More Praise for Swarthmore-Founded Pig Iron Theatre Co.
More Praise for Swarthmore-
Founded Pig Iron Theatre Company
by Maki Somosot '12
3/01/2010
Philadelphia-based and Swarthmore-born Pig Iron Theatre Company recently enjoyed the spotlight after being featured in American Theatre magazine. Two productions received special attention - the Obie-winning Chekov Lizardbrain and Welcome to Yuba City, their most recent production. The article also discussed the company's founding 20 years ago by co-artistic directors Gabriel Quinn Bauriedel '94, Dito van Reigersberg '94, and Dan Rothenberg '95.
"At Swarthmore," Bauriedel reflects, "we were learning about the Open Theater, Gardzienice and Théâtre du Soleil. So for us it was normal that you get together and make plays... and you don't start with a script. You start with a group of people and you follow what's hot."
Twenty-four original productions and tours of 11 countries later, Pig Iron is still going strong. Three of the company's members, including Reigersberg, have been nominated for 2010 Helen Hayes Awards following their February production of Hell Meets Henry Halfway. Reigersberg also recently performed at Olde Club on campus as his popular alter-ego, drag queen extraordinaire Miss Martha Graham Cracker.
Pig Iron last graced American Theatre magazine in 2000 with The Tragedy of Joan of Arc. Their next project is a 2011 production of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. A Pig Iron training conservatory is also projected to open its doors that fall.
