Theatre for a New Audience

Theatre for a New Audience
ajay_suresh · CC BY 2.0 · source
Name	Theatre for a New Audience
Type	Non-profit
Location	Brooklyn, New York City

Theatre for a New Audience is a non-profit Off-Broadway theatre company based in Brooklyn, New York City, founded in 1979 by Jeffrey Horowitz. The company is known for its productions of Shakespeare's plays, as well as works by other classical and contemporary playwrights, such as Molière, Tennessee Williams, and Samuel Beckett. Theatre for a New Audience has collaborated with renowned directors like Julie Taymor, Ivo van Hove, and Bartlett Sher, and has performed at various venues, including the Brooklyn Academy of Music and the Polonsky Shakespeare Center. The company has also worked with esteemed institutions like the Public Theater and the Royal Shakespeare Company.

● History

Theatre for a New Audience was founded in 1979 by Jeffrey Horowitz, with the goal of creating a theatre company that would produce classical and contemporary plays for a diverse audience. The company's early productions included works by Shakespeare, Chekhov, and Brecht, and featured actors like Meryl Streep and Christopher Walken. In the 1980s, the company began to collaborate with other theatre companies, such as the New York Shakespeare Festival and the Guthrie Theater. Theatre for a New Audience has also been recognized for its contributions to the theatre community, receiving awards from organizations like the National Endowment for the Arts and the Drama Desk Awards. The company has been praised by critics from publications like the New York Times and the Village Voice, and has been supported by philanthropists like David Rockefeller and the Ford Foundation.

● Productions

Theatre for a New Audience has produced a wide range of plays, including Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Hamlet, and King Lear, as well as works by other classical playwrights like Molière and Racine. The company has also produced contemporary plays by writers like Tennessee Williams, Samuel Beckett, and Caryl Churchill. Some notable productions include Julie Taymor's adaptation of The Tempest, starring Raul Julia, and Ivo van Hove's production of The Crucible, featuring Liam Cunningham and Sophie Okonedo. The company has also collaborated with other theatre companies, such as the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Comédie-Française, on productions like The Winter's Tale and Phèdre. Theatre for a New Audience has also worked with artists like Philip Glass and Lou Reed on musical productions like The Fall of the House of Usher and Lulu.

● Artistic Leadership

Theatre for a New Audience has been led by several artistic directors, including Jeffrey Horowitz, who founded the company in 1979. Other notable artistic leaders include Robert Woodruff, who directed productions like The Seagull and The Cherry Orchard, and Bartlett Sher, who directed The Light in the Piazza and South Pacific. The company has also worked with esteemed directors like Peter Brook, Trevor Nunn, and Michael Grandage, who have directed productions like The Mahabharata and The Coast of Utopia. Theatre for a New Audience has also collaborated with playwrights like Tom Stoppard and Harold Pinter on new works, and has been recognized for its commitment to nurturing emerging artists, including writers like Sarah Ruhl and Anne Washburn.

● Education and Community

Theatre for a New Audience is committed to education and community outreach, offering programs like the New Voices fellowship, which supports emerging playwrights, and the Shakespeare in the Schools program, which brings theatre education to public schools in New York City. The company has also partnered with organizations like the Brooklyn Museum and the New York Public Library to offer workshops and lectures on theatre and the arts. Theatre for a New Audience has also been recognized for its accessibility initiatives, including audio descriptions and sign language interpretation, and has worked with organizations like the Theatre Development Fund and the National Theatre of the Deaf to promote inclusivity in the theatre. The company has also collaborated with artists like Anna Deavere Smith and Suzan-Lori Parks on community-based projects, and has been supported by funders like the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Shubert Foundation.

● Venues

Theatre for a New Audience has performed at various venues in New York City, including the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Polonsky Shakespeare Center, and the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts. The company has also toured to other cities, including Los Angeles, Chicago, and London, performing at venues like the Mark Taper Forum, the Steppenwolf Theatre Company, and the Barbican Centre. Theatre for a New Audience has also collaborated with other theatre companies on co-productions, performing at venues like the Guthrie Theater and the American Repertory Theater. The company has been praised for its innovative use of non-traditional spaces, including the Brooklyn Bridge Park and the High Line, and has worked with architects like Frank Gehry and Renzo Piano on the design of its venues. Category:Theatre companies in New York City