Regional Theater of the Week: Cyrano's Theatre Company in Anchorage, AK

BroadwayWorld.com, the largest theatre site on the Internet, is excited to announce a new feature to its comprehensive regional coverage - the Featured Regional Theater of the Week! Each week, BWW will introduce its readers to a regional theater located in one of our (over 130!) coverage cities. By exploring these different venues, their history and showcasing the production seasons, BWW continues its commitment to expand our presence in communities and cities across the United States.

This Week's Featured Regional Theater: Cyrano's Theatre Company in Anchorage, AK

Cyrano's Theatre Company is the resident company at Cyrano's Off-Center Playhouse in Anchorage, Alaska. It was formed in 1995 by a loose-knit group of volunteers committed to producing professional, quality dramatic works while utilizing Alaskan talent.

The nurturing of regional talent is one of Cyrano's most important goals. Cyrano's has employed actors and technicians from Juneau to Fairbanks and has made extensive use of UAA's Theatre Department graduates. In this respect, Cyrano's has been a bridge or transition point from the academic theatre to professional careers in theater.

Cyrano's performers, technicians, directors and designers all work to bring the absolute best theatre to Anchorage audiences. In addition, they have to make a living, a fact that considerably complicates the matter of making art. Cyrano's ultimate goal is to provide talented artists with the financial means to practice their craft on a full-time basis without having to seek employment outside the theatre. Cyrano's is also working to set up a special endowment for salaries so Alaskan artists can mature and grow here at home.

Founding members, Jerry and Sandy Harper, received the 1997 Governor's Arts Award for arts organizations in recognition of their work.

Cyrano's is an award-wining theatre company; some of our many accolades are below:

Governor's Award for Arts Organizations:

- Regularly voted "Best Live Theater" in Anchorage by Play readers
- Recipient of Mayor's Arts Organization Award
- Sandy was honored with The Contribution to Literacy in Alaska Award as the founding member of The Alaska Center for the Book
- Voted Best Live Theatre in Anchorage by readers of the Anchorage Daily News
- Voted Press Picks Best Live Theatre by readers of the Anchorage Press
- Recipient of the Governor's Arts Award for Arts Organization
- Recipient of the Mayor's Award for Outstanding Arts Organization
- Governor's Award for Individual Artist: Jerry Harper
- Finalist for the Chamber of Commerce Goldpan Awards
- Downtown Partnership Heart of the City Award
- A Citation from the Alaska Legislature

Stage Talk Awards for productions include:

- David Edgecombe - adapting and directing "Adams Rib"
- David Edgecombe - Best Director for "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"
- Plus the entire cast of "Virgina Woolf" -- with Mark Robokof as George winning Best Actor
- Dick Reichman for his original play "War"
- Special acknowledgements to Bernie Blaine and Elizabeth Ware for their acting, and to Dean Williams and Bowen Gillings sharing the award for Most Versatile Actor

Cyrano's 2013 season includes Freud's Last Session, Clybourne Park, Dead Man's Cell Phone, Red, Gold Rush Girls, Miss Witherspoon, La Bete, Running, and A Wrinkle in Time.

For tickets and more information, visit: http://www.cyranos.org/default.html

Know of a theater we should feature? Send your suggestion to christina@broadwayworld.com