AMERICAN PLACE THEATRE

Now in its 41st Season (2003-04), the Theatre is led by Artistic Director/Co-founder, Wynn Handman and Executive Director, David Kener, in conjunction with an active Board of Trustees and a staff of nine. The current producing seasons include 8 solo Literature to Life(r) productions
including the new adaptation of the current New York Times Best Seller, The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd. These productions run for 2-4 weeks each for middle and high school audiences -one-time only public evening performances of these celebrated plays are a tribute to the solo and literary based work that is the foundation of APT's creative work.

The American Place Theatre is committed to producing high quality new work by diverse American writers and to pursuing pluralism and diversity in all its endeavors. It strives to respond to the needs of our time with work that
is relevant and cuts deeply into the fabric of American society. Literature to Life is The Theatre's performance-based literacy methodology dedicated to providing students with a new form of access to literature and theatre by bringing to life the world of the book. The integrated programs of Literature to Life present professionally staged verbatim adaptations of
American literary works and integrate them into school curriculum through residencies and training programs.

The American Place Theatre was founded in 1963 by Wynn Handman, Sidney Lanier, and Michael Tolan at St. Clement's Church, far west on 46th Street
in Manhattan and was incorporated as a not-for-profit theatre in that year. Tennessee Williams and Myrna Loy were two of the original Board members. The first full production was Robert Lowell's theatre trilogy masterpiece, The Old Glory, in November 1964.