The Program

8-10 of the top regional theatre actors in the country, each nominated by one of America's premier nonprofit theatres, participate in an intensive weeklong retreat and master class at Ten Chimneys with a world-renowned master teacher.


Fellowship

In addition to the distinction of being selected and the immense value of participating, Lunt-Fontanne Fellows receive a $2,500 cash fellowship. Additionally, all travel and lodging expenses are covered.

Summer 2012

The third year of the Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship Program will take place in July of 2012, at Ten Chimneys in Genesee Depot, Wisconsin.

Three Years of Enormous Success

Watch

Video Highlights of the 2009 & 2010 programs.



Listen

to features on NPR's Weekend Edition and Milwaukee Public Radio



Read

a feature about the program in American Theatre Magazine.



Delve

into the experience through photos, videos, and online journals.


What is the program and why is it important?

The Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship Program is a groundbreaking national program to serve American theatre. Every year, 8-10 of the most accomplished regional-theatre actors in the country are invited to participate in a weeklong master class and retreat with a world-renowned and respected Master Teacher. The 8-day immersion at Ten Chimneys includes intensive daily master class sessions, both in the historic rooms of the estate and in the modern facilities of the program center.

Through this groundbreaking national program, the top actors in the country are given a rare and deeply needed opportunity to grow artistically, renew their passion for their art form, deepen their commitment to mentorship, and form a national community of Lunt-Fontanne Fellows. These actors return to their home communities more inspired, and more inspiring — offering great benefits to other actors, to individual theatres, to students, to communities across the country, and to American theatre as a whole. Ultimately, this program does not exist simply to serve actors, but to strengthen the ability of actors and theatres to enrich people’s lives in communities throughout the country. Lunt-Fontanne Fellows do this as artists, as mentors, as teachers, and as leaders in their communities.

Why Ten Chimneys?

This one-of-a-kind program, so much more than a workshop or conference, takes place within the rooms of Ten Chimneys, a National Historic Landmark that has been widely hailed as one of the most inspirational historic sites in the country.

This special home is particularly inspirational for actors. Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne constructed their Ten Chimneys estate to be the perfect working retreat for themselves and for their peers, the greats of the theatre: Laurence Olivier, Helen Hayes, Noël Coward. Beyond inspiring peers, the Lunts were also known for their dedication to the next generation of actors. Legends such as Uta Hagen, Montgomery Clift, and Julie Harris proudly considered themselves protégés of the Lunts. The Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship Program continues that tradition of mentorship at Ten Chimneys. This historic context, and the inherent inspiration of Ten Chimneys, is why Lynn Redgrave said that “this program simply couldn’t happen anywhere else,” and why participating Fellows have all talked about the experience being transformative.

Who are the Lunt-Fontanne fellows?

Quite simply, Lunt-Fontanne Fellows are the best regional stage actors in America — the great mentor actors in the great theatre communites. They have 20+ years of experience as professional actors. They are widely respected by audiences, directors, and fellow actors for their talent, dedication to craft, attention to detail, and passionate pursuit of excellence – the qualities for which Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne were so revered. These extraordinary artists have few, if any, opportunities to be protégé rather than mentor – to work with a world-renowned and respected master teacher. These theatre artists are the best of the best – widely considered the top actors in their cities. They are their communities’ theatre mentors. These are the actors who will be named as Lunt-Fontanne Fellows.

Who is a Lunt-Fontanne Master Teacher?

Every year, Ten Chimneys selects and collaborates with a Master Teacher for the Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship Program — a luminary stage actor whose talent, generosity, ability to teach, and dedication to mentoring are deeply admired by stage actors and the entire theatre community. The Master Teacher for each year is a key collaborator in the program, working with Ten Chimneys staff to develop the curriculum, content, and focus of the artistic elements of the experience. During the first two years of the program, the top regional theatre actors in the U.S. spent the artistic portion of their Ten Chimneys immersion delving into Shakespeare — with the late actress Lynn Redgrave in 2009 and renowned Shakespearean Barry Edelstein in 2010. In 2011, Olympia Dukakis led the Fellows in an exploration of the works of Chekhov. In 2012, the Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship Program will focus on the American Musical Theatre, with Broadway legend Joel Grey.

How are the Lunt-Fontanne fellows selected?

Fall: Ten Chimneys Foundation selects and invites 8-10 of the most prestigious and accomplished regional theatres in the country to serve as Partner Theatres in this groundbreaking national program to serve regional theatre actors and the future of American theatre.

Winter: Leadership at each Partner Theatre nominates between one and three actors they feel should be considered for recognition as Lunt-Fontanne Fellows. A National Advisory Council consults with Ten Chimneys Foundation to select the actors to be named as Lunt-Fontanne Fellows.

Spring: Ten Chimneys Foundation announces the full “class” of Lunt-Fontanne Fellows – with one Fellow selected from each Partner Theatre.

Summer: From the time the Lunt-Fontanne Fellows are selected through the start of the master class and retreat at Ten Chimneys, Ten Chimneys Foundation helps the selected Lunt-Fontanne Fellows connect with each other from across the country, so that their identity and interaction as a group begins before they meet together for the first time at Ten Chimneys. Lunt-Fontanne Fellows also receive regular updates and additional details regarding the developing content of the master class component of the week at Ten Chimneys, including correspondence with the master teacher about advance preparation.

July 2012: The weeklong retreat and master class with Joel Grey will take place at Ten Chimneys.

What happens during the week at Ten Chimneys?

The intensive weeklong retreat and master class will include:

INTENSIVE MASTER CLASS: The content and structure of the daily master class activities will be shaped by the expertise of the master teacher. Mr. Grey and the 2012 Lunt-Fontanne Fellows will focus extensively on the American musical theatre; this exciting and challenging work will take place at the historic Ten Chimneys estate and in the state-of-the-art Lunt-Fontanne Program Center.

INSPIRATIONAL RETREAT: Significant time will be set aside for Lunt-Fontanne Fellows to explore the historic estate and grounds, rest, rejuvenate, work with each other between master class “sessions,” and take in the extraordinary spirit and inspiration of Ten Chimneys.

HOSPITALITY: Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne were passionate about their hospitality. For them, it was about more than “good manners”; making guests feel truly comfortable and sincerely welcome was the foundation for meaningful rejuvenation, inspiration, and substantive work. Ten Chimneys Foundation will offer the same care to Lunt-Fontanne Fellows that the Lunts did for their illustrious guests: first-rate air travel on Frontier Airlines, deluxe accommodations at the luxurious Delafield Hotel near Ten Chimneys, delicious and ample meals, comfortable local transportation, and other amenities – all included as part of the Fellowship.

Who are the partner theatres?

There are, of course, more than 8-10 “prestigious and accomplished regional theatres” nationwide. So the participating theatres will vary and rotate every year.

Past Partner Theatres include:

What happens after the week at Ten Chimneys?

When the on-site program is completed, the Lunt-Fontanne Fellows will return to their home communities across the country, bringing with them everything they gained artistically as part of the master class, along with renewed energy and a deepened commitment to mentorship. Ten Chimneys Foundation will help Lunt-Fontanne Fellows stay connected with each other and subsequent cohorts of Lunt-Fontanne Fellows. In particular, Ten Chimneys Foundation will actively encourage Lunt-Fontanne Fellows to engage in mentoring activities in their communities, with students and with younger actors. As Lunt-Fontanne Fellows engage in these mentoring activities, Ten Chimneys Foundation will share their stories and successes with other Lunt-Fontanne Fellows – further encouraging continued mentorship and educational outreach in communities across the country.

We anticipate that a good deal of post-Ten Chimneys interaction will be driven and shaped by the growing community of Lunt-Fontanne Fellows. Ten Chimneys Foundation is well-suited to be an effective liaison and facilitator, and is prepared to meet the needs and requests of Fellows that have returned to their home communities.

What are the expected outcomes of the program?

This exciting new program will reap extensive benefits – both direct and indirect – for individual actors, for participating regional theatres, and for the communities both call home.

DIRECT BENEFITS: Actors participating directly in the Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship Program will grow artistically, renew their passion for their art, form a national community of Lunt-Fontanne Fellows, and deepen their commitment to mentorship.

INDIRECT BENEFITS: Direct participants will then exponentially expand the impact of the program when they return to their home communities. Highlights of the “indirect benefits” to communities, individuals, and Partner Theatres include:

  • Other actors (particularly younger actors) who work with Lunt-Fontanne Fellows will grow artistically from the results of the participants’ transformative experiences.
  • Audiences will benefit from the artistic results of the growth and passion of actors at the Partner Theatres (both direct participants and other actors being indirectly affected).
  • Individual theatres will benefit from the artistic results of their actors’ growth and passion (both direct participants and other actors being indirectly affected), from the media attention this national program will generate, and from increased donor and community enthusiasm.
  • Students in these communities will benefit from the Lunt-Fontanne Fellows’ deepened commitment to mentorship.

More broadly, American theatre as a whole will benefit from an inspirational program fulfilling a critical and deeply felt need. Many of the most accomplished and dedicated regional-theatre actors in the country are desperate for this level of opportunity for mentorship and rejuvenation. And it simply hasn’t existed for them… until now. The Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship Program will have a profound and immediate impact – improving the vitality of American theatre and the artform’s dedication to nurturing the next generation.

How is the program funded?

The Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship Program is made possible by the generosity of insightful and engaged donors. Ten Chimneys Foundation is actively seeking support to fund this important, unparalleled program. Individual support, combined with the generosity of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation and other institutional supporters, makes it possible for us to serve actors, theatres, and communities across the country – as well as the overall vitality and strength of American Theatre – at no cost to actors or Partner Theatres. To contribute to Ten Chimneys Foundation and support the Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship Program, click here.