CATF Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Historic Shepherdstown Church To Be Repurposed As Live Theater Venue

The congregation of the Christ Reformed United Church of Christ donated the historic building to the Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF), which produces and develops new plays for worldwide audiences.

A 275-year-old church in Shepherdstown will be repurposed as a theater venue after its final service was held earlier this year.

Founded in 1747, the United Church of Christ is the oldest church in Shepherdstown. It held its final service in January after the retirement of its pastor.

“The church congregation had begun to see that there was a need to maybe move that building on to its next purpose,” CATF Artistic Director Peggy McKowen said. “And so they started talking to various nonprofits that they wanted to give it to. It really is a situation in which people just happen to be at the right place at the right time, overhearing a conversation.”

McKowen said she wants to preserve what made the church special to its congregation while making it a place for the community to gather.

“We met with the representatives from the church, and I had a long conversation about really protecting the integrity of some of the historical elements of the church,” McKowen said. “The stained glass windows, also with the church comes the graveyard and the responsibility of that. I think the church congregation felt comfortable that CATF would uphold the usage of the building with a great sort of responsibility and grace to maintain the things that were really valued about it.”

The church will be used as a rehearsal space in the short-term with plans to use it as a performance venue in the future. By using the space this season, CATF is able to accommodate their talent’s work more easily. But before it’s available as a space for live performances, renovations need to be made to accommodate future audiences. That includes new restrooms, expanded seating and rigging for lights and sound.

One idea is to devise a system to block the stained glass windows for blackouts during live performances, while keeping them revealed for other events. CATF is currently planning on fundraising for the new additions.

“It would be really, really amazing and wonderful if our season in 2024 could have a performance down there as part of the summer,” McKowen said. “Whether that’s truly realistic, we’ll just have to see.”

The renovated church will be open to the public this year for the festival’s Fall Reading Series, which presents readings of plays under consideration for the 2024 season.

This year’s CATF season will take place from July 7 to July 30.

W.Va. Professional Theater Festival Founder To Retire At The End Of The Year

The founder of one of the country’s top theater festivals for new plays is retiring.

Ed Herendeen has been the producing director for the Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) in Shepherdstown, West Virginia for the past 30 years.

He will step down in December.

According to a news release, Herendeen founded the festival in 1991 and was key to guiding the organization to its well-respected status as a professional theater organization.

“At the time, there were so few places that fully produced new work,” Herendeen said. “There was a critical need for the nurturing of, and the development and production of new plays.”

A major part of CATF’s founding was thanks to then-Shepherd College president Michael Riccards. Today, Shepherd University remains the festival’s home.

With Herendeen retiring, Associate Producing Director Peggy McKowen has been appointed as the festival’s Acting Producing Director.

There will be a nationwide search for CATF’s next leader.

Since 1991, the festival has produced more than 130 new plays, including 56 world premieres.

“It’s always been about the work on stage, about the voice of the playwrights. The plays deal with timely issues. They ask questions. They inspire conversation and even controversy. That’s why the festival has grown,” Herendeen said.

Many of CATF’s plays have gone on to Broadway and Off-Broadway.

“Shepherd University has enjoyed a very special partnership with Ed and the Contemporary American Theater Festival for over 30 years,” said Shepherd University President Mary Hendrix. “Ed’s creative vision and unparalleled commitment to authenticity and excellence will long be remembered. His passion for performance and evoking emotional responses to real life issues underscore his remarkable legacy. Ed is an icon of our times.”

Contemporary American Theater Festival Reschedules 2020 Season Due To Coronavirus

The Contemporary American Theater Festival, located in Shepherdstown, has pushed its 2020 season to next year due to coronavirus concerns. This summer was meant to be the festival’s 30th anniversary celebration.

The CATF’s producing director Ed Herendeen made the announcement to reschedule the 2020 season in a letter posted on the festival’s website.

Herendeen said he’s concerned for the health and safety of his staff, family, friends and all those involved in bringing the festival to life each year.

He said this year’s lineup of plays would still be produced and performed in July 2021. He also said all 30th anniversary festivities would take place next year as well.

Those who have already bought tickets are eligible for a full refund.

CATF was founded in 1991 and has elevated West Virginia’s standing in the professional theater scene. To date, the festival has produced 121 new plays, including 47 world premieres by 85 American playwrights.

In 2017, CATF issued more than 17,500 tickets to more than 5,000 patrons from 36 states, Washington, D.C., and around the globe.

LISTEN: Contemporary American Theater Festival's Impact, Legacy in W.Va.

The Contemporary American Theater Festival in Shepherdstown, West Virginia just closed on its 29^th season. The festival draws visitors from all over the world to West Virginia and has helped the state stand out in the professional theater scene.

West Virginia Public Broadcasting spoke with Associate Producing Director Peggy McKowen to talk about the festival’s legacy, impact, and what’s ahead for its 30^th season.

CATF was founded in 1991 by Producing Director Ed Herendeen. To date, 121 new plays have been produced, including 47 world premieres by 85 American playwrights. CATF has also commissioned 10 new American plays.

According to the festival’s website, 50 percent of all their plays have been produced by women writers. In 2017, CATF issued more than 17,500 tickets to 5,500 patrons from 36 states, Washington, D.C., and around the globe.

The Contemporary American Theater Festival states its mission is to produce and develop new American theater; to provide the ultimate theater experience and produce fearless art; daring and diverse stories and to create a profound dynamic among the audience, the artist and the work.

CATF to Be in New York City in October

The Contemporary American Theater Festival in Shepherdstown will, for the first time, take one of its world premieres to Off-Broadway in New York City.

In August, CATF finished up its 24^th season, but that wasn’t quite the end. To its surprise, the festival was invited to transfer one of this season’s productions to New York City’s Off-Broadway venue, 59E59 Theaters. The play chosen was Uncanny Valley by Thomas Gibbons.

Uncanny Valley is set in the near future and portrays the relationship between Julian, an artificial intelligence being, and Claire, a neuroscientist tasked with teaching him how to become “human.”

This is the first time in the Festival’s 24 year history that it will move one of its Shepherdstown productions as-is to a new venue.

“It’s a really thrilling opportunity,” said Ed Herendeen, the founder and producing director of the Contemporary American Theater Festival, “You know we’ve had several of our plays produced in New York…and several of our plays have been produced around the country at regional theaters, but this is the very first time one of our productions will transfer to New York City.”

Herendeen says this opportunity wouldn’t have been possible if it hadn’t been for the success of the festival and its location.

“We are passionate about our geography. We really, really believe that place matters, and in many ways, the success of the Contemporary American Theater Festival is directly related to our geography; the eastern panhandle, Shepherdstown, the state of West Virginia. So this is going to give and shine a positive light on our state.”

Uncanny Valley by Thomas Gibbons will be presented in New York City between October 2-26.

To learn more about the play, you can visit the CATF website or watch this teaser trailer from the Contemporary American Theater Festival’s Vimeo page.