Seattle Repertory Theatre

This article is about the present-day theater at Seattle Center. For the 1930–1950 Seattle Repertory Playhouse, seePlayhouse Theatre (Seattle).

Seattle Rep(Seattle Repertory Theatre) is a major regional theater located inSeattle,Washington,at theSeattle Center.It is a member ofTheatre Puget SoundandTheatre Communications Group.Founded in 1963, it is led by Artistic Director Dámaso Rodríguez and Managing Director Jeffrey Herrmann.It received the 1990Regional Theatre Tony Award.

History

1960s

Courtyard of the Seattle Playhouse, during the period it was renamed theIntiman Playhouse(2009).

Seattle Rep's first home was the Seattle Playhouse, built as part of the fair grounds for the 1962Century 21 Exposition,Seattle's 1962World's Fair.The building, extant as of 2009, was renovated in 1987 as a home for theIntiman Theatre.ActorHal Holbrookhad appeared at the Playhouse during the fair, and is believed to be the person who suggested it as a home for arepertory theatercompany.Seattle businessman and arts patronBagley Wrightand others raised money and recruited artistic leadership to found what became Seattle Repertory Theater ( "Seattle Rep" or formerly "The Rep" ).Stuart Vaughanwas the foundingartistic directorand directed the first production,King Lear,which opened the new company's first season on November 14, 1963. The original acting company included Seattle nativeMarjorie Nelsonand a young associate member from theUniversity of Washington,John Gilbert. Both went on to become mainstays ofPacific Northwesttheater. Donald Foster came aboard as executive director in 1964. The first summer "Theater-in-the-Park" production wasThe Taming of the Shrew.The first Northwest tour includedTwelfth NightandAh, Wilderness!byEugene O'Neill.Peter Donnelly joined Seattle Rep on aFord Foundationgrant as a management intern. In 1966, Allen Fletcher became Seattle Rep's second artistic director. The "Off-Center" series (held at other local theaters outside Seattle Center) focused on contemporary works. The first "Off-Center" production, in 1967, featuredThe Death of Bessie SmithandThe American Dream,two one-act plays byEdward Albee.Seattle Rep was invited to theBergen International Festivalin 1968.

1970s

In 1970, Peter Donnelly became producing director, and W. Duncan Ross became artistic director. In 1972, Seattle Rep's artistic role in the state was acknowledged with the Washington State Governor's Arts Award. That same year was the beginning of "Rep ‘n' Rap", a summer tour program featuringThurbermania.The following year, there was a special presentation ofPromenade Alldirected byHume Cronyn."The 2nd Stage" series began a year later withMax Frisch'sBiography.In 1975, a tour of the western states includedSeven Keys to BaldpatebyGeorge M. Cohan.Private funding and a citywide bond issue raised $5.8 million for a new theater, which was begun in 1977 and completed in 1983. The first "Mobile Outreach Bunch" (MOB) toured Washington and Idaho schools withThe Energy Show,launching Seattle Rep's education programs in 1979.John Hirschjoined as consulting artistic director withDaniel Sullivanas resident director that same year, and "Plays-in-Progress," initiated by Daniel Sullivan, began developing new plays.

1980s

In 1981,Daniel Sullivanbecame artistic director and the Seattle Repertory Organization held the first "Elegant Elephant Sale", an event that continued for nearly two decades. On December 29, ground was broken for the newBagley Wright Theater,which opened in 1983 with the world premiere ofMichael Weller'sThe Ballad of Soapy Smith,directed by Robert Egan. In 1984,Herb Gardner'sI'm Not RappaportstarringHarold Gould,Cleavon LittleandDavid Strathairnopened prior to itsBroadwayrun. That year also saw the start of "Dollar Theatre" withBig and Little(selections fromBotho Strauß). In 1985, Benjamin Moore was appointed Seattle Rep's third managing director. In 1988, Seattle Rep premieredBill Irwin'sLargely/New YorkandRichard Greenberg'sEastern Standard.The following yearWendy Wasserstein'sPulitzer PrizewinningThe Heidi Chroniclespremiered there.

1990s

In 1990, Seattle Rep won aTony Awardfor Outstanding Regional Theatre.Inspecting Carol,developed by Daniel Sullivan and the SRT company, premiered as part of the "Stage 2" productions in 1991. That same yearConversations With My FatherbyHerb Gardnerpremiered, andInspecting Carolwent on national tour the year after. The premieres ofLondon SuitebyNeil SimonandThe Sisters RosensweigbyWendy Wassersteintook place in 1994. The following year, in collaboration withTom Hulceand Jane Jones, The Rep developedThe Cider House Rules,adapted byPeter ParnellfromJohn Irving's novel, which was then presented as part of the 'New Play Workshop Series'. In 1996, the Leo Kreielsheimer ( "Leo K." ) Theater opened after a successful fundraising drive.Sharon Ottbecame the artistic director in 1997. That year, in conjunction with the Leonardo exhibit at theSeattle Art Museum,The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci,written and directed byMary Zimmerman,was staged in the new Leo K. Theater.Sisters MatsumotobyPhilip Kan Gotandapremiered in 1999, followed by the first "Stars and Stories" special event, featuring readings by community artists and leaders, for the benefit of Seattle Rep's education programs.

2000s

Lily Tomlin's one-woman show byJane Wagner,The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe,played at Seattle Rep prior to its engagement on Broadway. In 2001, Seattle Rep led a consortium of local theaters in presentingPeter Brook'sHamletin the Mercer Arts Arena. That same year, Daniel Sullivan returned to directProof,for which he won theTony Awardon Broadway, launching its national tour, and a $15 million "Endowment Campaign" under the leadership of Chap Alvord and Janet True was also announced. The 40th Anniversary Season was celebrated in 2003.David Esbjornsonbecame artistic director in 2005.Ping Chong'sCathay: Three Tales of China,Ariel Dorfman'sPurgatorioandRestoration Comedy,byAmy Freed,(which went on to be nominated for Best New Play by theAmerican Theatre Critics Association) were among the premieres in 2006. That year also saw a tribute toAugust Wilson,featuring performances from all ten of his plays. Esbjornson departed in summer 2008, replaced in 2009 by Jerry Manning.

2010s

In 2012, Seattle Rep celebrated its 50th anniversary season.In 2014, Braden Abraham became the 10th Artistic Director after the death of Jerry Manning.That same year, Jeffrey Herrmann became the fifth managing director.In 2017, the final show of the season wasDavid Byrne'sHere Lies Love,which required removal of the entire main floor seating area of the Bagley Wright Theatre in order to fit the format of the production.

Education programs

"Bringing Theatre into the Classroom" participants work on integrating tableaux into their lesson plans.

In 2007, Seattle Rep started the program "Bringing Theatre into the Classroom"(BTiC),a partnership project withSeattle Children's TheatreandBook-It Repertory Theatredesigned to help K–12 teachers integrate theater into their curricula. The program was made possible through a grant of $75,000 from theNational Endowment for the Arts.The theater also has an internship program for college students.

Productions

2006–2007

Bagley Wright Theater

• DoubtbyJohn Patrick Shanley;Director: Warner Shook
• The Great GatsbybyF. Scott Fitzgerald,Adapted by Simon Levy; Director:David Esbjornson
• The Lady From DubuquebyEdward Albee;Director:David Esbjornson
• Fire on the Mountainby Randal Myler and Dan Wheetman
• Gem of the OceanbyAugust Wilson;Director:Phylicia Rashad

Leo K. Theater

• Thom Pain (based on nothing)byWill Eno;Director: Jerry Manning
• Memory Houseby Kathleen Tolan; Director: Allison Narver
• Blue Doorby Tanya Barfield; Director: Leigh Silverman
• My Name is Rachel CorriebyAlan RickmanandKatharine Viner;Director: Braden Abraham

2005–2006

Bagley Wright Theater

• The King StagbyCarlo Gozzi,Adapted by Shelley Berc and Andrei Belgrader
• PurgatoriobyAriel Dorfman
• Restoration ComedybyAmy Freed
• Radio GolfbyAugust Wilson
• Private LivesbyNoël Coward
• Tuesdays with MorriebyJeffrey Hatcher&Mitch Albom

Leo K. Theater

• Cathay: 3 Tales of ChinabyPing Chongand Shaanxi Folk Art Theatre
• 9 Parts of DesirebyHeather Raffo

PONCHO Forum

Women Playwrights Festival

• The Pork Chop Warsby Laurie Carlos
• My Wandering Boyby Julie Marie Myatt
• Twenty-six Milesby Quiara Alegria Hudes
• Scooping the Darkness Emptyby Alva Rogers

2004–2005

Bagley Wright Theater

• Anna in the TropicsbyNilo Cruz
• Take Me OutbyRichard Greenberg
• Noises OffbyMichael Frayn
• Ma Rainey's Black BottombyAugust Wilson
• The Secret in the Wings adaptedbyMary Zimmerman
• The Constant WifebyW. Somerset Maugham

Leo K. Theatre

• Bad DatesbyTheresa Rebeck
• The ChosenbyChaim Potokand Aaron Posner

Special Presentation

• Kate MulgrewinTea at FivebyMatthew Lombardo

PONCHO Forum

Women Playwrights Festival

• Sirius Risingby Gwendolyn Schwinke
• The Aerodynamics of Accidentby Deborah Isobel Stein
• Courting Vampiresby Laura Schellhardt
• Hardballby Victoria Stewart

Stages

Bagley Wright Theater

The balcony of the Bagley Wright Theatre duringBumbershoot2008.

TheBagley Wright Theater,named in honor of the president of Seattle Rep's first board of trustees, opened on October 13, 1983 with the world premiere ofMichael Weller'sThe Ballad of Soapy Smith,directed by Robert Egan, and featuring a cast of Seattle actors including Dennis Arndt (in the title role),John Aylward,Frank Corrado, Paul Hostetler,Richard Riehle,Michael Santo,Marjorie Nelson,Ted D'Arms, Kurt Beattie, Clayton Corzatte, and William Ontiveros. Also in the cast wereKevin TigheandKate Mulgrew.The Bagley Wright Theater is a city-owned facility.

The theater has aproscenium stageand aseating capacityof 678 seats.The stage is approximately 65 feet (20 m) to the last row of the house.

Leo K. Theater

The Leo Kreielsheimer Theater ( "Leo K." ) opened in December 1996 as Seattle Rep's "second stage." The Leo K. was made possible in great part to a US$2 million gift from The Kreielsheimer Foundation, a US$1 million gift from then board chair Marsha S. Glazer, and the leadership of Capital Campaign chairs Ann Ramsay-Jenkins and Stanley Savage.There are 282 seats total: 192 on the orchestra level (includingloge), plus 90 balcony and box seats.It is approximately 25 feet (7.6 m) from the stage to the rear wall.There are 5 wheelchair locations.

The orchestra seating consists of 139 seats in 9 rows, with 8–20 seats per row; the loge adds 51 seats, in 2 rows of 27 and 24 seats, respectively. The balcony provides an additional 88 seats, in 3 rows, with 29–30 seats per row; additionally, there are 4 box seats at balcony level.

PONCHO Forum

The PONCHO Forum has a capacity of 133 seats and is set up for general admission, withstadium seating.

External links

• Seattle Repertory Theatre official website
• Douglas Q. Barnett,The Seattle Repertory Theatre Affair by Douglas Q. Barnett,HistoryLink, June 25, 2009.
• Seattle Repertory Theatreat theInternet Broadway Database