Albatross Theatre Laboratory
Albatross is a young group of theatre-makers that seeks out diverse new works and audiences.
Founded: 2018
Artistic leadership: Team-based (see below), in connection with affiliate artists
Website: www.albatrosstheatrelab.com
Primary venue: Nomadic
The below information is provided by the theatre company. (All material is condensed & edited for clarity.)
Overview: Mission / Vision
Albatross Theatre Lab provides early-career theatre artists with a space to both cultivate and showcase their unique artistic visions. Building from a strong community base, Albatross highlights the exciting, imaginative work being produced by emerging artists in the Seattle theatre community, while also encouraging these artists to experiment, grow, and develop their own creative voices.
The company aims to connect with a primarily young, diverse audience, with a goal of bringing in audience members who may not regularly attend theatre.
Key Initiatives
Albatross has a focus on supporting emerging artists — which includes producing new work, often by up-and-coming playwrights, and providing space for emerging directors, technicians, actors, and more to experiment and hone their craft in an environment that is both nurturing and artistically challenging.
In the past, the company co-produced with Penguin Productions, though this is not an ongoing collaboration. Albatross hopes to collaborate with other emerging companies in the future.
History
Albatross was founded by a small group of former members of The Bathhouse Ensemble (BE) in August 2018, including Sara Albertson, Xandria Nirvana Easterday Callahan, Michael Chinn, Madison Avery Gordon, Sam Harris, Avi Kool, and Noelle McCabe. Founded around the company’s first production, Albatross has since narrowed its mission to focus primarily on Seattle’s emerging artists and producing new theatrical works.
Artistic decisions are made by the Albatross leadership team, with consultation from a group of Albatross Affiliate Artists. The Affiliate Artists are the creative body behind Albatross. All plays considered for the season are submitted to the Affiliate Artists, where scripts and proposals undergo extensive discussion as the core of the selection process.
Recent and upcoming shows include:
Mainstage:
Three Days of Rain by Richard Greenberg (past)
Sagittarius Ponderosa by MJ Kaufman, October 11-19
Reading series (past):
Athena by Gracie Gardner
Jump by Charly Evon Simpson
Hookman by Lauren Yee
Sagittarius Ponderosa by MJ Kaufman
Clickshare by Lucas Kavner
Statement of centering underrepresented voices & stories
Does your company center underrepresented voices and stories in the work your company puts on? If so, how?
Albatross’s focus on supporting emerging artists also includes supporting underrepresented voices and stories in the company’s work. One example is the plays selected for the reading series. Play selections are made with the goal of supporting the work of marginalized playwrights. This season, the five-play reading series included plays written by and directed by a diverse group of early-career/emerging artists.
Does your company center underrepresented voices in your decision-making processes? If so, how?
Albatross focuses on broadening the contribution to its decision-making process by including many voices, rather than having a governing board that plans the season in isolation. Opening the process up to the Affiliate Artist team allows the company to make sure many voices are brought to the table and heard.
Statement of financial accessibility
Albatross seasonal play reading series performances are always pay-what-you-choose. The company’s first mainstage production had a pay-what-you-choose performance, along with many discount options (military, students, under-25, industry). Albatross expects to implement the same pricing scale for the next production, potentially with another added pay-what-you-choose performance, and full-price tickets are currently priced at $20 or under.