A Brief History of the Williamstown Theatre Festival
During the winter of 1955, Ralph Renzi, News Director of Williams College, and David C. Bryant, chairman of the drama program, conceived the idea of using the Adams Memorial Theatre for a resident summer theatre company.
With support of the Board of Trade, several local businessmen and a gift and good wishes from Cole Porter, the Williamstown Theatre Foundation was formed. A 26-member company was assembled from New York professionals, Yale students and alumni, and a few Williams students.
Bryant left Williams the following year, and Nikos Psacharopoulos became Artistic Director in 1956. The theatre’s repertory became increasingly ambitious with productions of Shaw, Giradoux, Miller, Williams, and Chekhov, among others. A resident company of actors began to evolve.
In the 1960s and early 1970s Williamstown became known for innovative versions of classics from THE SEA GULL (taped for broadcast on PBS) to PEER GYNT to THE THREEPENNY OPERA. During this time, over one hundred people worked at the theatre every summer. Auxiliary activities began to supplement the Main Stage: the Apprentice Workshop, an experimental Second Company, a late-night cabaret, literary events and new play readings.
The 1980s saw some of WTFs most ambitious work – THE GREEKS, a two-part celebration of Tennessee Williams, a season of premieres on the Other Stage (now the Nikos Stage) and popular Free Theatre productions. Many projects went on to other theatres and a few to Broadway.
Following Nikos’s death in 1989, Peter Hunt was named Artistic Director and brought a focus on musical theatre and American classics. During Michael Ritchie’s tenure as Producer, from 1996 through 2004, nearly two dozen WTF productions transferred to Broadway, Off-Broadway and to regional theatres throughout the country.
In 2002, the Williamstown Theatre Festival received the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre.
Roger Rees became the Festival’s Artistic Director in 2005 and has begun to make his mark on the Festival, emphasizing the importance of the apprentice in the theatrical tradition, encouraging new writing and continuing the goal of outstanding productions.
Today, with a company of over 400, WTF mounts full productions on three stages, offers training programs in a myriad of dramatic areas, and runs numerous programs and events, including an outreach program for local youth.
Through the changes that the Festival has experienced, and changes that are to come, the goals remain the same - to attract premiere talent, train young artists, revisit the classics in exciting new productions, and develop new work.
Blythe Danner
Frank Langella
The Sea Gull, 1974
Frank Langella
Laurie Kennedy
Cyrano, 1980
WTF received the 2002 Regional Theatre Tony Award