The building that houses The Brookfield Theatre for the Arts was originally a gymnasium for The Curtis School for Boys. First established in 1875 in Bethlehem, Connecticut by Frederick S. Curtis, the school was moved to Long Meadow Hill in 1883 and then to the present site that was the former Goodsell Estate in 1886.

In 1906 the price for one school year was six hundred dollars. This included “tuition, board, a seat in church, lighting and worming, the care and mending of clothing, and the use of school books.” In the 1920s, girls were allowed to enroll as day students.

This is the second gymnasium for the Curtis School. The first was destroyed by fire in 1906. The present stone building was built in 1907. The Curtis School closed its doors in 1943.

The gymnasium was purchased by the Brookfield Country Players in 1959 and, since then, has been used as a theatre/playhouse for year-round plays and musicals.

The Paddy Awards is an evening to celebrate and honor the achievements of the previous season, provide a sneak peak of the coming season, and thank the many people who work so hard to make TBTA the very special community theatre that it is. It began as a tradition many years ago and the award is named after the husband of Tilly Ciccala, a founder of the theatre. Highlights include Volunteer of the Year which is awarded to someone who has given exceptional service to the theatre.

Click on highlighted links for photos.

The Paddy Awards
The Paddy Awards is an evening to celebrate and honor the achievements of the previous season, and it is a time to thank the many people who work so hard to make TBTA the very special community theatre that it is. It began as a TBTA tradition many years ago and the award is named after the husband of Tilly Ciccala, a founder of the theatre. An award for Volunteer of the Year is awarded to someone who has given exceptional service to the theatre.

The Brookfield Theatre For The Arts

2011

Dog Sees God — A Special Event     Photo by Stephen Cihanek  

Sylvia — directed by Maureen Trotto     Photo by Stephen Cihanek

Joseph & The Amazing... — directed by Erik Tonner
    Photo by Stephen Cihanek

The Book of Liz — directed by Matt Austin     Photo by Stephen Cihanek

Cabaret — directed by Michael Burnett     Photo by Stephen Cihanek

   
2010
Love Letters — A Special Event
   
Staged Reading of Auntie Mame — A Special Event

The Laramie Project — A Special Event


Neil Simon’s Last of the Red Hot Lovers — directed by Joel Paley
    Photo by Stephen Cihanek

Staged Reading of The Night of the Iguana — A Special Event

Once On This Island — directed by Michael Burnett
    Photo by Stephen Cihanek

 
Spelling Bee — directed by Maureen Trotto     Photo by Stephen Cihanek

Wait Until Dark — directed by David Cheris     Photo by Stephen Cihanek


2009
(New rigging installed!)
Tea At Five — A Special Event
Die Vampire, Die — A Workshop with Susan Blackwell
Harvey
Sleeping Beauty Jr. — TBTA Young Performers Series
Pippin
Dear Edwina Jr. — TBTA Young Performers Series
The Not Suitable for Children Concert — The Music of Joe Iconis
Much Ado About Nothing
Little Shop of Horrors
Storytime With Santa & Food Drive for Brookfield Food Bank

2008
The Odd Couple
Peter Pan
Spoon River Anthology
Little Women


Left: Meg Jones accepts the Volunteer of the Year Award at the 2008 Paddy Awards (held April 2009) from TBTA President Stephanie Skrok.

2007
50 Years of Cabaret
Alice In Wonderland Jr. - special event
Seussical
Carnival
The Diviners

2006
(Dedication of the annex)
I Think I Can - special event
Assassins
Master Class
Bye Bye Birdie
As Bees In Honey Drown

2005
Songs For A New World
Outward Bound
Beyond Therapy
Cinderella Goes DIsco - special event
Man Of La Mancha

2004
Putting It Together
Food Chain
Little Red and the Hoods
The Fantastics
Yale Alley Cats - special event

Country Players of Brookfield

2003
A Century of Song
Prisoner of 2nd Avenue
Jacques Brel Is Alive & Well...
Jerry Hornak - special event

2002
(Groundbreaking on the annex)
An Inspector Calls
Jesus Christ Superstar
House of Blue Leaves
Nunsense II
Cabaret - special event
Snowmaiden - special event

2001
The 5th of July
Godspell
Exit The Body
You're A Good Man Charlie Brown

2000
La Cage Aux Folles
Spider's Web
All Night Strut
A Celebration of the Arts - special event

1999
Gospel Stars of Hartford - special event
Come Back To The 5 & Dime...
Three Tall Women
Dial “M” For Murder
It Had To Be You
Side By Side By Sondheim

1998
Lips Together Teeth Apart
Goodbye Charlie
The Private Ear The Public Eye
Grand Night of Singing

1997
Twelfth Night
Eleemosynary
The Butler Did It
The Middle Ages
Quilters

1996
The Importance Of Being Ernest
The Sisters Rosensweig
Lend Me A Tenor
Come Back Little Sheeba
Whodunit

1995
Lost In Yonkers
The Cemetery Club
Jake's Women
The Effect of Gamma Rays...
Company

1994
Catch Me If You Can
Light Up The Sky
I Never Sang For My Father
The Octet Bridge Club
Marvins Room

1993
Gingerbread Lady
Driving Miss Daisy
The Nerd

1992
Seven Year Itch
Isn't It Romantic
Barefoot In The Park
Jacques Brel....

1991
Steel Magnolias
Wait Until Dark
Staged Play Readings - special event
Chapter Two
Solid Gold Cadillac
Same Time Next Year

1990
(New furnace, lighting equipment, first ever running hot water)
The Subject Was Roses
Social Security
The Foreigner
It's Only A Play
Unsung Cole (And Classics Too)

1989
Suddenly Last Summer
Crimes Of The Heart
Mary, Mary
Blithe Spirit
The Fantasticks

1988
Nightwatch
And Miss Reardon Drinks A Litte
The House Of Blue Leaves
Our Town
The Miracle Worker
Jerry's Girls

1987
The Runner Stumbles
Everything In The Garden
The Odd Couple (female version)
Ain't Misbehavin'
Come Blow Your Horn
Kismet

1986
Mass Appeal
Threepenny Opera
'night, Mother
Pump Boys and the Dinettes
Beyond Therapy
Working

1985
The Ritz
Cat On A Hot Tine Roof
Invitation To A March
Baby
To Grandmother's House We Go
Hello, Dolly!

1984
Gemini
Angel Street
They're Playing Our Song
Fools
A Day In Hollywood...

1983
On Borrowed Time
Harvey
Cinderella
Deathtrap
Barnum

1982
Little Mary Sunshine
Whose Life Is It Anyway?
The Robber Bridegroom
Light Up The Sky
Mame

1981
The Ruling Class
Tribute
The Apple Tree
A Shot In The Dark
Cabaret

1980
All Over Town
The Diary of Anne Frank
The Tavern
Carousel
Child's Play

1979
The Night of January 16th
The Children's Hour
Slow Dance on the Killing Ground
The Mad Show
Steambath
Side By Side By Sondheim

1978
God's Favorite
Of Mice & Men
Pippin
Lil' Abner
The Real Inspector Hound & After
Magritte

1977
The Boys In The Band
The Glass Menagerie
Detective Story
South Pacific
My Fat Friend
Candide

1976
The Chalk Garden
Our Town
Promenade All
Prisoner Of Second Avenue
Lovers & Other Strangers
How To Succeed In Business...

1975
Gingerbread Lady
I Do, I Do
Luv
That Championship Season
Opera As You Like It
Company

1974
Butterflies Are Free
Portraits of Gershwin
Norman, Is That You?
The Owl & The Pussycat
My Fair Lady

1973
The Prime of Miss Jean Brody
Man of La Mancha
Last of the Red Hot Lovers


1972
Fiddler on the Roof
Jacques Brel...
Hello, Dolly!
After The Fall

1971
Ladies In Retirement
The Drunkard
Cabaret
Luther

1970
High Sign & Snow Angel
The 13 Clocks
Don't Drink The Water
You Know I Can't Hear You When The Water's Running
Oliver

1968/ 1969
Arsenic & Old Lace
Only An Orphan Girl
The Pajama Game
The Bear, Pinter Vignettes, and Sarah & the Sax
The Road of the Greasepaint...
Love Rides The Rails
Gypsy

1967
Blithe Spirit
A Streetcar Named Desire
See How They Run
Annie Get Your Gun

1966
Dark of the Moon
The King & I
Cat On A Hot Tin Roof
Once Upon A Mattress
Janus

1965
Dial M For Murder
West Side Story
Kind Sir
The Boy Friend
The Devil's Disciple

1964
Mister Roberts
Little Mary Sunshine
A Hatful of Rain
Bus Stop
Spoon River Anthology
Oklahoma!

1963
Pal Joey
The Crucible
Carousel
Brace Yousrelf
Tea & Sympathy

1962
Summer and Smoke
Kiss Me Kate
Stalag 17
The Mousetrap
Three Men On A Horse

1957
Picnic
Fallen Angels

For more information contact :  press@brookfieldtheatre.org.