Westport Country Playhouse, a not-for-profit theater, serves as a treasured home for the performing arts and is a…More cultural landmark for Connecticut.</p> <p>Under the artistic direction of Mark Lamos and management direction of Michael Ross, the Playhouse creates quality productions of new and classic plays that enlighten, enrich and engage a diverse community of theater lovers, artists and students.</p> <p>The Playhouse's rich history dates to 1931, when New York theatre producer Lawrence Langner created a Broadway-quality stage within a 1830s tannery. The Playhouse quickly became an established stop on the New England 'straw hat circuit' of summer stock theatres.</p> <p>Now celebrating its 79th season, Westport Country Playhouse has produced more than 700 plays, 36 of which later transferred to Broadway, most recently the world premiere of<i> Thurgood</i> and a revival of Thornton Wilder's<i> Our Town</i> with Paul Newman, and in earlier years<i> Come Back, Little Sheba</i> with Shirley Booth,<i> The Trip to Bountiful</i> with Lillian Gish, and<i> Butterflies Are Free</i> with Keir Dullea and Blythe Danner.</p> <p>For its artistic excellence, the Playhouse received a 2005 Governor's Arts Award and a 2000 'Connecticut Treasure' recognition.</p> <p>It was also designated as an official project of Save America's Treasures by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and is entered on the Connecticut State Register of Historic Places.</p> <p>Following a multi-million dollar renovation completed in 2005, the Playhouse transformed into a year-round, state-of-the-art producing theater. It has still preserved its original charm and character.</p> <p>In addition to a full season of theatrical productions, the Playhouse serves as a community resource, presenting educational programming and workshops, a children's theater series, symposiums, music, films, and readings.</p>