Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

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Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Company logo
Formation 1980
Type Theatre group
Purpose/focus New Plays/World Premieres
Location Washington, D.C.
Artistic director(s) Howard Shalwitz
Website http://www.woollymammoth.net

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company is a non-profit theatre company located at 641 D Street NW in the Penn Quarter neighborhood of Washington, D.C. It produces new plays which it believes to be edgy, challenging, and thought-provoking. Performances are in a 265-seat courtyard-style theater.

Contents

History [edit]

Woolly Mammoth exterior during run of Second City's "Spoiler Alert, Everybody Dies"
Woolly Mammoth Theatre Lobby
A Woolly Mammoth PWYC Line

Woolly Mammoth was founded by Artistic Director Howard Shalwitz, Roger Brady, and Linda Reinisch in 1980. It opened its first season in a church hall near Metro Center. Outgrowing its initial home, the company rented a warehouse in the 14th Street corridor, where it performed for 13 years. When that space ceased to be available, Woolly Mammoth became a nomad company, performing in various venues in the DC area. During this period the company worked with the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation to acquire space for and to outfit a new theatre.[1]


Opened in 2005, the permanent Woolly Mammoth home is a $9 million, 265-seat courtyard-style theater. It was designed by Washington-based architect Mark McInturff [2] in association with Theatre Project Consultants.[3] The space has won local, regional, and national awards for innovative architectural design, including the American Institute of Architects 2006 Institute Honor Award for Interior Architecture.[4] and the United States Institute for Theatre Technology Honor Award [5]

Plays that have premiered at Woolly Mammoth have been produced in more than 200 theaters in 39 states and 12 countries.[6]

The Theatre’s education and outreach programs include "Pay-What-You-Can" (PWYC) performances providing access to all residents regardless of economic means;[7][8] "Playmaking," which pairs students with professional playwrights;[9] "Woolly D.C.," in which a neighborhood joins together to create an original production based on an issue of common community concern; and internships, workshops, and theater classes, including a partnership with the University of Maryland, College Park.[10]

Current Productions [edit]

For resident theatre companies "repertory is destiny" - a theatre company acquires its audience by the productions it presents.[11] Woolly Mammoth's productions are new plays that "explore the edges of theatrical style and human experience"[12]

2013-2014 [edit]

America's Tell-Tale Heart[13]

  • Detroit by Lisa D’Amour
  • Appropriate by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
  • We Are Proud To Present A Presentation About The Herero Of Namibia, Formerly Known As South West Africa, From The German Sudwestafrika, Between The Years 1884-1915 by Jackie Sibblies Drury
  • Arguendo created and performed by Elevator Repair Service
  • The Totalitarians By Peter Sinn Nachtrieb
  • Just The Two Of Each Of Us created and performed by The Pajama Men

2012-2013 [edit]

My Roots My Revolution[14]

Notable playwrights and productions [edit]

Woolly Mammoth has produced works by the following playwrights in the seasons indicated:[15]

  • Sherry Kramer: David's Redhaired Death (1990-91)
  • Nicky Silver: Fat Men in Skirts (1990–91); Free Will & Wanton Lust (1992–93); The Food Chain (1993–94); Raised in Captivity (1996–97)
  • Amy Freed: Psychic Life of Savages (1994–95); Freedomland (1998–99)
  • Philip Ridley: The Pitchfork Disney (1994-95)
  • Doug Wright: Watbanaland (1995–96); Quills (1996–97)
  • Robert Alexander: The Last Orbit of Billy Mars (1998-99)
  • David Lindsay-Abaire: Wonder of the World (1999–2000)
  • Tracy Letts: Bug (1999-2000)
  • Craig Wright: Recent Tragic Events (2002–03); Grace (2003–04)
  • Mickey Birnbaum: Big Death & Little Death (2004-05)
  • Ian Cohen: Lenny & Lou (2004-05)
  • Sarah Ruhl: The Clean House (2004-05); Dead Man's Cell Phone (2006–07), which subsequently was produced at Playwrights Horizons in New York [16] and Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago [17]
  • Bridget Carpenter: The Faculty Room (2005-06)
  • Sheila Callaghan: Fever/Dream (2008–09)
  • Robert O'Hara: Antebellum (2008–09); Bootycandy (2010-11)
  • Jason Grote: Maria/Stuart (2008–09); Civilization: all you can eat (2011-2012)
  • Mike Daisey: If You See Something Say Something (2007–08); How Theater Failed America (2008-09); The Last Cargo Cult (2009-10); The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs (2010-11)
  • David Adjmi: Stunning (2007–08) [18]
  • Laura Schellhardt: The K of D, an urban legend (2007–08) [19]
  • Melissa James Gibson: Current Nobody (2007–08)
  • Josh Lefkowitz: Now What? (2007–08)
  • Bruce Norris: The Unmentionables (2007-08); Clybourne Park (2009-10), winner 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Drama
  • Peter Sinn Nachtrieb: Boom (2008-09) [20]
  • Danai Gurira: Eclipsed (2009-10); The Convert (2012-13)
  • Samuel D. Hunter: A Bright New Boise (2011-2012) [21]
  • Anne Washburn: Mr. Burns, a post-electric play (2011-12) [22]

Awards [edit]

Overall, Woolly Mammoth has earned 130 Helen Hayes Nominations and won 31 Helen Hayes Awards.[23] Its more prestigious awards include:

  • 2007 Outstanding Non-Resident Production, In the Continuum.[23]
  • 2006 Outstanding Resident Play, The Clean House.[23]
  • 2006 The Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play or Musical, Starving.[23]
  • 1994 The Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play or Musical, Free Will and Wanton Lust.[23]
  • 1988 Outstanding New Play, National Defense.[23]
  • 1987 Outstanding New Play, New York Mets.[23]
  • 1986 Outstanding New Play, Metamorphosis.[23]

Affiliations [edit]

Woolly Mammoth is a member of the National New Play Network,[24] Theatre Communications Group, the League of Washington Theaters, and the Cultural Alliance of Greater Washington. The Theatre’s programs are supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities, and the National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs Program of United States Commission of Fine Arts.

See also [edit]

Portal icon Theatre portal

References [edit]

  1. ^ Woolly Mammoth website
  2. ^ McInturff Architects website
  3. ^ Theatre Project Consultants website
  4. ^ American Institute of Architects website
  5. ^ United States Institute for Theatre Technology website
  6. ^ Woolly Mammoth website
  7. ^ TheEagleOnline.com
  8. ^ Michael O'Sullivan (13 November 2009). "Weekend-Frugal Fun-Theater". The Washington Post. pp. Weekend–27. Retrieved 2009-11-15. 
  9. ^ StudioTheatre.org
  10. ^ University of Maryland website
  11. ^ TCG.org
  12. ^ "About Woolly". Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company. Retrieved 13 March 2013. 
  13. ^ "Season 34: America's Tell-Tale Heart". Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company. Retrieved 13 March 2013. 
  14. ^ "My Roots My Revolution - Season 33 2012-2013". Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company. Retrieved 13 March 2013. 
  15. ^ Woolly Mammoth production history
  16. ^ BroadwayWorld.com
  17. ^ ChicagoTheaterBlog.com
  18. ^ [1]
  19. ^ [2]
  20. ^ [3]
  21. ^ [4]
  22. ^ [5]
  23. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Helen Hayes Awards Search Recipients - Woolly Mammoth". Retrieved 2010-02-16. 
  24. ^ National New Play Network website

External links [edit]

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