Company History
The Landing Theatre Company (LTC) is devoted to American playwriting and stories about the American experience. It opened in the summer of 2010 at the University of Houston-Downtown, where it was the summer professional company in-residence for four years through the Department of Arts and Humanities. In 2014 the Board of Directors voted to make The Landing an independent company, in order to expand into a year-round company, and grow its programming.
Founded by Alley Theatre Resident Company member David Rainey, the Landing focuses on a robust program of new, contemporary and classic American drama for its audiences. It also offers a range of programs throughout the year, including its nationally recognized New American Voices Playwriting Festival, which annually uncovers some of America’s top undiscovered plays.
Where Does the Company Name Come From?
The Landing Theatre Company’s name comes from Allen’s Landing, which was the original Port of Houston, and is where Buffalo Bayou and White Oak Bayou converge forming a natural turning basin. The company started at UHD, which straddles Allen's Landing, so the name was created to tie the company to its birth place.
It is also called The Landing Theatre Company because a “landing” is a port, a docking place, an entryway, and a launching off point. We liked the idea that the company would be a theatrical port of the best American plays, a dock for playwrights to introduce their new works to a new world, a storehouse for great dramatic literature to be reinvented and distributed to the population, a launching off point for compelling and inventive new productions, a transport for our audiences to great theatrical adventures, and a place where artistic services could be distributed to the wealth of artists in our community.
Laura Awards Banquet
The Laura Awards Banquet was started our very first season, and has become a very special event for the company. Every year at the end of the season, we have the Laura Awards Banquet where we recognize those who have done exceptional service for the organization. This dinner, for everyone involved with the company, has been a great way to end the season and bring closure to a year’s hard work. And receiving a Laura Award has become quite an honor. We have also added service awards to recognize and thank all who have been a part of our season. So far Birraporetti’s restaurant has generously hosted the event and donated the dinner.
The Laura Awards received its name because the first ship to dock at Allen’s Landing was called the Laura.