Yale Repertory Theatre facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Yale Repertory Theatre

The Yale Repertory Theatre, viewed from the Architecture Dept.
Address	New Haven, Connecticut United States of America
Owner	Yale University
Type	Regional theatre
Capacity	478
Opened	1966; 59 years ago (1966)

The Yale Repertory Theatre is a famous theater located at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. It was started in 1966 by Robert Brustein, who was the dean of the Yale School of Drama.

His main goal was to bring together professional actors and talented students. This way, they could work together and learn from each other. Over the years, the Yale Rep has become one of the most important regional theaters in the United States. It is housed in a building that used to be the Calvary Baptist Church.

History of the Yale Rep

How It Started

From 1966 to 1979, Robert Brustein led the Yale Repertory Theatre, often called "the Rep." He invited professional actors to join a special company each year. This helped new writers like Christopher Durang develop their plays. Some of the plays that started here even moved to bigger commercial theaters. Michael Feingold was the first person in charge of finding new plays.

Leaders of the Theater

The person who leads the Yale School of Drama also serves as the artistic director of the Yale Rep.

• Lloyd Richards was the artistic director from 1979 to 1991. He is well-known for helping the career of playwright August Wilson.
• After him, Stan Wojewodski, Jr. led from 1991 to 2002.
• Since 2002, James Bundy has been the artistic director.
• Benjamin Mordecai was the managing director from 1982 to 1993.
• Victoria Nolan held the managing director role from 1993 to 2020, followed by Florie Seery.

Awards and Achievements

The Yale Rep has produced more than 90 brand-new plays. Many of these plays have won big awards:

• Four plays have won Pulitzer Prizes, which are very important awards for writing.
• Ten productions moved to Broadway and won Tony Awards.
• The Yale Repertory Theatre received a special Drama Desk Special Award in 1988.
• In 1991, it won the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre. This award recognizes the best regional theaters in the country.

In 2002, the Yale School of Drama and Yale Repertory Theatre were given the Governor's Arts Award. Governor John G. Rowland presented this award for their amazing artistic work and contributions to the arts in Connecticut.

The Calvary Baptist Church Building

The building where the Yale Rep is located was originally the Calvary Baptist Church. It was built in 1846 in the Gothic revival style. This style often features pointed arches and detailed stonework, like old cathedrals.

The church was built on land that once belonged to Richard Platt, one of the people who helped found New Haven. Later, Yale University took control of the church building. Yale already had its own non-religious chapel, so the church building was used for other purposes, eventually becoming the home of the Yale Repertory Theatre.

Recent Productions

The Yale Rep is known for putting on many different types of plays. They often show new plays for the very first time. Here are some of the plays they have performed in recent seasons:

2019–2020 Season

• October 4–26, 2019: Girls by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. This was a brand-new play.
• November 29 – December 21, 2019: The Plot by Will Eno. This was also a new play.
• January 24 – February 15, 2020: Manahatta by Mary Kathryn Nagle. This was the first play written by a Native American writer performed at the theater.
• March 13 – April 4, 2020: A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. This play was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• April 24 – May 16, 2020: Testmatch by Kate Attwell. This new play was also cancelled due to COVID-19.

2018–2019 Season

• September 28 – October 20, 2018: El Huracán by Charise Castro Smith. A new play.
• November 2–17, 2018: The Prisoner by Peter Brook and Marie-Hélène Estienne.
• February 1–23, 2019: Good Faith by Karen Hartman. A new play.
• March 15 – April 6, 2019: Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare.
• April 26 – May 18, 2019: Cadillac Crew by Tori Sampson. A new play.

2017–2018 Season

• October 6–28, 2017: An Enemy of the People by Henrik Ibsen.
• November 24 – December 16, 2017: Native Son adapted from the novel by Richard Wright.
• January 26 – February 17, 2018: Field Guide created by Rude Mechs. A new play.
• March 16 – April 7, 2018: Father Comes Home From the Wars, Parts 1, 2 & 3 by Suzan-Lori Parks.
• April 27 – May 19, 2018: Kiss by Guillermo Calederón.

See also

• Yale Dramatic Association