The Lyric Stage Company of Boston


The Lyric Stage Company of Boston is the oldest professional theatre company in Boston. Founded in 1974, the Lyric Stage Company is a non-profit organization located at 140 Clarendon Street in the YWCA building. It has been under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Spiro Veloudos since 1998. The theatre produces about seven plays and musicals each season and is especially well known for its productions of Stephen Sondheim musicals.

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. 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. 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.

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. 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.

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.

Fresh Ink Theatre Partnership

The Lyric Stage Company of Boston develops new plays through its partnership with Fresh Ink Theatre. 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. 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. 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 and at the Dudley Public Library.

Past Productions

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Awards

2019

Jonathan Carr, Kiss of the Spider Woman
Yewande Odetoyinbo, Breath and Imagination
Eddy Cavazos, Kiss of the Spider Woman
The Wolves
Davron S. Monroe, Breath & Imagination
A. Nora Long, The Wolves

2018

Will McGarrahan, Souvenir
Leigh Barrett, Gypsy and Souvenir
Summer L. Williams, Barbecue

2017

Paula Plum, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Seaghan McKay, Sondheim on Sondheim

2016

Phil Tayler, Buyer & Cellar
Lindsey McWhorter, Intimate Apparel
Jennifer Ellis, My Fair Lady
Scott Edmiston, My Fair Lady
My Fair Lady
Paula Plum, Red Hot Patriot
My Fair Lady
Cloteal Horne, Saturday Night/Sunday Morning
Phil Tayler, Buyer & Cellar
Scott Edmiston, My Fair Lady
Jennifer Ellis, My Fair Lady

2015

Franklin Meissner, Jr., Sweeney Todd
Into the Woods
Paula Plum, Death of a Salesman
Kelby T. Akin, Death of a Salesman
Spiro Veloudos, Into the Woods
Into the Woods
Death of a Salesman
Nael Nacer, Intimate Apparel
Spiro Veloudos, Into the Woods
Aimee Doherty, Into the Woods
Into the Woods

2014

Aimee Doherty, On the Town
John Davin, One Man, Two Guvnors

2013

Avenue Q
Celeste Oliva, Chinglish
Erica Spyres, Avenue Q
David Kravitz, The Mikado
Catherine Stornetta, Avenue Q
Spiro Veloudos, Avenue Q
Avenue Q
Avenue Q
Avenue Q

2011

The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Parts 1 & 2
Spiro Veloudos & Courtney O'Connor, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Parts 1 & 2
Johnny Lee Davenport, Broke-ology

2010

The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Parts 1 & 2
Spiro Veloudos, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Parts 1 & 2
Jason Powers, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Parts 1 & 2
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Parts 1 & 2
Scott Clyve, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Parts 1 & 2

2009

Speech & Debate
Scott Edmiston, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Grey Gardens
Jonathan Goldberg, Grey Gardens and Kiss Me, Kate
Spiro Veloudos, Grey Gardens and Kiss Me, Kate

2007

Miss Witherspoon
Paula Plum, Miss Witherspoon
Larry Coen, Miss Witherspoon
Dewey Dellay, Miss Witherspoon
Leigh Barrett, Souvenir
Man of La Mancha
Spiro Veloudos, Man of La Mancha
Jonathan Goldberg, Man of La Mancha
Caroline DeLima, Man of La Mancha
Robert Saoud, Man of La Mancha
Scott Clyve, Man of La Mancha
Janie E. Howland, Man of La Mancha

2006

Spiro Veloudos
Paula Plum, The Goat Or, Who Is Sylvia?
Lanna Joffrey, 9 Parts of Desire
1776, Peter A. Carey
1776, Timothy John Smith

2005

Andrea Ross, A Little Night Music
Urinetown
Ilyse Robbins, Urinetown
Spiro Veloudos, Urinetown

2004

A Little Night Music
Spiro Veloudos, A Little Night Music
Jon Goldberg, A Little Night Music
Christopher Chew, A Little Night Music
Maryann Zschau, A Little Night Music
David Cabral, A Little Night Music, Noises Off

2003

Spiro Veloudos
Ellen Colton, Beyond Belief
Steven Barkheimer, Book of Days
Brian Robinson, When Pigs Fly, Side Show

2002

Sunday in the Park with George
Robert Pemberton, Lobby Hero
Gail Astrid Buckley, Curse of the Bambino
Sunday in the Park with George
Spiro Veloudos, Sunday in the Park with George
Maryann Zschau, No Way to Treat a Lady, Sunday in the Park with George
Jason Schuchman, Lobby Hero

2001

Phillip Patrone, Side Man
Bobbie Steinbach, Over The River and Through the Woods
Bobbie Steinbach, Over The River and Through the Woods
Ilyse Robbins, She Love Me, A... My Name Will Always Be Alice
Philip Patrone, Side Man
Jacqui Parker, A... My Name Will Always be Alice

2000

The Old Settler
Jacqui Parker, The Old Settler
Spiro Veloudos, Lost in Yonkers, Assassins, Never the Sinner
The Old Settler
Lois Roach, The Old Settler
Jacqui Parker, The Old Settler
Steve McConnell, The Judas Kiss

1999

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

1997

Speed-The-Plow
Janie Fliegel, Speed-the-Plow/Blithe Spirit
Dee Nelson, Blithe Spirit

1995

Howard Crabtree, Whoop-Dee-Doo
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