Westport Country Playhouse Is Donation Site For 3 Charities

WESTPORT, CT — Westport Country Playhouse is organizing donations and support for three area charities this holiday season: The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, Norwalk Toys for Tots, and Westport Homes with Hope Food Pantry, officials announced. The giving-back program will take place during the Playhouse’s production of "A Sherlock Carol," a family-friendly holiday show, beginning Saturday, and running through Dec. 21.

"Each holiday season, our theatre is proud to raise both funds and awareness for organizations that serve the heart of our community, including Norwalk Toys for Tots, Homes with Hope, and The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp," said Mark Shanahan, Playhouse artistic director, in a statement. "These partnerships reflect what the Playhouse stands for, bringing people together as we support children, families, and our many neighbors in meaningful, lasting ways."

Shanahan added, "The bond we share with The Hole in the Wall Camp remains especially close to our hearts, as I know it would make Camp founder Paul Newman and our own former artistic director Joanne Woodward very proud to see the relationship between our organizations still going strong. On a personal note, it was my involvement with Camp that helped inspire 'A Sherlock Carol,' with the idea of a grown up Tiny Tim having turned his own personal experiences into a lifelong commitment to helping others, just like so many people at Camp do."

Items for the local charities may be dropped in the collection boxes in the Playhouse lobby anytime the box office is open (Tuesday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m.) and at performance times. For The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, curtain speeches will invite monetary donations from the audience.

"All of us here at Hole in the Wall are so grateful for the longstanding friendship of Westport Country Playhouse, which has helped bring 'a different kind of healing' to tens of thousands of children with serious illnesses and their families through Camp’s year-round programs," said Robin Farrell, chief development officer at The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp. "The generous support through ‘A Sherlock Carol’ is especially important as it not only allows us to continue to grow and innovate but also raises awareness of Camp’s mission with new friends in the community."

From the Westport Country Playhouse announcement:

The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, founded in 1988 by Paul Newman, provides multiple, free-of-charge Camp experiences throughout the year at the facility in Ashford, Connecticut, in dozens of hospitals and clinics, directly in camper homes and communities, and through other outreach activities across the Northeast and mid-Atlantic. www.holeinthewallgang.org

Norwalk Toys for Tots is seeking new, unwrapped toys and books for children in need, including books for all ages in Spanish and Haitian Creole, for ages newborn to 18. The donations will benefit local agencies and families in Norwalk, Fairfield, and Westport. https://linktr.ee/NorwalkTFT

Westport Homes with Hope, dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness in Fairfield County, is seeking for its food pantry: pancake mix, cooking oil, condiments, laundry detergent (small containers), fem care products, canned fruit, cold cereal, salt and pepper, jelly, cleaning wipes, and gift certificates to Walmart and Stop & Shop. https://www.hwhct.org/

“A Sherlock Carol” returns to the Playhouse by popular demand for the third consecutive year. Based on two classic tales, “The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle,” a classic Sherlock Holmes story, and “A Christmas Carol,” the story is set in 1894 London on Christmas Eve as a grown-up Tiny Tim asks Sherlock Holmes to investigate the peculiar death of Ebenezer Scrooge. The inventive plot of intrigue and suspense, infused with holiday cheer and music, features familiar characters from the literature of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Charles Dickens. Nominated for a 2022 Off-Broadway Alliance Award for Best New Play and selected as a “Critics’ Pick” by The New York Times, the play is written and directed by Mark Shanahan, Westport Country Playhouse artistic director.

Performance schedule is Sat., Dec. 13 at 7 pm.; Sun., Dec. 14 at 3 p.m.; Wed., Thurs., and Fri., Dec. 17-19 at 7 p.m.; Sat., Dec. 20 at 3 and 8 p.m.; and Sun., Dec. 21 at 3 p.m. The play is recommended for age 7and up. Running time is 108 minutes, including one 15-minute intermission.

Single tickets start at $50 and are subject to change based upon availability. Student tickets are $20. For information on special offers, as well as options for pay-what-you-will and library passes, visit www.westportplayhouse.org/visit/box-office/.

“A Sherlock Carol” Production Partner is Claire Wilkes. Corporate Production Supporter is 3030 Park at Senior Living Hospitality Group. 2025 Programming and Season Sponsor is Barbara Streicker. 2025 Media Sponsors are Moffly Media and WSHU Public Radio. Westport Country Playhouse is a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization.

For “A Sherlock Carol” information and tickets, visit: https://www.westportplayhouse.org/show/a-sherlock-carol-2025/

A complete schedule of Playhouse events is available at westportplayhouse.org. All play titles, artists, dates, and times are subject to change.

For Westport Country Playhouse information and tickets, visit westportplayhouse.org or call the box office at (203) 227-4177, toll-free at 1-888-927-7529. Stay connected to the Playhouse on Facebook (Westport Country Playhouse), Instagram (wcplayhouse), and YouTube (WestportPlayhouse). Westport Country Playhouse is located at 25 Powers Court, off Route 1, Westport.