The Sharon Playhouse is alerting theatergoers to purchase tickets directly through its website or box office, as the venue responds to a rise in third-party scams.
SHARON — The Sharon Playhouse is warning theatergoers ahead of its 2026 season to avoid third-party ticket sellers after scams surfaced during last year’s record-breaking run.
Officials said tickets for MainStage and YouthStage shows are only available through the Sharon Playhouse website or box office and will not cost more than $55.
The issue extends beyond Sharon. Regional venues, including the Warner Theater in Torrington and Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts, report similar problems with third-party sellers inflating prices or distributing fraudulent tickets.
Scams have typically taken two forms, Playhouse officials said, including legitimate tickets resold at inflated prices – sometimes up to five times the face value – and entirely fake tickets.
“We’re on the radar now,” joked Artistic Director Carl Andress, pointing to the theater’s surge in attendance in recent years. The Playhouse saw the highest overall attendance in its history last year, a factor leaders believe is contributing to scam activity.
Michael Baldwin, the Playhouse’s Education and Community Director, said the consequences fall hardest on customers.
“We’re thrilled that we are selling more tickets – and even selling out,” Baldwin said. “But if someone purchased a fraudulent ticket last year, there were times when we didn’t have another ticket to offer them.”
To combat the issue, the Playhouse will begin scanning tickets for the first time in its history. Previously, ushers looked at tickets and directed people to their seats.
The problem is exacerbated by third-party ticket sellers with larger marketing budgets, often dominating online search results through paid ads.
“It’s a constant challenge we’re working on from a marketing standpoint,” said Lynette Shy of Confluence Arts Solutions, the Playhouse’s marketing partner. She noted that patrons frequently believe they are purchasing directly from a venue when they are not.
Despite efforts to counter misleading listings, the Playhouse said its budget simply can’t keep up.
“These people have a lot more resources than nonprofit performing arts groups,” Shy said.
Some resellers purchase tickets in bulk and relist them at higher prices, she said, adding that efforts to monitor suspicious sales are ongoing but scammers are “getting smarter and smarter.”
At Bushnell, Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of Marketing Stephanie Fried said the impact can deter audiences entirely.
When theatergoers see prices inflated far beyond what they should be, Fried said, many simply walk away without realizing affordable tickets are available directly from the venue. In some cases, she said, seasoned scammers use tactics like countdown clocks or misleading inventory lists to create a sense of urgency.
“In every one of these scenarios, the patron trusted a process, acted in good faith, and was harmed,” Fried said. “Every Connecticut consumer deserves honest, transparent access to tickets for the events they want to attend.”
Early signs suggest the problem is continuing into the upcoming Sharon Playhouse season, prompting staff to get ahead of the problem. Warnings are being posted on the Sharon Playhouse website, e-mail communications and social media.
“We want to keep selling out,” Andress said. “But we want our customers to have the best experience and pay the prices that we actually charge.”
Tickets for the 2026 season can be purchased at sharonplayhouse.org or in person at the box office.
Sharon Playhouse 2026 Season
The Playhouse has aligned its 2026 MainStage programming to coincide with America’s 250th anniversary.
“The 2026 season reflects the heart of America,” Andress said. “Stories of hope in hard times, generosity in moments of crisis, and joy created through music, laughter, and community.”
The season kicks off with the high-energy star-spangled musical hit, Swingtime Canteen on June 19, followed by the ultimate Broadway fairytale, 42nd Street, and continues with the Tony Award–winning musical Come From Away through September 27.
The theater’s YouthStage lineup is not to be missed, with dozens of local children and familiar faces taking the stage in Pooh’s Parade, Matilda, Jr., Big Bad, Shrek Kids, and Zombie Prom, the second annual pre-professional Launchpad Company production featuring local teens.
Nathan Miller
Pawling Road Crews work to clear debris from fallen trees from North Quaker Hill Road in Pawling, New York, after heavy winds felled trees across the area. Six roads are currently closed, causing delays as utility company crews attempt to restore electricity service to customers in Pawling and Dover after a day without power.
This story has been updated.
Heavy winds and severe storm conditions caused widespread power outages Thursday, June 11.Over 600 customers in Dutchess County were still without power in the towns of Pawling and Dover through Saturday.
NYSEG Communications Manager Mike Baggerman said the lasting outage was caused by fallen trees that downed poles and blocked multiple roads, slowing repair efforts. Power was restored by 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 13.
Baggerman said municipal road crews had to clear the roadways so NYSEG crews could re-install poles and restore service.
Severe winds downed trees along Quaker Hill Road, North Quaker Hill Road, Old Quaker Hill Road, Reservoir Road, Hurds Corner Road and Tracy Road in the Town of Pawling, according to the town’s Highway Department.
Baggerman reminded customers to stay away from downed power lines and to alert NYSEG and local authorities when downed trees or lines are spotted. Reports of downed trees, downed power lines and power outages can be sent to NYSEG online at www.nyseg.com/outages or by calling 800-572-1131.
Graham Corrigan
Ivan Howe, 13, performs as Peter Pan at the Sharon Playhouse in Sharon, Connecticut. Howe began his acting career on stage at the Playhouse in “Oliver!” in 2023 and has since performed on stage and even taken a supporting role in the Netflix miniseries “Eric” starring British actor Benedict Cumberbatch.
MILLBROOK — Ivan Howe’s acting career might be growing faster than he is.
In 2023, the Indian Mountain School student and Millbrook native landed his first title role in Sharon Playhouse’s production of “Oliver!” Three years later, he’s about to start high school having shared the screen with Marvel superheroes.
In addition to multiple performances on stage, the 13-year-old rising freshman has already logged a credit on a Netflix show — a 2024 miniseries starring Benedict Cumberbatch called “Eric.”
It didn’t happen by design — Howe’s parents are educators, and his older siblings had other interests. It was a trip to the Playhouse that originally sparked the idea of acting. “I wanted to be an actor because my best friend acted in plays,” Howe said. “I thought that was the coolest thing ever.”
Ivan’s parents Jeni and Jonathan were supportive of the idea. Jonathan had acted in college, and Sharon Playhouse provided a great place to learn. A role in “Elf Jr.” was Ivan’s first role, and “Oliver!” happened soon after. “The Sharon Playhouse is where I found my feet as an actor,” Howe said. “I did my first show there, and I’ve met so many friends and mentors there.”
Ivan’s optimistic perspective may have landed him big roles, but onscreen, he’s become known for something quite different. With dark curly hair and a quiet, commanding presence, he’s often been cast as the brooding, troubled character.
That’s especially true in “Eric,” the 2024 Netflix series that introduced Howe to a much larger audience. He plays Edgar, the son of troubled parents who disappears mysteriously in the streets of New York City. “Edgar wasn’t necessarily a bright and cheerful character,” Howe said, “and I really like characters like that. It would be fun to be in a comedy, but I like the characters who have more depth.”
The series was filmed in Budapest and co-stars Gabby Hoffman and Benedict Cumberbatch, who Ivan idolized from his role as Dr. Strange in the Marvel movies. “I’m obsessed with all things Marvel,” he says, and relished the opportunity to talk shop with one of its tentpole characters. Cumberbatch is a professed fan of the original comic books, too, and by the end of shooting “Eric,” the two actors were sharing meals at a local Hungarian restaurant near the set.
“It was amazing to see all these professional actors, like Gabby and Benedict, in their environment,” he said. “It was a big inspiration for me.”
The cameras represented a big change for Howe, whose previous acting experience had mostly been onstage. The scale of a major Netflix production required him to adapt quickly.
“I was the only kid on set,” Howe said. “It taught me that it’s really a professional workplace, and I learned how to tune out everything except for the scene.”
Easier said than done — especially compared to the live energy of a stage. “In theater, you just have to go with it…but with screen, you have the chance to adjust things.”
After the success of “Eric,” Howe returned to the stage. He played two lead roles: Josh Baskin in “Big” at Sheldrake’s Stagedoor Manor, then returned to the Sharon Playhouse stage as Peter Pan. He’ll be performing in “The Saviors” at the Atlantic Theater Company before starting high school in the fall. In between rehearsals, Howe likes to volunteer at the Trevor Zoo.
As for advice for other aspiring actors — Howe said that feeling uncomfortable is a sign you’re headed in the right direction.
“The hardest part of acting, to me, can be feeling self-conscious,” he said. “Sometimes I can feel myself not acting to the fullest because of thatbarrier. But when I finally do, it’s so much easier. Fight your way into whatever you want to do.”
Nathan Miller
Caroline Farr-Killmer has been leading the effort to rebuild Millerton’s fire-ravaged Water Department building since last February.
MILLERTON — Village officials expect a rebuild of the fire-ravaged Water Department building to begin soon, with the aim of completing it before the end of summer.
Fire project manager Caroline Farr-Killmer has been managing the effort to demolish and rebuild the village’s Public Works Department building since a fire destroyed it and all the equipment inside last winter. She said that Dutchess County Department of Health approval is the last hurdle for a new Water Department building before construction can start.
Millerton Mayor Jenn Najdek said she expects construction to start as soon as the designs get approval from the health department.
Officials described the new Water Department building as an urgent need. Farr-Killmer explained the village’s water system has been operating with just one operational well, causing concerns about potential water shortages at that wellhead and its longevity. The village cannot operate the second well until it is enclosed in a structure, Farr-Killmer said.
Najdek doesn’t expect Millerton’s upcoming 175th anniversary celebration to impact the construction. She said health department approval should be arriving within the week, and the 400-square-foot building likely wouldn’t take long to construct. She clarified that there is no clear timeline at this moment, but expects to get work started as soon as approvals come in.
Millerton’s Water and Highway building caught fire last February, destroying the structure and all of the village’s road maintenance and police equipment. Since then, property restoration firm BELFOR has been working to clear and prep the site for a brand new set of buildings.
Farr-Killmer explained the Water Department building, which will house one of Millerton’s municipal wells, must now be a separate structure from the Highway Department building due to environmental and health regulations. Municipal wells require up to a 200-foot buffer from other structures to prevent drinking water contamination.
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Nathan Miller
Kanchisar Jiradhanaiphat, left, and John Schildbach plan to open Muanjai Tea on Main Street in Millerton in early July.
MILLERTON — The opening of a proposed Thai tea shop on Main Street has been delayed while owners await approval from the Dutchess County Department of Health.
John Schildbach, who plans to open the shop with his wife, Kanchisar Jiradhanaiphat, in the former Candy-O’s space, said plans to include seating have complicated the approval process because of the building’s existing septic system.
Candy-O’s, a candy shop which relocated farther down Main Street earlier this year, did not provide seating for customers, allowing it to operate with a smaller septic system under Department of Health regulations.
Schildbach, who wants to add 20 seats, said an engineer has signed off on plans for the tea shop and sent a recommendation to the Department of Health. Despite that recommendation, the shop had to push back the original June 6 opening date.
“We haven’t even started buildout,” Schildbach said. “If I can get everything moving, it’ll probably be early July now.”
Schildbach said interior renovations to the shop couldn’t begin until the business had received permits from the health department. A series of scheduling conflicts meant the engineer couldn’t get to the shop until the first week of June, but Schildbach said he was staying patient.
“You’re always waiting on the people who are in charge,” Schildbach said.
Schildbach said he hopes to receive approval for 20 seats in the shop, but expects the health department to reduce indoor seating slightly.
If that happens, Schildbach said it will only hamper the space’s indoor capacity until Millerton’s municipal wastewater system is installed, which is expected to be complete in 2028. He expects to receive approval for 12 to 14 seats inside the café for the time being.
Department of Health approvals are the last hurdle holding things back, Schildbach said. Once that approval has been obtained, Schildbach said village building officials are prepared to issue permits for the interior renovations and he is ready to get to work.
The shop is targeting an early July opening date, with a goal of opening before Millerton’s 175th celebration set for July 11 to 19.
Graham Corrigan
Jennifer Burgen, right, and Michael Burgen now own Babette’s Kitchen on Franklin Avenue in Millbrook. The duo have worked at the shop since 2024.
MILLBROOK — A local eatery that has operated on Millbrook’s Franklin Avenue for more than 20 years is changing ownership.
The new owners at Babette’s Kitchen are two longtime employees. Jennifer Burgen, who has worked at Babette’s for the last three years, and Michael Burgen, who joined the kitchen in December 2024, took over earlier this month. Michael had previously been a general manager at Fern in Lakeville.
The couple has long dreamed of running their own restaurant, so when Babette’s co-founders Buffy Arbogast and Beth Daidone expressed a desire to find new owners, the Burgens jumped at the chance.
“We’re excited to continue the legacy that Beth and Buffy started,” said Jennifer Burgen. “We like to say that they kept it in the family.”
For 22 years, Babette’s Kitchen has been a Millbrook staple for coffee, breakfast, lunch and catering. With an emphasis on local produce and a menu sourced from nearby farms, Babette’s has gained regional acclaim for its inventive menu and extensive pastry offerings. Their buttermilk biscuits, frittatas, and seasonal rotations have made the 20-seat café a weekend favorite for locals and weekenders alike.
Like Babette’s founders, the Burgens graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, a culinary school based in Hyde Park. When Babette’s founder Arbogast attended in 2004, she was at the forefront of a gastronomic migration.
The Burgens are part of the second wave, and are committed to keeping Babette’s core menu intact. “We’re not doing any changes for the first couple of years, but in the long term, we’d love to bring some family recipes out,” Burgen said. “My grandmother was a great cook, and Mike’s grandmother was an amazing baker.”
Michael Burgen was raised in the Buffalo area, and he’s looking forward to bringing some of the flavors of Western New York to Babette’s. “There’s a great little food scene up there,” Michael Burgen said. “But a lot of the items are very regional. You don’t really see them in other parts of the state. It’ll be fun to see people experience that.” That will eventually include Buffalo wings during football season, and Beef on Weck, a Buffalo classic that features thinly sliced roast beef on a kummelweck roll with horseradish and caraway seeds.
In the meantime, however, the Burgens are running the kitchen Beth and Buffy have perfected over two decades with little change.
“They’ve built such a great place,” says Michael Burgen, “and it has such a loyal following.” Michael has spent much of the last 18 months learning the ins and outs at Beth’s elbow: her flavors, her systems, and her kitchen space. “Every kitchen is different,” he said. “So her showing me her ways of operating with the equipment was a big part of the production. It takes a lot of the guesswork out.”
For their part, the now-previous owners of Babette’s feel like they’ve found the right team to continue their legacy. In a message posted earlier this week, Arbogast said the Burgens “are the perfect pair to keep Babette’s true to its roots, but to move it forward with fresh bright ideas.”
Millerton News
CANAAN — Anita L. (King) Gochey, 85, of 77 South Canaan Rd. died June 5, 2026, at Geer Village. She was the wife of the late Lester Gochey. Anita was born July 16, 1940,in Winsted, daughter of the late Ivan and Irene (Dulude) King.
Anita was well known throughout the Northwest Corner. She worked for many local businesses and organizations. Anita worked at the Rexall Drug Store, C.A. Lindell and Sons, Bob’s Clothing, Brooks Pharmacy, and the Housatonic Valley Regional High School in the cafeteria.She used her skills in calligraphy to complete the record books for the North Canaan Congregational Church.Anita’s daughter remembers her as being very creative with cardboard, and a loving mom.
Anita is survived by her son Raymond Gochey and his fiancee’ Chris Filkins of Hinsdale, Massachusetts; and her daughter Michele O’Brien of Sharon. She is also survived by her sister Denise Warner of Torrington and her brother Arthur King of Danbury. Her three grandchildren, Kyle Gochey of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Cody O’Brien of Georgia, and Sabrina O’Brien of Falls Village. Anita was predeceased by her brother, Martin King.
A Celebration of Anita’s life will be held on Saturday June 20, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. in the Newkirk-Palmer Funeral Home 118 Main St. Canaan, CT 06018.
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