Classic Stage Company (CSC)

"Following the COVID-19 shutdown, CSC re-opened our theater in November 2021 with a new production of Stephen Sondheim and John Weidmans groundbreaking musical ASSASSINS, directed by then-Artistic Director John Doyle. ASSASSINS was in rehearsals when the pandemic forced the theater to postpone the highly-anticipated production. ASSASSINS saw the successful return to the stage for CSC, maintaining its full original cast, and was seen by over 16,000 audience members. The well-received production closed on Sunday, January 23rd after 74 performances. Assassins was nominated for four Lucille Lortel Awards, three Drama Desk Awards, and six Outer Critics Circle Awards. Following ASSASSINS, CSCs next production was the New York Premiere of SNOW IN MIDSUMMER by Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig, based on the 13th century Chinese play The Injustice to Dou Yi That Moved Heaven and Earth by Guan Hanqing. SNOW IN MIDSUMMER was directed by innovative, emerging director Zi Alikhan and featured an all East Asian cast. Furthermore, CSC is committed to expanding the voices on our stage and to presenting works that represent our community. During the run of SNOW IN MIDSUMMER, CSC worked to enhance community partnerships and outreach outside of our typical audiences to build a more diverse and younger audience base. This included strategic partnerships with Ma-Yi Theater Company on development of a Public Forum and Nonviolent Peaceforce for guidance as CSC further developed its approach to community care and safety for AANHPI audience members attending the show. CSC also worked with ten student groups and 37 different AANHPI community groups and organizations to offer complimentary and discounted tickets to engage the community in CSCs work and raise awareness for our theater.CSC has continued to augment its mainstage work with virtual programs available for free online. Programs that were launched during the COVID-19 shutdown including Classic Conversations Online, a free weekly video program featuring conversations with a range of leading theatrical artists, including discussions with BIPOC artists on issues of social justice and the monthly CSC Podcast focused on continuing the question of what defines a ""classic"X and providing deeper insight with artists involved with our mainstage productions during the FY22 season.CSC's Educational programs also continued. CSC successfully completed its NextGen program for the year, maintaining a consistent schedule (twice-monthly Monday meetings plus 1-2 additional weekend workshops per semester), providing nine insightful behind-the-scenes seminars with theater artists and professionals. And through our partnership with Manhattan Youth, CSCs After School Workshops were able to continue and return to in-person learning in the spring of 2022 with an in-depth study of Macbeth. "