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Fountainhead
Theatre was originally named New Theatre Company (NTC) in 1992 by Bruce
Coleman and Lillian Piazza the two founders. Charlotte Akin and
Jim Jorgensen
joined Mr. Coleman in March of 1994 as Assistant Artistic Director and
Managing Director, respectively. Within two years of joining Mr. Coleman,
the Dallas Observer named NTC “Best Theatre Company”.
In 1999, after seven years and numerous Awards
and Nominations, NTC came to a crossroads. The year had been quite
tumultuous. Each of the three core members continued to strive, but it
seemed clear they had hit a ceiling. NTC had become one of the strongest
small theatres in
Dallas
, yet general theatrical climate issues had yet to resolve themselves.
Nor, did there seem to be hope of any permanent answers to those questions
on the horizon.
After much thought, Mr. Coleman decided to resign as Artistic Director.
Charlotte Akin took over as Artistic Director to finish out the remaining
two shows which where planned that year. Mr. Coleman stayed on as
Resident Scene Designer.
NTC produced over 28 productions, and became an artistic and critical
success, but their tenure was over with the critical and commercial
success of Absurd
Person Singular.
In January of 2000, after much deliberation and numerous visits to various
regional cities, Ms. Akin and Mr. Jorgensen decided to move the company to
the
Washington
D.C.
area.
In June of 2001, NTC changed its name to Fountainhead Theatre and
revisited a production of My
Thing of Love by Alexandra Gersten. The production was produced at the
District of Columbia
Arts
Center
.
In September 2001,
Charlotte Akin,
Jim Jorgensen
and Mark Rhea the Artistic Director of The
Keegan Theatre gathered for a meeting. Mr. Rhea came up with the
generous offer would allow Fountainhead Theatre to produce with Keegan
Theatre either in association or as a co-production for a undetermined
number of productions.
Each successive
year Fountainhead mounted at least two productions often in co-produced or
in association with The Keegan Theatre. Those productions include, Give
me your Answer Do!, Come
Back Little Sheba, Buried
Child, A
Lie of the Mind, and A
Delicate Balance.
In 2004/2005
Fountainhead has begun producing independently. Those productions
include: Betrayal,
Fit
to be Tied, An
Ideal Husband and Top
Girls.
Fountainhead is currently “on hold” due to lack of affordable
performance space and as its members pursue individual projects.
As of September 2008, Fountainhead
Theatre will be moving to Lincoln, Nebraska. Mr. Jorgensen will be
accepting a position as Associate Professor of Theatre at Nebraska
Wesleyan University and Ms. Akin will pursue professional opportunities
in the area and reorganize Fountainhead Productions.
As always, it is with a great debt of gratitude Ms. Akin and Mr. Jorgensen offer
Mr. Coleman the original co-founder and Artistic Director of NTC. He
provided the artistic home and a wonderful city for Ms. Akin and Mr.
Jorgensen to practice their craft and flourish.
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