Historic Theater To Be Reborn In Fairfield

FAIRFIELD, CT —The historic, and long vacant, Fairfield Community Theater will undergo a major transformation and re-open as the “Sacred Heart University Community Theater,” Kleban Properties, LLC announced on Tuesday morning. Sacred Heart University has entered into a 10-year lease with Kleban Properties, which is negotiating the purchase of the property that includes the theater, according to Sacred Heart University President John J. Petillo.

The effort, more than a decade in the making, has been in working toward “the transformation and rebirth of this iconic theater and finding the best organization to spearhead its operations,” according to a news release announcing the multi-million-dollar project. An online petition was launched in 2017 pushing for the sale of the Fairfield Community Theater, which closed in 2011, to a developer or group for revitalization. The theater was owned by the Pollack family at that time.

“We welcome the association with Sacred Heart University, a leading national academic institution,” said Al Kleban, a Fairfield resident who enjoyed the theater as a child and bringing his children there throughout the years. “My family sees no more fitting rebirth of this beloved theater than to see it thrive under the direction of the university, as it continues to support the performing arts and provide the community with entertainment and events in this significant venue for years to come.”

The original theater was designed by architect Oreste C.S. Ziroli and constructed at the turn of the 20th century, first operating in 1920 as a vaudeville house. Still intact today, albeit in need of significant repairs and upgrades, are its proscenium arch and beaux arts marquee. Additional Class-A office spaces will also be included in the overall renovation of the 22,000 square foot structure, according to officials.

Kleban Properties said they will be looking to the town of Fairfield for assistance in various forms in order to ensure that the ambitious project becomes a reality.

“We are absolutely delighted,” Fairfield Director of Economic Development Mark Barnhart said. “I can’t think of a better community partner than Kleban Properties who has a well-earned reputation for exceptional quality and delivering results.”

Fairfield First Selectman Mike Tetreau said he is “thrilled that the Community Theater, which has long been an iconic landmark in our town filled with special memories for so many of us, will finally be re-opened. Thank you to Kleban Properties and Sacred Heart University for saving this historic gem which will add to the vibrancy of our downtown and help Fairfield’s arts and cultural scene continue to flourish.”

In a message to the Sacred Heart community, Petillo said the downtown theater will give the university a “much-needed space for performances and programs—in particular for our students. It will also allow us to continue a tradition of cultural programs and entertainment in downtown Fairfield.”

“We will create a premier arts and education site that will be open to the entire Fairfield community,” Petillo said. “It will be a venue for our performing arts, FTMA and esports students, WSHU and more. We will also showcase high-profile lectures, author talks, concerts and other programs.”

Once renovated, the theater will have at least 400 seats and will be outfitted with the “state-of-the-art equipment and design elements that have come to define our new construction and renovations,” according to Petillo. Work should be completed in 2020, just in time for the theater’s 100th anniversary, Petillo said.

“This is an exciting project that will positively impact all of us in one way or another,” Petillo said. “It is also another example of how a University gives back to the community where it resides. That we can repurpose this 100-year landmark and breathe new life into it after years of dormancy is a win for both the University and the community. I can’t wait to see what this venue will allow our talented students, faculty and staff to achieve.”