Richmond Triangle Players

Theatre company in Richmond, Virginia

Richmond Triangle Players

RTP's Robert B. Moss Theatre in the Scott's Addition neighborhood of Richmond, 2021

Formation| 1993 (1993)
Type| Theatre group
Location|

* Richmond, Virginia, U.S.

Coordinates| 37°33′55″N 77°28′19″W﻿ / ﻿37.56528°N 77.47194°W﻿ / 37.56528; -77.47194

Artistic director(s)

| Lucian Restivo
Website| rtriangle.org

Richmond Triangle Players (RTP) is a nonprofit, professional theatre company located in Richmond, Virginia that produces programming rooted in queer experiences and supports the development of queer artistry.[1][2]

It is the only professional theatre company in Central Virginia and the longest continually operating theatre in the Mid-Atlantic region which serves the LGBTQ+ community.[3][4]

## History

[edit]

The company originated from a benefit performance in 1992, where they performed a trio of one-act-plays by Harvey Fierstein.[5][3] In the following year the Richmond Triangle Players launched its first season with four plays. For the first fifteen years the company was located at the Fieldens Cabaret Theatre and in 2010 the organization opened the Robert B. Moss Theatre, a 90-seat theater located in the Scott’s Addition neighborhood of Richmond, Virginia.[6][7][4]

In 2014 Richmond Triangle Players partnered with artists from the local TheatreLAB to create Spectrum, a theatre arts education program for LGBTQ+ youth and allies in grades 8-12.[8]

Notable productions have included The Laramie Project and A Chorus Line.

## So.Queer Playwrighting Festival

[edit]

In 2020 the Richmond Triangle Players launched the So.Queer Playwriting Festival, a biennial festival of LGBTQ+ works by a selected playwright. The company collaborates with the playwright through a series of salon readings, staged readings, and minimalized productions, as well as consultations with local artists, mentorship from theatre professionals, and the provision of other creative supports. The idea for the festival came from former Richmond Triangle Players Artistic Director John Knapp and his husband Tom Gillham.[9]

## Awards and recognition

[edit]

Richmond Triangle Players has received praise from local press and has been nominated for several awards. It was nominated for the inaugural People’s Choice Award from the Richmond Theatre Critics Circle and has both praise and awards for its 2018 production of The Laramie Project.[10][11][12]

In 2016 Playbill.com named Richmond Triangle Players as "one of the 15 most important theaters of its kind in the nation".[13] Richmond Triangle Players has also been named one of the year’s “OUTstanding Virginians” at the 2018 statewide Equality Virginia dinner[14] and was named a 2019 “Richmond History Maker” by the Valentine Museum and Capital Region Collaborative.[15]

### Awards

[edit]

* Best Local Theater Company, 1st Place, Best of Richmond, Style Weekly 2017[16]
* Best Local Theater Company, 2nd Place, Best of Richmond, Style Weekly 2020[17]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "RTP, Sycamore Rouge offering co-production". The Progress-Index. January 17, 2016.
2. ^ "Theater: Economy affects choice of plays". The Daily Times (Salisbury, Maryland). July 25, 2004.
3. ^ a b "A Guide to the Richmond Triangle Players Archives, 1992-2007 Richmond Triangle Players Archives M 347". Virginia Commonwealth University, James Branch Cabell Library.
4. ^ a b Egan, Maureen (2010-09-14). Insiders' Guide® to Richmond, VA. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 120\. ISBN 978-0-7627-6677-2.
5. ^ Marschak, Beth; Lorch, Alex (2008). Lesbian and Gay Richmond. Arcadia Publishing. p. 94\. ISBN 978-0-7385-5368-9.
6. ^ Timberline, David. "A Proud Quarter Century". Style Weekly.
7. ^ "Artistic Differences". 5 March 2019.
8. ^ "Programs | SPARC- School of the Performing Arts in the Richmond Community | ConnectVA".
9. ^ "So.Queer Playwrights Festival".
10. ^ Staff reports. "Richmond Theatre Critics Circle Awards nominees 2019". Richmond Times-Dispatch.
11. ^ Farrell, Tony. "Theater Review: 'The Laramie Project' at Richmond Triangle Players is a grim reminder of hate-crime violence". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved 2021-08-05.
12. ^ Bustin, Jeremy. "BWW Review: THE LARAMIE PROJECT at Richmond Triangle Players". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2021-08-05.
13. ^ "15 Regional Companies Leading the Charge in Gay Theatre". Playbill.com. 21 June 2016.
14. ^ "So.Queer Playwrights Festival". New Play Exchange. Retrieved 2021-08-05.
15. ^ "Richmond Triangle Players to be honored as 'History Makers'". 2 March 2019.
16. ^ "Best Local Theater Company 2017". Style Weekly. Retrieved 2021-08-05.
17. ^ "Best Local Theater Company 2020". Style Weekly. Retrieved 2021-08-05.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website