Now if only they would get rid of the hideous, institutional teal interior. Other than that, I love this theatre, and it makes me sad that it sits empty most of the time.
Hey Dottie!
Did your colleagues enjoy the cake even though your cat decided to sit on it? ~GuyfromGermany
This theater is so underused -- I wish they could attract more productions. I dread paying to see shows in the cavernous Kennedy Center Opera House. Plays and most musicals just lose something in a 2,362-seat house.
Unmentioned in this article is the Shubert Organization which held the lease on the National for about 20-25 years. Like their houses in Chicago, and LA, the Shuberts seem to have let this one slip away.
They don't really know or care about the road anymore. They seem to be too wrapped up in doing real estate deals in New York.
Pity.
"If my life weren't funny, it would just be true. And that would be unacceptable."
--Carrie Fisher
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
The new color is certainly an improvement on the old teal color but they need to do something about that dull proscenium -- it looks like you are at an old movie theater waiting for the 8:00 feature to start.
Love this theatre! Disappointed that they will bring in more than just Broadway. I'm already tired of traveling to Maryland for most of the regional theatre I see! Although, I have to say, the first time I entered The Signature, I was taken aback (by the bar stools and intimacy) until I realized how perfect a small theatre could be. Definitely grateful to live between DC and Richmond, though.
Speaking of the Ford's, I saw their production of Violet last week and I thought it was fantastic. They have really had some great productions the past couple of years.
bobs 3 said: "The new color is certainly an improvement on the old teal color but they need to do something about that dull proscenium -- it looks like you are at an old movie theater waiting for the 8:00 feature to start."
Not just the proscenium. I love the new wall color, but they didn't update the seats or the drapes. So the seats are the same salmon color and the drapes are still teal...which looks ghastly with the new walls.
A bit of trivia about the Lincoln assassination, Tad Lincoln was at the National that night seeing the show. And after the event, the manager of the National sent a telegram to the manager at Fords saying "Thank God it wasn't ours."
One time I was walking behind a couple as we were passing in front of the Booth Theatre in NYC. One said to the other, "Oh, look, there's that theatre where they shot the President."