TIMELINE
1964 Actors, Inc. and Theatre Louisville merge under the title Actors Theatre of Louisville. They perform in a small loft on Fourth Street, and later move to an abandoned Illinois Central Train Station.
1965
 Alexander Speer, former Executive Director, begins his tenure.
1966
 Actors Associates is formed to promote reading and discussing plays.
1969
 Jon Jory is appointed producing director. He makes his directorial debut with Dylan Thomas’ Under Milk Wood.

Actors Associates shifts focus to become a service-oriented volunteer group.
1972
 Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman is the final production in the Illinois Central Train Station home. A new complex opens in the old Bank of Louisville building, a National Historic Landmark, on Main Street with the 637-seat Pamela Brown Auditorium.
1973
 The 159-seat Victor Jory Theatre opens.
1974
 Actors Theatre is designated the State Theatre of Kentucky.

Stagehands, a volunteer group for men, is formed.
1976
 First Festival of New American Plays is presented with D.L. Coburn’s Pulitzer Prize-winning The Gin Game and John Orlock’s Indulgences in the Louisville Harem.
1979
 The Humana Foundation begins underwriting the New Play Festival, now called the Humana Festival of New American Plays.
1979
 Actors Theatre receives the Margo Jones Award for the Encouragement of New Plays and the Shubert Foundation’s James N. Vaughan Memorial Award for Exceptional Achievement and Contribution to the Development of Professional Theatre.
1980
 Shorts Festival is added to the New Play Program.
1980
 A Special Tony Award is presented to honor Actors Theatre as an outstanding non-profit resident theatre.
1980
 Actors Theatre becomes a major international company when it launches a tour to Yugoslavia, Ireland and Israel.
1981
 $3.4 million capital campaign to raise funds to acquire the former five-storey Bensinger Building to provide offices and rehearsal space for the theatre as well as rentable income.
1985
 First Brown-Forman Classics in Context Festival celebrates the life and works of Molière.
1989
 First National Ten-Minute Play Contest becomes part of the New Play Program.
1989
 The biennial Bingham Signature Shakespeare is inaugurated.
1991
 The Development Board, a group of young professionals, is established to build a new generation of audiences.
1993
 Avant-garde solo and small ensemble pieces are presented in the Flying Solo and Friends Festival.
1994
 A $12.5 million expansion and renovation project includes the new 318-seat Bingham Theatre, a flexible arena theatre, and enlargement of the Pamela Brown Auditorium and the Victor Jory Theatre. Lobbies, ticket sales area, restroom facilities and restaurant are expanded, and a nine-level parking garage is added.
1996
 The Humana Festival of New American Plays celebrates 20th Anniversary.
2000
 Jon Jory retires from Actors Theatre to assume a teaching position with the School of Drama at the University of Washington.
2000
 Marc Masterson is appointed Artistic Director.
2002
 Education Department established.
2005
 A $13.5 million capital campaign is launched to raise funds to purchase a larger production studio, make necessary
capital improvements including updated lighting, as well as increasing the theatre’s endowment.

Acquisition of a new 45,000 square foot production studio, greatly expanding space available for set design and construction as well as storage for scenery and properties.
2006
 Humana Festival of New American Plays celebrates its 30th anniversary, with over 300 productions representing the works of more than 200 playwrights.
2006

Alexander Speer retires as Executive Director after 40 seasons of service. Actors Theatre announces the Alexander Speer Fund for the Advancement of Arts Administration in honor of his contributions to theatre nationally and locally. The West Market administrative building is renamed the Alexander Speer Arts and Commerce Building.

Jennifer Bielstein joins the Actors Theatre leadership team as Managing Director.