Retro Productions


Retro Productions is a New York City based Off-Off-Broadway theater company. Their mission is to produce works of "Retro Theater," mainly straight plays that take place in the 20th century.
The company is composed of twenty-two members who are actors, designers, directors, and stage managers, and is led by artistic director Heather E. Cunningham, an actress and producer. whose performance as Rose Walker in the Retro production An Appeal to the Woman of the House by Christie Perfetti Williams won her a New York Innovative Theatre Award for Best Actress in a Lead Role.

History

The company was formed in 2005 under the name River Heights Productions, after the hometown of Nancy Drew. Under this name the company produced two plays: Catholic School Girls by Casey Kurtti, in March 2005, at chashama and the New York City Premiere of Mrs. California by Doris Baizley, in March 2006, at the 78th Street Theatre Lab.
Following the production of Mrs. California, River Heights Productions was dissolved and the company was renamed Retro Productions.
After the reformation of Retro Productions, they took up residence at the Spoon Theater, producing two shows per year at the 38th street space in Manhattan. The Spoon Theater closed in 2011, and since then the company have become "gypsies" - moving from venue to venue based on the needs of the show, though, since 2015, primarily use the Gene Frankel Theatre on Bond Street.

Premieres and Other Significant Productions

Retro Productions has been nominated for a total of 21 New York Innovative Theatre Awards since the company was founded, winning two.
In 2014 Retro was nominated for three awards: Outstanding Premiere Production, Outstanding Full Length Script and Outstanding Actress in a Lead Role for An Appeal to the Woman of the House.
In 2012 Casandera MJ Lollar was nominated for Outstanding Actress in a Lead Role for playing Sister Rita in The Runner Stumbles.
In 2011 they received four nominations: Outstanding Production of Benefactors by Michael Frayn as well as Outstanding Actress in a Lead Role for Kristen Vaughan and Heather E. Cunningham, and Outstanding Ensemble. The fourth nomination was for the Set Design for Dear Ruth, designed by Jeff Stander.
Six nominations were given in honor of their May 2010 production of The Desk Set by William Marchant. Included were nominations for Outstanding Set Design, Outstanding Costume Design, Outstanding Sound Design, Innovative Design, and Outstanding Leading Actress.
In 2008, five nominations were awarded for their production of Mill Fire by Sally Nemeth. They included nominations for Outstanding Leading Actress, Outstanding Leading Actress, Outstanding Lighting Design, Outstanding Set Design, and Outstanding Sound Design. Their sixth nomination that year was for Outstanding Costume Design for their production of What I Did Last Summer by A.R. Gurney.
In 2007 Heather E. Cunningham's portrayal of Cheryl in Still Life: A Documentary by Emily Mann was named a 2007 Back Stage Performance to Remember.

List of Productions