TheatreWorksUSA


TheatreWorksUSA is a professional, not-for-profit theatre for young and family audiences founded in 1961. The company is based out of New York City, but has touring productions that run through forty-nine states as well as parts of Canada. Plays and musicals produced by Theatreworks have reached over 90 million children, teachers and families since the company's founding.

Free Summer Theatre

Since 1989 Theatreworks USA's Free Summer Theatre has provided young people and families with original, professional theatre free of charge. Each summer, tickets are distributed to children in over 200 social service and youth programs throughout the five boroughs. To date, over 300,000 children have attended free productions of some of the company's most popular shows, including Junie B. Jones, Romeo and Juliet, and Sarah, Plain and Tall. According to its own literature, Theatreworks believes "all children should experience the excitement of going to the theatre, regardless of their financial circumstances." Roma Torre, a NY1 reporter, has said the following of the program:
Theatreworks USA's production of The Civil War made its Off-Broadway debut at the Lucille Lortel Theatre for the 2013 Free Summer Theatre program. The Civil War ran from July 15, 2013 until August 16, 2013.

Managed artists

In addition to their plays and musicals, TheatreWorksUSA offers educational presentations by artists and groups, for school and public performances. Included are historical productions, as well as stories, songs and dance from many cultures featuring authentic artists who entertain as well as teach about their traditions.

Alumni artists

Theatreworks has a history of giving young actors, writers, directors, and designers their first professional break. Amongst the alumni are four-time Tony Award winning director Jerry Zaks, Robert Jess Roth, Michael Mayer, Gabriel Barre; writers Marta Kauffman and David Crane, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, Jason Robert Brown, Larry O'Keefe, Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx ; Kristen Anderson-Lopez ; and Tony-winning actors Roger Bart, Chuck Cooper, John Lloyd Young, and John Glover. Esteemed performers Jesse Tyler Ferguson, F. Murray Abraham, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Henry Winkler, Kathryn Boule and Judy Kuhn also got their start with Theatreworks.

Awards

Theatreworks has won many awards in its long history. Some of these honors include:
In 2000, Theatreworks established Chelsea Studios, a rehearsal studio in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan. In addition to providing a rehearsal space for Theatreworks's productions, Chelsea also rents its studios out to casting agents, touring productions, exercise classes, and various other clients.