Arlington News

The American Century Theater (TACT) is proud to announce that it has been asked by the Vietnam Women's Memorial Foundation to perform excerpts from A Piece of My Heart by Shirley Lauro at the Women's Memorial on the National Mall this Veterans Day.

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) is pleased to announce the full cast for Ordinary Days, a new musical with Music & Lyrics by Adam Gwon, directed by Marc Bruni. Ordinary Days will feature Lisa Brescia as 'Claire,' Hunter Foster as 'Jason,' Jared Gertner as 'Warren' and Kate Wetherhead as 'Deb.' This production marks the first musical presented in the Black Box Theatre.

Actors' Gang company members April Fitzsimmons (The Trial of the Catonsville Nine, Our Town) and Daisuke Tsuji (Love's Labours Lost, 1984) bring their acclaimed solo works to the Ivy Substation company home, kicking off a new performance series with two remarkable journeys.

Ofrenda Productions and Producer/Director Ricardo Guiterrez present the return engagement of The Magic Ofrenda, October 19 and 20 and November 2, 9 and 10, 2009, at The Apollo Theatre. Show times are 9:30 and 11am.

Arena Stage announces full cast for its upcoming production of The Quality of Life, newly rewritten by Emmy Award-winning Jane Anderson (TV's Mad Men and Normal) and directed by Lisa Peterson (Arena's The Rainmaker).

Arena Stage presents The Quality of Life, written by playwright and Emmy Award-winner Jane Anderson and directed by Lisa Peterson (Arena's The Rainmaker). In this 'magnetic work of theater' (San Francisco Chronicle) filled with compassion, honesty and humor, we find two couples dealing very differently with devastation.

It's that time of year again, when the city officially turns into the NY intelligencia's playground. Yes, I am referring to the New Yorker Festival, which takes place over the October 16 - October 18 weekend. Among the highlights: panel discussions an Q & As with stage and screen stars Stanly Tucci, Christine Baranski and Tilda Swinton, among others.

GAN-e-meed Theatre Project, founded to advance the role of women in theatre, will be celebrating the launch of their first season on Monday November 9th. The night also represents the beginning of a monthly Happy Hour for Women in Theatre where all women (and their supporters) are invited to discuss, network and debate about topics and proactive initiatives concerning the state of women in theatre.

Tickets for the fourth season of The Met: Live in HD, the Metropolitan Opera's popular, award-winning series of live transmissions in movie theaters around the world, are now on sale to the general public in the U.S. The 2009-10 season, featuring nine live opera transmissions, kicks off on Saturday, October 10 at 1:00 p.m. ET with a new production of Puccini's Tosca starring Karita Mattila.

A Piece of My Heart, Shirley Lauro's celebration of women who served and sacrificed in Vietnam, has received an overwhelming emotional response from audiences of all ages and backgrounds during its current run at Arlington's Gunston Arts Center.

JIm Caruso's Cast Party will present Steven Brinberg as SIMPLY BARBRA in 'Love is the Answer...But What Was the Question?' Press notes state that 'Brinberg celebrates Streisand's latest recording and her appearance at the Village Vanguard in his return to Birdland. He will feature songs from the album as well as some of the 800 songs recorded but not used! Brinberg, who was chosen by the diva herself to sing at Donna Karan's birthday bash..will also duet with some very special guest stars.'

Ofrenda Productions and Producer/Director Ricardo Guiterrez present the return engagement of The Magic Ofrenda, October 19 and 20 and November 2, 9 and 10, 2009, at The Apollo Theatre. Show times are 9:30 and 11am.

New stars and shows have been announced for Broadway by famed entertainment press representatives Boneau/Bryan-Brown. Joining previously announced productions are A Little Night Music, Million Dollar Quartet, Next Fall and Sondheim on Sondheim. 'BBB' has created a video spotlighting some of the amazing stars who are performing this season on the Great White Way!

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) is pleased to announce the full cast for Ordinary Days, a new musical with Music & Lyrics by Adam Gwon, directed by Marc Bruni. Ordinary Days will feature Lisa Brescia as 'Claire,' Hunter Foster as 'Jason,' Jared Gertner as 'Warren' and Kate Wetherhead as 'Deb.' This production marks the first musical presented in the Black Box Theatre.

Yvonne Seggerman, Executive Director of The Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre, is pleased to announce the hiring of Jessica Hill as the non-profit theater's first general manager, as well as the promotion of former Development Associate Brian Platt to development manager, also a newly created position. The combined hiring and promotion within the professional non-profit theater's staff is expected to help manage the company's consistent growth and new opportunities.

The Fall theatre season in the DC area is in full bloom. As the leaves are turning, there is a colorful group of shows opening this month. There are so many, so where do I begin? Here are shows that I am looking forward to seeing, and remember I am a musical theatre lover who likes to sprinkle in a play or two - here and there - so don't get mad if I don't choose one of the plays you are looking forward to seeing. You have your chance at the end of this article to share your 'must sees' also with our readers. Hopefully, you'll make the trip down to the DC area to see some of these wonderful productions.

Full casting is set for the upcoming Arena Stage musical The Fantasticks by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt. Arena's re-imagined production with direction by Amanda Dehnert, musical direction by George Fulginti-Shakar and set direction by Eugene Lee runs November 20, 2009 through January 10, 2010 at Arena Stage at the Lincoln Theatre.

Loudoun County residents, dance lovers and area art enthusiasts will experience the astonishing Bowen McCauley Dance (BMD) for one evening only when the dance company takes the stage to kick off the Arts Center Fall season on Saturday, September 26th. This is the first time a professional dance company has been invited to perform at the Franklin Park Performing and Visual Arts Center.

It's that time of year again, when the city officially turns into the NY intelligencia's playground. Yes, I am referring to the New Yorker Festival, which takes place over the October 16 - October 18 weekend. Among the highlights: panel discussions an Q & As with stage and screen stars Stanly Tucci, Christine Baranski and Tilda Swinton, among others.

Star of stage, television and film Maurice Hines makes a special, week long visit to D.C. this October to lead two FREE master classes and hold an open dance audition to kick off work as the choreographer and lead performer in Arena Stage's musical revue Sophisticated Ladies, running April 15 - May 30, 2010 at the Lincoln Theatre.