Town ‘Very Close’ To Reaching Agreement with Playhouse Operator

The town is on the verge of reaching an agreement with an operator for the Playhouse, New Canaan’s highest elected official said Tuesday night.

A presentation regarding the iconic Elm Street building— closed since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and available to a new tenant since Bow Tie Cinemas terminated its lease nine months later—will be made next week to municipal officials, according to First Selectman Kevin Moynihan.

“We are very close to having an agreement with the proposed operator,” Moynihan told members of the Town Council during a regular meeting held at Town Hall and via videoconference.

“And we hope that the TC will look favorably on funding the renovation of the Playhouse so we can open it by year-end,” Moynihan said.

His comments came during a general update to the legislative body.

The Board of Selectmen last month recommended spending $1 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to prepare The Playhouse for a new movie operator. The funds would be combined with about $804,000 already built up through a fund for the 1923-built Playhouse in order to upgrades, including ADA-related work to a bathroom, accessibility and exits. Officials said last month that the roof work at the Playhouse was nearly finished.