Swine Palace

The Reilly Theatre, home of Swine Palace

Swine Palace is a non-profit professional theatre company associated with the Louisiana State University Department of Theatre in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.[1] The theatre companies home is located in the Reilly Theatre on the campus of LSU.

Mission

Through the presentation of celebrated works of Southern literature and the innovative exploration of classic and contemporary theatre, Swine Palace strives to have a significant impact on the cultural and economic landscape of Louisiana.

History

In 1992, an historic livestock judging pavilion called the Swine Palace was slated for demolition. It was the first building constructed on the current campus of LSU and was identified as the future home of the Swine Palace theater company. The theater company founded in 1992 by Barry Kyle (former Artistic Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Swan Theatre) in association with LSU Department of Theatre was named after the original name of the building in which it would be located. The theater company was established with the goal to become Louisiana's premier professional theatre.[2] A capital campaign to raise $3.5 million for the renovation of the structure was undertaken. The offspring of a public/private partnership, the 500-seat flexible theatre opened during the 1999–2000 season and was funded by the State of Louisiana and a generous grant from the Reilly Family of Baton Rouge. The Swine Palace building was renamed the Reilly Theatre and was designed to maintain the architectural integrity of its original origins.[3] The first play presented in the Swine Palace building was not a Swine Palace theater company production, but an LSU Theatre student production of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, during the spring of 1973.[4]

Under the leadership of LSU Theatre Interim Chair and Managing Director Kristin Sosnowsky and Interim Artistic Director George Judy, the Swine Palace theater company continues to be a leading voice in Louisiana arts and an important center for theatre education.

Artistically the company made immediate impact with important world premiere adaptations written by Lucy Maycock of A Confederacy of Dunces and All the King's Men. In recent years, Swine Palace has become recognized for community outreach as well as its artistic excellence and was awarded the Baton Rouge YWCA's 2006 Racial Justice Award for its many programs. These program initiatives have been produced in conjunction with socially relevant works like Fences, The Laramie Project, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, and The Exonerated.

During the spring of 2007, Swine Palace (in conjunction with the LSU Performing Arts Series and Ping Chong and Company) produced the world premiere of renowned theatre director Ping Chong's Cocktail written by Vince LiCata and Ping Chong. Based on the true struggles of Thai scientist Krisana Kraisintu, this play follows the struggle to create an affordable version of the anti-HIV drug AZT for the thousands of Thai AIDS patients.

In June 2007, LSU Theatre and Swine Palace embarked on the first-ever international tour performing Wendy Wasserstein's "The Heidi Chronicles" directed by Michael Tick at the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre and the Beijing Central Academy of Drama. As such, they were the first theatre company to perform Ms. Wassersteins's work in China, and one of only a handful of U.S. companies to perform at either of these prestigious institutions.

The China tour was conceived as part of LSU's University-wide China initiative and included five performances at the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre, the largest performing arts institution in Shanghai, and three performances at the Beijing Central Academy of Drama, one of the finest academies in Asia. The play was originally performed as part of Swine Palace's 2006–2007 season. In total, 31 people made the month-long trip, including 15 undergraduates and graduate students; six faculty members and a number of friends and family.

In recognition of Swine Palace's many accomplishments, it was awarded the 2006 Governor's Arts Award for Large Arts Organizations.[5]

Production history

Season Play Director
2013–2014 Spill Leigh Fondakowski
Dove Sean Daniels
Clybourne Park Femi Euba
2012–2013 All The King's Men George Judy
Rising Water George Judy & Ben Koucherik
A Free Man of Color Paul Russell
2011–2012 The Brothers Size Femi Euba
Pride and Prejudice George Judy
August: Osage County George Judy
2010–2011 The Metal Children Joanna Battles
King Lear Deb Alley
Design for Living George Judy
2009–2010 Self Defense (or death of some salesmen) Joanna Battles
A Doll's House George Judy
The Royal Family John Dennis
2008–2009 Love's Labour's Lost George Judy
Satellites Michael Tick
Disney's High School Musical on Stage! Paula Sloan
2007–2008 Hair Steve Young
Speak Truth to Power Michael Tick
King Hedley II Joy Vandervort-Cobb
2006–2007 Cocktail Ping Chong
The Heidi Chronicles Michael Tick
Metamorphoses Steve Young
2005–2006 Always...Patsy Cline Jennifer Jones-Cavenaugh
She Stoops to Conquer Jane Page
Tennessee Williams in QUARTER Time John Dennis
Arms and the Man Jane Brody
2004–2005 Pump Boys and Dinettes Jennifer Jones-Cavenaugh
You Can't Take It with You John Dennis
The Exonerated Michael Tick
Macbeth Leon Ingulsrud
2003–2004 Always...Patsy Cline Jennifer Jones-Cavenaugh
The Laramie Project Leon Ingulsrud
Shiloh Rules John Dennis
"Ma" Rainey's Black Bottom Joy Vandevort-Cobb
2002–2003 The Louisiana Purchase Dom Ruggiero
The Two Gentlemen of Verona John Dennis
Fences Joy Vandevort-Cobb
2001–2002 Death of a Salesman Leon Ingulsrud
A Christmas Carol John Dennis
The Tavern Edward Morgan
2000–2001 To Kill A Mockingbird Vastine Stabler
Jesus Christ Superstar Barry Kyle
Romeo and Juliet Tina Packer
1999–2000 Waiting for Godot Barry Kyle
Three Sisters Barry Kyle
A Midsummer Night's Dream Barry Kyle
Gumbo Ya-Ya Barry Kyle
Four Joans and a Fire-eater Barry Kyle
1998–1999 Angels in America, Part II: Perestroika Barry Kyle
Gloria Duplex Barry Kyle
As I lay Dying Edward Kemp
1997–1998 Pump Boys and Dinettes Barry Kyle
Angels in America, Part I: The Millennium Approaches Barry Kyle
Skylight Barry Kyle
The Merchant of Venice Barry Kyle
1996–1997 A Confederacy of Dunces Barry Kyle
Flesh & Blood Barry Kyle
The Rocky Horror Show Barry Kyle
Suburbia Barry Kyle
Geniuses Steven Soderbergh
1995–1996 The Kingfish Andrew Dickey
A Midsummer Night's Dream Barry Kyle
The Cure at Troy Barry Kyle
The Rocky Horror Show Lucy Maycock
From the Mississippi Delta Trellis Steptor
1994–1995 Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Barry Kyle
Keely & Du Barry Kyle & Lucy Maycock
Tent Meeting Barry Kyle & C.C. Courtney
A Midsummer Night's Dream Barry Kyle
A Child's Christmas in Wales Barry Kyle
1993–1994 A Confederacy of Dunces Barry Kyle
Good Barry Kyle
1992–1993 All the King's Men Barry Kyle
The Hypocrite Barry Kyle

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.swinepalace.org/
  2. ↑ http://www.cparch.com/portfolio_detail.cfm?gal=26&galcat=6
  3. ↑ http://digbatonrouge.com/article/herding-swine-2460/
  4. ↑ http://wp.theatre.lsu.edu/
  5. ↑ http://www.swinepalace.org/

External links

Official site

Coordinates: 30°24′29″N 91°10′38″W / 30.40806°N 91.17722°W / 30.40806; -91.17722

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