New Paradigm Theatre Delivers Holiday Magic and Champions Community

Stratford, CT – New Paradigm Theatre (NPT) recently dazzled audiences with their 14th annual Holiday show at Stratford High School, bringing a festive spirit to the community.

This year’s production showcased a remarkable blend of Broadway talent alongside local adults and students, with special appearances from local groups including CDC Dance, Stratford Police, Local Firefighters, Sterling Community Center, Arts Alliance of Stratford, Pampered Pup, Stratford Rotary, Klein Jewelers, and Coastal Mix.

Kristin Huffman, NPT's Artistic Director and Broadway veteran, stated enthusiastically, "Our goal is to establish this as an annual production, celebrating both the joy of the season and the vibrant spirit of Stratford. This year, we experienced our best turnout yet!"

Last summer, NPT received an enthusiastic response for their production of *Charlie and the Chocolate Factory*, and the community support was overwhelming. Eyes are now set on the exhilarating musical *Hairspray*, set to premiere in August 2025. Registration for young performers aged 8-12 and teens aged 13-19 is now open, and early sign-ups are encouraged as spots are limited. visit https://nptheatre.org/hairspra...
Adult auditions for *Hairspray* will take place in May, showcasing opportunities for community members to participate.

NPT is also committed to enhancing the themes of the show through its "Creating True Equality" workshops. * In the Summer of 2025, New Paradigm Theatre (NPT) will produce the lively musical **Hairspray**. This show takes place in 1962 Baltimore, where teenagers fight for racial integration on their favorite TV program, promoting equal rights for all. As we prepare for this production, we want to give our community the tools to talk about racial and other discrimination. To support this effort, we’re thrilled to work with NPT Board Member Dr. Rydell Harrison, a dedicated educator from Partners for Educational Leadership to lead Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion workshops for our youth participants. These workshops will help our students express themselves as community leaders.

For the next six months, we will focus on using the spirit of Hairspray to challenge discrimination and promote equality in Fairfield County. In March, Dr. Harrison will train 15-20 of our most engaged youth in these leadership workshops. These students will then run peer-to-peer presentations in schools starting in April. We already have three local schools ready to partner with us, and we hope to reach even more! Our student leaders will also present these presentations as “Talk Backs” at each of our shows. Our workshops will help students understand equality provide tools to address bias, and create a sense of belonging in their schools. Through interactive discussions, students will learn to develop skills that promote understanding and inclusivity. We look forward to this exciting journey!

NPT is excited for this transformative journey in Stratford as they unite the community in the pursuit of equity and creativity.

For more information about NPT and upcoming productions, visit https://nptheatre.org or follow us on social media for the latest updates.

*NPT is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit theatre dedicated to promoting social responsibility while nurturing creative problem solvers, leaders, and global citizens through the power of theatre arts education and production.*