Zach Theatre

Zach Theatre is a professional theatre company located in Austin, Texas, founded in 1932 as the Austin Civic Theatre by Helen Hayes, Tallulah Bankhead, and Mary Martin. The theatre has a long history of producing high-quality shows, including works by William Shakespeare, Tennessee Williams, and Stephen Sondheim. Over the years, the theatre has hosted numerous performances, including productions featuring Liza Minnelli, Bernadette Peters, and Patti LuPone. The theatre has also been recognized for its contributions to the Austin arts scene, with awards from the Austin Critics Table and the B. Iden Payne Awards.

● History

The theatre was founded in 1932 as the Austin Civic Theatre and was later renamed Zachary Scott Theatre in 1968, in honor of the Academy Award-nominated actor Zachary Scott. The theatre has undergone several renovations and expansions over the years, including a major renovation in 2006, which added a new Topfer Theatre and expanded the existing Kleberg Theatre. The theatre has been led by several artistic directors, including Dave Steakley, who has been at the helm since 1987 and has worked with notable directors such as Harold Clurman and Elia Kazan. The theatre has also been recognized for its contributions to the American theatre scene, with awards from the Theatre Communications Group and the National Endowment for the Arts.

● Productions

The theatre produces a wide range of shows, including musical theatre productions, such as Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and A Chorus Line, as well as plays, such as Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and The Glass Menagerie. The theatre has also produced several world premieres, including works by Sam Shepard and Lanford Wilson. The theatre has collaborated with other companies, such as the Dallas Theater Center and the Houston Grand Opera, to produce large-scale productions, including The Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables. The theatre has also hosted several Broadway productions, including The Book of Mormon and Wicked, featuring actors such as Neil Patrick Harris and Kristin Chenoweth.

● Venue

The theatre is located in the heart of Austin, Texas, and features two main performance spaces: the Kleberg Theatre and the Topfer Theatre. The Kleberg Theatre is a 230-seat proscenium arch theatre, while the Topfer Theatre is a 420-seat thrust stage theatre. The theatre also features several rehearsal spaces, including the Whisenhunt Theatre and the People's Theatre. The theatre has hosted several events, including the Austin Film Festival and the South by Southwest conference, featuring speakers such as Quentin Tarantino and Joss Whedon. The theatre is also located near several other Austin landmarks, including the Texas State Capitol and the University of Texas at Austin.

● Education

The theatre offers several educational programs, including acting classes, playwriting workshops, and stage management training. The theatre also offers several programs for youth theatre education, including the Zach Theatre Academy and the Summer Stock Austin program. The theatre has partnered with several local schools, including the University of Texas at Austin and the Austin Independent School District, to provide theatre education programs, featuring instructors such as Anna Deavere Smith and Spalding Gray. The theatre has also hosted several theatre festivals, including the Austin Theatre Festival and the FronteraFest.

● Community Engagement

The theatre is committed to community engagement and outreach, with several programs aimed at promoting diversity and inclusion in the Austin arts scene. The theatre has partnered with several local organizations, including the Austin Latino Theatre Alliance and the Austin Asian American Theatre, to produce shows that reflect the diversity of the Austin community. The theatre has also hosted several benefit performances, including shows to support the Austin Food Bank and the Capital Area Food Bank of Texas, featuring performers such as Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson. The theatre has also been recognized for its contributions to the Austin community, with awards from the Austin Chamber of Commerce and the United Way of Greater Austin.

● Notable Performances

The theatre has hosted several notable performances over the years, including productions featuring Audra McDonald, Patti LuPone, and Kristin Chenoweth. The theatre has also produced several regional premieres, including works by August Wilson and Tony Kushner. The theatre has collaborated with several other companies, including the Dallas Theater Center and the Houston Grand Opera, to produce large-scale productions, including The Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables. The theatre has also hosted several Broadway productions, including The Book of Mormon and Wicked, featuring actors such as Neil Patrick Harris and Idina Menzel. The theatre has been recognized for its contributions to the American theatre scene, with awards from the Theatre Communications Group and the National Endowment for the Arts, and has been praised by critics such as Ben Brantley and Charles Isherwood.

Category:Theatres in the United States