September 16, 2011

Celebrating 30 Years of Timeless Theatre

It's our 30th Season! We want your Huntington stories. Help us celebrate our anniversary by sharing your memories with us. What is your favorite production? Who introduced you to the Huntington? Do you have a ritual for each time you come?

Click here to submit your memories online

or email your thoughts to tickets@huntingtontheatre.org
Video and Audio testimony also welcome


PS; We're having an open house an the Boston University Theatre on Monday, October 10, 2011. Come visit with us, take the stage like an actor, and explore our production shops where our award-winning designs are brought to life. More info at huntingtontheatre.org/openhouse.

6 comments:

Lynn T said...

My friend and I attended the "first" season when it was The Hartman Theater. I found a newspaper story to validate my failing memory of why I remember the Hartman came before the Huntington: http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1915&dat=19820622&id=GSMiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=H3UFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5240,4357997

My good friend June suggested we should get the subscription when we both lived in Boston. The first season of the Huntington took place the year I got engaged. My roommate Kim joined us. Now, 30 years later my husband and I are still married and June and I are still attending. We have both been lucky enough to have seen some fabulous plays and have both become adoptive parents.

Our times at the play have kept us connected over these years. When the play is at the BU Theater we go to Betty's Noodle Shop for lunch. We moved to the Sunday matinee over 10 years ago. June wrote Peter Altman a blistering letter when our Thursday evening front row balcony seats were inadvertently given away and to make it up to us he offered front row balcony seats on the last performance of the run, Sunday matinee. I do not mind doing the last performance except you can never recommend the play to anyone because it is gone. I find that you get a really good performance on the last day--everyone is spot on and emotions run high.

Our favorite production was Arcadia. The Woman Warrior was another mystical favorite. Translations has stuck with me as well. The inside track to August Wilson was thrilling. I have never been so profoundly moved by a play as I was with Sonia Flew --unless it was when I could not stop crying at Rabbit Hole. Forbidden Broadway:SVU made my husband's birthday hilarious and unforgettable. Pirates! also brought tears of laughter.

There are too many memorable plays to remember. Especially after 30 years.

Last year I went to Broadway and was talking to the young people who promote the shows outside the rush ticket booth as they tried to get me to pick a play. They suggested The 39 steps. I was able to airily respond "Oh, I've seen that play at the Huntington."

I feel so fortunate to have seen such a variety of excellent plays over the years. The Huntington Theater has enriched my life immeasurably. Thank you for all these years of vibrantly alive theather. I look forward to at least 30 more.

Congratulations--Sincerely,

Lynn T.
an inaugural subscriber to The Huntington Theatre Company

Jim Cooper said...

The year was 1982 and the fellow who had the locker next to mine at the YMCA on Huntington Avenue turned out to non other than our own Michael Maso. I was not much of a theater fan, but undeterred Michael talked me in to coming to see "Translations," the story of the English effort to change Celtic names in Ireland to English. I was hooked. I have been a member ever since and my wife and I have seen nearly every show. However, our favorite moment had to be standing outside of the theater on a cold winter night after "The Piano Lesson" with a group of people talking to August Wilson about the connection between the newly arrived African-Americans in Pittsburg and their deeply felt feelings for the South and their longing for their agrarian roots. Now that was an experience you do not get on Broadway! Thank you Michael Maso and all of the directors, actors, box office folks, ushers and everyone else associated with the theatre. We are looking forward to celebrating your 50th!

Scruffy Curmudgeon said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Scruffy Curmudgeon said...

I would have liked to say that I enjoyed the performance of "God of Carnage" last night, Saturday, 1/14/12, since I and our friends took the time away from otherwise watching a fantastic play-off football game. I would have liked to day that the production was well-organized; the sets lent well to the story; the actors' providing nuance to the storyline. I would have liked to say that our friend from NYC was convinced that Boston's theater had the same professionalism as her experiences in NYC. I would have liked to say all of that. Instead, I can't! For you see, the Huntington cancelled the evening at the last possible moment as we were leaving the restaurant next door to arrive - only to find that for lack of an understudy the curtain closed.

Rebecca Curtiss, Communications Manager said...

To the previous poster:

I'm so sorry you and your friends were inconvenienced by our canceled performance Saturday evening. We cancel performances extremely rarely and only for insurmountable reasons, and it's an action we certainly don't take lightly. In this case, an actor was in the hospital due to an injury she sustained in performance Saturday afternoon. Fortunately, she is OK, and performances resumed Sunday afternoon. I invite you and your friends to return to the Huntington to see God of Carnage at your earliest convenience. Please contact our Box Office (which opens at noon today) at 617 266 0800 to reschedule your tickets. Thank you for your support of the Huntington, and again, we apologize for your inconvenience Saturday night.

D.Sorbello said...

Apart from thank yous from me and my Bunker Hill students that attended Ma Rainey, I want you to know that it mattered immensely to them. One student (an articulate, sensitive,intelligent, terrific guy of about 30) had never seen a play. He was blown away!!!!! Another fellow, from Guatemala - (ditto regarding attributes) had never seen a play in this country and had only ever seen musicals in Guatemala. Most of the students had only seen 'musicals" via high school or other venues. The black students I think could especially relate to the characters --- as could the musicians (of which there were a few in the group.)
They were so impressed with the actors. They valued everyone of them -- and especially Levee - what a really gifted, skilled actor ---and his antagonist, Toledo- and Ma Rainey ---They couldn't get over how believable ALL the fellows in the band were. I thought the bass player, with perhaps the least rewarding role - was just amazing ---and others thought the band leader did an amazing job of trying to provide a balance (as the bass player did as well) The rapport between the musicians was wonderful. True ensemble acting.

They appreciated that the play - after the first act where not so much seems to be happening - in the second act, built on everything that had come before. I was proud of their observations.

Taking students to Ma Rainey was a wonderful experience and we thank you, Huntington. You all did a very good thing for my students. Those that couldn't make it were so inspired (and clearly felt they'd really missed out) listening to everyone else talk about the play in both classes -- a few have said they're going to figure out a way to go on their own so hopefully, they'll get themselves there! (Last year, a student who had never seen theatre but that I took to his first play---the very next night brought his brother to see it!) D. Sorbello - Instructor/Actress