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ignition arts is a non-profit arts organization that has served communities in Boston, NYC, Philadelphia, Guatemala, and Oklahoma City. Founded at Emerson College in 2001, this is the company's 20th year.  We INCUBATE new works in the form of plays and musicals, we INVESTIGATE the world through podcasting and we IGNITE personal and ensemble growth through our methodology Brennan Check-In. We actively engage with our communities, cultivate necessary new work and foster collaboration across all genres of art and change-making. Whether it’s a play-reading, a podcast or personal transformation, Ignition Arts is the place to stART something. Ignition Arts has generated 50 productions across five cities.  Our podcasts include Thank You 10, The Brennan Book Blog, Fair Play and The Spin. From Tony Kushner's gay fantasia Angels in America to Jeff Goode's sardonically irreverent The Eight: Reindeer Monologues or our original docudrama on the military Silhouettes of Service to the development of a new YA Infinity Trilogy, we pilot relevant work that promotes conversation, community and change. Ignition Arts is helmed by Artistic Director Kate Brennan and Executive Director Gregory DeCandia.

our mission:

To entertain, educate, and enlighten audiences with exciting world premieres and innovative explorations of classic works.

THE COMPANY

INTERNS PAST & PRESENT

Contact

CONTACT US

267-603-3533

Thank you for your interest in IGNITION ARTS!

Residencies
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RESIDENCIES

 

FALL 2019

Mandell Professionals in Residence Project (MPiRP) is an Westphal College Department of Performing Art’s collaborative program bringing theatre and dance professionals on to the Drexel campus for performances, production and instruction. Drexel students are given opportunities to work hands on with professional artists to produce high quality productions. Members of the Drexel University community are enriched by the high quality of dance and theatrical productions being offered through MPiRP in the Mandell Theater. Philadelphia is fast becoming one of the most important places in the country for innovative and exciting theater and dance, and MPiRP provides valuable space for some of these up and coming performing arts organizations and artists.

 

MPiRP’s was founded in 2005 with Pig Iron Theatre Company in residence celebrating their 10th Anniversary season and has since host New Paradise Laboratories, EgoPo Productions, Azuka Theatre, Commonwealth Classic Theatre Company; 11thHour Theatre Company; 1812 Productions, Philadelphia Artists Collective (PAC), Simpatico Theatre Project; Swim Pony Performing Arts; Orchestra 2001; and Pasion y Arte.

ignition arts has had the privilege to obtain residencies with arts organizations across the continent to foster meaningful collaborations on stage and in the community. 

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2019 Season

Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma

New Work Initiative was developed by Artistic Director Michael Baron to allow the theatre to commit to producing world premieres. The New Works Initiative supports the future of theatre by making Oklahoma a home for new work development. Since its inception Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma produced the world premieres of Triangle, Bernice Bobs Her Hair, Mann..and WifeDisney's When You WishWhen Were Gone, and the regional premiere of Girlfriend. Lyric granted Ignition Arts a six-month residency as part of this Initiative to present six new gender parity plays and the workshop of the new Brennan & White musical Clean Slate. 

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2017-18 Season

Oklahoma Contemporary encourages artistic expression in all its forms through education, exhibitions, and performance. Formed in 1989 as City Arts Center by Christian Keesee and Kirkpatrick Foundation Director Marilyn Myers, is a nonprofit organization committed to providing the community with quality, accessible and affordable arts programming and education. Oklahoma Contemporary strives to demonstrate leadership by modeling excellence and best practices for inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility. During the 2018-19 we proudly Silhouettes of Service and the workshop of the new Brennan & White musical ALiEN8 as part of Ignition Arts season long Performance Residency. 

2006-10

Society Hill Playhouse's Red Room Resident Company was BCKSEET Productions (now Ignition Arts) from January 2006 until May of 2010. World Premieres: Hung on a Blonde Ponytail: An Act of Rock, Some Assembly Required: A Meta Musical. After more than fifty years of theatre SHP had its final curtain in 2016. 

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2004-2005

Instituto Guatemalteco Americano has been providing individuals of all ages, from all corners of the globe, with the largest array of educational development programs in Guatemala since 1945. After the acclaimed bi-lingual production of William Shakespeare's Othello, BCKSEET Productions was offered a season long residency in IGA's Teatró Dick Smith to remount Othello and reimagine Little Shop of Horrors into a bi-lingual production utilizing professional and student actors.

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SUMMER 2005

Seacoast Repertory Theatre's founding artistic director, Roy M. Rogosin, welcomed BCKSEET Productions (now Ignition Arts) back to the US by offering a summer residency at the Rep. Company members Gregory DeCandia, Oscar Clavería, Christopher Butterfield, and Braden LuBell spent the summer devising a five year plan for the next destination for the company Philadelphia in addition to staging David Mamet's Sexual Perversity in Chicago. 

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