Long Wharf Theatre facts for kids
| Address | 222 Sargent Drive New Haven, Connecticut United States |
|---|---|
| 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's a non-profit theatre, which means it doesn't aim to make money for owners. Instead, it uses its income to create amazing plays. It was one of the first "regional theatres" in the United States. Many famous actors have performed here, and several plays that started at Long Wharf have become very popular.
The theatre began in 1965. Its main goals are to create brand new plays and to put on classic plays in fresh ways. Today, Jacob G. Padrón is the Artistic Director, and Kit Ingui is the Managing Director.
Long Wharf Theatre has shown the very first performances of plays by writers like Samuel D. Hunter, Steve Martin, and Paula Vogel. Also, many well-known actors have performed on its stages. These include Al Pacino, Sam Waterston, Brian Dennehy, and Mary McDonnell.
In 2022, the theatre announced it would leave its long-time home. It plans to become a "traveling" theatre company in New Haven. This means it will perform in different places around the city.
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History of Long Wharf Theatre
Long Wharf Theatre was started in 1965 by Jon Jory, Harlan Kleiman, Ruth Lord, Betty Kubler, and Newt Schenck. The very first play they showed was The Crucible by Arthur Miller. It ran for two weeks.
The theatre got its name from the Long Wharf in New Haven Harbor. It was built inside an empty warehouse that used to be a food terminal. The seats for the main stage were even borrowed from an old movie theatre that had closed down! In its first year, the theatre sold over 30,000 tickets.
Leadership and Success
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 then took over as artistic director in 2002. He had worked at Long Wharf before. After some changes in leadership, Jacob G. Padrón became the new artistic director in November 2018.
Long Wharf Theatre has been very successful. More than 30 of its plays have moved to Broadway or Off-Broadway in New York City. This is a big deal in the theatre world! Some of these famous plays include:
- Wit (which won a Pulitzer Prize)
- The Shadow Box (which won a Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award)
- The Gin Game (another Pulitzer Prize winner)
- American Buffalo
- Streamers
What Long Wharf Theatre Does Now
The theatre usually puts on six plays each season. They use two different stages for their shows. Besides plays, Long Wharf also has special programs. They hold workshops to help create new plays. They also have events to connect with the community. Plus, they offer programs for middle and high school students, both at the theatre and in schools.
As of 2022, Long Wharf Theatre is changing. It plans to move out of its old building. Instead, it will become a "traveling" theatre company. This means it will perform its plays in different locations all around New Haven.
Awards and Recognition
Long Wharf Theatre has won many important awards for its great work. These include:
- Awards from the New York Drama Critics Circle
- Obie Awards
- The Margo Jefferson Award for creating new plays
- A special award from the Outer Critics Circle
- In 1978, it won the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre. This is one of the highest honors a theatre can receive!
