Circle in the Square

Circle in the Square, influential, independent theater company based in New York City, dedicated to the production of serious American and European drama. Founded in 1950 by Panamanian-born director José Quintero, Circle in the Square became known for its popular and critically praised interpretations of plays by American dramatists Eugene O'Neill and Tennessee Williams. , Jason Robards, Fredric March, George C. Scott, Dustin Hoffman, James Earl Jones, and Cicely Tyson are among the respected American actors who formed lifelong associations with Circle.

Circle in the Square was named for its original location on Sheridan Square in Greenwich Village and its configuration in the round, with seats surrounding the stage. The theater was the first in New York to achieve commercial success outside the immediate Broadway area (the heart of the New York theater district) since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Led by Quintero and Theodore Mann, a young attorney, Circle emphasized the deep emotional work of the actor. Its intimate configuration necessitated simple staging, often with few set pieces and uncomplicated lighting design.

Devoted to historical authenticity and physical precision, Quintero initially received scant attention. His revival of Williams's Summer and Smoke in 1952, however, established Circle in the Square as a primary professional venue for quality theater in the United States. The overwhelmingly favorable critical reaction to the production launched the careers of both Quintero and Page. Within a single season, off-Broadway blossomed as a new hub for young producers, directors, playwrights, and actors.

Other successes followed at Circle in the 1950s, including revivals of O'Neill's The Iceman Cometh (1956) and Williams's Camino Real (1959). But despite its many artistic accomplishments, the Circle suffered constant financial setbacks and reversals. Audiences and reviewers frequently tired of Circle's unvarying repertory of 20th-century tragic and poetic plays.

Circle in the Square was forced to move to another building in Greenwich Village after the demolition of its original headquarters in 1960. The following year the theater opened an acting studio. Finally in 1972 it opened a 650-seat house on Broadway.

From 1960 until the 1990s Circle staged mostly premieres and new productions of classic plays. By 1990 it had produced more than 80 plays, including works by Welsh author Dylan Thomas and American authors Saul Bellow, Thornton Wilder, and Truman Capote. While Circle was still a mainstay of intelligent dramatic fare, its fortunes, in many ways, paralleled those of other companies in the United States, which struggled to balance artistic aspirations with financial necessities. Circle suspended operations in 1997 and its future was uncertain.