Lawrence Novikoff and Paul Engelhardt founded Strawdog Theatre Company in 1988 after performing together in a production of Euripides's Helen.
The group took their name from Sam Peckinpah's movie "Straw Dogs" and was founded with the commitment to the ensemble approach, which remains the backbone of Strawdog today[when?]
They added many new ensemble members of varying disciplines, restructured the administration of the Company and gradually moved its focus from gritty kitchen sink dramas to a wider range of styles.
[citation needed] Strawdog first garnered national attention when Terry Teachout ("America's Theatre Critic") of The Wall Street Journal named Aristocrats one of the best shows of 2007.
[1] The next year, Teachout once again lauded Strawdog for their production of RUR, a rarely seen parable about robots and technology.