The Lyric Stage Company of Boston

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The Lyric Stage Company of Boston is the oldest professional theatre company in Boston.^[1] Founded in 1974, the Lyric Stage Company is a non-profit organization located at 140 Clarendon Street in the YWCA building. The theatre produces about seven plays and musicals each season and is especially well known for its productions of Stephen Sondheim musicals.

The Lyric Stage Company of Boston

Inside the theatre of the Lyric Stage
Address	140 Clarendon Street Boston, Massachusetts United States
Type	Non-profit
Capacity	234[2]
Opened	1974[3]
Years active	43
Website
https://www.lyricstage.com/

Mission[]

The mission of the Lyric Stage Company of Boston is to produce intimate, challenging and entertaining theatre; reflect the tastes and backgrounds of 21st century Boston; and provide a home for Boston-based theatre artists to establish and expand their careers.^[4] It accomplishes this through outreach programs, employment, training, and development opportunities.

History[]

Building[]

The Lyric Stage Company of Boston was founded in 1974 by Ron Ritchell and Polly Hogan and began performances in the Community Church on Boylston Street. Two years later, the Lyric Stage moved to a theatre at 56 Charles Street.^[5] The stage was less than 300 square feet and sat no more than 103 audience members. The Lyric Stage moved again 140 Clarendon Street where it currently resides. The current theatre is almost triple the original size, includes a band loft, and seats 234.^[6]

Theatre[]

The Lyric Stage's first season consisted of Antigone and The Second Man. The Importance of Being Earnest was its first production at 54 Charles Street; the theatre at 140 Clarendon opened with a production of Red Hot & Cole.^[7] In its 1995–96 season, the Lyric Stage's production of Whoop-Dee-Doo! earned the theatre its first Elliot Norton Award for Outstanding Designer. The theatre's first large-scale musical production occurred in its 2001–02 season with Sunday in the Park with George. A 2014 production of Into the Woods is the highest grossing run in Lyric Stage history.^[8]

Community Involvement[]

As part of its mission to support the Boston theatre scene, the Lyric Stage is committed to casting and hiring local playwrights, actors, directors, designers, and musicians. Since its founding, the Lyric Stage has employed over 800 actors and 160 designers.^[9]

Fresh Ink Theatre Partnership[]

The Lyric Stage Company of Boston develops new plays through its partnership with Fresh Ink Theatre.^[10] This initiative supports playwrights, actors and directors through the development of new works.

Lyric First Stage[]

Lyric First stage is a summer program designed for young artists to gain theatrical experience.^[11] The program consists of professional mentors who teach a company of teenagers through workshops in music, text, and movement. At the end of each Lyric First Stage program, these young artists perform fully staged productions for a live audience.

Lyric First Curtain[]

Lyric First Curtain is an educational initiative which gives Boston educators the ability to include drama in their curriculum.^[12] This program gives students the opportunity to experience theatre, which they may not otherwise have access to, and delivers theatre education to local communities. Lyric First Curtain is currently in residence at McKinley School (Boston Public Schools) and at the Dudley Public Library.

Past Productions[]

Season	Show 1	Show 2	Show 3	Show 4	Show 5	Show 6	Show 7	Show 8	Show 9
1974–1975	Antigone	The Second Man
1975–1976	Oedipus Rex	Ghosts
1976–1977	The Importance of Being Earnest	The Glass Menagerie	A Child's Christmas in Wales	The Lady's Not for Burning	The Homecoming	The Master Builder
1977–1978	Mrs. Warren's Profession	A Child's Christmas in Wales	Hedda Gabler	The Little Foxes
1978–1979	The Autumn Garden	A Child's Christmas in Wales	A Moon for the Misbegotten	Playboy of the Western World	Old Times	The Philanderer	Relatively Speaking
1979–1980	Much Ado about Nothing	The Show-Off	A Child's Christmas in Wales	A Touch of Poet	You Never Can Tell	Antigone
1980–1981	Hedda Gabler	The Glass Menagerie	A Child's Christmas in Wales	Juno and the Paycock	Arms and the Man	The Price	The Norman Conquests
1981–1982	All My Sons	The Norman Conquests	A Child's Christmas in Wales	The Master Builder	The Little Foxes	Misalliance	The Plough and the Stars
1982–1983	Twain's Folly	Private Lives	A Child's Christmas in Wales	The Diary of Anne Frank	A Moon for the Misbegotten		Mrs. Warren's Profession	You Can't Take It with You	The True Irving Rifkin
1983–1984	Goodly Creatures Loot	A Child's Christmas in Wales	Blithe Spirit	Awake and Sing	Taking Steps	You Can Never Tell
1984–1985	Handy Dandy	Another Part of the Forest	A Child's Christmas in Wales	A View from the Bridge	French without Tears	Playboy of the Western World
1985–1986	Widowers’ Houses	Juno and the Paycock	A Child's Christmas in Wales	Painting Churches	Harvey	Absurd Person Singular	Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
1986–1987	And a Nightingale Sang	The Norman Conquests	A Child's Christmas in Wales	The Hasty Heart	A Streetcar Named Desire	Candida	Quartermaine's Terms
1987–1988	The Price	Hay Fever	How the Other Half Loves	A Child's Christmas in Wales	The Bishop's Bonfire	What the Butler Saw	The Common Pursuit
1988–1989	What the Butler Saw	The Big Knife	A Child's Christmas in Wales	Arms and the Man	Present Laughter	The Caretaker	Not About Heroes
1989–1990	Bedroom Farce	The Autumn Garden	A Child's Christmas in Wales	The Vortex	Otherwise Engaged	A Shayna Maidel
1990–1991	Misalliance	Woman in Mind	A Child's Christmas in Wales	The Diary of Anne Frank	Butley	Drinking in America	A Thurber Reunion	Fallen Angels
1991–1992	Red Hot and Cole	A Christmas Carol	Ghosts	You Never Can Tell	"Master Harold"...and the Boys	Our Country's Good	The Man Who Came to Dinner
1992–1993	The Liar	Widowers’ Houses	A Child's Christmas in Wales	American Buffalo	The Mystery of Irma Vep	Rodgers & Hart: A Celebration	The Price	Tales of Sholem Aleichman
1993–1994	From Boston to Portland: The Fred Allen Story	The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me	A Child's Christmas in Wales	The Substance of Fire	A Woman of No Importance	My Astonishing Self	Pump Boys and Dinettes
1994–1995	The Philanderer	Good Evening	A Child's Christmas in Wales	An Ideal Husband	Mrs. Warren's Profession	Time of My Life
1995–1996	Whoop-Dee-Doo!	Hay Fever	Lady Windermere's Fan	A Child's Christmas in Wales	Oedipus Rex	Not About Heroes
1996–1997	Entertaining Mr. Sloane	Candida	A Child's Christmas in Wales	Blithe Spirit	Speed-the-Plow	How the Other Half Loves	Juno and the Paycock
1997–1998	Antigone Pygmalion	A Child's Christmas in Wales	Laughter on the 23rd Floor	Present Laughter	The Heiress	Lost in Yonkers
1998–1999	What the Butler Saw	Assassins	A Christmas Carol & The Night Before Christmas	The Miser	The Baltimore Waltz	Never the Sinner: The Leopold and Loeb Story	When Pigs Fly
1999–2000	Morning's at Seven	The Old Settler	She Loves Me	The Comedy of Errors	Communicating Doors	The Judas Kiss	The World Goes ‘Round
2000–2001	Side Man	A…My Name Will Always Be Alice	Inspecting Carol	The Complete History of America (Abridged)	No Way to Treat a Lady	Over the River and Through the Woods	The Curse of the Bambino
2001–2002	Sunday in the Park with George	Lobby Hero	Nuncrackers: The Nunsense Christmas Musical	The Miracle Worker	The Lisbon Traviata	Glengarry Glen Ross	Lend Me a Tenor
2002–2003	Dirty Blonde	The Gig	Epic Proportions		It's All True	2 Lives	Side Show
2003–2004	When Pigs Fly	Book of Days	Meshuggah-Nuns!	Private Lives	The Spitfire Grill	The Mercy Seat	Noises Off
2004–2005	A Little Night Music	Ears on a Beatle	Fully Committed	The Glass Menagerie		Living Out	Shakespeare in Hollywood
2005–2006	Urinetown: The Musical	A Number	Crowns	The Underpants	The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?	Talley's Folly	Kong's Night Out
2006–2007	1776	Nine Parts of Desire	See What I Wanna See	Souvenir	Miss Witherspoon	Arms and The Man
2007–2008	Man of La Mancha	Dying City	This Wonderful Life	Adrift in Macao	The Scene	Three Tall Women	The Importance of Being Earnest
2008–2009	Follies	November	The Mystery of Irma Vep	The Year of Magical Thinking	Cat on a Hot Tin Roof	Speech and Debate	Grey Gardens
2009–2010	Kiss Me, Kate	Dead Man's Cell Phone	Shipwrecked! An Entertainment	Groundswell	Legacy of Light	Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill	Blithe Spirit
2010–2011	The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee	The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby	The Understudy	My Name Is Asher Lev	Broke-ology	Animal Crackers
2011–2012	Big River	Or,	Ain't Misbehavin’	Superior Donuts	Time Stands Still	The Temperamentals	Avenue Q
2012–2013	The Mikado		Chinglish	33 Variations	Stones in His Pockets	By the Way, Meet Vera Stark	On the Town
2013–2014	One Man, Two Guvnors	Water by the Spoonful	Becky's New Car	Working	Death of a Salesman	Rich Girl	Into the Woods
2014–2015	Sweeney Todd	Dear Elizabeth	The Tale of the Allergist's Wife	Red Hot Patriot	Intimate Apparel	City of Angels	Light Up the Sky
2015–2016	My Fair Lady	Saturday Night/Sunday Morning	Buyer & Cellar	Sondheim on Sondheim	Fast Company	Mr. Burns, a post-electric play	Peter and the Starcatcher
2016–2017	Company	Warrior Class	Murder for Two	Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?	Stage Kiss	Barbecue	Camelot
2017–2018	Gypsy	Souvenir	Hold These Truths	Road Show	Virginia Woolf's Orlando	Anna Christie	The Wiz
2018–2019	Kiss of the Spider Woman	The Roommate	Breath & Imagination	The Wolves	The Little Foxes	Twelfth Night	Pacific Overtures
2019–2020	Little Shop of Horrors	The Thanksgiving Play	Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express	The Cake			A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder

Ref^[13]

Awards[]

2019[]

• IRNE Award – Best Projection Design, Small Theatre

Jonathan Carr, Kiss of the Spider Woman

• IRNE Award – Best Supporting Actress (Musical),  Small Theater

Yewande Odetoyinbo, Breath and Imagination

• IRNE Award – Best Actor (Musical), Small Theater

Eddy Cavazos, Kiss of the Spider Woman ^[14]

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Production, Midsize Theater

The Wolves

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Musical Performance

Davron S. Monroe, Breath & Imagination

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Director, Midsize Theater

A. Nora Long, The Wolves ^[15]

2018[]

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Musical Performance by an Actor

Will McGarrahan, Souvenir

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Musical Performance by an Actress

Leigh Barrett, Gypsy and Souvenir

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Director, Musical Theater

Summer L. Williams, Barbecue^[16]

2017[]

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Actress, Midsize Theatre

Paula Plum, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Production, Midsize Theatre

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

• IRNE Award – Best Projection Design

Seaghan McKay, Sondheim on Sondheim

2016[]

• IRNE Award – Best Solo Performance

Phil Tayler, Buyer & Cellar

• IRNE Award – Best Actress, Midsize (Drama)

Lindsey McWhorter, Intimate Apparel

• IRNE Award – Best Actress, Musical

Jennifer Ellis, My Fair Lady

• IRNE Award – Best Director, Musical

Scott Edmiston, My Fair Lady

• IRNE Award – Best Musical

My Fair Lady

• IRNE Award – Special Award for Valiant Replacement

Paula Plum, Red Hot Patriot

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Musical Production, Midsize, Small or Fringe

My Fair Lady

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Actress, Midsize

Cloteal Horne, Saturday Night/Sunday Morning

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Solo Performance

Phil Tayler, Buyer & Cellar

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Director, Midsize

Scott Edmiston, My Fair Lady

• Elliot Norton Award – Musical Performance by an Actress

Jennifer Ellis, My Fair Lady

2015[]

• IRNE Award – Best Lighting Design

Franklin Meissner, Jr., Sweeney Todd

• IRNE Award – Best Ensemble, Midsize

Into the Woods

• IRNE Award – Best Supporting Actress, Midsize (Drama)

Paula Plum, Death of a Salesman

• IRNE Award – Best Supporting Actor, Midsize (Drama)

Kelby T. Akin, Death of a Salesman

• IRNE Award – Best Director of a Musical

Spiro Veloudos, Into the Woods

• IRNE Award – Best Musical

Into the Woods

• IRNE Award – Best Play, Midsize

Death of a Salesman

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Actor, Midsize

Nael Nacer, Intimate Apparel

• Elliot Norton Award – Best Director, Midsize

Spiro Veloudos, Into the Woods

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Musical Performance by an Actress

Aimee Doherty, Into the Woods

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Musical Production

Into the Woods

2014[]

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Musical Performance by an Actress

Aimee Doherty, On the Town

• IRNE Award – Best Supporting Actor in a Play

John Davin, One Man, Two Guvnors

2013[]

• IRNE Award – Best Musical

Avenue Q

• IRNE Award – Best Actress in a Play

Celeste Oliva, Chinglish

• IRNE Award – Best Actress in a Musical

Erica Spyres, Avenue Q

• IRNE Award – Best Supporting Actor in a Musical

David Kravitz, The Mikado

• IRNE Award – Best Music Director

Catherine Stornetta, Avenue Q

• IRNE Award – Best Director of a Musical

Spiro Veloudos, Avenue Q

• IRNE Award – Best Puppet Appearance

Avenue Q

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Musical Production

Avenue Q

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Ensemble

Avenue Q

2011[]

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Production

The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Parts 1 & 2

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Director

Spiro Veloudos & Courtney O'Connor, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Parts 1 & 2

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Actor

Johnny Lee Davenport, Broke-ology

2010[]

• IRNE Award – Best Play by Midsize Company

The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Parts 1 & 2

• IRNE Award – Best Director of a Drama

Spiro Veloudos, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Parts 1 & 2

• IRNE Award – Best Supporting Actor

Jason Powers, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Parts 1 & 2

• IRNE Award – Best Ensemble

The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Parts 1 & 2

• IRNE Award – Best Lighting

Scott Clyve, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Parts 1 & 2

2009[]

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Production

Speech & Debate

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Director

Scott Edmiston, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

• IRNE Award – Best Musical

Grey Gardens

• IRNE Award – Best Music Director

Jonathan Goldberg, Grey Gardens and Kiss Me, Kate

• IRNE Award – Best Director (Musical)

Spiro Veloudos, Grey Gardens and Kiss Me, Kate

2007[]

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Production

Miss Witherspoon

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Actress

Paula Plum, Miss Witherspoon

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Actor

Larry Coen, Miss Witherspoon

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Design

Dewey Dellay, Miss Witherspoon

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Actress in a Musical

Leigh Barrett, Souvenir

• IRNE Award – Best Musical

Man of La Mancha

• IRNE Award – Best Director of a Musical

Spiro Veloudos, Man of La Mancha

• IRNE Award – Best Musical Director

Jonathan Goldberg, Man of La Mancha

• IRNE Award – Best Actress in a Musical

Caroline DeLima, Man of La Mancha

• IRNE Award – Best Supporting Actor in a Musical

Robert Saoud, Man of La Mancha

• IRNE Award – Best Lighting

Scott Clyve, Man of La Mancha

• IRNE Award – Best Set Design

Janie E. Howland, Man of La Mancha

2006[]

• Elliot Norton Award – Recipient of the Elliot Norton Prize for Sustained Excellence

Spiro Veloudos

• IRNE Award – Best Actress in a Comedy or Drama

Paula Plum, The Goat Or, Who Is Sylvia?

• IRNE Award – Best Solo Performance

Lanna Joffrey, 9 Parts of Desire

• IRNE Award – Best Actor in a Musical

1776, Peter A. Carey

• IRNE Award – Best Supporting Actor/Musical

1776, Timothy John Smith

2005[]

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Actress

Andrea Ross, A Little Night Music

• IRNE Award – Best Musical Production

Urinetown

• IRNE Award – Best Choreography

Ilyse Robbins, Urinetown

• IRNE Award – Best Direction

Spiro Veloudos, Urinetown

2004[]

• IRNE Award – Best Musical Production

A Little Night Music

• IRNE Award – Best Director of a Musical

Spiro Veloudos, A Little Night Music

• IRNE Award – Best Music Direction

Jon Goldberg, A Little Night Music

• IRNE Award – Best Actor in a Musical

Christopher Chew, A Little Night Music

• IRNE Award – Best Actress in a Musical

Maryann Zschau, A Little Night Music

• IRNE Award – Best Costume Design

David Cabral, A Little Night Music, Noises Off

2003[]

• Theatre Hero Award –

Spiro Veloudos

• IRNE Award – Best Supporting Actress

Ellen Colton, Beyond Belief

• IRNE Award – Best Supporting Actor/Musical

Steven Barkheimer, Book of Days

• IRNE Award – Best Supporting Actor in a Musical

Brian Robinson, When Pigs Fly, Side Show

2002[]

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Musical Production

Sunday in the Park with George

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Actor

Robert Pemberton, Lobby Hero

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Costume Design

Gail Astrid Buckley, Curse of the Bambino

• IRNE Award – Outstanding Musical

Sunday in the Park with George

• IRNE Award – Outstanding Director

Spiro Veloudos, Sunday in the Park with George

• IRNE Award – Outstanding Actress

Maryann Zschau, No Way to Treat a Lady, Sunday in the Park with George

• IRNE Award – Outstanding Actor

Jason Schuchman, Lobby Hero

2001[]

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Actor

Phillip Patrone, Side Man

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Actress

Bobbie Steinbach, Over The River and Through the Woods

• IRNE Award – Outstanding Actress

Bobbie Steinbach, Over The River and Through the Woods

• IRNE Award – Outstanding Choreographer

Ilyse Robbins, She Love Me, A... My Name Will Always Be Alice

• IRNE Award – Outstanding Supporting Actor

Philip Patrone, Side Man

• IRNE Award – Outstanding Supporting Actress

Jacqui Parker, A... My Name Will Always be Alice

2000[]

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Production

The Old Settler

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Actress

Jacqui Parker, The Old Settler

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Director

Spiro Veloudos, Lost in Yonkers, Assassins, Never the Sinner

• IRNE Award – Outstanding Production

The Old Settler

• IRNE Award – Outstanding Director

Lois Roach, The Old Settler

• IRNE Award – Outstanding Actress

Jacqui Parker, The Old Settler

• IRNE Award – Outstanding Actor

Steve McConnell, The Judas Kiss

1999[]

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Actress

Sheila Ferrini, Lost in Yonkers

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Direction

Spiro Veloudos, Lost in Yonkers, Assassins, Never the Sinner

• Best of Boston – Best Theatre Artistic Director

Spiro Veloudos

1997[]

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Production

Speed-The-Plow

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Designer

Janie Fliegel, Speed-the-Plow/Blithe Spirit

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Actress

Dee Nelson, Blithe Spirit

1995[]

• Elliot Norton Award – Outstanding Designer

Howard Crabtree, Whoop-Dee-Doo

Ref^{[17] [18] [19]}

References[]

External links[]

• The Lyric Stage Website