HISTORY
Green Candle Theatre Company was originally founded as Garage Theatre in December 1989
by four University of Vermont alumni. The company rented a rehearsal space in downtown Burlington
where public play readings were held. The press quickly became intrigued by the new troupe describing
it as “...a promising eruption of theatre.” Garage Theatre incorporated in January 1990 and by May had
begun to produce original work. The company maintained a policy of affordable admission to any event
and pledged to produce shows that challenged the audience to reevaluate commonly held mores.
By the early 1990’s, and under a new moniker, the Green Candle Theatre Company earned
international recognition with performances of Feeding the Moonfish by Barbara Wiechmann at the 1994
Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The Scotsman hailed Green Candle as “Theatre at its best.” In 1995 Green
Candle returned to the Fringe festival and premiered In the Blood by Vermont playwright Keefe Healey.
The Herald (Glasgow, Scotland) praised “the taut nightmare drama” for offering “strikingly good
performances” and the Burlington Free Press headlined it as “Bloody Good Theatre.”
In October 1996, Green Candle produced the American premiere of the British musical Saucy
Jack and the Space Vixens which ran for 17 sold-out performances at 135 Pearl and won the Burlington
Bessie Award for Outstanding Original Musical. Seven Days said that Saucy Jack was “...Hot! Hot!
Hot!” In 1997, the company premiered three new works by Vermont playwrights Stephen Goldberg and
Marc LaChapelle at the Sanford Meisner Theatre in NYC. The New York Times said the comedic
production of The Prince and the Pauper by playwright Marc Lachapelle was “hilarious” and Dr. Ruth
Westheimer called the show “Delightful!”
In its tenth season Green Candle created The Chartreuse Salon, a forum for dramatic readings
of literature. The company also offered challenging productions such as The Man in the Glass Booth by
Robert Shaw and the offbeat holiday comedy Desire under the Elves by Robert Coles. By the year
2000, Green Candle had produced over 60 plays and held acting workshops for adults and children.
In the fall of 2000 Green Candle produced Duet for One by Tom Kepinski and also created
Cabaret 2000-Where Do We Go From Here? In spring 2001, Green Candle presented its debut
collaboration with Parima Restaurant, All in the Timing, an evening of five comedic one acts written by
David Ives and served to perfection amidst a five-course meal. The show was a sold out success.
In March 2002 the company produced The Probable Pirandello’s Wife by Vermont playwright
Herb Propper which ran for six well attended performances at the Flynn Space. In the summer of 2005,
the troupe was pleased to perform Neil Simon’s Fools as part of the inaugural season of the Waterfront
Theatre at Main Street Landing in Burlington. In spring 2006, the company developed and premiered
Silent Invasion written by Burlington playwright Josh Bridgman at 135 Pearl. In November, the company
returned to the Flynn Space with the premiere of The Next State written and directed by another
Burlington playwright, Seth Jarvis, and staged in collaboration with Sweet Racket Productions. Green
Candle returned again to the Flynn Space in March 2007 with Jane Martin’s controversial drama, Keely
and Du.
In June 2008, Green Candle produced an adaptation of Nikolai Gogol’s short story, The Nose,
written and directed by company member Aaron Masi. In November 2008 the company premiered Art the
Father, written by member Michael Jordan Evans. This show was the first in an open series of
collaborations between Green Candle and Evans’ Burlington Theatre Lab and was staged at a new
venue in Burlington’s South End, the Outer Space Cafe.
In January 2009, Green Candle presented American Buffalo at the Outer Space to sold-out
performances and returned to the venue in November 2009 with a production of Rosalee Was Here by
award winning Vermont playwright Maura Campbell. In January 2010 the collaboration between Green
Candle Theatre Company and Maura Campbell continued with a second run of Rosalee Was Here at
Lost Nation Theatre in Montpelier, Vermont. In April 2010 the company co-produced Campbell’s Wild
Geese a site specific play staged at the Metro Hair salon in Burlington and also worked with Ms.
Campbell to present Flower Duet at the Flynn Space in September 2010.
In June 2010 Green Candle Theatre Company made its debut at the Off Center for the
Dramatic Arts in Burlington’s North End during the new theatre’s inaugural festival with a staged reading
of Michael Jordan Evans’ Oh Boy! and are pleased to be returning with its second production of an
original piece by Burlington playwright Josh Bridgman, Concrete Kingdom in November 2010.
Green Candle Theatre Company continues to remain committed to the production of original
material. Of the 12 productions staged by the company since 2002, nine have been written by Vermont
playwrights. In September 2010 the Board of Directors of the Green Candle Theatre Company made the
decision to move forward into it’s third decade with a new mission and will produce new material
exclusively.
by four University of Vermont alumni. The company rented a rehearsal space in downtown Burlington
where public play readings were held. The press quickly became intrigued by the new troupe describing
it as “...a promising eruption of theatre.” Garage Theatre incorporated in January 1990 and by May had
begun to produce original work. The company maintained a policy of affordable admission to any event
and pledged to produce shows that challenged the audience to reevaluate commonly held mores.
By the early 1990’s, and under a new moniker, the Green Candle Theatre Company earned
international recognition with performances of Feeding the Moonfish by Barbara Wiechmann at the 1994
Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The Scotsman hailed Green Candle as “Theatre at its best.” In 1995 Green
Candle returned to the Fringe festival and premiered In the Blood by Vermont playwright Keefe Healey.
The Herald (Glasgow, Scotland) praised “the taut nightmare drama” for offering “strikingly good
performances” and the Burlington Free Press headlined it as “Bloody Good Theatre.”
In October 1996, Green Candle produced the American premiere of the British musical Saucy
Jack and the Space Vixens which ran for 17 sold-out performances at 135 Pearl and won the Burlington
Bessie Award for Outstanding Original Musical. Seven Days said that Saucy Jack was “...Hot! Hot!
Hot!” In 1997, the company premiered three new works by Vermont playwrights Stephen Goldberg and
Marc LaChapelle at the Sanford Meisner Theatre in NYC. The New York Times said the comedic
production of The Prince and the Pauper by playwright Marc Lachapelle was “hilarious” and Dr. Ruth
Westheimer called the show “Delightful!”
In its tenth season Green Candle created The Chartreuse Salon, a forum for dramatic readings
of literature. The company also offered challenging productions such as The Man in the Glass Booth by
Robert Shaw and the offbeat holiday comedy Desire under the Elves by Robert Coles. By the year
2000, Green Candle had produced over 60 plays and held acting workshops for adults and children.
In the fall of 2000 Green Candle produced Duet for One by Tom Kepinski and also created
Cabaret 2000-Where Do We Go From Here? In spring 2001, Green Candle presented its debut
collaboration with Parima Restaurant, All in the Timing, an evening of five comedic one acts written by
David Ives and served to perfection amidst a five-course meal. The show was a sold out success.
In March 2002 the company produced The Probable Pirandello’s Wife by Vermont playwright
Herb Propper which ran for six well attended performances at the Flynn Space. In the summer of 2005,
the troupe was pleased to perform Neil Simon’s Fools as part of the inaugural season of the Waterfront
Theatre at Main Street Landing in Burlington. In spring 2006, the company developed and premiered
Silent Invasion written by Burlington playwright Josh Bridgman at 135 Pearl. In November, the company
returned to the Flynn Space with the premiere of The Next State written and directed by another
Burlington playwright, Seth Jarvis, and staged in collaboration with Sweet Racket Productions. Green
Candle returned again to the Flynn Space in March 2007 with Jane Martin’s controversial drama, Keely
and Du.
In June 2008, Green Candle produced an adaptation of Nikolai Gogol’s short story, The Nose,
written and directed by company member Aaron Masi. In November 2008 the company premiered Art the
Father, written by member Michael Jordan Evans. This show was the first in an open series of
collaborations between Green Candle and Evans’ Burlington Theatre Lab and was staged at a new
venue in Burlington’s South End, the Outer Space Cafe.
In January 2009, Green Candle presented American Buffalo at the Outer Space to sold-out
performances and returned to the venue in November 2009 with a production of Rosalee Was Here by
award winning Vermont playwright Maura Campbell. In January 2010 the collaboration between Green
Candle Theatre Company and Maura Campbell continued with a second run of Rosalee Was Here at
Lost Nation Theatre in Montpelier, Vermont. In April 2010 the company co-produced Campbell’s Wild
Geese a site specific play staged at the Metro Hair salon in Burlington and also worked with Ms.
Campbell to present Flower Duet at the Flynn Space in September 2010.
In June 2010 Green Candle Theatre Company made its debut at the Off Center for the
Dramatic Arts in Burlington’s North End during the new theatre’s inaugural festival with a staged reading
of Michael Jordan Evans’ Oh Boy! and are pleased to be returning with its second production of an
original piece by Burlington playwright Josh Bridgman, Concrete Kingdom in November 2010.
Green Candle Theatre Company continues to remain committed to the production of original
material. Of the 12 productions staged by the company since 2002, nine have been written by Vermont
playwrights. In September 2010 the Board of Directors of the Green Candle Theatre Company made the
decision to move forward into it’s third decade with a new mission and will produce new material
exclusively.
