Arena Stage's Voices Of Now Festival Returns For 18th Annual Production This Month

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater announced the dates for its annual Voices of Now Festival (VON), a four-night showcase of new plays written and performed by nine ensembles of young and emerging artists from D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. Led by Arena Stage's Community Engagement Department, more than 70 VON artists, ages 11 to 28, will raise important questions about their communities through evenings of original, autobiographical theater. The 2023 VON Ensembles will come together to perform and discuss their work May 17 through 20, 2023, on stage in Arena's Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle.

Founded 20 years ago, Voices of Now is a year-long, after-school drama program in which student artists gain devised theater skills by working with professional theater artists to create original work. Through creative writing, poetry, movement, and acting, VON gives ensembles of middle-school, high-school, and adult artists an artistic experience that challenges them to recount stories that shaped their lives through fast-paced and collaboratively written autobiographical plays.

"In devised theater, we start with a title," explains Ashley Forman, Arena Stage Director of Education and Voices of Now Artistic Director. "We then explore the title through writing, movement, and discussion. Slowly a script is compiled with the words, ideas, and personal stories of the artists."

"Voices of Now aims to train artists to be thoughtful, generous, and brave. Some of them are poets, some are playwrights, other actors, but all are gaining mastery over their personal experiences-change, loss, identity, and equality-by transforming them into art."

The 2023 Voices of Now Festival features the return of the program's flagship and inaugural ensemble, Jefferson Middle School Ensemble, as well as four other school-based ensembles in partnership with the Fairfax County Public School System, including Kilmer Middle School Ensemble, Luther Jackson Middle School Ensemble, Robinson Secondary School Ensemble, and Holmes Middle School Ensemble.

This year's festival also includes plays devised by the Pre-Professional Ensemble, Mentor Ensemble, Mead Ensemble, and The Wendt Center for Loss and Healing Ensemble.

2023 Voices of Now Festival Schedule

Wednesday, May 17 at 7:30 p.m.
"Fault Line" by the Jefferson Middle School Academy Ensemble
"Life Form" by the Pre-Professional Ensemble
"Lift-Off" by the Mentor Ensemble

Thursday, May 18 at 7:30 p.m.
"Sideline" by the Mead Ensemble
"Inside Out" by the Luther Jackson Middle School Ensemble
"Beneath the Surface" by the Wendt Center for Loss and Healing Ensemble

Friday, May 19 at 7:30 p.m.
"Time Limit" by the Kilmer Middle School Ensemble
"Flight Path" by the Holmes Middle School Ensemble
"Life Form" by the Pre-Professional Ensemble

Saturday, May 20 at 7:30 p.m.
"Lift-Off" by the Mentor Ensemble
"Look Out" by the Robinson Secondary School Ensemble
"Sideline" by the Mead Ensemble

All performances will be held in the Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle at Arena Stage the Mead Center for American Theater. Tickets are free, but reservations are recommended. Reserve your tickets at arenastage.org/voicesofnow.

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