Hartford & NY Signature to Team to Present Foote's 'Orphans' Home Cycle'

THE ORPHANS' HOME CYCLE, a world premiere production of nine plays by Horton Foote that have been newly adapted by the Pulitzer Prize and Academy Award-winning playwright into a three-part theatrical event, will be co-produced in the 2009-2010 season by Signature Theatre Company (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) and Hartford Stage (Michael Wilson, Artistic Director; Michael Stotts, Managing Director).

The productions will be directed by Michael Wilson and performed at Hartford Stage from August 27, 2009 to October 17, 2009 and at Signature Theatre Company, from October 29, 2009 to April 11, 2010. Each part of the three part cycle will be staged individually as well as in repertory and one-day marathons. Audiences may choose to see the individual parts or the entire trilogy. 

THE ORPHANS' HOME CYCLE encompasses nine newly adapted plays by Mr. Foote, together for the first time. Mr. Foote, 92, is actively adapting each of the full-length plays, some previously produced and others never before seen, into one epic cycle.

Over three dozen artists will come together over a nine month period to present this historic production. This three-part version of THE ORPHANS' HOME CYCLE was commissioned by Hartford Stage in 2007.

"It's incredibly moving to see all of these plays from my years of writing come together into the theatrical cycle that I've always envisioned. It is particularly meaningful to me that Hartford Stage and Signature Theatre Company, two theatres that have been so supportive of my work, are partnering to bring this to life," commented Mr. Foote.

Classical in its breadth and scope, THE ORPHANS' HOME CYCLE begins with a father's death in a small-Texas town at the turn of the century, a loss that sends his son, Horace Robedaux, on an odyssey through the darkest corners of the heart as he learns to become a husband, father, and patriarch. Set in Foote's fictitious town of Harrison, Texas and based partly on the childhood of Foote's father and the courtship and marriage of his parents, the cycle is a wide-ranging, intricate work.

Part I begins at the turn of the 20th century with the plays Roots in a Parched Ground, Convicts and Lily Dale and follows Horace Robedaux in his formative years.

Part II focuses on the married life of Horace Robedaux and his new wife and is made up of the plays The Widow Claire, Courtship and Valentine's Day.

Part III consists of the plays 1918, Cousins and The Death of Papa and begins with the turmoil of World War I and ends with the characters looking to the future of their family and land.

Three of the individual plays, Roots in a Parched Ground, Convicts and Cousins will be receiving their world premieres as part of the cycle.

Signature Theatre Company devoted its 1994-1995 season to Horton Foote, including the world premieres of The Young Man from Atlanta (for which Foote won the Pulitzer Prize) and Laura Dennis and the New York premieres of Night Seasons and Talking Pictures. Signature produced the world premiere of his The Last of the Thorntons in its 2000-2001 season and the award-winning production of The Trip to Bountiful in 2005 in the company's 15th anniversary season.

"Signature has cherished our relationship with Horton over the last 15 years and it's a thrill to see him now, with pages spread throughout his apartment, creating this wonderful new work," said James Houghton. "He is excited about the challenge of distilling his plays into this cycle and for audiences to experience the emotional journey taken by these characters over the course of the trilogy. We look forward to our collaboration with our friends at Hartford Stage on this exciting and ambitious project."

THE ORPHANS' HOME CYCLE replaces Signature Theatre Company's previously announced season devoted to Suzan-Lori Parks, which has been delayed due to Ms. Parks' current workload and other professional obligations. Signature hopes to celebrate her work in a future season.

Hartford Stage has produced the world premieres of The Carpetbagger's Children (which transferred Off-Broadway), and The Death of Papa (the last play in THE ORPHANS' HOME CYCLE), as well as the 50th anniversary revival of The Trip to Bountiful. In May, Hartford Stage will present the Broadway transfer of Mr. Foote's hit comedy, Dividing The Estate.

Michael Wilson states, "I am honored to continue my long collaboration with Horton Foote by producing and directing his masterwork, The Orphans' Home Cycle, at Hartford Stage and Signature Theatre Company. Over the last 10 years, Hartford Stage audiences have warmly embraced Horton, and by bringing his nine-play cycle in its entirety to the stage this fall, they will have the opportunity see the most ambitious work of one of America's greatest living playwrights. It is a rare opportunity, and a magnificent journey that I am excited to embark upon with our audience, and our esteemed partners at Signature."

Horton Foote had his first play, Texas Town, produced Off-Broadway in 1941. Since then he has had plays produced on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off Off-Broadway and at many theaters around the country. Plays include Dividing The Estate (Broadway/Lincoln Center Theater, Primary Stages, and upcoming at Hartford Stage), The Young Man From Atlanta (Pulitzer Prize), The Trip to Bountiful (Lucille Lortel Award, Outstanding Revival), The Carpetbagger's Children (American Theater Critics 2002 Best Play Award), The Day Emily Married, The Last of the Thorntons, The Chase, The Traveling Lady, Night Seasons, Tomorrow, The Habitation of Dragons, Laura Dennis, Vernon Early and The Roads to Home. He received Academy Awards for his screenplay adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird and his original screenplay, Tender Mercies. Awards include Obie and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Dividing The Estate, Lortel Award for Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway and the Outer Critics Circle Special Achievement Award for the Signature Theatre Company series of his plays, Drama Desk Lifetime Achievement Award, American Academy of Arts and Letters Gold Medal of Drama for the body of his work, PEN/Laura Pels Foundation Award for Drama, New York State Governor's Award and the 2000 National Medal of Arts Award from President Bill Clinton. Honors: Theatre Hall of Fame (1996), elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters (1998). His memoirs, Farewell and Beginnings, are published by Scribners.

Michael Wilson most recently directed Horton Foote's Dividing The Estate for Lincoln Center Theater on Broadway. A longtime collaborator with Mr. Foote, he has directed the premieres of his plays The Carpetbagger's Children (Hartford Stage and Lincoln Center Theater) and The Death of Papa (Hartford Stage); the New York premieres of Dividing The Estate and The Day Emily Married (Primary Stages); and the 50th Anniversary revival of The Trip to Bountiful (Hartford Stage and Alley Theatre). On Broadway, he directed Old Acquaintance (Roundabout Theatre Company), and Enchanted April, for which he received an Outer Critics Circle nomination. Off-Broadway, he directed the premieres of Christopher Shinn's What Didn't Happen (Playwrights Horizons) and Eve Ensler's Necessary Targets, as well as the New York premieres of Jane Anderson's Defying Gravity and Tennessee Williams' The Red Devil Battery Sign. He in his 11th season as artistic director of Hartford Stage, where he has directed the premieres of David Grimm's The Learned Ladies of Park Avenue as well as Tennessee Williams' The Palooka, Now the Cats with Jeweled Claws, and The One Exception as part of the theatre's epic two part production, Eight By Tenn. For the Venice Biennale and Alley Theatre, he directed both parts of Tony Kushner's Angels in America.

 

SIGNATURE THEATRE COMPANY, founded in 1991 by James Houghton, exists to honor and celebrate the playwright. Signature makes an extended commitment to a playwright's body of work, and during this journey, the writer is engaged in every aspect of the creative process. For the past 18 years, the Company has devoted an entire season to the work of a single playwright, including re-examinations of past writings as well as New York and world premieres. By championing in-depth explorations of a living playwright's body of work, the Company delivers an intimate and immersive journey into the playwright's singular vision.

Signature has presented entire seasons of the work of Edward Albee, Lee Blessing, Horton Foote, Maria Irene Fornes, John Guare, Bill Irwin, Adrienne Kennedy, Romulus Linney, Charles Mee, Arthur Miller, Sam Shepard, Paula Vogel, August Wilson, and Lanford Wilson. Signature remains deeply committed to these season-long residencies, and during the company's tenth and fifteenth anniversaries, Signature introduced the Legacy Program. The Legacy Program invites past Playwrights-in-Residence back to Signature through two series: the Signature Series, which presents "signature," or more well-known works; and the Premiere Series, which presents New York and world premieres. Signature's current season is celebrating the historic Negro Ensemble Company, while its twentieth anniversary season (2010-2011) will feature the work of Tony Kushner.

Signature, its productions and its resident writers have been recognized with a Pulitzer Prize, 20 Lucille Lortel Awards, seven OBIE Awards, eight Drama Desk Awards, 10 Drama League Awards and 15 AUDELCO Awards among many other distinctions. The National Theatre Conference recognized the company as the 2003 Outstanding National Theatre of the Year.

Now in its 45th season, HARTFORD STAGE is one of the leading resident theatres in the nation, known internationally for commissioning and producing a wide range of drama, from classics to new plays. Founded in 1963, Hartford Stage premiered in a former grocery store warehouse with its first production, Shakespeare's Othello. Since then, Hartford Stage has produced over 275 new productions, among them 61 world or American premieres. Recent productions include the East Coast premiere of Lanford Wilson's Book of Days; the premiere of Eve Ensler's Necessary Targets; the commission and premiere of Edward Albee's Peter and Jerry; and the two evening Eight By Tenn, which included three premieres by Tennessee Williams. The theatre has earned numerous distinguished honors, including a Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre, the Margo Jones Award, OBIE awards, and a New York Critics Circle award. In 1998 Michael Wilson was named the fourth artistic director to lead Hartford Stage, launching the ten-year Tennessee Williams Marathon and the Brand:NEW Fall Festival of New Works. Playwrights currently under commission, in addition to Horton Foote, include Luis Alfaro, Daniel Beaty, Jorge Ignacio Cortinas, Elizabeth Egloff, Michael Elyanow, James Lecesne, Craig Wright, and Tony nominee Quiara Alegria Hudes, the 2009 New American Voices Playwright-in-Residence.

Tickets for the Hartford Stage run of THE ORPHANS' HOME CYCLE will be available to season subscribers beginning next month. They will go on sale to the general public this summer. For tickets and more information, call the Hartford Stage box office at 860-527-5151 or visit www.hartfordstage.org. Hartford Stage is located at 50 Church Street in downtown Hartford with parking located in the MAT Garage, directly adjacent to the theatre. The theatre is easily accessible from I-84 and I-91.

Dates and further details on the schedules will be available at www.hartfordstage.org and www.signaturetheatre.org.

Ticket information for the Signature Theatre Company run of THE ORPHANS' HOME CYCLE will be announced in coming weeks. Through The Signature Ticket Initiative, which seeks to make great theatre accessible to the broadest possible audience, all regularly-priced single tickets ($65) are underwritten and will be available for $20 every performance for the entire season, during a show's initial run. The Signature Ticket Initiative continues through Signature's 20th Anniversary Season (2010-2011).

The Signature Ticket Initiative is made possible by the lead sponsorship of Time Warner Inc. Generous support for The Signature Ticket Initiative is provided by Margot Adams, in memory of Mason Adams. THE ORPHANS' HOME CYCLE will play at The Peter Norton Space located at 555 West 42nd Street (between 10th and 11th Avenues). For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit signaturetheatre.org or call (212) 244-PLAY (7529).

 

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.