Yale Repertory Theatre at
Yale University
Yale University is a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Sta ...
in
New Haven
New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134,023 ...
, Connecticut was founded by
Robert Brustein
Robert Sanford Brustein (born April 21, 1927) is an American theatrical critic, producer, playwright, writer, and educator. He founded both the Yale Repertory Theatre in New Haven, Connecticut, and the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, Ma ...
, dean of
Yale School of Drama
The David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University is a graduate professional school of Yale University, located in New Haven, Connecticut. Founded in 1924 as the Department of Drama in the School of Fine Arts, the school provides training in e ...
, in 1966, with the goal of facilitating a meaningful collaboration between theatre professionals and talented students. In the process it has become one of the first distinguished regional theatres. Located at the edge of Yale's main downtown campus, it occupies the former Calvary Baptist Church.
History
As head of Yale Repertory Theatre ("the Rep") from 1966 to 1979, Robert Brustein brought professional actors to Yale each year to form a repertory company and nurtured notable new authors including
Christopher Durang
Christopher Ferdinand Durang (born January 2, 1949) is an American playwright known for works of outrageous and often absurd comedy. His work was especially popular in the 1980s, though his career seemed to get a second wind in the late 1990s.
...
. Some successful works were transferred to commercial theaters.
Michael Feingold
Michael E. Feingold (May 5, 1945 – November 21, 2022) was an American critic, translator, lyricist, playwright and dramaturg. He was the lead theater critic of ''The Village Voice'' from 1982 to 2013, for which he was twice named a Pulitzer Pri ...
was the first literary manager.
The dean of Yale School of Drama is the artistic director of the Yale Repertory Theatre, with
Lloyd Richards
Lloyd George Richards (June 29, 1919 – June 29, 2006) was a Canadian-American theatre director, actor, and dean of the Yale School of Drama from 1979 to 1991, and Yale University professor emeritus.
Biography
Richards was born in Toron ...
(who most notably nurtured the career of
August Wilson
August Wilson ( Frederick August Kittel Jr.; April 27, 1945 – October 2, 2005) was an American playwright. He has been referred to as the "theater's poet of Black America". He is best known for a series of ten plays, collectively called ' (or ...
) serving in this capacity 1979–1991,
Stan Wojewodski, Jr., 1991–2002, and James Bundy since 2002. Benjamin Mordecai served as managing director from 1982 to 1993. Victoria Nolan was managing director from 1993 to 2020. Her successor was Florie Seery.
Of the more than 90 world premieres the Rep has produced, four have won
Pulitzer Prizes; ten productions have received
Tony Awards
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...
after being transferred to
Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
, and Yale Repertory Theatre was given a
Drama Desk Special Award
The Drama Desk Special Award is an annual award presented by Drama Desk in recognition of achievements by an individual or an organization that has made a significant contribution to the theatre among Broadway, Off Broadway and Off-Off Broadway ...
in 1988 and the
Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre in 1991.
In 2002, Yale School of Drama and Yale Repertory Theatre received the Governor's Arts Award from Governor
John G. Rowland for artistic achievement and contribution to the arts in the state of
Connecticut
Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its capita ...
.
Calvary Baptist Church Building
Calvary Baptist Church was erected in 1846 in the Gothic revival architectural style on a plot of land that was the original home of Richard Platt, one of the founders of New Haven. Upon redundancy, the church was controlled by
Yale University
Yale University is a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Sta ...
, which was already served by a nondenominational chapel.
Production history
See also
*
Yale Dramatic Association
The Yale Dramatic Association, also known as the "Yale Dramat," is the third oldest college theater company in the United States. Founded in 1901 by undergraduates at Yale University, the Dramat has been producing student theatre in the United ...
External links
Official website*
References
{{authority control
Performing groups established in 1966
League of Resident Theatres
Regional theatre in the United States
Tony Award winners
Yale University
Former churches in Connecticut
Churches completed in 1846
Buildings and structures in New Haven, Connecticut
Gothic Revival church buildings in Connecticut
Victorian architecture in Connecticut
University and college theatres in the United States
Tourist attractions in New Haven, Connecticut
Theatres in Connecticut
Theatre companies in Connecticut