Quiara Alegria Hudes & Lisa Kron Join Signature Theatre's Residency Five Program

Signature Theatre has announced that Quiara Alegría Hudes & Lisa Kron have joined the Residency Five program, which provides five-year residencies for multiple playwrights, guaranteeing three full productions of new work over the course of each playwright's residency. The other artists currently in the Residency Five program are Annie Baker, Martha Clarke, Will Eno, Katori Hall, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Kenneth Lonergan and Regina Taylor.

Residency Five is the first program of its kind in the American theatre; going far beyond the traditional commissioning or workshop models, the program enables a diverse community of playwrights to build bodies of work. Residency Five playwrights receive a significant cash award, full health benefits, a stipend to attend theatre, access to Signature's resources and staff, and like all of our playwrights, a place at the center of the artistic process.

Signature Theatre's Founding Artistic Director James Houghton said, "In the three years since its inauguration, Residency Five has already been an exhilarating experience of collaborating with an inspiring and diverse group of writers as they nurture and premiere new plays at Signature. I am thrilled to welcome these two unique, powerful voices to our family of playwrights."

"There are many versions of home to me," said Quiara Alegría Hudes. "My abuela's kitchen, its door always open, its stove always brimming. Any library or lounge where writers are gathered. Signature captures two homes in one: a sanctuary as faithful and loving as a childhood kitchen, and a space full of challenging sparkling ideas. I will go to Signature in despair. I will go to Signature in fits of inspiration. I will remember the works of Vogel and Wilson on its stage that seeped into my DNA. And I will take Jim up on his glorious dare: five years, three plays, go."

"I've been watching with great admiration Signature's bold strides to make shows more accessible to audiences: the low ticket prices, the actual architecture of the space," said Lisa Kron. "I've loved watching multiple productions by each Signature playwright and the way it encourages audiences to think past a simple thumbs up/thumbs down response and to engage in a trajectory of work over time. Signature is reaching toward a new sort of theatrical ecosystem. It's a goal I'm very interested in and I'm thrilled to be getting on the ride."

Programming for Signature Theatre's 2015-16 25th Anniversary Season will be announced shortly. To purchase tickets for all Signature productions, call Ticket Services at 212-244-7529 (Tues. - Sun., 11am - 6pm) or visit signaturetheatre.org.