Theatrical 'village' taking shape at the O'Neill theater center

Published September 04. 2014 4:00AM

Four old-style cottages that will boost capacity, enhance experience on verge of completion

Waterford Don't be fooled by the continuing busy rumble of construction work at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center. Eight years after initial planning began, the campus is on the brink of a major development in its ongoing $8 million project to enhance the residential experience of visiting students, teachers and other professionals.

Four of the theater's seven new Victorian-style dormitory cottages, plus a new rehearsal hall, are slated to open in about two weeks, according to theater Executive Director Preston Whiteway. He said once all seven cottages open, the theater campus will increase capacity for residents from about 40 to roughly 100 beds.

"Now we're going to have a village," said National Theater Institute Artistic Director Rachel Jett.

Whiteway emphasized how the architecture and arrangement will facilitate sociability and create a "summer camp" feel.

Students of NTI and the inaugural National Musical Theater Institute arrive on campus Sunday and leave soon after for a brief off-campus study portion of the semester, some to London and others to New York. The opening of the cottages will come just in time for the students' return, according to Whiteway.

Jett said the additional space will allow visiting artists to stay on campus for extended periods, when in the past they might have stayed at a hotel or been on campus for only a night. This will allow greater opportunity for collaboration between experienced theater professionals and students, she said.

"Now we can invite them to work on what they're working on either with or in front of the students," she said.

Project architect Chad Floyd said he modeled his design for the new buildings on the Methodist camps of the 19th century, where people gathered during the summer for worship and community.

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Theatrical 'village' taking shape at the O'Neill theater center