Obamas to Become Honorary Chairs for Arena Stage's Mead Center for American Theater this Season

As the final touches on Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater are made, the theater is proud to announce that President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will be the Honorary Chairs for its grand re-opening and yearlong inaugural season at the Mead Center, which includes the Opening Gala Celebration October 25, 2010. Mayor of the District of Columbia Adrian Fenty and his wife, Michelle Fenty, will also be Honorary Co-Chairs. The support of both First Couples, representing the nation and the nation's capital, further emphasizes that Arena Stage's move back into the company's home in Southwest D.C. is a seminal moment for the future of American theater.

"There could be no one better to help us celebrate Arena Stage's new home for American theater than the President and First Lady of our United States," shares Arena Stage Artistic Director Molly Smith. "Along with the support of Mayor Fenty and his wife, we are deeply grateful for their commitment to the arts in our country; our opening season back home would not be complete without them."

The Opening Gala Celebration will be a black tie event within the Mead Center featuring cocktails, dinner and an exclusive one-night-only performance headlined by Tony Award-winning Broadway actor Brian Stokes Mitchell. Additionally, the evening will be emceed by award-winning journalist and ABC7/WJLA-TV lead anchor Leon Harris.

The Opening Gala Celebration supports all of Arena Stage's programs, including the exciting work on our stage, our investment in new play development and our wide range of community engagement activities.

For more information regarding the Opening Gala Celebration, including further casting and how to purchase tickets, please visit www.arenastage.org/support/special-events.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater is a national center dedicated to the production, presentation, development and study of American theater. Arena Stage produces huge plays of all that is passionate, exuberant, profound, deep and dangerous in the American spirit, and presents diverse and ground-breaking work from some of the best artists around the country. Arena Stage is committed to commissioning and developing new plays through the American Voices New Play Institute. Now in its sixth decade, Arena Stage serves a diverse annual audience of more than 200,000. www.arenastage.org.

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