Comments (1) Best Cradle of Theatrical Success - 2010
Village Theatre
Issaquah's Village Theatre could teach many a Seattle performing-arts group about how to cultivate new work. Million Dollar Quartet, first offered as part of the theater's Festival of New Musicals in 2006, then given a mainstage production in 2007, went on to earn a Tony on Broadway (and was nominated for two more). Even more impressive was the path of Next to Normal by the Theatre's former associate artistic director Brian Yorkey, which went from a first reading in 2002 to 11 Tony nominations (and three wins) and the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for drama—only the eighth musical to earn that honor. (The touring production hits the 5th Avenue early next year.) The moral: If you commit to developing new work regularly, rather than just dabbling in it only as much as is necessary to make a good impression on grant apps, your effort might pay off both in national and local recognition. —Gavin Borchert villagetheatre.org
