The Ensemble Studio Theatre, New York

The Ensemble Studio Theatre is a not-for-profit developmental theatre founded by Curt Dempster and a loose-knit group of fellow theater artists during a fertile period Off Broadway between 1968 and 1972. EST’s founders had two primary goals in creating the company: to nurture individual theatre artists and to develop new American plays.

EST nurtures individual artists through its free membership program, which offers lifetime membership in the company to diverse theater artists selected via a competitive application process. Demonstrated talent and keen interest in collaboration and contributing to EST’s community are the criteria for admission. The emphasis is on talent. EST currently lists more than 500 theatre artists on its membership roster. Collectively the group has won every major prize or award in theater, film and television, including Pulitzer Prizes, Oscars, Tony Awards, Emmy Awards, Obie Awards and Susan Smith Blackburn Awards.