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Celebration
The Performing Arts of Northeast Connecticut recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. From left: Nancy Weiss, John Gray and Betty Hale. Courtesy photo.


BROOKLYN — The Performing Arts of NECT recently celebrated its 50th anniversary with almost 100 guests. The party was both a fund-raiser and a well-earned celebration for this volunteer-run, non-profit group, which has brought high quality, accessible and affordable professional performing arts to the children and adults of northeast Connecticut for half a century.  It was also a chance to honor important members’ contributions over the years.
Performing Arts Board Chair Melissa Zahansky led off a brief presentation that included Hospitality Committee Chair Susan Horn, followed by an entertaining history of the organization by local writer Nancy Weiss. Horn was pleasantly surprised that for the 50th anniversary they had come “full circle back to where our original founders frequently met to chart a course for our then fledgling organization, at a farm and restaurant known as the Golden Lamb.” She thanked the Hospitality Committee of Denise Archambault, Mary Collins, Karen DeLuca, Ann Hinchman, Eliza Kimball, Rachel Sarantopoulos, Lauren Wheaton, and emeritus member Shirley Mongillo.
Zahansky thanked guests for their “continued generosity and volunteerism,” noting this season will feature the largest and most diverse slate of genres Performing Arts has ever presented. “Opera was at the helm of the organization’s mission 50 years ago,” she said. “Since then we have added a plethora of community offerings and children’s programming.” In the last decade, Zahansky, a teacher at Rectory School, has witnessed the impact of Performing Arts on her students. She has been excited by expanded programming, including symphony and the Science of Sound program taught by local musician Sally Rogers, plus cosponsored programming with the Loos Center for the Arts in Woodstock. She welcomed some of the pioneers of Performing Arts, honored guests including Betty Hale, John Ostrout, and Nancy Weiss. “These are the people who worked tirelessly on a voluntary basis to make sure that the northeast corner wasn’t forgotten when it came to performing arts, and we’re so thankful.”
Nancy Weiss, past Board Chair and longtime supporter of Performing Arts, offered warm and humorous historical anecdotes. Weiss lauded late members Bob Miller and Bob Sloat and other impactful including Donald Froehlich and his sister, Linda, and Betty Hale.
“Everyone here has a memory of what being connected to this group means,” she added. “I hope you will share them and enjoy them. Performing Arts has been a remarkable success, first as an artistic endeavor, but even more as a community treasure.  It brought us all together for parties, friendships, reaching out to area children and supporting professional singers and musicians.  Best of all.  It goes on.  Here’s to another 50 years.”

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