A roundup of some of this week’s theatrical news and notes from Synetic Theater, Molly Smith, Bohemian Caverns, Source Festival, Studio Theatre and Infinity Theatre.
Who’s playing Alice in Synetic’s Alice in Wonderland?
Synetic Company Member Kathy Gordon was born in Oxford, England and grew up among the places that inspired Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. The actress now brings her childhood familiarity with that world to the title character, Synetic Theater announced.
“One of my favorite Oxford Alice in Wonderland connections is the Christ Church’s Great Hall,” Gordon says. “It’s lined with stained glass windows depicting the characters from the book and whenever I visited, I liked to pretend I was the only one who knew they were there.”
Alice in Wonderland is written by Lloyd Rose for the Women’s Voices Theatre Festival of Washington, D.C. In anticipation of the 150th anniversary of the first publication of the classic fairytale, Synetic co-founders Paata and Irina Tsikurishvili will give Wonderland a gothic makeover.
For details and tickets, visit Synetic Theater
A Benefit Reading of 26 Pebbles sponsored by The March on Washington for Gun Control, Aug 24
WASHINGTON, DC – The March on Washington for Gun Control will present a Benefit reading of a Newtown documentary theater piece 26 Pebbles by Eric Ulloa on August 24 at 8:00 p.m. at Arena Stage at the Mead Center of American Theater directed by Molly Smith. This is a stirring new play that explores the power of community in the face of the tragedy in Newtown, CT.
On December 14, 2012, 20-year-old Adam Lanza fatally shot 20 children and 6 adult staff members at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown. The tragedy captured the attention — and broke the hearts — of the entire nation. These 26 innocent deaths — referred to by one Newtown resident as “pebbles thrown into a pond” — created ripples and vibrations that were felt across the country and beyond. Proceeds from this event will benefit gun safety organizations.
Playwright Ulloa conducted interviews with residents of Newtown in the months after the tragedy — including shop owners, parents of students, religious leaders, spiritualists, town workers and others who were touched by the tragedy. These interviews create a new verbatim play about the lasting impact of gun violence in a community.
Molly Smith, one of the organizers of the March on Washington for Gun Control says: “As a private citizen, I am responding to the epidemic of gun violence through Eric’s beautiful play about Newtown. Over 30,000 people die each year from gun violence in America. On a yearly basis we lose more lives from gun violence than the Ebola epidemic in Africa or prostate cancer in the United States. We need common sense regulations now. The right to own a gun is not the right to own any kind of gun.”
Tickets for the Benefit reading of 26 Pebbles are $20, subject to change and based on availability. Tickets may be purchased online, by phone at 202-488-3300 or at the Arena Stage Sales Office at 1101 Sixth St., SW, DC.
Roz White concert at Bohemian Caverns Aug 27
The celebration at MetroStage August 15th for their new season (and new seating!) starring Roz White (Bessie’s Blues, Ladies Swing the Blues) is SOLD OUT, but you can still catch her at Bohemian Caverns, 2001 11th St NW, DC, on August 27 (2 shows). It’s a tribute to Gladys Knight to benefit Duke Ellington School for the Arts. Advance tickets: $25.
Details
Source Festival play submissions: Deadline Sept 1
All DC-Area playwrights are invited to submit full-length scripts for consideration for Source Festival 2016.
As you may know, each year Source Festival stages three Full-Length Plays for a five performance run here in Washington. The three selected playwrights will receive a $500 stipend, a workshop of their play in March 2016, and a fully staged production during the Source Festival in June 2016.
All DC-Area Playwrights are invited to submit scripts using the Invite code “DCPW6”. (Playwrights out of the DC area may submit via invitation only.)
DEADLINE: September 1, 2015 by 5:00pm EST.
(Also–SAVE THE DATE: Our call for 10-Minute Plays will be announced November 18th–including the specific themes for 2016–and submissions for 10-Minute Plays will be due December 15th.)
Studio theatre gets a name change
Silence! the Musical was the last production under the Studio 2ndStage moniker. The 4th floor theatre space within Studio Theatre has undergone a name change: Studio X will have a similar commitment to presenting eclectic works that “will benefit from particularly intimate or immersive stagings, presented work, and some of Studio’s world premiere projects.” At Studio X, audiences may see work from first time directors, and actors emerging from Studio’s Acting Conservatory, alongside Equity and non-Equity performers. With this change, AEA members will be paid according to Studio’s Equity contract. The first two productions in the new Studio X will be Animal by Clare Lizzimore, part of the Women’s Voices Festival, opening September 30th, and Constellations by Nick Payne, opening February 10th.
More details
Infinity Theatre offers trip to their Broadway production of Dames at Sea. Sign up by Aug 18
We are thrilled to offer a trip this fall to see our Broadway show DAMES AT SEA. This tap-happy celebration of the golden era of movie musicals [first seen here in 2012] has been reimagined by Infinity for the bright lights of Broadway! We have arranged orchestra and front mezzanine seats for this coach trip from Annapolis to NYC (as well as an exclusive talkback with the Cast, listed below), for our loyal audience in Annapolis. Here are the details:
Date: Sunday, October 4th (Performance at 3PM)
Meals: Breakfast & dinner will be provided on the coach. You are responsible for your own lunch in NYC.
Seats:Orchestra and Front Mezzanine
Price:$200, which includes one ticket to the show & talkback, round-trip transportation from Annapolis to NYC, breakfast, and dinner.
To Reserve: Email your request with your name and the number of seats to [email protected]. Booking will go until Tuesday, August 18th. Payment instructions will be sent over email – payments must be in by Monday, August 24th. Availability is limited, so this offer is first-come, first-served. 2015 Infinity Members will be given priority.
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