WPA (Workshop of the Players Arts[1]) Theatre (1967-2000[1]) is an Off-Off-Broadway theater. Not to be confused with the Works Progress Administration Federal Theatre Project (1935–1939).

History

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In 1967, WPA Theatre was formed, at a small cafe in New York City, and performed in a storefront on 4th Street near the Bowery, for two years.[2]

In 1971, WPA Theatre was legally incorporated, with its home at 333 Bowery,[3] under the direction of Virginia Aquino, Dan Dietrich and Harry Orzello, and closed in 1976.[4]

In 1977, in the fall, a new WPA Theatre formed with Howard Ashman[5] and R. Stuart White as Artistic Directors, and Kyle Renick as Managing Director, at 138 Fifth Avenue, in the Flatiron district,[6][4] In 1985, WPA Theatre moved[7] to 519 West 23rd Street, a 122-seat venue,[8] in Chelsea,[9] until July 1999.[4] WPA Theatre later moved to the Peter Norton Space 555 West 42nd Street.[10][1][11]

Works Premiered

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Works Revived

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Creators

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Actors

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Playwrights

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Directors

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Venues

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Recognition

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1983[41] Drama Desk Awards for Little Shop of Horrors:

  • 1983 - Outstanding Lyrics, Winner (Howard Ashman)
  • 1983 - Outstanding Musical, Winner (Little Shop of Horrors)

Outer Critics Circle[41] Award:

  • 1983 - Best Off Broadway Musical, Winner (Little Shop of Horrors)
  • 1983 - Best Score, Winner (Howard Ashman & Alan Menken)

NY Drama Critics Circle[41] Award

  • 1983 - Best Musical, Winner (Little Shop of Horrors)

Further reading

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from:
  • McLeod, Kembrew (8 October 2019). Downtown Pop Underground: New York City in the 1960s and 1970s, and the literary punks, renegade artists, DIY filmmakers, mad playwrights, and rock 'n' roll glitter queens who revolutionized culture. Harry N. Abrams. ISBN 978-1-4197-3804-3.[42]

References

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  1. ^ a b c McPhee, Ryan (December 3, 2019). "Michael Mayer, Jason Robert Brown, More Remember Late Off-Off-Broadway Champion Kyle Renick". Archived from the original on December 4, 2019. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  2. ^ WPA Theatre Records, 1967-1976 - Playbill - University of Wisconsin–Madison Digital Collections
  3. ^ a b Shepard, Richard F. (8 March 1974). "GOING OUT Guide". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e "WPA Theater". Howard Ashman. Archived from the original on December 10, 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  5. ^ Blau, Eleanor (15 March 1991). "Howard Ashman Is Dead at 40; Writer of 'Little Shop of Horrors'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 30, 2013. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  6. ^ "Corrections: May 24, 2022". The New York Times. 26 May 2022. Archived from the original on May 26, 2022. Retrieved 9 July 2024. the Off Off Broadway show "Little Shop of Horrors" and the play's lasting influence misidentified the Manhattan neighborhood in which the WPA Theater was located when the play opened there in 1982. It was in the Flatiron district
  7. ^ Rothstein, Mervyn (January 12, 1989). "Rising Rents Threaten Theater Companies". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  8. ^ a b c Winer, Laurie (8 November 1987). "THEATER; Williams's 'Milk Train' Stops Here Once Again". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  9. ^ McDowell, Edwin (30 April 2000). "When Rent Becomes the Show Stopper; Arts groups, with specialized space demands, are being squeezed by real estate costs". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024. WPA Theater in 1976, it was on the Bowery, and we moved it to a loft on lower Fifth Avenue in 1977...moved to Chelsea, to West 23rd Street between 10th and 11th Avenues...WPA Theater is facing another move because its building has been sold...
  10. ^ "Peter Norton Space". NYC-ARTS. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  11. ^ "Homeless WPA Plans New Season, Pending Acquisition of New Space". Playbill. October 15, 1999. Archived from the original on December 3, 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  12. ^ Westerfield, Joe (7 May 2022). "After 40 Years, 'Little Shop of Horrors' Is Still Going Strong—Off-Broadway". Newsweek. Archived from the original on May 8, 2022. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  13. ^ Nemy, Enid (5 October 1984). "BROADWAY". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  14. ^ Lawson, Carol (25 June 1982). "BROADWAY; Brighton Beach in 1938 is setting for Simon play". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024. This is the first Off Broadway show, in my experience, that the Shubert Organization has ever been involved in
  15. ^ Gussow, Mel (27 March 1987). "STAGE: 'STEEL MAGNOLIAS,' A LOUISIANA STORY". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  16. ^ McKinley, Jesse (9 October 1998). "On Stage and Off; From Sophocles, Slimmed Down". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024. 'Stupid Kids' closed suddenly at the Century Center for the Performing Arts
  17. ^ "The story of the Stanley Drama Award". Newsroom. Wagner College. 4 February 2019. Archived from the original on April 21, 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  18. ^ Gates, Anita (22 June 1999). "THEATER REVIEW; And You Thought Your Boss Was Bad". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024.
  19. ^ Barnes, Clive (22 April 1975). "Stage: Inge's 'Picnic' Revived by W.P.A. Theater". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  20. ^ a b Brantley, Ben (21 June 1996). "THEATER REVIEW; As the Boys Return, The Party Isn't Over". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  21. ^ a b c Brantley, Ben (14 November 1996). "Up the Grassy Knoll and Down: The Plot Is Thick". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  22. ^ a b c Gussow, Mel (23 November 1987). "Stage: Elizabeth Ashley In 'Milk Train' Revival". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  23. ^ Brantley, Ben (24 October 1997). "THEATER REVIEW; Charles Busch Plays It Straight, So to Speak". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  24. ^ Pacheco, Patrick (23 July 1989). "THEATER; When the Lady In Question Is a Man". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  25. ^ Brantley, Ben (20 December 1996). "Between a Female Image and Fantasy". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  26. ^ Marks, Peter (18 October 1996). "On Stage, and Off". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  27. ^ a b "New Blood: WPA Theatre Presents Blood on the Dining Room Floor". TheaterMania.com. 23 March 2000. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  28. ^ Gussow, Mel (3 November 1977). "Stage: 'Sad Cafe' Revived by WPA". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  29. ^ "Resources & Archives". Howard Ashman .com. Archived from the original on 2020-12-02. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  30. ^ "Archiving a Life in Theatre: The Legacy of Michael Feingold". Segal Center CUNY. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  31. ^ Klein, Alvin (9 December 1984). "THEATER; LARCHMONT ACTRESS TO OPEN IN PLAY". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 19, 2012. Retrieved 9 July 2024. The Incredibly Famous Willy Rivers
  32. ^ Witchel, Alex (13 March 1994). "THEATER; Yoko Ono, Optimist-Pessimist, Writes a Musical". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  33. ^ Holden, Stephen (31 March 1994). "Review/Theater; Another Chorus in the Ballad of John and Yoko". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  34. ^ Soltes, John (3 May 2023). "INTERVIEW: Country house in Connecticut inspires NYC play". Hollywood Soapbox. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  35. ^ "Off Off Broadway". The New York Times. 26 April 1974. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  36. ^ Brantley, Ben (17 June 1994). "Review/Theater; Gay Guru Offers Advice For the Love-Locked". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  37. ^ "Jonathan Marc Sherman". Dramatists Play Service. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  38. ^ Gussow, Mel (15 August 1984). "STAGE: 'VIEUX CARRE,' A WILLIAMS REVIVAL". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  39. ^ Rothstein, Mervyn (30 December 1988). "On Stage". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024. 'The Night Hank Williams Died,' a new play by Larry L. King (co-author of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas), begins performances Jan. 10 at the WPA Theater
  40. ^ "WPA Theatre". michaelminn.net. Archived from the original on May 13, 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  41. ^ a b c "1983 Awards". Music Theatre International. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  42. ^ "The Downtown Pop Underground". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
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