Playwright in Residence, 2010-2011: Theresa Rebeck O, Beautiful
Matthew Kinservik, Theresa Rebeck, Sanford Robbins,
The intention of this project was to commission a prominent American playwright to create a new play for UD’s professional theatre company, the Resident Ensemble Players (REP) and, while doing so, to be a guest instructor in a variety of English Department courses in fiction writing and drama. An additional aspect of this commission was for the author to deliver a public lecture on a topic of her or his choice.A commission was offered to Theresa Rebeck, Broadway and off-Broadway playwright (winner of the PEN/Laura Pels Foundation Award for an American Playwright in Mid-Career) and successful author/producer for television (L.A. Law, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, NYPD Blue, NBC’s new series Smash), as well as critically acclaimed novelist.Ms. Rebeck delivered a public lecture for the Freshman Experience, participated in seven English Department courses (including a special meeting of English students and faculty), and three large Theatre Department lecture courses. In these courses Ms. Rebeck interacted with a total of approximately 958 students.The play she created for REP, titled, O Beautiful was the subject of a cover story in the New York Times arts section on April 14, 2011.The production was designed by a team of top professionals and directed by REP Producing Artistic Director, Sanford Robbins.Subsequently, O Beautiful has been produced at Connecticut Repertory Theatre in fall 2012. O Beautiful will open the season at the Alley Theatre in August of 2013.