In 2008, the stewards of the Jean Cocteau Repertory – looking to transition the organization and usher in a new era of leadership – appointed director/producer Ari Edelson, who had been envisioning a space dedicated to intensive training and development support for artists and their work. Ari reimagined the organization as OP, which launched with a two-week pilot in Hunter, NY for three projects in development. Over the next seven years, the demand for OP’s unique support grew and ultimately fueled the program’s move to Saratoga Springs, NY in 2015, where OP was able to double its support for creators by expanding labs, launching public programs, broadening community connections, and growing its team. To date, OP has supported more than 1,200 resident artists and maintains deep relationships with alumni, offering ongoing advice and resources for their work.
Selected Past Projects
In just 15 years, OP has developed a reputation as a leading destination for artistic development, where performers and creators from around the world can go to create work. Past OP residency participants have included renowned companies like the Tectonic Theater Project, Elevator Repair Service, Pig Iron, The Rude Mechs, and Mabou Mines; major field leaders like The Royal Court, the Public Theater, and the American Repertory Theater; and groundbreaking artists including Jeremy O. Harris and Young Jean Lee, among others. Television pilots formed through our labs have gone on to be developed by major production companies like Imagine Entertainment, founded by Ron Howard. Audio stories created at OP have been presented on Audible, and we recently produced a star-studded live recording of Award Season, a new audio comedy developed at OP in 2020, in a virtual event featuring Blythe Danner, Richard Kind, and Judy Gold. Theatrical works developed at OP have gone on to production at a wide variety of theaters—from Broadway and the West End to independent theaters across the world. Notable productions include:
- Robert Schenkkan’s All The Way, which premiered at the prestigious Oregon Shakespeare Festival and went on to have a hit Broadway run starring Bryan Cranston, winning the 2014 Tony Award and Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play before being adapted for the screen by HBO;
- Moisés Kaufman’s 33 Variations, which won an Edgerton New American Play Award, a Harold and Mimi Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award, and premiered on Broadway with a Tony-nominated production featuring Jane Fonda;
- Brandon Jacobs Jenkins’ An Octoroon, which won the 2014 Obie Award for Best New American Play and was named one of the best plays of the year by The New York Times, Time Out New York, and The Guardian; and
- The musical adaptation of Amélie, by Daniel Messé, Nathan Tysen, and Craig Lucas which, after runs at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre and on Broadway, debuted a new production on the West End that was nominated for three Olivier Awards in 2020.
While we are incredibly proud of these accolades, OP believes recognition of this nature (awards, high profile productions, critical acclaim) are just one measure of our impact. We gauge the success of our programs based on a number of additional factors, including the number and diversity of projects we serve; the number of pieces we support that go on to be produced in future iterations; the personal experiences and feedback of our program participants; and the ongoing catalytic role we play both within these artists’ careers and their larger industries.
Below, please find some testimonials from artists who have participating in the various programs of The Orchard Project.
