Signature Stories Volume 11 11 | Page 2

12

SignatureStories
PUBLISHER
Signature Theatre

SignatureTheatre

James Houghton,
Founding Artistic Director

BEYOND THE STAGE: SUPPLEMENTAL PROGRAMMING

contents

Retail consultant
Jeanne Giordano
discusses the creation
of the Bookstore,
everyday operational
challenges, and its
surprising success
three years on.

19

SIGNATURE THEATRE and THE PERSHING SQUARE SIGNATURE CENTER

Erika Mallin,
Executive Director

3

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,

EDITORS
David Hatkoff
Beth Whitaker

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

EDITORIAL TEAM

Frank Gehry Architects to host Signature’s three distinct playwrights’ residencies and foster a cultural

Sarah Rose Leonard

5

The Pershing Square Signature Center, a three-theatre facility on West 42nd Street designed by

Nathaniel French

community. At the Center, opened in January 2012, Signature continues its founding Playwright-in-

Emily Patton

11

of work. Residency Five, the only program of its kind, was launched at the Center to support multiple

Nathaniel French

playwrights as they build bodies of work by guaranteeing each writer three productions over a

Kathryn Kozlark

five-year period. The Legacy Program, launched during Signature’s 10th Anniversary Season, invites

Sarah Rose Leonard
Emily Patton

13

writers from both residencies back for productions of premiere or earlier plays. In 2014 Signature

17

and provides a venue for cultural organizations that supports and encourages collaboration
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

Will Eno

commitment to making its productions accessible by underwriting the cost of initial run

Athol Fugard

tickets, currently priced at $25, through 2031.

A.R. Gurney

18
19

Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
Charles Mee
Sam Shepard

21
22

Official Airline of Signature Theatre.

Naomi Wallace

Special thanks to The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust for supporting the Residency Five Program.

WEBSITE
signaturetheatre.org

POETRY AND POLITICS

Additional support for Residency Five provided by the Time Warner Foundation, Inc.

SIGNATURE GALA 2015
FROM THE SIGNATURE ARCHIVES
A PHOTOGRAPHIC STEP BACK IN TIME

Talkbacks brought to you by American Express.

MAILING ADDRESS
Signature Theatre at
The Pershing Square Signature Center
480 West 42nd Street
New York, NY 10036

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.

Legacy Playwright
CHARLES MEE
and director
TINA LANDAU
discuss what it’s like
to work in an artistic
environment where
anything goes.

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.

PHOTO CREDITS
COVER Photo by Carol Rosegg.
CONTENTS (top to bottom) Jeanne Giordano at the Signature Bookstore, 2014. Photo by Tristan Nash. Charles Mee, Edward Norton and Naomi Wallace photos by Gregory Costanzo.
AROUND THE CENTER (page 3) 1. Photo by Steve and Anita Shevett. 2. Photo by Steve and Anita Shevett. 3. Photo by Matthew Murphy. 4. Photo by Steve and Anita Shevett.
5. Photo by Erik Carter. (page 4) 1. Photo by Greg Costanzo. 2. Photo by Tristan Nash. 3. Photo by Tristan Nash. 4. Photo by Tristan Nash. 5. Photo by Jacob Marx Rice.
LOVE LIKE CRAZY (page 5) Photo by Gregory Costanzo. (page 6) Photo by Carol Rosegg. (page 7) Photo by Carol Rosegg. (page 8) Photo by Greg Kalafatas;
Photo courtesy of Richard Feldman/ A.R.T. (page 9) Photo by Carol Rosegg; Photo by Nella Vera; Photo courtesy of Kevin Cunningham and Jeff Morey.
BOARD SPOTLIGHT (page 11) Photo by Gregory Costanzo. (page 12) Photos by Susan Johann; Photo by Gregory Costanzo; Photo by Steve and Anita Shevett.
A NAUTICAL INTERWEAVING (page 14) Photo by Gregory Costanzo; Photo by Matthew Murphy. (page 15) Photo by Gregory Costanzo; Photo by Jenny Graham.
(page 16) Photo by Jenny Graham; Photo by Joan Marcus.
HISTORIANS RESPOND TO THE LIQUID PLAIN (page 17) Photo by Tristan Nash.
POETRY AND POLITICS (page 18) Photo courtesy of Kwame Kwei-Armah; Photo by Richard Anderson.
SIGNATURE BOOKSTORE (pages 19 & 20) Photos by Tristan Nash.
SIGNATURE GALA 2015 (page 21) Photo by Steve and Anita Shevett; Photo by Sandro Miller.

© 2006 – 2015 Signature Theatre All Rights Reserved. Materials may not be reproduced without written permission, except for educational purposes where fewer than 100 copies are being reproduced.
Address copyright queries to the editor. The opinions in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Signature Theatre or its offices and directors.
Printed in the United States of America

5

SIGNATURE BOOKSTORE
SIGNATURE TALKS TO RETAIL CONSULTANT
JEA NNE GIORDANO

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

Regina Taylor

HISTORIANS RESPOND TO THE LIQUID PLAIN

AN INTERVIEW WITH THE LIQUID PLAIN
DIRECTOR KWAME KWEI-ARMAH

Katori Hall
Kenneth Lonergan

A NAUTICAL INTERWEAVING

MARCUS REDIKER AND ROBIN D.G. KELLEY SHARE
THEIR THOUGHTS ON THE WORLD OF THE PLAY

among artists throughout the space. In addition to its three intimate theatres, the Center

Martha Clarke

GALA

BOARD SPOTLIGHT

AN INTERVIEW WITH NAOMI WALLACE

The Pershing Square Signature Center is a major contribution to New York City’s cultural landscape

PLAYWRIGHTS-IN-RESIDENCE
Annie Baker

LOVE LIKE CRAZY

AN INTERVIEW WITH EDWARD NORTON,
SIGNATURE’S BOARD CHAIRMAN

became the first New York City theatre to receive the Regional Theatre Tony Award®.
DESIGN
Danielle Speicher
Ninth Circle Productions, LLC

21

AN INTERVIEW WITH CHARLES MEE AND TINA LANDAU

Residence model as Residency One, a first-of-its-kind, intensive exploration of a single writer’s body

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

AROUND THE CENTER
OUR LADY OF KIBEHO, A PARTICLE OF DREAD
(OEDIPUS VARIATIONS), BEYOND THE STAGE:
SUPPLEMENTAL PROGRAMMING HIGHLIGHTS,
AND LOOKING FORWARD

13

The second play in
NAOMI WALLACE’s
residency, The Liquid
Plain shows how
individual dramas can
shape human history.

11

Signature talks with
artist, longtime friend
and board trustee
EDWARD NORTON
about his fondest
Signature memories.

Signature’s 2015
Gala will honor the
championship of John
and Amy Griffin and
celebrate the singular
career of director
Tina Landau.