An interview with Director of Classic Repertory Company Clay Hopper
“BU tends to cultivate students in this way. We make actors who have their eye on the bigger picture.”
Located in nearby Watertown, New Repertory Theatre has distinguished itself as one of the Boston area’s premiere theatre companies. As Director of Classic Repertory Company (CRC), New Repertory Theatre’s flagship educational outreach program, Clay Hopper (CFA’05) has assisted young actors, including CFA alumni, to navigate the sometimes challenging transition from the classroom to a professional theatre company. Throughout the year, CRC brings live theatre and educational units to schools, senior centers, universities, and summer camps throughout New England, creating theatrical experiences that are both educational and artistically compelling.
“The mission of Classic Repertory Company is basically two-fold,” says Hopper. “Our goal is to develop new audiences by presenting classic plays, while acting as a bridge between academia and the professional theatre. We help new artists grow; it is often a springboard into the professional theatre community here in Boston.”
Hopper has directed CRC since October 2012, when he rebranded the company and reshaped its mission. He kicked off the first season with a new adaptation of Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations, which he workshopped at BU. The adaptation starred five alums, three of whom were later cast in New Rep’s staging of Hopper’s adaptation.
“New Rep is a supportive and nurturing company,” says Hopper. “For these young artists, having this introduction to the community in this way has helped propel them in the theatre community. They are very busy.”
The new model has become the blueprint for the company, which always produces a Shakespearean classic as well as a 19th or 20th century novel adapted for the stage, presented in rotation for eight months throughout New England.
Hopper looks for works that are curriculum-based and public domain so that he can freely create his own 90-minute adaptations, complemented by workshops and talk-backs to engage the audience. Altering the story is sometimes unavoidable, but while Hopper does take some liberties in making changes, he never strays too far away from the original text. “These are important works of the 20th century,” says Hopper. “Everyone should have exposure to these works. Any changes we do make must serve the story dramaturgically.” Hopper’s number one priority is growth for the company, providing more opportunities for young actors in the community.
Because the majority of CRC’s performances take place in unconventional venues such as high schools, civic centers, or senior centers, these adaptations are aesthetically designed to be produced anywhere. “It doesn’t even need to be in a theatre,” adds Hopper. “That’s what’s so cool about it.”
For those involved, it means a great deal to reach out to underserved, younger populations who may be experiencing their first theater production; often the impact of their work goes well beyond the 90-minute performance. Company members come away with a higher-level of understanding about what the theater can do. “It’s almost a social consciousness,” says Hopper. “BU tends to cultivate students in this way. We make actors who have their eye on the bigger picture.”
This year’s company includes second-year Scene Design graduate student Ghazal Hassani (CFA’16), who is the Production Designer for the season, four School of Theatre alums, Laura Detwiler (CFA’15), Grace Kennedy Woodford (CFA’15, CAS’15), Lily Linke (CFA’15), and Hayley Sherwood (CFA’14), as well as four young theatre artists from area Colleges.
Hayley Sherwood returns to New Rep after making her CRC-debut playing Lady Macbeth in the company’s adaptation of Macbeth. Passionate about the program, Sherwood who also played a leading role in Of Mice and Men during the 2014–2015 season, grew more interested in CRC’s development and was given the opportunity to become New Rep’s Education Associate, managing the day-to-day logistics for the tour, ensuring its success.
“Our goal simply boils down to encouraging empathy for these classic characters so that their stories live on,” says Sherwood. “My hope is that our company engages audiences in fresh ways, giving them a new perspective on classics that invigorate their personal thirst for storytelling.”
Sherwood looks forward to making new partnerships throughout New England: “We hope to continue to make unique educational experiences that further reinforce the role of the performing arts as a core learning tool.”
This fall, Classic Repertory Company will tour William Shakespeare’s political tragedy Julius Caesar and George Orwell’s classic novel 1984, including two public performances at Boston University Theatre (October 17–18).