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For immediate release: June 21, 2007 Contact: Rob Watson, 617-426-1522 Boston Center for the Arts Announces Resident Theatre Companies for 2008-2011New companies bring total to 5 (Boston, MA) – The Boston Center for the Arts (BCA) announced its Resident Theatre Companies for 2008-2011 at its Annual Meeting Wednesday night. Company One, SpeakEasy Stage Company and The Theater Offensive will continue as Resident Theatre Companies (“ResCos”), and will be joined by The Publick Theatre and Up You Mighty Race Performing Arts Company for the three-year cycle beginning in the fall of 2008.The selection came as the result of an intensive process that began with an expansion of the program guidelines to provide two different categories of Residency – Calderwood Pavilion Residency and Core Residency – designed to support different models and stages of growth, and to increase the number of participating theatres. Resident Theatre Companies receive priority scheduling and reduced rates in the BCA’s theatres, among other benefits, and must share the BCA’s mission of keeping the arts accessible to Boston’s diverse audiences, through post-show talkbacks, “Pay What You Can” nights, and participation in the BCA’s Youth & Community Engagement Initiative. “It is with great pride that we announce these five companies as Resident Theatre Companies at the BCA,” said Libbie Shufro, the BCA’s President & CEO. “The quality and diversity of their work will only strengthen our standing as a performing arts destination, and we look forward to providing them with the stable home and support they need to continue to build audience and grow artistically.” In February, an open call encouraged qualifying Boston-based theatre companies to apply for the program. Finalists were chosen based on the quality of their work and the compatibility of their missions with that of the BCA. In June, an Advisory Committee composed of Kate Snodgrass, Artistic Director, Boston Playwrights’ Theater; Jack Welch, Former Managing Director of Bakers Plays and founding member of StageSource; and Sam Yin, former Board Member of the BCA and Member of the Boston Cultural Council reviewed applications, interviewed candidates and made recommendations to the BCA. "What makes residency such a proud achievement for us is the sense of being selected," says Diego Arciniegas, Artistic Director of The Publick Theatre. "There was never a feeling that names were put on a dart board or picked from a hat. From the extensive application to the panel review by our peers, we knew The Publick had to show we were willing, able, and eager to join the residency program – and we couldn't be happier to have the chance!" “We are very excited about this residency, and all the prospects for growth it provides,” said Akiba Abaka, Producing Director of Up You Mighty Race, which has produced a number of shows at the BCA. “We were looking for a solid venue where our audiences would feel welcome, and at the same time a place that would give us the room to enhance our artistic and organizational qualities.” Earlier this year, the BCA announced that SpeakEasy was selected as the Calderwood Pavilion Resident Theatre Company for 2008-2011, thanks to a partnership between the BCA, SpeakEasy and Huntington Theatre Company, which operates the Pavilion. Pilgrim Theatre Research & Performance Collaborative, a long-time member of the ResCo Program, will continue to produce at the BCA as part of the Cultural Partners Series. This transition allows them to continue their award-winning work in a manner that better suits their artistic needs. ### ABOUT THE BCA: Celebrating its 35th anniversary in 2006, the BCA is an urban cultural village, incubating and showcasing the performing and visual arts and artists of our times. The BCA provides a creative “home” for artists, a welcoming destination for audiences, and an arts connection for youth and community across Greater Boston. The BCA complex includes 50 working artist studios, 6 live/work spaces, the Mills gallery, the historic Cyclorama and, in the Stanford Calderwood Pavilion, the Virginia Wimberly Theatre, the Nancy and Edward Roberts Studio Theatre, and two rehearsal halls. It is also the home for the Boston Ballet, the Community Music Center of Boston, and a dozen other non-profit arts organizations providing a myriad of arts and educational services to the larger community. For more information please visit www.bcaonline.org. ABOUT THE RESCO PROGRAM: For more than a decade, the ResCo Program has offered multi-year residencies to incubate and showcase a select group of promising theatre companies. The program offers companies a stable “home” where they can plan an entire season, allowing them to focus on artistic excellence, audience development and organizational growth. In so doing, the program recognizes some of Boston’s most innovative and talented performing arts groups and artists, and supports an outstanding array of performances for diverse audiences. Current Resident Theatre Companies at the BCA are Company One, Pilgrim Theatre Research & Performance Collaborative, SpeakEasy Stage Company and The Theater Offensive. ABOUT THE CALDERWOOD PAVILION: When the Stanford Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts opened in October 2004, it was Boston’s first new theatre building in 75 years, and the result of a joint venture between the Huntington Theatre Company and the Boston Center for the Arts. The facility includes two state-of-the-art performance spaces, the 370-seat Virginia Wimberly Theatre and the Nancy and Edward Roberts Studio Theatre that can seat up to 250, as well as large multifunctional rehearsal rooms that are also used for performances. The Huntington programs the facility cooperatively with the BCA and is responsible for management functions, including an in-person and online box office. EDITOR’S NOTES: · Additional background on the BCA and its Resident Theatre Companies is available on request. · Interviews are encouraged and can be arranged with Libbie Shufro, President and CEO, and Wendy Baring-Gould, Director, Art & Community Programs. Please contact Rob Watson at 617-426-1522 or This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it |