Accabonac House Retreat to Launch This Summer with Pulitzer Winner Annie Baker

Artistic Director Alex Kilgore announced today that Pulitzer Prize Winning Playwright Annie Baker was awarded the first residency of Accabonac House, a year-round interdisciplinary artists retreat dedicated to the memory of Lisa de Kooning, who grew up in the house, located in the heart of Historic Spring/East Hampton. Her father, the Abstract Expressionist Willem de Kooning, traded a painting in 1961 for the property, which served as his first studio in Springs as well as a home for his only child, Lisa and her mother the illustrator, Joan Ward.

Writers, actors, directors, musicians, dancers, artists, and filmmakers will meet at the house for the retreat to create and collaborate on new works for the stage and screen. Board members include Rachael Horovitz, Marsha Norman, Annie Baker, Adam Rapp, Gina Gionfriddo, Neena Beber, Alex Kilgore Monica Bill Barnes, Laurie Beckelman, Paul Sparks, Annie Parisse, David Wilson Barnes, Gibby Haynes, Jim Tozzi, Isabel de Kooning Villeneuve, Emma de Kooning Villeneuve, and Lucy de Kooning Villeneuve.

"Bill de Kooning once told me, 'The arts feed each other.' That kept sticking in my head when I began to dream of what this place could be: a place for different disciplines to spark off each other. The house itself has such a rich artistic legacy, it was the nexus of a scene. The goal is to recapture the spirit of that scene and create a renaissance in Springs. Lisa understood that continuity intuitively. She carried that torch. As an artist was a fierce defender of other artists. She was all about community." Kilgore said.

The mission of Accabonac House is to nurture the creative process by providing an opportunity for artists to work alone or collaboratively without interruption in a supportive environment. Accabonac House offers residencies to playwrights, actors, directors, musicians, filmmakers and artists to foster mutual inspiration across different disciplines and generate new work for stage and screen. Residencies are awarded by the advisory board, and all future residencies include room, board, and studio.

The retreat began in May, and a special benefit will take place at Ashawagh Hall in East Hampton on July 21st and 22nd with art by Gibby Haynes, Jim Tozzi, and Dan Witz, music by Invisible Familiars, and a special performance by Monica Bill Barnes Company.

For more information on the Accabonac House, visit www.accabonachouse.com.