New Rep News Today

If COVID was an earthquake, what theaters are now trying to cope with is an ongoing series of nerve-wracking aftershocks. And the stakes are high.

Boston’s theater scene took a hit this week with the announcement that Watertown’s New Repertory Theatre is closing its doors permanently after 40 years. The New Rep cited a lack of donations as the main reason for the closing, confirming again that theaters need contributions and not just ticket sales to keep them afloat. But […]

The New Repertory Theatre in Watertown is shutting its doors after a few recent years of financial hardship.

The New Repertory Theatre said it could no longer sustain itself, citing pandemic challenges and declining donations.

In a statement Wednesday, New Rep’s leaders said that “fundraising with major donors has fallen short of the theater’s goals for a sustainable path,” and consequently the board has “initiated the process of formally dissolving the organization.’’

New Rep's closure follows a tumultuous three years for the midsize regional theater.

Now in its world premiere, the story follows a woman writing a book about her family's history and uncovers a shocking revelation. Playwright Phaedra Scott and director Pascale Florestal share how the play took shape and what they hope audiences take away after seeing it.

While Lorraine Hansberry's poignant tale about a 1950s Chicago family has some dated language and deplorable stances, the play is anchored by strong performances and themes that are still relevant today, reviews theater critic Jacquinn Sinclair.

The fall theater season hereabouts is off to a dynamic start, powered by the New Repertory Theatre’s outstanding production of Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun,” directed by Lois Roach.

The return to plays this summer and fall marks a new phase of the Watertown theater's reinvention.