Signature Theater Announces Free Community Events, 5/3-5/6

Just two decades ago, Washington, DC's theater scene was dominated by large venues that presented mostly traditional plays. Few theaters dared to take the risk of producing new work, and even fewer produced lesser-known or new musicals. Today, Signature Theatre broadens and brightens the region's cultural landscape with its bold productions of challenging new and established works. Musical Theater is Signature's "signature," and the Theatre is renowned for its definitive Sondheim productions, inventive adaptations of overlooked or forgotten works, and investment in fresh new projects.

Page to Stage Monday: May 3

MEET ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR Michael Baron

MONDAY, MAY 3
7:00 - 8:00 PM
Arlington Public Library, Shirlington Branch
4200 Campbell Avenue

Signature's 2010-2011 Season has been selected. And in case you haven't heard, the lineup includes the musical Chess; the world premiere of a new comedy by Ken Ludwig, A Fox on the Fairway; a second world premiere, written and directed by Joe Calarco, Walter Cronkite is Dead.; the Washington premiere of the Tony Award®-winning musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Sunset Boulevard; the American Musical Voices Project world premiere Wheatley's Folly composed by Joseph Thalken; the Tony Award®- winning comedy Art by Yasmina Reza; and Signature's signature-a Sondheim revue: Side By Side By Sondheim.

Now the ball is in Michael Baron's court. Michael is Signature's Associate Director. One of his many responsibilities is to serve as Casting Director for all of the Signature Productions. Michael has to find the talent that will enable each director to cast his show for the upcoming season. Not an easy task when you consider that 80 percent of a director's job is successfully complete IF he casts the right actors in the right roles. Michael has to make sure that each director sees actors that fit the roles and also work together on stage. To achieve this task, Michael spends large quantities of time going to productions to see actors in action, reviewing actor resumes, and listening to directors talk about what qualities they are seeking for each character in their shows.

Needless to say, Michael spends a great deal of time in auditions. Get some insight on what he looks for when he sees an actor. How does he assess the talent and range of an actor? How does he work together with a director during the audition process? And what tips does he give to actors when they are getting ready to audition? Get the inside scoop. Join us on Monday, May 3.

This community event is free to the public. No reservations or tickets are required.

Brown Bag Thursday: May 6

Meet the Cast of [title of show]
Director MATT GARDINER and his cast: Erin Driscoll, James Gardiner, Sam Ludwig, and Jenna Sokolowski

THURSDAY, MAY 6
1:00 - 2:00 PM
Mead Lobby
Signature Theatre,
4200 Campbell Avenue

[title of show] is a musical about two nobodies named Hunter and Jeff who decide to write a completely original musical starring themselves and their attractive and talented lady-friends, Susan and Heidi. Jeff Bowen, composer and lyricist, and Hunter Bell, book writer, chronicle their real-life struggle to complete the show in three and half weeks in order to enter the New York Musical Theatre Festival.

Their musical was indeed first seen at the New York Musical Theatre Festival in 2004 and began an off- Broadway run in 2006. In 2008, it previewed at Broadway's Lyceum Theatre and ran for 102 performances. The writer-stars as well as the director all won Obie Awards, and Bell was nominated for a Tony Award®. [title of show] has since become a post-modern work-in-progress, with updates and changes to each new production reflecting the circumstances that the individual cast and show have experienced.

Matt Gardiner will lead his cast in a candid discussion about their version of [title of show]. Erin Driscoll, who played Johanna in Sweeney Todd and was the featured artist at the February 1st Page to Stage Monday, appears with her real-life fiancé James Gardiner, brother of director Matt. (These dynamics are every bit as theatrical as the musical!) Joining Matt, Erin, and James in [title of show] are Signature regular Sam Ludwig, who also is in the cast of Sweeney with Erin, and Jenna Sokolowski, who was last seen at Signature in Urinetown, for which she and Erin both received Helen Hayes Awards for their performances in the show. This cast is very well inter-connected!

Be on hand Thursday, May 6, to delve into the multi- layered collaboration between the cast and director of Signature's production of [title of show] .

For tickets to [title of show], click here.

Check out the [title of show] blog by clicking here!

This Brown Bag conversation is free to the public. No reservations are required. There's a table waiting for you.

FREE BACKSTAGE TOUR: MAY 4

Ever curious about the inner workings of a theater?
Join us for a free backstage tour on May 4 at noon.
Meet in the Mead Lobby and get a behind-the-scenes view of what goes on at Signature.

Reservations recommended. Call 703-820-9771.