Virginia Stage Company Presents Season 42, A Season Like No Other

Thanks to the support made possible by the Federal Government and additional funding raised through the community, Virginia Stage Company is putting artists back to work. Virginia Stage Company presents Season 42: A Season Like No Other. After a successful presentation of the Wells holiday tradition A Christmas Carol, VSC is offering a unique hybrid season of both streaming and live performances, designed with audience safety in mind.

Over the course of the spring and summer, the Hampton Roads community can look forward to a host of community offerings over the next several months, from some new and familiar faces that will remind us all what it means to be inspired and delighted by theatrical work.

Running now through April 25th, Virginia Stage Company will return with a live staged reading. In partnership with Norfolk State University Theatre Company and Virginia Arts Festival, August Wilson's How I Learned What I Learned will feature Anthony Mark Stockard (The Wiz, The Parchman Hour, A Christmas Carol) as August Wilson. The one-man show will take place at Virginia Arts Festival's new outdoor venue, Bank Street Stage, located in downtown Norfolk and following all COVID protocols and social distancing guidelines.

Running May 18-May 23, VSC will present Ken Ludwig's Dear Jack, Dear Louise upon the deck of the USS Wisconsin. Dear Jack, Dear Louise tells the story of a military doctor and a Broadway chorus performer's unlikely romance, entirely via letters, during WWII. Tickets for this performance are not available to the public, but are reserved for Virginia Stage Company Season 42 members. Tickets to the public will be available for the full mainstage production at the Wells this fall.

Virginia Stage Company's Public Works Virginia will present Comedy of Errors to public outdoor playing spaces across Hampton Roads. This zany and unexpected adaptation of Shakespeare's play, adapted by Ryan Clemens (A Christmas Carol, Meet Mark Twain) and directed by Steve Pacek (The Legend of Georgia McBride) goes beyond the schtick to play with the concept of family and the power of belonging. The tour will be presented in public parks, outdoor venues, and The Wells Theatre weekends during May, 2021. Check out vastage.org/comedyoferrors for tour schedule updates.

In rep with the production of Dear Jack, Dear Louise, VSC will also present Hold These Truths by Jeanne Sakata. An unsung American hero, Gordon Hirabayashi, fought passionately for the Constitution against an unexpected adversary: his own country. During World War II, he refused to report to a relocation camp with thousands of families of Japanese descent, launching a 50-year journey from college to the courtroom and eventually to a Presidential Medal of Freedom. An inspiring true story of conscience amidst conflict, it is a one-man portrait of American character at its best. Performances for both Dear Jack, Dear Louise and Hold These Truths will run in rep from October 17th - November 7th.

Producing Artistic Director Tom Quaintance says, "As you can see, we are taking this moment to break down the traditional barriers of theatre collaboration with our fellow theatres across the country as well as our partners in the 757. Our aim is to elevate our fellow artists and community members to ensure that we all not only survive this year but thrive in the future."

For the rest of 2021, Virginia Stage Company launches the W.P.A. program. We Put Artists To Work is an initiative by Virginia Stage Company to get our artists and gig workers back to work after facing an entire year of unemployment. These events involve former VSC artists, as well as local ones.

"We're thrilled to have the capacity to bring back artists after a drought of live entertainment." says Quaintance, "Thanks to generous donors and support from the government, we're able to welcome back performers, artisans, and administrators so we can continue to bring world-class performances to Hampton Roads."

W.P.A. line-up includes Bart's Old-Fashioned Piano Party at the Zeiders American Dream Theater, a monthly virtual piano concert that will be streamed on both venue's social and websites; Something Delightful, a virtual performance with the cast from Sense and Sensibility,and much more! Visit www.vastage.org for upcoming events.

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