Edgar Dobie News

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater will host additional community conversations as a part of the Arena Civil Dialogues series. The conversations seek to provide an opportunity for members of the Washington, D.C. community to engage in civil discourse about social and political issues, and will demonstrate-with the goal-that people of diverse viewpoints can have fruitful dialogues with one another.

59E59 Theaters (Val Day, Artistic Director; Brian Beirne, Managing Director) is thrilled to welcome the NYC premiere of THE ORIGINALIST written by John Strand and directed by Molly Smith. Produced by Middle Finger Production, LLC [Beth Newburger, Executive Producer] and Arena Stage and part of 59E59's Subscription Series, THE ORIGINALIST begins performances on Saturday, July 14 for a limited engagement through Sunday, August 19. 

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater Executive Director Edgar Dobie and Artistic Director Molly Smith announce that Khady Kamara, who joined the organization in 2001 and most recently served as Associate Executive Director, will move into a newly created position as Managing Director.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater will host "Cuban Slugger," an exhibition of Cuban artist Reynerio Tamayo. Coinciding with the All-Star Game at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., "Cuban Slugger" will be presented from July 11-29, 2018 in the main lobby at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater.

Ben Levi Ross will be donning the iconic blue polo as Evan Hansen - direct from the Broadway company - in the Tony Award-winning musical's First National Tour, launching in Denver this October. Ross made his Broadway debut in Dear Evan Hansen last fall as a cover for Connor, Jared and Evan at The Music Box Theatre.

Arena Stage Artistic Director Molly Smith and Executive Director Edgar Dobie recently presented the third annual Beth Newburger Schwartz Award to D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, as well as recognizing Jessica Stafford Davis as an Emerging Leader at the 2018 Arena Stage Annual Gala.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater will host the Voices of Now Festival, a four-day event featuring original works of theater written and performed by nine different youth ensembles. The Festival will bring together nearly 100 artists, ages 11-18, from D.C., Maryland and Virginia who have been working with professional theater artists from Arena Stage to devise original one-act plays. The 2018 ensembles will come together May 16-19, 2018 to perform and discuss their work in the Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle at the Mead Center.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater, in partnership with Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen, At-Large Councilmember Elissa Silverman and At-Large Councilmember Robert White, Jr. opens its doors for the eleventh D.C. Career Fair Friday, April 27, 2018 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Mead Center (1101 Sixth St., SW). Throughout the past four years, Arena Stage has partnered with over 100 participating organizations and served a combined total of more than 7,500 community members by hosting regular career fairs.

August Wilson's masterpiece drama on the civil rights movement, Two Trains Running, will receive an additional five performances during its run at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Under the direction of Juliette Carrillo and in a co-production with Seattle Repertory Theatre, Two Trains Running now plays through May 6, 2018 on the Fichandler Stage.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts hosts more than 120 outstanding theater students from colleges and universities across the nation as part of the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF), which runs April 9-14, 2018 in multiple locations throughout the Center. The Center also announced the national awardees for the KCACTF.

The 34th Annual Helen Hayes Awards will take place on Monday, May 14, 2018 at The Anthem, the cultural center of Southwest D.C.'s new District Wharf, with a celebratory party to follow.

The 34th Annual Helen Hayes Awards will take place on Monday, May 14, 2018 at The Anthem, the cultural center of Southwest D.C.'s new District Wharf, with a celebratory party to follow. Esteemed Washington theatre artists Michael J. Bobbitt, five-time Helen Hayes Award nominee, choreographer and Artistic Director of Adventure Theatre MTC, and Alyssa Wilmoth Keegan, recipient of last year's Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play-Hayes Production for Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, will host an evening showcasing the vibrant and diverse community of professional theatre artists in the Washington region. There are 258 Helen Hayes Award nominations-selected from 202 eligible productions from 64 theatres in 2017. Tickets for the event are $100 for reserved seating and $275 for VIP premium seating. Reduced-priced tickets will be available to artists and administrators in the community at an industry rate, subsidized by Artist Supporter tickets. All tickets are now available for purchase through the theatreWashington website.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater announces Drew Gehling (Waitress, Jersey Boys) will play both President Bill Mitchell and the title role in DAVE, the world-premiere musical debuting this summer, based on the blockbuster Academy Award-nominated comedy. The production, by three-time Tony Award winner Thomas Meehan (Annie, Hairspray, The Producers), Tony Award nominee Nell Benjamin (Mean Girls, Legally Blonde) and Pulitzer Prize and two-time Tony Award winner Tom Kitt (Next to Normal, If/Then), is directed by Tina Landau (SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical) and will run July 13-August 19, 2018 in the Kreeger Theater.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater announces the full cast and creative team for the world-premiere musical Snow Child, based on Eowyn Ivey's Pulitzer Prize-nominated novel. Infused with a score that combines Alaskan string band-traditions with contemporary musical theater, Snow Child follows a couple rebuilding their lives in the Alaskan wilderness when they meet a magical and mysterious snow child who transforms them.

Jeanne Sakata's one-man drama Hold These Truths tells the true story of Gordon Hirabayashi, the American son of Japanese immigrants who defied an unjust court order when America placed its own citizens in internment camps during World War II. Midway through Arena Stage's 2017/18 season, Hold These Truths brings an untold story to the stage that represents the diversity of our country and examines what it means to be an American. Under the direction of Jessica Kubzansky, Hold These Truths runs February 23-April 8, 2018 in the Kogod Cradle.

Arena Stage Artistic Director Molly Smith and Executive Director Edgar Dobie announce the 2018/19 season lineup for the company's 69th season. The season reflects Arena Stage's commitment to championing diverse voices and producing work that is politically and socially relevant.

David Korins, the award-winning production designer behind shows like Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen and Grease! Live, shared a set secret from Dear Evan Hansen today on his Instagram page. Ever wonder what Evan keeps in his headboard? Now you can find out!

Does anybody have a map... to Canada? Producer Stacey Mindich just announced that she will partner with Canadian producer David Mirvish to present the first international production of the Tony & Grammy Award-winning musical Dear Evan Hansen, which will play Toronto's Royal Alexandra Theatre beginning in March 2019. The original Broadway production team - including Tony, Grammy, and Academy Award winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (Music & Lyrics), Tony Award-winner Steven Levenson (Book), and four-time Tony Award nominee Michael Greif (Direction) - will reunite to launch this production.

Jeanne Sakata's one-man drama Hold These Truths tells the true story of Gordon Hirabayashi, the American son of Japanese immigrants who defied an unjust court order when America placed its own citizens in internment camps during World War II. Midway through Arena Stage's 2017/18 season, Hold These Truths brings an untold story to the stage that represents the diversity of our country and examines what it means to be an American. Under the direction of Jessica Kubzansky, Hold These Truths runs February 23-April 8, 2018 in the Kogod Cradle.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater will host three community conversations as a part of the launch of Arena Forum: Civil Dialogues this spring. The conversations seek to provide an opportunity for members of the Washington, D.C. community to engage in civil discourse about social and political issues, and will demonstrate-with the goal-that people of diverse viewpoints can have fruitful dialogues with one another. Each Arena Forum will have a group of prominent Dialogue Starters and will be moderated by Amitai Etzioni, a University Professor at The George Washington University and author. The conversations with be dedicated to discussion among participants about topics related to current events. Arena Forum: Civil Dialogues will be held in the Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater from 6:30-8 p.m. on March 26, April 23 and May 29, 2018.