Long Wharf Theatre facts for kids
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| Address | 222 Sargent Drive New Haven, Connecticut United States |
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| Coordinates | 41°17′38.82″N 72°55′21.63″W / 41.2941167°N 72.9226750°W |
| Type | Regional theatre |
| Opened | 1965 |
The Long Wharf Theatre is a special place in New Haven, Connecticut. It is a non-profit organization, which means it uses its money to support its mission, not to make a profit. This theatre was a leader in starting the idea of "regional theatres" across the United States. Many famous plays first started here, and lots of well-known actors have performed on its stages.
The theatre began in 1965. Its main goals are to create brand new plays and to look at classic plays in new ways. As of August 2025, the theatre is led by Artistic Director Jacob G. Padrón and Managing Director Kit Ingui.
Long Wharf Theatre has shown the very first performances of plays by writers like Samuel D. Hunter, Craig Lucas, Steve Martin, and Paula Vogel. Many top actors have also performed there. These include Sam Waterston, Stacy Keach, Brian Dennehy, Al Pacino, and Mary McDonnell.
In 2022, the Long Wharf Theatre announced a big change. It decided to leave its long-time building. The theatre became a "traveling" company, performing in different places around New Haven.
The Story of Long Wharf Theatre
The Long Wharf Theatre was started in 1965. Its founders were Jon Jory, Harlan Kleiman, Ruth Lord, Betty Kubler, and Newt Schenck. The very first play they showed was Arthur Miller's The Crucible. It ran for two weeks.
The theatre got its name from the Long Wharf in New Haven Harbor. The building itself was once an empty warehouse in a food market area. The seats for the main stage were borrowed from an old movie theatre that had closed. In its first year, the theatre had a budget of $294,000. They sold more than 30,000 tickets that year!
Arvin Brown and Edgar Rosenblum led the theatre for the next 30 years. Later, Doug Hughes became the artistic director for four seasons. Gordon Edelstein took over as artistic director in July 2002. He had worked at Long Wharf before as an associate artistic director. Jacob G. Padrón became the new artistic director in November 2018.
Joan Channick was the managing director from 2006 to 2009. Ray Cullom followed her and helped the theatre's money situation improve. Joshua Borenstein took over in 2011, and Kit Ingui became managing director in 2019.
More than 30 plays that started at Long Wharf have moved to Broadway or Off-Broadway in New York City. Some of these include Wit, which won a Pulitzer Prize. Another play, The Shadow Box, won both a Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award for Best Play. The Gin Game also won a Pulitzer Prize.
How the Theatre Works Today
The Long Wharf Theatre usually put on a season of six plays. These plays were shown on its two stages. The theatre also had programs for new plays. It hosted community events and special programs for middle and high school students. These programs took place both in schools and at the theatre.
In 2022, the Long Wharf Theatre moved out of its original building. It now performs in different locations throughout New Haven. This makes it a "traveling" theatre company.
Awards and Recognition
The Long Wharf Theatre has won many important awards. It has received awards from the New York Drama Critics Circle and Obie Awards. It also won the Margo Jefferson Award for creating new plays. In 1978, it received a special honor: the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre.
