The American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) is a professional not-for-profit theater in
Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1979 by
Robert Brustein, the A.R.T. is known for its commitment to new American plays and music–theater explorations; to neglected works of the past; and to established classical texts reinterpreted in refreshing new ways.[1] Over the past forty years it has garnered many of the nation's most distinguished awards, including a
Pulitzer Prize (1982), a
Tony Award (1986), and a
Jujamcyn Award (1985).[2] In 2002, the A.R.T. was the recipient of the National Theatre Conference's Outstanding Achievement Award, and it was named one of the top three theaters in the country by
Time magazine in 2003.[3] The A.R.T. is housed in the Loeb Drama Center at
Harvard University, a building it shares with the Harvard-Radcliffe Dramatic Club. The A.R.T. operates the
Institute for Advanced Theater Training.
In 2002
Robert Woodruff replaced founder
Robert Brustein as the A.R.T.'s artistic director.[4] After Woodruff's departure in 2007, Associate Artistic Director
Gideon Lester filled the position for the 2008/2009 season, and, in May 2008,
Diane Paulus was named the new artistic director.[4] Paulus, a Harvard alum, is widely known as a director of theater and opera. Her work includes The Donkey Show, which ran off-Broadway for six years; productions at the
Chicago Opera Theatre; and the
Public Theater's 2008 production of Hair, which won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical.[5][6][7]
History
American Repertory Theater was established at
Harvard in 1979 as a permanent professional arts organization on campus that offered undergraduate courses in acting, directing, and
dramaturgy, taught by professional members of the company with teaching experience.[1] Robert Brustein served as artistic director of the theater until 2002, when he was succeeded by Robert Woodruff, founder of the Bay Area Playwrights Festival.[4] In 2008, Diane Paulus became the artistic director.[4]
During its 44-year history, it has welcomed many major American and international theater artists, presenting a diverse repertoire that includes premieres of American plays and musical productions. In the over 250 productions American Repertory Theater has staged, over half were premieres of new plays, translations, and adaptations.[8] The A.R.T. has performed throughout the U.S. and worldwide in 21 cities in 16 countries on four continents.[8] It continues to be a training ground for young artists, with the artistic staff teaching undergraduate classes in acting, directing, dramatic literature, dramaturgy, voice, and design. In 1987, the A.R.T. founded the
Institute for Advanced Theater Training at Harvard, which offers a five-semester M.F.A. graduate program that operates in conjunction with the
Moscow Art Theatre School.[9]
The current artistic director, Diane Paulus, has focused on expanding the boundaries of traditional theater by transforming the ways in which work is developed, programmed, produced, and contextualized in order to allow the audience to participate, thereby making the experience more interactive. Productions such as
Sleep No More,
The Donkey Show, Gatz, The Blue Flower, Prometheus Bound,
Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, Wild Swans, and
Pippin have engaged audiences in unique theatrical experiences through physical interaction and unconventional staging.[10][11]
The theater's productions have garnered eighteen Tony Awards, including
Best Revival of a Musical for its productions of Pippin (2013) and Gershwins' Porgy and Bess (2012),
Best Musical for
Once (2012), and
Best PlayAll The Way (2014).[12] The A.R.T. also received the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theater, the Pulitzer Prize, and multiple
Elliot Norton and
IRNE awards.[8] Its premiere production of Death and the Powers: The Robots' Opera was a 2012 Pulitzer Prize finalist.[13]
Becoming a Man. Created by P. Carl, directed by
Diane Paulus and P. Carl.
Real Women Have Curves. Music and lyrics by Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez, book by Lisa Boomer, choreography and direction by Sergio Trujillo. Based on the
play by Josefina López and HBO'sReal Women Have Curves.
The Half-God of Rainfall. Created by Inua Ellams, directed by Taibi Magar.
2022–2023 season
Evita. Lyrics by
Tim Rice, music by
Andrew Lloyd Webber, directed by Sammi Cannold, choreographed by Emily Maltby and Valeria Solomonoff.
The Wife of Willesden. Adapted by Zadie Smith from
Chaucer'sThe Wife of Bath, directed by Indhu Rubasingham.
Life of Pi. Based on the
novel by
Yann Martel, adapted by Lolita Chakrabarti, directed by Max Webster. (Pre-Broadway production)
Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992. Conceived, written, and revised by Anna Deavere Smith, directed by Taibi Magar.
Ocean Filibuster. Created by PearlDamour, text by Lisa D'Amour, music by Sxip Shirey, directed by Katie Pearl.
WILD: A Musical Becoming. Book by
V, music by Justin Tranter & Caroline Pennell with contributions by Erin Cannata, lyrics by Justin Tranter, Caroline Pennell, &
V with contributions by Idina Menzel, choreography by Chanel DaSilva, directed by
Diane Paulus.
Macbeth In Stride. Created & performed by Whitney White, orchestrations by Steven Cuevas and Whitney White, musically directed by Steven Cuevas, choreography by Raja Feather Kelly, directed by Tyler Dobrowsky & Taibi Magar.
Chasing Magic. Created by Ayodele Casel, directed by Torya Beard.
Six. Written by
Toby Marlow & Lucy Moss, choreography by Carrie-Anne Ingrouille, musically supervised by Joe Beighton, musically directed by Roberta Duchak, orchestrations by Tim Curran, directed by Lucy Moss & Jamie Armitage. (Pre-Broadway production)
Black Light. Created by
Daniel Alexander Jones, original songs by Jomama Jones. Featuring Bobby Halvorson, Laura Jean Anderson, Dylan Meek, and Josh Quat
Moby-Dick. Music, lyrics, book, and orchestrations by
Dave Malloy, musically directed by Or Matias, choreography by Chanel DaSilva, directed by
Rachel Chavkin
Thumbelina: A Little Musical. Book, music, and lyrics by Julia Riew, musically directed by Julia Riew & Ian Chan, choreography by Ryan Kapur, directed by Emma Watt
The Black Clown. Adapted by
Davóne Tines & Michael Schachter, music by Michael Schacter, musically directed by Jaret Landon, choreography by Chanel DaSilva, directed by Zack Winokur.
The Emperor's New Clothes. Book by Eliya Smith, music by Sasha Yakub, lyrics by Sarah Rossman, choreography by Ryan Kapur, directed by Mitchell Pononsky
We Live in Cairo. Book, music, & lyrics by Daniel Lazour & Patrick Lazour, musical arrangements by Daniel Lazour &
Michael Starobin, musically directed Madeline Smith, choreography by Samar Haddad King, and directed by Taibi Magar
Notes from the Field: Doing Time in Education, Created, written, and performed by
Anna Deavere Smith with music composed and performed by
Marcus Shelby. Directed by
Leonard Foglia.
The Last Two People on Earth: An Apocalyptic Vaudeville, conceived by Paul Ford,
Taylor Mac,
Mandy Patinkin, and
Susan Stroman. Directed by Susan Stroman.
Crossing, a new American opera, music and libretto by
Matthew Aucoin. Directed by Diane Paulus.
The A.R.T.'s 30th season, its first under Artistic Director
Diane Paulus, eschewed the traditional model and instead offered a series of "festivals" which encouraged audiences to experience productions as parts of larger cultural events.
Trojan Barbie by Christine Evans, directed by Carmel O'Reilly. March 28 – April 22 at the Zero Arrow Theater.
Romance by
David Mamet. Directed by Scott Zigler. May 9–31 at the Loeb Drama Center.
2007–2008 season
Don Juan Giovanni and Figaro directed by Dominique Serrand in association with
Theatre de la Jeune Lune. In repertory August 31 – October 6, 2007 at the Loeb Drama Center.
In 1987, the A.R.T. founded the
Institute for Advanced Theater Training, a five-semester professional training program which includes a three-month period working and training at the
Moscow Art Theatre School in
Russia.[9] The program provides training for graduate-level actors,
dramaturgs, and voice students. From 1999 until 2016, this joint program conferred an
M.F.A. from the Moscow Art Theatre School,[25] along with a certificate of completion from Harvard. Beginning with the graduating class of 2017, students have been granted a master of liberal arts degree through the
Harvard Extension School.[25]
In July 2017, the
U.S. Department of Education voiced concern over the worrisomely high debt-load of students completing the program. In response, the A.R.T. Institute announced a three-year pause in admissions, while it sought to improve student financial aid. It continues to negotiate with Harvard University about establishing an M.F.A. degree.[25]
Performance venues
OBERON
OBERON, sometimes referred to as Club Oberon, was a club theater venue that was built by the Carr Foundation in 2004 and opened in August 2009 as A.R.T.'s second venue.[26] The A.R.T. opened the space in 2006 as the Zero Arrow Street Theater. The
Onion Cellar was staged there Dec 2006-Jan 2007. A.R.T. originally used OBERON for the open ended residency of their production of
The Donkey Show; however, American Repertory soon decided to convert the theater into a fully functioning club theater venue, fitting the philosophy developed by The Donkey Show's creator
Randy Weiner.
In 2021, The A.R.T. decided not to renew its lease and Oberon was closed. [27]
Other venues
Before OBERON, A.R.T. used the old
Hasty Pudding theater as a second space in addition to the Loeb Mainstage. A.R.T.'s Institute for Advanced Theater Training formerly used the sub-basement of
the First Parish in Cambridge at Zero Church Street, as a flexible venue. In May, 2015 the A.R.T. staged an opera premiere at the
Schubert Theater in Boston, their first use of that venue.[28]