NewArts

Hey NewArts/1214 Foundation Friends! I have no idea if this page is even still active - but I seem to be a manager of it so I am allowed to post, apparently. First of all, I hope this finds the REMARKABLE community of NA/1214 well and thriving. I miss all of you and all the times we shared and the experiences we created for one another. Not sure if you are aware but our STUNNING production of "A ROCKIN' Midsummer Night's Dream" - which would not BE a thing at all were it not for Baroody Plastic Surgery/Newtown/NewArts/1214 Foundation/All of You - is having it's professional world premiere at my theatre in Milwuakee, WI - Skylight Music Theatre (www.skylightmusictheatre.org). It runs from 4/10/26-4/26/26. I am so thrilled to be reuniting with Svejcar/Saver/Paulson Lee/Eskandani - and even Andrew Mangold on this version of the show. Tain and family are coming on 4/19 but what a thrill it would be to see any of you at any time. Here's info on the show; and know that you all are woven into its DNA - forever and ever. https://www.skylightmusictheatre.org/midsummer all best wishes to all of you. - Michael (U)

A ROCKIN' Midsummer Night's Dream | Skylight Experience a bold new take on Shakespeare’s beloved comedy. Journey from ancient Athens into an enchanted forest where lovers, mischievous spirits, and feuding royalty collide in a magical, rock-and-roll reimagining of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

So VERY proud to have Lindsay Fuori as the Associate Scenic Designer (for Todd Rosenthal) on our production of Noises Off here at Skylight Music Theatre. She was stellar in every way! ("Family Photo" by Mark Frohna)

Hello NewArts Friends,
Saturday October 8th is here!

Picnic schedule:
10:00 set up come and help if you can
11:00-11:45 Meet and greet
11:45 catered food and pizza
12:30-1:30 Ice cream truck
1:00? Sing Along
2:00-3:00 clean up

See you tomorrow!

Dear Friends and Family,

The NewArts/1214 Foundation will come to a close this fall. We thank the many people who have participated in our programs and supported us the past nine years. We are proud of the amazing work we have done together in our ARC and Theatre programs: 17 shows, an original musical, a documentary, We Day, a cast CD, concerts with Broadway performers, performances at 54 below and Radio City Music Hall, an original anthem and ARC activities that helped us all be stronger and kinder. Memories, friends and NewArts family to last a lifetime! We will miss spending time together with all of you and hope you stay in touch. We will be in touch with our monthly donors shortly.

“Rise Above and Go Beyond” We truly reached our mission and wish every one of you success and happiness in the future.

We need your help sorting, labeling, cataloguing and taking pictures of everything in preparation for donation. If you are able to assist please send an email to Maryrose Kristopik at [email protected]

At present we have scheduled our first date: Sunday, August 21st from 11-5. This will be basement help. We will wait until it is cooler to tackle the trucks. Lunch will be provided. Everyone who helps will be able to take home some swag/spirit wear. Please talk to your friends and parents and volunteer together to help us. We hope many of our NewArts family members will turn out as it is too great a task for only a few. There will be future dates; please let Maryrose know if you would like to help in the future.

We feel so fortunate to have built the 1214 Foundation/NewArts family together with such love, respect and joy. We are forever changed by the magical time spent with all of you! Please let us know where you are rising above and going beyond in the future.

Love,
Michael Baroody, Michael Unger, Maryrose Kristopik, Gina Mazzariello, Armel Kouassi and many more…

Thank you to our sponsors, cast, crew, audience, and volunteers for the success of our performances! We had 8 wonderful shows throughout December, and we couldn't have done it without any of you.

Happy Holidays from the NewArts Family!

👉🎄Thank you🙏to our sponsors, friends, families, and volunteers for the success of the performances to date. We are looking forward to another successful performance this afternoon at ⏰2:00pm at the iconic Edmond Town Hall .

👉“We are proud of the cast and crew of A Christmas Carol for growing as individuals, supporting their peers and together, creating something bigger than themselves.
We are on the road to developing a model program that can help children in communities everywhere. 🪕Visit our website www.1214foundation.org for more information and to invest in the future” Michael Baroody, MD.🙏🎄




Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra Curtis Packaging
NewSylum Brewing Company Cabinet Authority, Inc.
Aquila's Nest Vineyards Ingersoll Auto of Danbury
Camp Cody Mike Riccio Baroody Plastic Surgery Reverie Brewing Company Safe Haven of Greater Waterbury Mitchells The Toy Tree Hill Village

Maryrose Kristopik Gina Mazzariello Gina Mazzariello
Michael Baroody Armel Romeo Kouassi Ryan Loucks

Thank you The Newtown Bee for the great write up! One weekend left of our beautiful show! Get your tickets! 🎩🎄

www.NewArts.org

‘NewArts Is Back’ With ‘A Christmas Carol’ 'A Christmas Carol' has final performances set for December 17 to 19. Read more here.

We have 4 shows this weekend that are filled with laughter, dancing, music, and many surprises! Wear your cozy sweaters (or NewArts Swag), and join us this weekend!

Friday - 7pm
Saturday -2pm / 7pm
Sunday-2pm

NewArts' A Christmas Carol (2021) Come See NewArts back on the stage! We are so excited to bring you a great adapation of a classic tale here in our beloved Newtown at the Historic Edmond Town Hall Theater! Happy Holidays!

Thank you Nancy Sasso Janis!!!!!!!

Newtown stage presents timeless story of redemption
BY NANCY SASSO JANIS REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN
December 15, 2021

NewArts, the performing arts wing of the 1214 Foundation, is presenting an impressive production of the classic “A Christmas Carol” on the stage at Edmond Town Hall Theater in Newtown.
The 1214 Foundation was founded by Dr. Michael Baroody, a Danbury plastic surgeon, following the tragic school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14, 2012. ARC, the character building program, and NewArts work together to prime children to flourish and achieve overall well-being regardless of the challenges they invariably will face.
“Rise above. Go beyond” is the motto of the 1214 Foundation.
It has been 28 months since the team closed its summer musical “Matilda,” its last in-person production. During those months, they did create many virtual productions, just as other theater companies who had to pivot in order to stay connected with audiences.
Michael Unger has been involved in some sort of production of “A Christmas Carol” every year since 1996. He believes that it is even more important to tell “one of the greatest stories of redemption ever told” when our country is divided and still is in the midst of a pandemic.
The Cratchit Family with the Ghost of Christmas Present in the NewArts production of ‘A Christmas Carol,’ on stage in Newtown. (Contributed)
This is the third year that NewArts has produced “A Christmas Carol.” This version of the Charles Dickens’ classic tale was adapted well by David Thompson.
The music and lyrics of the pieces that punctuate the two acts were written by Michael Starobin, with the original choreography by Rob Ashford adapted and supervised by Jennifer Paulson-Lee.
Many of the roles are double cast in order to include as many young performers as possible in the show. The Mistletoe Cast and the Holly Cast share the performances.
Timothy Huber of Danbury takes on the role of Ebenezer Scrooge at all of the performances, and his performance is both heartfelt and inspiring.
James Wolff is convincing as Scrooge’s clerk Bob Cratchit and Miranda Wakeman plays his loving wife. Ryan Loucks shines as Scrooge’s nephew Fred with the lovely Rebecca Spalvieri as his wife Lily. Jill Stein Gureasko is delightful as Scrooge’s housekeeper Mrs. Dilber. Rick Haylon wears the heavy chains as Jacob Marley. Laeyth Hallak gets to be Tiny Tim for all of the shows.
Ava Baroody, who we have watched grow up on NewArts stages, now appears as Scrooge’s sister Fan and gives a heartbreaking performance. Also in the past are Rick Haylon as the jolly Fezziwig, Alexa Wild as his wife and Katie Bisset as their eligible daughter Charlotte. Mark Sadowski plays Scrooge in his younger years with NewArts veteran performer Tain Gregory as Young Marley. Spalvieri returns to the stage as Belle.
It was such a treat to see author Sophfronia Scott in the role of the sparkly Spirit of Christmas Present in the best costume of them all. The Spirit of Christmas Past is played by Abigail Ehrnes and three other lithe young dancers in ethereal gowns.
The Spirit of Christmas Future is played by a huge (and scary) puppet, with Haylon and Steve Kravec pulling the strings to bring it to life. Rob Jackson plays Old Joe, Luisa Olah embodies the laundress, and Tony Labriola plays the undertaker.
This production of “A Christmas Carol” was born at The McCarter Theatre in Princeton, N.J., in 2000. Through the generosity of the theater and the show’s Tony Award-winning creative team, the show was brought to Newtown.
The original scenic designer was Ming Cho Lee, and so that the massive set could fit on a smaller stage, Lindsay Fuori was in charge of the scenic design adaptation. Patricia Hibbert adapted the original costume design by Jess Goldstein, and the beautiful costumes brought us back to the Dickens era. Wig design by Carissa Thorlakson flattered the faces of those that wore them.
Andrew Griffin designed the lighting from the original lighting design by Steven Strawbridge. Robert Primora served as technical director.
Unger traveled from his position as artistic director of Skylight Music Theater in Milwaukee to serve as both director and producer of the play. Brett Boles was Unger’s associate director and Maryrose Kristopik, a retired music teacher, returns to serve as music director.
The first time I reviewed NewArts’ “A Christmas Carol,” I called it “a generous gift to the Newtown community,” and I am proud that this quote has appeared on the artwork promoting the subsequent productions. The fact that I was able to attend a performance this year just two days before the anniversary of the Sandy Hook tragedy made it even more poignant for me, for it is a testament to the resiliency of the citizens of Newtown and beyond.
“A Christmas Carol” continues this weekend on Friday at 7 p.m. (Holly Cast), Saturday at 2 p.m. (Holly Cast) and 7 p.m. (Mistletoe Cast), and Sunday at 2 p.m. (Mistletoe Cast). Masks must be worn at all times while in the theater, just as on Broadway.
Unger announced from the stage that this summer, NewArts will be bringing back the musical that started it all in 2013, the upbeat “Seussical.” I will always remember this first production that featured Broadway actor John Tartaglia in the role of the mischievous Cat in the Hat.
Nancy Sasso Janis is a member of the Connecticut Theater Critics Circle.

Batch 4! Our Silent Auction is underway and it’s been a great success so far! Please come visit our amazing Auction room at Edmond Town Hall during the run of A Christmas Carol! Lots of amazing items - Vacations, Memorabilia, Local drink and fare, and more. So much for you to see! Auction will run through closing of the show on Dec 19th. Feel free to write us a message to add your bid, or come on down this weekend - and see the show as well! Tickets still available at www.NewArts.org. Hope to see you at the show!

Batch 3! Our Silent Auction is underway and it’s been a great success so far! Please come visit our amazing Auction room at Edmond Town Hall during the run of A Christmas Carol! Lots of amazing items - Vacations, Memorabilia, Local drink and fare, and more. So much for you to see! Auction will run through closing of the show on Dec 19th. Feel free to write us a message to add your bid, or come on down this weekend - and see the show as well! Tickets still available at www.NewArts.org. Hope to see you at the show!

Batch 2! Our Silent Auction is underway and it’s been a great success so far! Please come visit our amazing Auction room at Edmond Town Hall during the run of A Christmas Carol! Lots of amazing items - Vacations, Memorabilia, Local drink and fare, and more. So much for you to see! Auction will run through closing of the show on Dec 19th. Feel free to write us a message to add your bid, or come on down this weekend - and see the show as well! Tickets still available at www.NewArts.org. Hope to see you at the show!