The Norwalk Civic Opera presents "Blossom Time" at the Theatre in the Woods

  

The Norwalk Civic Opera Company presents "Kantinka" at the Theatre in the Woods

A Norwalk Baritone - Greek Evans

The impressive career of Greek Evans:

A Norwalk Contralto - Mme. Henriette Wakefield (Evans)

The impressive career of Mme. Henriette Wakefield (Evans):

August 16, 1933

Danbury News-Times Wednesday, August 16, 1933

(handwritten note on article: Ridgefield Press)

Unfortunately, the image of this article is cut off, and difficult to read, but it explains how Greek Evans and Henriette Wakefield Evans created the Theatre in the Woods with the intention of reinvesting all profits from the performances back into the theatre, and constructing a school where native talent could be developed.

Construction of New Studio Planned at Theatre in the Woods Next Summer

Greek Evans built a summer cottage that would be used as an artists studio. The home features a large great room with a unique stone fireplace, as well as a colorful, handpainted mural high up on the wall, depicting Henriette Wakefield Evans from the Mikado.

News article announcing Henriette Wakefield and Greek Evans will perform in "Kantinka" at the Theatre in the Woods.

News article from the Darien Review announcing upcoming performances at the Theatre in the Woods.

Here you can see the different levels for audience seating is being created in the hillside, which forms a natural amphitheatre.

The entrance gates and stone pillars.

That's a lot of folding chairs!

View looking down at the stage.

Aerial view of The Theatre in the Woods.

How do I get there?

Directions to The Theatre in the Woods in Norwalk, CT.

Life was much simpler back then. Notice the 3 and 4-digit telephone numbers on this mailer. Just this week (11/15/09), the state of Connecticut has required that even local calls must include the area code. That's 10 digits just to dial your next-door neighbor!

Summer of 1932

The Theatre in the Woods was built in 1932. The opening production was "Robin Hood."

The Theatre in the Woods was dreamed up by the owners of the 40-acre property, a performing arts couple from New York: Greek Evans, a Broadway performer, and his wife, Henriette Wakefield, a star in the Metropolitan Opera Company.

The Norwalk Civic Opera Company, which produced the performances at the amphitheatre, was a non-profit organization run by volunteers, including, by 1936, a 20-peice orchestra.

Greek Evans produced the operas and operettas, and he and Wakefield performed in many of them.

Greek Evans & Henriette Wakefield

Greek Evans was a member of the Creatore Opera Company of New York. Afterwards, he became a protege of world famous baratone, Antonio Scotti. Evans toured with the Scotti Opera Company for seven years, then returned to Broadway, starring in a long succession of light opera hits.

Mrs. Greek Evans (Mme. Henriette Wakefield), began her operatic career at the age of 17, appearing with Lina Cavallerri and Caruso on opening night of the Metropolitan Opera House, learning her part in two days. 

A leading mezzo soprano of the Metropolitan Opera House, Wakefield was (once) the only woman born in New York ever to have made the Metropolitan, and sang the first opera ever to have been broadcast from the Metropolitan Opera House stage, on Christmas Day, 1931.