Gilbert the Great
Leap into the technicolor world of New Haven icon A.C. Gilbert.
A.C. Gilbert, illusion, athletics, and invention collide inside a theatrical adventure staged at the former site of the A.C. Gilbert Company.
Set in 1954, Gilbert the Great follows a mismatched crew of workers struggling to invent the next great toy kit while wrestling with the legacy of one of New Haven's great inventors.
A.C. Gilbert & the Erector Set
A.C. Gilbert invents the Erector Set in New Haven, launching one of America's most iconic toy companies.
Photos
Support Work Like This
Original productions rooted in New Haven history only happen because people invest in the work behind them.
Make a donationA.C. Gilbert & the Erector Set
A.C. Gilbert invents the Erector Set in New Haven, launching one of America's most iconic toy companies.
Special Thanks
- Barry Berman
- Joey Brennan
- Victoria Hoffer
- Peter Lang
- The Welsh Family
- A Broken Umbrella Babysitters
- All of our Ushers and House Managers
Community Partners
- Eli Whitney Museum Erector at 100 Exhibit
- Special thanks to Bill Brown, Sally Hill, Mike Dunn, and all the staff and interns at the museum
- Erector Square, LLC
- Special thanks to Property Manager Kathleen Telman and the generous Amodio Family
Sponsors & Community Support
Sponsors
Press & Reviews
View all coverage →“This very talented theater company once again shows its theatrical ingenuity as it mines local history and spins an imaginative tale that transcends mere biography and New Haven boosterism.”
Hartford Courant review of Gilbert the Great
“Recognized in the Gilbert the Great era.”
Connecticut Critics Circle Awards — Special Contributions to Theater
“Fast, loose, with an almost telepathic sense of how to make its multiple character scenes, occurring in multiple locations, jell to impart information and entertain, Gilbert the Great is a fittingly ambitious tribute to this many-sided patriarch.”
New Haven Review review of Gilbert the Great
Awards
- Award
