John Strand

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.

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. 

Open Window Theatre will present The Originalist, by John Strand, directed by Stephen O’Toole, September 30 through October 30 at Open Window Theater. Performances will be on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm, and Sundays at 2:00pm, with a preview performance on September 29 at 7:30pm. Tickets are available at https://openwindowtheatre.org.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater today announced that Artistic Director Molly Smith has decided to retire in July of 2023. The Arena Stage Board of Trustees will conduct a nationwide search to appoint a new Artistic Director to build on the pioneering legacy of Smith and Arena’s Founder Zelda Fichandler.

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.

Stage actor Edward Gero has made a name for himself in the DC theatre scene, appearing in plays by Shakespeare, Chekhov, and everyone in between. In 2015, Gero played Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonin Scalia in John Strand's The Originalist at Arena Stage. He shares how his experiences on stage led him to meet the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and how she left a lasting impression.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater's docudrama, May 22, 2020 is now live.  The film received its world premiere on June 12 through Arena's Supper Club, captures a day in the life of actual Washington, D.C.-Maryland-Virginia residents, ages 18-89, from a beekeeper, a climate change activist to a D.C. police detective. Their rich stories, transformed into monologues by 10 area playwrights, are a stunning look at their lives in the age of COVID-19.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater's docudrama, May 22, 2020 will be available online on Saturday, June 13.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater will open its online Spring/Summer Season, Looking Forward in June with two world premiere films, May 22, 2020 and Inside Voices: a film by Arena Stage's Voices of Now ensembles.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater has announced the expansion of its online programs and events through August 2020. Arena Artistic Director Molly Smith has curated a diverse and engaging Spring/Summer Season, Looking Forward, connecting artists and audiences locally and nationally.

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.

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 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.

The 19/20 theatrical season has seen several milestones for many of its area theatres but the biggest by far is the 70th anniversary of the company that helped pioneer the regional theatre movement in this country Arena Stage.

BroadwayWorld has a first look at 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.

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.

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.

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.

The Tank will present the World Premiere of Real, written by Rodrigo Nogueira (The Ideal Obituary at The Tank) and directed by Erin Ortman (One Thousand Nights and One Day with Prospect Theater Company) in the 99-seat theater at The Tank (312 West 36th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues), January 3-20, 2019.

The Tank will present the World Premiere of Real, written by Rodrigo Nogueira (The Ideal Obituary at The Tank) and directed by Erin Ortman (One Thousand Nights and One Day with Prospect Theater Company) in the 99-seat theater at The Tank (312 West 36th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues), January 3-20, 2019.