Hugh Jackman and Sonia Friedman Join Forces for New Theater Company

Synopsis

Actor Hugh Jackman collaborates with producer Sonia Friedman to form Together, a new theater company emphasizing intimate and affordable live performances. Partnering with director Ian Rickson, the company aims to celebrate storytelling's raw power through minimalistic productions, fostering a sense of community and collaboration among artists.

Key Takeaways

Hugh Jackman and Sonia Friedman launch Together theater company.
Focus on intimate and accessible performances.
Collaboration with director Ian Rickson.
Emphasis on equal pay and shared credit.
Performances in small venues to enhance audience connection.

Los Angeles, March 20 (NationPress) Actor Hugh Jackman has partnered with producer Sonia Friedman to establish a new company focused on delivering “intimate and accessible” live theater.

The organization, named Together, is committed to providing audiences with a chance to engage with theater in a unique and captivating manner, according to a report by Deadline.

Collaborating with director Ian Rickson, Together will present short runs of fully rehearsed, full-length plays, as well as readings, panel discussions, and various events across the US, UK, and beyond.

As highlighted by Deadline, the emphasis will be on teamwork, ensemble performance, equal pay for actors, and shared creative acknowledgment. The announcement notes, “By stripping the fully rehearsed productions down to their essentials, with minimal décor, Together aims to celebrate the raw power of storytelling, getting back to what often makes theater so compelling in the first place”.

Performances will be held in intimate venues, allowing established actors to perform “just feet from the audience, creating an intimate, elemental experience and heightened sense of community”.

Importantly, the announcement reiterates that Together is committed to ensuring its productions remain genuinely affordable for a significant portion of the audience and accessible to as many individuals as possible.

In a detailed joint statement, Friedman and Jackman expressed: “With director Ian Rickson we wanted to create a company where actors, writers, and directors could experiment, explore, and take risks, away from the pressures that are often associated with the commercial theater world.

Together is about going back to basics, rediscovering the simple, thrilling essence of live performance. “At the same time,” the statement continues, “this isn’t about our stepping away from Broadway or the West End, it’s about supporting and coexisting alongside them. We have always been drawn to theater because of its raw energy, the excitement of a first reading, the joy of stepping into an unexpected role, and that sense of a shared experience. With Ian, this company is our way of sharing those moments with audiences, making them part of our process.”