MCC Theatre, New York

Liev Schreiber. Laurie Metcalf. David Duchovny. Kathleen Turner. These are just a handful of the lauded actors who have graced MCC Theater's productions throughout the years. Surprisingly, the company didn't start with its eyes trained on the stars with the highest wattage—the founders came together in 1986 to create a workshop-like space to develop their own artistic voices as actors, directors, and writers. After the peer-led classes proved fruitful, they staged showcases and later full-scale off-Broadway productions that attracted the talents of renowned artists. Today, MCC continues to produce buzzed-about works that tackle ethical dilemmas and world premieres by playwrights on the rise.