MARY T. & LIZZY K. EXTENDS THROUGH MAY 5 AT ARENA STAGE
WITH SIX ADDED PERFORMANCES
Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater announces that due to popular demand, the world premiere play Mary T. & Lizzy K., written and directed by Tazewell Thompson, will add another six performances to its nearly sold-out run, now extended through May 5, 2013. The additional performances in the Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle are Thursday, May 2 at 8:00 p.m.; Friday, May 3 at 8:00 p.m.; Saturday, May 4 at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, May 5 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
In Mary T. & Lizzy K., one woman’s skilled hands work overtime, creating the most beautiful garments of her career, as the other’s reality continues to slip ever further from her grasp. Old wounds and new recriminations explode in this riveting drama about loss, love and the importance of promises, both kept and broken. A commission between Thompson (Arena directing credits include Caucasian Chalk Circle, M. Butterfly and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom) and Arena Stage, Mary T. & Lizzy K. stitches together an insider’s look at the unique friendship between Mary Todd Lincoln and her talented dressmaker, the successful freed slave Elizabeth “Lizzy” Keckly.
Mary T. & Lizzy K.
Written and Directed by Tazewell Thompson
Featuring Naomi Jacobson as Mary Todd Lincoln, Sameerah Luqmaan-Harris as Elizabeth Keckly, Thomas Adrian Simpson as Abraham Lincoln and Joy Jones as Ivy
Through May 5, 2013
In the Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle
Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater
TICKETS: Tickets for Mary T. & Lizzy K. are $40-$85, subject to change and based on availability, plus applicable fees. For information on savings programs such as student discounts, Southwest Nights, Pay-Your-Page tickets, HOTTIX and Hero’s Discounts, visit arenastage.org/shows-tickets/single-tickets/savings-programs.Tickets may be purchased online at arenastage.org, by phone at 202-488-3300 or at the Sales Office at 1101 Sixth St., SW, D.C.
Upcoming Mary T. & Lizzy K. Special Events:
Public Arena post-show discussions
The Public Arena creates and maintains a dynamic dialogue between Arena Stage artists, audiences and staff about the work on stage. Post-show conversations are free and open to the public but a ticket to the show in encouraged.
· Saturday, April 13, 2013, following the 2:00 p.m. matinee
Explore the tumultuous relationship between First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln and Elizabeth Keckly with special guest Jennifer Fleischner, author of Mrs. Lincoln and Mrs. Keckly: The Remarkable Story of the Friendship Between a First Lady and a Former Slave. At a time when race was tearing the nation apart, what brought these two women together? Join cast members and author Jennifer Fleischner for a post-show conversation about the relationship of these two amazing women who survived the ravages of the Civil War, the assassination of President Lincoln and finally, Mary’s own incarceration in a mental hospital.
· Tuesday, April 16, 2013, following the noon matinee
Enjoy a conversation about the life and work of Elizabeth Keckly featuring cast members and special guest Rosemary E. Reed Miller, author of The Threads of Time, The Fabric of History: 38 Profiles of African American Designers and Dressmakers from 1850-1950.
Piano Bar—Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Following the success of last season’s post-show piano bars, Arena Stage continues the popular piano bar tradition this season by hosting a free event during the run of Mary T. & Lizzy K. Grab a drink and gather ‘round the piano for show tunes hosted by Joshua Morgan with special guests in the Grand Lobby. No ticket necessary.
Mary T. & Lizzy K. is a recipient of an Edgerton Foundation New American Plays Award. Additional funding is provided by the National Endowments for the Arts.
