For 15 years, Melody Libonati was an actress, living the dream in New York City. She worked Broadway, soap operas, commercials, and found great success in the industry. But when it came time to start a family, she decided, as many do, to settle in New Canaan. And since then, shes been helping aspiring actors in the town find the success she once had.
When she first came to New Canaan with her family in 1986, Melody devoted much of her time to being a mother. Yet she still found time to involve herself as an actress in the area, performing in a childrens cabaret at schools, churches, and other nonprofit groups in the area, and working as a theater instructor at King School in Stamford.
Family was so important, she said. But once they were on their own, I had the opening to explore some other things. So for the past seven years, shes been the driving force behind the Summer Theatre of New Canaan and the Performing Arts Conservatory of New Canaan. They are two different projects, but the share the same goal: to bring theater to New Canaan.
The Performing Arts Conservatory is a school run by Melody and other professional actors. Their students run the gamut from children looking for an after-school activity, to budding actors hoping to tune up for an audition, to adults fostering a love of theater. We run a big range from 3-year-olds to adults, and people in different stages of development, Melody said. Theres lots of energy here. Its always high-energy.
Run out of the same offices, but as an entirely different enterprise, is the Summer Theatre of New Canaan. The group puts on a number of plays throughout the summer season, out of their open-air, tented stage at Waveny Park. Some shows, like the Shakespeare interpretation H4, (which opens tonight) are put on by professional actors working on an equity basis. Others, like the musical production Big River, which starts in July, combine local amateurs with professionals. The big word in all of this is collaboration, Melody said. Collaborating with people with creative minds and vast imaginations.
For more information about the Performing Arts Conservatory or the Summer Theatres upcoming season, you can visit their respective websites.
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