By Southwester Staff Arena Stage announced that My Body No Choice, a limited engagement staged in the run-up to the midterm elections, will be Molly Smith’s final production before she steps down as Artistic Director. Featuring monologues from eight of America’s most dynamic female playwrights, My Body No Choice explores the importance of bodily autonomy, […]
Grammy Winner Pens Original Songs for Arena Production
By Sheila Wickouski Grammy Award-winning songwriter Marcus Hummon’s songs have been recorded in many genres, including pop, R&B, gospel and most notably in country music. He has written some of the genre’s most iconic songs, including Rascal Flatts’ “Bless the Broken Road,” the Dixie Chicks’ “Cowboy Take Me Away” and Sara Evans’ “Born to Fly.” […]
Arena Stage Launches New Production of Catch Me If You Can
By Sheila Wickouski With a new production of Catch Me If You Can, Arena Stage adds to the list of acclaimed Broadway productions, Oklahoma!, The Pajama Game, Anything Goes and Disney’s Newsies, that have been brought to its iconic in-the-round Fichandler Stage. The story of a charming con man, Frank Abagnale Jr, was a Tony-nominated […]
Arena Stage Premiere Shines Light on Unseen History
By Sheila Wickouski On January 21, Arena Stage will host the world premiere of Change Agent, a fictional take on the historic events of the 1960’s that still shape our world today. Tony Award-nominated playwright and director Craig Lucas, known for An American in Paris and The Light in the Piazza, imagines how unsung influencers […]
Arena Stage Prepares to Launch Pandemic-Delayed Premiere of Celia and Fidel
By Sheila Wickouski In March 2020, the pandemic forced Arena Stage’s production of Celia and Fidel, written by Eduardo Machado, to close the same day it opened. On October 8, the cast and crew will prepare for another opening night of this world premiere production. Set during a critical moment in the Cuban revolution, […]
Toni Stone to Appear at Nats Park
By Southwester Staff Toni Stone was the first woman to play baseball in the Negro Leagues. She was also the first woman to play in a professional men’s league in the 1950s. Now, Toni Stone is about to make another appearance on the ball field when Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater […]
Akeelah and the Bee: An Interview with Molly Yeselson
Photo courtesy of Dan Norman. Akeelah and the Bee is running at Arena Stage from Nov. 13 to Dec. 27. SWNA’s Katelynd Mahoney was lucky enough to interview Molly Yeselson, who plays the role of Izzy/Snorting Girl/Crying Girl. This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity. Q: What are you most excited about in […]