Molly Smith News

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater ushers in the 2013/14 Kogod Cradle Series with workshop performances of the local ensemble-driven company dog & pony dc's newest show Toast, a participatory theatrical performance that asks the question: how is devising a play like developing new technology? dog & pony dc returns to Arena Stage following the successful 2012 workshop of their critically acclaimed A Killing Game. The following week, the series continues with a special new cabaret presentation directed by Signature Theatre's Associate Artistic Director Matthew Gardiner entitled The Power of Two, which reunites Arena Stage favorites Nicholas Rodriguez and Eleasha Gamble, who were last seen performing together as Curley and Laurey in Arena Stage's hit production Oklahoma!. Toast runs December 5-8, 2013 and The Power of Two runs December 11-15, 2013 in the Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle.

Lifelong performer and Tony Award nominee Maurice Hines (Broadway's Sophisticated Ladies and Eubie!) captivates audiences with stories, songs and smooth choreography for his return to Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater with Maurice Hines is Tappin' Thru Life. Under the direction of Tony Award nominee Jeff Calhoun (Broadway's Newsies and Grey Gardens), Hines, who started performing at five years old, brings the history of American tap to life and pays tribute to his brother Gregory and the singers who inspired him, from Frank Sinatra to Lena Horne. A co-production with ALLIANCE THEATRE at the Woodruff and Cleveland Play House, Maurice Hines is Tappin' Thru Life runs tonight, November 15-December 29, 2013 in the Kreeger Theater.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater in partnership with the United States Department of State will send four Arena Stage teaching artists to Zagreb, Croatia December 1-20, 2013 to work with students and young adults with physical disabilities to create a play entitled Disable(d) Prejudice and provide professional development training seminars, based on Arena Stage's Voices of Now devised theater program. Now in its 11th year, Voices of Now equips participants to write and perform autobiographical theater that poses questions about social, cultural and emotional issues, with a focus on creating projects that bring voice to issues of relevancy for the young artists involved.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater announces the full company for Guess Who's Coming to Dinner starring Malcolm-Jamal Warner (The Cosby Show, Malcolm and Eddie) in his Washington, D.C. theatrical debut as Dr. John Prentice. Under the direction of David Esbjornson (Broadway's Driving Miss Daisy and Arena's Red Hot Patriot starring Kathleen Turner), this heart-warming comedy features many of the same actors who appeared in the world premiere of the play by True Colors Theatre Company in July 2012. Kenny Leon, who collaborated with playwright Todd Kreidler on the world premiere and was previously announced to direct for Arena Stage, withdrew from the project due to an unforeseen conflict. The play is adapted from William Rose's screenplay for the 1967 film of the same name starring Sidney Poitier, Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy about a young white woman in the 1960s introducing her family to her charming, accomplished and African-American fiance. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner runs November 29, 2013-January 5, 2014 in the Fichandler Stage.

Lifelong performer and Tony Award nominee Maurice Hines (Broadway's Sophisticated Ladies and Eubie!) captivates audiences with stories, songs and smooth choreography for his return to Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater with Maurice Hines is Tappin' Thru Life. Under the direction of Tony Award nominee Jeff Calhoun (Broadway's Newsies and Grey Gardens), Hines, who started performing at five years old, brings the history of American tap to life and pays tribute to his brother Gregory and the singers who inspired him, from Frank Sinatra to Lena Horne. A co-production with Alliance Theatre at the Woodruff and Cleveland Play House, Maurice Hines is Tappin' Thru Life runs November 15-December 29, 2013 in the Kreeger Theater.

Slate's Emily Yoffe, author of the advice column, 'Dear Prudence,' joins Laura Helmuth, Slate's science and health editor, as they take audience questions and discuss many of the personal and social implications presented in The Velocity of Autumn during Family Matters: A Conversation with Emily Yoffe and Laura Helmuth, tonight, October 12 following the 2:00 p.m. matinee, at approximately 3:45 p.m. in the Kreeger Theater at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater (1101 Sixth St, SW). The event is free and open to the public, but subject to availability.

Check out Arena Stage's new song for our 2013/14 Season!

Star of stage and screen Maurice Hines returns to D.C. to teach a free master class at Howard University and hold open dance auditions at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater to connect with the D.C.-area dance community and search for the next young tap star to appear in Arena Stage's Maurice Hines is Tappin' Thru Life, running November 15-December 29, 2013 in the Kreeger Theater.

The American Repertory Theater/Moscow Art Theater School Institute for Advanced Theater Training announced today the productions for the 2013/14 Season.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater announces the full company for Charles Randolph-Wright's world premiere drama Love in Afghanistan. Randolph-Wright, a Resident Playwright through Arena Stage's American Voices New Play Institute and director of Motown the Musical currently on Broadway, joins forces with director Lucie Tiberghien (MCC Theater's Don't Go Gentle) to bring to life the tale of two fantastically different people discovering love in the most unlikely of places: war-torn Afghanistan. One, an emerging hip-hop artist, the other, a high-level Afghan interpreter, both fight to navigate the pitfalls of romance, religious differences and political unrest. Love in Afghanistan runs tonight, October 11-November 17, 2013 in the Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle.

Redtwist Theatre announces its complete line-up for 2013-2014 Season, which includes 15 productions, all at its black box, storefront location, in the Bryn Mawr Historic District of Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood. The complete season includes 7 Chicago premieres and 4 world premieres.

Star of stage and screen Maurice Hines returns to D.C. to teach a free master class at Howard University and hold open dance auditions at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater to connect with the D.C.-area dance community and search for the next young tap star to appear in Arena Stage's Maurice Hines is Tappin' Thru Life, running November 15-December 29, 2013 in the Kreeger Theater.

Slate's Emily Yoffe, author of the advice column, "Dear Prudence," joins Laura Helmuth, Slate's science and health editor, as they take audience questions and discuss many of the personal and social implications presented in The Velocity of Autumn during Family Matters: A Conversation with Emily Yoffe and Laura Helmuth, Saturday, October 12 following the 2:00 p.m. matinee, at approximately 3:45 p.m. in the Kreeger Theater at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater (1101 Sixth St, SW). The event is free and open to the public, but subject to availability.

Artistic Director Molly Smith announced today, playwright Lydia R. Diamond, whose impressive body of work includes Stick Fly, Voyeurs de Venus, The Bluest Eye and The Gift Horse, among others, will become a resident playwright as part of the American Voices New Play Institute at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Diamond's yearlong residency will begin Tuesday, October 1, 2013.

The American Repertory Theater/Moscow Art Theater School Institute for Advanced Theater Training announced today the productions for the 2013/14 Season.

The Velocity of Autumn, a new two-character play from Cleveland-based playwright Eric Coble, opened last night at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater under the direction of Artistic Director Molly Smith and by special arrangement with HOP Theatricals, LLC. Check out a look back at the opening night festivities and arrivals below!

The Velocity of Autumn, a new two-character play from Cleveland-based playwright Eric Coble, is now running atArena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater under the direction of Artistic Director Molly Smith and by special arrangement with HOP Theatricals, LLC. Check out a first look at highlights of the show below!

If you disregard the Molotov cocktails which litter the set, then The Velocity of Autumn is a poignant comedy about a situation countless theatergoers can relate to. And yet the explosives that surround the set in Arena Stage's production of Eric Coble's terrific new play are symbolic reminders about just how hard the human spirit will fight to retain freedom, even as the human body confines us to a different fate.

With the official opening of Eric Coble's dangerous new play The Velocity of Autumn tonight, September 18 at 8:00 p.m. at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater, the occasion marks Artistic Director Molly Smith's 25th project to direct for Arena Stage and is the first of three projects she will direct in the 2013/14 season, including Kathleen Turner in Mother Courage and Her Children and the world premiere of Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Lawrence Wright's Camp David.Building on 15 years with the company, Smith is steadfast in her focus on American plays and artists.

Joining the cast of Mother Courage and Her Children are Arena Stage veterans Rick Foucheux (Ah, Wilderness!), Meg Gillentine (Cabaret, Damn Yankees) and Nehal Joshi (The Music Man, Oklahoma!). They join the previously announced Kathleen Turner, Nicholas Rodriguez and Erin Weaver. Under the direction of Arena Stage Artistic Director Molly Smith, Mother Courage and Her Children runs January 31-March 9, 2014 in the Fichandler Stage.