A NEW TUNE FOR

By Ken Mammarella Contributing Writer

The Brandywiners Second Stage production of Ragtime in March was both an homage to the Brandywiners’ founders and a glimpse into their future.

The homage came from the location: the Laird Performing Arts Center at Tatnall School, named for W.W. “Chick” Laird and Frances Tatnall, who co-founded the Brandywiners in 1932.

The glimpse is more complex. Performances were indoors in the spring, on a lesser scale (but still with a full-size Model T) for a group known for big summer musicals outdoors at Longwood Gardens.

“It’s a shift of thinking,” said Jeff Santoro, the show’s director and the group’s president. “Doing just one program a year is not sustainable.”

The Brandywiners want to increase their offerings, profile, collaborations and financial support.

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