Stage Banter: The Arena Stage Blog

Announcing the TBA's

by Janine Sobeck

If you didn't catch the press last week, the final two shows of next season have been officially announced!  

The Kreeger will be opening with Anna Deveare Smith's Let Me Down Easy.  I've personally wanted to work with Ms. Smith since her extraordinary performances in Fires in the Mirror and Twilight: Los Angeles (and I know there are a lot of excited West Wing fans out there), and really, any woman Newsweek calls "the most exciting individual in American theatre" is definitely going to bring a whole new level to the opening season of the Mead Center for American Theater!  Let Me Down Easy is coming out of it's New York run, and explores the power of body, the price of health and the resilience of the spirit - and is based on interviews with people such as a heavyweight boxer, a rodeo rider, Lauren Hutton and Lance Armstrong.

The final Kreeger project is going to be the first ever stage adaptation of a John Grisham novel.  Tony award winner Rupert Holmes will be bringing Mr. Grisham's first novel, A Time to Kill - about a father who takes the law into his own hands when his daughter suffers from an unspeakable crime - to the DC stage on its way to Broadway.  My co-worker told me this morning she bought the book over the weekend and lost sleep last night because she couldn't put it down.  We all can't wait to see what new levels a theatre production will bring to this thriller.

Just 224 days to go!

The Season is Announced!

by Janine Sobeck

 

We are just 250 days away.  That's it.  250 days from a season that celebrates two major milestones: 

The opening of the Mead Center for American Theater.

Arena's 60th anniversary.

If you can't tell...we'll all pretty excited.

This morning, thanks to the Washington Post, our 2010/2011 season has been officially announced.  You can get the full scope of everything that we will be doing in order to fulfill our role in the production, presentation, development and study of American theatre in their article, HERE.

And here it is...

giant american musical
OKLAHOMA!
music by Richard Rodgers
book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
directed by Molly Smith
October 23 - December 26, 2010
in the Fichandler

Celebrate our return to Southwest D.C. with the great American musical Oklahoma! Set to the unforgettable music of Rodgers and Hammerstein, this beloved masterpiece will sing and dance its way into your heart with a rip-roaring, barn-shaking, boot-stomping production.

electrifying world premiere
EVERY TONGUE CONFESS
by Marcus Gardley
November 9, 2010 - January 2, 2011
in the Kogod Cradle

A rollicking revivalist church engulfed in flame sets the scene for this exhilarating new work by Marcus Gardley (On the Levee). With vital lessons from the ghosts of history, Every Tongue Confess blends gospel music, ancient myth, magical realism and the local TV news to create an unforgettable, passionate play.

mesmerizing theatricality
THE ARABIAN NIGHTS
written and directed by Mary Zimmerman
adapted from The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night
in association with Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Kansas City Repertory Theatre and Lookingglass Theatre Company
January 14 - February 20, 2011
in the Fichandler

Mystical tales of genies, lovers, thieves and jesters spring from a courageous young girl's imagination — securing her freedom and winning the heart of a troubled king. Tony Award-winning director Mary Zimmerman celebrates the wonder of storytelling and the redemptive power of love in this "exhilarating, imaginative theatrical escape" (Variety).

The Edward Albee Festival

Winner of three Pulitzer Prizes and three Tony Awards, Edward Albee is our nation's greatest living playwright. In an unprecedented salute to this American giant, Arena Stage will present two full produced Albee plays, as well as readings of all 30 of his works.

fiercely american drama
Edward Albee's
WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?
directed by Pam MacKinnon
February 18 - April 3, 2011
in the Kreeger

You're invited for drinks with George and Martha. As wickedly hilarious today as when it first shocked audiences, Albee's Tony Award-winning, scathing portrait of a marriage gone wrong is "a brilliantly original work of art" (Newsweek) that packs a helluva dramatic wallop.

recently expanded masterpiece
Edward Albee's
AT HOME AT THE ZOO
February 18 - April 17, 2011
in the Kogod Cradle

American master Edward Albee revisits The Zoo Story, the profound one-act that launched his career, to create a riveting new drama. A meticulous and nuanced look at the lives of three New Yorkers, this "daring mix of theatricalism and biting dialogue" (Los Angeles Times) remains at once contemporary and timeless.

award-winning drama
RUINED
by Lynn Nottage
directed by Charles Randolph-Wright
April 22 - June 5, 2011
in the Fichandler
winner of the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, Lucille Lortel Award and Obie Award

In war-torn Congo, Mama Nadi keeps the peace between customers on both sides of the civil war as she protects and profits from the women under her charge. The most honored play of 2009, this "remarkable theatrical accomplishment" (Chicago Tribune) tells an uncommonly human story with humor and song, exploring the immeasurable loss of war and the life-affirming power of hope.

SHOW #7 - TO BE ANNOUNCED
fall 2010

Arena Stage is in the final stages of securing an exciting production to reopen the Kreeger Theater. As full-season subscribers get seven shows for the price of six, it will be like getting this show for FREE! And trust us, you won't want to miss this one.

Also as part of the season, The American Voices New Play Institute at Arena Stage will feature presentations from the seven inaugural selections of the National Endowment for the Arts New Play Development Program (NEA NPDP). These readings will take place in the Kogod Cradle January 17 – 30, 2011: 

Outstanding New American Play Selections:

The Brother/Sister Plays by Tarell McCraney
World Premiere: April 24 – June 21, 2009, McCarter Theatre

Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo by Rajiv Joseph
World Premiere: May 10 – June 7, 2009, Center Theatre Group

 

Distinguished Development Project Selections:

I've Never Been So Happy by Rude Mechanicals

Agnes Under the Big Top by Aditi Kapil, Lark Play Development Center

Happy End to Everything by Lloyd Suh, The Children's Theatre Company

Detour/South Bronx by Claudia Rankine, The Foundry Theatre

Steinbeck’s The Pastures of Heaven by Octavio Solis, California Shakespeare Theater

Washington Post notes Arena's progress at the Mead Center

by Janine Sobeck

If you happen to have a driving/walking path that takes you continuously by Arena's Southwest home then you've had the fantastic opportunity to literally watch the Mead Center for American Theater rise.  For those of you who haven't been able to watch the continual process, you can see it on this exclusive time-lapse video that we shared with the Washington Post this weekend.  Check it out, and see Arena grow before your eyes...

Taking Time with Terrence Currier and Dorothea Hammond

by Amrita Mangus, New Play Senior Producing Fellow

One of the many reasons why I love the fellowship program at Arena Stage is the intimate and fascinating meet and greets with legendary theatrical practitioners (those of you religious blog followers might remember our memorable, and I mean memorable, conversation with Edward Albee last year). On Tuesday, the fellows met with two actors from the original Arena resident acting company, Terrence Currier (currently portraying Henry in our production of The Fantasticks) and Dorothea Hammond, to discuss their experiences with Arena Stage and hear their words of wisdom. Both Terrence and Dorothea affectionately regaled us with stories from the first time they set foot at Arena (1951 for Dorothea and the early 1970's for Terrence), that brought us back to a time before text coaches, couches in the green room, and a quick change crew existed. Dorothea, having worked in every Arena Stage theater including the Hippodrome, playfully recalled how during one of her performances, Tom Fichandler (Arena's longtime managing director) had to meet her in the back lot outside of the theater to help her with her quick change and adjust her wig. "It was," Dorothea eloquently stated," a time where we did it all."  

Perhaps one of the most powerful parts of the afternoon was hearing Terrence and Dorothea describe the Arena resident acting company as a family. They talked about how the stability and pension plans of the resident acting allowed them to have families of their own and foster a strong relationship with the families of the acting company members (Dorothea told us that she and Ida Prosky, wife of company member Bob Prosky, are still dear friends). It was very evident that a lot of love was shared with all of these people, a love that is still maintained in the inseparable bond of Arena history.

We ended the conversation by asking Terrence and Dorothea about their thoughts on the Mead Center, particularly what they hope the Mead Center will bring to actors and the community. Terrence responded by saying that Arena is on the right track and should keep serving the local acting community. And Dorothea's answer was short, but to the point: "I want to act in there!"

The Mead Center on NBC

by Janine Sobeck

NBC went on site with Molly to get a sneak peak at the Mead Center. If you didn't get a chance to see it when it aired, then check out the video below....

Stealing a quote from the President

by Janine Sobeck

I'm sure it's no surprise to anyone that there was some discussion about President Obama's speech last night going on in the office.  Whatever your views on the health care question might be, there was one line that particularly stuck out to us:

"We did not come to fear the future. We came here to shape it."

As we pass the midway point of the ReStaged Festival, with our eye on moving back to the Mead Center for American Theatre, the future is something that we are consistently thinking of.  The whole Festival has been driven by the question of what is Arena Stage going to be?  What are the best shows?  The best practices?  What do we want to take back with us into the Mead Center and how do we want the future of Arena to look?  When continuously confronted with these large questions it can be a little overwhelming - especially considering the problems that are continuously raised by the field and by society.  But, when we step back and see what huge potential lies under the roof of the Mead Center there is no way that we can back down from the task ahead of us.  This is the time to shape the future of Arena.

It's a grand idea to be mulling over tonight.  I'm just a little over an hour away from seeing the final dress rehearsal for the first show of Part Two of the Festival, The Quality of Life.  As you've seen on the blog, Jane Anderson's play wrestles with questions that arise within the human experience while directly relating to the events that are confronting our society today.  And tonight, for the first time, we add the final ingredient: the audience.  The amount of learning tonight as the play and the actors get the opportunity to interact with a live audience - to see how things are landing, what people respond to - is something that I am looking forward to.  These are the moments of fine tuning - of shaping - what the end product will be and it's so rewarding to finally have the audience as part of the process.

So here we go.  No fear.

Behind the Glass Curtain

by Janine Sobeck

This morning, the SWDC blog paid tribute to the Mead Center - and specifically to the fact that the glass has been added.  Entitled "Bing Thom's Glass Curtain Call at Arena Stage," the post has some comments from architect Bing Thom on his reasoning behind the glass as well as some new, up to date photos of the construction.  You can check it out here.

Reflections of an intern

by Megahn McCormick, Summer HR/Finance Intern

From the view of May 26^th the summer stretched before me. I had 12 weeks ahead of me to delve into the world of non-profit theater business administration. Now as I sit at my desk for the last day, I wonder where it all went. The summer internship program brings together a group of people of different ages, backgrounds, and interests and allows them to learn from mentors in the field of their interest through both observing and doing. It only took me a few hours to realize that I would be given real responsibilities and I have yet to go on a coffee run for my mentors. I am grateful that I was able to work in Arts Administration during a time of great challenges and change industry wide as well as here at Arena. When I first arrived, Arena Restaged: Part I was coming to a close with Legacy of Light’s run well underway and Looped opened shortly after my arrival. Just a few days ago was first rehearsal for Quality of Life, the first show in Restaged: Part II. Actors, designers, interns, fellows, and employees have come and gone since I have been here. All of this has taught me the most important lesson of my internship; how to maintain stability and progress in times of flux. In my opinion, Arena does this through a strong vision and mission statement. The life of a play is transient, unlike other art forms the beauty is in the moment and once it passes it can never be recreated. Theaters cannot use a single project to create organizational loyalty and drive. They need a mission. I was drawn to this theater because of its dedication to producing American works (and musicals!), but did not realize until I got here that Arena is about more than putting American plays up on stage, but developing an infrastructure for the creation, production, presentation, development, and study of American theater. Whisperings about the Mellon Foundation grant have transformed into strategic presentations and into a true constant to bridge the Restaged and Mead Center eras of this organization.

If you are a student, recent graduate, or career changer looking for an amazing start in the fields of Arts Administration or theater in general, I highly recommend you visit the employment section of Arena’s website and apply for next summer’s or season’s program. Applications are typically released in the winter/early spring. The next class of fellows will even get to be here for the move into the Mead Center.

The moment of my internship has passed, but hopefully the lessons I have learned can help shape my personal mission statement as I finish college and start a career in the arts.

Arena Restaged Rolls On, Rolls Out

by David Dower

Followers of this blog are used to the Arena Restaged story by now. A quick review for the newcomers.  (And welcome, btw!) Arena is building a new building. The name of it is The Mead Center for American Theater. Over multiple visits, you will see the broad canvas of American work illuminated on the three stages: American classics, contemporary plays and musicals, new works, new forms, from a wide range of cultural perspectives, and works that speak in the distinctive voices of the many regions of the country where theater is alive and thriving.  We are also restaging our purpose and role in American theater with the launch of the new building, committed to making the Mead Center a place for production, presentation, development, and study of American theater. Arena Stage: Where American Theater Lives.

Did you see the news? Thanks to the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation's support, we've launched the American Voices New Play Institute as another significant step in the metamorphosis of Arena Stage as we prepare to head back to 6th & Maine, SW next summer. I'll write in detail about the purpose and strategy of the Institute over at the NPDP blog. But I wanted our readers to have a sense of what this is going to mean to patrons of Arena Stage.

There are going to be many, many opportunities to intersect with the programs of the Institute. One I'm most looking forward to is the Theater 101 program. Modeled on the highly successful program developed at Steppenwolf, it creates a kind of radical transparency for 100 audience members, using the new play development process as an open lab for understanding what it takes to get a play from idea to production. An extended seminar for the theater-curious, the "101ers" will have access to the entire planning, rehearsal, tech, and performance process of a series of works in development. Participants will be in the room when the plays are chosen, when the creative teams are formed, for the auditions, the rehearsals, and the techs. They will have regular discussions with the writers and theater staff about how and why these particular decisions are being made.  And they will see the plays together at the end of the process and talk with Arena staff and the artists about them.

Wow

by Janine Sobeck

That about sums it up.  Still thinking of another description...nope, "wow" is about all I got.

We just got some panoramic photos of the Mead Center.  It's probably been a few weeks since I've been down there - which was before the roof was put on.  A few people have mentioned how amazing it looks now that the roof is there, but I wasn't quite prepared for what the picture was going to show me.  Since words are still failing me, I'm just going to post it.  Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater....we're going to be there before you know it!