Mission

A HOME FOR STORYTELLERS. A SPACE FOR ALL. Signature Theatre offers an immersive journey through a playwright’s body of work to theatregoers seeking intimate human connection and extraordinary cultural experiences.

HISTORY AND VISION

James Houghton founded Signature Theatre in 1991, inspired by working as an actor with playwright Romulus Linney, who would be Signature’s first resident playwright. Signature quickly became known for devoting each season to one living playwright, with multiple productions representing a body of work.

The theater has since expanded from a black box downtown to a state-of-the-art, Frank Gehry-designed multi-venue space on West 42 Street, and to three residency programs that have featured over 30 playwrights and counting. Now led by Artistic Director Emily Shooltz and Executive Director Timothy J. McClimon, Signature’s artists have received more than 100 awards, including the first New York City Regional Theater Tony Award in 2014.

Houghton’s vision did not just encompass artists – he was also dedicated to making theater available to all who wish to enjoy it. In 2005, Signature launched what is now the “Signature Access” program to provide theatergoers, both frequent and new, with affordable access to the performing arts.

Artistic Director Paige Evans, led the company from 2016-2024, through the transition from Founder James Houghton and the COVID-19 pandemic. Paige produced eight seasons of award-winning shows and brought gifted writers to Signature for its distinctive residencies, including Melis Aker, Stephen Adly Guirgis, Samuel D. Hunter, Dave Malloy (Signature’s first musical theater writer), Dominique Morisseau, Lynn Nottage, Sarah Ruhl, Anna Deavere Smith, Lauren Yee and The Mad Ones. She also launched several new artistic programs, including an Education Program for high school and college students, SigSpace lobby programming and the LaunchPad Residency for early career writers from historically underrepresented communities.