of our greatest enjoyments is attending the playhouse ”˜Tech Talks,”™ where we learn how productions get technically on their feet. We feel close to the process and the work thanks to (associate producer) David Dreyfoos and (associate artistic director) David Kennedy, who so generously often allow us a peek into this magnificent world.”
