Intiman Theatre facts for kids

Intiman Theatre is a professional theater group in Seattle, Washington. It was started in 1972 by Margaret "Megs" Booker. She named it after a famous theater in Stockholm, Sweden. Over the years, Intiman Theatre has performed in many different places in Seattle. Since 2021, it has been based at Seattle Central College. They perform in two different spots on that campus.

What Intiman Theatre Does

Intiman Theatre focuses on having a group of actors who work together often. They also try to stay true to what the playwright (the person who wrote the play) intended. They want a close connection between the actors and the audience. Because of this, Intiman soon became known as "Seattle's classic theater."

Early Performances and Famous People

Their very first season in 1972 included plays like Rosmersholm and The Creditors. Many talented people have worked at Intiman Theatre. This includes Tony-nominated director Bartlett Sher. Tony-nominated actress Celia Keenan-Bolger and film actor Tom Skerritt also performed there.

Intiman Theatre was also the first place to show some famous plays and musicals. This includes the Tony-winning Broadway musical The Light in the Piazza. They also premiered "Miracle!" by Dan Savage. In 2006, Intiman won a special Regional Theatre Tony Award. This award is given to excellent theater companies outside of New York City.

Changes and New Ideas

In 2011, Intiman Theatre decided to take a break and plan for the future. They wanted to find a way to keep the theater strong financially and artistically. In 2012, they launched their first summer theatre festival. This festival featured four plays and a group of 17 actors. These actors played over 40 different roles! The building where Intiman used to perform, the Intiman Theatre Playhouse, is now called the Cornish Playhouse. It is managed by the Cornish College of the Arts.

In 2017, Phillip Chavira became Intiman's first executive director. He was also the first person of color to lead the organization. Later that year, Jennifer Zeyl became Intiman's seventh artistic director.

Intiman Theatre's Journey

A courtyard at the Intiman Playhouse.

Intiman Theatre first started in a small 65-seat theater in Kirkland, Washington. In 1973, it officially became a non-profit theater. This means it's a group that uses its money to support its mission, not to make a profit for owners. Over the next few years, the company performed at different places in Seattle. They grew in audience numbers and budget each season. By 1978, Intiman was known as "Seattle's Classic Theatre." They had a group of fourteen actors who worked together regularly.

Growing and Moving Forward

In 1977, Intiman opened offices in Pioneer Square. They also hired their first general manager, Simon Siegl. Besides their main plays, Intiman started a program called "New Plays Onstage." This program featured readings of new plays. Intiman also received grants from arts commissions and the NEA. These grants helped them grow.

In 1982, Intiman took part in Scandinavia Today. This was a big event celebrating culture from Nordic countries. Intiman presented plays by Scandinavian writers and worked with directors from those countries.

For a while, Intiman did not have a permanent home. Their old venue was going to be torn down. So, they rented different places around the city to perform. This included the Broadway Performance Hall at Seattle Central Community College.

Finding a Permanent Home

Things changed a lot in 1985 when Peter Davis became Intiman's first managing director. He helped fix Intiman's finances and organization. He made a deal for Intiman to use a theater at Seattle Center. This theater was built for the 1962 Seattle World's Fair. After a big renovation, Intiman finally had its own place in 1987. This new home had areas for performances, rehearsals, and offices. Elizabeth Huddle became the new artistic director, followed by Warner Shook in 1993.

In 1994, Intiman was the first regional theater to perform Angels in America. This play won a Tony Award and a Pulitzer Prize. It was a huge success for Intiman. Over the next ten years, Intiman performed plays by many important American writers.

Recent Projects

Intiman Theatre has continued to create interesting projects.

• From 2004 to 2008, Intiman completed a project called The American Cycle. This series featured five plays. Four of these plays were based on famous American novels. They included:

* Our Town by Thornton Wilder (2004) * The Grapes of Wrath based on the novel by John Steinbeck (2005) * Native Son based on the novel by Richard Wright (2006) * To Kill a Mockingbird based on the novel by Harper Lee (2007) * All the King's Men based on the novel by Robert Penn Warren (2008)

• A new project, The New American Cycle, started in 2009 with Abe Lincoln in Illinois.

• In 2011, the theater faced financial challenges and temporarily closed. However, they worked hard to reopen in 2012 with a new plan.

• The 2013 Summer Festival included plays like "Trouble in Mind" and "We Won't Pay! We Won't Pay!". It also featured "STU For Silverton," a new musical about Stu Rasmussen. He was America's first known transgender mayor.

• The 2016 Summer Festival featured "Stick Fly" and "Wedding Band: A Love/Hate Story in Black and White."

• The 2017 Summer Festival included "Barbecue" and "Dragon Lady," a new musical.

Notable Intiman Artists

Many talented actors and directors have been part of Intiman Theatre. Here are some of them:

• Bartlett Sher – former artistic director
• Craig Lucas – Associate Artistic Director
• Tom Skerritt – Actor
• Stacy Keach – Actor
• Reiko Aylesworth – Actor
• John Aylward – Actor
• Celia Keenan-Bolger – Actor
• Patti Cohenour – Actor
• Laurence Ballard – Actor
• Jeanne Paulson – Actor
• Jean Smart - Actor