On Sunday, November 5, The Theatre Lab School of the Dramatic Arts hosted the 25th Anniversary Cabaret Dinner + Auction, the premiere event of the organization's milestone year. Held for the first time at the Ritz Carlton Washington, this year's Cabaret brought together around 500 artists, supporters, and friends of The Theatre Lab to enjoy great food and entertainment, and raise money to support educational programs. Through the generosity of guests, the evening raised more than $325,000 to bring the transformational power of theatre education to low-income children and teens, incarcerated and at-risk youth, homeless women in recovery, LGBTQ teens, older adults, wounded veterans, and more.
Today's subject Kimberly Schraf is currently living her theatre life at Ford's Theatre portraying one of the best known female roles in the American Theatre. Not only does Kimberly give a superb performance as Linda Loman in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman, she does so with Craig Wallace as Willy Loman. Wallece is her partner in life as well as onstage. Her once-in-a-lifetime performance can be seen through October 22nd.
When arts in education institutions produce musicals, they tend to stick with titles that everyone is likely to recognize. For the past 25 years DC's very own Theatre Lab School of the Dramatic Arts has produced musicals that fall into this category – for example, Pippin and Jesus Christ Superstar with their Musical Theatre Institute for Teens, as well as other lesser known shows like Side Show – but what other teen program has embarked on the journey of premiering a new show? None that I know of, which is why I keep on singing The Theatre Lab's praises.
BroadwayWorld has a full list of the Helen Hayes Awards winners updating LIVE below! Named for actor Helen Hayes - a Washington native and legendary First Lady of the American Theatre - the Helen Hayes Awards celebrates excellence in professional theatre throughout the Washington region and has become a hallmark recognized by theatre makers and theatre lovers far beyond Washington D.C.
Over the past week this column featured two remarkable ladies named Tina Ghandchilar and Julie Dixon. They are currently living their theatre lives as part of a production of Chess at The Theatre Lab School of the Performing Arts. The show opens this evening and runs through May 6th. Now it's time to feature one of the male leads.
Today's subject, Julie Dixon, is currently living her theatre life onstage at the Theatre Lab School of the Dramatic Arts where she will be opening in the pop rock musical Chess. The production plays this weekend through May 6th.
Today's subject Tina Ghandchilar is currently living her theatre life in the most stoked way possible. She is currently preparing to star as Florence in Chess at The Theatre Lab School for the Dramatic Arts, which, in my opinion, is the best arts in education institution in DC. The production runs from April 27th through May 6th.
The 33rd annual Helen Hayes Awards will be celebrated at the historicLincoln Theatre at 7:30 pm on May 15, with accomplished actors E. Faye Butler and Lawrence Redmond as hosts. The line-up of award presenters includes artistic leaders from across the Washington region, highlighting the depth and breadth of a theatre community recognized worldwide for the quality and diversity of its work. Following the awards, a roof-raising dance party gets underway at the world-renowned 9:30 Club. Both events honor 236 Helen Hayes Award nominees drawn from 200 eligible productions presented in 2016. Tickets for the combined Awards Ceremony and Dance Party are $275 for premium seating, $150 for balcony seating, and can be purchased online.
The Theatre Lab's award-winning Musical Theatre Institute for Teens is back once again this summer, and kicks off with a work from one of the giants of American musical theatre. Pacific Overtures (music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by John Weidman, additional material by Hugh Wheeler) opens tonight, July 9.
The Theatre Lab's award-winning Musical Theatre Institute for Teens is back once again this summer, and kicks off with a work from one of the giants of American musical theatre. Pacific Overtures (music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by John Weidman, additional material by Hugh Wheeler) opens July 9.
The Theatre Lab is taking applications for its Life Stories Institute, returning October 15-18, 2015 after a very successful launch last fall. The Institute is open to educators, service providers, artists and others that work with typically marginalized populations to reach them through the transformative power of dramatic arts.
Returning for its fifth year, The Theatre Lab's Dramathon, May 15 at 10:30 p.m. at Theater J, once again joins together the talents of some of the DC area's most well-known actors and accomplished playwrights - along with Theatre Lab students and alumni - in world premiere staged readings of short plays written for that night. All proceeds generated by the event go toward The Theatre Lab's scholarship fund.
Washington D.C.'s Ford's Theatre has just anounced the cast for their upcoming production of 1776. Featuring direction by Peter Flynn and choreography by Michael Bobbitt, the production will run March 9 through May 19. The star studded cast will include Robert Cuccioli as John Dickinson, Brooks Ashmanskas as John Adams, William Diggle as Thomas Jefferson, Gregory Maheu as Edward Rutledge, and Tom Story as Charles Thomson.
For its 22nd season, Signature Theatre is celebrating their signature composer Stephen Sondheim by presenting his very first musical, Saturday Night (1953) as a concert event for four performances only on Saturday, October 29th (2pm and 8pm) and Sunday, October 30th (2pm and 7pm). This rarely performed hidden gem from America's foremost musical theater composer features a book by Julius and Philip Epstein, with music and lyrics - unperformed in full until 1997 - by Sondheim. This special limited engagement will be directed by Signature's Associate Artistic Director Matthew Gardiner (Side by Side by Sondheim, The Hollow) and the Music Director is Jon Kalbfleisch. Limited seating is still available, with single ticket prices at $41 each. Saturday Night will play in Signature's MAX Theatre.
The Theatre Lab is currently accepting applications for its Honors Acting Conservatory program. Coursework begins in January 2012 and continues through December 2012.
For its 22nd season, Signature Theatre is celebrating their signature composer Stephen Sondheim by presenting his very first musical, Saturday Night (1953) as a concert event for four performances only on Saturday, October 29th (2pm and 8pm) and Sunday, October 30th (2pm and 7pm). This rarely performed hidden gem from America's foremost musical theater composer features a book by Julius and Philip Epstein, with music and lyrics - unperformed in full until 1997 - by Sondheim. This special limited engagement will be directed by Signature's Associate Artistic Director Matthew Gardiner (Side by Side by Sondheim, The Hollow) and the Music Director is Jon Kalbfleisch. Limited seating is still available, with single ticket prices at $41 each. Saturday Night will play in Signature's MAX Theatre.
The Theatre Lab is currently accepting applications for its Honors Acting Conservatory program. Coursework begins in January 2012 and continues through December 2012.
On May 20th, favorite Washington actors Sarah Marshall, Jennifer Mendenhall, Kim Schraf, Craig Wallace, MaryBeth Wise, Christopher Henley, Donna Migliaccio and Deidra Starnes will perform in readings of new plays by favorite Washington playwrights Ari Roth, Norman Allen, Ally Currin, David Emerson Toney , Renee Calarco, Elizabeth Pringle, Pamela Leahigh, and Keith Bridges at Theater J from 11pm to 1am.
On May 20th, favorite Washington actors Sarah Marshall, Jennifer Mendenhall, Kim Schraf, Craig Wallace, MaryBeth Wise, Christopher Henley, Donna Migliaccio and Deidra Starnes will perform in readings of new plays by favorite Washington playwrights Ari Roth, Norman Allen, Ally Currin, David Emerson Toney , Renee Calarco, Elizabeth Pringle, Pamela Leahigh, and Keith Bridges at Theater J from 11pm to 1am.
