The Intiman Theatre in Seattle, Washington, was founded in 1972 by Margaret Booker, who named it for August Strindberg's Stockholm theater. With a focus on a resident acting ensemble, fidelity to the playwright's intentions and a close relationship between actor and audience, the Intiman established itself as Seattle's "classic" theater. Its debut season in 1972 included Rosmersholm , The Creditors , The Underpants , and Brecht on Brecht . Since that time, the theater has been host to Tony-nominated Director Bartlett Sher (who serves as both a director and artistic director), Tony-nominated actress Celia Keenan-Bolger, and movie actor Tom Skerritt. It was also home to the world premieres of the Tony-winning Broadway musical The Light in the Piazza and Craig Lucas's Singing Forest . Lucas is also the Associate Artistic Director. The Intiman won the 2006 Regional Theatre Tony Award. [1]

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History

The Intiman's original location was a 65-seat theater in Kirkland, Washington. Under the leadership of artistic directors Megs and John Booker, the Intiman officially incorporated as a non-profit theatre in 1973. Over the next few years, the company mounted productions at Cornish College and Gary Austin's Second Stage Theatre in Seattle, growing in attendance and budget each season. By 1976, Intiman was established as "Seattle's Classic Theatre" and featured a resident company of fourteen actors, including Megan Cole, Clayton Corzatte, Ted D'Arms, John Gilbert, Patricia Healy, Richard Riele and Jean Smart.

In 1977, Intiman opened year-round administrative offices in Pioneer Square and hired its first general manager, Simon Siegl. With a season of five classic plays, Intiman also embarked on the second year of "New Plays Onstage," a program that featured staged readings of contemporary works directed and performed by members of the ensemble. Over the next several years, the Theatre was awarded institutional status by the King County and Washington State Arts Commissions and a challenge grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. In 1982, it enjoyed the culmination of a three-year planning process with its participation in Scandinavia Today, an international exposition of Nordic culture that took place in five American cities. The Intiman presented staged readings of five contemporary works and two great classics on its main stage: The Wild Duck and A Dream Play , in collaboration with top Scandinavian directors, designers and playwrights.

Led by Megs Booker and Simon Siegl, Intiman began to prepare for a move to a new performance space after it was announced that the Second Stage - Intiman's home for nine seasons — would be demolished to make way for the Washington State Convention Center. Though Intiman was established as a cornerstone of the Seattle arts community, it was the only professional resident theatre in the area that did not have a permanent home. Over the next few years it operated in locations all over the city, including the Broadway Performance Hall, on short-term rental agreements.

In 1985, Peter Davis joined Intiman as its first managing director and engineered a complete restructuring of the financial and administrative areas of the company. A former scenic designer who had worked for both Intiman and Seattle Repertory Theatre, Davis negotiated a plan for Intiman to operate and manage its own facility — the Seattle Center Playhouse, located in the cultural heart of Seattle. Originally built for the 1962 World's Fair, the Playhouse was given new life with a $1.2 million renovation. For the first time, all of Intiman's operations were in one location — performance, rehearsal, production, shop and administrative areas. Holding a 22-year lease from the City of Seattle, Intiman moved into the renovated Intiman Playhouse at the Seattle Center in 1987.

In 1994, Intiman became the first regional theatre company in the country to be awarded the rights to produce Tony Kushner's two-part epic Angels in America after it won the 1993 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award for Best New Play. Part One: Millennium Approaches closed Intiman's 1994 season, and Part Two: Perestroika opened the 1995 season. Directed by Shook, the complete Angels in America was the most successful production ever to be produced at the theatre, reaching more than 63,000 attendees over its two-year run. Over the next decade, Intiman produced plays by such provocative and influential American writers as Edward Albee, Moisés Kaufman, Ellen McLaughlin, Terrence McNally, David Rabe, Anna Deavere Smith, Paula Vogel, and Chay Yew.

The Intiman today

The Intiman's current project is entitled The American Cycle, a series of five plays written by prominent Americans. As of yet, Thornton Wilder's Our Town adapted John Steinbeck novel The Grapes of Wrath and Native Son. The roster for the following two yearsAll the King's Men (2007), and To Kill a Mockingbird .

Notable Intiman artists

• Bartlett Sher - Artistic Director
• Craig Lucas - Associate Artistic Director
• Tom Skerritt - Actor
• Celia Keenan-Bolger - Actor
• Patti Cohenour - Actor
• Laurence Ballard - Actor
• Jeanne Paulson - Actor

References

1. Intiman wins Tony as best regional theater