The Roundtable Ensemble ensures access to the riches of live theater by providing members of diverse, underserved communities free admission to its productions of contemporary and classic plays.
Accessibility
Recognizing that the high price of tickets limits theatergoing, especially among the young, The Roundtable Ensemble dramatically expands access to live theatre by providing free admission to its productions to underserved communities, creating a broad audience that is both culturally and economically diverse.
Staff & Board
Staff:
Rosemary Andress, Artistic Director
Joshua P. Weiss, Managing Director
Andrea Ghersetich, Production Associate
Stuart Goldstein, Reading Series Associate
Angela Lanza, Director of Education
Barry Shapiro, Secretary
Board of Directors:
Lisa Cree, Ph. D.
Josh Gaspero
Kelly Ann Moore
The Roundtable Ensemble is a non-profit theater company, producing humanist theater in New York City. We believe theater can make a powerful contribution to the lives of the people in our community by acting as a laboratory in which new ways of relating within and to our community can be explored by both the theater artist and the audience.
Believing that no one should be economically excluded from experiencing the joys of live theatre, our subsidized ticket program, supported by many individuals and corporate donors, permits diverse members of underserved audiences including middle and high schools, adult health care facilities, segments of the mental health community, as well as many other community organizations, to experience, at no cost to them, the magic of professional theater - helping to create a new appreciation for live theater and making professional theater a vital part of their cultural landscape. We come together and "Share the Stage"!
Made possible with funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency.
Cultural After School Adventures (CASA) Initiative
Since 1999 The Roundtable Ensemble has been committed to incorporating live theater into the lives of our City's young people.
The Department of Youth and Community Development, in partnership with the Department of Cultural Affairs and the New York City Council, has awarded Roundtable support through the Cultural After School Adventures Initiative.
In collaboration with The Sports & Arts in Schools Foundation, The Roundtable Ensemble extends its mission through the Roundtable Learn, See, Do program. Through attending, as well as acting in, creating and producing their own theatrical productions, students learn critical skills that enhance their academic education while they explore their own talents and interests.
Teaching core academic skills in the areas of reading, writing, and communication, the program nurtures positive youth development, self-esteem, cooperation, conflict resolution, and connections to school - helping students learn to express themselves in new ways and realize their full potential as individuals and community members.
Our Impact
This was a great gift to our students, who don't often enjoy the cultural privileges of living in New York City. That they were able to attend with so many of their classmates made it a great bonding experience as well.
- Joe Pinto, Program Coordinator
- The Urban Assembly School For Law & Justice
Thank you so much for bringing theater to our students who rarely get the opportunity to see a live show. The students are still talking about their experience.
- Judy Goodman, Coordinator
- McGraw-Hill/Morris High School Mentoring Program
We hope to bring students from all our middle school programs to future productions. We feel that attending high quality theater performances such as those put on by The Roundtable Ensemble exposes the children in our programs to a whole new world of experiences.
- James R. O'Neill, Executive Director
- Sports & Arts in Schools Foundation
All sixty of our middle and upper schools students were present for the performance, and each student found the play interesting and entertaining. Some members of our faculty are currently using The Seagull as a springboard for class discussion.
- Paul DeNicola, Dean
- Adelphi Academy
Although a modern theater classic, The Seagull was largely unknown to the disabled groups that we service. By providing tickets to HAI we were able to introduce many people to the work of Anton Chekhov for the first time.
- Max Daniels, Director of Cultural Affairs
- Hospital Audiences, Inc.
Everyone who attended the performance commented on The Roundtable Ensemble's important and noteworthy mission.
- Jill O'Donnell-Tormey, Ph.D., Executive Director
- Cancer Research Institute