New Paradise Laboratories

New Paradise Laboratories
Name	New Paradise Laboratories
Founded	1996
Founder	Whit MacLaughlin
Location	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Genre	Contemporary art, Experimental theatre
Artistic director	Whit MacLaughlin

New Paradise Laboratories is a Philadelphia-based ensemble theater company known for producing hybrid, interdisciplinary performances that blend theatre, dance, music, and visual art. Founded in 1996 by Whit MacLaughlin, the company has engaged with national and international presenters, developed long-form serial works, and collaborated with institutions across the United States and Europe. New Paradise Laboratories has influenced contemporary performance through innovative dramaturgy, site-specific projects, and sustained community partnerships.

History

New Paradise Laboratories grew out of the experimental performance scenes in Philadelphia and New York City in the 1990s, intersecting with artists and organizations such as The Wooster Group, The LAB at Belmar, Pig Iron Theatre Company, Philadelphia Fringe Festival, and La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club. Early residencies and commissions involved presenters like National Endowment for the Arts, The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage, Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation, and international festivals including Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Festival d'Avignon. The company's development was shaped by collaborations with venues and institutions such as Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, University of Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon University, Ars Nova, and Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival. Over time New Paradise Laboratories moved from small-scale loft performances to large-scale productions supported by foundations including MacArthur Foundation and Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts.

Artistic Style and Influences

The company's aesthetic synthesizes influences from practitioners and movements such as Jerzy Grotowski, Antonin Artaud, Richard Foreman, Robert Wilson, and Merce Cunningham, while engaging with contemporary ensembles like Forced Entertainment, Complicité, and Shockheaded Peter-style collaborations. Their work often incorporates elements associated with postdramatic theatre, site-specific performance, devised theatre, and multimedia practices evident in companies like Ballets Russes-inspired theatricality and the interdisciplinary approach of Third Rail Projects. New Paradise Laboratories' dramaturgy shows affinities with playwrights and creators such as Samuel Beckett, Bertolt Brecht, Caryl Churchill, and Liz Lerman, and draws on visual artists and composers including Meredith Monk, Philip Glass, Laurie Anderson, and Pina Bausch.

Notable Works and Productions

Signature productions include serial and stand-alone works presented at venues and festivals such as On the Boards, Walker Art Center, Studio Theatre, The Atlas Performing Arts Center, Bush Theatre, and Center Theatre Group. Noteworthy projects have been staged in contexts alongside works by William Shakespeare, Tom Stoppard, Tony Kushner, Sarah Kane, and Phillip Ridley. The company's repertoire often engages with themes resonant with pieces by Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller, and August Wilson, while integrating choreographic and musical strategies akin to Twyla Tharp and John Cage.

Key Personnel and Collaborators

Artistic leadership centers on founder and artistic director Whit MacLaughlin, who has worked with a rotating ensemble of performers, directors, designers, and composers linked to institutions like Curtis Institute of Music, Rhode Island School of Design, Temple University],] and Bryn Mawr College. Frequent collaborators have included scenographers and designers associated with The Royal Court Theatre, Scenic Route, and independent artists who have also worked with The Public Theater, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, and Sundance Institute. Musicians and composers who have contributed are in conversation with creators from New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, and contemporary ensembles such as Bang on a Can.

Awards and Recognition

The company and its artists have received honors and support from major arts funders and awarding bodies including the MacArthur Fellows Program-associated grants, awards from The Pew Fellows Program in the Arts, and commissions by National Performance Network. Productions and artists have earned critical attention in publications and reviewing platforms alongside peers recognized by The New York Times, The Washington Post, Philadelphia Inquirer, and international coverage at The Guardian and Le Monde for festival presentations. Fellowships, residency awards, and project grants have come from entities such as Arts Council England, USArtists International, and the Knight Foundation.

Touring and Community Engagement

New Paradise Laboratories has toured nationally and internationally, presenting work at festivals and venues like Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Festival d'Avignon, Spoleto Festival USA, Performa, and regional theaters across California, Texas, Illinois, and North Carolina. Community engagement initiatives have included partnerships with local arts councils, neighborhood organizations, and educational institutions such as Community College of Philadelphia, Drexel University, and West Chester University. Touring strategies mirror those used by ensembles like National Theatre of Scotland and Compagnie Philippe Genty, adapting productions for theaters, warehouses, and public sites.

Educational and Outreach Programs

Educational activities have encompassed workshops, masterclasses, and residencies with student ensembles and faculty at universities and conservatories including Temple University],] University of the Arts (Philadelphia), New York University, DePaul University, and Princeton University. Outreach has targeted youth arts programs, community arts initiatives, and professional development models similar to those run by Lincoln Center Education, Theatre Communications Group, and Young Audiences Arts for Learning. The company's pedagogical practice reflects interdisciplinary training traditions found at Julliard School and Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

Category:Theatre companies in Pennsylvania