An Introduction the BLANKTHEATRE “One Ofthebesttheatre Companiesin America.”
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WINTER 2017 - 2018 THE BLANK THEATRE An Introduction “One of the Best Theatre Companies in America.” – The Drama League www.TheBlank.com [email protected] PO Box 1094 Los Angeles, CA 90078 323.871.8018 The Blank is a 501 (c)(3) Non-Profit Corporation “The Blank is committed to the enrichment of Hollywood’s cultural life through production of first-rate theatre, education of current and future artists, and creation of groundbreaking new works for the theatrical repertoire.” We are a collection of artists who have come together to create new works for the theatre. The Blank has won every major “Best Production” Award in Los Angeles in our 25 years The Blank has professionally produced 296 plays by playwrights aged 9 to 19 The Blank has developed and produced over 600 new plays The Blank was presented with a resolution by the LA City Council to honor our excellence and commitment to the community We want to reawaken theatre as a national pastime, and provide our community with the notion that living, breathing glimpses into human experience are a crucial part of the cultural discourse of a city and should be accessible to everyone. Dear Friend, Each of us plays a leadership role with The Blank Theatre because as artists, audience and donors we’ve experienced what The Blank consistently offers. We’ve shared the explosive, life-changing sense of achievement of a teenage playwright viewing his or her first play performed by professionals. We’ve felt the intense hush of an audience riveted by a provocative, intensely performed play on our mainstage. We’ve joined in the impassioned exchanges between actors, playwrights, directors and audience after a staged reading of a new play.This is more than entertainment, more than exciting theatre --The Blank is a persistent, thriving voice in the cultural fabric of our city at a critical moment. In this packet you’ll find more detailed descriptions of The Blank’s programs and productions. You’ll also read about numerous artists of all ages who have gone on from their success with The Blank to national and international achievement. You’ll see how engagement between The Blank and the City has led to a stable core of live theatre where film, TV and new media are dominant, and how that engagement has transformed neighborhoods. But theatre is never easy to sustain, and intimate theatre in Los Angeles has never been more challenged. The Blank has taken a leadership role in recent struggles, organizing small theatres to resolve conflicts with Actors Equity, successfully lobbying the city to designate Theatre Row as an official district, and working with developers and property owners to secure more spaces for live theatre. As The Blank celebrates its first 25 years, we’re working to ensure that it thrives into its “second generation.” Will you help us by making a significant gift and becoming a Major Donor? We are requesting support as multi-year or one-time gifts. Naming opportunities for our celebrated programs are available in connection with commensurate contributions: the nationally celebrated Blank Theatre Young Playwrights Festival (going into its 26th year), The Blank Theatre Living Room Series – developing new plays, our Mainstage Productions and our Apprenticeship Program. Please join the Blank Family. Sincerely, Daniel Henning Founding Artistic Director TABLE OF CONTENTS 5 WHO WE ARE 8 WHAT WE DO 11 MAINSTAGE + ACCOLADES 17 YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL 21 LIVING ROOM SERIES 27 THE TEAM 33 WHAT YOU CAN DO WHO WE ARE The Blank has won every major “Best Production” Award in Los Angeles in our 25 years The Blank has professionally produced 296 plays by playwrights aged 9 to 19 The Blank is dedicated to new work and has developed and produced over 600 new plays The Blank was presented with a resolution by the LA City Council to honor our excellence and commitment to the community 5 WHO WE ARE The Blank Theatre was founded in 1990 by Artistic Director Daniel Henning. In April 1996, The Blank took up residence at the 2nd Stage Theatre on Hollywood Theatre Row. Our goals are to produce new work, give paying jobs to actors, directors and theatre professionals, train and inspire young people to pursue careers in theatre and develop plays that will be presented on stages around the world for future generations. We believe the development of new plays is an essential component of a thriving theatrical community, both here in Hollywood and in the nation at large. The Blank’s Mainstage productions have garnered rave reviews, audience acclaim, and numerous theatrical honors. Recently, The Blank won the Broadway World Award for “Best Play – Los Angeles” and was nominated for 4 L.A. Weekly Awards including “Production of the Year.” Over the years, The Blank has won every “Best Production” award in town: • 5 Ovation Awards including “Best Musical” • 13 LA Drama Critics Circle Awards including “Outstanding Production” • 8 LA Weekly Awards including “Musical of the Year” • 4 NAACP Theatre Awards including “Best Production” • 20 Back Stage West Garland Awards including “Best Production” The Blank Theatre is the recipient of the Hollywood Arts Council’s Charlie Award “for pursuing artistic excellence, for nurturing the next generation of playwrights and challenging itself with a grand vision.” 6 WHO WE ARE The Drama League designated The Blank as “one of the best Theatre Companies in America” and The Blank was also honored with a resolution by the LA City Council for its commitment to excellence and innovation in the Theatre Arts. The Blank offers unique opportunities for playwrights to see their works grow from a draft script to a fully realized Mainstage production. We attract the finest playwrights in America and are entrusted by them to develop their plays which will eventually be produced all around the world. The Blank is one of this nation’s most important developers of new work. The Blank has many activities that are designed to reach out to our local community. For example, we keep the price of the tickets for our Young Playwrights Festival very low and target our marketing program to attract younger patrons. This is meant to make theatre as accessible to the mainstream population as film and television, fostering a love for the art form that will persuade the general public to become frequent theatregoers. As of today, The Blank has presented over 600 new plays free to the public and offered more than 10,000 free tickets to local community members. We want to reawaken theatre as a national pastime, and provide our community with the notion that living, breathing glimpses into human experience are a crucial part of the cultural discourse of a city and should be accessible to everyone. 7 WHAT WE DO We produce award-winning critically acclaimed plays and musicals on our Mainstage We educate emerging and established artists through our arts incubator programs We develop over 30 new works each year We lead through unique initiatives created to bring our community together 8 WHAT WE DO ARTISTIC PROGRAMS MAINSTAGE SEASON Plays and musicals are produced for six-week runs at The Blank’s 2nd Stage Theatre and The Stella Adler Theatre in Hollywood focusing on new works. Our Mainstages are often the culmination of our new play development programs and have included the works of Tony Award Winner George Furth, Pulitzer Prize Finalist Stephen Karam and Academy Award nominee Karen Black. YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL In June, we produce the 12 best plays by playwrights ages 9 to 19, chosen from a nationwide competition. In the past 25 years, we have produced 296 plays by these young writers. Nowhere else in the nation can young playwrights receive the prize of seeing their vision come to life on stage in a professional production. LIVING ROOM SERIES The Blank’s New Play Development Program embodies our commitment to developing new writers and new works. Every Monday night, we produce a “workshop” staged reading of a new play with a week of rehearsal. We develop over 30 new plays a year in the LRS, rivaling any theatre in the US. LIVING ROOM SERIES PLUS The next step of new play development, we select two plays (or musicals) each year to further develop toward full Mainstage Production. We give these plays three weeks of rehearsal in a bare-bones production that gives the author and other creatives an opportunity to explore the material more fully. It also offers two weeks of performances in front of an audience to gauge reaction and further develop the play. 9 WHAT WE DO COMMUNITY PROGRAMS STAYIN’ LIVE! & HOLLYWOOD THEATRE ROW The Blank’s Founding Artistic Director, Daniel Henning, founded Stayin’ Live! - a coalition of theatre, business, government and neighborhood leaders to create the assured future of live theatre in Los Angeles. Through Stayin’ Live! The Blank Theatre spearheaded the drive to have the City of Los Angeles officially name our stretch of Santa Monica Blvd as “Hollywood Theatre Row” with a resolution, city hall ceremony and permanent ceremonial signage on the corner of Santa Monica and Wilcox. APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM In May and June, 12 to 18 students (or sometimes returning veterans) are given invaluable hands-on immersion training in theatre as an integral part of the production team for the Young Playwrights Festival. Throughout the year, we offer similar opportunities to emerging producers, stage managers and theatrical administrators. This job-training program is free of charge. To date we have trained over 500 apprentices. ORPHAN’S HOME PROJECT The Blank opens our theatrical home on Hollywood Theatre Row (2nd Stage Theatre) to other theatre companies who have lost, cannot afford, or do not have their own theatre space.