The Ensemble Theatre

The Ensemble Theatre

The Ensemble Theatre, located in the heart of midtown at 3535 Main Street in Houston, Texas, is the largest African-American professional theatre company in the United States that produces plays in-house and owns its own facility.cite web | title=History/Founder | work=About the Ensemble Theatre, The Ensemble Theatre |url=http://www.ensemblehouston.com/about/founder.html | accessdate=2007-05-17]

History

The Ensemble Theatre is a non-profit organization founded by George Hawkins in 1976 as a touring company that rehearsed in a church basement.

In 2003, the company was awarded $250,000 from the Houston Endowment Inc., with which it retired its original capital campaign debt and made some improvements to the facility. Since 1991, Houston Endowment Inc. has granted a total of $1,220,500 to the Ensemble, including an annual operating grant.cite web | title=Ensemble Theatre Retires Capital Campaign Debt | work=News Room, The Ensemble Theatre (Dec. 23, 2003) | url=http://www.irconnect.com/ensemble/pages/news_releases.html?d=50248 | accessdate=2007-05-17]

In August 2006, the Ensemble Theatre celebrated its 30-year anniversary, as it launched its 2006-2007 production season. This celebration included the presentation of an award to American actor and director Danny Glover, as the 2006 "Lifetime Achievement" honoree.cite web | title=The Ensemble Theatre Announces Film Star Danny Glover as Lifetime Achievement Honoree for the 30th Anniversary Celebration | work=News Room, The Ensemble Theatre (Aug. 15, 2006) | url=http://www.irconnect.com/ensemble/pages/news_releases.html?d=103861 | accessdate=2007-05-17]

The theatre building

The Ensemble building, with its glass-enclosed lobby, hosts three stages located in the heart of Midtown, where a METRORail stop bears its name, Ensemble/HCC Station, an honor shared with the nearby Houston Community College ("HCC"). The facility includes a main stage auditorium with seating for 200, an arena stage that seats 125, and a grand performance hall that accommodates 500 people.

The company

Each year the theatre presents a repertoire of critically acclaimed dramas, comedies and musicals that demonstrates the artistic ability of more than 250 professional local, regional and national artists and support staff. A non-profit organization, the Ensemble Theatre also has an educational touring program and a summer young performers training program.cite web | title=Performing Arts - The Ensemble Theatre | work=Houston - What to do (Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau, 1996-2007) | url=http://www.visithoustontexas.com/visitors/performing_arts/listing.details.php?category=13270&id=23279 | accessdate=2007-05-17]

The Ensemble's mission is to preserve African-American artistic expression. To do so, it collaborates with and presents works by artists such as Joseph A. Walker, Pearl Cleage, Cheryl L. West and Shay Youngblood.cite web | title=Editorial Review for Ensemble Theatre | author=Peter Szatmary | work=Performing Arts Locations, Houston, CitySearch.com | url=http://houston.citysearch.com/profile/9832653/houston_tx/ensemble_theatre.html#profile | accessdate=2007-05-17]

Though the Ensemble is an African-American run troupe, it is colorblind when it comes to welcoming directors, designers, performers, playwrights and audiences. Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson has visited the Ensemble, and influential dramatist Ntozake Shange has directed the troupe. Performers Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee have also offered their support to the company.cite web | title=Ensemble Theatre - Insider tips | work=Performing Arts Locations, Houston, CitySearch.com | url=http://houston.citysearch.com/profile/9832653/houston_tx/ensemble_theatre.html#insidertips | accessdate=2007-05-17]

In August 2006, the Ensemble announced its selection of Eileen J. Morris as its new artistic director. As the artistic airector, Morris will manage the Ensemble's repertoire of six main stage productions, an aggressive tour education program, a young performers program and other projects to advance the artistic mission of the theatre.cite web | title=The Ensemble Selects Eileen J. Morris As Artistic Director | work=News Room, The Ensemble Theatre (Aug. 10, 2006) | url=http://www.irconnect.com/ensemble/pages/news_releases.html?d=103640 | accessdate=2007-05-17]

References

External links

* [http://www.ensemblehouston.com/ The Ensemble Theatre]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Ensemble Theatre — The Ensemble Theatre is located at 78 McDougall Street, Kirribilli, New South Wales, in an old boatshed at Careening Cove. The group started training together in 1958 and by 1960 had moved into their current location. During the refurbishment of… …   Wikipedia

  • Ensemble Theatre (disambiguation) — *The Ensemble, a theatre company in Australia. *The Ensemble Theatre, a theatre company in Houston, Texas …   Wikipedia

  • The Lamproom Theatre — is a theatre situated on Westgate Street, Barnsley, in South Yorkshire, England. Four theatre companies are based at the Lamproom; the Lamproom Youth Theatre Ensemble (LYTE), the Lamplyters, The Lamproom Musical Theatre Company, and The Lamproom… …   Wikipedia

  • The English Theatre — an der Taunusanlage. The English Theatre Frankfurt ist ein englischsprachiges Theater in Frankfurt am Main. Es wurde 1979 gegründet und ist mittlerweile das größte englischsprachige Theater auf dem europäischen Festland. Spielort ist das Gallileo …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • The Living Theatre — is an American theatre company founded in 1947 and based in New York City. It is the oldest experimental theatre group still existing in the U.S. For most of its history it was led by its founders, actor Judith Malina and painter/poet Julian… …   Wikipedia

  • The English Theatre — Infobox Theatre name = The English Theatre caption = Exterior of The English Theatre address = Gallusanlage 7 city = Frankfurt am Main, Hessen country =Germany designation = latitude = longitude = architect = owner = capacity = 300 type = opened …   Wikipedia

  • Ensemble Theatre Community School — was created in 1984 by Ann V. Klotz and Seth Orbach. The school is located in Eagles Mere, PA with winter offices in Shaker Heights, Ohio.External links* [http://www.etcschool.org Website] …   Wikipedia

  • Fildwith Ensemble Theatre — The Fildwith Ensemble Theatre is a not for profit company in New York City, established in 2005, following thirteen years at its associate summer theatre company in the Adirondack Mountains Boquet River Theatre Festival.The company s purpose is… …   Wikipedia

  • Southwest Ensemble Theatre — The Southwest Emsemble Theatre was formed in Phoenix, Arizona in 1971 as a non profit corporation in the State of Arizona.The founding members were Robert L. Johnson, Producing Director and Keith A. Anderson, Artistic Director. The first… …   Wikipedia

  • Ensemble — may refer to:* a musical ensemble (This, along with ensemble cast are the most commonly used ways to describe an ensemble, though obviously not the only ways) * an ensemble cast (drama) (This, along with musical ensemble are the most commonly… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”