Phoenix Stage Executive Director to Direct Landmark Community Theatre Musical

Pictured: Ed Bassett (at left) and Agnes Dann present a Phoenix in Flight Award to Mary Kamens at the Anniversary Celebration on Saturday evening Photo by Amber Dumphy.

Oakville, CT - Ed Bassett, the executive director of the Phoenix Stage Company, will be directing a show at another area theater because the show is one of his all-time favorites. It also happens to be one of my favorites ever since I saw the original production on Broadway.

During a break at the Phoenix Stage Seventh Anniversary Celebration, Mr. Bassett shared with me that he has agreed to direct the Landmark Community Theatre’s production of ‘Godspell’ that is part of the upcoming season at the Thomaston Opera House in Torrington. Agnes Dann and Mr. Bassett, founding partners of the PSC, announced the exciting 2018 season at the Phoenix Stage Company during the party.

Unfortunately, this will mean that Mr. Bassett will miss an opening night at his home base for the first time in the seven years that the PSC has been in existence. He has already decided that he will be in Thomaston that evening for the opening night of ‘Godspell;’ the details of the productions in the 2018 season have not yet been posted by Landmark. Mr. Bassett has served as costume designer for several of Landmark’s recent big musicals, including the current production of ‘Mamma Mia.’

Mr. Bassett will be staging his beloved musical in a bold new way with the blessing of Jeff Dunn of Landmark Community Theatre. The director will be using the new musical arrangements by Stephen Schwartz for the recent Broadway revival and he has decided to audition for pit singers to boost the vocals. Pit singers sing (into microphones) with the cast members on choral portions of the score while sitting with the musicians in the pit orchestra.

We agreed that some of the changes that Mr. Schwartz made to the score are not to our liking, but that the new “Beautiful City” is a truly beautiful way to end the show. I can’t wait to see the finished product of what this talented director has in mind for a musical that I never tire of seeing.

Nancy Sasso Janis has been writing theatre reviews since 2012 as a way to support local theatre venues and she posts reviews of well over 100 productions each year. In 2016, she became a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle. She continues to contribute theatre news, previews, and audition notices to local Patch sites. Reviews of all levels of theatrical productions are posted on Naugatuck Patch and the Patch sites closest to the venue. Follow the reviewer on her Facebook pages Nancy Sasso Janis: Theatre Reviewer and Connecticut Theater Previews and on Twitter @nancysjanis417