| 1964 |
Actors, Inc. and Theatre Louisville merge
under the title Actors Theatre of Louisville. They perform in a
small loft on Fourth Street, and later move to an abandoned Illinois
Central Train Station. |
|
1965
|
Alexander Speer, former Executive Director, begins
his tenure. |
|
1966
|
Actors Associates is formed to promote reading and discussing plays. |
|
1969
|
Jon Jory is appointed producing director. He makes
his directorial debut with Dylan Thomas’ Under Milk Wood.
Actors Associates shifts focus to become a service-oriented volunteer group. |
|
1972
|
Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
is the final production in the Illinois Central Train Station home.
A new complex opens in the old Bank of Louisville building, a National
Historic Landmark, on Main Street with the 637-seat Pamela Brown
Auditorium. |
|
1973
|
The 159-seat Victor Jory Theatre opens. |
|
1974
|
Actors Theatre is designated the State Theatre of
Kentucky.
Stagehands, a volunteer group for men, is formed. |
|
1976
|
First Festival of New American Plays is presented
with D.L. Coburn’s Pulitzer Prize-winning The Gin Game
and John Orlock’s Indulgences in the Louisville Harem. |
|
1979
|
The Humana Foundation begins underwriting the New
Play Festival, now called the Humana Festival of New American Plays. |
|
1979
|
Actors Theatre receives the Margo Jones Award for
the Encouragement of New Plays and the Shubert Foundation’s
James N. Vaughan Memorial Award for Exceptional Achievement and
Contribution to the Development of Professional Theatre. |
|
1980
|
Shorts Festival is added to the New Play Program. |
|
1980
|
A Special Tony Award is presented to honor Actors
Theatre as an outstanding non-profit resident theatre. |
|
1980
|
Actors Theatre becomes a major international company
when it launches a tour to Yugoslavia, Ireland and Israel. |
|
1985
|
First Brown-Forman Classics in Context Festival
celebrates the life and works of Molière. |
|
1989
|
First National Ten-Minute Play Contest becomes part
of the New Play Program. |
|
1989
|
The biennial Bingham Signature Shakespeare is inaugurated. |
|
1991
|
The Development Board, a group of young professionals,
is established to build a new generation of audiences. |
|
1993
|
Avant-garde solo and small ensemble pieces are presented
in the Flying Solo and Friends Festival. |
|
1994
|
A $12.5 million expansion and renovation project
includes the new 318-seat Bingham Theatre, a flexible arena theatre,
and enlargement of the Pamela Brown Auditorium and the Victor Jory
Theatre. Lobbies, ticket sales area, restroom facilities and restaurant
are expanded, and a nine-level parking garage is added. |
|
1996
|
The Humana Festival of New American Plays celebrates
20th Anniversary. |
|
2000
|
Jon Jory retires from Actors Theatre to assume a
teaching position with the School of Drama at the University of
Washington. |
|
2000
|
Marc Masterson is appointed Artistic Director. |
|
2002
|
Education Department established. |
|
2005
|
Acquisition of a new 45,000 square foot production
studio, greatly expanding space available for set design and construction
as well as storage for scenery and properties. |
|
2006
|
Humana Festival of New American Plays celebrates
its 30th anniversary, with over 300 productions representing the
works of more than 200 playwrights. |
|
2006
|
Alexander Speer retires as Executive Director after
40 seasons of service. Actors Theatre announces the Alexander Speer
Fund for the Advancement of Arts Administration in honor of his
contributions to theatre nationally and locally. The West Market
administrative building is renamed the Alexander Speer Arts and
Commerce Building.
Jennifer Bielstein joins the Actors Theatre leadership
team as Managing Director. |
