Williamstown Theatre Festival

The Williamstown Theatre Festival (WTF) is a renowned summer theater festival located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, recognized with a Tony Award for its contribution to the American theater. Established during the winter of 1954 by Ralph Renzi, News Director of Williams College, and David C. Bryant, chairman of the college's drama program, the festival was conceived to utilize the Adams Memorial Theatre on the Williams College campus for a summer theater season. With initial support from local businessmen, town residents, including the celebrated composer Cole Porter, and a $9,000 bankroll, the Williamstown Summer Theatre—later renamed Williamstown Theatre Festival—was founded. The first season was directed by Bryant, who enlisted the help of Nikos Psacharopoulos, recommended by the Dean of the Yale School of Drama, to direct half of the season's ten plays. The company consisted of New York professionals, Yale actors and alumni, and Williamstown students. Over the years, the festival has grown in ambition and scope, with Psacharopoulos serving as artistic director and introducing an increasingly ambitious repertory that featured works by Shaw, Giradoux, Miller, Williams, and Chekhov. The festival became a nurturing ground for actors like Blythe Danner, Olympia Dukakis, Edward Herrmann, Kate Burton, James Naughton, and Christopher Reeve. The 1960s and 1970s saw the festival become known for innovative interpretations of classics, with productions such as "The Seagull," "Galileo," and "The Threepenny Opera." The festival expanded to include auxiliary activities like the Apprentice Workshop, Second Company, Late-Night Cabarets, and literary events. After Psacharopoulos's passing in 1989, the festival continued to evolve under various artistic directors, including Peter Hunt, Michael Ritchie, Roger Rees, Nicholas Martin, Jenny Gersten, and Mandy Greenfield. Under their leadership, the festival has seen numerous productions transfer to Broadway and regional theaters, and has received accolades such as the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre in 2002 and the Commonwealth Award for Achievement. The festival's mission is to produce classic and new plays with distinction and verve, offer a training program for emerging theater talents, and create programs that serve and engage a diverse community. It has been a launching pad for many successful careers in the theater industry, with alumni including Matthew Broderick, Audra McDonald, Susan Stroman, Uma Thurman, and Blair Underwood. The Williamstown Theatre Festival is a 501(c)(3) organization with a tax identification number of 04-2237311. It is located at 1000 Main Street, Williamstown, MA, and operates with a dedicated staff and a Board of Trustees. The festival also benefits from the support of The Guild, a group of over 125 volunteers and local businesses that foster a relationship between the community and the festival's artists and administrators. For more information or to engage with the festival, individuals can contact the festival's box office, visit their offices in Williamstown or New York City, or reach out via email. The festival's commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, accessibility, anti-racism, and anti-oppression is reflected in its ongoing strategic planning and progress reports.