About CTC

Founded by Michael Kahn in 1983 to be the resident Professional Theater on the grounds of the Chautauqua Institution, the Chautauqua Theater Company grew under the 18 year stewardship of Rebecca Guy to include a nationally recognized training program for actors. Under the new leadership of co-Artistic Directors Vivienne Benesch and Ethan McSweeny, CTC unites outstanding theatre professionals with the finest emerging actors in the country.

Our Mission

The Chautauqua Theater Company has a unique role to play in the American Theater -- it offers our loyal and discerning audience the best in classical, contemporary, and new plays and features a company made up of internationally acclaimed professional actors, directors, designers, playwrights and faculty, joined by 15 of the finest emerging actors in the country.

As originally conceived by founding artistic director Michael Kahn, the goal of the CTC was to build "a professional theater company centered at Chautauqua that would, in the future, be able to do a season of very, very good theater combining professional actors and students."

Under the 18-year stewardship of the incomparable Rebecca Guy, the Conservatory emerged to fill Michael's original vision of a resident company at Chautauqua. Patiently, with years of support from Chautauquans near and far, Guy built the infrastructure of a sustainable theater organization and completed the stunning renovation of Bratton Theater.

Now, the future that Michael Kahn once envisioned is here. Building on the firm foundations laid by their predecessors, Vivienne Benesch and Ethan McSweeny are poised to bring CTC to the forefront of summer theaters in this country and unite the twin traditions of performance and training under one Bratton roof.

Leadership

> Artistic Directors

Vivienne Benesch, New York, NY

Vivienne Benesch is in her fourth season as artistic director of CTC and her thirteenth as a member of the Company. Since 1989, when she began as a member of the Conservatory and performed the role of Rachel in Reckless for the first time, she has returned to direct (Much Ado About Nothing, Measure for Measure, A Soldier's Tale, New Burlington, Skin of Our Teeth, Power of Three, Love by the Water, The September 11th Project), to act (100 Saints You Should Know, Iphigenia and Other Daughters, Waiting for the Parade, No Exit, Lysistrata), and to teach.

As an actress, Ms. Benesch has worked extensively on and Off-Broadway, in film and television and at many of the country's most celebrated theaters. Most recently, she performed the title role in Major Barbara at The Shakespeare Theatre (directed by Ethan McSweeny). Last year she appeared with Maggie Smith in the London revival of Edward Albee's The Lady from Dubuque. In 2005 she received an OBIE Award for her performance in Lee Blessing's Going to St. Ives (which also garnered the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Off-Broadway Play). In New York, her Broadway credits include: After the Fall, Salome, Deep Blue Sea and The Heiress; Off-Broadway: Belle Epoque (Lincoln Center); Vienna: Lusthaus (New York Theatre Workshop); Pericles and All's Well That Ends Well (NYSF/Public Theater); Troilus & Cressida (Theatre for a New Audience); Ancient History (Primary Stages); and work with Classic Stage Company, MCC and Underwood. Regional work includes leading roles at The Guthrie Theater, Hartford Stage, Alley Theatre, A.C.T. San Francisco, The Shakespeare Theatre, McCarter, Long Wharf, Westport Country Playhouse and four seasons at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. TV & film credits include Teeth, American Splendor, Tenderness, Corn, "Paradise" (a pilot for Showtime),"Six Feet Under," "Sex and the City," "The Education of Max Bickford," "The Division" and multiple episodes of "Law & Order."

As a director Benesch most recently staged The Seagull and Getting Out for the Juilliard School and a highly acclaimed production of Richard III for the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (Star Ledger, Top Ten of 2006). She is a graduate of Brown University and NYU's Graduate Acting Program and serves as chair of the theater panel for the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts.

Ethan McSweeny, Washington, DC

Ethan McSweeny is in his fourth summer as artistic director of CTC, for which he has directed The Just ('07), The Cherry Orchard ('06), All My Sons ('05), Cobb ('03), and the New Play Workshops of Kate Fodor's 100 Saints You Should Know, Quincy Long's Aux Cops, and Rinne Groff's What Then.

Last fall he directed the New York premieres of 100 Saints You Should Know and Jason Grote's 1001, which, in a rare double-header, were chosen to be among the top ten productions of 2007 by Time Out and Entertainment Weekly magazines. His other New York direction includes a star-studded Broadway revival of Gore Vidal's The Best Man (Tony nomination, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards), Aeschylus' The Persians in a new translation by Ellen McLaughlin, Willy Holtzman's Sabina and John Logan's Never the Sinner (Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards).

Recent national highlights include a revival of Shaw's Major Barbara at the Shakespeare Theatre (featuring Ms. Benesch in the title role); the world premieres of In This Corner at the Old Globe, 1001 at the Denver Center Theatre (Ovation Award) and Lee Blessing's A Body of Water at both the Guthrie and the Globe (San Diego Theatre Critics Circle Award); the new musical Chasing Nicolette at the Prince Music Theater (Barrymore Award nomination); the world premiere of Noah Haidle's Mr. Marmalade at South Coast Rep (OCIE Award); and revivals of Romeo and Juliet and Six Degrees of Separation at the Guthrie (Star-Tribune Award).

Mr. McSweeny received the first-ever undergraduate degree in theater and dramatic arts from Columbia University and has served as associate artistic director of the George Street Playhouse in New Jersey (2000-2004), resident director at New Dramatists (2001-2002) and associate director of the Shakespeare Theater Company (1993-1997). He currently sits on the executive board of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, an independent national labor union.

This coming year, Mr. McSweeny's work will be seen at the Guthrie (Miller's A View from the Bridge), CenterStage (Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?), the Juilliard School (Friel's Dancing at Lughnasa), The Shakespeare Theatre (Euripides' Ion) and the Old Globe (the world premiere of Cornelia by Mark Olsen).

> General Manager

Robert Chelimsky, New York, NY

Robert has worked as a theater administrator for over fifteen years. He began his management career with American Stage (St. Petersburg, FL) working in various positions between 1991 and 1993, then serving as PR Director from 1993 through 1995. In 1995, working with Artistic Director Charles R. Miller, he co-founded Gryphon Productions, where he served as Executive Director until 2003. During his tenure, the company developed from a fledgling operation to being the producer of the largest in-school arts outreach program in the state, The Bard of Education Shakespeare-in-the-Schools Tour, and the critically acclaimed Smoky Mt. Shakespeare Festival. Robert served as Managing Director of Virginia Stage Company (Norfolk, VA) from 2003 through 2004, before returning to his Native New York City in 2005. Since that time, as the founder of RNArts Consulting, he has worked as an organizational development consultant with The American National Theatre. Robert served for over 7 years on Chapter Boards for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Production History

Ah, Wilderness (June 30-July 8, 2007) by Eugene O'Neill Directed by Lisa Rothe "It's a lighthearted, entertaining experience and a refreshing breath of air, perfect for a summer outing." Dave Zuchowski, Erie Times/Chautauquan Daily "...the production is blessed with an outstanding performance by young Gabriel Ebert… join the Millers if you can… you'll emerge happy yet wiser." Robert Plyler, Jamestown Post-Journal

The Just (July 21-29, 2007) by Albert Camus/Translated by Anthony Clarvoe Directed by Ethan McSweeny "Scorching…each member of this talented, tightly-knit ensemble has a critical role to play, and all deploy themselves with aplomb…" Zachary Lewis, Chautauquan Daily "Briskly paced…engrossing…a succinct and effective contemplation on the conflicting forces of ideology." Colin Dabkowski, The Buffalo News

Much Ado About Nothing (August 11-18, 2007) By William Shakespeare Directed by Vivienne Benesch "This play is laugh-aloud funny…the overwhelming feeling was one of lightness, laughter and enjoyment." Robert Plyler, Jamestown Post Journal "…in the stable of Shakespeare clowns, Dogberry is right up there, and Morf's characterization would need to be among the best." Anthony Bannon, Chautauquan Daily

Vaidehi (July 12-14, 2007) By Gautam Raja Directed by Pamela Berlin Isaac and Ishmael (August 2-4, 2007) By David Schulner Directed by Liesl Tommy

The Cherry Orchard (July 1-9, 2006) by Anton Chekhov Translated by Paul Schmidt Directed by Ethan McSweeny  "Marvelous ... director Ethan McSweeny strikes the ideal balance between comedy and tragedy." Richard Huntington, The Buffalo News "... a gossamer beauty ... subtle and delicate and profound." Robert Plyler, Jamestown Post-Journal "... a stunning production." Willard Spiegelman, The Wall Street Journal

The Art of Coarse Acting (July 22-30, 2006) by Michael Green Directed by Dylan Baker "Certain to make you laugh, long and hard." Robert Plyler, Jamestown (NY) Post-Journal "Deliciously bad! (A) wacky pageant of high jinks and well-crafted and deliberate ineptitude." Dave Zuchowski, Erie Times "Uproarious ... the cast perfected their pratfalls and comic timing and the audience hooted." Wilma Salisbury, Cleveland Plain-Dealer

Twelfth Night (August 12-19, 2006) by William Shakespeare Directed by Andrew Borba "Many winning performances ... Susannah Flood is beguiling." Chuck Klaus, Chautauquan Daily "Light, energetic, and very funny ... I recommend it heartily." Robert Plyler, Jamestown Post-Journal

Aux Cops (July 13-15, 2006) by Quincy Long Directed by Ethan McSweeny 100 Saints You Should Know (August 3-5, 2006) by Kate Fodor Directed by Ethan McSweeny

All My Sons (July 7-16, 2005) by Arthur Miller Directed by Ethan McSweeney  "A shattering performance ..." Wilma Salisbury, The Cleveland Plain-Dealer "A superb production ... " Richard Huntington, The Buffalo News "... A powerful debut for the new artistic team." Dave Zuchowski, The Erie (PA) Times News

Picasso at the Lapin Agile (July 21-30, 2005) by Steve Martin Directed by Mark Nelson "You'll leave weary from laughing ... An evening of very high comedy." Robert Plyler, Jamestown (NY) Post-Journal "Very funny ... and remarkably subtle." Richard Huntington, The Buffalo News " ... from the sublime to the mundane and several rungs of the comic ladder in between." Dave Zuchowski, Chautauquan Daily

Measure For Measure (August 11-20, 2005) by William Shakespeare Directed by Vivienne Benesch "A powerful Shakespeare experience ..." Robert Plyler, Jamestown (NY) Post-Journal "Vivienne Benesch directs a production replete with deft handlings of the text ... " Zachary Lewis, The Chautauquan Daily

Ariel Sharon Stands at the Temple Mount and Dreams of Theodor Herzl by David Zellnik Directed by Julia Gibson What Then by Rinnie Groff Directed by Ethan McSweeney

Bratton Theater

Click on the image of Bratton Theater above to download a Quicktime Virtual Reality movie in a new window. (photo Bruce Fox) After downloading, to look around, click on the image and keep your mouse button pressed down as you move the mouse around. Press Shift to zoom in, Control to zoom out.

Friends of CTC

Since 1994, the Friends of Chautauqua Theater Company have played an important role in encouraging Chautauqua Institution's commitment to theater as a vital part of the performing arts during the season. Visit the Friends online to learn more about becoming a member.