Seattle Repertory Theatre

Seattle Repertory Theatre is a Tony Award winning regional theatre located in the heart of Seattle, Washington, USA, at the Seattle Center. It is a member of Theatre Puget Sound and Theatre Communications Group. Founded in 1963, Seattle Rep is led by Artistic Director David Esbjornson and Managing Director Benjamin Moore. Seattle Repertory Theatre was awarded the 1990 Regional Theatre Tony Award.

History

1960s

In 1962, Seattle staged a successful World's Fair, during which time the Seattle Playhouse was built. The next year, the Seattle Repertory Theater began, under the leadership of Bagley Wright. Founding Artistic Director Stuart Vaughan organized an acting company that includes Seattle native Marjorie Nelson and a young associate member out of the University of Washington, John Gilbert, both of whom will become mainstays on the Northwest stages. "King Lear", directed by Vaughn, opened the new company on 14 November. Executive Director Donald Foster joined the staff in 1964. The first summer Theater-in-the-Park production by The Rep: Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew" was staged. The Rep's first Northwest tours, "Twelfth Night" and "Ah, Wilderness!" Peter Donnelly joined The Rep on a Ford Foundation grant as a management intern. In 1966, Allen Fletcher followed Stuart Vaughan as Seattle Rep's second Artistic Director. In 1967, Seattle Rep "Off-Center", with a focus on contemporary works, was initiated with "The Death of Bessie Smith" and "The American Dream", two one-acts by Edward Albee. Seattle Rep was invited to the Bergen International Festival in 1968.

1970s

In 1970, Peter Donnelly became Seattle Rep's Producing Director, and W. Duncan Ross became Artistic Director. In 1972, Seattle Repertory Theatre's artistic role in the state is acknowledged with the Washington State Governor's Arts Award. Seattle Rep also began "Rep ‘n' Rap" summer tour program with Thurbermania that same year. In 1973, there was a Special Presentation of "Promenade All" directed by Hume Cronyn. The Rep began "The 2nd Stage" with Max Frisch's Biography, in 1974. The following year, Seattle Rep conducted a tour of Western States with "Seven Keys to Baldpate" by George M. Cohan. In 1977, private funding and a city-wide bond issue raised $5.8 million for a new theater, which was completed in 1983. The first "Mobile Outreach Bunch" (MOB) toured Washington and Idaho schools with "The Energy Show", launching SRT's education programs in 1979. John Hirsch joined Seattle Rep as Consulting Artistic Director with Daniel Sullivan as Resident Director that same year, and "Plays-in-Progress," initiated by Daniel Sullivan, begins workshopping new plays for the stage at Seattle Rep.

1980s

In 1981, Daniel Sullivan became Artistic Director. Seattle Repertory Organization held the first "Elegant Elephant Sale", an event that continued for nearly two decades. On December 29th, Seattle Rep broke ground for the new Bagley Wright Theatre. In 1983, The Bagley Wright Theatre opened with the world premiere of Michael Weller's "The Ballad of Soapy Smith", directed by Robert Egan. In 1984, Herb Gardner's "I'm Not Rappaport" starring Harold Gould, Cleavon Little and David Strathairn opened at Seattle Rep prior to its Broadway run. Seattle Rep also begins "Dollar Theatre" with "Big and Little", selections from Botho Straus that year. In 1985, Benjamin Moore was appointed Managing Director of Seattle Rep, becoming only the third administrative director in the theatre's history. He still holds the position today. In 1988, Seattle Rep premiered Bill Irwin's "Largely/New York". The following year "The Heidi Chronicles" by Wendy Wasserstein premiered at Seattle Rep.

1990s

In 1990, Seattle Rep was awarded the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre. "Inspecting Carol", developed by Daniel Sullivan and the SRT company, premiered as part of Seattle Rep's "Stage 2" productions in 1991. In that year, Seattle Rep also premiered "Conversations With My Father" by Herb Gardner. "Inspecting Carol" went on national tour in 1992. In 1994, Seattle Rep premiered "London Suite" by Neil Simon and "The Sisters Rosensweig" by Wendy Wasserstein. The following year, Seattle Rep, with Tom Hulce and Jane Jones, developed "The Cider House Rules", adapted by Peter Parnell from John Irving's novel as part of the New Play Workshop Series. In 1996, the Leo Kreielsheimer Theatre opened after a successful fund-raising drive. Sharon Ott becomes Artistic Director of Seattle Rep in 1997. That year, in conjunction with the Leonardo exhibit at Seattle Art Museum, Seattle Rep staged "The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci", in the new Leo K Theatre, written and directed by Mary Zimmerman. Seattle Rep premiered "Sisters Matsumoto" by Philip Kan Gotanda in 1999. Seattle Rep also presented the first "Stars and Stories" special event to benefit SRT's education programs. The event featured readings by a variety of community leaders and artists..

2000s

In 2000, Lily Tomlin's one-woman show by Jane Wagner, "The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe", played at Seattle Rep prior to its engagement on Broadway. In 2001, Seattle Rep led a consortium of theaters in presenting Peter Brook's "Hamlet" in the Mercer Arts Arena. That same year, Daniel Sullivan returned to direct "Proof", for which he won the Tony Award on Broadway, launching its national tour. Seattle Rep also announced a US$15 million Endowment Campaign under the leadership of Chap Alvord and Janet True. Seattle Rep celebrateed its 40th Anniversary Season in 2003. David Esbjornson became Artistic Director of Seattle Rep in 2005. In 2006, Seattle Rep premiered Ping Chong's "Cathay: Three Tales of China", Ariel Dorfman's "Purgatorio" and "Restoration Comedy", by Amy Freed, which went on to be nominated for Best New Play by the American Theatre Critics Association. Also in 2006, Seattle Rep put on a tribute to August Wilson, featuring performances from all 10 of Mr. Wilson's plays.

Education programs

In 2007, Seattle Repertory Theatre started the program Bringing Theatre into the Classroom (BTiC), a partnership project with Seattle Children's Theatre designed to help K–12 teachers integrate theater into their curricula. The program was made possible through a grant of $75,000 from the National Endowment for the Arts. The theatre also has an internship program for college student. [http://www.arts.gov/about/NEARTS/18-2007vol4/story.php?id=p14_training]

Productions

2006–2007

;Bagley Wright Theatre
* "Doubt" by John Patrick Shanley; Director: Warner Shook
* "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Adapted by Simon Levy; Director: David Esbjornson
* "The Lady From Dubuque" by Edward Albee; Director: David Esbjornson
* "Fire on the Mountain" by Randal Myler and Dan Wheetman
* "Gem of the Ocean" by August Wilson; Director: Phylicia Rashad

;Leo K Theatre
* "Thom Pain (based on nothing)" by Will Eno; Director: Jerry Manning
* "Memory House" by Kathleen Tolan; Director: Allison Narver
* "Blue Door" by Tanya Barfield; Director: Leigh Silverman
* "My Name is Rachel Corrie" by Alan Rickman and Katharine Viner; Director: Braden Abraham

2005–2006

;Bagley Wright Theatre
* "The King Stag" by Carlo Gozzi, Adapted by Shelley Berc and Andrei Belgrader
* "Purgatorio" by Ariel Dorfman
* "Restoration Comedy" by Amy Freed
* "Radio Golf" by August Wilson
* "Private Lives" by Noel Coward
* "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Jeffrey Hatcher & Mitch Albom

;Leo K Theatre
* "Cathay: 3 Tales of China" by Ping Chong and Shaanxi Folk Art Theatre
* "9 Parts of Desire" by Heather Raffo

;PONCHO ForumWomen Playwrights Festival
* "The Pork Chop Wars" by Laurie Carlos
* "My Wandering Boy" by Julie Marie Myatt
* "Twenty-six Miles" by Quiara Alegria Hudes
* "Scooping the Darkness Empty" by Alva Rogers

2004–2005

;Bagley Wright Theatre
* "Anna in the Tropics" by Nilo Cruz
* "Take Me Out" by Richard Greenberg
* "Noises Off" by Michael Frayn
* "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" by August Wilson
* "The Secret in the Wings adapted" by Mary Zimmerman
* "The Constant Wife" by W. Somerset Maugham

;Leo K Theatre
* "Bad Dates" by Theresa Rebeck
* "The Chosen" by Chaim Potok and Aaron Posner

;Special Presentation
* Kate Mulgrew in "Tea at Five" by Matthew Lombardo

;PONCHO ForumWomen Playwrights Festival
* "Sirius Rising" by Gwendolyn Schwinke
* "The Aerodynamics of Accident" by Deborah Isobel Stein
* "Courting Vampires" by Laura Schellhardt
* "Hardball" by Victoria Stewart

Notable artists

Playwrights

*Edward Albee
*Tanya Barfield
*Lynda Barry
*Steven Dietz
*Amy Freed
*Anne Galjour
*Herb Gardner
*Philip Kan Gotanda
*Doug Hughes
*Harry Kondoleon
*Sandra Tsing Loh
*Craig Lucas
*William Mastrosimone
*Tim Blake Nelson
*Theresa Rebeck
*Mark O'Donnell
*John Patrick Shanley
*Neil Simon
*Kathleen Tolan
*Stephen Wadsworth
*Wendy Wasserstein
*Michael Weller
*Cheryl L. West
*August Wilson
*Mary Zimmerman

Directors

*Braden Abraham
*Gabriel Barre
*Kurt Beattie
*Ping Chong
*Kyle Donnelly
*Robert Egan
*Sheldon Epps
*David Esbjornson
*John Hirsch
*Doug Hughes
*Tina Landau
*Kenny Leon
*Robert Loper
*Jerry Manning
*Joe Mantello
*Gilbert McCauley
*Marion McClinton
*Sharon Ott
*Duncan Ross
*David Saint
*Richard Seyd
*Ted Sod
*Daniel Sullivan
*Christine Sumption
*Kevin Tighe
*Stuart Vaughan
*Stephen Wadsworth
*Doug Wager
*Richard E.T. White
*Jonathan Wilson
*George C. Wolfe
*Mary Zimmerman

Actors

*Denis Arndt
*John Aylward
*John Billingsley
*Suzanne Bouchard
*Jeanne Carson
*Richard Chamberlain
*Megan Cole
*Ted D'Arms
*Alvin Epstein
*Laurence Fishburne
*John Gilbert
*Paul Hostetler
*Geoff Hoyle
*Bill Irwin
*Samuel L. Jackson
*Laura Kenny
*Lori Larsen
*Judith Light
*Ella Joyce
*Robert Loper
*William "Biff" McGuire
*Kate Mulgrew
*Marjorie Nelson
*Faith Prince
*Eve Roberts
*Ken Ruta
*Tony Shalhoub
*Jean Smart
*Jeff Steitzer
*Jessica Tandy
*Kevin Tighe
*Lily Tomlin
*Christopher Walken
*R. Hamilton Wright
*Wendel Wright

tages

Bagley Wright Theatre

The Bagley Wright Theatre named in honour of the Seattle Rep first board of trustees president, opened on October 13, 1983 with the world premiere of Michael Weller's "The Ballad of Soapy Smith", directed by Robert Egan, and featuring a cast of Seattle actors including Dennis Arndt (in the title role), John Aylward, Frank Corrado, Paul Hostetler, Richard Riehle, Michael Santo, Marjorie Nelson, Ted D'Arms, Kurt Beattie, Clayton Corzatte, and William Ontiveros. Also in the cast were Kevin Tighe and Kate Mulgrew. The Bagley Wright Theatre is a city owned facility.

* Seating capacity: 856; stage is approximately convert|20|m to the last row of the house
* Orchestra: 566 seats, 18 rows, 14 seats per row; sides, 19 rows, 3-13 seats per row
* Mezzanine: 290 seats, 7 rows, 14 seats per row; sides, 8 rows 9-13 seats per row; mezzanine level begins its overhang at orchestra level row L, and is 8 metres from the proscenium stage.

Leo Kreielsheimer Theatre

The Leo Kreielsheimer Theatre ("Leo K") opened in December 1996 as Seattle Rep's "second stage." The Leo K was made possible due in great part to a US$2 million naming gift from The Kreielsheimer Foundation, a US$1 million gift from then board chair Marsha S. Glazer, and the leadership of capital campaign chairs Ann Ramsay-Jenkins and Stanley Savage.

* Total capacity: 286; stage is approximately convert|7|m from rear wall
* Orchestra: 139 seats, 9 rows, 8-20 seats per row
* Loge: 51 seats, 2 rows, 24-27 seats per row
* Box: 8 seats at balcony level
* Balcony: 86 seats, 3 rows, 29-30 seats per row

PONCHO Forum

* Total capacity: 99
* General admission, stadium seating

External links

* [http://www.seattlerep.org Seattle Repertory Theatre official website]
*ibdb|70817