CityRep, Rogue Theatre, and More Receive Grants from American Theatre Wing

The American Theatre Wing has announced the recipients of its 2012 National Theatre Company Grants. This year's recipients are: Actors' Shakespeare Project (Somerville, Massachusetts), ArtsWest (Seattle, Washington), Know Theatre of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, Ohio), NC Stage Company (Asheville, North Carolina), The New Jersey Repertory Company (Long Branch, New Jersey), CityRep (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), The Rogue Theatre (Tucson, Arizona), The Play Company (New York City, New York), The Theatre @ Boston Court (Pasadena, California), and Upstream Theater (St. Louis, Missouri).

Grants for the 2012 cycle in the amount of $10,000 each will be distributed for general operating support to these companies which, according to grant guidelines, have been in operation at least five, but not more than fifteen years, have articulated a distinctive mission, cultivated an audience, and nurtured a community of artists in ways that strengthen and demonstrate the quality, diversity, and dynamism of American theatre.

"For the third year in a row, our national grants committee was astounded by the breadth and depth of the work being done by non-profit theatre companies around this country. This year's awardees cover the entire span of the United States and demonstrate the uniqueness, courage, and creativity that is the heart of the American Theatre," said Lucie Arnaz, Chair of the Grants Committee. "These companies prove, once again, that great theatre isn't just on Broadway between 40th and 50th streets, but that Broadway is a road that is 3,000 miles long."

"Congratulations to this year's 10 recipients of the National Theatre Company Grants. All of us at the Wing are very proud to recognize your outstanding work," added Executive Director, Heather Hitchens. "It is just one more indication of the exciting and vital theatre that is being created, produced, and presented all across the country."

The American Theatre Wing has long shown its dedication to not-for-profit theatres through its Theatre Company Grants Program. After many years during which eligibility was restricted to New York City companies, 2010 marked a significant change in the granting of The Wing, resulting from extensive review by the organization's Board of Trustees. The ATW Grants have distributed some $3 million dollars over the past 55 years. For more information on the ATW's National Theatre Company Grants, visit: americantheatrewing.org/grants/. The application period for 2013 grants will open in the spring of next year.

In 2012, the American Theatre Wing (William Ivey Long, Chair, Board of Trustees; Heather Hitchens, Executive Director) is celebrating 95 years of service to the American Theatre. For nearly a century, the mission of the Wing has been to serve and support the theatre by celebrating excellence, nurturing the public's appreciation of theatre, and providing unique educational and access opportunities for both practitioners and audiences. Traditionally, ATW has done this by encouraging members of the theatre community to share their off-stage time and talent directly with the theatre audience at large--whether it was singing for the troops in the Stage Door Canteen of the 1940's, or sharing their stories on a podcast today. Best known for creating The Antoinette Perry "Tony" Awards®, now presented with The Broadway League, ATW has developed the best-known national platform for the recognition of theatrical achievement on Broadway. Yet ATW's reach extends beyond Broadway and beyond New York, with educational and media work that offers the very best in theatre to people around the world. In addition to its various media programs and a host of other online resources, The Wing sponsors many activities, all dedicated to recognizing excellence and supporting education in theatre. These programs include the Theatre Intern Group, a career development program for young professionals; SpringboardNYC, a two-week college-to-career boot camp for young performers moving to NYC; and the Jonathan Larson® Grants, given annually to honor emerging composers, lyricists and book writers.

Visitors to americantheatrewing.org can listen to, watch or download from ATW's extensive media collection, and learn more about all of its programming for students, aspiring and working professionals, and audiences who want to learn more about the making of theatre. Follow ATW on Facebook.com/TheAmericanTheatreWing and Twitter.com/TheWing.