SignatureStories
PUBLISHER
Signature Theatre
SignatureTheatre
James Houghton,
Founding Artistic Director
SIGNATURE THEATRE and THE PERSHING SQUARE SIGNATURE CENTER
Erika Mallin,
Executive Director
EDITORS
David Hatkoff
Beth Whitaker
EDITORIAL TEAM
Christie Evangelisto
Nathaniel French
Sarah Rose Leonard
Cathy Popowytsch
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Christie Evangelisto
Nathaniel French
James Houghton
Signature Theatre exists to honor and celebrate the playwright. Founded in 1991 by James Houghton,
Signature makes an extended commitment to a playwright’s body of work, and during this journey,
the writer is engaged in every aspect of the creative process. By championing in-depth
explorations of a playwright’s body of work, Signature delivers an intimate and immersive journey
into the playwright’s singular vision. Signature serves its mission through its permanent home at
The Pershing Square Signature Center, a three-theatre facility on West 42nd Street designed by
Frank Gehry Architects to host Signature’s three distinct playwrights’ residencies and foster a cultural
community. At the Center, opened in January 2012, Signature continues its founding Playwright-inResidence model as Residency One, a first-of-its-kind, intensive exploration of a single writer’s body
of work. Residency Five, the only program of its kind, was launched at the Center to support multiple
playwrights as they build bodies of work by guaranteeing each writer three productions over a
five-year period. The Legacy Program, launched during Signature’s 10th Anniversary Season, invites
writers from both residencies back for productions of premiere or earlier plays. In 2014 Signature
became the first New York City theatre to receive the Regional Theatre Tony Award®.
Sarah Rose Leonard
Beth Whitaker
Ciarán Deane, Field Day
DESIGN
Danielle Speicher
Ninth Circle Productions, LLC
PLAYWRIGHTS-IN-RESIDENCE
Annie Baker
The Pershing Square Signature Center is a major contribution to New York City’s cultural landscape
and provides a venue for cultural organizations that supports and encourages collaboration
among artists throughout the space. In addition to its three intimate theatres, the Center
features a studio theatre, rehearsal studio, and a public café, bar and bookstore. Through the
Signature Ticket Initiative: A Generation of Access, Signature has also made an unprecedented
commitment to making its productions accessible by underwriting the cost of initial run
tickets, currently priced at $25, through 2031.
Martha Clarke
Will Eno
Athol Fugard
A.R. Gurney
Signature Ticket Initiative: A Generation of Access made possible by Lead Partner The Pershing Square Foundation.
Additional support for A Generation of Access provided by the Howard Gilman Foundation, Margot Adams and
The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs
Katori Hall
Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
Kenneth Lonergan
Official Airline of Signature Theatre.
Special thanks to The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust for supporting the Residency Five Program.
Charles Mee
Additional support for Residency Five provided by the Time Warner Foundation, Inc.
Sam Shepard
Our Lady of Kibeho is generously supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Laura Pels International Foundation
or Theater. Our Lady of Kibeho is the recipient of an Edgerton Foundation New American Play Award.
Regina Taylor
Naomi Wallace
WEBSITE
signaturetheatre.org
Field Day gratefully acknowledges the support for A Particle of Dread (Oedipus Variations)
provided by The Arts Council of Northern Ireland.
Talkbacks brought to you by American Express.
MAILING ADDRESS
Signature Theatre at
The Pershing Square Signature Center
480 West 42nd Street
Signature Theatre programs, including the Signature Ticket Initiative, are supported in part by public funds from
The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.
Signature’s programming is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts,
with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.
New York, NY 10036
PHOTO CREDITS
COVER James Houghton and Sam Shepard in Derry, Northern Ireland. Photo by Joyce O’Connor.
CONTENTS (top to bottom) The cast of A Few Stout Individuals at Signature Theatre, 2002. Photo by Susan Johann. Stephen Rea in the Field Day production of A Particle of
Dread (Oedipus Variations), 2013. Photo by Ros Kavanagh. Katori Hall photo by Gregory Costanzo. Sam Shepard photo by Lia Chang.
AROUND THE CENTER (page 3) 1. Photo by Steve and Anita Shevett. 2. Photo by Tristan Nash. 3. Photo by Steve and Anita Shevett. 4. Photo by Steve and Anita Shevett.
5. Photo by Steve and Anita Shevett. 6. Photo by Gregory Costanzo. (page 4) All Residency Five playwright photos by Gregory Costanzo; Photo by Steve and Anita Shevett.
KATORI IN KIBEHO (page 6): Photo by Gregory Costanzo. (page 7): Photo by Joan Marcus; Photo by Tristram Kenton; Photo by Gregory Costanzo.
(page 8): Photo by Gregory Costanzo. (page 9): Photo by Jessica Katz; Photo by Joan Marcus; Photo by T. Charles Erickson; Photo by Joan Marcus.
BELIEVING IN A BETTER WORLD (page 11) Photo by Gregory Costanzo; Photo by Carol Rosegg; Photo by Joan Marcus.
SAM SHEPARD: A FASCINATION WITH FATE (page 13) Photo by Gregory Costanzo; (page 14) Photo by Carol Rosegg. (page 15) Photo by Joan Marcus; Photo by Carol Rosegg;
Photo by Joan Marcus. (page 16) Photo by Carol Rosegg; (page 17) Photo by T Charles Erickson; Photo by Susan Johann.
SHIFTING LAN U