The creation of theater is at the heart of McCarter's artistic mission, and the theater's goals are threefold: --To evolve into a world-class theater with a demonstrated commitment to the highest professional and artistic standards, --To present a diverse season of classic and contemporary plays that reflect and invite comparison among various aspects of American culture and the universal human experience, and --To reinvigorate audiences by welcoming and encouraging all members of the community, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, race or class, to participate in the transformational experience of live performance.

Description:
McCarter Theatre Center is recognized as one of this country’s leading regional theaters, and is the only organization in this country that is both a professional producing theater and a major presenter of the performing arts. With this identity comes a unique commitment to creating, developing and producing new work for the stage, reinvestigating classical theatrical repertoire, and bringing the best of the world’s performing artists to Central New Jersey. McCarter demonstrates an unwavering commitment to engaging, educating and cultivating a broad range of audiences, making the arts accessible to all people, and presenting an unparalleled variety of bold, stimulating, diverse and provocative programs across disciplines.

History:
Built as a permanent home for the Princeton University Triangle Club with funds from Thomas N. McCarter, class of 1888, McCarter Theatre opened on February 21, 1930 with a special performance of the 40th annual Triangle show, The Golden Dog. One of its stars was Joshua Logan, a junior, and a sophomore named James Stewart was in the chorus.

During the 1930's, McCarter gained popularity as a pre-Broadway showcase, due to its large seating capacity, its 40 foot proscenium stage, and its short distance from New York. Thornton Wilder's Our Town had its world premiere at McCarter, as did George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart's You Can’t Take It with You.

Although not built as a concert hall, McCarter played host for almost a half-century to the Princeton University Concerts before they moved to Richardson Auditorium. The first major, non-campus-related program of "classical music" was the Philadelphia Orchestra in March, 1932, to be followed by the Cleveland Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, Rudolf Serkin, Jascha Heifetz, Myra Hess, Robert and Gaby Casadesus, Zino Francescatti, and Gregor Piatigorsky.

The first dancer was Ruth St. Denis, who appeared in a solo evening on March 7, 1930 and returned that same fall with Ted Shawnand the full troupe of the pioneering Denishawn dancers. But the next several decades saw few dance offerings of any significance, with perhaps one notable exception: a single performance in 1935 by a company of dancers touring under the name of "American Ballet" – the first troupe of dancers assembled in this country by an émigré Russian choreographer named George Balanchine, and as such the early precursor of what would eventually evolve into what we know today as the New York City Ballet.

In the post World War II years, Broadway producers cut costs by having extended preview periods in New York City rather than out-of-town try outs. Thus, the number of touring Broadway shows declined. With increasing debt, the Theatre could no longer be self-supporting and in 1950, Princeton University and the Triangle Club agreed that the University should take title to the building and assume responsibility for its operating costs. In the late 1950s, Princeton University appointed a Faculty Advisory Committee to determine the best use of the building.

Noted director Milton Lyon was hired in 1960 as consultant to the Faculty Advisory Committee and in time was appointed the first Executive Producer of the McCarter Theatre Company. Lyon's vision was to create a theater which "should reflect the outlook of the University, and thus become an educational asset to the University and the community, as well as a place of entertainment."

Lyon proposed to the University that McCarter become a "producing" rather than a "booking" theater. His plans included the formation of a company to perform plays, thus establishing the first resident professional theater in America on a university campus. He instantly formed such a company by hiring APA (Association of Performing Artists) for the inaugural theater season, 1960-61. Under the artistic direction of Ellis Rabb, actors in the APA company included Rosemary Harris, Donald Moffat, Frances Sternhagen, and Edward Asner.

In 1973, Princeton University transferred its direct operation of McCarter to the McCarter Theatre Company, which was separately incorporated at that time. McCarter flourished as a producing theater under Milton Lyon and his successors – most notably Arthur Lithgow, Michael Kahn, Nagle Jackson, and the Theatre's current artistic director, Emily Mann – while continuing to present a wide range of dance and classical music concerts.

Emily Mann’s tenure as Artistic Director has been notable for its emphasis on the creation and development of new work, marked especially by an on-going program of commissions and the fostering of long term relationships with playwrights both established and emerging, including Athol Fugard, who has come to regard McCarter as a “home away from home”. Awarded the 1994 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre, McCarter has evolved into a nationally and internationally acclaimed theatre, recognized for its first rate productions and lasting contributions to the American theatrical canon.

In 1990s McCarter underwent major renovations and expansions including construction of a smaller second theater adjacent to the main auditorium, allowing two productions to be mounted simultaneously.

Contact person: Debra Lemeshow, Volunteer Coordinator, (phone), (email)
Office fax number: (609) 497-0369

Address:

91 University Place Princeton, NJ 08540 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.mccarter.org

Directions:

Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: NJ Transit--Princeton Station,   Walk distance (in minutes): 0   Nearest Bus Stop: NJ Transit Route 605, 0 minute walk