All stories by Christopher Arnott on BroadwayStars

Monday, October 2, 2023

Theater review: ‘The 12′ at the Goodspeed is a compelling debate on Christian values through the eyes of Jesus’ apostles by Christopher Arnott

"The 12" is a powerful collection of songs about how the apostles felt in the hours after Jesus' death, but it lacks some ingredients that would make it a more powerful musical.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 10:13AM
Sunday, October 1, 2023

Famed director Jerry Zaks and star Rob McClure stick with ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ as the refreshed musical tour hits The Bushnell by Christopher Arnott

"Mrs. Doubtfire" arrives at The Bushnell on its first national tour Oct. 3-8 with its original Broadway star Rob McClure and some improvements to the musical overseen by famed director Jerry…

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM

‘Night Fall,’ the annual artistic autumn celebration, brings more color, more pageantry and more stories to Bushnell Park by Christopher Arnott

"Night Fall," the annual event celebrating autumn through a blend of puppetry, mime, music, dance and visual arts, comes to in Bushnell Park in Hartford on Oct. 7.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM
Saturday, September 30, 2023

Review: Hartford Symphony Orchestra’s 80th season is off to a smashing start with big beats and a brass quintet by Christopher Arnott

The first Hartford Symphony Orchestra concert of the 2023-24 season offers Edward Elgar's "Enigma Variations" and some equally rousing and challenging works by Schubert, Gerard Schwarz and D…

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 09:53AM

The sounds of fall include a reading from Henry Rollins, a folk festival and rhythmic sounds from The Roots this week in CT arts by Christopher Arnott

The Courant's arts picks for Oct. 1-7 includes The Roots in New Haven, a Henry Rollins reading in Old Saybrook, dozens of bands at the Black Bear Americana Music Fest in Goshen and several n…

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM
Thursday, September 28, 2023

Want to experience ‘Into the Spider-Verse’ in a whole new way? A live orchestra is backing up the film at this CT theatre. by Christopher Arnott

Academy Award-winning film "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" is accompanied by a live 13-piece band plus a DJ on Oct. 1 at the Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM
Wednesday, September 27, 2023

A CT record store is marking 40 years as a mecca for collectors with an anniversary party and special guests by Christopher Arnott

The Mystic Disc record store is celebrating its 40th anniversary on Saturday with performances, trivia and tributes to the shop's owner.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM
Monday, September 25, 2023

Viral comedy sensation Nurse Blake talks touring, health care humor and his activism as he heads to CT by Christopher Arnott

TikTok sensation Nurse Blake brings his comedy about the health care profession to College Street Music Hall in New Haven on Thursday.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM
Sunday, September 24, 2023

Fall in CT brings cooler weather but some of the hottest symphony orchestras. Here are some of the must-see shows. by Christopher Arnott

Symphony season has arrived in Connecticut. Here are 10 top concert picks, three movies accompanied by orchestras and other fall highlights.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM

Connecticut’s 2023 fall theater lineup brings literary classics, new works and real-life drama to the stage by Christopher Arnott

Hundreds of shows are happening at Connecticut theaters this fall, from major tours to small experimental pieces, as local theaters continue to rebuild their audiences after the COVID shutdo…

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM
Saturday, September 23, 2023

This week in CT arts is brought to you by the letter ‘S’ with Sound on Sound, Brian Setzer and Sanderson Sister tributes by Christopher Arnott

The Courant's arts picks for Sept. 24-30 include the Sound on Sound Music Festival in Bridgeport, Hunter Hayes in Willimantic and Marshall Crenshaw in Old Saybrook.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM
Friday, September 22, 2023

Theater review: Legacy Theatre’s ‘The Play That Goes Wrong’ is a love letter to the magic of live theater by Christopher Arnott

Branford's Legacy Theatre has mounted one of the first local productions of the British comedy hit "The Play That Goes Wrong," which has previously played Connecticut several times on nation…

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 11:00AM
Wednesday, September 20, 2023

2023 Stowe Prize winner Ruha Benjamin discusses ‘Viral Justice’ and changing the world one small step at a time by Christopher Arnott

Ruha Benjamin and her book "Viral Justice" are being honored with two days of events by the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center on Thursday and Friday.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM
Monday, September 18, 2023

The next best thing: Tribute bands rock CT all fall, honoring everyone from David Bowie to The Beatles by Christopher Arnott

Dozens of tribute bands, honoring everyone from Prince to Warren Zevon to the usual Beatles and Elvis, play Connecticut theaters and clubs this fall.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM
Sunday, September 17, 2023

CT HorrorFest kicks off the Halloween season in Connecticut. Here are some scary shows, concerts and haunted houses to get your fright fix. by Christopher Arnott

The Halloween frights begin now and continue for the next six weeks with dozens of spooky shows, concerts and attractions around Connecticut.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM

Reborn and renamed GreenStage Guilford festival offers artworks, new works and workshops by Christopher Arnott

GreenStage Guilford, formerly the Guilford Performing Arts Festival, brings dancers, musicians, theater makers and other artists to the Guilford Green Sept. 17-24.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM
Saturday, September 16, 2023

Enjoy the outdoors this week in CT with music from Willie Nelson to Ne-Yo to Pigeons Playing Ping Pong by Christopher Arnott

This week's Courant arts picks include Samantha Bee at The Bushnell, Willie Nelson in Bridgeport, animatronic dinosaurs at Mohegan Sun and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong outside the Old State Hou…

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM
Friday, September 15, 2023

Bob Dylan ready to take the stage at the Waterbury Palace in November on the same date he was there in 1975 by Christopher Arnott

Bob Dylan's upcoming show at the Waterbury Palace is Nov. 11, the same date that he played the same venue in 1975 on his Rolling Thunder Revue tour.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 04:30PM

Netflix acquires documentary about West Hartford woman who has climbed Mount Everest 10 times by Christopher Arnott

Netflix has acquired worldwide rights to a new documentary about the record-breaking West Hartford woman who has been to the summit of Mount Everest 10 times.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 02:48PM
Tuesday, September 12, 2023

Thousands of well-wishers welcome Little Amal and her message of hope to CT by Christopher Arnott

After days of thunderstorms, the skies magically parted in Hartford on Tuesday afternoon for a special visitor. Little Amal, a 12-foot puppet who represents a 10-year-old Syrian refugee, was…

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 04:14PM

Autumn outdoor jazz shows are back on Mondays at Parkville Market by Christopher Arnott

Nat Reeves' Jazz on the Patio series returns to Parkville Market in Hartford for free biweekly concerts Sept. 25 through Dec. 4.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 11:47AM
Sunday, September 10, 2023

Swifties unite as CT offers a number of upcoming Taylor Swift-themed events by Christopher Arnott

Taylor Swift's music and record-breaking Eras Tour has inspired a slew of events happening around Connecticut in the next few weeks.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM

The Big E is more than rides and animals. Here’s a handy guide to the fair’s concerts, rides, events, admission and more. by Christopher Arnott

The 2023 Big E runs Sept. 15 through Oct. 1, with concerts, agriculture competitions, food, exhibits and more. Here’s a handy guide to some of the most exciting things the fair offers.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM
Saturday, September 9, 2023

Need a laugh? John Oliver, Tig Notaro and a long list of big-name comedians hit the stage this week in CT by Christopher Arnott

The Courant's arts picks for Sept. 10-16 include numerous comedy acts, a free reggae concert at the Old State House in Hartford and horror rock icons Alice Cooper and Rob Zombie.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM
Wednesday, September 6, 2023

Walk with Little Amal in Hartford to raise awareness about immigration crisis by Christopher Arnott

Walk With Little Amal, a global art/performance project spotlighting the plight of refugees, is coming to Hartford on Sept. 12.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM
Monday, September 4, 2023

A CT comic book store completes its final quest as galactic shifts in industry challenge small independent shops by Christopher Arnott

A Hero's Legacy, which has sold comics in Manchester for a decade (and for 18 years before that as Buried Under Comics), will close at the end of September.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:30AM

Hartford celebrates Pride in September with outdoor street party, awareness events by Christopher Arnott

Hartford Pride holds its annual street party on Sept. 9 with headlining acts CeCe Peniston, Thelma Houston and Willie Gomez.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM
Sunday, September 3, 2023

New musical ‘The 12′ about Jesus’ apostles brings theater heavyweights to the Goodspeed by Christopher Arnott

"The 12," a new musical about how the apostles behaved in the days following Jesus' death, is by Robert Schenkkan and Neil Berg and directed by John Doyle. It runs at the Goodspeed Opera Hou…

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM

Work Space in Manchester is co-working spot infused with community art by Christopher Arnott

Work Space in Manchester is currently exhibiting Manchester-themed work by members of the MARC Inc. community as well as winning photos from a "Week in the Life of Manchester" competition.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM
Saturday, September 2, 2023

Get a taste of national and local music acts as Machine Gun Kelly and the Hartbeat Music Festival take the stage this week in CT arts by Christopher Arnott

The Courant's arts picks for Sept. 3-9 include Machine Gun Kelly, the Hartbeat Music Festival, a concert with Broadway stars at Westport Playhouse and a ukulele festival in Simsbury.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 06:00AM
Wednesday, August 30, 2023

National and International Beat Poetry Festival in CT features new generation of poets, writers, artists and musicians by Christopher Arnott

The Beat movement lives on at the National and International Beat Poetry Festival in Collinsville and Barkhamsted this weekend.

SOURCE: Hartford Courant at 09:26AM