Ed Herendeen, Founder of Contemporary American Theater Festival, Retires

The Contemporary American Theater Festival has been a beacon for new plays since 1991. Housed on the campus of Shepherd University, CATF has earned a reputation as one of the country's top festivals for new plays. Producing Director Ed Herendeen, who founded the professional theater and lead the organization to its well-respected status, announced his retirement effective this December.

Over 30 years ago, Dr. Michael P. Riccards the former president of the then Shepherd College, asked Herendeen what it would take to create a professional theater on the college campus.

"At the time there were so few places that fully produced new work. There was a critical need for the nurturing of, and the development and production of new plays," Herendeen shared.

Riccards seized the opportunity and asked Herendeen to turn his vision of a new play festival into reality on Shepherd's campus.

In its first season, CATF produced two plays in repertory. Since then, the festival has grown exponentially. Today, patrons can see six plays in rotating repertory throughout the month of July. There are more than 100 performances, and over 60 engagement and educational events. To date, CATF has produced 133 new plays, including fifty-six world premieres.

"It's always been about the work on stage, about the voice of the playwrights. The plays deal with timely issues. They ask questions. They inspire conversation and even controversy. That's why the festival has grown," Herendeen said.

In addition to sharing plays on stage, a recently published anthology of CATF plays is being used in theater classrooms across the country. All five of the plays had their first production at CATF. Plays by Women of the Contemporary American Theater Festival was published by the London-based Methuen Drama.

CATF plays have also gone on to have productions in regional theaters across the country, on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and in London. Beau Willimon's play Farragut North was produced at the Festival in 2009. It was adapted into the movie The Ides of March starring Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

In true CATF fashion, Herendeen is always looking forward. "The next season of six plays has been selected. I selected these plays for the 2020 season, but obviously because of covid we rescheduled until 2022. Both I and the festival are committed to these stories. The festival is set up for success."

Marellen Aherne, President of CATF's board of trustees reflects on the founder. "For thirty-one years, the festival has had a remarkable leader. We are excited about our future and thankful to Ed. We find ourselves in an excellent position to realize the bright future ahead."

One of the founding concepts of the festival was to create and maintain a unique, synergetic relationship between CATF and Shepherd University. One of the most notable accomplishments of the partnership is the Center for Contemporary Arts. The two organizations came together to fundraise for and build two arts facilities. A third building is in the planning stages. The center is shared by both CATF and Shepherd. It houses the Marinoff Theater; Studio 112; the FASTEnER Lab; classrooms; offices; and painting, print making, sculpture, and computer studios, all outfitted with the latest technology.

Shepherd University President Dr. Mary J.C. Hendrix greatly values Herendeen's contribution to the university and town. "Shepherd University has enjoyed a very special partnership with Ed and the Contemporary American Theater Festival for over 30 years. Ed's creative vision and unparalleled commitment to authenticity and excellence will long be remembered. His passion for performance and evoking emotional responses to real life issues underscore his remarkable legacy. Ed is an icon of our times."

CATF's board of trustees appointed the festival's Associate Producing Director Peggy McKowen as the Acting Producing Director. McKowen will lead the organization during a nation-wide search for the theater's next leadership team.

The plays for CATF's upcoming season in July of 2022 are: The Fifth Domain by Victor Lesniewski, Whitelisted by Chisa Hutchinson, Babel by Jacqueline Goldfinger, Ushuaia Blue by Caridad Svich, The House of the Negro Insane by Terence Anthony, and Sheepdog by Kevin Artigue. For more information about the Contemporary American Theater Festival, visit CATF online at www.catf.org.

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