Actors Theater of Louisville

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Actors Theatre of Louisville (Kentucky). A professional resident theatre founded by Richard Block and Ewel Cornett in 1964, it began to achieve major recognition after Jon Jory became its producing director in 1969; he would remain for three decades and make the company one of the most respected American resident theatres. Although the company offers a repertory that includes many classic plays and a Classics in Context Festival, it has become best known for its promotion of new native work. The annual Humana Festival of New American Plays, which now incorporates its former one‐act play festival called Shorts, has made the company a leading advocate of contemporary playwriting. Among the dramas to receive trial productions there were Crimes of the Heart, Getting Out, Agnes of God, Extremities, and The Gin Game. Originally located in a loft, then in an abandoned Illinois Central railroad station, the company now performs in three playhouses: the 637‐seat Pamela Brown Auditorium, the 319‐seat arena‐style Bingham Theatre, and the 159‐seat Victor Jory Theatre. The troupe has performed on numerous international stages and in 1980 won a Tony Award for outstanding nonprofit resident theatre.