Molly Smith News

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater's Artistic Director Molly Smith has announced that this July 2012 D.C.-area arts manager and artist David Snider will become the company's Director of Artistic Programming. Snider will be leaving Young Playwrights' Theater (YPT), where he has served since 2005 as producing artistic director and CEO, to bring his multi-faceted, award-winning talents to the artistic team of Arena Stage.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater announces that the documentation and dissemination activities of the American Voices New Play Institute (AVNPI) will be relocated to Emerson College's Office of the Arts beginning July 1, 2012 in order to provide the research and academic setting these programs now need for their continued growth.

Mixed Blood Theatre announced today that its 2012-13 season will open October 5 with the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical NEXT TO NORMAL, which will also be part of the second Center of the Margins festival. The triple-feature mini-fest will be followed in February 2013 with the culture clash comedy-of-bad-manners ELEMENO PEA and a bilingual world premiere based on Julia Alvarez' bestselling novel IN THE TIME OF THE BUTTERFLIES to be staged in April 2013.

Drew Overcash presents his encore concert at the D-Lounge tonight, June 25.

Additional artists have joined Drew Overcash for his encore concert at the D-Lounge on Friday, June 25.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater's Artistic Director Molly Smith and Executive Director Edgar Dobie announce thatnationally renowned arts marketer Chad Bauman will return to Arena Stage in July 2012 in the new role of Associate Executive Director. Bauman was most recently Director of Marketing and Membership for The Smithsonian Associates, and before that he led the communication and audience services efforts for Arena Stage for nearly five seasons. Khady Kamara, who was named Interim Director of Communications after Bauman's departure, has recently been appointedSenior Director of Marketing and Communications.

This is a Music Man not to be missed. It's filled with great music, superb acting, lovely voices, and superb dancing.

SPACE on Ryder Farm, a not-for-profit artist workshop center announces its 2nd season. Housed on an operating organic farm in picturesque Brewster, NY, SPACE will host over 100 artists as they develop 40 projects.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater produces the 2011 Tony Award-winning production of Larry Kramer's The Normal Heart, directed by George C. Wolfe. Wolfe, who directed the show's sold-out Broadway engagement last season, mounts the professional D.C.-area premiere of this production, which features returning Broadway cast members Patrick Breen and Luke MacFarlane, among others. Presented by special arrangement with Daryl Roth, The Normal Heart runs tonight, June 8-July 29, 2012 in the Kreeger Theater.

13P, the innovative collective of 13 playwrights, is about to culminate the mission it set forth upon its founding in 2003: to produce one play by each of its members. Pulitzer Finalist, TONY Award nominee and MacArthur "Genius" Fellowship recipient Sarah Ruhl (P#13) is creating a new, chamber version of her Melancholy Play (2001) with the composer Todd Almond and Davis McCallum, who directed a version of the work in 2002.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater's production of Meredith Wilson's The Music Man, helmed by Artistic Director Molly Smith, stars Kate Baldwin (Tony Award nominee for Broadway's Finian's Rainbow) as Marian the librarian, joined by Burke Moses (original Gaston in Broadway's Beauty and the Beast) as Harold Hill. The Music Man runs through July 22, 2012 in the Fichandler Stage.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater's production of Meredith Wilson's The Music Man, helmed by Artistic Director Molly Smith, stars Kate Baldwin (Tony Award nominee for Broadway's Finian's Rainbow) as Marian the librarian, joined by Burke Moses (original Gaston in Broadway's Beauty and the Beast) as Harold Hill. The Music Man runs May 11-July 22, 2012 in the Fichandler Stage.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: GODSPELL sings Schwartz, Paper Mill preps ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, New Dramtists honor Bernadette, and so much more!

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater's Artistic Director Molly Smith has announced that this July 2012 D.C.-area arts manager and artist David Snider will become the company's Director of Artistic Programming. Snider will be leaving Young Playwrights' Theater (YPT), where he has served since 2005 as producing artistic director and CEO, to bring his multi-faceted, award-winning talents to the artistic team of Arena Stage.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater's production of MerEdith Wilson's The Music Man, helmed by Artistic Director Molly Smith, stars Kate Baldwin (Tony Award nominee for Broadway's Finian's Rainbow) as Marian the librarian, joined by Burke Moses (original Gaston in Broadway's Beauty and the Beast) as Harold Hill. The Music Man runs through July 22, 2012 in the Fichandler Stage. BroadwayWorld brings you production shots of Burke Moses and Kate Baldwin in action below!

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater produces the 2011 Tony Award-winning production of Larry Kramer's The Normal Heart, directed by George C. Wolfe. Wolfe, who directed the show's sold-out Broadway engagement last season, mounts the professional D.C.-area premiere of this production, which features returning Broadway cast members Patrick Breen and Luke MacFarlane, among others. Presented by special arrangement with Daryl Roth, The Normal Heart runs June 8-July 29, 2012 in the Kreeger Theater.

Coinciding with AIDS 2012, the biennial International AIDS Conference in D.C. July 22-27, 2012, Arena Stage will host a special benefit performance of The Normal Heart along with the Washington AIDS Partnership Monday, July 23 at the Mead Center for American Theater.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater hosts a four-day festival featuring performances by 11 youth ensembles from the Community Engagement program Voices of Now. The festival will bring together more than 150 young artists, ages 11-23, from D.C., Maryland and Virginia who have been working with professional theater artists from Arena Stage for eight months to devise original one-act plays. The ensembles will come together today, May 9 through May 12, 2012 to perform and discuss their work in the Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater produces the 2011 Tony Award-winning production of Larry Kramer's The Normal Heart, directed by George C. Wolfe. Wolfe, who directed the show's sold-out Broadway engagement last season, mounts the professional D.C.-area premiere of this production, which features returning Broadway cast members Patrick Breen and Luke MacFarlane, among others. Presented by special arrangement with Daryl Roth, The Normal Heart runs June 8-July 29, 2012 in the Kreeger Theater.