Epic Theatre Ensemble

The Epic Theatre Ensemble is a professional social justice theatre company in New York City.[1] As well staging well known traditional plays,[2] its productions often focus on promoting engaged citizenship and social change.[3]

History

The Epic Theatre Ensemble was founded in 2001 by original members Ron Russell, Melissa Friedman, Zak Berkman, James Wallert, Teri Lamm, Craig Rovere, and Shaheen Vaaz. Its work is influenced by the Epic Theatre movement.

In 2009 the Ensemble's remix of Shakespeare’s plays performed in several New York City Public Schools was awarded the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award, then called the Coming Up Taller Award.[4]

Significant productions include the 2010 rendition of Sarah Ruhl’s Passion Play[5][6][7] and Pike Street in 2015.[8][9]

In 2012, the theatre received funding from the National Endowment for the Arts to create a contemporary interpretation of Shakespeare's MacBeth.[10]

As well as performing traditional dramas, the Ensemble also commissions and stages new plays.[11][12]

The Ensemble includes both professional and student actors.[13] In 2016, Epic Theatre Ensemble presented 10467, a fifty-minute play that discusses educational equity in New York City's public schools. .[14] The play was written and performed by students of Epic's artistic and youth development program Epic NEXT

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References
  1. "Vern Thiessen returns from the Big Apple to head up Workshop West". Liz Nicholls, Edmonton Journa 06.17.2015
  2. "The Bard's Famous Murdering Couple Open On Two Different Stages in One Week". Curtain Up, Deirdre Donovan.
  3. "Review: Hirabayashi remembered in eloquent play". Inquirer, by: Peter Santilli /Associated Press / October 23, 2012
  4. "Epic Theatre Ensemble." American Theatre Jan. 2010: 22.
  5. Sheward, David. "Sarah Ruhl's Passion play: Epic Theatre Ensemble at the Irondale Center." Back Stage, National ed. 13 May 2010: 40.
  6. "Sarah Ruhl’s “PASSION PLAY” – REVIEW". Chicago Stage Review, May 10, 2010, Venus Zarris
  7. "Sarah Ruhl's epic 'Passion Play' gets passionate about life and death of Jesus Christ". New York Daily News, Joe Dziemianowicz. May 17, 2010,
  8. "Review: ‘Pike St.,’ Where One Woman Speaks for All Pike St.". New York Times, by CHARLES ISHERWOOD NOV. 17, 2015.
  9. "Team Player". New York Magazine, Hilton Als November 23, 2015.
  10. "Shakespeare for Everybody". Wall Street Journal, By Pia Catton April 22, 2012
  11. "Nilaja Sun Opens Pike St. at Abrons Arts Center". Theater Mania, Nov 17, 2015
  12. "Keith Josef Adkins’s New Play Recovers ‘The People Before the Park’". American Theatre, August 31, 2015. Amy Fuhrman
  13. "Shakespeare’s Modern Lessons For New York Schoolkids". The Daily Beast, 03.14.2016, by Robert Silverman
  14. "NYC High Schoolers Stand Up for Their Educational Rights on Stage". Anita Abedain, The Village Voice, March 22, 2016
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