Synchronicity Theatre only has three full-time and four part-time employees. It doesn’t have a permanent theater space. But it is about to receive one of 10 prestigious $10,000 National Theatre Company grants from the America Theatre Wing this month. Other award-winners will include Philadelphia’s Pig Iron Theatre Company and Austin’s Rude Mechanicals.
To be eligible, theaters must have been in operation for at least five but no more than 15 years. They also must have articulated a distinctive mission, cultivated an audience and nurtured a community of artists in ways that strengthen and demonstrate the quality, diversity and dynamism of American theater. According to the Wing, theaters were chosen for their uniqueness, courage, creativity and inspiring programs that develop new work, outreach and education.
“We are honored by this incredible award,” says Synchronicity Producing Artistic Director Rachel May. “We commend the vision of the American Theatre Wing for recognizing companies like Synchronicity, who may be smaller or lesser-known, but are nevertheless changing the face of American theater.”
May founded Synchronicity in 1997 with three friends, Julie Oshins, Hope Mirlis and Michele Pearce, who have since moved on to other projects. It annually produces a mix of contemporary theater for adults as well as family friendly plays or musicals. Its shows are presented at Horizon Theatre, 7 Stages and the Balzer Theater at Herren’s. Its groundbreaking Playmaking for Girls outreach program uses theater to empower young women before, during and after their journey through the juvenile justice system.
This year, 70 applicants vied for the grant. May and Resources Director Jamina Cole D’Amica will travel to New York for the Oct. 24 awards ceremony.
“Our national grants committee was astounded by the breadth and depth of the work being done by nonprofit theatre companies around this country,” says Lucie Arnaz, chair of the Wing’s grants committee. “It’s thrilling for me to prove, once again, that great theater isn’t just on Broadway between 40th and 50th streets, but that Broadway is a road that is 3,000 miles long.”
Synchronicity’s 14th season opens Oct. 28 with Sarah Ruhl’s tongue-in-cheek historical comedy In the Next Room or the Vibrator Play. Next, playwright Megan Gogerty will perform her autobiographical Feet First in the Water With a Baby in My Teeth (Dec. 2-18), followed by The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (Dec. 11-Jan. 1), Petite Rouge (Feb. 25-March 25) and Brilliant Traces (March 2-25).
For more information, visit synchrotheatre.com.
