Biography
Steve Cosson. Since its founding in 2001 by Artistic Director Steven Cosson, The Civilians has supported the creation of seven original shows -- Canard, Canard, Goose?, The Ladies, Paris Commune, Gone Missing, (I am) Nobody's Lunch, Shadow of Himself and This Beautiful City. The Civilians' projects have been produced at venues throughout New York including The Public Theater, joe's pub, St. Ann's Warehouse, 59E59 among others, and at theaters nationally including A.R.T., La Jolla Playhouse, HBO's US Comedy Festival, and Actors Theatre of Louisville. Works by the company have also toured nationally and internationally to universities, arts presenters and festivals. Recent touring engagements have included The Hopkins Center at Dartmouth, Princeton, World Performance Project at Yale, Wesleyan, University of Pennsylvania, and Connecticut College. The Civilians made its UK debut with Gone Missing in 2004 at the Gate Theatre, and (I Am) Nobody's Lunch was a Fringe First Award winner at the 2006 Edinburgh Fringe leading to a London production at Soho Theatre. The Civilians' recent commercial run of Gone Missing at the Barrow Street Theater ran for seven months and was included in several Top 10 of 2007 lists in the New York press including critic Charles Isherwood's list in the The New York Times. The company's new major project, This Beautiful City premiered at the 2008 Humana Festival and is slated for upcoming productions at major theaters including Studio Theatre, Center Theatre Group (Mark Taper), Vineyard Theatre, and La Jolla Playhouse. Also in the current season, Paris Commune was produced in The Public Theater's Public LAB series. The Civilians produced accompanying programs at The Museum of Modern Art and the City University of New York. The company has developed its work in residencies with New York Theatre Workshop, Sundance Theatre Lab, the MacDowell Colony and The Orchard Project. This Beautiful City was developed through a year-long residency at Colorado College. Gone Missing will be published by Dramatists Play Service and the cast recording was produced by Ghostlight Records. (I Am) Nobody's Lunch was published by Oberon Books. The Civilians received an Obie in 2004 in recognition of its accomplishments in its first two seasons of work.
