HRC Showcase Theatre Information

HRC Showcase Theatre is the premier not-for-profit professional theatre organization of the Hudson River Valley dedicated solely to concert readings of new plays. In 1991 the company was created so that a group could get together once a month and read the classics and was given the name, Hudson River Classics. Shortly after the group was born, they decided to do a reading of a new play by a local playwright. It was presented in a second floor art gallery on Warren Street in Hudson, NY. The reading of new plays continued and the reading of classics was forgotten; however, the name remained the same until the summer of 2002. After reviewing nearly 100 sugestions for a new name, HRC Showcase Theatre was chosen as the new name for the company. As president, Jan Grice pointed out to the members at the annual meeting and picnic in 2002, that's what we do: showcase new plays and new and established playwrights. After that first season in the art gallery, the company moved to the First Presperterian Church for a few performances, and then moved to the Jones-Grove Hall at Christ Church Episcopal on Union Street in Hudson. Showcase Theatre has ventured out to other venues for special performances: Thomas Cole House in Catskill, Middle School in Hudson, North Pointe Cultural Arts Center in Kinderhook, and Pleshakov Music Center in Hudson. The 2007-2008 season will be the first in the StageWorks/Hudson Theatre. For directions/map and other information about StageWorks/Hudosn visit www.stageworkshudson.org The company's purpose is now three fold: to promote and sustain play readings as a vehicle for the development of new plays; to provide a forum for the work of both established dramatists and new playwrights; and to reach out and develop new audiences.