Dear Cabaret Patron,
We need you to write to our legislators and ask them to take action. Read the following letter, then copy and send it to the list of legislators at the bottom. Please take a few minutes to do this now—we need your voice!
For 50 years, The Downtown Cabaret Theatre has been a cultural cornerstone in Downtown Bridgeport, providing high-quality, nonprofit, year-round theatre. Yet, like dozens of other Connecticut theatres, we have been shut out of significant state funding opportunities due to blatant favoritism in our legislature.
In the 2023-2025 budget, $8 million was distributed among just 17 theatres. One theatre received 2.5 times its annual budget thanks to support from a local senator. Another received nearly half of its annual budget—and its executive director is married to a state senator who also serves as the theatre’s Board Treasurer. This is cronyism at its worst.
Now, these same theatres are poised to receive even more direct funding, bypassing the standard competitive grant process, as part of the proposed Performing Theatres group. This must stop.
The Downtown Cabaret Theatre has received state funding in the past, but only through highly competitive grant programs. Our current award is $2,586—last year, it was $2,440. This amounts to just 0.002% of our annual budget.
Our Impact in the Past Year
Despite these funding challenges, The Downtown Cabaret Theatre continues to thrive as a vital part of our community:
🎭 Produced 8 full-scale productions
🎭 Performed over 200 shows
🎭 Entertained more than 50,000 patrons
🎭 Welcomed 9,000 schoolchildren on field trips for 30 special performances
🎶 Hosted 24 concerts
🎤 Presented 6 comedy nights
🌞 Held 3 weekends of summer camp performances
We Need Your Help
State funding should be fair and equitable for all theatres—not just those with political connections. Please take action today by reaching out to legislators and urging them to redirect funding from the “Performing Theatres” group to The Downtown Cabaret Theatre and other underfunded theatres.
Contact These Legislators & Demand Fair Funding
📧 Rep. Steven Stafstrom – Steven.Stafstrom@cga.ct.gov
📧 Rep. Antonio Felipe – antonio.felipe@cga.ct.gov
📧 Sen. Herron Gaston – herron.gaston@cga.ct.gov
📧 Rep. Christopher Rosario – christopher.Rosario@cga.ct.gov
📧 Sen. Richard Blumenthal – Rich_Martinelli@blumenthal.senate.gov
📝 Sen. Chris Murphy – Contact Form
📧 Rep. Jim Himes – CT04JHima@mail.house.gov
Your voice matters. Help us ensure that state arts funding is distributed fairly—not based on political favoritism. Thank you for supporting The Downtown Cabaret Theatre and fighting for Connecticut’s theatre community.
Sincerely,
Hugh Hallinan | Executive Director
Downtown Cabaret Theatre
P.S. PLEASE PLEASE MAKE SURE TO CC hugh@dtcab.com and Elizabeth.Shapiro@ct.gov when you send your email.
