Classical Theatre Company Celebrates Five Years with Gallery Retrospective Today, 9/6

Classical Theatre Company (CTC), announces that it has thrived and survived into its 5th anniversary season! In celebration of all the company's accomplishments, the CTC will host an exhibit spanning the month of September in the Alliance Art Gallery located in the Houston Arts Alliance. The exhibit will provide a snapshot of CTC's history, featuring photographs, costumes, designer renderings, and ground plans from its past seasons. The gallery opening and season kick off party is scheduled for today, September 6th, 2012, at 6:30pm.

In five short seasons the CTC has made giant strides and passed numerous milestones for such a young company. Executive Artistic Director and founder John Johnston highlights some of the company's greatest accomplishments such as, "…paying people well. CTC is the third highest paying theatre company in Houston, and has been since day one. We value our artists highly, and we strive to compensate them at an above average level. We want to make Houston a city where artists are supported and able to earn a living wage. We are also proud of our two international collaborations with the Prague Shakespeare festival in 2011 where artists from France, the Czech Republic, and Houston teamed up to perform in both Houston and in the Czech Republic. We reach another milestone this season as we move into and build out our first stable home at Studio 101 in Spring Street Studios in the Heights. We look forward to having this permanent space and the growth and stability it will provide for our company."

The CTC prides itself on producing only plays that are 100 or more years old, and through its first four seasons, has produced works by Shakespeare, Sophocles, Moliere, Ibsen, Shaw, Marivaux, and Chekhov. This season will see the additions of Alfred Jarry and Strindberg to that list, coupled, as always, with Shakespeare.

Classical Theatre Company, a non-profit Theatre Incorporated in 2007, is the only professional theatre company in the State of Texas devoted solely to the production of year round classical drama. CTC is dedicated to being the preeminent producer of classical theatre in the region, presenting the classical canon on the stage, in the community, and in the classroom in an engaging, visceral, and visually spectacular way. Founded by Houston actor and artistic director John Johnston, the CTC "indelibly changes the Houston arts community, and will be a cultural force in the region for years to come."

Classical Theatre Company's 5-Year Anniversary Gallery Opening and Season Kick off Party will take place tonight, September 6th at Houston Arts Alliance's Alliance Gallery, located at 3201 Allen Parkway, Houston TX. For more information, call 713.963.9665 or visit www.classicaltheatre.org.