The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center (“The Kate”) is a unique, public/private partnership benefiting the people of the Connecticut Shoreline and the lower River Valley. The building is owned by the Town, but will be operated by a non-profit corporation with a Board of Trustees. Included on this Board are at least three Old Saybrook residents appointed by the Selectmen.

The Town of Old Saybrook will complete the building through the granting of a Certificate of Occupancy (C.O.,) using the $4.34 million dollars authorized by the Town. The Town hopes to have a C.O. by early 2009.

The Board of Trustees of the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center then will install many of the finishes required to make “The Kate” a performing arts facility including:

• Seating and risers
• Sound equipment
• Lighting equipment
• Ticketing software
• Cabinetry
• Carpet
• Window Coverings
• Computer network

To provide these things, the Board is committed to raising $1.7 million dollars to complete fundraising begun by the Town. At present, the total raised is $1,450,000. The Board hopes to open the Center for performances in the summer of 2009, but the opening date is dependent upon the pace of construction and fundraising.

As operated by the Board, the Kate will present a wide variety of programs including:

• Film
• Lectures
• Readings
• Comedy
• Theatre
• Dance
• Cabaret
• Children’s Theatre
• Music

To accommodate this variety, seating will be flexible. Balcony seating is permanent as are five rows of the orchestra on risers, but the first eight rows in the theatre can be removed to leave a 30 foot by 40 foot open space for cabaret tables, exhibits, etc. The Center will be available for rental by organizations and individuals.

Ticket prices will vary by performance. Some events will be free, while others will be determined by artist’s fees and sponsorship income.

With 250 + seats, the Kate will be more like an intimate Garde or Bushnell Theatre than the Ivoryton Playhouse or Goodspeed Opera House, whose missions are producing theatre.

As “The Kate” is a presenting, not a producing venue, the work presented there will be produced by other organizations. Programming discussions are ongoing with:

• CT Free Shakespeare
• Connecticut Ballet
• The Eugene O’Neil Theater Center
• The Met in HD
• Washington Speakers Bureau
• Oddfellows Playhouse
• Margreta Stage
• MPI Talent Agency
• International Creative Management
• Salt Marsh Opera, among others

The Board of Trustees hopes to open the Kate for performances in the summer of 2009.

See you at “The Kate!”
Ann Nyberg, Trustee, KHCAC

I came across an article today on a web site called Design Taxi and it featured an october 2008 press release of how the Katharine Hepburn Theater came to be.

This isn’t the whole story, you’ll see that in a documentary being put together by board member, Bob Czepiel, but this article is a good start as to how this historic Town Hall will soon have new life breathed into it.

We open this summer to film, theater, dance, drama, comedy, cabaret, authors, children’s summer drama camps, opera and on and on.

The photo of Hepburn is from her film, “Alice Adams.”

See you at “The Kate!”
Ann Nyberg, Trustee, KHCAC

It’s 2009, the year in which the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center and Theater will open in Hepburn’s beloved seaside town of Old Saybrook, Connecticut.

Children are skating on the town green outside “The Kate.” They’re in front of what will be the new entrance to the theater. It’s a beautiful addition to the existing building erected in 1910.

The Board of Trustees is really working hard as we get ready to open the theater this summer. Programming is already underway and the carpeting and chairs are ordered.

We also have our “Founding Fans” campaign up and running that we want you all to be a part of. For just $15.00 you can become a “Founding Fan.” You will have your name put onto an elite list on the website and your name will also be placed into a special place in the theater.

Another challenge before us…we have until Valentine’s Day to match a $100,000.00 amount given so graciously to the theater by trustee, Bob Czepiel and his wife Anne. The board is really working hard to match every one of those Czepiel dollars. You can help us do that by becoming a “Founding Fan.” How do you do that? You can click on the big red bottom at the top of this page that says “Founding Fan” or you can go to our new Facebook page. Come be a part of this exciting adventure!

Thanks Bob Czepiel for snapping this wonderful moment outside “The Kate.”

See you at “The Kate!”
Ann Nyberg, Trustee, KHCAC