Center Theatre Group Receives $1 Million Grant From The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

Center Theatre Group (CTG) was recently awarded a three-year, $1 million grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation that will support the expansion of CTG's New Play Production Program. The expansion will focus on the commissioning, development, and production of non-text-based work, which is often underrepresented in the programming for large regional theatres such as CTG. The grant will also place an emphasis on supporting works from Los Angeles-based artists.

"This is a great opportunity to widen the spectrum of theatricality. The Mellon Foundation's grant will enable us to focus time and energy on a specific type of work that is experimental in nature," said CTG Artistic Director Michael Ritchie.

Three distinct categories will be supported by the Mellon Foundation grant. In addition to offering three large-scale commissions for new non-text-based pieces, the grant will provide completion funds to projects that have already started but are in need of additional funding support. CTG will also establish an innovation fund that will enable the organization to be more responsive to the needs of projects involving maverick approaches to theatre, particularly those that utilize new technology.

"This is a unique and ambitious component to new play development. CTG is responding to the growing number of artists across the country who are making work and plays in collaborative ways and not only from the single vision of a playwright," said Diane Rodriguez, CTG's Director of New Play Production. "It keeps us current and up-front in terms of developing new work for our stages and new play development models for the field."

Already, CTG has commissioned Obie Award-winning experimental theatre artist Phil Soltanoff, Artistic Director of Mad Dog Theatre Company, to develop a collaborative, non-text-based piece with a Los Angeles-based ensemble that will culminate with a performance at CTG's Kirk Douglas Theatre.

"These commissions will give us the opportunity to work with individuals and organizations that we haven't collaborated with in the past. I'm particularly excited about the potential to reach out to new artists who are creating innovative, groundbreaking new work," said Ritchie.

Center Theatre Group is the non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization that supports the Mark Taper Forum, the Ahmanson Theatre, the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City, and a significant number of play development and arts education initiatives in Southern California. The mission of Center Theatre Group is to provide theatre of the highest caliber to the rich, diverse communities of Southern California.

For more information, visit www.CenterTheatreGroup.org.

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