TheaterWorks Receives NEA Grant to Support 2015 Production of David Lindsay-Abaire's GOOD PEOPLE

National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Acting Chairman Joan Shigekawa announced today that TheaterWorks is one of 886 nonprofit organizations nationwide to receive an NEA Art Works grant. TheaterWorks is recommended for a $10,000 grant to support its 2015 production of Good People by Pulitzer Prize winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire. A story of class, luck and life choices, Good People speaks provocatively, intelligently and artistically about the human condition. Good People will open at TheaterWorks in March and run through April of 2015. Thirty-seven performances of the play will be scheduled with the possibility of a one-week extension reaching an audience of nearly 7,000 patrons from the greater Hartford area and southern New England.

NEA Acting Chairman Shigekawa said, "The NEA is pleased to announce that TheaterWorks is recommended for an NEA Art Works grant. These NEA-supported projects will not only have a positive impact on local economies, but will also provide opportunities for people of all ages to participate in the arts, help our communities to become more vibrant, and support our nation's artists as they contribute to our cultural landscape."

Rob Ruggiero, Producing Artistic Director, said he couldn't be more thrilled. "This is TheaterWorks first NEA application in its 28 year history and we understand how competitive the process is. GOOD PEOPLE represents the kind of theater we believe in - important contemporary voices that capture our shared humanity and experiences. It is also a wonderful endorsement of TheaterWorks and the role the company plays in Connecticut's cultural landscape."

Art Works grants support the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence, public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts, and enhancement of the livability of communities through the arts. The NEA received 1,515 eligible applications under the Art Works category, requesting more than $76 million in funding. Of those applications, 886 are recommended for grants for a total of $25.8 million.

For a complete listing of projects recommended for Art Works grant support, please visit the NEA website at arts.gov.