Provincetown Theater

Provincetown Theater Company

THE PROVINCETOWN THEATER FOUNDATION, DBA THE PROVINCETOWN THEATER COMPANY

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE PROVINCETOWN THEATER COMPANY

The Provincetown Theatre Company opened its doors for the first time on March 29, 1963. Then it was known as the Provincetown Theatre Workshop and presented its first production, an original fantasy called, Circles in the Snow, in the Parish House of St. Mary’s of the Harbor on the east end of Provincetown. The company consisted of a creative mix of professional, semi-professional and talented non-professional local actors, writers, musicians, artists, directors and technicians. From the beginning, the company emphasized a mixture of staged readings, original plays by local writers, and works by established playwrights-a combination that continued to be the core focus of the company.

From 1963 through 1972, the company changed locations many times, mounting more and more ambitious productions. They performed a wide selection of plays, readings, and even musical revues in a variety of venues, including Town Hall, The Crown and Anchor, The Provincetown Art Association, and Piggy’s (a former nightclub on Shank Painter Road).

In the winter of 1973, the Provincetown Theatre Workshop was re-christened as The Provincetown Theatre Company and The Provincetown Academy of Performing Arts and Museum, by drawing up a new constitution, and establishing itself as a not-for-profit organization. In the late 1970’s the theatre company was an itinerant group, performing in various spots around town until it re-established itself at the Art Association in 1982 with a full season of productions.

In 1988-89, the company moved to the Provincetown Inn and for the first time had a year round performing space for plays, revues and staged readings. It was during this period that the company hired its first Artistic Director, the late Michael Prevulsky, who directed a number of acclaimed productions. The company also entered into an artistic collaboration with acclaimed artist and playwright Edward Gorey during this period and produced three of his plays. In the early 90’s, the company produced the enormously popular and award-winning AIDS Quilt memorial musical, Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens. This was but one example of the theatre company passionate devotion to the community it served.

Hard times fell on the company in 1993 with the loss of the performing space at the Inn. A turning point came in the fortunes of the company at the annual meeting in 1995, when the PTC Board re-shaped its structure, re-examined its mission, and re-dedicated itself to ensuring that a local, community-based theatre company would continue to survive in Provincetown. In 1996 ties were re-established with The Provincetown Inn, where the company continued to perform until it merged with the Provincetown Repertory Theatre (REP) in 2006.

In addition to a year-round season, the company produced a highly successful Playwriting Competition that celebrates the work of a Massachusetts playwright with a cash award and a staged reading of his/her work. From its inception, PTC provided a forum for Cape Cod and Massachusetts’ playwrights and continued this commitment with annual Fall and Spring Playwrights’ Festivals. PTC also joined with Campus Provincetown and Narrowland Arts to offer classes in Acting, Directing, Performance Art and Playwriting.

The Provincetown Theatre Company provided many Provincetown and Cape Cod residents with their first theatrical experiences. It has also nourished the ambitions of many individuals interested in pursuing a career in the theater.

PTC and the REP, (Provincetown Repertory Theatre) began discussions to consolidate staff and merge in October of 2005. This became a reality on January 1, 2006 when the combined theater company became known as, The New Provincetown Players and assumed both ownership and operations of The Provincetown Theater and named Guy Wolf as Producing Artistic Director.

Last updated: August 21, 2009

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