I recently paid the Westport Country Playhouse a visit. It’s located in Westport, Connecticut. It was a great activity for a late Saturday afternoon in August.

The History of the Westport Country Playhouse

The playhouse sits on land that was formerly inhabited by the Paugussett people. (The Paugussett people are an indigenous group whose land included a great deal of Westport, and other parts of Connecticut.)  The building was originally built in 1835 and was a tannery that manufactured leather goods.

Later, in 1880, it was turned into a cider mill. After being abandoned in the 1920s, it was turned into a theater in 1931. In 2005 it went through a major renovation that included preserving its original character.

Agatha Christie Play

When I visited, I saw the next to the last showing of Agatha Christie’s “The Murder of Roger Ackroyd”.  It’s not often that I see plays or shows on stage. I think the last show I saw was on Broadway in NYC 10 years ago.

Concord Theatricals describes the story this way: “In this thrilling stage adaptation of Agatha Christie’s ingenious 1926 novel, the tiny village of King’s Abbot is rocked by scandal when Roger Ackroyd, the wealthiest man in town, is found dead shortly after the apparent suicide of his fiancée.” I thoroughly enjoyed the show. The actors played their parts well. The set was very well done.

Reasons to Visit the Westport Country Playhouse

The Westport Country Playhouse offers such a wide variety of shows. There are plays such as the one I saw, based off one of Agatha Christie’s books. Then there are shows that have performances such as one called “Motown in Your Town” that will be playing later this month.  Another performance called “Cheese Fries and Chili Dips” deals with mental health. “Ailey II: The Next Generation of Dance” features performances by the dance company founded by Alvin Ailey.  Performances are not the only way you can enjoy the theater.

Free (donations encouraged) theater tours are offered on certain weekends. You get to see how the shows are produced and get a behind-the-scenes tour of the historic theater. This includes the beautiful architecture of the building. As I mentioned earlier, it used to be a tannery and then a cider mill.

Besides visiting the theater for a performance, there are also multiple rooms you can rent for your next event.

If you’re located in Connecticut, definitely check out the Westport Country Playhouse. Come watch a show, take a theater tour, or just enjoy the grounds.

Address: 25 Powers Ct, Westport, CT 06880

Website: Westport Country Playhouse