American Shakespeare Theatre

American Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford, Conn., until 1972 the American Shakespeare Festival Theatre, was founded through the initiative of Lawrence Langner. Designed by Edwin Howard and seating 1,534, it stands on the bank of the Housatonic river, its octagonal shape being based on that of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London, and seeks to combine modern and traditional forms in a flexible, functional whole. It opened in 1955 with Raymond Massey and Christopher Plummer in repertory in Julius Caesar and The Tempest. The following year three productions were given, over a longer season, and the nucleus of a permanent company was established. The theatre enhanced its reputation under John Houseman, its Artistic Director 1956–9, and in 1958 Katharine Hepburn played Beatrice in Much Ado about Nothing in the company's first national tour. The repertory later included classic plays other than those of Shakespeare as well as revivals of modern American plays, and many famous actors were seen there. In 1981 James Earl Jones and Christopher Plummer played Othello and lago, but in the same year mounting financial problems forced the theatre to close. It was purchased by the state of Connecticut in 1983, but remained dark until 1989, when it reopened with two productions from the American Conservatory Theatre.