History And Mission
Guided by the vision of founding Artistic Directors Robert LuPone and Bernard Telsey, and Co-Artistic Director William Cantler, MCC Theater is driven by a mission to provoke conversations that have never happened - and otherwise never would. Our programming encompasses annual productions; development of new work; and renowned education and outreach programs that help more than 1,200 NYC high school students each year to find – and use – their own unique voice, increase literacy, improve grades, and develop important life skills through the creation and performance of their own original work. MCC empowers artists and students to take risks to create bold, daring work that investigates the issues and morality of our time and inspires active engagement of audiences.
MCC Theater’s celebrated productions include Penelope Skinner’s The Village Bike; Robert Askins’ Hand to God; John Pollono’s Small Engine Repair; Paul Downs Colaizzo’s Really Really; Sharr White’s The Other Place (Broadway transfer); a fully reimagined version of the legendary musical Carrie; Jeff Talbott’s The Submission (Laurents/Hatcher Award); Michael Weller’s Fifty Words; Alexi Kaye Campbell’s The Pride; Bryony Lavery’s Frozen (Broadway transfer; four 2004 Tony Award nominations including Best Play, Tony Award for Best Featured Actor); Tim Blake Nelson’s The Grey Zone; Rebecca Gilman’s The Glory of Living (2002 Pulitzer Prize finalist); Margaret Edson’s Wit (1999 Pulitzer Prize); and nine plays by Playwright-in-Residence Neil LaBute, including Reasons to Be Happy, reasons to be pretty (Broadway transfer, three 2009 Tony Award nominations, including Best Play), Some Girl(s), Fat Pig and The Mercy Seat. Many plays developed and produced by MCC have gone on to productions throughout the country and around the world.
