Jack Willis News

Thank you Arena Stage Artistic Director Molly Smith for bringing to the Washington Area the sequel writer Robert Schenkkan's two part series on President Lyndon Baines Johnson. First there was the Tony Winning ALL THE WAY which dealt with Johnson ascending the presidency while THE GREAT SOCIETY picks up at Johnson's State of the Union message in 1965 after his massive election victory.

Actor Danny Glover paid a visit to Arena Stage yesterday for a performance of The Great Society, check out the photos with the cast below!

It will take biographer Robert Caro five volumes to complete his portrait of Lyndon B. Johnson, so it's no surprise that there's a second LBJ play from Robert Schenkkan.

Robert Schenkkan's The Great Society, the second half of the epic drama about President Lyndon Baines Johnson, makes its Washington, D.C. debut at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater, following the theater's critically acclaimed 2016 run of All the Way.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater will present the American Voice Award to Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) on Thursday, February 8, 2018 as part of the opening night celebration for Robert Schenkkan's political drama The Great Society. Beginning at 6:00 p.m., the evening will include a cocktail reception in the Bank of America Lower Lobby, seated dinner in the Molly Smith Study, the 8:00 p.m. opening night performance of The Great Society in the Fichandler Stage and post-show dessert reception in the Grand Lobby. The seated dinner will feature the presentation of the American Voice Award to Senator Lisa Murkowski.

In The Great Society, we follow Johnson as he seeks to pass his landmark legislative anti-poverty programs, the Great Society, while struggling to deal with a military quagmire in Vietnam and domestic strife over ongoing civil rights issues.

Robert Schenkkan's The Great Society, the second half of the epic drama about President Lyndon Baines Johnson, makes its Washington, D.C. debut at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater, following the theater's critically acclaimed 2016 run of All the Way. Kyle Donnelly returns to Arena Stage to helm this political thrill ride that shines a bright, clear light on a pivotal moment in American history (New York Times).

Robert Schenkkan's The Great Society, the second half of the epic drama about President Lyndon Baines Johnson, makes its Washington, D.C. debut at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater, following the theater's critically acclaimed 2016 run of All the Way. Kyle Donnelly returns to Arena Stage to helm this political thrill ride that shines a bright, clear light on a pivotal moment in American history (New York Times). Chronicling LBJ's second term as he seeks to maintain his relationship with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and complete a raft of impossibly ambitious social policy projects, The Great Society runs February 2-March 11, 2018 on the Fichandler Stage.

Arena Stage's 2017/18 Season Preview event took place following the all-day, free Community Day and Costume Sale on August 26, 2916. The evening included performances from and conversations with artists involved in the 2017/18 season. BroadwayWorld has photos from the star-studded event below!

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater announces select cast members for upcoming productions as part of the company's 2017/18 programming as single tickets for the full season go on sale.

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.

Arena Stage Artistic Director Molly Smith and Executive Director Edgar Dobie announce the 2017/18 season lineup for the company's 68th season. The season reflects Arena Stage's commitment to championing diverse voices and producing work that is politically and socially-relevant.

The 2017 Helen Hayes Award nominations were announced tonight. A line-up of leading theatre artists announced nominations in 47 categories of artistic excellence. Award recipients will be announced at the Helen Hayes Awards gala event to be held at the Lincoln Theatre on Monday, May 15 with an after-party hosted at Washington's legendary 9:30 Club.

Asolo Rep kicks off its winter repertory season with THE GREAT SOCIETY, Pulitzer Prize-winner Robert Schenkkan's gripping political drama that chronicles the second chapter of Lyndon Baines Johnson's presidency. Asolo Rep is proud to be the only theatre in the country granted the rights to produce THE GREAT SOCIETY during the 2016-17 season. The sequel to last season's box office record-breaking production of All the Way will be directed by Nicole A. Watson. THE GREAT SOCIETY previews January 11 and 12, opens January 13 and runs in rotating repertory through April 2 in the Mertz Theatre, located in the FSU Center for the Performing Arts. 

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival wrapped up the 2016 season on October 30 with the final performances of Great Expectations, Richard II, Twelfth Night and The Yeomen of the Guard. Preparations for the 2017 season and 2017 member ticket sales are already underway. The 2017 opening weekend is February 24-26; preview performances begin February 17.

There are people who eat and there are those who get eaten. This fall, Arena Stage serves up Lillian Hellman's The Little Foxes, a delicious drama about family greed and betrayal. Emmy Award winner and Golden Globe nominee Marg Helgenberger, known for her 12 seasons as Catherine Willows on CBS's CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, stars as Regina Giddens under veteran director Kyle Donnelly, who has directed more than 20 productions at Arena Stage.

There are people who eat and there are those who get eaten. This fall, Arena Stage serves up Lillian Hellman's The Little Foxes, a delicious drama about family greed and betrayal. Emmy Award winner and Golden Globe nominee Marg Helgenberger, known for her 12 seasons as Catherine Willows on CBS's CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, stars as Regina Giddens under veteran director Kyle Donnelly, who has directed more than 20 productions at Arena Stage. The Little Foxes runs now through October 30, 2016 in the Kreeger Theater, and BroadwayWorld has photos from the opening night festivities below!

Lillian Hellman's THE LITTLE FOXES comes to Arena Stage at an uncannily resonant time. Amidst the opulent Victorian decor and genteel Southern manners there is, at its dark heart, a family that will do anything to maintain its status and a small town that will suffer for it. Now, more than ever, this show with its immensely talented cast needs to be seen.