Edgar Dobie News

After a memorable and record-breaking inaugural year, Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater celebrates its 61st anniversary season with Trouble in Mind, written by playwright Alice Childress. Childress was the first African-American woman to have her plays professionally produced in New York, and she became the first woman of color to win an Obie Award, in 1956 for Trouble in Mind (Best Original Production).

Moving into the second season in its expanded campus, Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater has updated the culinary options available to patrons in the venue. The upper lobby-level dining area has become Catwalk Café. This casual self-service café, along with its adjoining bar and the main lobby-level concessions, will continue to be operated by Ridgewells Catering, who ran the café launched during the inaugural season in the Mead Center: Next Stage Café by José Andrés.

E. Faye Butler, who portrays Aunt Eller in the summer revival of Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater's acclaimed and record-setting production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma!, will transition out of her Helen Hayes-nominated role to begin rehearsals for Arena Stage's 2011/12 season opening play Trouble in Mind. Butler will be replaced by Terry Burrell, who was last at Arena Stage in the 2007/08 world-premiere musical The Women of Brewster Place. Burrell joins the Oklahoma! company August 2, and her first performance will be August 9. Burrell was 'lovely and heartbreaking...spellbinding' in Signature Theatre's Show Boat (TalkinBroadway.com), and will be a strong addition to the cast.

After kicking off the inaugural season of Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater, shattering all box office records from Arena Stage's 60-year history and rounding up 10 Helen Hayes Awards nominations, Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! has returned for a summer run under the direction of Artistic Director Molly Smith. The revival, featuring the entire original principal cast and most of the ensemble, has already broken more company records by selling the highest number of single tickets for a production in 24 hours when tickets went on sale March 3, 2011. Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! began performances on July 8, 2011 and opened July 14. The production runs through October 2, 2011 in the Fichandler Stage. Broadway buzz has surrounded the production since its premiere run. Check out complete photo coverage from the celebrated show below!

After kicking off the inaugural season of Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater, shattering all box office records from Arena Stage's 60-year history and rounding up 10 Helen Hayes Awards nominations, Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! returns for a summer run under the direction of Artistic Director Molly Smith. The revival, featuring the entire original principal cast and most of the ensemble, has already broken more company records by selling the highest number of single tickets for a production in 24 hours when tickets went on sale March 3, 2011. Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! began performances on July 8, 2011. The production officially opens tonight and runs through October 2, 2011 in the Fichandler Stage. Broadway buzz has surrounded the production since its premiere run.

Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for theatre, is pleased to announce the first round of 2011 Edgerton Foundation New American Play awards granted to TCG member theaters across the U.S. The awards, totaling $485,000, allow 19 theaters the opportunity for extra time in the development and rehearsal of new plays with the entire creative team, helping to extend the life of the play after its first run. A second group of 2011 awards will be announced in September.

Following a successful run at Georgetown University, GU's Theater and Performance Studies Program and Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater present Tennessee Williams' most autobiographical work The Glass Menagerie in conjunction with The Glass Menagerie Project.

The Tony Awards Administration Committee announced today the Nominating Committee for the 2011-2012 Broadway season. The Tony Awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing.

Broadway's Sebastian Arcelus, who previously appeared onstage in ELF and JERSEY BOYS, is trying on a more serious, and non-singing role in A TIME TO KILL. The play is a Rupert Holmes' adaptation of a novel by John Grisham and opened, May 22 at Arena Stage in Washington, DC, after previews which began on May 6. Check out phots from the opening below!

Following a successful run at Georgetown University, GU's Theater and Performance Studies Program and Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater present Tennessee Williams' most autobiographical work The Glass Menagerie in conjunction with The Glass Menagerie Project.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater announces Polly Carl will join the company in a new position as Director of the American Voices New Play Institute (AVNPI) beginning July 1, 2011.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater announces Polly Carl will join the company in a new position as Director of the American Voices New Play Institute (AVNPI) beginning July 1, 2011. As director, Carl will develop and direct all existing staff and activities of the Institute, as well as support the artistic planning, production, development and study of new work by Arena Stage. This position reports to Arena Stage Associate Artistic Director David Dower.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater announces Polly Carl will join the company in a new position as Director of the American Voices New Play Institute (AVNPI) beginning July 1, 2011. As director, Carl will develop and direct all existing staff and activities of the Institute, as well as support the artistic planning, production, development and study of new work by Arena Stage. This position reports to Arena Stage Associate Artistic Director David Dower.

Beginning with the revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! this summer, Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater will offer tickets for patrons ages 5 to 30 in the new Pay Your Age savings program.

What is the true meaning of justice? That is the question posed to audiences in A Time to Kill, the world premiere and first stage adaptation of a novel by John Grisham.

Beginning with the revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! this summer, Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater will offer tickets for patrons ages 5 to 30 in the new Pay Your Age savings program.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater announces the performances of 10 youth ensembles from the Voices of Now Community Engagement program in the inaugural five-day Voices of Now Festival. The festival will bring together more than 100 local artists from ages 11 to 21 who live in D.C., Maryland and Virginia and have been participating in workshops and rehearsals focused on movement, vocal expression, creativity and team work for the past eight months.

What is the true meaning of justice? That is the question posed to audiences in A Time to Kill, the world premiere and first stage adaptation of a novel by John Grisham.

After kicking off the inaugural season of Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater, shattering all box office records from Arena Stage's 60-year history and rounding up 10 Helen Hayes Awards nominations, Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! returns for a summer run under the direction of Artistic Director Molly Smith. The revival, featuring the entire original principal cast and most of the ensemble, has already broken more company records by selling the highest number of single tickets for a production in 24 hours when tickets went on sale March 3, 2011. Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! runs July 8-October 2, 2011 in the Fichandler Stage.

Arena Stage's Summer Revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma!, whch has been rumored to transfer to Broadway, is already breaking company records, including record set by original run of Oklahoma! Last Friday March 4, 2011 tickets were released for Arena Stage's summer revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! through a 24-hour sale featuring a limited amount of special $50 tickets. On this day, the revival broke the company record for Highest Single Ticket Sales for a Single Production in a 24 Hour Period bringing in 3,294 tickets. This surpassed the previous record, which was set November 2, 2010 when 1,644 tickets were sold to the original run of Oklahoma!