“I worked closely with Herbert (Berghof) for a number of years at the Playwrights Foundation. He directed many of my plays there and produced a number of others. He gave me a home and rekindled my faith in theatre.” Horton Foote -- 1990
Nothing can be said that better illustrates the work and the impact of the
HB Playwrights Foundation & Theatre. This simple statement made by Tony nominated,
Pulitzer Prize and Academy Award winning writer Horton Foote says almost everything
important that can be said about the mission and work of this “home” for playwrights
-- the artists who stand at theatre's gate. Horton Foote is but one of the more
than one hundred-thirty writers who, over the years, have found a home here.
Since 1965, playwrights and other theatre artists have come to Bank Street where they have found a safe and nurturing environment in which to grow. They have come here and toiled to tell their stories which give voice and shape to all else that happens on, over, under, behind, around and in front of the stage. To date, over 270 plays have been given full productions and an even larger number has been afforded readings and workshops. Today, our commitment continues stronger than ever. Currently, in addition to the numerous play readings/workshops/productions for the members of the HB Playwrights' Unit, the HB Theatre presents four full productions each year by playwrights from around the world whose work will benefit from the long-term development process available here.
The HB Playwrights Foundation & Theatre is currently home to fifteen playwrights who participate in its unique program. As part of the program overseen by HB Executive Director, Donna de Matteo, the playwrights meet on a regular basis to read and discuss work in progress. When needed, readings are provided -- often several per play. When works are considered ready, the playwrights are afforded five-day intensive workshops with a director, full cast and an invited audience. Critics are not invited and no "admission" is charged relieving the playwright of any commercial pressures.
In this safe environment, creativity flourishes. In the last ten seasons, nine plays presented here found further life. Options were taken on Left On Flatbush by Rick Lieberman and Wallflowering by Peta Murray and Voir Dire by Joe Sutton. In 1995 Mrs. Klein by Nicholas Wright, starring Uta Hagen, moved Off-Broadway for a year and toured nationally . During the 1997-98 season, Uncle Philip's Coat by Matty Selman moved to The American Jewish Theatre. Donald Margulies' Collected Stories with Uta Hagen, presented here in April 1998, moved to the Lucille Lortel Theatre where it ran for ten months. It was also presented at Canada's famed Stratford Festival (July-September 2000) followed by a run in Montreal . The Wax by Kathleen Tolan, presented here in 1999 was subsequently presented Off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons in November 2000, and I Will Bear Witness, a dramatization of Victor Klemperer's best selling memoir developed at HB, was presented as part of the Classic Stage Company's 2000-01 season.
THE PLAYWRIGHTS
Constance Alexander • Dan Allen • Louis Auchincloss • Ingeborg Bachmann • Neena Beber • Saul Bellow • Eric Bentley • Albert Bermel • Bertoldt Brecht • Alan Brandt • Patricia Broderick • Vincent Canby • Darrah Cloud • William Cobb • George Howe Colt • Walter Corwin • Fred Crecca • Frank Crocitto • Robert Culp • Laura Shaine Cunningham • Dennis Danziger • Allen Davis III • Donna de Matteo • Richard Dresser • Marguerite Duras • Don Evans • Jesse Feiler • Catherine Filloux • Conn Fleming • Daisy Foote • Horton Foote • Kelton S. Francis • Donald Freed • John Gassner • Alexandra Gersten • Stuart Gilbert • Arthur Giron Gilbert Girion • Joanna Glass • J. Ray Goodwin • Martin Gottfried • Allison Graves • Julien Green • Herb Greer • Franz Grillparzer • George Hammer • David Harrower • Peter Hedges • Michael Herring • Wolfgang Hildesheimer • Mary Hivnor • Irene Kamp • Marjorie Kellogg • Norman Kennelly • Norman Kline • Arthur Kober • Pavel Kohout • Adam Kraar • Christina Kukucka • Marcia Jean Kurtz • Emmet Lavery • Agnes Leicester • Stephen Levi • Rick Lieberman • Art Liebeskin • Romulus Linney • Dmitry Lipkin • John Liton • Kenneth Lonergan • Quincy Long • Richard Longchamps • Robert Lowell • Donald Margulies • Peter Maloney • Douglas Marland • Julie McKee • Petrina McGowan • Mark Medoff • Jocelyn Meinhardt • Frederick Morton • Miriam Morton • Shane Mullery • Peta Murray • Ed Napier • Timothy Nolan • William Packard • Ronnie Ruth • Paris Gilbert Pearlman • John Petrick • Pedro Juan Pietri • James Purdy • Lisa-Maria Radano • Eugene Raskin • Theresa Rebeck • Jackie Reingold • Robert S. Reiser • Daniel Reitz • Lynn Riggs • David Rimmer • Irven Rinard • William D. Roberts • Romain Rolland • Carol Roper • Ari Roth • Enid Rudd • James Ryan • Peter Sagal • Susan Sandler • Ellen Sandler • William Saroyan • Martin Sherman • David Shepherd • Marjorie Sigley • Ben Simkhovitch • Maria A. Sluckaite • Forest M. Stone • Michael Straight • William Styron • Robert Sugarman • Joe Sutton • Jay Tarses Joann Tedesco • Michael Thomas • Kathleen Tolan • Maurice Valency • Janice Van Horne • Mary Walton • Thornton Wilder • Tennessee Williams • Calder Willingham • Virginia Woods • Nicholas Wright • Marshall Yaeger • Sherman Yellen • Tug Yourgrau
