History of TNOS
Our History
Our Program Covers
The initial meeting was chaired by the group's first President, Maurice (Moe) Smith, and numbered among its participants; Joseph Neiman (who served as legal counsel), as well as members Fritz Leitl, George B. Williams and Joan and Bob Gustafson.
In 1962, THEATRE NEWINGTON-OnStage presented "THE CURIOUS SAVAGE" as its inaugural production. Thus began a tradition of providing family entertainment in the form of comedies, mysteries, dramas and musicals.
As the years went by, "home base" for TNOS relocated from 1223 Main Street, to 131 Cedar Street, the Council Chambers of Town Hall.
On December 19, 2002, 4 days after the close of "GUYS AND DOLLS," an article in The Hartford Courant informed us that due to numerous fire code violations in the Council Chambers, live theatrical performances would no longer be permitted. Until these issues were resolved, TNOS found itself "homeless," and as a result unable to produce "STEEL MAGNOLIAS," the show which would have been our 100th consecutive production. This, from a group that had "never gone black."
While this was a bitter pill to swallow, we remained undaunted and determined to find a new venue to produce our shows. This was no small feat and after several disappointments, we were steered toward West Hartford, where the good people of the ELMWOOD COMMUNITY CENTER heard our plight and graciously offered to rent us their lovely facility.
The next "leg" of our journey returned us to Newington, where we forged a relationship with another organization of longstanding, the SPHINX Shrine Temple, on the Berlin Turnpike. In the Spring and Fall of 2006, we collaborated with their leadership to present two dinner-theatre productions, which proved wildly successful.
In late 2006, we renewed and strengthened ties with our home base at Newington Town Hall. We were welcomed back by being given the opportunity to present a production in the building, in a slightly different venue...the Mortensen gymnasium! This brings us ever closer to the reality of reaching our goal...to perform once again in the beautifully refurbished Council Chambers of Newington's Town Hall.
Here is a list of all the shows that THEATRE NEWINGTON-OnStage has done over the years.
| The Curious Savage | 1962 | Night of January 16th | 1963 |
| Papa is All | 1963 | Curse You, Jack Daniel | 1963 |
| Blithe Spirit | 1963 | Ladies in Retirement | 1964 |
| Ten Little Indians | 1964 | Harvey | 1964 |
| The Heiress | 1965 | The Tender Trap | 1965 |
| My Three Angels | 1965 | The Spiral Staircase | 1966 |
| Suds in Your Eye | 1966 | Never Too Late | 1967 |
| Never Too Late (Fund Raiser) | 1968 | Light Up The Sky | 1968 |
| Come Blow Your Horn | 1968 | Picnic | 1969 |
| Dirty Work at the Crossroads | 1969 | Five Finger Exercises | 1970 |
| The Mousetrap | 1970 | The Odd Couple | 1970 |
| Under the Yum Yum Tree | 1971 | The Impossible Years | 1971 |
| The Star Spangled Girl | 1971 | George Washington Slept Here | 1972 |
| Don't Drink the Water | 1972 | Visit to a Small Planet | 1973 |
| Avanti | 1973 | Finian's Rainbow | 1974 |
| You Know I Can't Hear You with the Water Running | 1974 | Time Out For Ginger | 1974 |
| Paint Your Wagon | 1975 | Critic's Choice | 1975 |
| Pure as the Driven Snow | 1975 | The Prisoner of 2nd Avenue | 1976 |
| Of Thee I Sing | 1976 | Count Dracula | 1976 |
| A Christmas Carol | 1976 | Barefoot in the Park | 1977 |
| Talent Revelations (Talent Show) | 1977 | Lovers and Other Strangers | 1977 |
| Dark Side of the Moon | 1978 | No Sex Please, We're British | 1978 |
| Play it Again Sam | 1978 | Night of January 16th | 1979 |
| Gigi | 1979 | Arsenic and Old Lace | 1979 |
| Potpourri | 1980 | Solid Gold Cadillac | 1980 |
| You Can't Take it with You | 1980 | Separate Tables | 1981 |
| Ah, Wilderness! | 1981 | The Second Time Around | 1981 |
| Kissin' Cousins | 1982 | There's a Girl in My Soup | 1982 |
| Blithe Spirit | 1982 | Cactus Flower | 1983 |
| A View From the Bridge | 1983 | Abie's Irish Rose | 1983 |
| Norman, Is That You? | 1984 | Last of the Red Hot Lovers | 1984 |
| Philadelphia Story | 1984 | Honestly Now | 1985 |
| The Mousetrap | 1985 | Bell, Book and Candle | 1986 |
| God's Favorite | 1986 | The Man who Came to Dinner | 1987 |
| Wait Until Dark | 1987 | Exit Who? | 1988 |
| Death by Chocolate | 1988 | Outward Bound | 1989 |
| Play On! | 1989 | Social Security | 1990 |
| A Murder is Announced | 1990 | The Dining Room | 1991 |
| Romantic Comedy | 1991 | The Curious Savage | 1992 |
| Dracula: The Musical? | 1992 | Design for Murder | 1993 |
| Everybody Loves Opal | 1993 | Beauty and the Beast. Really!! | 1994 |
| Give My Regards to Broadway | 1994 | A Shot in the Dark | 1995 |
| Nunsense | 1995 | Little Shop of Horrors | 1996 |
| The Spiral Staircase | 1996 | Lie, Cheat, and Genuflect | 1997 |
| The 1940's Radio Hour | 1997 | Lend Me a Tenor | 1998 |
| The Music Man | 1998 | Brighton Beach Memoirs | 1999 |
| Mame | 1999 | Cole | 2000 |
| Gypsy | 2000 | The Odd Couple | 2001 |
| Fiddler on the Roof | 2001 | Don't Dress for Dinner | 2002 |
| Guys and Dolls | 2002 | Bermuda Avenue Triangle | 2003 |
| A Hotel on Marvin Gardens | 2004 | 6 Rms Riv Vu | 2004 |
| Breakfast With Les And Bess | 2005 | Luau for King Lear | 2006 |
| Barbecuing Hamlet | 2006 | Noodles | 2008 |