Interestingly enough, very few new American plays are premiered in New York City, normally the unquestioned seat of American theatre. In fact, if you want to experience the freshest and most diverse voices in playwriting, just travel to the middle of the country, to Louisville, Kentucky specifically. This is where you will find the magic.
Each year Actors Theatre of Louisville (ATL) and The Humana Foundation present The Humana Festival of New American Plays to eager local audiences as well as to top theatre critics, the national media and jet setting aficionados. The festival is a true rarity and has been integral in presenting pioneering new work and a diverse range of expressions from the most imaginative American theatrical minds. This unique experience was the brain child of visionary leader Jon Jory, Producing Director at Actors Theatre from 1969-2000. So cutting-edge was Jory's vision that in its first two years, the Humana Festival premiered two iconic plays that later found their way to long runs on Broadway and significant critical acclaim. The Gin Game and Crimes of the Heart formed the center of the Humana Festival's initial success and built a core strength which has continued to grow and flourish as each new season progresses.
Through Jory's resourceful leadership and passion, the Humana Festival put Louisville on theatre-goers' maps by continually providing new plays that have allowed us to embark on journeys of imagination, flights of fancy, and epics of heartbreaking honesty. The Festival has historically provided audiences the extraordinary opportunity to see the world though different perspectives and to experience the ride that good theatre supplies.
This unique gem of artistic innovation has also afforded the public the rare opportunity to see top performers practice their craft live in outstanding original productions. Icons like Kathy Bates, John Turturro and Julianne Moore have graced the stages of ATL for this prestigious festival. The casting has always been just as fresh and inventive as the plays selected for performance. A history of attracting such exemplary talent is part of the continued success of the Humana Festival. The highly gifted artists are an essential element to enriching and enlivening the work of the Humana Festival playwrights.
Today, the festival rests firmly in the accomplished hands of Artistic Director Marc Masterson, who is well known and recognized for his progressive approach to classic plays. His curatorial vision is also the driving force behind the continued success of the last eight seasons of Humana Festivals. "I am always seeking a spectrum of different experiences and original voices." Masterson says, adding he is also staying true to program, which has a long-standing reputation as "a leader in producing high quality work from the under resented voices of women artists, artists of color, and all artists who have wonderful and different perspectives." This commitment to diverse viewpoints, innovation and mastery is huge part of what makes the Humana Festival an authentic, beloved and wholly unique representation of American Theatre.
Masterson also admits to falling in love with all of the plays each time he curates a new festival. He wants all of the pieces to do well and says that he develops a fondness and ownership for the writers and their projects. This absolute devotion to envisioning the best harmony of works and skill in putting together fine examples of playwriting while maintaining a relevant and sophisticated outlook takes a keen instinct and an expert approach. Masterson is adept at creating this balance, which is evident in the glint in his eye as he talks about how, when looking for new plays, he wants to be "astonished by the work," and adds that, in the performances, "we are not looking for things we know, but something beyond that, something that allows you to take on a journey and through that experience to be surprised and transported to a new place—art should always do that."
In 2010 the Humana Festival will mark its 34th year. Still in the early stages of planning, Masterson speaks of evolution. He acknowledges that the festival is almost an organic thing that is growing and transforming and he believes the best way to see the progression is to look back at the path that the festival has taken. "In the moment it is hard to see what is relevant; we don't truly grasp the meaning with a full understanding until we look back," he says. With so many plays that have gone on to successful runs on Broadway and in other venues, it is hard not to look back at the success of the festival with a mind on how that will shape the future.
Masterson in now in the process of finding new plays and expressing a clear excitement as he talks about the upcoming line up. The first confirmed production is a play called The Cherry Sisters Revisited, a musical about the worst Vaudeville act in American history. Masterson describes the piece as if he has just found a shiny gold jewel, "they were so bad people threw things at them, but they were also a highly successful well-known act. I see the play as being very relevant in a modern context because of the fascination and hunger that we are now seeing with the popularity of reality shows." He believes that all of the Humana Festival plays "have got to be something that moves you, something that transports you to new ways of thinking, and then they must also be timely and relevant." This dedication to innovation and passion for the art of theatre is something to look forward to in the coming years as Masterson continues to build on Jory's vision.
"The Humana Festival has given Louisville and the American theatre a remarkable legacy," says Masterson, a legacy that nourishes and enriches Louisville endlessly.
