TRTC's Resident Company
Revisiting the
Lost Ideal of a Permanent Theatre Company
TRTC was founded in 1995
with the desire to create a resident theatre company here in the Roaring Fork Valley.
As pointed out by Jean Schiffman in the December,
2001 issue of American Theatre magazine, we were not alone. She mentions
that when the well known American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco announced the formation of a
core acting company, local audiences responded with a burst of enthusiasm. In
fact, many patrons had been longing for the opportunity to watch actors they
admire, develop and transform over time. For many years professional actors
from around the country have claimed to be “hungry for a company.” An ongoing,
committed group of actors-in-residence can nourish an organization, and affect
a community in unique ways, and be deeply nourished in return. An acting
company is what gives a theatre an identity. Most artistic directors believe
that the continuity is crucial to an audience’s long-term feeling of ownership.
Stage-minded actors feel that they have an option of a true artistic home. As
company members, they understand from within the challenges of sustaining a
theatre, and they become invested in the effort. Actors take on more
responsibility for the art form. TRTC is proud that it was founded on this
belief system.
Lon Winston
Founder & Executive
Artistic Director