Blank Theatre Company
The Blank Theatre Company is a non-profit theatre company located in Los Angeles, California.
History
The Blank Theatre Company was founded in 1990 by artistic director/Co-Artistic Producer Daniel Henning, who stepped down in 2022, The Blank's mission is to produce either premieres or "reinventions" of previously produced material.In 1992, the theatre began an annual Nationwide Young Playwrights Festival, which has provided an outlet for the creative efforts of over 200 playwrights aged nineteen and younger. Notable alumni of the festival include Pulitzer Prize nominee and 2016 Tony winner for The Humans, Stephen Karam and Jake in Progress creator Austin Winsberg.
The Blank also produces the "Living Room Series", a workshop series of mostly new works. The series culminates in a Monday night performance and is presented nearly every Monday night from Labor Day to Memorial Day. The LRS has developed 600 new plays over the past 25+ years. Many of the scripts have gone on to receive productions and accolades at venues including Manhattan Theatre Club, Laguna Playhouse and Brideswell Theatre in London. In fact, The Explorer's Club by Nell Benjamin went on to win the NY Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play, A Singular They by Aliza Goldstein won the Ted Schmitt Award for World Premiere of an Outstanding New Play, and Heads by EM Lewis won the Francesca Primus Prize.
In April 1996, the company moved to its current home at the 53-seat 2nd Stage Theatre in Hollywood, California, at 6500 Santa Monica Blvd.
Awards
The Blank Theatre Company has received numerous Los Angeles theater awards, including six Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards and three LA Weekly Awards.Personnel
- Daniel Henning - Artistic Director/Producer
- Noah Wyle - Artistic Producer
Notable alumni
- Ed Asner
- Amber Benson
- Nicholas Brendon
- Warren Davis
- Eliza Dushku
- Susan Egan
- Sarah Michelle Gellar
- Alyson Hannigan
- Sally Kellerman
- James Kerwin
- Richard Kind
- Ricki Lake
- Matthew Lillard
- Allison Mack
- James Marsters
- Debra Messing
- Molly Shannon
- Sherri Shepherd
- Kate Shindle
- Bruce Vilanch
- Gedde Watanabe
- Mae Whitman
- Noah Wyle
- Constance Zimmer
Mainstage productions
- The Tragedy of JFK 2016
- Set Up and Punch 2009
- The Jazz Age 2009
- Speech and Debate 2008
- Little Fish 2007
- Heads 2007
- Missouri Waltz 2007
- Hotel C'est L'Amour 2006
- Lobster Alice 2006
- A Hole in the Wall 2006
- The Wild Party 2005
- The Book of Liz 2005
- Les Liaisons Dangereuses 2005
- American Way 2004
- As Is 2004
- Funny... 2003
- Fill in the Blank 2003
- Sanguine 2003
- Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? 2002
- First Lady Suite 2002
- Precious Sons 2000
- The Why 2000
- A Night Out With Young Playwrights 1999
- Starr Struck: A Musical Investigation 1999
- Hello Again 1998
- Loot 1997
- Sky's End 1996
- Breaking the Code 1996
- Young Playwrights Mainstage 95 1995
- Chess 1995
- The Cradle Will Rock 1994
- Gertrude Stein and A Companion 1994
- In Stitches 1994
- Isn't It Romantic? 1993
- The Fantasticks 1993
- A Snake in the Vein 1993
- Sexual Perversity in Chicago / Hills Like White Elephants 1991
- The Winter's Tale 1991
- Hosanna 1990