Mission Statement
To challenge the perceived truth and values of our time.
Company History
The Alchemy Theatre Company of Manhattan, Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization, serves to challenge the perceived truth and values of our time.
For its inaugural production, David Mamet granted Alchemy the first official rights to the NYC revival of his play, Speed-the-Plow. Alchemy’s production featured regional theatre actor Michael Daly and Juilliard graduates Richard Kaplan and Gretchen Egolf. The crew for Speed-the-Plow was noteworthy, employing Broadway fight-choreographer Rick Sordelet, lighting designer James Vermeulen, and Broadway and movie actor Dallas Roberts, who graciously provided our sound design before heading off to Hollywood to appear in such films as Walk the Line; he also starred in Adam Rapp’s Nocturne at ART and NYTW.
Larry Kramer generously served as a consultant on Alchemy’s next production, Mr. Kramer’s The Normal Heart. Alchemy’s cast and crew were again comprised of accomplished artists, some of whom had worked with such respected companies as Orlando Shakespeare Festival, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, and the Alley Theatre. Like Speed-the-Plow, The Normal Heart elicited many rave reviews, including a front page Arts review in The New York Times.
Alchemy then proudly produced the New York Premiere of Haymarket by Zayd Dohrn, IRNE Award Winner for Permanent Whole Life (Boston Playwrights’ Theatre). This important production that dramatized events of the Haymarket Affair also began Alchemy’s collaboration with Theatre Row, where Alchemy is now a resident company and maintains its Administrative Office.
Next, Alchemy produced another New York Premiere by Zayd Dohrn, Permanent Whole Life at The New York International Fringe Festival. This play was successfully produced by Boston Playwrights’ Theatre before its acceptance at the Fringe.
In 2007, Alchemy became an Off-Broadway company. Our first Off-Broadway production was yet another New York Premiere, Christopher Durang’s The Vietnamization of New Jersey, starring Emmy-Award winner Blanche Baker. This production received a glowing New York Times review along with being a Times Critic’s Pick. We were also thrilled when Mr. Durang, who was involved with the production, accepted our invitation to join Alchemy’s Advisory Board.
Alchemy then presented its fourth New York Premiere, David Wright Crawford’s Harvest. This poignant story about a west Texas cotton farmer’s struggle to save his family and land over a 45 year span was a terrific artistic success and stirred audience members to contact us with praise. We were also a Critic’s Pick in Backstage.
Our next play, our fifth New York Premiere, Umbrella by L. Pontius continued Alchemy’s commitment to plays that challenge the perceived truth and values of our time. In this case, examining the excitement (or brutality) of living in today’s big cities.
Last year, Alchemy was also recognized on PBS-TV’s Theater Talk as “one of the new groups to watch for in 2008.” (Cindy Pierre, New Theatre Corp)
By working with distinguished and talented up-and-coming artists, by making a new home at Theatre Row, by building strong relationships with professional agencies such as the Eliran Murphy Group and Kevin P. McAnarney/KPM Associates, and by challenging the perceived truth and values of our time, Alchemy Theatre boldly and optimistically looks to the future.
Yet, in that future, Alchemy also remembers to continue its past history of generosity. In previous productions, Alchemy held fundraisers for a homeless shelter on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, donated funds from benefit performances to AIDS research and Dr. David Ho at the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, a world-renowned biomedical research institute based in New York City, and has made several contributions to Farm Aid.
We hope you’ll join us for an exciting 2009 when we promise more productions (along with a few surprises) that challenge the perceived truth and values of our time.
