Seattle Repertory Theatre

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Seattle Repertory Theatre located at the Seattle Center
Seattle Repertory Theatre located at the Seattle Center

Seattle Repertory Theatre (Seattle Rep) is a Tony Award winning regional theatre located in the heart of Seattle, Washington at the Seattle Center. Founded in 1963, Seattle Rep is led by Artistic Director David Esbjornson and Managing Director Benjamin Moore. One of America's premier non-profit resident theatres, Seattle Repertory Theatre has achieved international renown for its consistently high production and artistic standards, and was awarded the 1990 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre. With an emphasis on plays of true dramatic and literary worth, Seattle Rep produces a season of plays on two stages along with educational programs and new play workshops. Seattle Rep’s mission statement states that its goal is to “create extraordinary productions and programs that excite, entertain, and engage our community and nourish a lifelong passion for theatre.”

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] 1960s

In 1962, Seattle stages a successful World’s Fair. One by-product is the Seattle Playhouse built as a performance space. In 1963, under the leadership of Bagley Wright, Seattle Repertory Theatre is born. Founding Artistic Director Stuart Vaughan organizes 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, opens the new company on November 13th. Executive Director Donald Foster joins the staff in 1964. The first summer “Theatre-in-the-Park” production by The Rep: Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew is staged. The Rep’s first Northwest tours, Twelfth Night and Ah, Wilderness! Peter Donnelly joins The Rep on a Ford Foundation grant as a management intern. In 1966, Allen Fletcher follows Stuart Vaughan as Seattle Rep’s second Artistic Director. In 1967, Seattle Rep “Off-Center”, with a focus on contemporary works, is initiated with The Death of Bessie Smith and The American Dream, two one-acts by Edward Albee. Seattle Rep is invited to the Bergen International Festival in 1968.

[edit] 1970s

In 1970, Peter Donnelly, previously General Manager, becomes the second executive lead by becoming Seattle Rep’s Producing Director, and W. Duncan Ross becomes the Rep’s third Artistic Director. In 1971, Richard Chamberlain stars in Richard II. The following year, Seattle Repertory Theatre’s artistic role in the state is acknowledged with the Washington State Governor’s Arts Award. Seattle Rep also begins “Rep ‘n’ Rap” summer tour program with Thurbermania that same year. In 1973, Special Presentation of Promenade All directed by Hume Cronyn, and starring Cronyn, [[Jessica Tandy[[, and Biff McGuire with Russ Thatcher. The Rep begins “The 2nd Stage” with Max Frisch’s Biography in 1974. The following year, Seattle Rep conducts a tour of Western States with Seven Keys to Baldpate by George M. Cohan. In 1977, Seattle Center Bond Issue passes by voters that provides the initial $4.8 million for a capital campaign to build a new theatre for Seattle Rep. In 1978, Dorothy Simpson assumes the role of chair of the capital campaign drive. Her leadership and commitment, with a $1 million naming gift from Bagley Wright and a consortium of friends, results in the funds to complete the new theatre in 1983. The first “Mobile Outreach Bunch” (MOB) tours Washington and Idaho schools with The Energy Show, launching SRT’s education programs in 1979. John Hirsch joins 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.

[edit] 1980s

In 1981, Daniel Sullivan becomes Artistic Director. Seattle Repertory Organization holds the first “Elegant Elephant Sale”, an event that continued for nearly two decades. On December 29th, Seattle Rep breaks ground for the new Bagley Wright Theatre. In 1983, The Bagley Wright Theatre opens with the world premiere of Michael Weller’s The Ballad of Soapy Smith, directed by Robert Egan, and featuring a cast of Seattle’s finest 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 are Kevin Tighe and Kate Mulgrew. In 1984, Herb Gardner’s I'm Not Rappaport starring Harold Gould, Cleavon Little and David Strathairn opens 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 is 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 premieres Bill Irwin’s Largely/New York. The following year The Heidi Chronicles by Wendy Wasserstein premieres at Seattle Rep.

[edit] 1990s

In 1990, Seattle Rep is awarded the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre. Inspecting Carol, developed by Daniel Sullivan and the SRT company, premieres as part of Seattle Rep’s “Stage 2” productions in 1991. In that year, Seattle Rep also premieres Conversations With My Father by Herb Gardner. Inspecting Carol is taken on national tour in 1992. In 1994, Seattle Rep premieres London Suite by Neil Simon and The Sisters Rosensweig by Wendy Wasserstein. The following year, Seattle Rep, with Tom Hulce and Jane Jones, develops 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 (the “Leo K”) opening celebration is held in December, in great part thanks to a generous $2 million naming gift from The Kreielsheimer Foundation, a $1 million gift from board chair Marsha S. Glazer, and the leadership of capital campaign chairs Ann Ramsay-Jenkins and Stanley Savage. Sharon Ott becomes Artistic Director of Seattle Rep in 1997. That year, in conjunction with the Leonardo exhibit at Seattle Art Museum, Seattle Rep stages The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci, in the new Leo K Theatre, written and directed by Mary Zimmerman. Seattle Rep premieres Sisters Matsumoto by Philip Kan Gotanda in 1999. Seattle Rep also presents the first “Stars and Stories” special event to benefit SRT’s education programs. The event features readings by a variety of community leaders and artists including Lesley Stahl, Charles Johnson, Phyllis Campbell, Marjorie Nelson, Tina Podlodowski, John Aylward, Nancy Guppy, Kevin Tighe, Marcie Sillman, Barbara Dirickson, Dan Sullivan, and Robert Fulghum.

[edit] 2000s

In 2000, Lily Tomlin’s one-woman show by Jane Wagner, The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe, plays at Seattle Rep prior to its engagement on Broadway. In 2001, Seattle Rep leads a consortium of theatres in presenting Peter Brook’s Hamlet in the Mercer Arts Arena. That same year, Daniel Sullivan returns to direct Proof, for which he won the Tony Award on Broadway, launching its national tour. Seattle Rep also announces a $15 million Endowment Campaign under the leadership of Chap Alvord and Janet True. Seattle Rep celebrates its 40th Anniversary Season in 2003. David Esbjornson becomes Artistic Director of Seattle Rep in 2005. In 2006, Seattle Rep premieres 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 puts on a moving tribute to August Wilson, featuring performances from all 10 of Mr. Wilson’s plays.

[edit] Plays at Seattle Rep by Season

[edit] 2006-2007

Bagley Wright Theatre

Leo K Theatre

[edit] 2005-2006

Bagley Wright Theatre

Leo K Theatre

  • Cathay: 3 Tales of China by Ping Chong and Shaanxi Folk Art Theatre
  • 9 Parts of Desire by Heather Raffo

PONCHO Forum

Women 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

[edit] 2004-2005

Bagley Wright Theatre

Leo K Theatre

Special Presentation

PONCHO Forum

Women Playwrights Festival

  • Sirius Rising by Gwendolyn Schwinke
  • The Aerodynamics of Accident by Deborah Isobel Stein
  • Courting Vampires by Laura Schellhardt
  • Hardball by Victoria Stewart

See Also: Production history: 1963-Present

[edit] Seattle Rep Notable Artists

[edit] Actors

[edit] Directors

[edit] Playwrights

[edit] Stages

[edit] Bagley Wright Theatre

The Bagley Wright Theatre 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

    • 856 seats total
    • Orchestra level
      • 566 seats
      • Orchestra level is 18 rows deep with 14 seats per row
      • Orchestra sides are 19 rows 3-13 seats per row
    • Mezzanine level
      • 290 seats
      • Mezzanine level is 32 feel from proscenium stage
      • Mezzanine level begins its overhang at row L of the orchestra
      • Mezzanine center is 7 rows with 14 seats per row
      • Mezzanine sides are 8 rows each with 9-13 seats per row
    • It is 65 feet from the stage to the last row of the house
    • Named honoring Seattle Rep's first board of trustees president
    • The Bagley Wright Theatre is a city owned facility

[edit] Leo Kreielsheimer Theatre

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

    • 286 seats total
    • Orchestra level
      • 139 seats
      • Orchestra level is 9 rows with 8-20 seats per row
    • Loge
      • 51 seats
      • Loge is 2 rows with 24-27 seats per row
    • Balcony and box seats
      • 96 seats
      • Balcony is 3 rows with 29-30 seats per row
      • 8 box seats located at the balcony level
    • It is about 25 feet from the stage to the rear wall
    • Named honoring native northwest benefactor

[edit] PONCHO Forum

    • 99 Seats
    • General admission
    • Stadium seating
    • Located between the Bagley Wright and Leo K Theatres, behind the Shop at the Rep

[edit] External links

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