Arizona Theatre Company

Arizona Theatre Company is a professional, non-profit theatre company based in Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona, founded in 1966 by Herbert Segal. The company has a long history of producing high-quality plays and musicals, often in collaboration with other renowned theatres such as the Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Guthrie Theater, and La Jolla Playhouse. Arizona Theatre Company has worked with notable directors like Des McAnuff and Michael Greif, and has hosted productions featuring acclaimed actors including Helen Mirren, Ian McKellen, and Patrick Stewart. The company's productions often premiere at the Tempe Center for the Arts or the Tucson Music Hall before transferring to other venues like the Broadway Theatre in New York City.

● History

The company's history began with a production of William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream at the University of Arizona's Tucson Convention Center. Over the years, Arizona Theatre Company has produced a wide range of plays, including works by Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller, and Eugene O'Neill. The company has also collaborated with other organizations, such as the Phoenix Symphony Hall and the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, to produce musicals like Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story and Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Arizona Theatre Company has been recognized for its contributions to the arts, receiving awards from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Arizona Commission on the Arts. The company has also worked with notable playwrights like August Wilson, Tony Kushner, and Lanford Wilson, and has produced plays that have gone on to be performed at other prestigious theatres, including the Mark Taper Forum and the Public Theater.

● Productions

Arizona Theatre Company's productions have included a wide range of plays and musicals, from classic works like Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest and George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion to more contemporary pieces like David Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross and Wendy Wasserstein's The Heidi Chronicles. The company has also produced musicals like Jonathan Larson's Rent and John Kander's Chicago, which have featured actors like Neil Patrick Harris, Christine Baranski, and Audra McDonald. Arizona Theatre Company's productions often feature complex sets and costumes, designed by artists like Bob Crowley and William Ivey Long, and have been recognized for their high production values, earning awards from the Theatre Communications Group and the United States Institute for Theatre Technology. The company has also collaborated with other organizations, such as the Arizona Opera and the Ballet Arizona, to produce innovative and interdisciplinary works.

● Education_and_Outreach

Arizona Theatre Company is committed to education and outreach, offering a range of programs for students and community members, including workshops, classes, and lectures. The company's education programs are designed to promote literacy, creativity, and critical thinking, and have been recognized for their excellence by organizations like the National Theatre Conference and the American Alliance for Theatre and Education. Arizona Theatre Company has also partnered with schools and community organizations, such as the Tucson Unified School District and the Phoenix Boys and Girls Clubs, to provide arts education and outreach programs, including the National Endowment for the Arts' Shakespeare in American Communities program. The company's outreach programs have been supported by grants from the Ford Foundation and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and have helped to promote diversity and inclusion in the arts.

● Venues

Arizona Theatre Company performs in two main venues: the Tempe Center for the Arts in Tempe and the Tucson Music Hall in Tucson. The company has also performed at other venues, including the Herberger Theater Center in Phoenix and the Fox Theatre in Tucson. Arizona Theatre Company's productions often require complex technical setups, and the company has worked with designers like Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer to create innovative and immersive environments. The company's venues have been recognized for their excellence, earning awards from the American Institute of Architects and the United States Institute for Theatre Technology.

● Artistic_Direction

Arizona Theatre Company has been led by a number of artistic directors, including David Ira Goldstein and Stephen Wadsworth. The company's artistic directors have been responsible for selecting productions, hiring directors and designers, and overseeing the company's education and outreach programs. Arizona Theatre Company's artistic directors have worked with notable directors like Bartlett Sher and Mary Zimmerman, and have helped to establish the company as a major regional theatre. The company's artistic direction has been recognized for its excellence, earning awards from the Theatre Communications Group and the National Theatre Conference.

● Awards_and_Recognition

Arizona Theatre Company has received numerous awards and recognitions for its productions, including awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Arizona Commission on the Arts, and the Theatre Communications Group. The company has also been recognized for its contributions to the arts, receiving awards from the American Theatre Wing and the Drama Desk Awards. Arizona Theatre Company's productions have been nominated for awards like the Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and have won awards like the Obie Awards and the Lucille Lortel Awards. The company's artistic directors have also been recognized for their excellence, earning awards like the Margo Jones Award and the Zelda Fichandler Award. Category:Regional theatre companies in the United States