Signature Stories Issue 13 | Page 2
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
EDITORIAL TEAM
Jenna Clark Embrey
Nathaniel French
Emily Patton
Signature Theatre exists to honor and celebrate the playwright. Founded in 1991 by James Houghton,
the writer is engaged in every aspect of the creative process. By championing in-depth
explorations of a playwright’s body of work, Signature delivers an intimate and immersive journey into
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
Jo Bonney
Jenna Clark Embrey
Elliot Fox
Nathaniel French
Katori Hall
James Houghton
Kwame Kwei-Armah
Emily Patton
Austin Pendleton
of work. Residency Five, the only program of its kind, was launched at the Center to support multiple
PLAYWRIGHTS-IN-RESIDENCE
Edward Albee
Annie Baker
Martha Clarke
Will Eno
María Irene Fornés
A.R. Gurney
Katori Hall
Quiara Alegría Hudes
Bill Irwin and David Shiner
Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
Adrienne Kennedy
Lisa Kron
Kenneth Lonergan
Arthur Miller
Regina Taylor
Naomi Wallace
WEBSITE
signaturetheatre.org
MAILING ADDRESS
Signature Theatre at
The Pershing Square Signature Center
480 West 42nd Street
New York, NY 10036
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Signature makes an extended commitment to a playwright’s body of work, and during this journey,
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
DESIGN
Danielle Speicher
Ninth Circle Productions, LLC
Signature talks to
John director Sam Gold
about his collabrations
with playwright
Annie Baker.
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playwrights as they build bodies of work by guaranteeing each writer three productions over a
five-year period. The Legacy Program, launched during Signature’s 10th Anniversary Season, invites
writers from both residencies back for productions of premiere or earlier plays. In 2014 Signature
became the first New York City theatre to receive the Regional Theatre Tony Award®.
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
among artists throughout the space. In addition to its three intimate theatres, the Center
tickets, currently priced at $25, through 2031.
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A CAREFUL COMPOSITION
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AN INTERVIEW WITH ANNIE BAKER
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SIGNATURE MOMENTS
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25,000 GIFTS FOR OUR
25TH ANNIVERSARY
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SIGNATURE ALUMNI REVEAL SOME OF THEIR
FAVORITE SIGNATURE MEMORIES
A CREATIVE ESCAPE
Special thanks to The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust for supporting the Residency Five Program.
Additional support for Residency Five provided by the Time Warner Foundation, Inc.
AN INTERVIEW WITH SEAN PETERSON,
SIGNATURE BOARD TRUSTEE
AN INTERVIEW WITH RESIDENCY ONE
PLAYWRIGHT A.R. GURNEY AND
LOVE & MONEY DIRECTOR MARK LAMOS
PUZZLE PIECES
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FROM THE SIGNATURE ARCHIVES
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF OUR
RESIDENCY ONE PROGRAM
A PHOTOGRAPHIC STEP BACK IN TIME
Talkbacks brought to you by American Express.
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.
Residency Five
Playwright
ANNIE BAKER
talks about process,
inspiration, and her
longtime collaboration
with director
Sam Gold.
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.
COVER Signature Theatre Production photos, courtesy of Signature Theatre.
CONTENTS (top to bottom) Sam Gold, photo by Gregory Costanzo; Annie Baker, photo by Gregory Costanzo; James Houghton, photo courtesy of Signature Theatre;
A.R Gurney and Mark Lamos, photo by Gregory Costanzo.
CURTAIN UP (page 3) Photo by Steve and Anita Shevett; Photo ©Susan Johann. (page 4) Photo courtesy of Signature Theatre.
A CAREFUL COMPOSITION (page 5) Photo by Gregory Costanzo. (page 6) Photo by Joan Marcus. (page 7) Photo by Gregory Costanzo; Photo by Joan Marcus;
(page 8) Photo by Julieta Cervantes; Photo by Joan Marcus. (page 9) Photo by Julieta Cervantes; Photo by Gregory Costanzo. (page 10) Photo by Gregory Costanzo.
SIGNATURE MOMENTS (page 11) Photo courtesy of Signature Theatre; Photo by Joan Marcus; (page 12) Photo by Gregory Costanzo; Photo by Rahav Segev.
BOARD SPOTLIGHT (page 13) Photo courtesy of Sean Peterson. (page 14) Photos by Joan Marcus; Photo by Gregory Costanzo.
A CREATIVE ESCAPE (page 15) Photo by Gregory Costanzo; Photo by Richard Feldman. (page 16) Photo by James Leynse.
(page 17) © Carol Rosegg. (page 18) Photo by Joan Marcus; © Carol Rosegg; Photo by Joan Marcus; © Carol Rosegg.
© 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 th e editor. The opinions in this publication are those of the authors
and not necessarily those of Signature Theatre or its offices and directors.
YEARS
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Residency One
playwright
A.R. GURNEY
and director
MARK LAMOS
discuss their years
of collaboration,
theatre as escape,
and finding value in
rarely-produced work.
Test your
knowledge of
our Residency One
playwrights with
a fun crossword!
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PHOTO CREDITS
Printed in the United States of America
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AN INTERVIEW WITH JOHN DIRECTOR SAM GOLD
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Official Airline of Signature Theatre.
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MAKE A GIFT IN SUPPORT OF ANOTHER
25 YEARS OF SIGNATURE THEATRE
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
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ORCHESTRATED PRECISION
BOARD SPOTLIGHT
Signature Ticket Initiative: A Generation of Access, Signature has also made an unprecedented
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A MESSAGE FROM FOUNDING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
JAMES HOUGHTON
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features a studio theatre, rehearsal studio, and a public café, bar, and bookstore. Through the
commitment to making its productions accessible by underwriting the cost of initial run
CURTAIN UP!
In celebration
of our 25th
Anniversary
Season,
a look back
at some
SPECIAL
SIGNATURE
MOMENTS.
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