Anacostia Playhouse

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Note from the Playhouse

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We’re still in this together. All of us.
All of us here at the Playhouse hope that you and your family are doing well and most importantly are finding ways to bring joy into your lives. While the theater is currently closed and will remain so per the Mayor’s orders, we want you to know that we are counting the days until we can throw open the doors and welcome everyone back. We can’t wait to turn that ghost light off and get the theater lights on and at full!
But even though we are on hold, the rent and the bills are not. While we hope to receive some governmental support, nothing is certain as the needs across the board are so great. If helping with a donation to the Playhouse is an option for you at this time, please accept our deepest gratitude. As you can imagine most performances scheduled at the Playhouse have been postponed or canceled. But when we reach that light at the end of the tunnel we look forward to bringing back our new play festival, housing countless performances and theater companies from throughout the city, and providing camps and performances for youth and families.
A special message to the doctors, nurses, grocery clerks, delivery drivers, pharmacists, caregivers, first responders, and everyone else working in an essential business and sacrificing for all our safety: we say thank you. Words cannot express the debt of gratitude owed to you. We hope you can join us this next season when we will be offering free tickets and special discounts to all members in these fields to show our thanks.
Lastly, we would like to pass on some words of encouragement recently quoted by the Stella Adler acting school, which were written by Harold Clurman in his book The Fervent Years to describe his time in the Great Depression. We hope you find some encouragement and inspiration from these words.
“The strength I drew from this period of apparently aimless ambling through the dark of depressed areas in place and spirit was crystalized for me one day when I was struck as if by a miracle of conversion with the feeling that no matter how bitter things became for me, personally, professionally, economically I would never allow myself to be destroyed from within; it would never get me down; I would sustain all kinds of disappointment and distress without ceasing to believe, to hope, to love…
Theater is all about community, gathering, celebrating, connecting.
All the best from all of us at the Playhouse and we can’t wait to see you in the lobby.

Shakespeare for the Young presents Adventures in Arden January 25

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Based on Shakespeare’s As You Like It, Adventures in Arden been created by Shakespeare For The Young as an interactive show for 3 to 10 year olds.

Children are introduced to a puppet of William Shakespeare, who helps start the story. Large bodied puppets, small hand-held puppets, and shadow puppets help tell the story of unkindness turned to love. Set in Africa, the story takes place in both city and country, in particular in the healing forest of Arden where love between two people blossoms and forgiveness between two sets of brothers takes place. Aided by interactive play with the audience, the actors engage children’s imaginations through Shakespeare’s words, using music of many African instruments as an additional medium. A short workshop for the children follows the play. Children use their bodies and voices to explore the rhythms and beats they heard in Shakespeare’s language during the play.

This is a free event open to the public.

January 25, 2020 @ 10:30 AM at Anacostia Playhouse

 

 

For more information on Shakespeare for the Young, click here. 

Yo-Yo Ma’s Bach Project

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Yo-Yo Ma’s Bach Project

Exploring How Culture connects us.

 

A day of conversation and action

How can culture and the arts build local equity in Southeast Washington, DC?

 

November 30, 2018

 

The Events

 

Mural Creation

Anacostia High School, 1601 16th St SE

9:30 AM

A mural celebrating Anacostia will be designed and painted in partnership with students from Anacostia High School and Turner Elementary, with support from Kennedy Center and Project Create. Free and open to the public.

 

Prelude to Activities

We Act Radio, 1918 Martin Luther King Ave SE

12:00 PM

Yo-Yo Ma plays the Prélude from Bach’s first cello suite to open the day. A moment of reflection on the past, celebration of the present, and hope for the future.

Imagining Equitable Futures

 

Town Hall Think-In

Anacostia Playhouse, 2020 Shannon Pl SE

3:00 PM

District leaders, small business owners, artists, and community members come together to discuss building local equity in a conversation using Playback Theater models, which encourage personal storytelling and reflection. Representatives from across sectors, including business, government, and arts and culture, will participate in an engaging public forum followed by panel conversation. Free and open to the public; space is limited.

 

Small Business Happy Hour & Gallery Opening: “In Between & Black Gold”

Anacostia Arts Center, 1231 Good Hope Road SE

5:30 PM

The Anacostia Arts Center opens a double exhibit in partnership with two Southeast DC galleries, representing six local artists on themes of Afrofuturism and black equity. The small businesses in the arts center and in downtown Anacostia, all with a cultural focus (fashion store Nubian Hueman, micro-business collective and theater space The Den Reading Room & Artist Exchange, Mahogany Books, We Act Radio, Check It, an LGBTQ fashion label, and more) will participate in an open house, with local beer and food, a DJ, and special offers for attendees. A boutique concert featuring celebrated bassist Esperanza Spalding and local performers will pop up in Nubian Hueman, and Yo-Yo Ma will lead the gallery artists in a short public conversation about their work. Free and open to the public.

 

The Bach Project

Yo-Yo Ma set out to perform Johann Sebastian Bach’s six suites for solo setting, in one setting in 36 locations around the world. Alongside each concert is a day of action, a series of conversations and collaborations that explore how culture can help us imagine and build a better future.

 

A Project of

The Bach Project

The Kennedy Center

The Anacostia Arts Center

Nubian Hueman

WE ACT Radio

Anacostia Playhouse

The Den

HBC Theater Company

TribeFest DC

The Heart & Soul of Magic

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Kick off your holidays with some magic!

 

The Heart & Soul of Magic returns to the Anacostia Playhouse to kick off the Holiday season!  International Magicians Ran’D Shine and Jamahl Keyes are known for “A Different Kind of Deception.” Their show combines music, sleight of hand and psychological illusions that will have you questioning reality in an intimate space. The Heart & Soul of magic is an unforgettable show that audiences of all ages will enjoy. Adults’ minds will be blown and children will be amazed. One audience member described the show as “Mesmerizing and entertaining… A must see act.”  Bring the entire family and kick off the most Magical time of the year.

 

Saturday, December 1, 2018

Youth show at 5pm

Adults (and big kids) at 8

Adults $30, Kids $15.

Purchase Tickets Here!

 

The puppets are in residence!

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Shows are free and are at 10:30 on Saturday mornings!!

The Shakespeare for the Young puppet show, led by Annie Houston, will be performing at the
Anacostia Playhouse this Saturday, September 22. This theatrical company of puppeteers is dedicated to bringing Shakespeare to young children, ages 2 and up, through a fun and interactive experience. All shows feature group activities after the performance with song, movement and interactive play. Stay tuned for our next show on November 3, 2018! No tickets or reservations are needed.

Theater Alliance presents KLYTMNESTRA: An Epic Slam Poem

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A priestess enters a cemetery suffused with the shades and apparitions of black culture. Yet she conjures the spirits of a different sort—Orestes, Iphigenia, and Klytmnestra. This dynamic one-woman slam poem is a saga of strong women, the men who seek to destroy them, and the dangerous extremes this kind of society can reach if left unchecked. Fusing Kabuki, African dance, and Greek myth, Theater Alliance’s Klytmnestra: An Epic Slam Poem is a dynamic retelling of the classic tale written to vindicate a mother slain by her own son’s hand.

May 21- June 16, 2019

Run Time

90 Minutes with no intermission

Ticket Prices

Individual tickets will go on sale Sept 13th

Adult – $40
Senior, Student, Military – $30

All previews are Half Price

For tickets, click here.

Radical Neighboring Initiative

Name Your Own Price tickets are available for each performance to make sure that the price of a ticket does not stop anyone from seeing live theater. To claim a ticket under the program just show up at the Box Office one hour before the show and there will be a minimum of 10 Name Your Own Price tickets available.

Auditions for Young Actors!

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Anacostia Playhouse announces auditions for young actors for our spring youth production!

 

 

We are excited to announce this year we will be partnering with REACH Incorporated, a program of professionally-led teen tutors who have published 21 books through their own publishing arm, Shout Mouse Press. Our young actors will be bringing their young authors’ works to life adapting 4-5 of these short stories for the stage. Our director this year is Thembi Duncan, a long-time friend of the Playhouse who directed Yellowman for us in our 2016 summer season. She was also lead teaching artist at Ford’s Theatre, and Creative Programs Director at Young Playwrights’ Theater, with tons of experience bringing young people and their stories to the stage. Thembi is an actor, writer, performing artist and teaching artist and we are super excited to have her on board.

 

Audition info:

 

Saturday, February 24

 

Noon-4pm

 

Anacostia Playhouse

2020 Shannon Place, SE

Washington, DC 20020

 

Ages 6-14

 

No special preparation necessary

 

Five performances April 19-22

 

 

If interested, please email Adele Robey at arobey@fusemail.com. We are seeing actors on first-come first-served basis. No appointment necessary.

YOUTH AUDITION NOTICE for The Rainbow Fish February 18 and 25

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AUDITION NOTICE

Anacostia Playhouse announces youth auditions for its youth production of THE RAINBOW FISH

Anacostia Playhouse is producing the musical The Rainbow Fish, written by Austin Zumbro, adapted from the book written and illustrated by Marcus Pfister. This production will be directed by Sisi Reid with music direction by Daniel Flores.

We are casting children 7-14.

Auditions will take place Mondays, February 18 and 25 from 5:00 -7:00 PM. No preparation is necessary for auditions. Children will audition in groups in 15 minute blocks.

While walk-ins will be seen, it is preferred to schedule an audition date ahead of time.

Please email: natasha.anacostiaplayhouse@gmail.com with your desired audition date and time.

Performances will be April 25 at 7:30, April 26 at 7:30 PM, April 27 at 2:00 and 7:30, and April 28 at 2:00 PM

Rehearsals generally will be held Tuesday nights 5 PM – 8 PM and Saturday afternoons 12 PM – 3 PM in March, and then Tuesday nights 5 PM- 8 PM, Wednesday nights 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM, and Saturday afternoons 12-3 PM in April.

 

Capitol City Symphony: That String Thing! March 2

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Capital City Symphony: That String Thing!
Meet a quartet of string-playing members of the symphony orchestra through this engaging, educational and intimate program for young people.  Learn about the music they play and hear the beautiful sounds come to life. Then, join us for an instrument petting zoo to meet the musicians and see their instruments up close!
March 2, 10:30 AM
Recommended for ages 3-8
For tickets, click here. 

Anacostia Playhouse presents The Rainbow Fish April 25 – 28

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The  Anacostia Playhouse is excited to present its youth acting ensemble in The Rainbow Fish Musical, written by Austin Zumbro, and directed by Sisi Reid.

Come meet a charming school of fish and sea-creature characters who admire the famous Rainbow Fish, the most beautiful fish in all the ocean.  When Rainbow Fish refuses to share its vibrant, shimmering scales the whole ocean seems to turn against the vain creature. Very unhappy about this, the Rainbow Fish seeks out the wise Octopus who helps the young fish learn that it’s far better to be admired for being kind than for being beautiful. This production will feature musical numbers, dancing, and incredibly fun costumes!.

Five performances only!

  • Performances will be April 25 at 7:30, April 26 at 7:30 PM, April 27 at 2:00 and 7:30, and April 28 at 2:00 PM.

Kids under 12 $5

All other tickets $10

For tickets click here. 

Wondering how to further support the growth of young actors and this production?

To put on professional shows for our youth acting ensemble, we would love any support you can offer. If you would like to support our young actors and this specific production, please consider a donation to our Rainbow Fish Donation, found here.

Produced by special arrangement with Pioneer Drama Service, Inc., Denver, Colorado.

 

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