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Trinity Repertory Company is a regional theatre located in Providence, Rhode Island. The theatre is a member of the League of Resident Theatres[1]. Founded in 1963, the theatre is "one of the most respected regional theatres in the country" [2]. Trinity Rep presents a balance of world premiere, contemporary, and classic works, including six subscription productions, and an annual production of A Christmas Carol, for an estimated annual audience of 160,000. In its 42-year history, the theater has produced nearly 50 world premieres. Project Discovery, Trinity Rep's pioneering educational outreach program launched in 1966, introduces over 30,000 Rhode Island and Massachusetts students a year to live theater.
Trinity Rep was founded when a small group of Rhode Island citizens sought to create a professional resident theatre company in Providence. Incorporated as the "Foundation for Repertory Theatre" on March 19th, 1963, the group was interested in finding a professional director to lead the young ensemble. At the suggestion of Betsy Argo, the group hired Adrian Hall, a New York-based director originally from Texas. Also in search of a performance space, the group was offered the use of Trinity Union Methodist Church, located in Trinity Square. The first production was "The Hostage" by Brendan Behan, which opened on March 14, 1964.[3] Trinity Rep performed at the Edinburgh International Festival in Scotland in 1968, the first American theatre company to do so. The Trinity Rep Conservatory opened in 1977, serving as a training ground for actors and directors. The Conservatory began granting an MFA degree through Rhode Island College in 1998. In 1981, the company was awarded the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theater Company. The company has also produced television productions shown on PBS, toured in India and Syria, and has presented over fifty world premiere productions of new plays [4]. The Brown/Trinity Consortium, a graduate program offering degrees in acting and directing, is a collaboration between Trinity Repertory and Brown University, founded in September, 2002.
The theatre was originally located at Trinity Union Methodist Church in Providence, moving in 1973 to the Lederer Theater Center, which was formerly a historical vaudeville performance house known as the Majestic Theatre. The interior of the Majestic was completely re-modeled to include two performance spaces: the 286 seat Dowling Theater, and the 500-600 seat Chace Theater.
On October 30, 2005, Curt Columbus was named Artistic Director of the theatre, replacing Oskar Eustis, who resigned in order to become Artistic Director of the New York Public Theatre[5].
[edit] References
- ^ - Coale, Sam, editor. Adrian Hall:The Man, The Muse, and the Moments at Trinity Rep. Meridian Printing, East Greenwich, Rhode Island. ISBN 0-9668540-0-4
- ^ - Curt Columbus appointed new Artistic Director - Press release from Trinity's official website
- ^ - League of Resident Theatres - List of Member Theatres from the LORT website
- ^ - Trinity Rep's history - From Trinity Rep's official
[edit] External links
