Noah Haidle's BIRTHDAY CANDLES to be Presented at 1st Stage

Ernestine Ashworth spends her 17th birthday agonizing over her insignificance in the universe. Soon enough, it's her 18th birthday. Even sooner, her 41st. Her 70th. Her 101st. This poignant and funny play takes its audience through the highlights, heartbreaks and extraordinary moments that make up one woman's ordinary life. 

The 1st Stage production of Birthday Candles features 1st Stage Associate Artistic Director Deidra LaWan Starnes (The Piano Lesson, Postcards from Ihatov, Shutter Sisters, and others), and returning artists Hannah Taylor (The Piano Lesson), Jacob Yeh (Postcards from Ihatov, How the Light Gets In, The Rainmaker, and others), Chris Genebach (The Royale), Patrick Joy (hang, The Nance, columbinus) and Surasree Das (The Lake Effect). The production is directed by 1st Stage Artistic Director Alex Levy (The Lake Effect, The Waverly Gallery, The Chosen, The Last Match, and others).

The design team includes: scenic design by Jonathan Dahm Robertson, lighting design by Helen Garcia Alton, sound design by Sarah O'Halloran, costume design by Lynly Saunders, props design by Cindy Jacobs, and intimacy coaching by Lorraine Ressegger.

Birthday Candles will run at 1st Stage from December 4 - 21, 2025 with show times as follows:  Thursdays at 7:30pm, Fridays at 7:30 pm, Saturdays at 2 pm and 7:30 pm, and Sundays at 2pm. 

Editors:  Press performances are Saturday, December 6 at 7:30pm and Sunday, December 7 at 2pm. Please email the box office at boxoffice@1ststage.org for reservations.

General admission tickets are dynamically priced at $25 (limited availability), $40 (limited availability), and $55. Student, educator, and military tickets are $15. Tickets can be purchased online at www.1ststage.org or by calling the 1st Stage box office at 703-854-1856.