Cygnet Theatre Company
Encyclopedia
Cygnet Theatre Company in San Diego, CA was founded in 2003 by Bill Schmidt and Sean Murray. The theatre's name is a reference to the Swan Theatre
, a prominent competitor to Shakespeare's Globe
. One of San Diego's major theatre companies is the Old Globe Theatre
.
, Bed and Sofa, and Fully Committed. Highlights in the first eight seasons include Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Little Foxes, The Invention of Love, Yellowman, Copenhagen, Fences, A Little Night Music, The History Boys, Noises Off, Sweeney Todd, The Norman Conquests, Cabaret, and the World Premiere of Stephen Metcalfe's Tragedy of the Commons.
Cygnet presents at the Old Town Theatre in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, a newly-renovated, state-of-the-art venue. The State Park receives more than six million visitors annually.
Programs include:
1) Mainstage. Cygnet presents six mainstage productions each season in the 248-seat Old Town Theatre. Cygnet has made its mark by producing top-quality theatre, including 19 city, regional, Southern CA, West Coast and World premieres in its first eight seasons, while garnering over 90 awards for theatre excellence.
2) Storytelling on the Green, Cygnet’s educational outreach program presents outdoor daytime historical theatre to school groups, tourists and other Old Town State Park visitors. At various times of year, the repertory includes abridged versions of Hamlet, Macbeth, A Christmas Carol, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The actors arrive at the Old Town lawn pulling a simple wagon platform, which carries the props, scenery and costumes, and also serves as the stage. In keeping with the American Period theme (1840-1872) of the Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, the actors perform in the Delsarte style. The program serves over 9,000 children and adults each year.
3) heART of Old Town is a collaborative intitative, funded by the San Diego Foundation, reviving the vibrancy of Old Town as an arts and culture destination by providing and promoting more arts and cultural opportunities in Old Town.
4) Playwrights in Process is a New Play Development program, designed to explore and develop new works. Cygnet’s mainstage production of Stephen Metcalfe’s Tragedy of the Commons was the first play to come through this program.
5) The Cygneture Book Club offers a suggested list of companion books to accompany each Cygnet production throughout the year, providing post show discussions, live-forums, discounts, a reading of selections from the book and study-guides.
6) Cygnet Theatre collaborates with San Diego State University to provide opportunities each year for specially selected SDSU graduate students to design sets, lights and costumes for Cygnet Theatre under the mentorship of Artistic Director Sean Murray.
The Swan (theatre)
The Swan was a theatre in Southwark, London, England, built in 1595 on top of a previously standing structure, during the first half of William Shakespeare's career...
, a prominent competitor to Shakespeare's Globe
Shakespeare's Globe
Shakespeare's Globe is a reconstruction of the Globe Theatre, an Elizabethan playhouse in the London Borough of Southwark, located on the south bank of the River Thames, but destroyed by fire in 1613, rebuilt 1614 then demolished in 1644. The modern reconstruction is an academic best guess, based...
. One of San Diego's major theatre companies is the Old Globe Theatre
Old Globe Theatre
The Old Globe is a professional theatre company located in Balboa Park in San Diego, California. It produces about 15 plays and musicals annually in summer and winter seasons...
.
History
Cygnet is known for producing critically acclaimed and often provocative musicals and plays. Their first season included Hedwig and the Angry InchHedwig and the Angry Inch (musical)
Hedwig and the Angry Inch is a rock musical about a fictional rock and roll band fronted by an East German transgender singer. The text is by John Cameron Mitchell, and the music and lyrics are by Stephen Trask. The musical premiered in 1998 and has been performed throughout the world in hundreds...
, Bed and Sofa, and Fully Committed. Highlights in the first eight seasons include Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Little Foxes, The Invention of Love, Yellowman, Copenhagen, Fences, A Little Night Music, The History Boys, Noises Off, Sweeney Todd, The Norman Conquests, Cabaret, and the World Premiere of Stephen Metcalfe's Tragedy of the Commons.
Cygnet presents at the Old Town Theatre in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, a newly-renovated, state-of-the-art venue. The State Park receives more than six million visitors annually.
Programs include:
1) Mainstage. Cygnet presents six mainstage productions each season in the 248-seat Old Town Theatre. Cygnet has made its mark by producing top-quality theatre, including 19 city, regional, Southern CA, West Coast and World premieres in its first eight seasons, while garnering over 90 awards for theatre excellence.
2) Storytelling on the Green, Cygnet’s educational outreach program presents outdoor daytime historical theatre to school groups, tourists and other Old Town State Park visitors. At various times of year, the repertory includes abridged versions of Hamlet, Macbeth, A Christmas Carol, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The actors arrive at the Old Town lawn pulling a simple wagon platform, which carries the props, scenery and costumes, and also serves as the stage. In keeping with the American Period theme (1840-1872) of the Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, the actors perform in the Delsarte style. The program serves over 9,000 children and adults each year.
3) heART of Old Town is a collaborative intitative, funded by the San Diego Foundation, reviving the vibrancy of Old Town as an arts and culture destination by providing and promoting more arts and cultural opportunities in Old Town.
4) Playwrights in Process is a New Play Development program, designed to explore and develop new works. Cygnet’s mainstage production of Stephen Metcalfe’s Tragedy of the Commons was the first play to come through this program.
5) The Cygneture Book Club offers a suggested list of companion books to accompany each Cygnet production throughout the year, providing post show discussions, live-forums, discounts, a reading of selections from the book and study-guides.
6) Cygnet Theatre collaborates with San Diego State University to provide opportunities each year for specially selected SDSU graduate students to design sets, lights and costumes for Cygnet Theatre under the mentorship of Artistic Director Sean Murray.