The Acting Company

Founded in 1972 by John Houseman and Margot Henley, it was an offshoot of special productions mounted by students of the drama division of the Juilliard School and was originally known as the City Center Acting Company. Since that time the company has toured the country, sometimes playing in regular legitimate houses but emphasizing university theatres and art centers. Thus it serves not merely as a training ground for young performers, but also as a practical seminar for students of the theatre. Its repertory consists primarily of classics, interspersed with new plays of interest. While it has met with success in its interpretations of Shakespeare, Marlowe, Sheridan, Shaw, and others, its most popular work has proved to be the musical The Robber Bridegroom (1975). Each founder served as artistic director for a time, and Zelda Fichandler ran the touring troupe in the 1990s. Celebrated alumni from the company include William Hurt, Kevin Kline, Patti LuPone, Christopher Reeve, David Ogden Stiers, and Jeffrey Wright.

The Acting Company is a theatre company associated with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

It was founded in 1972 by John Houseman, then a professor of acting at the Juilliard School. Loath to see his first class of actors disbanded, he founded the Group 1 Acting Company at the City Center of Music and Drama in New York City to make use of their talents. The group severed its connection with City Center in 1975 and became a part of the Kennedy Center. The Acting Company has performed over 100 plays for over 3 million people in 48 states and nine foreign countries.

The Acting Company has been honored with the Obie Award, the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award, Citibank's Excellence in Education Award, two AUDELCO Awards, and Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre in 2003.

Notable alumni include Kevin Kline, Patti LuPone, Frances Conroy, Harriet Harris, Jesse L. Martin, Keith David, Dennis Boutsikaris, David Ogden Stiers, Jeffrey Wright, Rainn Wilson, and Jack Stehlin.

External links

• Official website

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