Anacostia Playhouse

Tickets

Visit us at the Dew Drop Inn Starting December 11th, 2021!

Join us as the Dew Drop Inn Reopens this Holiday Season!

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They’re back and at it again! Our madcap fun house of Dew Drop Performers are letting the good times roll sassy, hot and steamy on a cold snowy night. Our holiday show, A Snowy Nite at the Dew Drop Inn is a musical celebration and tribute to the Juke Joint, to those iconic nightspots that were known for good food, music and maybe a little trouble (if you weren’t careful). This cabaret-style presentation highlights themes of love found, love lost, and love renewed in the midst of holiday cheer. It features songs made famous by Big Mama Thorton, Fats Waller, Etta James, and Dinah Washington, just to name a few.

A Snowy Nite at the Dew Drop Inn is brought back to the Anacostia Playhouse stage under the creative vision of Director Stephawn Stephens, Music Director William Knowles and Choreographer Shawna Williams.

The production opens on Saturday December 11th, 2021 at 7:30 pm and runs through Sunday January 9th 2022. Join us each week Wednesday through Friday at 7:30 pm, Saturdays at 2 pm and 7:30 pm, and Sundays at 3 pm!

Take advantage of our Early Bird Discount until November 1st for $35 tickets! Regular Tickets are $50, and Senior + East of the River Tickets are $40. Buy your tickets today here.

Proof of Vaccination or Negative COVID Test within 48 Hours of Performance will be required for attedance. See more details about this policy here.

Transitions/Transformations: Anacostia Playhouse New Works Festival 2022 Submission

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Transitions/Transformations

The Anacostia Playhouse is seeking new and non-produced 10-minute plays for its annual new works series. Selected playwrights will have the opportunity to work with a professional director and actors to prepare for the final staged reading or performance.

Definitions to think about:

Transition is a Movement, Passage, or Change from One Position to Another. The word “transition” is often used in human services to refer to the general process of someone moving, or being moved, from one set of services to another.

Transition is the act or the process of passing from one state, stage, place, or subject to another : change

Transformation is the act or process of changing completely : a complete change. transformation. noun. A transformation is a dramatic change in form or appearance. A transformation is an extreme, radical change.

 

The Guidelines:

The play should be short: 10-15 minutes.

The play should be a new non-produced work.

The play should have no more than 4 characters.

The play should focus on neighborhoods east of the Anacostia River.

The play should address the themes of transitions and transformations, whether physically, personally, and/or socially.

 

SUBMISSIONS ACCEPTED FROM: October 1, 2021-January 31, 2022

Please Note due to the high volume of submissions we receive, we are unable to respond individually to each work sample that’s submitted, or to offer feedback. You will hear from us by February 1, 2022, if your work has been accepted into the festival.

Submit Play Submissions Below

Anacostia Playhouse New Works Festival 2022

  • Max. file size: 2 MB.

Vaccination Update

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Safety first. Vaccination Update.

Theaters across the greater Washington, D.C. area have united to provide the highest level of public safety for their audiences, staff, and volunteers by requiring that their audiences provide proof of vaccination to attend all live public performances at their indoor venues. 

The Anacostia Playhouse is joining our colleagues in the theater community in requiring proof of vaccination for indoor, in-person productions. This mandate will be in effect through the end of the year. Theatre Washington, the area’s alliance of theater organizations, has developed the following collective standards:

  • Audiences will be required to provide proof of vaccination to attend live, indoor performances through December 31, 2021. This date will be reevaluated in October.
  • Patrons must show proof that they are fully vaccinated when entering the theater.
  • Vaccinations will be required for both performers and staff.
  • Exemptions will be available for those unable to be vaccinated such as children under 12, those with certain medical conditions preventing vaccination, or those with closely held religious beliefs that prevent vaccination. These patrons must provide proof of a negative COVID 19 test taken 48 hours before performance start time.
  • Masks will be required for audience members except when eating or drinking.

POSTPONED, New Date TBD The Magic and Theater Workshop with Ran’D Shine May 1

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The Magic and Theater Workshop with our favorite Ran’D Shine!
The Magic and Theater Workshop is an introduction to the secret world of magic and theatrical expression. Participants will learn how to perform powerful tricks combined with a short narrative. In addition, campers will earn how basic scientific principles and misdirection are used to create magic effects.
The Magic and Theater workshop is more than something fun and cool. It also provides tools to enhance to enhance public speaking, peer interaction, and creativity skills! The Magic and Theater workshop is taught in interactive and hands-on format, where the participants get the opportunity to practice and perform for each other.
  • Make objects vanish and appear!
  • Read someone’s mind!
  • Make object float in mid air!
  •  How use storytelling with magic!
  • The importance of movement and facial expressions.
Supplies needed: A sheet of paper, a pencil or pen, 2 rubber bands, a deck of playing cards,
1 dollar bill, 2 quarters, 2 plastic cups
May 1, 2021 at 2pm.  
For Ages 7 and up (adults welcome). $10 per household. Click here to purchase.

POSTPONED Young Artist Create Series: Story Time Writing with Melissa Victor

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May 15 is our next Story Time Writing! Calling all young storytellers!
Young Artist Create Series: Story Time Writing with Melissa Victor
Our young artists will have an opportunity to interact with Melissa Victor the creator of “Stoopkid Stories” a children’s story podcast. During these exciting sessions they will share ideas to create short stories or a play that will be performed by them. This is an opportunity for young artists to use their imaginations by exploring theme-based subjects or current events to develop their own new work. This series is recommended for kids 8-14 years of age.
Story Time Writing Dates
Saturday, May 15, 2021 at 10 am
Saturday, June 19, 2021 at 10 am
Click here to purchase $35 for all 3 (Use code STORY) or here for $15 single session.

First Look: Collected Stories by Donald Margulies March 25 and 29 at 7 PM

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The First Look Series kicks off with Collected Stories

 

Behind the scenes gets out in front! In our First Look presentation, Natasha Preston and Adele Robey take the virtual stage to read Collected Stories, by Donald Margulies. The Playhouse’s First Look series tries out plays, new, old and in between that we are considering for future live productions. Collected Stories is directed by Bryanda Minix who recently directed our New Play Festival.

 

Collected Stories examines the conflict between the established artist and the young fan who becomes protégé, disciple, colleague and friend and finally threatening rival.  Ruth Steiner is a teacher and respected short story writer. Her student and protégée is Lisa Morrison. Over the course of six years, Lisa journeys from insecure student to successful writer. After publishing a well-received collection of short stories, Lisa writes a novel based on Ruth’s affair with the poet Delmore Schwartz. The women deal with the moral dilemma of whether a person’s life events are suitable for another to use in their own creative process.

 

March 25 streaming live at 7:00 with an encore March 29 at 7:00.

 

For PWYC tickets click here. 

Africa-dabra! Presented by Ran’D Shine, Rory Rennick, and Ice McDonald February 28 3:00 PM

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The Show

Africa-dabra is an intimate journey exploring the lost, yet amazing stories of three African-American magicians from the past.  In this brand-new show, magician, producer and educator Ran’D Shine, along with author, storyteller and magician Rory Rennick will share with you through performance and story the fascinating lives of the Richard Potter, Henry Box Brown and Black Herman.  Learn how each of these performers overcame adversity to become the greatest African American magicians of their time.

 

The Magicians

RORY RENNICK

For nearly 20 years Rory Rennick has performed professionally as a magician following a 15-year career in the mental health field. For over a decade he has combined his acting, motivational speaking and prestidigitation skills to present the incredible story of the slave-turned-magic entertainer Henry “Box” Brown. Besides writing, producing and being featured in a full-length stage play about “Box” Brown, Rory has performed with various theater groups and has lectured to thousands as an arts educator with the Ohio Alliance for Arts Education and We’ve Known Rivers. He is also a member of the Ohio Storytellers Network and the Ohio Local History Alliance. He is a founding member and historian of the International Association of Black Magical Artists. Rory is considered one of the foremost authorities on black magicians and Henry “Box” Brown in particular. His upcoming book Henry “Box” Brown’s Legacy and My Life With Him is due out this spring. He was a consultant and a voiceover artist featured on the award-winning documentary: “Quiet Masters—The History and Relevance of the Black Magical Artist.” Among Rory’s other varied interests are writing articles about the world’s largest niche collection of African diaspora/black-imaged playing cards, which he owns.

RAN’D SHINE

A two-time visitor to the Anacostia Playhouse, Ran’D has become one of the most sought after performers in the industry with a show that is highly entertaining and hilarious. Mr. Shine’s magical style draws from his playful interactive relationship with his audience combined with his psychological engaging illusions and sleight of hand.

A few of his accomplishments include: featured performer at the South African Arts Festival, two time A.P.C.A. College Magician of the year, selected to perform for the Military Month of the Child on Navy bases in Japan, South Korea, and Singapore. Ran’D has appeared on the CW network’s “Penn & Teller: Fool Us,” and B.E.T. network “Man on the Street” segment.  As one audience member put it “He is so much more than a magician he’s CHARISMATIC, FUNNY; he is an ENTERTAINER!” He knows you want to see more and has already read your mind. Come find out how.

ICE MCDONALD

 

Kenrick Ice McDonald (Master Magician/Master Entertainer) As an international award-winning entertainer/master magician, Kenrick Ice McDonald gives stellar stage performances and has earned a reputation for his grand illusions. He has been nick named “The Magical Phenomenon”. Ice has sold out performances, as well as broken audience and box office records around the globe. His sheer mastery of illusion has astonished audiences in London, Wales, India, Singapore, Jamaica, Canada, Bahamas, Japan, United Kingdom and throughout the United States of America.

Ice has been featured on several top rated programs, such as NPR with host Steve Inskeep, Masters of Illusion (series on FOX TV), Masters of Illusion Int’l (France) and the documentary The Art and Soul of Magic – The Story of America’s Black Magician. Ice was also featured on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Roland Martin’s News One Now. In addition to his appearances on several networks, he has been featured in articles in the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times and many other publications. Ice has graced the cover of numerous national and international magic magazines including two of the world’s largest magic publications; The Linking Ring (3 times) and M.U.M. (2 times). He has also been featured in Genii and Magic magazine along with the international magazines Vanish and Magicana in New Zealand. February 2020, Ice was listed as one of the Most-Influential Magicians of the Decade.

Ice’s talent has also led him to produce and direct several films and documentaries. His most recent project is a documentary entitled “Quiet Masters – The History and Relevance of the Black Magical Artist”. Quiet Masters has been recently released on Amazon Prime Video Direct.

Virtual performance

Sunday, February 28 at 3pm

For tickets, click HERE. 

This is a virtual performance. Ticket holders will be sent a Zoom link the week before the performance and on the day of the performance.

JOB POSTING: Seeking Grant Writer

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Grant Writer

Anacostia Playhouse seeks a dependable free-lance contract-based grant writer and researcher. The function of the grant writer is to write and submit grants on behalf of the theater company. Responsibilities will also include researching grant opportunities suited to the theater’s goals and mission. The grant writer will also be responsible for compiling data and information to complete grant applications by working with the theater leadership team and submitting applications in a timely manner.

The Anacostia Playhouse is a non-profit theater company that produces, rents, and works within the Anacostia community to bring art to the area. As a non-profit theater company, the playhouse depends on grants to accomplish its goals and mission, and the grant writer will be integral to the theater’s mission and future plans. While the grant writer does not need to have worked in the theater world, they should have a passion and understanding of the importance of the arts in the Washington DC area. Prior experience in non-profit work is a requirement.

The grant writer should have excellent communication skills and writing skills, as well as a desire to take initiative in finding new funding opportunities for the theater. The grant writer will work closely with the executive director and the board to accomplish the theater’s funding goals through writing and submitting grants.

Pay will be on a contract basis and hourly. Prior experience in grant writing is preferred.  To apply, send resume and brief cover letter to the Associate Managing Director at natasha.anacostiaplayhouse@gmail.com

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.

How you can support Anacostia Playhouse through COVID-19

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Theater is all about community, gathering, celebrating, connecting.
We can’t do that in the traditional way right now. But we can remind you of the great work done at the Anacostia Playhouse, by us and by all of the companies and artists who perform here, and assure you that it will be back. Like the old saying goes,
“The show must go on.” And we have faith that it will.
Although our city is reaching out to help us in this time, we need your help, too. It’s really important now as our beloved community of Anacostia and all of Ward 8 is especially fragile and making sure we can assure the future of the arts here is vitally important.
Please consider a gift of any size to help us all weather this storm and support the artists, designers, technical personnel and production staff who call us home.
Meanwhile, please be careful and stay well. Adhere to the guidelines of hand washing, staying home if not feeling well, covering your cough or sneeze and avoiding crowds. Check in often with Mayor Bowser’s corona virus updates at
   PS: The photos are from the Playhouse’s 2018 Helen Hayes Recommended production of Douglas Turner Ward’s Happy Ending. If you were there, you laughed yourself silly.
If you missed, it we look forward to bringing you more of this kind of fantastic and important work well into the future. Photos courtesy of Jabari Jefferson.
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