Monroe Parents Pull an All Nighter for Prized Tickets

On Saturday, a group of die-hard fans braved a cold spring night in Monroe to be among the first in line to score some prized tickets to an upcoming show. The stars of that show and the venue might surprise you however.

These groupies weren’t hoping to see their favorite band at a soon to be “sold out” arena. They were parents and performers from Monroe’s Connecticut Dance, vying for the best seats at the school’s upcoming recital on June 5 at the Klein Memorial Auditorium in Bridgeport.

Andrea Stratford, director of Connecticut Dance, explained, “This is our 21st year. And the lines started in 97 or 98 as a friendly competition between two parents and it grew from there. It’s become a moms’ night out. They have fun doing it. And the girls raise money for charity. That’s a really positive thing that has come out of it.”

Dancers Jen McDonald, 16, and Elie Mouchantat, 17, juniors at Newtown High School, were first in line and waited a total of 25 hours.

“We were here at 8 am,” said Mouchantat. “We wanted to be the first in line!”

“We wanted to say we were first,” McDonald added. “We also run the bake sale for Brady’s Smile.”

Brady’s Smile is a charity founded by Annie and Matt Hinton in memory of their son Brady who died on his second birthday. Their mission is to help make life easier for newborn and pediatric intensive care unit patients and families. In total, the girls  and their fellow dancers raised nearly $150 selling brownies, cookies, and other baked goods.

And with first choice, which seat is the most coveted? The answer may surprise you.

“First row balcony is best,” McDonald said. “If you are in the front row, you’re staring up and can only see us from the waist up.”

While the line began forming at 8 am Saturday, tickets sales did not begin until 9 a.m. Sunday and continued until 2 p.m. At 8:30 am Sunday, the director walked the line handing out a numbered ticket to each person, determining their spot to purchase seats to one of two performances on June 5. Ninety-eight tickets were handed out and the line stretched the length of the building, from Connecticut Dance to Associated Appliance. 

Instructor, Sandi Logan has been with the school since 1990. “They look forward to it. I see people posting about it on Facebook. People come back to see their friends, even when their kids are older and no longer with us,” Logan said.

The first parent in line was Maureen Fasino of Middlebury, the mother of a 16-year-old dancer at Connecticut Dance. “We were here since 8 a.m. [Saturday morning]. The length of it is hard,” she said, “You don’t tell people because they’ll think you are crazy!”

“It’s fun. It’s social,” Fasino added. “We talk, eat a lot of junk, just hang out.”

This is Fasino’s 12th year waiting overnight for show tickets.

“I’ve been doing it since she was four. It’s evolved, now they are part of it,” she explains, motioning to her daughter Kaitlin, who is seated in the camping chair next to her. “We used to live in Trumbull and moved to Middlebury. This was the one thing that she asked, was to continue to dance here. She loves it here. We’ll be back next year, until she’s done!”

Shows will take place June 5 at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Ticket prices range from $15 to $25. Ticket sales will continue during normal business hours for those not willing to wait in line. Connecticut Dance is located in the Clock Tower Plaza on Route 25.