The Acting Company was founded in 1972 by John Houseman, then head of the Drama Division of the Juilliard School. Loath to see his first class of actors disbanded, he founded the Group 1 Acting Company in New York City to make use of their talents. The group has been affiliated with City Center in New York and toured in association with the Kennedy Center; currently producing and touring in association with the Guthrie Theater. The Acting Company has performed over 130 plays for over 3 million people in 48 states and ten foreign countries. The company also operates education programs for students in under-served and disadvantaged communities and promotes theater via a touring company that showcases classical productions and new talent.
The Acting Company has been honored with the Obie Award, the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award, Citibank's Excellence in Education Award, two AUDELCO Awards, and Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre in 2003.
Notable alumni include Rainn Wilson, Kevin Kline, Patti LuPone, Frances Conroy, Harriet Harris, Jesse L. Martin, Keith David, Dennis Boutsikaris, David Ogden Stiers, Jeffrey Wright, Kevin Conroy, Megan Gallagher, Jack Kenny, Mary Lou Rosato, and Dakin Matthews.
Famous quotes containing the words acting and/or company:
“I would rather miss the mark acting well than win the day acting basely.”
—Sophocles (497–406/5 B.C.)
“... possibly there is no needful occupation which is wholly unbeautiful. The beauty of work depends upon the way we meet it—whether we arm ourselves each morning to attack it as an enemy that must be vanquished before night comes, or whether we open our eyes with the sunrise to welcome it as an approaching friend who will keep us delightful company all day, and who will make us feel, at evening, that the day was well worth its fatigues.”
—Lucy Larcom (1824–1893)