For Immediate Release: February 15, 2007                               
Media Contact: Rob Watson, 617-426-1522, This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
                                                                                   
           
BCA Expands Resident Theatre Program; Seeks Applications for 2008-2011
Speakeasy Stage Co. Selected as First Calderwood Pavilion Resident
 
(Boston, MA) – The Boston Center for the Arts (BCA) today announced new developments in its Resident Theatre Program (ResCo Program).   As a result of a strategic partnership with the Huntington Theatre Company to launch the Stanford Calderwood Pavilion in 2004, the BCA today is expanding the ResCo Program to provide two different categories of Residency to support different models and stages of growth, and to increase the number of participating theatres.

The ResCo Program is a vital resource for the participating companies, providing a creative home and below market rents that contribute significantly to their stability, growth and artistic success.  The program has helped the BCA become the ‘’venue of choice” for diverse small to mid-sized theatre companies in Boston and a vibrant theatre mecca for a broad and diverse public.

The two Residency categories are: 1) The Calderwood Pavilion Residency, which allows one theatre company to execute its entire season in the Calderwood Pavilion; and 2) The Core Residency, which allows ResCos to schedule their seasons using a mix of theatres in the BCA Plaza and Pavilion.

In the first category, the BCA is pleased to announce that SpeakEasy Stage Company has been selected as the first Calderwood Pavilion Resident Theatre Company for 2008-2011, the result of a three-way collaboration between the BCA, SpeakEasy and the Huntington, allowing SpeakEasy to perform all of its shows in the Calderwood Pavilion.

In the second category, the BCA seeks applications for Core Residencies from qualified theatre companies with a deadline of April 16, 2007 (see attached application and guidelines). All current ResCos — Company One, Pilgrim Theatre, and The Theater Offensive —  have been encouraged to apply for 2008-2011.

The guidelines for this new chapter in the ResCo Program deepen and clarify benefits and mutual expectations between the BCA and its ResCos and encourages programming and promotional collaboration. Specifically, the Resident Theatre Companies are invited to join with the BCA to build and engage new audiences by participating in its Youth and Community Engagement Initiative.

Complete ResCo Program guidelines and applications will be available starting February 15 on the BCA’s website: www.bcaonline.org.   The companies selected will be announced by the end of June.  For information regarding applications, contact Darren Evans, BCA Manager of Performing Arts, at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it or 617-426-2029.

“The BCA is pleased to provide a creative and affordable home for the most diverse and innovative theatre in Boston,” says Libbie Shufro, the BCA’s President & CEO. “It is satisfying to invest in talented and promising arts organizations and witness their growth and critical acclaim. It’s equally satisfying to offer in one location an exciting menu of choice to the public.”

Wendy Baring-Gould, BCA Director of Art & Community Programs, emphasized the current ResCos’ impact on shaping the program. “The ResCos have been the real pioneers of this program from the beginning and all share the BCA’s goal to build new and diverse audiences. They understand the value of collaborating on marketing, promotion and outreach as the BCA continues to grow as a major arts destination for Greater Boston.”

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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 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