20 Regional houses Every theater lover must know
In the theater world, Broadway sometimes seems to be the only place to be, but these local theaters across the country prove that it is far from true. These regional houses keep theater alive in the entire country-from promoting new work to providing Broadway-bound venues for outdoor city trips, from the innovation of the art form to the creation of a local pivot for culture and business. Here are 20 local theaters you need to know (and go and see!):
The stalwarts
These theaters created practical regional theater in the United States. Most of them are one of the oldest still in operation, but all are US theater institutions.
Old Globe Theater in San Diego, California
The Old Globe Theater was originally built as a relaxation of the London Globe Theater (where Shakespeare was famous for many of his works), and has been an institution of the American theater since 1935. The three-theater complex offers 15 productions annually, with an emphasis on the development and production of new works. Broadway Productions who got their start at the Old Globe includes Bright star, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (co-produced by Hartford Stage), The piano Lesson, and In the forest. The Old Globe was awarded the Regional Theater Tony Award in 1984.
Goodman -Theater in Chicago, Illinois
The Goodman, founded in 1925, is the oldest nonprofit theater of Chicago that is still actively producing. The home offers new productions of classical as well as a healthy amount of world premiere work, many of which have been produced by other local theaters and on Broadway. They became the first theater for the entire of Mount August Wilson Pittsburgh cyclea ten-play series that includes Fences, Jitneyand Radioin 2007. The Goodman also has such musicals as The light in the piazza and War paint. In 1992, they were awarded the Region Theater Tony Award.
Guthrie -Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota
As Broadway became more and more commercial, the Guthrie was founded in 1963 to provide an alternative. The brainchild of Sir Tyrone Guthrie, the theater, offered an acting acting company that could perform excellent productions of the classic in repertoire. They had an early success with a production of The House of Atreus It later toured to New York and Los Angeles, the first such tour for a resident theater. In the 1980s, the theater opened the Guthrie Laboratory, which became a place to explore new work and execution techniques. In 1982, they were awarded the Region Theater Tony Award.
Theater under the stars in Houston, Texas
Theater under the stars (Tuts), originally devised as a presenter of annual free outdoor summer music remains (hence the name), quickly became a theater force. They have such works as Disney’s Beauty and the animal and the Maury Yeston Ghostand also have prominent international tours of such performances as introduced The unnoticable molly brown, Mameand Man of La Mancha. Tuts also has an active education department that provides dramatic training annually for over 1700 students through audition-based classes on site and community outreach programs that go out to local schools.
The Muny in St. Louis, Missouri
The St. Louis Municipal Opera Theater, or ‘The Muny’, has been producing musicals since 1919 in a giant outdoor amphitheater. Their summer season usually contains performances of Broadway favorite, a tradition Jay Armstrong Johnson (On the city, Hands on a hardbody) continued when he led the production of 2017 News along with Emily Skinner (Side show, Prince of Broadway) In The little mermaid. In earlier days, Ethel Merman has her Tony award-winning show in Call me madam for the Muny in 1968.
Ogunquit Playhouse in Ogunquit, Maine
Although the summer theater is the US – especially in the northeast – pepper – Agunquit is one of the only remaining original summer stock theaters of the Straw Hat Circuit. Summer Stock is now where many emerging artists start their careers, but on his high it was not uncommon to see a big Broadway star like Mary Martin or John Ritt on their way to stock productions, often from musicals in which they played on Broadway. Summer stock is an important part of US theater history, which was recognized when Ogunquit’s theater was added to the National Register of Historic Places, which was raised to the national level, “in consideration of the important contributions made … to performing arts education in the entire country” in 2015.
The Broadway breeding cabinets
These theaters became the best places for Broadway shows to work out kinks before coming to the main stem. If you want to know what’s coming along Broadway, pay attention to their seasons!
American repertory theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts
American Repertory Theater (ART), which is housed at Harvard University, has developed a reputation for the presentation of new American works, in addition to under-made works and new interpretations of the classic. Shortly after it was founded in 1980, many art premiere productions found their way to Broadway, including Adults, ‘Night motherand a 1984 revival of A moon for the wrong. Diane Paul’s appointment as an artistic director in 2008 led to a few more pre-Broadway productions at Art, including Pgy and Bess, Pippin, The glass menagerie, Neverland finds, Waitressand recently Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812. The theater was awarded the 1986 Regional Theater Tony Award.
La Joki Playhouse in La Jona, California
The La Jolla Playhouse, founded in 1947 by Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire and Mel Ferrer, offered many Golden-Age Hollywood actors, including Vivian Vance, Eve Arden, Robert Alda and Charlton Heston, to name a few. After almost 25 years of inactivity, director Des Mcanuff brought the theater back in 1983, and his tenure established La Jolla as one of the most fertile test grounds for Broadway productions. Shows that started at La Jolla include Great river, The WHO’s Tommythe 1995 revival of How to succeed in the business without really trying, Thoroughly modern millie, Jersey Boys, Memphis, Peter and the Starcatcher, Hands on a hardbody, Side show, Come from wayand this season’s Latin history for morons and Rubbish. Escape to margaritaville Just finished with La Jolla-their best-selling production ever-this past season is the lead of his Broadway arch. La Jolla was the 1993 winner of the Regional Theater Tony Award.
Hartford Stage in Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford Stage has been devoted to both classic and contemporary works since 1963. Broadway productions of Is there life to high school?, Enchanted Apriland The fascinating rhythm of the Gershwin Starting on Hartford -stage, with productions of The carpet bakers kids and Tea at five Also make the travel outdoor Broadway. The arrival of Darko Tresnjak as an artistic director in 2011 began a new period of pre-Broadway development for the theater, including A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Anastasiaand the adjustment of the developmental phase of Rear window. Hartford Stage won the Regional Theater Tony Award in 1989.
Arena -stage in Washington, DC
Established in 1950, Arena Stage is one of the country’s first non-profit theaters, and the first regional theater to transfer a production to Broadway, The great white hope With James Earl Jones. They were also the first winner of the Tony Tony Award when the honor was created in 1976. The theater served as a development center for 22 Broadway productions including Dear Evan Hansen, Sweat, The velocity of autumn, Next to normal, Casual death of an anarchist, Tintypes, The 1940s Radio Hour, and Raisin. Arena was awarded the Stretch Theater Tony Award in 1976.
Seattle repertory theater in Seattle, Washington
Seattle Rep has been a great force almost since it was founded in the early 1960s, but their Broadway experience began with the short-lived musical adjustment of Twelfth night titled Music is. 1985’s I’m not rappapport was a much greater success, and the representative of Seattle continued to premiere or help develop works as The Heidi Chronicles, Old ations with my dad, Two trains run, The sisters rosenswig, The search for signs of intelligent life in the universe, The good bodyand recently Come from way. In 1990, they were awarded the Region Theater Tony Award.
Steppenwolf Theater Company in Chicago, Illinois
Steppenwolf Theater Company was founded in 1974 by Gary Sinise, Terry Kinney and Jeff Perry, Steppenwolf Theater Company, which includes actors such as John Malkovich, Laurie Metcalf, Amy Morton, Austin Pendleton, Lois Smith and Martha Plimpton. The playwright Tina Landau, Pulitzer winner Tracy Letts, and Pulitzer winner Bruce Norris are also members. In hu l Over 40 years of operation, Steppenwolf has become world famous for their productions, many of which have found their way to Broadway, including the Tony-winning best plays The grapes of anger and August: Osage Countythe revival of 2012 of Who is afraid of Virginia Woolf?and 2015’s Airline highway. Steppenwolf won the Tony Award for Relect Theater in 1985.
Innoving the Artform
Many of these theaters represent newer regional businesses, but everyone is committed to taking the genre of Live Theater to a new area.
Serenbe Playhouse in Atlanta, Georgia
Founded in 2009, Serenbe Playhouse immediately expanded the idea of terrain -specific and environmental theater to a new scale. Serenbe’s productions are performed outside, with the specific purpose of making nature part of the experience. Executive/Artistic Director Brian Clowdus puts each new production on a new acre of land and effects of design – be it a real helicopter for Miss Saigon or created a full -scale carnival with carousel for Carousel. Extensive and visually beautiful productions of Evita and Miss Saigon received great attention for the theater in 2015 and 2016, but environmental spectacle is only part of what makes Serenbe striking. They are also committed to using mainly environmentally friendly materials such as LED theater lighting, recycled and recycled materials, and to re -use existing sets of sets, all of which can easily be taken apart to reduce the production’s impact on the environment.
Read more: How a real Vietnam -helicopter ends up at the epic outdoors nightly Miss Saigon
FIREBRAND -THEATER in Chicago, Illinois
When it comes to young theater companies, it does not become much newer than FIREBRAND Theater, which was launched just nine months ago. FIREBRANDS FOSTRIES France and Danni Smith bring something new to the local theater scene: feminism. Any musical they offer should pass the self-written Firebrand test-not to be confused with the Bechdel test-it means that the piece should have at least as many women as men in the cast, borrow itself to diverse cast and empower women. In the future, they have plans to develop new work and investigate classic shows with a feminist bending, which makes Fiorybrand One to watch in the local theater scene.
Alliance Theater in Atlanta, Georgia
Although the early history of Alliance included the world premiere of Tennessee Williams’ Tiger tail and Come back to the Give and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy DeanIt was when Kenny Leon was appointed artistic director in 1988 that the theater grew in important ways. Leon brought a diverse voice to the alliance, which enabled it to find an audience in the African American community of Atlanta. They have world premiere of works such as The last night of Ballyhoo, Aidaand The color purple. They also have a pre-broadway production of Sister Act In 2007, the same year, the theater was received the Tony Award.
Iama Theater Company in Los Angeles, California
Iama describes the business as “an ensemble of theater artists who want to connect and cultivate a new generation of audiences.” The mission has led Iama to become a great force in the independent La theater, known for producing work that creates dialogue. In their ten years, their influence has grown further than theater, with many of its members in TV and film, especially projects led by Shonda Rhimes. Rhimes was drawn to the company when she experienced a shared goal and eventually reported to support the business artistically and monetary. Rhimes Support will specifically finance new game development with a culturally diverse group of votes, which Iama will make a company to be particularly interesting in the coming seasons.
Read more: Before she is a Scandal Star, Katie Lowes saved her acting career by establishing Iama
To promote new work
Known for artists a place to develop new work, watch these homes – even before Broadway producers catch wind.
Actors Theater of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky
Actors Theater is probably best known for its Humana Festival of New American Plays, an annual event that introduced more than 400 plays in its more than 40 years, including three future Pulitzer prizes for drama, The gin game, Crimes of the heartand Dinner with friends. Dramaturge who had works at Humana includes Marsha Norman, Theresa Rebeck, Brandon Jacobs-Jenkins and Lucas Hnath. The theater is also home to one of the country’s most famous pre-professional training business, the Professional Training Company. They won the Regional Theater Tony Award in 1980.
Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles, California
Geffen Playhouse, housed by UCLA, is another of the Hollywood-bordering regional theaters that gives film and TV actors a chance to get on stage, including Jason Alexander, Annette Bening, David Hyde Pierce, Jane Kaczmarek, Martin Short, Alicia Silverstone and Rita Wilson. The theater was named after producer David Geffen after a donation of $ 5 million – one of the largest single donations made to a theater company in history – founded the company in 1995. Since then, the Geffen has expanded to two execution spaces that offer eight plays per season. They are known for offering intimate productions of classical and contemporary works, while also using and developing new work and often presenting new plays that developed their second production in other theaters. GEFFEN COMMISSIONS INCLUDED The quality of life, Time standing stilland Wait until dark. They also produced world premiere of Carrie Fisher Wish drink, The country houseand In & of himself.
Dallas Theater Center in Dallas, Texas
Dallas Theater Center, founded in 1959, was initially housed in a building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, and it became a conservatory business known for the production of experimental interpretations of classicers, as well as the presentation of world premiere of works such as works such as works such as works such as works such as works such as works Blood money and A Texas trilogy. More recently, they have development productions of works such as Giant, Fly at nightand Fortress of lonelinessall of which were produced outdoor Broadway. DTC won the most recent Tony award in 2017.
Goodspeed -Music Removes in East Haddam, Connecticut
Goodspeed music remains, founded in 1959, made a name by repelling older musicals that fell out of the general repertoire and offered it to modern audiences. They also have a long history of developing new works, such as Man of La Mancha and AnnieBoth had their world premiere at the Goodspeed. Goodspeed mostly produces musical revivals on their main opera stage these days, with a second place in Chester, Connecticut offering new work only. The theater was awarded with two Tony Awards, the Regional Theater Award in 1995 and a special Tony Award in 1980 for excellent contributions to American musicals.
Logan Culwell-Block is a musical theater historian, Playbill’s manager of research, and curator of Playbill Vault. @loganculwell
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