A message to our community during the Covid-19 pandemic
With the restrictions to limit the spread of the coronavirus set to remain in place for a long time, we have made the heart-breaking decision to suspend all our normal activities until further notice. This involves cancelling Studio Nights, which we had previously thought of postponing to September, and Nixon's Nixon, a political play that was meant to open on the night of the American presidential elections.
It is not known if or when theaters will be allowed to reopen. At any rate, maintaining safe distances will imply cutting the seating capacity of most venues by as much as 80%. This is not financially viable, and we feel that it does not sufficiently reward the enormous effort put in by our volunteers to produce a conventional play.
The ATC has enough reserves to wait out the storm, as does CAST, the umbrella association that manages the Warehouse. We will therefore be in the fortunate position of resuming our activities as soon as it is safe to do so.
We will have to figure out alternative ways of remaining active during this interval. One thing we will do is share the treasure trove of archives that we recovered for our 50th anniversary, and which we had already started posting on Facebook in the run-up to our big celebration last year. So please visit our Facebook page to stay connected.
We encourage our followers to support theater in their local communities. This is an unprecedented challenge for our art form, and strong public support will be needed if we want theaters to thrive when this crisis is over.
We hope it will not be too long before we can experience once again the pangs of excitement of an opening night, the levity of multiple callbacks, or the bittersweet emotions of a cast party. But in the meantime, we will stay safe, and we will stay at home.
It is not known if or when theaters will be allowed to reopen. At any rate, maintaining safe distances will imply cutting the seating capacity of most venues by as much as 80%. This is not financially viable, and we feel that it does not sufficiently reward the enormous effort put in by our volunteers to produce a conventional play.
The ATC has enough reserves to wait out the storm, as does CAST, the umbrella association that manages the Warehouse. We will therefore be in the fortunate position of resuming our activities as soon as it is safe to do so.
We will have to figure out alternative ways of remaining active during this interval. One thing we will do is share the treasure trove of archives that we recovered for our 50th anniversary, and which we had already started posting on Facebook in the run-up to our big celebration last year. So please visit our Facebook page to stay connected.
We encourage our followers to support theater in their local communities. This is an unprecedented challenge for our art form, and strong public support will be needed if we want theaters to thrive when this crisis is over.
We hope it will not be too long before we can experience once again the pangs of excitement of an opening night, the levity of multiple callbacks, or the bittersweet emotions of a cast party. But in the meantime, we will stay safe, and we will stay at home.
Jeremy Zeegers,
ATC President
ATC President
Meanwhile, here's a "quarantine" (rhymes with valentine) to our audience-members, our fellow theater-lovers and theatre-makers, and our much-loved ATC family.
Pandemic Pentameter
by Robynn Colwell
A long time ago and so far away
We gathered for this year’s last ATC play
Three Days of Rain it was called, and it ran
for eight sold out nights before the big pan--
But, wait, let’s just bask a bit in those weeks
when actors, production team, technical geeks
all devoted their joy, their minds, souls, and hearts,
to make something more than the sum of its parts
Some tread the boards, and some did the building,
others worked wonders with deft paintbrush wielding
Friendships held fast through each maelstrom of views
on set changes, blocking, and light and sound cues
Newsletters written, publicity sent,
the box office soon showed the tickets all went!
Audiences cried, and they cheered, and they raved
(take a look at this link where the photos are saved)
Turns out it was more than a fabulous show;
it was our last dance with the people we know
For eight cosy nights in a magic black box
we shook hands and hugged; we stayed late for talks
Some people bumped elbows, exchanging a grin,
and chatted while waiting for the show to begin
They laughed and they cried with the friends they were with
They got the same jokes, they held the same breath
Who knew that we’d all soon be zapped through a portal
into a dimension where it sucks to be mortal?
Who could have predicted this light-speed eviction
from Earth into this dystopian fiction?
And now we are all far-flung stars in the night,
each shining through darkness our one lonely light
Yes, we’re apart, to our great consternation,
from afar, though, we still make a bright constellation.
by Robynn Colwell
A long time ago and so far away
We gathered for this year’s last ATC play
Three Days of Rain it was called, and it ran
for eight sold out nights before the big pan--
But, wait, let’s just bask a bit in those weeks
when actors, production team, technical geeks
all devoted their joy, their minds, souls, and hearts,
to make something more than the sum of its parts
Some tread the boards, and some did the building,
others worked wonders with deft paintbrush wielding
Friendships held fast through each maelstrom of views
on set changes, blocking, and light and sound cues
Newsletters written, publicity sent,
the box office soon showed the tickets all went!
Audiences cried, and they cheered, and they raved
(take a look at this link where the photos are saved)
Turns out it was more than a fabulous show;
it was our last dance with the people we know
For eight cosy nights in a magic black box
we shook hands and hugged; we stayed late for talks
Some people bumped elbows, exchanging a grin,
and chatted while waiting for the show to begin
They laughed and they cried with the friends they were with
They got the same jokes, they held the same breath
Who knew that we’d all soon be zapped through a portal
into a dimension where it sucks to be mortal?
Who could have predicted this light-speed eviction
from Earth into this dystopian fiction?
And now we are all far-flung stars in the night,
each shining through darkness our one lonely light
Yes, we’re apart, to our great consternation,
from afar, though, we still make a bright constellation.
The ATC's most recent production,
Three Days of Rain
was a full, 8-night sell-out!
Click here for photos and more!
Happy Birthday ATC!
2019 marked the ATC's 50th anniversary, and we dedicated the entire year to celebrating: in grand theatrical style by staging two major American classics and in eclectic theatrical style with a dark comedy paired with improv. See more about all three shows below and by clicking on the relevant pages under the "past productions" tab.
To top off the celebrations, on November 30th we held a 50th Anniversary dinner and party featuring a traditional American Thanksgiving feast as well as a program of entertainment courtesy of the Ghost Sheep, Miss Kitty K Rickets, and some of the cast from this year's production of A Streetcar named Desire. The evening extended into the wee hours with a party attended by ATC members and friends, past, present, and -- we certainly hope -- future! Be sure to visit our Facebook page to enjoy an even larger sampling of photos snapped by Tibor Radvanyi.
We started the anniversary year off right with a whopper of a classic!
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A Streetcar Named Desire, which played March 5-9 at Le Jacques Franck in St. Gilles, was a tremendous success -- and a labor of love for everyone involved. Be sure to visit the Streetcar page in our "Past Productions" section where you can see loads of photos, find out who participated on and off stage, and re-live the journey!
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The celebrations continued in May with a brand new tradition:
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An evening out combining theater and improv, nibbles and drinks, and all-around fun and conviviality! |
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And we paid a theatrical tribute to our roots by reviving the first-ever play produced by the ATC exactly 50 years ago, to the month!
This Edward Albee classic appeared 8-12 October
at the Petit Théâtre Mercelis in Ixelles
Resounding praise from our audiences and an entirely sold-out run allow us to declare this landmark production a great success. Please visit the Virginia Woolf page in the past productions section to browse loads of photos of this powerfully acted, gorgeously staged play -- by all accounts worthy of a half-century anniversary celebration.
You can always check in with us on Facebook for all the latest updates, including a series of glances back in time. Through the end of 2019 "The 50th anniversary diaries" explored five decades of ATC history with photos, reflections, and conversations about the long and winding ATC road and its many, many travellers.
The American Theatre Company (ATC) has been bringing American theater to Brussels for 50 years.
From serious drama to light comedy, from intimate studio productions to main stage classics and musicals, the ATC not only delights audiences with outstanding productions, but also provides a home for the international theatrical talent living in or just passing through Brussels: actors, directors, make-up artists, technicians, set designers…
The ATC is a frequent award winner at the annual Festival of European Anglophone Theatrical Societies (FEATS) competitions, and is always looking for fresh on- or off-stage talent, whether experienced or not.
In addition to offering two theatrical productions per season, the ATC is the creator of Studio Nights, an informal, often experimental entertainment format designed to be an excellent training ground for new talent as well as a fun and engaging night out for audiences.
Often in collaboration with other Anglophone theater groups in Belgium, the ATC periodically hosts workshops on improv comedy, lighting, make-up, set-building, etc.
From serious drama to light comedy, from intimate studio productions to main stage classics and musicals, the ATC not only delights audiences with outstanding productions, but also provides a home for the international theatrical talent living in or just passing through Brussels: actors, directors, make-up artists, technicians, set designers…
The ATC is a frequent award winner at the annual Festival of European Anglophone Theatrical Societies (FEATS) competitions, and is always looking for fresh on- or off-stage talent, whether experienced or not.
In addition to offering two theatrical productions per season, the ATC is the creator of Studio Nights, an informal, often experimental entertainment format designed to be an excellent training ground for new talent as well as a fun and engaging night out for audiences.
Often in collaboration with other Anglophone theater groups in Belgium, the ATC periodically hosts workshops on improv comedy, lighting, make-up, set-building, etc.