WordTheatre


WordTheatre® gives voice to great writing. Since its creation in 2003 by founder , has become an internationally known 501 whose work celebrates contemporary literature through live performance in Los Angeles, New York and London. The organization's events feature esteemed authors, actors and musicians and perform to diverse audiences, spanning from under-resourced students to cultural enthusiasts. WordTheatre's mission: to inspire empathy, curiosity and conversation.

History

WordTheatre was founded in 2003 by Artistic Director Cedering Fox—director, producer and voiceover artist heard from 2013-2015 as "the voice of the Oscars." Fox has also been the on-air announcer for The People's Choice Awards, The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song and The Democratic National Convention. She is the daughter of the Swedish-American, award-winning poet, writer and artist Siv Cedering and mathematician and businessman David Fox.
In 1989, Fox was asked to partner with Darrell Larson on "The Great Writers Series: Literary Evenings at The Met" in Los Angeles. The series, which ran for three years and was broadcast weekly on NPR’s KCRW, featured authors such as Sam Shepard, Peter Matthiessen and James Ellroy and actors such as Ed Harris, Holly Hunter and Bill Pullman. Following the series, KCRW hired Fox to direct 7 1/2 hours of Isak Dinesen stories, performed by an all-star cast and scored by composer Jonathan Sacks.
Realizing her passion for the form after partnering on several other literary salons, Fox launched WordTheatre in 2003 at the Canal Club in Venice, California. Later that year, WordTheatre debuted in London under producer Kirsty Peart, herself a writer of animation for film and television. In 2006, WordTheatre expanded to New York.
In the U.K., WordTheatre cast and directed the actors reading the six shortlisted stories for the Sunday Times EFG Private Bank Short Story Award, also known as "the world’s richest short story prize." WordTheatre also headlined the Literary Arena at the Latitude Festival for seven consecutive years and, in 2013, debuted "In the Cosmos" at the Wilderness Festival, featuring a 44-piece orchestra and the "Most Dynamic And Extravagant Act" according to MTV. In 2017, WordTheatre restaged "In the Cosmos" at the Ford Amphitheatre in Los Angeles.

Authors

WordTheatre has worked with authors such as Joyce Carol Oates, Brian Doyle, TC Boyle, Richard Bausch, John Edgar Wideman, Pamela Painter, Percival Everett and Anthony Doerr. A full list of participating authors is below.
A.M. HomesDavid GalefJac JemcMartha RonkRon Carlson
Adam JohnsonDavid MeansJames LasdunMary GaitskillRose Tremain
Adam MarekDavid PreteJames SalterMary GordonRoshi Fernando
Aimee BenderDavid VannJane SmileyMary OtisSarah Maclay
Alethea BlackDeb Olin UnferthJanet FitchMatthew VollmerSarah Shun-lien Bynum
Alison MacLeodDeborah LevyJean KwokMayda del ValleScott O'Connor
Allan GurganusDenis JohnsonJess RowMeg HowreySeamus Heany
Amy BloomDiana WagmanJill McCorkleMelissa PritchardSimon Van Booy
Amy DawesDon LeeJoanne AvallonMichael CunninghamSiv Cedering
Amy HempelDonald AtrimJoe DunthorneMichel FaberSpencer Holst
Andre Dubus IIIDonald HallJohn Edgar WidemanMichelle LatiolaisStacy Aumonier
Ann BeattieDoug CouplandJonathan TelMiranda JulyStefan Zweig
Anna MetcalfeDylan LandisJoyce Carol OatesMona SimpsonSteve Almond
Anna NicholasEdith PearlmanJulian GoughNina RevoyrStuart Dybek
Anne-Marie KinneyElizabeth PearlmanJulie MyersonPam HoustonSusan Orlean
Anthony DoerrElizabeth McCrackenJulie OrringerPamela PainterSusan Straight
Ben LooryElizabeth StroutK. Kvashay BoylePatricia EngelT.C. Boyle
Ben OkriEllen SlezakKate MillikenPatrick NeateTahmima Anam
Bernice McFaddenEmma DonoghueKevin BarryPaula MorrisTara Ison
Brad WatsonErinna MettlerL. Annette BinderPercival EverettTeresia Teaiwa
Brian DoyleEtgar KeretLinda Oatman HighPeter OrnerTim O'Brien
C.K. SteadEve EnslerLionel ShriverPeter TerrinTiphanie Yanique
Carys BrayEvgenia CitkowitzLuis RodriguezPG WodehouseTobias Wolff
Carys DaviesGeoff DyerMadeleine TheinRamona AusubelToby Litt
Charles BaxterGerard WoodwardMaile MeloyRebecca F. JohnTod Goldberg
Charles YuGuy WareManuel MuNozRebecca MillerTom Lee
Christine LincolnHal AckermanMargaret McMullanRichard BauschVictoria Patterson
Dan ChaonHilary MantelMarisa MatarazzoRichard SheltonWendy Cope
Dan DulingHoliday ReinhornMarisa SilverRick MoodyWill Cohu
Danzy SennaIan FrazierMarjorie CelonaRobert BauschWilliam Trevor
David AlmondIan RankinMark RichardRobert MinhinnickYiyun Li


Actors

WordTheatre performances have featured actors such as Amanda Seyfried, Carla Gugino, James Franco, Gemma Chan, Dennis Haysbert and Sarah Paulson. A full list of participating actors is below.

Adam ArkinCharlie MossGemma JonesJoel Van LiewMarin IrelandRay Panthaki
Adam RichesChip tha RipperGeno MonteiroJoely FisherMark AddyRebecca Hobbs
Adewale Akinnuoye-AgbajeChipo ChungGeorge DelHoyoJohn Farmanesh BoccaMark BazeleyRebecca Mozo
Adrian PasdarChris BauerGethin AnthonyJohn FleckMark Christopher LawrenceReign Morton
Agni ScottChris MulkeyGil BellowsJohn HeardMark MosesReynaldo Pacheco
Aimee GarciaChris SarandonGina BellmnaJohn SchwabMark RuffaloRhashan Stone
Alan CoxChris StackGina McKeeJohnnie Lyne-PirkisMark St. AmantRichard Ayoade
Alan MandellChristina PicklesGina TorresJohnny SimmonsMarlee MatlinRichard Burgi
Alastair MackenzieChristine AvilaGlynn TurmanJon HuertasMartin JarvisRichard Hawley
Alex Hyde-WhiteChristopher EcclestonGraham HamiltonJon TenneyMary Beth HurtRichard Schiff
Alex WolffChristopher GorhamGregg HenryJonathan PryceMary McDonnellRiz Ahmed
Alred MolinaChristopher McDonaldGuy PaulJonny PhillipsMary Stuart MastersonRob Morrow
Amanda DonohoeCindy CheungHallee HirshJoseph MarcellMaryam d'AboRobert Forster
Amanda Maple BrownCJ ThomasonHalley FeifferJulia DavisMatthew BarberRobert Pine
Amanda SeyfriedClive StandenHannah WaddinghamJulian SandsMatthew BeardRobin de Jesus
Amber TamblynColman DomingoHarriet WalterJulian WadhamMaura VincentRodd Houston
Amy BrennemanConcetta TomeiHarris YulinJulianna MarguliesMaureen LipmanRoger Guenveur Smith
Amy IrvingConnie BrittonHarry TreadawayJuliet StevensonMax AdlerRoma Maffia
Amy MadiganConnor PaoloHattie WinstonJustin ChambersMax BurkholderRon Bottitta
Amy PietzCraig T. NelsonHatty PrestonKali RochaMayda del ValleRon Simons
Amy SloanDallas CampbellHelen Atkinson WoodKasha KropinskiMayim BialikRonald Guttman
Andrew BorbaDallas RobertsHelen McCroryKate FugleiMegan DoddsRya Kihlstedt
Angela BassettDamian LewisHenry NaylorKate LeveringMeredith Scott LynnRyan Michelle Bathe
Angela PatonDamien MolonyHina AbdullahKate MilesMichael ChiklisSally Hawkins
Ann HearnDan LauriaHoneysuckle WeeksKathryn ErbeMichael NouriSam Jaeger
Anne De SalvoDana DelanyHong LeiKathy BakerMichael T. WeissSam Spruell
Annette O'TooleDanielle PanabakerHoward HessemanKeith DavidMichael ZegenSamantha Mathis
Anson MountDaphne CheungIain GlenKeith Randolph
Smith		Michaela ConlinSarah Alexander
Ari GraynorDarren CrissIan HartKenny JohnsonMiguel SandovalSarah Clarke
Arye GrossDave FennoyImogen PootsKerry FoxMiles JuppSarah Paulson
Assaf CohenDavid AshtonIndira VarmaKevin CorriganMing-Na WenSarah Wynter
Austin ButlerDavid CallJack ShepherdKevin KearnsMozhan MarnòScott Handy
Autumn ChiklisDavid CrossJack WhitehallKevin KilnerMyAnna BuringSeamus Dever
Baadja-Lyne OdumsDavid ElkinsJackson RathboneKevin McKiddNancy BellSean Maguire
Barbara BainDavid MorrisseyJames FrancoKevin WeismanNaomi SheldonSean Young
Barry Shabaka HenleyDavid SoulJames GammonKirsten VangsnessNatalija NogulichSelina Lo
Beata PozniakDayo OkeniyiJames GleasonKulvinder GhirNatascha McElhoneSharon Lawrence
Beatie EdneyDean ChekvalaJames Pickens Jr.Larisa OleynikNiall BuggySimon Shepherd
Belinda Stewart-WilsonDennis HaysbertJamie BlackleyLauren GrahamNicholas BrendonStephen Collins
Bellamy YoungDermot MulroneyJan MunroeLauren TomNicki AycoxStephen McKinley Henderson
Ben FosterDesirae WhalenJane StantonLawrence WerberNicki MicheauxStephen Tobolowsky
Ben MillerDi QuonJane ZingaleLen CariouNicole AnsariSterling Sulieman
Ben SchwartzDiana VickersJanel MoloneyLesley ManvilleNigel WhitmeySteven Berkoff
Ben StarrDohn NorwoodJason HarnerLesley NicolNina SiemaszkoTess Harper
Bhasker PatelDorian MissickJason GeorgeLiam CunninghamNita WhittakerThomas Howes
Bill CobbsE.G. DailyJason RitterLily TomlinNyambi NyambiThomas Mann
Bill NighyEd HarrisJean MarshLinda CardelliniOkezie MorroTim Daly
Bill PullmanEd WeeksJeff GoldblumLindsay DuncanOlivia WilliamsTom Bower
Bill RatnerEdi GathegiJeff PerryLinus RoacheOmar DorseyTom Greaves
Bob WisdomEdith FieldsJemma RedgraveLisa Gay HamiltonOny UhiaraTom McKay
Bradley WhitfordElizabeth McGovernJennifer MudgeLucy BrownOwiso OderaTom Riley
Brenda StrongElizabeth PeñaJennifer SkuraLucy CohuParker SawyersToni Trucks
Brendan Sexton IIIElla SmithJere BurnsLucy SheenPaul GuilfoyleTony Shalhoub
Brent JenningsElliot CowanJeremy DavidsonLynn FergusonPaula NewsomeTracee Chimo
Brian CoxEmily BerglJerrika HintonLynn WhitfieldPeter KrauseTracie Thoms
Brian HoweEmily BevanJessalyn GilsigMae WhitmanPeter MarinkerValerie Ray Miller
Brian J. WhiteEmily MeadeJesse BradfordMaggie SiffPeter Sandys-ClarkeVanessa Aspillaga
Brooke AdamsEmma HamiltonJessica CollinsMaggie WheelerPeter SullivanVictor Williams
Bruce DavisonErika ChristensenJessica GunningMalinda WilliamsPhil AbramsVincent Piazza
Bruce VilanchEvanna LynchJing LusiMarc ElliottPhilip Baker HallWendie Malick
Camryn ManheimFenella WoolgarJK SimmonsMarc MenchacaPolly DraperWilliam Stanford Davis
Carla GuginoFinn WittrockJodi LongMarcia FirestenPrunella ScalesXander Berkeley
Caroline GoodallFred MelamedJodie MarkelllMarcia Gay HardenR. Ernie SilvaZach Grenier
Carolyn McCormickGary CarrJoe DixonMaria BelloRachel BostonZachary Quinto
Cassidy FreemanGary ColeJoe SpanoMarianne Jean BaptisteRae HendrieZoe Boyle
Catherine DentGary DourdanJoel David MooreMariette HartleyRavi KapoorZuleikha Robinson
CCH PounderGemma ChanJoel PolisMarin HinkleRaviv Ullman

Venues

WordTheatre has performed in venues across the globe, including the Royal Festival Hall and Queen Elizabeth Hall at Southbank Centre, the St James Theatre, The Arts Club in London and Chatsworth House in Derbyshire; Soho House West Hollywood, The Geffen Playhouse, The Broad, the Grammy Museum, the Microsoft Lounge and the Ford Amphitheatre in Los Angeles; and Soho House New York, the East Hamptons Guild Hall and NeueHouse in New York.

Writers' Workshop & Retreat

Each year, WordTheatre hosts a Writers' Workshop & Retreat in Edale, England. Morning workshops and evening salons are led by authors spanning several genres—short story, travel writing, children's books and novelists—as well as agents, publishers, journalists and more. Previous workshop leaders include:
WordTheatre began its own outreach program, WordTheatre in the Schools, in 2011. WITS serves Los Angeles Title 1 Schools, where English is commonly the second language and 40-90% of students live at or below the poverty line. Many of the same actors and authors who perform at WordTheatre’s main events volunteer their time to participate in WITS as well. By connecting under-resourced youth with curriculum-relevant literature, WITS educates and connects communities in and out of the classroom.
"WordTheatre brings contemporary literature to a market that would have never found it otherwise. These kids are not given gift subscriptions to The New Yorker at their quinceaneras. This helps to supplement their education.” —Actor Bruce Vilanch
In 2015, WordTheatre expanded WITS internationally to include under-resourced schools in the U.K.
In addition to WITS, WordTheatre is known for its benefit work with charities such as Autism Speaks, NARSAD, the One Billion Rising movement dedicated to ending rape and violence against women, Anaphylaxis and The Parkinsons Appeal in the UK. WordTheatre also stages annual benefits for the Pushcart Prize, honoring today's literary excellence.