Company of Fools was born out of a belief in the unique rewards that can only be achieved by a permanent company of theatre artists sharing a common artistic point of view, a specific approach to the creative process and a shared attitude toward life. This belief is at the core of Company of Fools' mission, and the symbol of the Company's mission is the Fool.
The Company's notion of the Fool comes from a little-known essay by the late English painter, Cecil Collins. In describing the Fool, Collins said, "The Fool is not a philosophy, but a quality of consciousness of life, an endless regard for human identity. The Fool is the essential poetic integrity of life itself, clear and naked, overflowing in cosmic fun; not the product of intellectual achievement, but a creation of the culture of the heart."
Company of Fools began in Richmond, Virginia in May 1992 with a series of discussions between then artistic director Rusty Wilson and original company members Vicki Bodin, John Glenn, Denise Simone, Robert Throckmorton and Joel Vilinsky. Rusty initiated these discussions for the purpose of articulating and clarifying his vision of a living theatre vital to the needs of its community. As a result of these talks, Rusty secured a loan, converted his garage into a studio, and on August 23, 1992, the Company's training process began. This process was led by Rusty as the Company continued to evolve, developing a common working vocabulary and approach to the art and craft of acting.
The Company's first project, Something Unspoken: Two Evenings of Tennessee Williams One-Acts, was presented at Hanover Tavern in Hanover, Virginia. The production was a huge success, and the run finished with a long waiting list. Next came Williams' The Glass Menagerie, co-produced with Richmond's Barksdale Theatre. A grant from Partners in the Arts allowed Company of Fools to perform at the Virginia Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities in the summers of 1995 and 1996. The Company's final production in Virginia was John Patrick Shanley's Danny and the Deep Blue Sea, performed in June 1996.
In November 1996, Company of Fools artistic director Rusty Wilson and founding member Denise Simone relocated to Idaho's Wood River Valley intent on continuing the Company's work.
Since 1996, Company of Fools has contributed to the rich cultural life of the Wood River Valley and greater Idaho. In 2009 the Company was awarded Arts Advocate of the Year by the Sun Valley/Ketchum and Hailey Chambers of Commerce. Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne honored Company of Fools as a recipient of the 2004 Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts. In December 2000, the Company became the first theatre in Idaho's history to receive Constituent Theatre status from Theatre Communications Group, the national organization for the professional, nonprofit American theatre. The Company has also been featured in such national publications as American Theatre Magazine, DramaBiz, Backstage West and Sunset Magazine.
Company of Fools’ work can be divided into two main areas: performance programming and arts-in-education programming. In accordance with its mission statement, Company of Fools continually strives to invite, engage, educate and motivate all members of the community to participate in the communal art form of theatre. Special outreach efforts—which include reasonable ticket prices, "Pay What You Feel" previews, educator nights, student matinees and the "10 for $10" program—contribute to audience expansion. The Company offers a variety of classes specifically designed for adults, children, seniors and children with special needs (such as developmental challenges and cancer). The Company's Stages of Wonder in-school elementary program (now in its 12th year) reaches all public elementary school students in Blaine County, and additional theater and creativity progams are geared to grades 6-12.
Company of Fools’ staff members are active arts leaders in Idaho, serving on such boards as the Idaho Commission on the Arts, the Ketchum/Sun Valley Chamber of Commerce, Wood River Arts Alliance and South Valley Merchants Alliance.
2010/2011 is the Company's 15th Season in the Wood River Valley.
