Photo Flash: Inside Opening Night of OUR WAR at Arena Stage

In a bold undertaking as part of the company's involvement with the multi-year, multi-city National Civil War Project, Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater has commissioned Our War, a dynamic new theatrical event and collection of short stories that explores-through diverse perspectives-the historical memory and present-day reverberations of the U.S. Civil War. The series launched on October 21 and continues through November 9, 2014. BroadwayWorld has a first look at opening night below!

Director Anita Maynard-Losh weaves the vignettes by 25 esteemed playwrights-including winners of the Pulitzer Prize, Tony Award, Olivier Award and Helen Hayes Award-together through performances by an ensemble of local actors including Kelly Renee Armstrong, Ricardo Frederick Evans,John Lescault, Tuyet Pham, Lynette Rathnam and Sara Waisanen. Joining the ensemble throughout the run are nearly 30 notable leaders from the D.C. community, including Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, MSNBC's Chris Matthews and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) and more.

The playwrights represented in Our War include Maria Agui Carter, Lydia Diamond, Amy Freed, Diane Glancy, Joy Harjo, Samuel D. Hunter, Naomi Iizuka, Aditi Kapil, Dan LeFranc, David Lindsay-Abaire, Ken Ludwig, Taylor Mac, Ken Narasaki, Lynn Nottage, Robert O'Hara, Heather Raffo, Charles Randolph-Wright, Tanya Saracho, Betty Shamieh,John Strand, Tazewell Thompson, William S. Yellow Robe, Jr., Karen Zacarías as well as two students participating through Arena Stage's National Civil War Project partnership with George Washington University: Zinhle Essamuah and Nicholas Ong. To view playwright biographies, visit arenastage.org/shows-tickets/the-season/productions/our-war/.

The creative team of Our War includes Dramaturg Jocelyn Clarke, Set Designer Robbie Hayes, Costume Designer T. Tyler Stumpf, Lighting Designer Catherine Girardi, Sound Designer Elisheba Itoop and Stage Manager Kurt Hall.

Photo Credit: Teresa Wood

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