38°50′27.2″N 77°5′24.38″W / 38.840889°N 77.0901056°W / 38.840889; -77.0901056

Signature Theatre
Formation1989
TypeTheatre group
Purposecontemporary musicals & plays, classic musicals, new works
Location
Websitehttps://www.sigtheatre.org/

Signature Theatre is an American regional theater company based in Arlington, Virginia that was founded in 1989 by Eric D. Schaeffer,[1]

Eric Schaeffer resigned on June 23, 2020, amidst multiple allegations of sexual harassment and assault.[2]

Cameron Mackintosh, Terrence McNally, James Lapine, John Kander, and Fred Ebb are among those that have presented works here. Since 1991, Signature has had a long relationship with Stephen Sondheim, producing 30 of his musicals, revues and concerts—more than any other professional theater in the country.[3]

The theater established a Sondheim Award "as a tribute to America's most influential contemporary musical theatre composer". The first award, to Stephen Sondheim, was presented at an April 27, 2009 benefit with performances by Bernadette Peters, Michael Cerveris, Will Gartshore and Eleasha Gamble.[4][5][6] The 2020 awardee is Carol Burnett. Recent awardees include Cameron Mackintosh (2017), John Kander (2018), and Audra McDonald (2019).[7]

Facilities

In 1989 Signature Theatre began production in the Arlington County Gunston Arts Center.[8]: 12, 122  This original home was in the library of a former middle school which had been converted to a black box theater. They rapidly outgrew this facility and in 1993 acquired a defunct Auto Bumper Plating shop, AKA "The Garage", which they converted into a 136-seat black box.[8]: 32–40  In 2007, however, in partnership with Arlington County, Virginia, Signature moved into a new $16 million theater complex built in The Village at Shirlington.[3][9] The first floor of the building houses the Shirlington Branch of the Arlington County Public Library.[10] The upper three floors house the theater. The complex has an industrial decor, with exposed particle board, pipes and metal sheeting. It includes two state-of-the-art black box theaters. The larger, christened "Max" in honor of Maxine Isaacs, seats 275 and can expand to accommodate 350 patrons. The smaller "Ark", named in honor of Arlene and Robert Kogod, can hold 99. The theaters are built as "square box within a square box, floating on hockey pucks. At $30 a puck. It is built like a soundstage" In addition to the two performance spaces, the complex contains a lobby, meeting rooms, three rehearsal spaces, four individual dressing rooms, three shared dressing rooms, three showers, a cast greenroom, a separate orchestra greenroom, three kitchen areas, scene, prop, and costume shops.[3][11] The large lobby was named by donors Gilbert and Jaylee Mead in honor Gilbert's late son Rob Mead.[3]

Exterior of Signature Theatre above the Shirlington Library. The doors to the library are on the right, the theater entrance on the left. The lobby is behind the 14' high by 140' long second floor glass wall

Awards

  • 2009 – Regional Theatre Tony Award[12]
  • 2009 Outstanding Resident Musical – Les Misérables.[13]
  • 2006 Outstanding Resident Musical – Urinetown.[13]
  • 2005 Outstanding Resident Musical – Allegro.[13]
  • 2001 Outstanding Resident Musical – Side Show.[13]
  • 1999 Outstanding Resident Play – Nijinsky's Last Dance.[13]
  • 1997 Outstanding Resident Musical – Passion.[13]
  • 1995 Outstanding Resident Musical – Into the Woods.[13]
  • 1993 Outstanding Resident Musical – Assassins.[13]
  • 1992 Outstanding Resident Musical – Sweeney Todd.[13]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Randy Shulman (5 July 2007). "Signature Style: Eric Schaeffer turned his passion for musicals into Arlington's theatrical crown jewel". Metro Weekly. Retrieved 2008-03-13.
  2. ↑ "Eric Schaeffer departs Signature Theatre amid sexual assault allegations - The Washington Post". The Washington Post.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Trescott, Jacqueline (January 11, 2007). "A Signature Space To Match Its Reputation". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2009-10-24.
  4. ↑ Jones, Kenneth. "Signature Creates Sondheim Award, to Be Presented at April 2009 Gala" Playbill, October 6, 2008
  5. ↑ Horwitz, Jane. "Backstage" column Washington Post, October 8, 2008
  6. ↑ Jones, Kenneth. "Peters and Cerveris Celebrate Sondheim at DC Sondheim Award Gala April 27" Playbill, April 27, 2009
  7. ↑ Gans, Andrew. "Carol Burnett to Receive 2020 Stephen Sondheim Award" Playbill, November 14, 2019
  8. 1 2 Schaeffer, Eric with Valente, Sarah (2011). My Signature Story. Parker, CO: Outskirts Press Inc. ISBN 978-1-4327-6199-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  9. ↑ "New Home for Signature Theatre in Shirlington","Washingtonian.com", January 1, 2007
  10. ↑ "Arlington Virginia – Shirlington Library". Retrieved 2009-10-24.
  11. ↑ "Signature Theatre Open House Back Stage Tour". 13 January 2007.
  12. ↑ "Tony Legacy – Search Past Winners – Signature Theatre". Archived from the original on 2012-02-04. Retrieved 2009-10-22.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Helen Hayes Awards Search Recipients – Signature". Archived from the original on 2010-01-30. Retrieved 2009-10-22.
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