Sovereignty at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater

Cast and Creative Team Set for TEMPESTUOUS ELEMENTS World Premiere at Arena Stage

January 16, 2024

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater has revealed the cast and creative team for the world premiere of Tempestuous Elements, playwright Kia Corthron’s new work exploring the trailblazing career of visionary Black feminist and educational luminary Anna Julia Cooper.

Photos: First Look At The Stars of EXCLUSION At Arena Stage

May 09, 2023

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater has released pre-production photos for the world premiere of Exclusion, a wickedly funny Hollywood-set comedy. 

BWW Video: Watch Arena Stage's Latest World Premiere Film THE 51ST STATE

September 16, 2020

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater’s latest world premiere film, “The 51st State', is now available to stream. You can watch the film by clicking here.  The hyper-local 60-minute docudrama created by Washington, D.C. artists through the voices of 11 residents was inspired by protests and the reignition of a movement after the murder of George Floyd and the quest for creating the 51st state and sovereignty in Washington, D.C. From a first-time protestor to a fourth-generation Washingtonian political scientist, to artists, an attorney, people of faith, and a retired couple moved to take part in the movement despite the COVID-19 risks, these diverse perspectives and real-life stories are vividly told and transformed into affecting narratives by 10 local playwrights. 

Arena Stage Debuts Third World-Premiere Film THE 51ST STATE

September 11, 2020

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater's latest world premiere docudrama, The 51st State, will receive its world premiere through Arena Stage's Supper Club on September 16 at 7 p.m. Following the premiere, viewers can join artists and creatives for a post-film discussion and after-party on Zoom.

Arena Stage Announces Virtual Fall/Winter Season

August 26, 2020

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater has announced its Fall/Winter Looking Forward Season featuring more than 70 virtual events and programs to engage with and respond to audiences in Washington, D.C-metropolitan region and nationally.

Arena Stage Announces Virtual Audition Intensive

June 25, 2020

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater has announced its newly created virtual audition intensive. Developed and led by Arena Stage's Community Engagement department, the online intensive prepares students and artists ages 16-22 for careers in theater with group and private coaching sessions in audition techniques.

Photo Flash: Meet the Cast of CELIA AND FIDEL at Arena Stage

January 28, 2020

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater presents the world premiere of Eduardo Machado's (Havana Is Waiting, The Cook) Celia and Fidel. It's 1980 and Cuba is dealing with a failing economy. As Fidel Castro ponders on how to move his country forward, his political partner, Celia Sánchez, is never far from his side. Imbued with magical realism, Celia and Fidel is the dynamic story of radical change in Cuba featuring the country's most notorious political figure and Cuba's most influential female revolutionary. Directed by Molly Smith, Celia and Fidel runs February 28 through April 12, 2020 in the Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle.

Robert M. Jimenez, Marian Licha and More Will Star in the World Premiere of CELIA AND FIDEL at Arena Stage

January 14, 2020

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater has announced the full company for the world premiere of Eduardo Machado's (Havana Is Waiting, The Cook) Celia and Fidel.

Arena Stage Announces Additional Playwrights To Join Power Plays Initiative

January 07, 2020

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater announces four additional commissioned playwrights as a part of Power Plays, an ambitious initiative commissioning and developing 25 new plays and musicals from a diverse mix of writers, composers and lyricists over the course of 10 years. Playwrights Lauren Yee, Zack Zadek, Emily Feldman and Karen Zacarías join previously commissioned playwrights with projects underway, including Eduardo Machado, whose Power Play Celia and Fidel, a perceptive and authentic look at Fidel Castro's most trusted confidant and political partner, Celia Sánchez, enjoys its world premiere in Arena's Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle, February 28 through April 12, 2020.

Additional Playwrights Join Power Plays Initiative At Arena Stage

February 15, 2019

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater announces three additional commissioned playwrights as a part of Power Plays, an ambitious initiative commissioning and developing 25 new plays and musicals from a diverse mix of writers, composers and lyricists over the course of 10 years. Playwrights Kia Corthron, Idris Goodwin and Octavio Solis join previously commissioned playwrights with projects underway, including Aaron Posner, whose Power Play JQA, an inquisitive and provocative look at America's sixth president, enjoys its world premiere in Arena's Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle March 1 through April 14, 2019.

Full Cast And Creative Team Announced For JUNK At Arena Stage

February 06, 2019

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater announces the full company for Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and author Ayad Akhtar's (Arena's Disgraced) timely tale Junk. Inspired by the real junk bond giants of the 1980s, Akhtar explores how the riveting, hostile takeover of a family-owned manufacturing company paved the way to expose the rise of greed, power, race and wealth that led to reshaping the rules of Wall Street and the world. Directed by Jackie Maxwell, Junk runs April 5 - May 5, 2019 in the Fichandler Stage.

Arena Stage Announces Full Casting For World Premiere Of Aaron Posner's JQA

January 29, 2019

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater announces the full company for the world premiere of Aaron Posner's JQA, recipient of an Edgerton Foundation New Play Award. The first of Posner's plays that is not adapted from an existing work, JQA shines a spotlight with humor and care on an ineffectual presidency, the idea of government and how a society lives in relationship to it, and the American experiment as it continues to evolve. Directed by Posner as well, JQA runs March 1 through April 14, 2019 in the Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle.

Full Cast And Creative Team Announced For JQA At Arena Stage

January 16, 2019

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater announces the full company for the world premiere of Aaron Posner's JQA, recipient of an Edgerton Foundation New Play Award. The first of Posner's plays that is not adapted from an existing work, JQA shines a spotlight with humor and care on an ineffectual presidency, the idea of government and how a society lives in relationship to it, and the American experiment as it continues to evolve. Directed by Posner as well, JQA runs March 1 through April 14, 2019 in the Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle.

Full Cast And Creative Team Announced For KLEPTOCRACY At Arena Stage

December 11, 2018

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater announces the full company for the world premiere of Kenneth Lin's timely cautionary tale of capitalism run amok, Kleptocracy. Inspired by the power struggle between the richest of the Oligarchs and an ambitious Vladimir Putin after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Lin (House of Cards) explores U.S. - Russia relations then and now. Directed by Jackson Gay, and by special arrangement with Robert Ahrens, Mickey Liddell and Michael Mills, Kleptocracy runs January 18 - February 24, 2019 in the Kreeger Theater.