1st Stage, the surprisingly comfortable and well appointed theatre which belies its strip mall location in Tysons Corner, has been defying the odds since a director and his actors decided to build their own theatre, then opened it in September, 2011, just as the financial crisis hit, with a Russian comedy titled Suicide.
Since then, they have been the first step for actors such as Matt Dewberry and Lucas Beck, who are now on local casting directors’ lists, and have attracted well-known directors usually found around DC to their corner of Tysons Corner. Which is where Wall Street Journal’s Terry Teachout found them, and declared their production of Side Man, directed by Michael Dove, comparable to the original Broadway production.
So, in another odds defying move, 1st Stage, recipient of the 2010 John Aniello Award for Outstanding Emerging Theatre, is making three performances of their new season opener Audience Appreciation in honor of DCTS’ Gary Maker Audience Award. On the hunch that once new audiences find them, they will return, 1st Stage is offering online readers free tickets to the opening weekend’s Friday and Sunday Performances:
At 1st Stage, it’s Audience Appreciation Weekend: Free Tickets (usually $25) Friday, Sept 14 at 8pm and Sunday, Sept 16 at 2pm and 7pm.
1st Stage opens its season with the area debut of Suite Surrender. The company is also hosting the presentation of DC Theatre Scene’s Gary Maker Audience Award. To celebrate, they are offering DCTS readers free tickets to the Friday night and Sunday performances.
Audiences are always graciously received at 1st Stage by friendly front of house staff, who, among other things, pour delicious coffee from a silver urn at intermission.
We hope you will be able to join us Friday night as Alison Drucker and Tom Holzman receive their award just before the preview of Suite Surrender, or Sunday matinee or evening for the official opening of the Michael McKeever comedy Suite Surrender. To reserve your complimentary tickets (limit 4 per person), email [email protected] or call (703) 854-1856. 1st Stage is located at 1524 Spring Hill Road, Tysons Corner, VA 22182.
