The Wooster Group
 The Performing Garage in 2014 | |
| Formation | 1975 |
|---|---|
| Type | Theatre group |
| Location |
|
Artistic director(s) | Elizabeth LeCompte |
| Website | thewoostergroup |
The Wooster Groupis anexperimental theatercompany based inNew York Cityknown for creating numerous original dramatic works. It gradually emerged fromRichard Schechner'sThe Performance Group(1967–1980) during the period from 1975 to 1980. The group took its name in 1980; the independent productions of 1975–1980 are retroactively attributed to the group.[1]
The ensemble is directed byElizabeth LeCompteand it launched the careers of many actors including founding memberWillem Dafoe.The group's home is thePerforming Garageat 33Wooster StreetbetweenGrandandBroomeStreets in theSoHoneighborhood ofManhattan.As of 2014, the company consists of 16 members. In addition, there are 29 "Associates".[2]
The Wooster Group is anot-for-profittheater company that relies on grants and donations from supporters. It has received multiple grants from theCarnegie Corporation.The group is characterized by its extremely experimental style, often incorporating aspects ofaudiovisualsuch as interactivevideo art,live stream, recorded sound, and pre-recorded video into their performance work. Their performances are often of classic texts likeBrecht,Shakespeare,Chekhov,andEugene O'Neill.[3]
Past collaborators with the group include Ken Kobland, Jim Strahs,Richard Foreman,Trisha Brown,John Lurie,Bruce Odland,Jennifer Tipton,Frances McDormand,Hans Peter Kuhn, andAmir ElSaffaramong others.[4]
- Elizabeth LeCompte
- Willem Dafoe
- Jim Clayburgh
- Spalding Gray(d. 2004)
- Peyton Smith
- Kate Valk
- Ron Vawter(d. 1994)[2]
- Alexandre Artaud
- Mike Farry
- Ari Fliakos
- Clay Hapaz
- Cynthia Hedstrom
- Jonathan Hull
- Yudam Hyung Seok Jeon
- Elizabeth LeCompte
- Cynthia Hedstrom
- Bona Lee
- Andrew Maillet
- Tavish Miller
- Michaela Murphy
- Scott Shepherd
- Eric Sluyter
- Kate Valk
- Monika Wunderer
Awards and honors
[edit]The Wooster Group has won nineObie Awards,sixBessie Awards,and the 1985National Endowment for the ArtsOngoing Ensembles Grant.[4]
Further reading
[edit]- Gordon, David(January 2020)."[Letter from SoHo] The Forty-Year Rehearsal – The Wooster Group's endless work in progress".Harper's.Vol. 340, no. 2036. New York, NY, US: Harper's Magazine Foundation. pp. 53–64.ISSN0017-789X.Retrieved21 August2022.
- Quick, Andrew.The Wooster Group Workbook,London: Routledge, 2007.ISBN978-0-415-35334-2
- Savran, David.Breaking the Rules: The Wooster Group.New York: Theatre Communications Group, 1990.ISBN0-930452-82-8
References
[edit]
- ^Wooster Group,"Production History since 1975".
- ^ab"Ron Vawter Papers, 1963-1994".New York Public Library.Retrieved11 June2014.
- ^Schuessler, Jennifer (2016-09-28)."Elizabeth LeCompte of the Wooster Group Wins the Gish Prize".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2017-01-14.
- ^ab"History:Selected Awards"on the Wooster Group website
- ^ab"About the Company:Founding and Original Members"on the Wooster Group website
External links
[edit]
| International | |
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| Artists | |
