Artistic Statement
Our artistic vision is guided by our mission statement and driven by three additional benchmarks:
- Ambition: Theatre is at its best when it both entertains and challenges the audience. We strive to produce ambitious works which allow for audiences to escape into other worlds, time periods, and perspectives while simultaneously encouraging our audiences to think critically about themselves and our present moment in time. We are committed to exemplary quality in everything we do and endeavor to create a positive and professional environment for our artists, volunteers, and patrons.
- Intimate: The intimacy of our space is among our biggest assets. It allows us to connect with our audiences in ways other theatres cannot. We create theatre which allows our audiences to be a part of the action. Our audiences are engaged with and connected to the compelling stories and rich characters we share with them in our shared space.
- Growth: We are committed to growth in every aspect of what we do. We will increase our artistic footprint by producing top-notch professional theatre that our community can be proud of. We will grow our audiences by producing compelling, thought-provoking, and entertaining works. We will also provide opportunities for personal growth for our artists—by producing work which challenges their creative abilities—and our patrons—by producing works which encourages them to empathize with people and ideas beyond their lived experiences.
History
Oldcastle Theatre Company was formed by five actors (Eric Peterson, Gary Poe, Paul Falzone, Norrine Sims, and Joe Warik) from New York City in 1972. In the early days the company toured New York, New Jersey and Vermont, including many performances at the historic Park-McCullough House in North Bennington. Oldcastle’s first production was The Hollow Crown by John Barton and was followed by a production of Dylan Thomas’ Under Milkwood. Oldcastle remained a touring company until 1977 when the company took residence at Southern Vermont College in Bennington. In 1994 they became the resident professional theatre company at the Bennington Center for the Arts. In 2012, Oldcastle Theatre Company moved to their current home, a former Knights of Columbus hall. In 2020, the company purchased the building, making downtown Bennington the permanent location of the Bennington Performing Arts Center—the home of Oldcastle Theatre Company.
Oldcastle Theatre Company has a long-standing commitment to New Play Development and plays first seen at Oldcastle have been produced in more than 25 states, as well as in South Africa, Canada, Spain, and Argentina. Throughout its history, Oldcastle Theatre Company has always been cognizant of its role as a New England theatre. It has produced several plays with special relationships to the Green Mountain State, including the statehood bicentennial play, 109 Hats to Bennington and Ethan, an original play about Green Mountain boy Ethan Allen and his band of merry men (presented both on Vermont Public Television and in a special performance before the Vermont Legislature). Oldcastle also developed David Budbill’s remarkable play, Judevine based on his poetry, which presents Vermont as a third world nation. In 2001, Oldcastle premiered Civil Union by Eric Peterson, a play about the social, political and personal costs of Vermont′s same-sex union law, and in 2019 premiered Peterson’s Water, Water, Everywhere… inspired by local incidences of contaminated water and its impact on the community.
Over the years, Oldcastle Theatre Company has been honored with awards from the Berkshire Theatre Critics, New England Theatre Conference and the Vermont Arts Council, and has collaborated with Tony winner Karen Ziemba; Oscar winners Melissa Leo and composer John Addison; Emmy winners Richard Thomas, James Goldstone, and Larkin Malloy; Olivier award winning playwright Matthew Lopez; and Obie winning playwright A.R. Gurney, among countless other directors, designers, actors, and theatre artists.
What began has 5 actors, touring the northeast, has evolved into an artistic institution beloved by thousands of theatre-goers across the region. We are incredibly proud of our legacy and history and we can’t wait for what the future has in store!