A HOME FOR STORYTELLERS. A SPACE FOR ALL.

Our Mission

Signature Theatre is an artistic home for storytellers. By producing several plays from each Resident Writer, we offer a deep dive into their bodies of work.

What We Do

Signature Theatre is a space for artists and audiences to call home. Signature creates opportunities through the spaces and support it offers the theater community. For playwrights, Signature’s unique playwright-in-residence model offers the stability and support of home. For audiences, Signature offers access to all, offering a welcoming creative community and affordable ticketing programs. 

Only Signature Theatre offers an immersive journey through a playwright’s body of work to theatergoers seeking intimate human connection and extraordinary cultural experiences.

Our Values

On Creativity

We nurture creative expression.

We offer the space and support for artists and audiences to flourish artistically. Our playwright-in-residence programs foster creative growth and discovery. Our programming offers audiences a creative outlet and human connection. And our physical space is a hub of inspiration and collaboration. We harness our collective creativity to fuel our community.

On Commitment

We commit to collaboration.

We make an extended commitment to a playwright’s body of work, delivering an intimate journey into the playwright’s singular vision through a series of plays. Through our programming and events, we commit to engaging with our creative community. Our loyalty and dedication to our partners and productions drives our long-term approach.

On Community

We open our space to all.

We offer an artistic home for all and we invite everyone in. Our physical space — The Pershing Square Signature Center — is a place for community and connection. We open doors for up-and- coming playwrights. And our affordable ticketing programs make theatre accessible to all. Our inclusive and welcoming mindset guides all our programs and communications.

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Accessibility

At Signature, we are continually building toward a more just, open and democratic theatre to celebrate playwrights and welcome all to our artistic home. We believe our strength lies in the diversity of our resident playwrights’ voices and vision, and that diversity enriches theatrical experiences.   

We aim to put people first and strive for fairness and respect for all. As we grow our artistic home upon the values of community, access and belonging, we pledge to work continually to become a place of cultural equity, and of orchestrated collisions between playwrights, other artists, staff and audiences so that everyone feels connected and welcome. We want our home to foster community and be a home for all.  

We exist within a framework where power is not evenly or fairly distributed, and access is unequal. We commit to work consistently to create a more equitable and inclusive environment across our organization for artists, staff and audiences from historically underrepresented communities, including but not limited to people who identify as Black or African American, Indigenous, Latinx or Hispanic, Asian or Pacific Islander and all people of color, women, LGBTQ+, immigrants and people with disabilities. Signature is not exempt from upholding the pervasive systemic oppression in our industry and country, and we are continually striving and learning how to be a more anti-racist, anti-oppressive theatre.

We have developed ongoing Action Steps to hold ourselves accountable to taking actionable, measurable steps. Read more on our Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Accessibility page.

Our History

Now led by Artistic Director, Paige Evans, and Executive Director, Tim McClimon, Signature Theatre was founded in 1991 by James Houghton and its resident playwrights include: Edward Albee, Annie Baker, Lee Blessing, Martha Clarke, Will Eno, Horton Foote, María Irene Fornés, Athol Fugard, John Guare, Stephen Adly Guirgis, A.R. Gurney, Katori Hall, Quiara Alegría Hudes, Samuel D. Hunter, David Henry Hwang, Bill Irwin, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Adrienne Kennedy, Tony Kushner, Romulus Linney, Kenneth Lonergan, Dave Malloy, Charles Mee, Arthur Miller, Dominique Morisseau, Lynn Nottage, Suzan-Lori Parks, Sarah Ruhl, Sam Shepard, Anna Deavere Smith, Regina Taylor, Paula Vogel, Naomi Wallace, August Wilson, Lanford Wilson, Lauren Yee, The Mad Ones, and members of the historic Negro Ensemble Company: Charles Fuller, Leslie Lee, and Samm-Art Williams.

Our Financials

Every year, Signature Theatre files a Form 990 with the Internal Revenue Service. This form includes financial data and important information about our mission, governance, management, and programs. A Form 990 is a public document, and Signature complies with this policy by publishing our 990s on our website and on GuideStar to ensure that our community has easy access to this information. Please select below to view our Fiscal Year 2020 990 Tax Form (July 1, 2019 - June 30, 2020).