Three world premieres by Residency Five playwrights in Signature Theatre’s 2016/17 season
13 June 2016
New York’s Signature Theatre has announced that three world premieres in its 2016/17 season will be by Residency Five writers will. The Genesis Foundation funds the Theatre’s innovative Residency Five programme in support of the company’s founding principle of honouring and nurturing the playwright.
Everybody by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, from 31 January 2017
A New Play by Will Eno, from 7 February 2017
The Antipodes by Annie Baker, from 4 April 2017
Hailed by The New York Times as “…one of [America’s] most original and illuminating writers”, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins returns for the second production of his residency with a unique and modern re-imagination of Everybody, one of the oldest plays in the English language. Will Eno brings his “… formally inventive, verbally dexterous … and excruciatingly truthful” (The New York Times) voice to A New Play, the final production of his residency, and in April, following on from the tremendous success of her first play John, a sell-out extended run production that appeared on the top ten list of The New York Times, New York Magazine and Time Magazine, Pulitzer Prize-winner Annie Baker returns with the second play of her residency, The Antipodes.
Residency Five is a unique programme at New York’s off-Broadway Signature Theatre which guarantees a group of playwrights three new productions each over the course of a five-year residency. Talking of what inspired him to extend the Foundation’s activities abroad, Founder and Chairman of the Genesis Foundation, John Studzinski CBE says:
“I’ve long been a fan of the Signature Theatre and its commitment to living playwrights. Without doubt it is one of the most dynamic organisations currently working in North America. Since joining its board earlier this year I’ve really been able to immerse myself in this powerhouse of creativity. I am therefore delighted that the Genesis Foundation is able to underwrite Signature Theatre’s programme for nurturing young playwrights.”
