User:Susurrus202/Jean Cocteau Repertory Theatre

Jean Cocteau Repertory Theatre The Jean Cocteau Repertory Theatre was an Off-Off-Broadway repertory company formed in 1971 in New York City by Eve Adamson. The Cocteau produced works of world dramatic literature, staging productions of both classic and contemporary plays, with a core of permanent, resident actors. Adamson founded the Cocteau after being disappointed by the roles being offered to her as an actress, naming the company after the artist and playwright Jean Cocteau.

The Cocteau's first performance was staged in a storefront on Manhattan's Lower East Side. The first season included William Shakespeare's xxThe Winter's Taleyy, Oscar Wilde's xxSalomeyy, and Cocteau's xxOrpheeyy. In 1973, the fledging company received positive reviews and critical acclaim for an adaptation of Samuel Beckett's xxWaiting for Godotyy and it was noted that though the company lacked money and resources, they balanced these difficulties with artistic creativity. That same year, the company started its first season of rotating repertory, performing four to seven plays per season, a structure it would maintain for the next three decades. In 1974, the Cocteau moved into the 140-seat Bouwerie Lane Theater on the Bowery, and continued to receive positive critical reviews. The Cocteau established enough acclaim to be selected by Tennessee Williams to premiere his play xxSomething Cloudy, Something Clearyy in 1981. The Cocteau also premiered works by Edvard Radzinsky, Seamus Heaney, and Barbara Lebow.

Though she continued to direct plays at the Cocteau, Adamson stepped down as artistic director in 1989. Her replacement was Robert Hupp, who held the position until 1999, when he was succeeded by David Fuller. Fuller sought to unionize the Cocteau, with health and pension benefits for the staff, and made the creative push to present musical theater productions in the hopes of increasing subscriptions. One of the first musicals staged under Fuller's direction was xxThe Cradle Will Rockyy during the 2000-2001 Season.

In addition to staging productions, the Cocteau sought to provide outreach to the greater community. In 1977, the theater developed a student matinee series for local high school students, as well as maintaining a complimentary ticket program for older New Yorkers. The Cocteau began its neighborhood outreach program in 1989, performing plays in culturally underserved neighborhoods in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Manhattan. In 1992, the Cocteau collaborated on a residency program that held workshops and performances at Baruch College of the City University of New York that lasted until 2001 and included LaGuardia Community College. The Cocteau extended its reach internationally with a trip to Brazil in 1999 to perform Luigi Pirandello's xxSix Characters in Search of an Authoryy at the Teatro Alfa in Sao Paulo.

The Cocteau received many accolades including a 1990 Obie nomination, a 1989 Outer Critics' Circle nomination for Special Achievement, two Drama Desk nominations, Six Villager Awards, and a Citation for Excellence from the sitting Manhattan Borough President David Dinkens in 1987.

In August 2004, displeased with what was seen as moving into a more commercial direction, a group of four long-time Cocteau actors, including Craig Smith and Elise Stone, and five of the theater's trustees resigned and formed the Phoenix Theater Ensemble. In 2007, due to budget issues, a shrinking subscriber base, and declining reviews, the Cocteau was renamed and restructured and now functions as the Exchange, a theater company that produces shows with a contemporary focus.

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