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#1

Best REGIONAL theaters in or out of the country?

Posted: 8/6/08 at 10:48pm

Where are some of the best regional theaters located around the country or outside the country if you know of some. Both equity and non equity.

Thanks!
#2

re: Best REGIONAL theaters in or out of the country?

Posted: 8/6/08 at 10:54pm

The Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis is definitely one of the best.
Theatre is a safe place to do the unsafe things that need to be done. -John Patrick Shanley

Updated On: 8/6/08 at 10:54 PM

#3

re: Best REGIONAL theaters in or out of the country?

Posted: 8/6/08 at 10:54pm

Some of the most notable:

-Signature Theatre in Washington DC
-Papermill Playhouse in New Jersey
-The Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, MN
-Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, GA
-Yale Repertory Theatre


Just off the top of my head...
#7

re: Best REGIONAL theaters in or out of the country?

Posted: 8/6/08 at 11:03pm

Actors Theatre of Louisville always puts on amazing productions of classics and new works. Plus the Humana Festival every year. It's got a Tony, too!
"Who says you can't bend over backwards and eat bugs if you want to? I guess the bugs would probably say you can't do that that, but assuming that they are willing and consenting bugs, then there's no problem. Let's wig out eating bugs." -RuPaul
#10

re: Best REGIONAL theaters in or out of the country?

Posted: 8/6/08 at 11:08pm

I am in Denver and the Denver Center is pretty sweet. They have a great artistic director who has big visions for the center. They were one of the centers that rolled out Quilters, and they are also becoming one of the leaders in new play development.

And they too have a Tony!
Upcoming Shows: Quilters, A Bronx Tale, August: Osage County, Wicked, Spring Awakening, Little House on the Prairie

Updated On: 8/6/08 at 11:08 PM

#13

re: Best REGIONAL theaters in or out of the country?

Posted: 8/6/08 at 11:19pm

The Goodman Theatre in Chicago is pretty awesome.
"Chicago is it's own incredible theater town right there smack down in the middle of the heartland. What a great city! I can see why Oprah likes to live there!" - Dee Hoty :-D
#19

re: Best REGIONAL theaters in or out of the country?

Posted: 8/6/08 at 11:52pm

STAGES ST. LOUIS in St. Louis, Missouri.
"Everytime you step on that stage it is somebody's first Broadway show and somebody's last Broadway show. Make it count."
#21

re: Best REGIONAL theaters in or out of the country?

Posted: 8/7/08 at 1:06am

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland founded in 1935. OSF has a Tony. Three different theatres.

2008 Season: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Fences, The Clay Cart, The Further Adventures of Hedda Gabler by Jeff Whitty, A View From The Bridge, Welcome Home, Jenny Sutter by Julie Marie Myatt, Coriolanus, Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner by Luis Alfaro, Othello, Our Town and The Comedy of Errors.

Fences and Jenny Sutter have closed. The other nine plays are running in rep.

2009 Season: Macbeth, Death and the King's Horseman by Wole Soyinka, The Music Man, Equivocation (World Premiere) by Bill Cain, Paradise Lost by Clifford Odets, Dead Man's Cell Phone, The Servant of Two Masters, All's Well That Ends Well, Henry VIII, Much Ado About Nothing, and Don Quixote World Premiere adaptation by Octavio Solis.

#23

re: Best REGIONAL theaters in or out of the country?

Posted: 8/7/08 at 2:23am

Steppenwolf is pretty good, however they are very inconsistent. I recall seeing a musical version of The Fall of the House of Usher that was...interesting. However, I look forward to seeing The Tempest with Frank Galati.
The Goodman is always good. I still regret not seeing the Lear with Stacey Keach. They'll be doing The Seafarer later this year.
I LOVE Chicago Shakespeare, and it is great that they were recognized at the Tony Awards. Many of their actors and artistic directors are connected to the RSC or Stratford Festival, which shows in their quality. They also do wonderful Sondheim productions like Passion with Ana Gasteyer.
Another great Chicagoland company is Marriott Lincolnshire, which is often the first regional theatre to present popular musicals. It was the first to house the Producers, and one of the first to present Les Miz (in the round...quite different).
Also, Northlight Theater in Skokie is incredible. That's where The Last Five Years began it's existence, and it is housing Grey Gardens later this year.
Chicago theatre is just as good as anything you'll find in New York, but in Chicago it's almost more abundant...if you're looking for a diet of mostly straight plays.

Not in Chicago:
The Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Ontario, CA
Fantastic Shakespeare and great musicals too.
The artistic director, Des McAnnuf, is directing the
Broadway revival of Guys and Dolls. (he previously directed Jersey Boys).
#24

re: Best REGIONAL theaters in or out of the country?

Posted: 8/7/08 at 7:08am

I can't believe no one mentioned...

*******************

GOODSPEED (East Haddam, CT)

- The ONLY REGIONAL THEATER COMPANY that won TWO TONYS for Best Regional Production in 1980 and 1995. It was formed in 1953.

-17 of its productions end up on Broadway! and won more than a dozen Tony Awards for Best Revivals and New Musicals.

edit : added this productions that end up on Broadway per IDBD

LIST OF THEIR PRODUCTIONS that end up on BROADWAY:

(NOTE : 13 & THE STORY OF MY LIFE are not added yet bec. it has not opened on Broadway yet! ) from more recent:

All Shook Up [Original, Musical]
Originally Produced for The Goodspeed Opera House (Michael P. Price, Executive Producer)
Mar 24, 2005 - Sep 25, 2005

By Jeeves [Original, Musical, Comedy]
Produced by The Goodspeed Opera House (Michael P. Price, Executive Producer);
Previously produced by The Goodspeed Opera House (Michael P. Price, Executive Producer)
Oct 28, 2001 - Dec 30, 2001

Annie [Revival, Musical, Comedy]
Originally Produced by The Goodspeed Opera House (Michael P. Price, Executive Producer)
Mar 26, 1997 - Oct 19, 1997

Swinging on a Star [Original, Musical, Revue]
Additionally produced both in workshop and on the mainstage of The Goodspeed Opera House (Michael P. Price, Executive Producer)
Oct 22, 1995 - Jan 13, 1996

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes [Revival, Musical, Comedy]
Produced in association with The Goodspeed Opera House (Michael P. Price, Executive Producer)
Apr 10, 1995 - Apr 30, 1995

The Most Happy Fella [Revival, Musical, Comedy]
Produced by The Goodspeed Opera House (Michael P. Price, Executive Producer);
Originally produced by The Goodspeed Opera House (Michael P. Price, Executive Producer)
Feb 13, 1992 - Aug 30, 1992

Oh, Kay! [Revival, Musical, All Black Cast]
Inspired by production at The Goodspeed Opera House (Michael P. Price, Executive Producer)
Nov 1, 1990 - Apr 14, 1991

Take Me Along [Revival, Musical, Comedy]
Originally produced by The Goodspeed Opera House (Michael P. Price, Executive Producer)
Apr 14, 1985 - Apr 14, 1985

Harrigan 'n Hart [Original, Musical]
Originally produced by The Goodspeed Opera House (Michael P. Price, Executive Producer)
Jan 31, 1985 - Feb 3, 1985

The Five O'Clock Girl [Revival, Musical, Comedy]
Originally produced by The Goodspeed Opera House (Michael P. Price, Executive Producer)
Jan 28, 1981 - Feb 8, 1981

Whoopee! [Revival, Musical, Comedy]
Originally produced by The Goodspeed Opera House (Michael P. Price, Executive Producer)
Feb 14, 1979 - Aug 12, 1979

Annie [Original, Musical, Comedy]
Originally produced by The Goodspeed Opera House (Michael P. Price, Executive Producer)
Apr 21, 1977 - Jan 2, 1983

Going Up [Revival, Musical, Comedy]
Originally produced by The Goodspeed Opera House (Michael P. Price, Executive Producer)
Sep 19, 1976 - Oct 31, 1976

Something's Afoot [Original, Musical, Mystery]
Originally produced by The Goodspeed Opera House (Michael P. Price, Executive Producer)
May 27, 1976 - Jul 18, 1976

Very Good Eddie [Revival, Musical]
Originally produced by The Goodspeed Opera House (Michael P. Price, Executive Producer)
Dec 21, 1975 - Sep 5, 1976

Shenandoah [Original, Musical]
Orginally presented by The Goodspeed Opera House (Michael P. Price, Executive Producer)
Jan 7, 1975 - Aug 7, 1977

Man of La Mancha [Original, Musical, Drama]
Originally produced by ANTA-Goodspeed
Nov 22, 1965 - Jun 26, 1971

- ANNIE, MAN OF LA MANCHA, SHENANDOAH, BY JEEVES, (US Production) ALL SHOOK UP, 13 all started at Goodspeed.

-Some of its production that did not end- up on Broadway (like PIPPIN starring Andre Ward) went on tour.

-Almost all their actors in their musicals are members of Actor's Equity. (95%)

The Regional Company has two theaters:

1. The Goodspeed Opera House (Chester, CT.)
re: Best REGIONAL theaters in or out of the country?

2. The Norma Terris Theater (East Haddam, CT)
re: Best REGIONAL theaters in or out of the country?

Their website:
https://www.goodspeed.org/

J*

Updated On: 8/7/08 at 07:08 AM

#25

re: Best REGIONAL theaters in or out of the country?

Posted: 8/7/08 at 7:36am

LIST OF TONYS BEST REGIONAL THEATERS

1976: Arena Stage, Washington, D.C.
1977: Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles, California
1978: Long Wharf Theatre, New Haven, Connecticut
1979: American Conservatory Theater, San Francisco, California

1980: Goodspeed Opera House, East Haddam, Connecticut
1981: Trinity Repertory Company, Providence, Rhode Island
1982: Guthrie Theater, Minneapolis, Minnesota
1983: Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Ashland, Oregon
1984: Old Globe Theatre, San Diego, California
1985: Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Chicago, Illinois
1986: American Repertory Theatre, Cambridge, Massachusetts
1987: San Francisco Mime Troupe, San Francisco, California
1988: South Coast Repertory, Costa Mesa, California
1989: Hartford Stage, Hartford, Connecticut

1990: Seattle Repertory Theatre, Seattle, Washington
1991: Yale Repertory Theatre, New Haven, Connecticut
1992: Goodman Theatre, Chicago, Illinois
1993: La Jolla Playhouse, San Diego, California
1994: McCarter Theatre, Princeton, New Jersey
1995: Goodspeed Opera House, East Haddam, Connecticut
1996: Alley Theatre, Houston, Texas
1997: Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Berkeley, California
1998: Denver Center Theatre Company, Denver, Colorado, Denver Performing Arts Complex
1999: Crossroads Theatre, New Brunswick, New Jersey

2000: Utah Shakespearean Festival, Cedar City, Utah
2001: Victory Gardens Theater, Chicago, Illinois
2002: Williamstown Theatre Festival, Williamstown, Massachusetts
2003: Children's Theatre Company, Minneapolis, Minnesota
2004: Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Cincinnati, Ohio
2005: Theatre de la Jeune Lune, Minneapolis, Minnesota
2006: Intiman Playhouse, Seattle, Washington
2007: Alliance Theatre, Atlanta, Georgia
2008: Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Chicago, Illinois


^^^ I cant believe that HUNTINGTON THEATER COMPANY in Boston never won a TONYS for Best Regional Theater?


Updated On: 8/7/08 at 07:36 AM

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