In celebration of the past 25 years we asked some of
the Signature family to share some of their favorite
SIGNATURE Moments
Gabriela Gutierrez
A favorite moment of
mine that I always think back on was intermission
Chuck Cooper
The Piano Lesson at Signature
could easily be my most favorite play that I ever did.
I feel incredibly grateful to have been a member
in that company because that piece, as many of
August’s plays do, taps into a question and a challenge
about the Black experience in America that is
ongoing and may not be answerable but it asks the
question in such a beautiful, artistic, challenging way.
And that question for me is, “What do we do with
legacy? What is our legacy? What is its value and
David Shiner, Bill Irwin, and the cast
and creative team of Old Hats, 2016.
what do we do with it? How do we bring it forward?
during our first run of Old Hats. After we were done
How do we give it to our children? What is the best
with the changeover into Act 2, the music would
way to do that?” Those are challenging questions
begin at intermission and the whole crew and clowns
that we deal with daily. I deal with it with my kids.
would have a dance party behind the curtain. Bill and
I have dealt with it in my personal life. And I loved
I would have a full on salsa number that got better
wrestling with that, with Ruben [Santiago-Hudson]
and faster each day. Sometimes we would all hug
and with that company. And then there’s also this
and dance together as a group. One time we also
wonderful spiritual aspect of the play. The ancestors
made “snow angels” on the floor but it was mostly
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just us rolling around the floor. It was a nice, fun break
in a very high-paced show that brought us all back
together before Act 2 began. Happy times!
Gabriela Gutierrez:
Associate Production Manager at Signature Theatre.
Quiara Alegría Hudes
that I feel in my personal life. I never go onstage
without evoking my ancestors and asking for their
help. I feel that anything that I have done in my
career that is of any worth is due in large part
to my connection with my ancestors and their
daily. And so, being in a play – it almost diminishes
that you can just kind of sense as an artist when there is room for you to say,
[The Piano Lesson] to call it a play, it feels bigger
“Well, what if we did this?” I think Paula [Vogel] started her season and said,
than that. It feels like this wonderful journey, this
“Guys, I have this idea.” She’s a master teacher. She has dedicated so much blood,
wonderful experience that both the actors and the
sweat, tears, joy, and laughter to being in the room with young writers. So she
audience go on. It’s an incredible ride!
had this notion to do a reading series of her students’ work that would also
reflect her voice as a playwright. So, lucky me, she said, “Would you come to
COME BE SOCIAL!
are ever-present in that play, and that’s something
benevolence and their guidance that I receive
One of the things I love about Signature is
Sig Socials are FREE parties at the Pershing Square
Signature Center. Hang out with friends and meet new
ones while enjoying the festivities in Signature’s beautiful
Center. See a show and join the party after, or just
Chuck Cooper, Actor.
Productions: The Piano Lesson (2012)
New York and would you do a reading of your play, Elliot, A Soldier’s Fugue?”
Sig Socials Trivia Night
FEBRUARY 5
After a wildly successful Trivia Night hosted by Incident
at Vichy cast members Alec Shaw and AJ Cedeño,
we are excited to announce its return!
Sig Socials Contra Dancing
FEBRUARY 26
I was a young playwright, just terrified of audience talkbacks. Because all I want to
Join us for an evening of dance co-hosted with Brooklyn
Contra! If swing and square dancing met in a bar, you’d
get contra. There is no fancy footwork involved – anyone
can do it! Bring a partner or come on your own for this
great chance to meet new people!
hear is, “Is it good?” which you’re not going to get at a talkback. Maybe one person
will say it’s good, but then people want to talk about the issues, and I was very
self-conscious about that. But Paula said, “I’ll do the talkback. Let me interview
you about the themes,” and I said, “Okay, she really knows my work, and so she’s
going to push. She’s going to push for what I’m going for, she’s going to make
me think, but I know the conversation won’t get away from us.”
Sig Socials Trivia Night, 2015.
So, we did this reading, and it was truly an honor. It was one of the biggest theatres
I’d ever heard my words in. Well, it just so happens that in that audience were some
young men who I had met recently named Tommy Kail and Lin-Manuel Miranda,
and they had come to me when I moved to New York and said, “Would you like to
work on this musical with us called In the Heights?” And we had met a few times
and I got a good feel for them and good feel for In the Heights, and I said,
“Yeah. I think I want to do this piece with you guys. Thanks for inviting me along.”
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So it was very early in my relationship with them, and they came to see
this reading of a play of mine and they heard Paula interview me.
They came up to me afterwards and they were like, “We are really
intimidated to work with you now.” So, I think I came across as very
intelligent and professional somehow. A lot of that had to do with
Paula’s very respectful framing of the event.
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