Norma Terris Theatre
Encyclopedia
At the Norma Terris Theatre in Chester, Connecticut
, Goodspeed Musicals
develops new musicals and nurtures emerging artists. Dedicated in 1984, the theatre is named in honor of the actress Norma Terris
, star of Jerome Kern
’s Show Boat
and a devoted patron and trustee of the Goodspeed Opera House during her later years. She presided over the dedication of The Norma Terris Theatre, and in 1987 she established The Norma Terris Fund to expand the talents of individuals and to foster the vitality, excellence and diversity of musical theatre.
The Norma Terris Theatre formerly was a factory built in the early 1900s for Susan Bates, Inc. In 1982, after locating to a larger facility, Susan Bates, Inc. donated its abandoned factory in Chester, Connecticut to Goodspeed Musicals. A 200-seat performing space it opened its doors on July 10, 1984 with the new musical Harrigan ’N Hart. Located at 33 North Main Street in Cheshire, this theatre is Goodspeed's second stage.
Chester, Connecticut
Chester is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 3,743 at the 2000 census. The town center is also defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census-designated place .-Geography:...
, Goodspeed Musicals
Goodspeed Musicals
Goodspeed Musicals, a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and advancement of musical theater and the creation of new works, was formed in 1959 to restore the Goodspeed Opera House, located in East Haddam, Connecticut, to its original Victorian appearance. Each year, Goodspeed...
develops new musicals and nurtures emerging artists. Dedicated in 1984, the theatre is named in honor of the actress Norma Terris
Norma Terris
Norma Terris was an American musical theatre star. Her mother, a singer, named her after the heroine of Bellini's opera, Norma....
, star of Jerome Kern
Jerome Kern
Jerome David Kern was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in over 100 stage works, including such classics as "Ol' Man River", "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man", "A...
’s Show Boat
Show Boat
Show Boat is a musical in two acts with music by Jerome Kern and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It was originally produced in New York in 1927 and in London in 1928, and was based on the 1926 novel of the same name by Edna Ferber. The plot chronicles the lives of those living and working...
and a devoted patron and trustee of the Goodspeed Opera House during her later years. She presided over the dedication of The Norma Terris Theatre, and in 1987 she established The Norma Terris Fund to expand the talents of individuals and to foster the vitality, excellence and diversity of musical theatre.
The Norma Terris Theatre formerly was a factory built in the early 1900s for Susan Bates, Inc. In 1982, after locating to a larger facility, Susan Bates, Inc. donated its abandoned factory in Chester, Connecticut to Goodspeed Musicals. A 200-seat performing space it opened its doors on July 10, 1984 with the new musical Harrigan ’N Hart. Located at 33 North Main Street in Cheshire, this theatre is Goodspeed's second stage.