Broadway had a hold on American theatre by the mid-20th century when a revolution began. Young theatre artists began founding independent professional theatres to make classic and new works available to more people. It was called the "resident theatre movement," and by the early 1960s it was taking root in cities across America.
In California, David Emmes and Martin Benson had attended San Francisco State College, where two faculty members—Jules Irving and Herbert Blau—ran the Actor's Workshop, a model for resident theatre advocates. Having gone separate ways after graduation, Emmes and Benson held jobs in academia, the social services and the peripheries of entertainment before the duo gathered a few San Francisco friends in summer 1963 to stage Arthur Schnitzler's La Ronde at the "Off-Broadway Theatre" in Long Beach. The chemistry worked and the theatre's board invited the troupe back to mount a series of plays the next summer.
The group of actors returned with The Hostage, Major Barbara and The Alchemist. The process of staging these three productions transformed the talented friends: the pressure they put themselves under to excel, and the creativity that emerged, marked the 1964 summer in Long Beach as a crucible. The band of hopefuls fused into a company.
Emmes and Benson were convinced there was a future for them in theatre. One night at a diner—using a napkin for paper—they sketched out a four-step plan to create a theatre company. The first step would involve touring to rented stages. In November 1964, the company—now formally named South Coast Repertory—staged its first production, Moliere’s Tartuffe, at the Newport Beach Ebell Club.
Cait is a New York City based actor, dancer and singer who was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She graduated with a BFA in Musical Theatre from Montclair State University.
Get To Know Dancer / Actor Monica Cioffi backstage at The Gateway Playhouse in Bellport, NY
Eddie attended NYU for acting, training at the Stella Adler Studio and the Experimental Theatre Wing, and while he was there, he picked up a minor in Music, while also enrolling in the dance program at Peridance in Union Square.
Lance is currently a working actor out of New York City, and is loving every minute.
Gina is a Long Island born, actor/singer based in New York City. She most recently appeared as Martha Vail in the York Theater's Mufti production of Subways are for Sleeping and Tanya in Mason Street's production of Mamma
At a petite 6'3", Jason Simon is a presence!
Meet Carina Avila got her start in Los Angeles working on TV and music videos. She is now focused on transferring her early success to the theatre.
Richard Lafleur is a Canadian born actor, singer, dancer, and aspiring writer.
In November 2003, the City of White Plains fulfilled a 20 year dream with the opening of a 410-seat, state-of-the-art, professional Equity theatre located on the third floor of the City…
Founded by Bill English and Susi Damilano as a non-profit 501(c)3 organization in 2003, San Francisco Playhouse is the Bay Area’s fastest-growing theatre company and has been described as…
A theatre such as The Pasadena Playhouse does not and cannot achieve a level of success, sustainability and excellence on merit alone. The pillars of our beloved and historic theatre are the…
Since 1978 American Stage has been dedicated to telling meaningful, compelling stories with integrity and professionalism. As the Tampa Bay area’s longest-running, most critically-acclaimed…
The Growing Stage-The Children’s Theatre of New Jersey is a non-profit professional performing arts center dedicated to theatre for young audiences. A member theatre of the Association of…
WE ARE A REGIONAL THEATRE CREATING EXCEPTIONAL EXPERIENCES THAT MOVE THE COLLECTIVE SOUL OF OUR COMMUNITY.
When actor-director Lynne Bolton met legendary theatre educator Earle Gister, associate dean at Yale School of Drama for nearly 20 years, in the mid-1990s, it sparked a shared aspiration: to…
Book-It Repertory Theatre was founded 26 years ago as an artists’ collective, adapting short stories for performance and touring them throughout the Northwest. Today, with over 100…
South Coast Repertory
Equity Theater