WNO Presents Opera in the Outfield Performance of SHOW BOAT at Nationals Park Tonight

Washington National Opera (WNO) celebrates its fifth season of free opera simulcasts at Nationals Park with the M&M'S Opera in the Outfield performance of the American classic Show Boat tonight, May 18.

Gates open at 5 p.m. for "pregame" activities for the entire family. Show Boat will be broadcast live from the Kennedy Center Opera House to the high-definition screen at the ballpark at 7 p.m. Free seating will be available on the outfield grass and in the stands. Registration, including a chance to win prizes, is now open at OperaintheOutfield.org.

Attendees are encouraged to arrive early and enjoy the festive ballpark atmosphere. Beginning at 5 p.m., the special pregame entertainment will include:

• Dance demonstrations from the time periods of Show Boat by Gottaswing.

• Performances from Washington Performing Arts Society's Children of the Gospel Choir. ~ more ~

• Photo opportunities with the living statue of Babe Ruth.

• A meet-and-greet with M&M'S Ms. Brown.

• A special costume trunk where kids of all ages can play dress up using a wide variety of

  costumes and accessories.

• Face painting by theatrical makeup artists.

• American Heritage Chocolate demonstrations and lessons in chocolate history.

• A screening of the Warner Bros. cartoon "What's Opera Doc?" starring Bugs Bunny. With a libretto set to Wagner's iconic "Ride of the Valkyries," this parody of opera is best known for Elmer Fudd's proclamation "Kill the wabbit!"

• Chances to win prizes, including tickets to Kennedy Center performances, a year's supply of M&M'S candy, and more.

Hosted by Show Boat director and new WNO Artistic Director Francesca Zambello,

• Show Boat will be broadcast live to the Nationals' state-of-the-art HD video board, which at 4,811 square feet is among the largest in the country. Show Boat is performed in English and the musical numbers are presented with projectEd English titles, making it easy to follow along with the story and music. M&M'S Opera in the Outfield will take place rain or shine-in case of inclement weather, covered seating is available.
• Registration for the free M&M'S Opera in the Outfield simulcast at Nationals Park begins today at OperaintheOutfield.org. Attendees who register in advance will be entered to win "A Night at the Kennedy Center" on Saturday, October 12, 2013, including two tickets to the opening night performance of The Force of Destiny, free drinks from the Kennedy Center lobby bars, and admission for two to the post-performance Opening Night Celebration. (Registration is encouraged but not required for admission into Nationals Park; walk-ins are welcome.) Groups of 10 or more can call the Kennedy Center's Group Sales Office at (202) 416-8400 to arrange for a reserved seating section at Nationals Park.

• Due to the popularity of M&M'S Opera in the Outfield, patrons wishing to sit on the outfield grass will need to pick up a free wristband when they enter Nationals Park. The wristbands (one per person) will be available on a first-come, first-served basis and will be distributed at a table to the left of Center Field Plaza near the Family Picnic Area (at sections 141- 143) beginning at 5 p.m. Once all of the available wristbands have been claimed, an announcement will be made over the stadium sound system and field access will be closed to those without a wristband. Plentiful free seating will always be available in the stands throughout the evening.

Accessible seating is available throughout Nationals Park, and assistive listening devices are also available. For additional information about accessibility or to request an accommodation, patrons can visit the Nationals' website or contact the Kennedy Center's Accessibility Office at (202) 416-8727 or access@kennedy-center.org.

Regular concessions will be available throughout the ballpark, and special picnic baskets can be ordered in advance. Menus and order forms are available at OperaintheOutfield.org.

Next season, in May 2014, WNO will present Mozart's classic The Magic Flute as part M&M'S Opera in the Outfield. The Magic Flute is a delightful fairy tale, a fantastic adventure filled with danger and temptation, and a profound reflection on spiritual enlightenment. Sung in English and featuring a colorful kaleidoscope of sets and costumes by Japanese American artist Jun Kaneko, it's a perfect opera for the entire family. The performance date for the May 2014 live broadcast of The Magic Flute will be announced in the fall.

While generally regarded as the first giant of the American musical theater since its premiere in 1927, Show Boat is also one of the first true American operas. As the Cotton Blossom travels the Mississippi River, iconic characters like Magnolia, Gaylord, Julie, Queenie, and Joe navigate the trials of show business, love, and loss in a landscape overshadowed by racial inequality. Featuring classics like "Ol' Man River," "You Are Love," "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man," "Bill," and many more, WNO's expansive production-featuring a cast of 100 singers, actors, and dancers-will enable audiences to see this timeless work as it was originally performed. Plus, the 50-piece WNO Orchestra will play Show Boat's legendary score, which mixes the best traditions of opera, musical theater, jazz, gospel, and vaudeville, as it was meant to be heard.

Show Boat features an all-star cast, including Andriana Chuchman as Magnolia, Michael Todd Simpson as Gaylord Ravenal, Tony Award nominee Lara Teeter as Captain Andy, Alyson Cambridge as Julie, Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Soloman Howard as Joe, Angela Renée Simpson as Queenie, Cindy Gold as Parthy, Bernie Yvon as Frank, and Kate Loprest as Ellie.

Show Boat contains words and images that were common during the post-Civil War period in which it is set. Some of the language and stereotypical situations are considered offensive in today's society. Learn more about the performance with this Kennedy Center Cuesheet, a free performance guide that helps kids and teenagers prepare for attending M&M'S Opera in the Outfield.

Show Boat is directed by WNO Artistic Director Francesca Zambello and conducted by John DeMain. The running time is 3 hours, including one 20-minute intermission.

Nationals Park is located at 1500 South Capitol Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003. Metro is the quickest and easiest way to get to Nationals Park. Take Metro's Green Line to the Navy Yard station-it's just a half block from Nationals Park. On Saturdays, parking is free at Metro Park- and-Ride lots. Buses that serve Nationals Park are the 74, P1, P2, V7, V8, V9, and the D.C. Circulator (Union Station-Navy Yard route). $10 parking is also available at Nationals Park in Lots B and C. For more information, go to www.nationals.com/waytogo.

Guests who plan to sit on the outfield grass may bring blankets, however chairs are not permitted on the grass. Nationals Park concessions will be open for the simulcast and during the pregame activities. No alcoholic beverages may be brought into Nationals Park. No bags larger than 16 inches x 16 inches x 8 inches are allowed into the ballpark and all bags are subject to inspection. Guests are prohibited from bringing hard containers into Nationals Park. See a complete list of prohibited items in Nationals Park. For complete information about visiting Nationals Park, go to nationals.com.

M&M'S Opera in the Outfield is WNO's signature community event. Eight previous simulcasts have welcomed more than 150,000 people to experience free opera broadcasts from the Kennedy Center Opera House to screens on the National Mall and to 31 colleges, universities, and high schools throughout the nation. In September 2008, the simulcasts moved to the newly opened Nationals Park, forging a unique relationship between Washington's hometown ballclub and its hometown opera company. Previous simulcasts have included productions of Don Giovanni, Tosca, Un ballo in maschera, The Barber of Seville, La traviata, La bohème, Madama Butterfly, and Porgy and Bess.

Washington National Opera (WNO) is one of the leading opera companies in the United States. Founded in 1956 and now an affiliate of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the company boasts numerous artistic highlights, including world premieres, commissioning of new works and new productions, international tours, and performances by some of opera's most admired artists. WNO productions have been heard around the world, through radio and television broadcasts on WETA-FM, NPR, SiriusXM Satellite Radio, and PBS, as well as through audio and video recordings.

This season, WNO launches the American Opera Initiative, a comprehensive new commissioning program that brings contemporary American stories to the stage while fostering and developing the talents of new American composers and librettists. WNO contributes to the future of opera through two other signature artist-development programs: the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program is a leading resident-training program for artists on the verge of international careers, and the WNO Opera Institute nurtures the ambitions of high-school-age singers and pianists from across the nation during an intensive three-week summer program.

WNO's education and access initiatives include year-round programs in public schools throughout the region; Generation O, a popular discount-ticket initiative for young people; and a variety of lectures and discussions for every production on the season calendar. Among the most popular of WNO's community programs is M&M'S Opera in the Outfield, which brings free, live simulcasts of opera to Nationals Park for thousands of opera fans as well as new audiences.

For more information about M&M'S Opera in the Outfield, visit OperaintheOutfield.org. For more information about Washington National Opera, visit www.kennedy-center.org/wno. Visit www.facebook.com/WashingtonNationalOpera for behind-the-scenes news, special offers, advance notice of events, and other related Kennedy Center Facebook pages. Follow @dcopera on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news, offers, and more.

Patrons 18-30 years old and active-duty members of the military are invited to join
the Kennedy Center's MyTix program for special discount offers and chances to win free tickets. For more information, visit www.kennedy-center.org/mytix.