Kathleen O'Connor

National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Jane Chu has approved more than $25 million in grants as part of the NEA's first major funding announcement for fiscal year 2018. Included in this announcement is an Art Works grant of $10,000 to Firehouse Theatre for the world premiere of Richmond composer Walter Braxton's opera TO DAMASCUS. This is the first direct NEA grant that Firehouse has received in its 24 year history.

TO DAMASCUS builds on a range of sources including the bible story of Paul's conversion, August Strindberg's THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS, the rivalry between Lorenzo de' Medici's patronage of secular art versus Girolamo Savanarola's bonfire of the vanities and his call for an orthodox religious revival, Thomas Mann's only play FIORENZO, the poetry of Gerard Manley Hopkins, James Marcus Schuyler and Ezra Pound, William Carlos Williams, and the Catholic Mass. Check out photos below!

Firehouse Theatre presents the world premiere of Richmond composer Walter Braxton's opera TO DAMASCUS. The opera production begins a limited run of seven performances at Firehouse today, January 18, 2018.

Firehouse Theatre presents the world premiere of Richmond composer Walter Braxton's opera TO DAMASCUS. The opera production begins a limited run of seven performances at Firehouse on Thursday, January 18, 2018.

On Tuesday evening, May 9, New Repertory Theatre will hold its annual Gala celebration at the historic Commander's Mansion at the Arsenal on the Charles in Watertown. New Rep's Gala 2017 promises to be an exciting evening featuring an array of exquisite food and drink, spirited live performances, and enticing live and silent auction items.

The San Francisco Olympians Festival VI: Wine Dark Sea November 4 to 21, 2015, W-Th-F-S, at 8 PM The EXIT Theatre, 156 Eddy Street, San Francisco $10.00 at the door, cash only $12.00 online at Brown Paper Tickets www.sfolympians.com.

Tonight, May 6, 2015, New Repertory Theatre will hold its annual Gala celebration at the historic Commander's Mansion at the Arsenal on the Charles in Watertown and at the Arsenal Center for the Arts. New Rep's Gala 2015, the culmination of the 30th Anniversary celebration, promises to be a spirited evening of food, drink, and live performances from favorite New Rep artists.

On Wednesday, May 6, 2015, New Repertory Theatre will hold its annual Gala celebration at the historic Commander's Mansion at the Arsenal on the Charles in Watertown and at the Arsenal Center for the Arts. New Rep's Gala 2015, the culmination of the 30th Anniversary celebration, promises to be a spirited evening of food, drink, and live performances from favorite New Rep artists.