Daniel C. Levine’s journey to co-founding A.C.T. of Connecticut is a serendipitous tale—so full of kismet, it could easily inspire a Broadway show.
Levine, who grew up outside of Boston, attended Brandeis University for his undergraduate degree, where he was a theater major… and a pre-med student. He then began his graduate studies at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. During his second year, he saw an ad in The Boston Globe for an open casting call. The role was for Marius in Les Misérables.
“I thought, I’m just going to go and see what happens,” Levine recalls. “I stood in line with over 1,500 other men all day, auditioned, and two weeks later, I was performing in the Broadway hit, Les Misérables.”
Over the next two decades, Levine would go on to perform in such Broadway blockbusters as Chicago, The Rocky Horror Show, Mamma Mia!, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Little Shop of Horrors. He’d never heard of Ridgefield. Then, in 2012, while visiting his brother who had recently moved to Redding Levine discovered Ridgefield during a trip to Main Street with his niece and nephew.
“Ridgefield felt like a very welcoming, artistic, and creative community,” Levine reminisces. “I bought what I thought was going to be a weekend house here in town, then spent a couple of years renovating it. I started spending more time here and less time in NYC.” So much less time, in fact, that Levine began turning down auditions in favor of staying in Ridgefield. Not only did he want to stay here—he wanted to create theater here.
“I loved performing, but I really felt as though my passion was in creating and directing. Throughout my career, I was lucky to work with many incredible directors, including Jerry Zaks, who directed me in Little Shop of Horrors,” Levine tells us. “To be able to watch his process, how he spoke to actors, and brought his vision to fruition… it was a master class in itself.”
Levine goes on to explain how he would often stay behind after rehearsals or come early just to observe his directors in action. “Stephen Schwartz also taught me a lot about directing. He played a big role in my career,” Levine says. “I knew that directing was something I wanted to explore but wasn’t really sure how.”
Ridgefield was officially designated as Connecticut’s first “Cultural District” in April 2021, though it has long been a haven for the arts. During World War II, Arturo Toscanini conducted here not once, but twice, in the auditorium of the-then Ridgefield High School. The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum opened in 1964, followed by the Ridgefield Theater Barn a year later. Then there’s Ridgefield Chorale, Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra, nearly half a dozen dance studios, and, of course, The Ridgefield Playhouse.
The Playhouse opened in 2000, with Allison Stockel stepping in as Executive Director the following year. “I was very good friends with Allison, and she asked me to serve as artistic advisor for their Broadway & Cabaret series,” Levine tells us. “I directed one-night concert versions of Broadway shows. The shows would sell out so quickly, it made me realize there was an appetite in this town for professional theater.”
By “professional theater,” Levine is referring to theaters that employ performers who belong to the Actors’ Equity Association—the union for professional actors. All actors who work on Broadway, in Broadway national tours, and a select number of regional theaters must be members of this union. Opening a theater for professional actors that self-produces and presents longer-running musicals—that was something Levine wanted to bring to Ridgefield.
Levine’s husband, Bryan Perri, boasts an impressive musical pedigree. A Broadway composer, music supervisor, orchestrator, arranger, music director, and conductor, Perri has worked on acclaimed productions like Wicked, Jagged Little Pill, and Almost Famous. In 2016, Levine reconnected with a Broadway colleague, Katie Diamond, in Ridgefield. Together, they began discussing the possibility of establishing a theater in the area. Shortly after, the three founders united to create A.C.T. of CT (A Contemporary Theatre of Connecticut).
In addition to its Cultural District, Ridgefield was home to something quite different until 2005. Schlumberger, the world’s leading oilfield services provider, established the Schlumberger-Doll Research Center on Old Quarry Road in 1948. This corporate campus played a pivotal role in numerous technological breakthroughs during the second half of the 20th century. However, when the center relocated to Cambridge, Massachusetts in 2005, the property fell into disrepair.
“There was a town-appointed committee charged with figuring out what to do with the property,” Levine explains. “What they realized through a series of meetings, recommendations, and votes was that the community wanted it to be used for art and culture.” First Selectman Rudy Marconi wholeheartedly supported this vision. “Rudy is deeply committed to the arts and was very focused on helping make our town an arts hub,” Levine tells us.
The only problem? The Schlumberger-Doll Research Center was not a theater. It was a corporate research space with a small auditorium—one that had asbestos and flood damage. Undeterred, the three co-founders hired theater professionals and formed A.C.T. of CT’s Board of Directors, staffing it with members who had vast theater experience, including theater construction.
“One year from the day that we signed the lease to Schlumberger, we opened with our first production, Mamma Mia!,” Levine says, smiling. But it was very close, with the parking lot being paved and the walls painted one week before opening night. While Levine recalls feeling nervous, Ridgefielders showed up right away. “The entire run was sold out!”
The following year, A.C.T. of CT had another fantastic season, solidifying Levine’s supposition that Ridgefield craved professional theater. Then, like something out of Shakespearean times, Covid hit, shuttering all theaters. Levine and his co-founders tried to keep the spirits of community members afloat with virtual performances. Then, inspiration struck.
“We had a Stephen Schwartz series,” Levine tells us, referring to the lyricist and composer of Wicked fame—who also happens to live in Ridgefield. “The first year, we produced Stephen’s musical, Working. Following that, we put on Godspell. In 2020, we were supposed to produce Snapshots… but, of course, we had to cancel.” And while the Actors’ Equity Association restricted theater actors from working, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) did not. So A.C.T. worked with SAG actors, shooting Snapshots on location in Ridgefield as a feature film.
Levine’s movie version of Snapshots was nominated for a Grammy Award for “Best Musical Theater Album.” And once restrictions eased, it was clear Ridgefield’s appetite for “Broadway in Your Backyard” hadn’t diminished. “Audiences returned, and we have consistently been over 98% capacity. We’re so lucky to live and work in a community where the arts are considered vital to a thriving society,” Levine tells us.
Now in its 7th season, A.C.T. of CT opened in the fall with a successful run of Jersey Boys. Next, the curtain will rise on Fiddler on the Roof beginning February 6th. Following that, Few Words: A Dance Cycle—a brand-new production featuring original music by Bryan Perri—will debut on March 26th. Conceived and directed by Levine, the production will also showcase original choreography by four of Broadway’s most sought-after choreographers. The 2024–2025 season will conclude with a production of Waitress: The Musical, starting on May 29th.
On January 20th, Levine was honored with the Spirit of Dr. King Community Service Award, which recognizes a community member dedicated to giving back. “I care deeply about this community. It has done so much for me and for my organization that any time I can give back, I do,” he shares.
Levine’s commitment to Ridgefield is extraordinary. He has dedicated his time and talent to such organizations as Founders Hall, Keeler Tavern Museum & History Center, the Ridgefield Library, ROAR, Jane Doe No More, Compassionate Ridgefield, and SPHERE. He also served as a Commissioner on Ridgefield’s Conservation Commission for over six years and was the recipient of the Arts Volunteer Award, the Dr. Henry C. Lee Award, and a Special Congressional Recognition from the 5th District.
So, what’s next? Levine is hard at work planning the 2025–2026 season. “I have a short list of shows that I’ve always wanted to produce, but it’s often challenging to obtain rights with licensing limitations. It’s a puzzle for me to put together the perfect season for audiences… but one I am always up for!” he tells us.
Another challenge? The lack of a secondary space for rehearsals. “One production has to be closed and loaded out before a new production can be loaded in and rehearsals can begin. I would love to run a show while simultaneously rehearsing a cast in a secondary space,” Levine explains. “And, of course, there’s the tricky issue of where to house our casts and crews—over 70 people per production—for weeks at a time during a show’s run.”
All these challenges require immense coordination, creativity, and resilience. “Despite the obstacles, there’s nothing quite like seeing it all come together—watching the cast, crew, and audience connect through the magic of live theater,” Levine reflects. “It’s a reminder that the hard work is worth it, because we’re creating something truly special. It’s an honor for me to be able to create theater for our remarkable community that I love so much.”
Visit actofct.org to learn more and purchase tickets for an upcoming show!
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