Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre facts for kids
A picture of Sandra Feinstin-Gamm Theatre
|
|
| Address | 1245 Jefferson Boulevard Warwick, Rhode Island United States |
|---|---|
| Type | Regional theatre |
| Capacity | 175–300 |
The Gamm Theatre, also known as The Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre, is a special non-profit theater. It is located in Warwick, Rhode Island, in the United States. This theater is a place where actors perform plays for an audience. It's a "non-profit" organization, which means it uses all the money it earns to support its mission, not to make a profit for owners.
Contents
The Gamm Theatre's Journey
How the Theater Started
The Gamm Theatre began its journey in October 1984. It was first called Alias Stage. Seven students from the Trinity Rep Conservatory, a drama school, started it. They performed their plays at a place called Riverside Mills in Providence.
But something sad happened on December 18, 1989. A fire destroyed their theater space. Even after the fire, the group didn't give up! They quickly found a new home at Atlantic Mills. They reopened on January 18, 1990, with a play called "The Dragon."
Moving to New Homes
In 1994, Alias Stage moved again. This time, they found a garage space in the Jewelry District of Providence. They also got a group of people, called a board of directors, to help guide the theater.
In 1998, the theater performed its last play as Alias Stage. It was a famous play called King Lear. After this, the theater changed its name. It became The Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre. This new name honored Sandra Feinstein, after her brother, Alan Shawn Feinstein, gave a large donation of $100,000 to the theater.
The theater stayed in the Jewelry District until 2002. They needed a bigger space and better financial organization. So, they took a short break after performing Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Soon after, they hired Tony Estrella as the Artistic Director and Yvonne Seggerman as the managing director.
Finding a Permanent Stage
In November 2003, The Gamm Theatre reopened in a new spot. It was an old police garage that was part of the Pawtucket Armory Center. This new theater could seat 135 people.
Later, for their 34th season in 2018–2019, the theater moved again. This time, it was to a new, permanent home in Warwick, Rhode Island. They moved into the old Ocean State Theatre building on Jefferson Boulevard. Even while they are performing their 35th season in 2019–2020, they are making improvements to the building. They are mixing parts of the old building with new technology to make the theater even better.
Awards and Recognition
The Gamm Theatre has won several important awards for its amazing work. These awards show how much people appreciate their plays and performances.
Elliot Norton Awards
The Elliot Norton Awards celebrate excellent theater in the Boston area. The Gamm Theatre has won a few of these:
- 2008 – For an "Outstanding New Script" (a great new play) called Radio Free Emerson by Paul Grellong.
- 2009 – For "Outstanding Production by a Small Company" for their play Awake and Sing!. This means their entire show was excellent.
- 2010 – They received a "Special Citation" for being a "theatrical jewel" in the region. This award celebrated their 25th season of performing.
Pell Award for Excellence in the Arts
The Pell Awards honor people and groups who show great artistic talent.
- 2013 – Tony Estrella, the Artistic Director of The Gamm Theatre, won this award. It recognized his leadership and artistic vision.
Recent Performances
The Gamm Theatre puts on many different plays each year. Here are some of the plays they have performed in recent seasons:
2019–20 Season
- Admissions by Joshua Harmon
- JQA by Aaron Posner
- A Doll's House, Part 2 by Lucas Hnath
- Assassins with music by Stephen Sondheim
- Mary Jane by Amy Herzog
- It's A Wonderful Life: a Live Radio Play adapted by Joe Landry
2017–18 Season
- The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
- Incognito by Nick Payne
- The SantaLand Diaries adapted from a story by David Sedaris
- Uncle Vanya by Anton Checkov
- A Human Being Died That Night by Nicholas Wright
- As You Like It by William Shakespeare
2016–17 Season
- Arcadia by Tom Stoppard
- American Buffalo (play) by David Mamet
- The Children's Hour by Lillian Hellman
- The Nether by Jennifer Haley
- King Elizabeth adapted from Mary Stuart (play) by Friedrich Schiller
