Each week this column will showcase a local attraction that the students of Quinnipiac may or may not have known about. These featured landmarks are local, affordable on a college budget, and offer the QU community a great chance to try something new off campus. If you are looking for a unique and enriching experience, be sure to take advantage of the best kept secrets of New Haven County.
Located conveniently in downtown New Haven, The Long Wharf Theatre provides the area with a long standing tradition of producing quality theatrical performances in a professional, yet affordable venue. Founded in 1965 by Yale University alumni Jon Jory and Harlan Kleiman, the Long Wharf Theatre has hosted hundreds of productions, from Shakespearean classics such as Hamlet and The Twelfth Night, to musical comedies such as Guys and Dolls and I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change. The theatre has also been home to the premieres of many critically acclaimed shows which have gone on to Tony Award-winning performances on Broadway. Now in its 41st season, The Long Wharf Theatre has such impressive titles as The Old Man and the Sea and The Glass Menagerie on the docket for the upcoming year. Kicking off the season is Hughie, a moving drama about friendship and grief starring Brian Dennehy.
“This season we really have something for everybody,” said Steven Scarpa, Public Relations Manager of the Long Wharf. “We offer an opportunity for students to be entertained and to get a different perspective. We’re bringing them into other people’s lives. lives that might be very different from their own.”
Taking in a local theatre performance is great chance for college students to get the “Broadway experience” without the long drive or expensive ticket prices. The Long Wharf Theatre is the ideal venue for a night on the town, especially for Quinnipiac students. Ticket prices typically range from $22-$62, and are often discounted with a student id, making them reasonable even on a college student’s budget. The theatre also offers many behind-the-scenes experiences, including symposiums and pre-play discussions that are perfect for the student who wishes to pursue a deeper understanding of theatre. There is no shortage of opportunities to be educated and entertained at The Long Wharf Theatre.
“We have a very close relationship with the university and that’s something we’re very excited about,” said Scarpa.
For more information about upcoming show dates, ticket sales, and play synopses visit www.longwharf.org or call The Long Wharf Theatre box office at 203-787-4282.
