Grants are given to companies that "have been in operation at least five, but not more than fifteen years, have articulated a distinctive mission, cultivated an audience and nurtured a community of artists in ways that strengthen and demonstrate the quality, diversity and dynamism of American theatre," according to a press release.

The 2015 recipients are 1st Stage (Tysons, VA), Bag&Baggage Productions (Hillsboro, OR), Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company (Boulder, CO), Congo Square Theatre Company (Chicago, IL), Kansas City Actors Theatre (Kansas City, MO), Mildred’s Umbrella Theater Company (Houston, TX), The NOLA Project (New Orleans, LA), Portland Playhouse (Portland, OR), San Francisco Playhouse (San Francisco, CA), Serenbe Playhouse (Chattahoochee Hills, GA), Theater Alliance (Washington, D.C.) and Tipping Point Theatre (Northville, MI).

Marva Smalls, Chair of the National Theatre Company Grants committee, said, "These twelve theater companies have proven themselves integral to the fabric of their respective communities, and are furthering the national cultural conversation in exciting ways."

President of the American Theatre Wing Heather Hitchens added, "These grants are a perfect expression of the Wing’s mission and we are delighted to have the opportunity to support these theater companies from coast to coast. By nurturing these organizations, we are helping to ensure that artists and audiences in communities large and small have access to great theater for years to come."

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