### Sharon Playhouse President Savannah Stevenson Embarks on National Tour After Inspiring Career Pivot
For so many in Connecticut, the charm of theaters/westport-country-playhouse-in-westport-connecticut/”>local theater feels like a lifeline. It’s entertainment, sure, but it also weaves people together in a way that’s hard to describe.
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This article peeks behind the curtain to follow Savannah Stevenson’s remarkable journey. She’s a former attorney and now President of the Sharon Playhouse board, someone who traded the courtroom for the stage and somehow ended up captivating audiences all over the country.
Her story? It’s about second acts, artistic passion, and the way performing arts can change lives—hers and everyone around her. There’s something about her narrative that echoes from the Salisbury hills out to the cities and back again.
A Connecticut Story of Bold Transitions and Redeemed Passions
Savannah Stevenson’s path to the national stage blends ambition, intellect, and a rediscovered love for the arts. She’s become a familiar face at the Sharon Playhouse, but there’s much more to her story.
Her career took some unexpected turns. She started in musical theater—trained at Carnegie Mellon, no less—but then spent nearly twenty years in law. That’s a long time to be away from the spotlight.
From New York Law to Salisbury Stages
After her time at Carnegie Mellon, Stevenson dove headfirst into the legal world in New York City. She spent eighteen years there, taking on leadership roles and guiding ethics, compliance, and risk management at Peloton.
Those were years of big responsibility and professional wins. But life shifted when her family decided to settle in Salisbury, Connecticut, in 2020.
The move from the city’s chaos to the calm of the Berkshires changed everything. Suddenly, she found herself in a new community, surrounded by rolling hills and the energy of small-town life.
The Call of the Stage: Rediscovering a Passion
Things really changed in 2023, after some big shifts at Peloton. Her daughter, noticing something missing, nudged her to audition for a role at the Sharon Playhouse.
That moment brought her back to her singing roots. She rediscovered the joy of performing, realizing just how much she’d missed it.
The Sharon Playhouse became the spark. She auditioned, landed roles, and started building momentum—her dedication was obvious.
That local success led to something bigger. She went out for a national touring production and got the part. Suddenly, her Connecticut-grown talent was on the road.
On the Road: The Realities of National Touring
Now, Stevenson’s in the thick of a six-month national tour, playing Mrs. Paroo in Meredith Willson’s The Music Man. Her schedule is relentless—traveling, performing, packing up, and doing it all over again in a new city.
She’s quick to point out that touring isn’t glamorous. There’s a lot of late nights and tough travel, and the set changes are no joke. Still, she admires the crew’s hard work and knows none of the magic would happen without them.
Playing Mrs. Paroo gives her space to reflect. She sees her own daughters from the stage and sometimes it’s overwhelming—in a good way.
Her leap from law to theater might make you wonder what’s possible. Maybe it’s never too late to try something new, especially with a community behind you—whether that’s in Sharon, Litchfield, or even New Milford and Kent.
The Civic Powerhouse of Local Theater
Stevenson cares deeply about the broader impact of theater. She points to research showing a link between thriving local theaters and positive outcomes in society.
“Local theaters,” she says, “are linked to lower violence, higher volunteerism, and improved graduation rates.” That’s a big claim, but it’s hard to ignore the idea that arts organizations do a lot more than just put on shows. They’re woven into the social fabric of communities—whether it’s the quiet charm of Washington or the lively buzz of Danbury.
She brings it home with a personal story about her eldest daughter. Theater training, she says, made a real difference in her daughter’s poise and success during tough school interviews.
That kind of experience shows how theater can build life skills you end up using everywhere. As President of the Sharon Playhouse, Stevenson puts a lot of energy into supporting the theater and its youth programs.
She believes they help people grow and connect with their community. Her advice to women thinking about switching careers in midlife? Take calculated, thoughtful risks—don’t just leap blindly. She’s all for transitions that feel right and lead to something meaningful, even if it takes a little planning.
Here is the source article for this story: Little League season winds down in Northwest Connecticut
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