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

As the internet is fast becoming a place for news, the shoreline’s new OldSaybrookNow.com and Lymeline.com are falling right in line. They’re featuring a story today on the last day of 2008, on The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center entitled “Curtain Up at “The Kate” in 2009.”

That title alone gives me goosebumps! This theater, that so many have been working on for so long, is going to open with a bang! We hope you’ll all be tripping over yourselves to see what’s up at “The Kate” so you can get your tickets and plan your day and or evening. You’ll be able to get your tickets on line for movies, cabaret, comedy,

Linda Ahnert talks about the plans for the summer opening of the theater and interviews KHCAC board member, Bob Czepiel and his wife, Anne and their matching gift to the theater of $100,000.00.

We’re calling all Hepburn fans and lovers of the arts to jump on board and help us with the final touches to the theater that will make it “the little gem of a place with a movie star name.”

You can help us out by matching any amount of the Czepiel’s offer which lasts till Valentines Day, February 14th.

You can also become a “Founding Fan” by going to our website or to our new Facebook page. We want you all actually to go to the Facebook page to sign up so you too can help us spread the word. We want thousands to sign up there for “The Katharine Hepburn Cause.” it’s just $15.00 to become a Founding Fan. Once you do that, you’ll have your name added to the Founding Fan roster and have your name placed into a special place in the theater where you’ll see if every time you visit.

The momentum is growing for the opening of this wonderful venue in Connecticut’s quintessential new England town of Old Saybrook… if you haven’t been there, you’re going to love it.

Thank you Oldsaybrooknow.com and Lymeline.com for helping us tell everyone about “The Kate.”

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

This is the kind of news that is so endearing, a gift from a darling committed couple that will keep on giving for generations.

This tale begins with a decades old Connecticut love story…and now an incredibly generous gift challenge for the soon to open Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center and Theater.

Bob Czepiel, a local documentarian and photographer who has taken so many wonderful photos of The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, came forward on December 13th, with his wife Anne and offered their tremendous gift challenge for the theater.

Bob and Anne met 50 years ago in old Saybrook, Connecticut fell in love,…just down from Hepburn’s place and got married.

The couple is so committed to “The Kate” that they announced they will match every single dollar up to 100-thousand dollars given to the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center by Valentine’s day. How fitting is Valentine’s Day to wrap up such a gift of love.

Bob is a member of the Board of Trustees for “The Kate” and feels like so many, that the theater will not only be an asset to the town of Old Saybrook, Connecticut and to the legend of Hepburn, but to the state and beyond its borders.

The theater is set to open this summer and we are hoping we will be able to match that $100,000.00 with dollars here and dollars there. With the help of Hepburn fans and theater lovers every where we can do it.

On behalf of Katharine Hepburn fans around the world, we thank you Bob and Anne so much for your generosity. Here’s to the opening of the theater in July of 2009!

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