SignatureStoriesVol9FINALsingles.pdf Jul. 2014 | Page 2
SignatureStories
PUBLISHER
Signature Theatre
James Houghton,
Founding Artistic Director
Erika Mallin,
Executive Director
EDITORS
David Hatkoff
Beth Whitaker
SignatureTheatre
SIGNATURE THEATRE and THE PERSHING SQUARE SIGNATURE CENTER
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 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
EDITORIAL TEAM
into the playwright’s singular vision. Signature serves its mission through its permanent home at
Jenna Clark Embrey
Christie Evangelisto
Nathaniel French
Sarah Rose Leonard
Cathy Popowytsch
The Pershing Square Signature Center, a three-theatre facility on West 42nd Street designed by
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
of work. Residency Five, the only program of its kind, was launched at the Center to support multiple
Jenna Clark Embrey
Christie Evangelisto
Hallie Foote
Nathaniel French
Kate Roche Hope
James Houghton
Sarah Rose Leonard
Caitlin McLeod
Lila Neugebauer
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
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.
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
DESIGN
features a studio theatre, rehearsal studio, and a public café, bar and bookstore. Through the
Danielle Speicher
Ninth Circle Productions, LLC
Signature Ticket Initiative: A Generation of Access, Signature has also made an unprecedented
PLAYWRIGHTS-IN-RESIDENCE
Annie Baker
Martha Clarke
Will Eno
Athol Fugard
A.R. Gurney
Katori Hall
Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
Kenneth Lonergan
Charles Mee
Sam Shepard
Regina Taylor
Naomi Wallace
WEBSITE
signaturetheatre.org
commitment to making its productions accessible by underwriting the cost of initial run
tickets, currently priced at $25, through 2031.
Signature Ticket Initiative: A Generation of Access made possible by Lead Partner The Pershing Square Foundation.
Additional support provided by the Ford Foundation and Margot Adams.
Official Airline of Signature Theatre.
Support for the Legacy Program is provided by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Special thanks to the Harold & Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust for supporting the Residency Five Program.
Additional Support for the Residency Five Program provided by the Time Warner Foundation, INc.
Talkbacks brought to you by American Express.
MAILING ADDRESS
Signature Theatre at
The Pershing Square Signature Center
480 West 42nd Street
New York, NY 10036
Signature programming, including the Signature Ticket Initiative, is supported, in part, by public funds
from The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the New York City Council.
Signature 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 Roslyn Ruff gets ready backstage before a performance of The Piano Lesson, 2012. Photo by Gregory Costanzo.
CONTENTS Tony Award photo by Tristan Nash, all other photos by Gregory Costanzo
FROM THE FOUNDING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR (Page 5) Top inset: photo by Gregory Costanzo; bottom, from left: photo by Gregory Costanzo, photo by Gregory Costanzo,
photo by Tristan Nash.
LOOKING BACK Photos 1,2, and 10 by Joan Marcus. Photos 3 and 9 by Gregory Costanzo. Photos 5-7 by Steve and Anita Shevett. Photos 4 and 8 by Erik Carter.
Tony Award photo by Tristan Nash.
THE HAUNTINGS OF HISTORY (Page 7) Photo by Gregory Costanzo. (Page 8) Photo by Michal Daniel. (Page 9) Photo by Michal Daniel. (Page 10) Photo by Joan Marcus,
photo by Jenny Graham. (Page 11) Photo by Joan Marcus. (Page 12) Photo courtesy of Caitlin McLeod.
BOARD SPOTLIGHT (Page 13) Photo by Gregory Costanzo. (Page 14) Top, from 1-4: Photo by Carol Rosegg, photo by Joan Marcus, photo by Joan Marcus,
photo by Gregory Costanzo; bottom: photo by Gregory Costanzo.
THE RESPECTFUL REBEL (Page 15) Background: Photo courtesy of Ben Gurney; inset: Photo by T. Charles Erickson. (Page 16) Photo by Gregory Costanzo. (Page 17) Top: photo
by Joan Marcus; bottom: photo by T. Charles Erickson. (Page 18) Background: Photo courtesy of The Dramatists Guild; bottom, from left: photo by T. Charles Erickson, photo
courtesy of The Dramatists Guild. (Page 19) Background: Photo courtesy of The Dramatists Guild; bottom: photo by Hunter Canning. (Page 20) Bottom: Photo by Stephanie Berger;
inset: photo courtesy of Lila Neugebauer.
FROM THE SIGNATURE ARCHIVES Photo by Marianne Szucs.
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