LAByrinth Theater Company

Last updated
LAByrinth Theater Company
Formation1992
TypeTheatre group
Location
Artistic director(s)
John Ortiz, Aaron Weiner
Website www.labtheater.org

LAByrinth Theater Company is a non-profit, Off-Broadway theater company based in New York City. Led by Philip Seymour Hoffman and John Ortiz for many years, [1] its artistic director is Ortiz. [2] The New York Times described it in 2014 as "an ethnically diverse downtown troupe that has mounted several critically acclaimed new works". [3]

Contents

History

LAByrinth Theater Company was founded in 1992 and was originally begun as Latino Actors Base, by Gary Perez, [4] John Ortiz, David Deblinger, and Paul Calderon. Using INTAR 2 as their original space on West 52nd Street NYC. [5] [6] [7] It is here where the company began finding mainly LatinX actors who were looking for "a home where the group, for three hours each week, could engage in a variety of theatrical exercises designed to push each others’ limits and bind together into a tightly knit, uninhibited and impassioned ensemble – one in which each member is given the opportunity and support not only to act, but to write, direct, produce, sweep, paint, hang lights, etcetera." [8] This expansion of artists into the exploration of new aspects of theater remains one of the primary goals of Labyrinth, and the company is fostering a new generation of writers and directors who come from acting backgrounds. [9] [10]

In 2017, Dane Laffrey, Scott Zielinski, and Michael Urie won Obie Awards presented by the American Theatre Wing. [11]

Notable members

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Raúl Castillo Jr. is an American actor and playwright. He is known for his acting roles in Amexicano and Cold Weather and his role as Richie Donado Ventura in the HBO series Looking and its subsequent series finale television film, Looking: The Movie. He received a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male for his performance in the film We the Animals.

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References

  1. Healy, Patrick. "Labyrinth Theater Is Said to Seek New Leaders".
  2. Weber, Bruce. "Philip Seymour Hoffman, Actor of Depth, Dies at 46".
  3. "Hollywood Was Just One of His Stages".
  4. "Gary Perez". www.steppenwolf.org. Retrieved 2022-12-22.
  5. "History – Intar Theatre". Retrieved 2022-12-22.
  6. Finkle, David (2000-11-21). "A Train Not in Vain". The Village Voice. Retrieved 2022-12-22.
  7. Kaufman, David (2000-12-10). "THEATER; A 'Gym' for Acting, It's a Company, Too". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-12-22.
  8. LAByrinth Theater Company – About Labyrinth Archived February 6, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  9. Cram, Cusi (June 2008). "Into the LAByrinth: The Life of an Acting Writer". The Brooklyn Rail.
  10. "Labyrinth at Theatre Row NYTimes 2002 Upscale March".
  11. LAByrinth Theater Company, "Michael Urie Wins the Obie".