The patio at Troutbeck in Amenia under the stately sycamores proved to be the perfect setting in which to introduce a new book with moderator David Graver, left, and local authors Britt and Damian Zunino.
An appreciative audience gathered on the patio at the architecturally and historically significant Troutbeck Conference Center on Friday, June 27, to hear a guided panel discussion of the newly published book, “Drawn Together: Studio DB: Architecture and Interiors.”
The permanence of the setting within Troutbeck’s stone exterior wall and patio under ancient sycamores provided a setting for an intimate discussion of architecture, design and the creative process.
Moderator and design tracker David Graver, Chief of “Surface Magazine,” guided the discussion to probe the design philosophy and creative collaborative process that leads to successful spaces at the hands of local authors Britt (design expert) and Damian (architect) Zunino. They live with their four children not far from Troutbeck.
Having built their Amenia home ten years ago, Britt said that in addition to being neighbors to Troutbeck, they are also members. They also enjoy being active with the Wassaic Project.
“The Troutbeck community is amazing,” Damian said, “so many creative people, artisans and collaborators.” Those three themes were prominent during their conversation with the moderator.
“The book is a record of the body of our work,” Britt said. “We spoke of collaboration.”
“Every project is specific to our clients,” Damian said. “We want to tell their stories. Narrative is important.”
Turning to Studio DB itself with Graver’s question about role division, Britt replied that it is a dialogue — a push and pull — but that she and Damian respect each other.
“The melding of ideas makes the project stronger,” Damian added.
Both agreed that working together for the last 18 years has been rewarding.
Asked about creative conflicts, Britt explained that the two debate and compromise. Together, they have figured out what is really important.
Britt replied that they are always seeking inspiration, sometimes finding it in quiet places. Damian added that just being in Amenia gives them time to think through ideas.
Recent Studio DB projects have been completed in Texas and California. The two are about to begin work on two townhouses in Brooklyn Heights. Britt described her current interest in design of wallpaper and murals.
Their design process involves all-important collaboration and gaining an understanding of the client by communicating at length.
“It’s a large community of collaborations that are part of the design process,” Damian said, emphasizing the team aspect.
The first project ever done years ago by Britt and Damian was to design a pet store.
“We had zero budget,” Britt recalled. They designed and executed the cabinetry, although neither of them possesses that skill.
“It was the cutest pet store,” Britt added.
“If we’ve never done it before, there is the exciting challenge,” Damian said. “Drawn Together: Studio DB: Architecture and Interiors” is available at Oblong Books in Millerton.
Top row, left to right, Caroline Kinsolving, Christopher McLinden, Dana Domenick, Reid Sinclair and Director Hunter Foster. Bottom row, left to right, Will Nash Broyles, Dick Terhune, Sandy York and Ricky Oliver in Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap.”
Opening on Sept. 26, Agatha Christie’s legendary whodunit “The Mousetrap” brings suspense and intrigue to the Sharon Playhouse stage, as the theater wraps up its 2025 Mainstage Season with a bold new take on the world’s longest-running play.
Running from Sept. 26 to Oct. 5, “The Mousetrap” marks another milestone for the award-winning regional theater, bringing together an ensemble of exceptional local talent under the direction of Broadway’s Hunter Foster, who also directed last season’s production of “Rock of Ages." With a career that spans stage and screen, Foster brings a fresh and suspense-filled staging to Christie’s classic.
The Playhouse’s casting includes Dana Domenick of Falls Village who leads the cast as Mollie Ralston, the newlywed innkeeper with a secret. Reid Sinclair of Norfolk plays Giles, her husband and partner in hospitality — and maybe in something more sinister. Will Nash Broyles from Lakeville plays the eccentric and enigmatic Christopher Wren, and Sandy York of Sharon will play the role of the imperious Mrs. Boyle. Dick Terhune (Litchfield), Caroline Kinsolving (Salisbury), Ricky Oliver (Pawling), and Christopher McLinden (also Lakeville) round out the cast as the play’s increasingly suspicious guests — and one very determined detective.
As always, Sharon Playhouse has gathered a top-tier creative team to match its cast. The Swader brothers (Christopher and Justin) return with their signature scenic designs, while Kathleen DeAngelis’s costumes and Bobbie Zlotnik’s wigs promise to anchor us firmly in postwar England, even as the plot spirals into timeless psychological suspense. Lighting by Wheeler Moon and sound design by Graham Stone will help turn the cozy theater into a stage crackling with tension.
If you’ve never seen “The Mousetrap,” here’s what you need to know: it’s the murder mystery that truly defined the genre. Premiering in London’s West End in 1952 and still running strong over 30,000 performances later, Christie’s ingenious puzzle unfolds in a snowbound manor house where everyone has something to hide, and no one is safe from suspicion. Its final twist is famously kept secret by audiences — a tradition of theatrical discretion that only deepens the sense of shared experience.
“The enduring success of ‘The Mousetrap’ lies in its suspense, yes, but also in its structure,” said the Playhouse’s Artistic Director Carl Andress. “It’s a masterclass in storytelling. And with Hunter Foster leading this incredible cast of local artists, we know our audiences are in for an evening of mystery, laughter, and yes, plenty of gasps.”
Tickets are available now at SharonPlayhouse.org.
Mary Beth Lawlor, publisher/editor-in-chief of Litchfield Magazine, and supporter of Plein Air Litchfield, left,and Michele Murelli, Director of Plein Air Litchfield and Art Tripping, right.
For six days this autumn, Litchfield will welcome 33 acclaimed painters for the second year of Plein Air Litchfield (PAL), an arts festival produced by Art Tripping, a Litchfield nonprofit.
The public is invited to watch the artists at work while enjoying the beauty of early fall. The new Belden House & Mews hotel at 31 North St. in Litchfield will host PAL this year.
From Sept. 30 through Oct. 5, artists chosen from 100 entries around the country — representing diverse origins as far flung as Punjab, Berlin, and Peru — will set up their easels and spend the week recording the landscape, farms, historic buildings, and even restaurant interiors throughout the town. Artists such as Thomas Adkins, Yili Haruni, Katushka Millones, and Zufar Bikbov will participate.
“The French term plein air means ‘out of doors,’ referring to the practice of painting entire finished pictures in the open air. The plein air approach was pioneered by John Constable in Britain in the early 19th century,” according to The Tate Gallery in London.
Thursday, Oct. 2, is “Paint the Historic District Day,” when artists make paintings of early buildings.
Norfolk artist Sam Guindon will give a painting demonstration in the meadow by Tapping Reeve Law School at 82 South St. at 3 p.m. Thursday.
Nicole Carpenter, curator of the Litchfield Historical Society, will present “Landscape Visions: Artistic Depictions of Litchfield,” exploring the role artists play in documenting regional history, at 4 p.m. Thursday at the Oliver Wolcott Library at 160 South St. The talk is free, and all are welcome.
The public is also invited to the historic firehouse at Belden House at 6 p.m. for a free art show of the works created that day.
On Saturday, Oct. 4, Judge of Awards Eric Forstmann, a Litchfield County artist, will announce the winners at the Gala Art Show and Sale in the historic Firehouse property of Belden House & Mews, where all displayed artwork will be available for purchase.
Finally, on Sunday morning, Oct. 5,from 9 a.m. to noon, everyone is invited to a three-hour fun “Quick Paint” event. Open to artists of all levels, with additional prizes, the event will be held in the Tapping Reeve Meadow at 82 South St. Registration is from 8 to 9 a.m.
Art Tripping was founded in 2018 by Michele Murelli, whose mission is to create community art events and show how art enhances quality of life. Murelli and her team of volunteers have organized Plein Air Litchfield, 2025.
Visit the PAL website, www.pleinairlitchfield.com for information and to purchase tickets to the Gala Art Show and Sale.
