Trinity Repertory Company facts for kids
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Trinity Rep
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 Trinity Repertory Company
Location in Rhode Island
Trinity Repertory Company
Location in the United States
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| Former names | Emery's Majestic Theatre |
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| Address | 201 Washington Street |
| Location | Providence, Rhode Island, US |
| Coordinates | 41°49′19″N 71°25′1″W / 41.82194°N 71.41694°W |
| Owner | The Foundation for Repertory Theater of Rhode Island, Inc. |
| Type | Regional theatre |
| Capacity | Chace Theater: 500 Dowling Theater: 300 |
| Opened | March 21, 1963 |
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Trinity Square Repertory Theatre
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U.S. Historic district
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| Built | 1917 |
| Architect | William R. Walker & Son |
| Architectural style | Beaux Arts |
| Part of | Downtown Providence Historic District (ID84001967) |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000004 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | June 5, 1972 |
| Designated CP | February 10, 1984 |
Trinity Repertory Company, often called Trinity Rep, is a special kind of theater in Providence, Rhode Island. It's a "non-profit" theater, which means it uses its money to put on shows and teach people, not to make a profit for owners. It's part of a group called the League of Resident Theatres, which includes many important theaters across the country.
Trinity Rep started in 1963 and is known as one of the most respected regional theaters in the United States. It has a special group of actors who work there all the time, called the Resident Acting Company. This is one of the last groups like it in the U.S. Each year, Trinity Rep puts on new plays, modern plays, and classic plays. They also have a popular yearly show of A Christmas Carol. About 110,000 people come to watch their shows every year.
In its more than 60 years, Trinity Rep has put on almost 70 brand-new plays. They have also taken their shows on tours to other countries. Through their special program for actors and directors, they have trained hundreds of new theater artists. Project Discovery, an education program started in 1966, helps over 15,000 high school students each year. These students from Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut get to see live theater. They also take part in workshops at their schools.
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History of Trinity Rep
Trinity Rep began when a small group of people in Rhode Island wanted to create a professional theater company. They officially started "The Foundation for Repertory Theater of Rhode Island, Inc." on March 21, 1963. They hired Adrian Hall, a director from New York. The very first play, The Hostage, opened on March 14, 1964. It was performed at the Trinity United Methodist Church in Trinity Square.
In 1968, Trinity Rep made history by performing at the Edinburgh International Festival in Scotland. They were the first American theater company to do this. The company won a special award called the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theater Company in 1981. They also made four television shows for PBS and toured in countries like India and Syria. Trinity Rep has always worked hard to create new plays.
Training Future Theater Stars
The Trinity Rep Conservatory opened in 1977 to train actors. In 2001, Trinity Rep teamed up with Brown University to create a special three-year program. This program helps actors and directors earn a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree in theater. This program is now considered one of the best theater schools in the country. It is often ranked with famous schools like NYU, Yale, and Juilliard.
Trinity Repertory Company moved to its current home, the Lederer Theater Center, in downtown Providence in 1973. Before that, it was a historic theater called the Emery Majestic Theatre. This old building now has two stages: the Chace Theater, which can seat over 500 people, and the Dowling Theater, which holds 300 people. The building also has offices, workshops for making sets, and rehearsal rooms. This historic building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Artistic Directors
The artistic director is the main leader who decides which plays to put on and guides the theater's artistic vision. Here are the people who have been artistic directors at Trinity Rep:
- Adrian Hall (1963–1989)
- Anne Bogart (1989–1990)
- Richard Jenkins (1990–1994)
- Oskar Eustis (1994–2005)
- Amanda Dehnert (2005–2006, Acting Artistic Director)
- Curt Columbus (January 2006 – present)
Pell Awards
Since 1997, Trinity Repertory has hosted the Pell Awards. These awards are named after Senator Claiborne Pell from Rhode Island. He was a big supporter of the arts and helped create the National Endowment for the Arts. The Pell Awards honor people for their lifetime achievements in the arts. They also recognize excellence in the arts in New England and leadership in the arts. This event also helps raise money for the theater.
Many famous people have won Pell Awards. These include actors like Ruby Dee, Ossie Davis, Viola Davis, Robert Redford, John Krasinski, and Debra Messing. Rhode Island artists who have won include Richard Jenkins, Rose Weaver, Umberto Crenca, John Chan, and Len Cabral.
See also
