Signature Stories Issue 12 | 页面 2

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SignatureStories
PUBLISHER
Signature Theatre

SignatureTheatre

James Houghton,
Founding Artistic Director

SIGNATURE THEATRE and THE PERSHING SQUARE SIGNATURE CENTER

Erika Mallin,
Executive Director
EDITORS
David Hatkoff
Beth Whitaker

Signature Theatre exists to honor and celebrate the playwright. Founded in 1991 by James Houghton,
Signature makes an extended commitment to a playwright’s body of work, and during this journey,

the playwright’s singular vision. Signature serves its mission through its permanent home at
The Pershing Square Signature Center, a three-theatre facility on West 42nd Street designed by
Frank Gehry Architects to host Signature’s three distinct playwrights’ residencies and foster a cultural
community. At the Center, opened in January 2012, Signature continues its founding Playwright-inResidence model as Residency One, a first-of-its-kind, intensive exploration of a single writer’s body

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Nathaniel French
Sarah Rose Leonard
Emily Patton

of work. Residency Five, the only program of its kind, was launched at the Center to support multiple
five-year period. The Legacy Program, launched during Signature’s 10th Anniversary Season, invites

PLAYWRIGHTS-IN-RESIDENCE
Annie Baker
Martha Clarke
Will Eno

became the first New York City theatre to receive the Regional Theatre Tony Award®.

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among artists throughout the space. In addition to its three intimate theatres, the Center

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commitment to making its productions accessible by underwriting the cost of initial run

Katori Hall

tickets, currently priced at $25, through 2031.

Quiara Alegría Hudes
Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
Lisa Kron
Kenneth Lonergan
Charles Mee
Sam Shepard

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Official Airline of Signature Theatre.

Naomi Wallace
WEBSITE
signaturetheatre.org
MAILING ADDRESS
Signature Theatre at

Special thanks to The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust for supporting the Residency Five Program.

DESIGNING FUGARD
BOARD SPOTLIGHT
COMING OF AGE

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SIGNATURE THEATRE – 25 YEARS!
EXCEPTIONAL DESIGN. EXCEPTIONAL EVENTS.
SPACE TO RENT AT THE PERSHING SQUARE
SIGNATURE CENTER

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FROM THE SIGNATURE ARCHIVES
A PHOTOGRAPHIC STEP BACK IN TIME

Additional support for Residency Five provided by the Time Warner Foundation, Inc.
Talkbacks brought to you by American Express.

The Pershing Square Signature Center
480 West 42nd Street
New York, NY 10036

Signature Theatre programs, including the Signature Ticket Initiative, are supported in part by public funds from
The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.
Signature’s programming is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts,
with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.

PHOTO CREDITS
COVER Photo by Joan Marcus.
CONTENTS (top to bottom) Quiara Alegría Hudes and Lisa Kron 2015, Photos by Gregory Costanzo; Signature rentals, Photos by Marcin J Muchalski Diamond Shot Studio ®;
A.R. Gurney, Photo by Gregory Costanzo; Athol Fugard, Photo by Erik Carter.
AROUND THE CENTER (page 3) 1. Photo by Joan Marcus. 2. Photo by Steve and Anita Shevett. 3 Photo by Erik Carter. 4. Photo by T Charles Erickson.
(Page 4) Photos by Gregory Costanzo.
STORIES OF HIS BACKYARD (page 5) Photo by Gerry Goodstein. (page 6) Photo by T Charles Erickson. (page 7) Photo by Gregory Costanzo; Photo by Joan Marcus;
Photo by Joan Marcus; Photo by Richard Termine. (page 8) Photo by Erik Carter; Photo by T Charles Erickson. (page 9) Photo by Ken Friedman; Photo by T Charles Erickson.

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AN INTERVIEW WITH RESIDENCY ONE PLAYWRIGHT
A.R. GURNEY AND WHAT I DID LAST SUMMER
DIRECTOR JIM SIMPSON

Signature Ticket Initiative: A Generation of Access made possible by Lead Partner The Pershing Square Foundation.
Additional support for A Generation of Access provided by the Howard Gilman Foundation, Margot Adams and
The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs

Regina Taylor

STORIES OF HIS BACKYARD

AN INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL RAUCH,
SIGNATURE BOARD TRUSTEE

Signature Ticket Initiative: A Generation of Access, Signature has also made an unprecedented

A.R. Gurney

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AN INTERVIEW WITH DESIGNERS CHRISTOPHER H. BARRECA,
SUSAN HILFERTY, AND STEPHEN STRAWBRIDGE

features a studio theatre, rehearsal studio, and a public café, bar and bookstore. Through the

Athol Fugard

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AROUND THE CENTER

AN INTERVIEW WITH LEGACY PLAYWRIGHT ATHOL FUGARD

The Pershing Square Signature Center is a major contribution to New York City’s cultural landscape
and provides a venue for cultural organizations that supports and encourages collaboration

Meet our new
Residency Five
Playwrights,
Quiara Alegría Hudes
and Lisa Kron.

BIG LOVE, THE LIQUID PLAIN,
INTRODUCING NEW RESIDENCY FIVE PLAYWRIGHTS,
HOW TO BECOME A PATRON

playwrights as they build bodies of work by guaranteeing each writer three productions over a
writers from both residencies back for productions of premiere or earlier plays. In 2014 Signature

DESIGN
Danielle Speicher
Ninth Circle Productions, LLC

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explorations of a playwright’s body of work, Signature delivers an intimate and immersive journey into

Jenna Clark Embrey
Emily Patton

contents

the writer is engaged in every aspect of the creative process. By championing in-depth

EDITORIAL TEAM
Nathaniel French

BEYOND THE STAGE: SUPPLEMENTAL PROGRAMMING

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Residency One
Playwright
A.R. GURNEY and
Director JIM SIMPSON
discuss coming of age
during wartime, the
importance of mentors,
and what it means to
become an artist.

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Signature Theatre’s
25 YEAR ANNIVERSARY
promises to be a
season-long celebration!

DESIGNING FUGARD (page 10) Photos by Erik Carter.
BOARD SPOTLIGHT (page 11) Photo by Steve and Anita Shevett; Photo by Gregory Costanzo. (page 12) Photo by Rahav Segev; Photo by Gregory Costanzo;
Photo by Brian Estrada; Photo by Joan Marcus.
COMING OF AGE (page 13) Photo by Gregory Costanzo. (page 15) Photo by Gregory Costanzo. (page 16) Photo by Joan Marcus. (page 17) Photo by Joan Marcus.
(page 18) Photo courtesy of The Flea.
SIGNATURE THEATRE 25 YEARS (page 19) Photo by Joan Marcus; Photo by Carol Rosegg; Photo by Joan Marcus. (page 20) Photo by Joan Marcus; Photo by T Charles Erikson;
Photo by Gregory Costanzo; Photo by Joan Marcus; Photo by Carol Rosegg.
EXCEPTIONAL DESIGN. EXCEPTIONAL EVENTS. (page 21) Photo by Marcin J Muchalski Diamond Shot Studio ®.
FROM THE ARCHIVES (page 22) Photo by Steve and Anita Shevett.
© 2006 – 2015 Signature Theatre All Rights Reserved. Materials may not be reproduced without written permission, except for educational purposes where fewer than 100 copies are being reproduced.
Address copyright queries to the editor. The opinions in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Signature Theatre or its offices and directors.
Printed in the United States of America

Legacy Playwright
ATHOL FUGARD discusses
apartheid’s lingering
legacy and the possibility
of understanding.

YEARS

Spaces to rent at
The Pershing Square
Signature Center,
perfect for your next
function or event!