Actors Theatre of Louisville
Encyclopedia
Actors Theatre of Louisville is a performing arts
theater located in downtown Louisville, Kentucky
. It was founded in 1964 by Louisville native Ewel Cornett, local producer Richard Block
and actor Ken Jenkins
of Scrubs
fame, and was designated the "State Theater of Kentucky" in 1974. It is run as a non-profit organization
. The building that became Actors Theatre was a merging of two buildings: the 1837 James H. Dakin
-designed Old Bank of Louisville
(which is a National Historic Landmark
) and the Myers-Thompson Display Building.
In March 1969, Jon Jory
was appointed the theatre's new producing director. His Louisville debut was in October 1969 with Dylan Thomas
' Under Milk Wood
. Former Executive Director, Alexander Speer, whose tenure of forty years began in 1965, became Jory's partner and led the theater's administration and operations until his retirement in the spring of 2006.
Actors Theatre shows national favorites and local plays. Many Pulitzer Prize
-winning plays have premiered at the theater, including works by Donald Margulies
, Beth Henley
and Jane Martin
. The theater has received the James N. Vaughan Memorial Award, the Margo Jones Award, and a Special Tony Award
for local, non-profit theaters. It hosts the Humana Festival of New American Plays
every spring. This Festival of new American plays started by Jory in 1976 has been described by the Los Angeles Times as the Kentucky Derby of the American Theatre. The festival was funded by the Humana Foundation from 1979. Over 300 Humana Festival plays have been produced with over three-fourths of them now published, thus substantially adding to the catalog of American dramatic literature.
Actors Theatre presents nearly 600 performances of about 30 productions during its year-round season composed of contemporary and classical drama. It has one of the largest per capita subscription audiences in the country and an annual attendance of over 200,000.
The theatre offers an apprentice/intern
training program designed to help recent college graduates make the transition from academic to professional theater.
Marc Masterson was appointed the company's new Artistic Director in the summer of 2000. He forms the foundation for a vision of the future of Actors Theatre, which he describes as "a place where artists thrive and continually enrich us, where our work elevates the role of the theater in contemporary society by redefining the way that an arts organization relates to its community, and where pluralistic values inherent in our art form become a celebration of the diversity and richness of our culture."
In 2002, Masterson established an Education Department consisting of public outreach programs including classroom workshops, artists in the schools, increased weekday student matinées, backstage tours and professional development for teachers and community center leaders.
In 2004 Actors Theatre acquired a production studio at 9th and Magnolia Streets in the Old Louisville
neighborhood. In 2006, the theater raised $13.5 million in support of capital investments to improve the patron experience, production excellence and administrative advancement.
Performing arts
The performing arts are those forms art which differ from the plastic arts insofar as the former uses the artist's own body, face, and presence as a medium, and the latter uses materials such as clay, metal or paint which can be molded or transformed to create some physical art object...
theater located in downtown Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
. It was founded in 1964 by Louisville native Ewel Cornett, local producer Richard Block
Richard Block
Richard Block may refer to:*Richard Earl Block, mathematician*Richard Block, founder of B&Q...
and actor Ken Jenkins
Ken Jenkins
Ken Jenkins is an American actor, best known for his role as Dr. Bob Kelso, the Chief of Medicine on the American comedy Scrubs....
of Scrubs
Scrubs (TV series)
Scrubs is an American medical comedy-drama television series created in 2001 by Bill Lawrence and produced by ABC Studios. The show follows the lives of several employees of the fictional Sacred Heart, a teaching hospital. It features fast-paced screenplay, slapstick, and surreal vignettes...
fame, and was designated the "State Theater of Kentucky" in 1974. It is run as a non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
. The building that became Actors Theatre was a merging of two buildings: the 1837 James H. Dakin
James H. Dakin
James Harrison Dakin , American architect, was the son of James and Lucy Harrison Dakin of Hudson, New York, and born in Northeast Township. He was seventh in line from the immigrant ancestor, Thomas Dakin, of Concord, Massachusetts, through Simon, of the third generation, who went to Putnam...
-designed Old Bank of Louisville
Old Bank of Louisville
The Old Bank of Louisville is a National Historic Landmark in Louisville, Kentucky. Completed in 1837, it was made of brick and limestone. Of United States small-scale commercial architecture, it is considered one of the most sophisticated. The narrow downtown lot saw classical idioms adapted to...
(which is a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
) and the Myers-Thompson Display Building.
In March 1969, Jon Jory
Jon Jory
Jon Jory is a theatrical director instrumental in the development of the Actors Theatre of Louisville; he is also widely rumored to be the writer behind the pseudonym Jane Martin....
was appointed the theatre's new producing director. His Louisville debut was in October 1969 with Dylan Thomas
Dylan Thomas
Dylan Marlais Thomas was a Welsh poet and writer, Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 11 January 2008. who wrote exclusively in English. In addition to poetry, he wrote short stories and scripts for film and radio, which he often performed himself...
' Under Milk Wood
Under Milk Wood
Under Milk Wood is a 1954 radio drama by Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, adapted later as a stage play. A movie version, Under Milk Wood directed by Andrew Sinclair, was released during 1972....
. Former Executive Director, Alexander Speer, whose tenure of forty years began in 1965, became Jory's partner and led the theater's administration and operations until his retirement in the spring of 2006.
Actors Theatre shows national favorites and local plays. Many Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
-winning plays have premiered at the theater, including works by Donald Margulies
Donald Margulies
Donald Margulies is an American playwright and a professor of English and Theater Studies at Yale University...
, Beth Henley
Beth Henley
Elizabeth Becker "Beth" Henley is an American dramatist and actress. She writes primarily about women's issues and family in the Southern United States. She is also a screenwriter who has written many film adaptations of her plays...
and Jane Martin
Jane Martin
Jane Martin is the RUMORED pen-name of a playwright speculated to be retired Actors Theatre of Louisville artistic director Jon Jory. Jon Jory, Martin's spokesperson, denies being Jane Martin but has directed the premieres of Martin's shows....
. The theater has received the James N. Vaughan Memorial Award, the Margo Jones Award, and a Special Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
for local, non-profit theaters. It hosts the Humana Festival of New American Plays
Humana Festival of New American Plays
Humana Festival of New American Plays is an internationally renowned festival that celebrates the contemporary American playwright. Produced annually in Louisville, Kentucky by Actors Theatre of Louisville, this prestigious event showcases new theatrical works and draws producers, critics,...
every spring. This Festival of new American plays started by Jory in 1976 has been described by the Los Angeles Times as the Kentucky Derby of the American Theatre. The festival was funded by the Humana Foundation from 1979. Over 300 Humana Festival plays have been produced with over three-fourths of them now published, thus substantially adding to the catalog of American dramatic literature.
Actors Theatre presents nearly 600 performances of about 30 productions during its year-round season composed of contemporary and classical drama. It has one of the largest per capita subscription audiences in the country and an annual attendance of over 200,000.
The theatre offers an apprentice/intern
Intern
Internship is a system of onthejob training for white-collar jobs, similar to an apprenticeship. Interns are usually college or university students, but they can also be high school students or post graduate adults seeking skills for a new career. They may also be as young as middle school or in...
training program designed to help recent college graduates make the transition from academic to professional theater.
Marc Masterson was appointed the company's new Artistic Director in the summer of 2000. He forms the foundation for a vision of the future of Actors Theatre, which he describes as "a place where artists thrive and continually enrich us, where our work elevates the role of the theater in contemporary society by redefining the way that an arts organization relates to its community, and where pluralistic values inherent in our art form become a celebration of the diversity and richness of our culture."
In 2002, Masterson established an Education Department consisting of public outreach programs including classroom workshops, artists in the schools, increased weekday student matinées, backstage tours and professional development for teachers and community center leaders.
In 2004 Actors Theatre acquired a production studio at 9th and Magnolia Streets in the Old Louisville
Old Louisville
Old Louisville is a historic district and neighborhood in central Louisville, Kentucky, USA. It is the third largest such district in the United States, and the largest preservation district featuring almost entirely Victorian architecture...
neighborhood. In 2006, the theater raised $13.5 million in support of capital investments to improve the patron experience, production excellence and administrative advancement.
See also
- List of attractions and events in Louisville, Kentucky
- Performing arts in Louisville, KentuckyPerforming arts in Louisville, KentuckyThe performing arts community in Louisville is currently undergoing a bit of a renaissance. The Kentucky Center, dedicated in 1983, located in the downtown hotel and entertainment district, is a premiere performing arts center...