The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts hosts its 18th annual
Page-to-Stage New Play Festival from Saturday, August 30, 2019 through Monday, September 2, 2019. The festival is a free three-day celebration of local playwrights featuring more than 65 theater companies from the D.C. metropolitan area. Theaters and artists participating in Page-to-Stage present open rehearsals, concert readings, and workshops of new plays that are still in the development phase.
[To download a PDF of the 2019 Page-to-Stage brochure, click here.]
Page-to-Stage reflects the dynamic theater landscape of the D.C.-area, through free performances and participatory interactions with audience members, such as a post-presentation book discussion with author Bassey Ikpi and Marc Bamuthi Joseph.
Participating theaters include the historic Ford’s Theatre, whose seasonal programming highlights the diversity of the American landscape; Mosaic Theater Company of DC, a company dedicated to producing socially relevant art; The Welders, a playwrights’ collective, currently transitioning into its third generation of theater-makers; African-American Collective Theater, dedicated to increasing visibility for the Black LGBTQ community; and many others.
This year, many of the participating theaters share the compelling stories of artists, social justice icons, innovators, and historical figures. Highlights include Monumental Theatre Company’s Montgomery, following the life of Claudette Colvin, the first African American woman to refuse to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama; and Huemanati Artist Collective’s Day Dream, a work about jazz artist Billy Strayhorn; among others.
Additional presentation spotlights include:
• Brave Soul Collective’s #BlackGayRage, An evening of performances which celebrate
black gay existence and many of the challenges faced by Black LGBTQ people
• Company Lambe-Lambe’s Son Titere, a fusion of street puppetry and Mexican folk music
• Project 2020’s The Last Battle of the American Revolution, a medley of scenes from
stage works that celebrate and relate events from the struggle for Women’s Voting Rights in the United States
• Voices Unbarred’s Dear America: A Disconnect Between Perception & Truth,
exploring the perception of inmates versus the reality, engage with real stories of our
participants, and help brainstorm potential solutions to the issues raised.
Below is the full roster of participating theaters. All family friendly shows take place Saturday morning and afternoon. For the schedule, please visit the festival website.
4615 Theatre
Adventure Theatre MTC
African-American Collective
Theater (ACT)
Arts on the Horizon
ArtStream, Inc.
Baltimore Playwrights Festival
Best Medicine Rep
Bowie State University and
Kent State University
Brave Soul Collective
Briar Road Productions
Catholic University of America
Company Lambe-Lambe
Conscience Drama Directive
Crash of Rhinos
D.R. Creative Collab
Dance and Bmore
Factory 449
Federal Theatre Project
Ford’s Theatre
FRESHH Inc.
Georgetown University
Guillotine TheatreCompany
Happy Theater
Huemanati Artist Collective
InterAct Story Theatre
Liberated Muse Arts Group
MetroStage
Monumental Theatre Company
Mosaic Theater Company
Naked Theatre Company
Nu Sass Productions
One Off Productions
Pinky Swear Productions
Pipeline Playwrights
Playwrights Collaborative
Playwrights Group of Baltimore
Project 2020
Radiator Productions
Rainbow Theatre Project
Reliant Theatre
Rep Stage
Safe Streets Arts Foundation
Scena Theatre
Seventh Street Playhouse
Sir Harvey Fitz Productions
Spooky Action Theater
Synetic Theater
The Highwood Theatre
The In Series
The Indian Ocean Theatre
Company
The Interrobang Theatre Company
The Law Theater Project
The Rose Theatre Co.
The Washington Rogues
The Welders
Theatre Prometheus
Theatre51
Three Princes Theatre
Tonic Theater Company
Too Much Damn (TMD) Theater
Transformation Theatre, Inc.
Unexpected Stage Company
Unknown Penguin
Venus TheatreCompany
Voices Unbarred
Washington Improv Theater
Washington Stage Guild
Washington Women in Theatre
Young Playwrights’ Theater (YPT)
PAGE-TO-STAGE PROGRAMMING
Saturday, August 30 through Monday, September 2, 2019
Schedule and artists subject to change.
For the most up-to-date schedule, please visit the Festival website.
Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Doors open 30 minutes prior to the start of each free and non-ticketed performance. Seating is limited and subject to availability. Family friendly readings are specified in the listings below. All other events are not aimed at children and likely have adult language and themes. Age recommendations have been determined by the company.
4615 Theatre: The Infinite Tales, adapted and directed by Gregory Keng Strasser
Adventure Theatre MTC: The Velveteen Rabbit by Patrick Flynn, directed by Jenna Duncan
African-American Collective Theater (ACT): Come To Find Out…, written and directed by Alan Sharpe
Arts on the Horizon: Squeakers and Mr. Gumdrop, written and directed by Natalie Cutcher and Amanda Forstrom
ArtStream Company: Poof! The Heist at Harrington Manor by Elizabeth Cronin, Annie
Coffman, and Catlin Caplinger, directed by Elizabeth Cronin
Baltimore Playwrights Festival: That Woman by William Triplett, directed by George Andre Tittle
Bassey Ikpi: Telling The Truth But I’m Lying by Bassey Ikpi
Best Medicine Rep: The Fifth Date by Lori Boyd, directed by Lynn Sharp Spears
Bowie State University and Kent State University: How Can I Say This So You Will Stay by Morgan McGuire, directed by Susan Einhorn
Brave Soul Collective presents: #BlackGayRage, by Alan Sharpe, Monte J. Wolfe, Anthony Green, Jared Shamberger, directed by Monte J. Wolfe, Alan Sharpe, Jared Shamberger
Briar Road Productions: Conference Room A, written and directed by Jennifer Williams
Catholic University of America: MFA Playwrights, written and directed by Kelly Armstrong and Caroline Reilly
Company Lambe-Lambe: Son Titere, written and directed by Cecilia Cackley and Francisco Benavides
Conscience Drama Directive: Seen and Unseen by James H. Fox, directed by Marietta Hedges
Crash of Rhinos: Bah Humbug: A Christmas Carol Reboot, written and directed by Mike Harris
D.R. Creative Collab: The Gift, written and directed by Rachel Grossman and Tosin Olufolabi; and Nice & Lily by Rachel Grossman, directed by Danielle A. Drakes
Dance and Bmore: Voices of Carmen, written and directed by Clay Philip
Factory 449: Thank you, Dad by Aladrian C. Wetzel, directed by Rick Hammerly
Federal Theatre Project: In a Cloudless Sky, written and directed by Kevin Finkelstein
Ford’s Theatre: Jimmy (Becoming Katherine Hepburn) by Jessica Dickey, directed by Shana Cooper
FRESHHInc Theatre Company: A Compulsion for Breathing by Nina Angela Mercer, directed by Tanisha Christie
Georgetown University: Fandom For Robots by Rachel Linton, directed by Vanessa Gilbert
Guillotine Theatre Company: Classics and the Cutting Edge: What Happens Stays and Rape Upon Rape by Cate Brewer and Henry Fielding, directed by Catherine Aselford
Happy Theater: Nest, written and directed by Natasha Mirny
Huemanati Artist Collective: Day Dream, written and directed by Barry Moton
InterAct Story Theatre: The Ballad of Bobtail Bong Bong, written and directed by Ali Oliver-Krueger
Liberated Muse Arts Group: Color in a Sphere of Monochome by Khadijah Z. Ali-Coleman, Susan O’Hara, Deidre Gantt, Kelly Canavan, Tichaona Chinyelu, and Daphne Valcin, directed by Zhadijah Z. Ali-Coleman
MetroStage: Cousin Bella Whore of Minsk by Sherman Yellen, directed by Carolyn Griffin
Monumental Theatre Co: Montgomery by Britt Bonney, directed by Kevin McAllister
Mosaic Theater Company of DC: Inherit The Windbag by Alexandra Petri, directed by Lee Mikeska Gardner
Naked Theatre Company: River Rouge by Andy Boyd, directed by Kevin Place
Nu Sass Productions: Nu Drafts by Angela Kay Pirko and others, directed by TBD
One Off Productions: Company K, written and directed by Lisa Hodsoll
Pinky Swear Productions: The Regular by Bob Barlett, directed by Ryan Maxwell
Pipeline Playwrights: Unfocused by Jean Koppen, directed by Jordan Friend; Rebellion in the Heartland by Patricia Connelly, directed by Catherine Tripp
Playwrights Collaborative: Collaborative Shorts, written and directed by Members of
Playwrights Collaborative
Playwrights Group of Baltimore: The Bridge Plays by Susan Middaugh, Rich Espey, Rosemary Toohey, Dwight Cook, John Conley, SJ, Kevin Kostic, Amy Bernstein, self-directed
Project 2020: The Last Battle of the American Revolution by Kimberley Lynne, directed by John Judy
Radiator Productions: Radiator, written and directed by Craig Houk
Rainbow Theatre Project: Blue Camp by Tim Caggiano and Jack Calvin Hanna, directed by Christopher Janson
Reliant Theatre: Mine to Take by Matthew Marcus and Lily Kerrigan, directed by Emily Sucher
Rep Stage: E2 by Bob Bartlett, directed by Joseph W. Ritsch
Safe Streets Arts Foundation: Jailhouse Confessions: Bloodcurdling and Bizarre Stories from the Lock-Up by Tom Kropp, Michael Brown, Gigi Smith, and other prisoners, directed by Dennis Sobin
Scena Theatre: Sea by John Fosse, directed by Robert McNamara
Seventh Street Playhouse: The Eaton Woman, written and directed by Anthony E. Gallo
Sir Harvey Fitz Productions: Reflections by Dan Teano, directed by Harvey Fitz; Poetic Vibes, written and directed by Harvey Fitz
Spooky Action Theater: Bread by Jaclin Enchin, directed by Shanara Gabrielle
Synetic Theater: The Tempest by Nathan Weinberger, directed by Paata Tsikurishvili
The Highwood Theatre: Community: Growing Through Change, written and directed by The Highwood Theatre
The In Series: Stormy Weather by Sybil Williams, directed by Alison Wong
The Indian Ocean Theatre Company: Passing by John Sowalsky, directed by Harley Venton
The Interrobang Theatre Company: Here We Are by Jen Diamond, directed by Katie Hileman
The Law Theater Project: Professor Ginsburg’s Trumpet, Frontiero v. Richardson, The Play by Dr. Samantha M. McDermitt, directed by Mr. Eddie Page
The Rose Theatre Co.: The Murder on The Links by Agatha Cristie, adapted from the novel by Leslie Kobylinski, directed by Leslie Kobylinski
The Washington Rogues: Reasons for Leaving by Jenny Lane, directed by Ryan Taylor
The Welders: the earth, that is sufficient, written and directed by Annalisa Dias; and Welders 3.0: A Look Ahead by Cat Frost, Farah Lawal Harris, Teshonne Powell, Sisi Reid, JR Russ, and Jared Shamberger
Theatre Prometheus: You Were Mine by Rachel Lynett, directed by Sarah Pultz
Theatre51: Now to Ashes by Renae Erichsen-Teal and Sarah Pultz, directed by Sarah Pultz
Three Princes Theatre: Juniper Jones and the Rocket She Built by David J. Hills, directed by Ben Kleymeyer
Tonic Theater Company: Places by Romy Nordinger, directed by Cailin Heffernan
Too Much Damn (TMD) Theater: “Airquote Ladylike” Vol. 2 – Concert of Women Musical
Theater Creators by Various Playwrights, Lyricists, and Composers, directed by Bryanda Minix; and Use Your Words by four young playwrights, ages 5-12, directed by Marketa Nicholson
Transformation Theatre, Inc.: Gas/Food/Lodging by Bob Bartlett, Audrey Cefaly, DW Gregory, directed by Jenny Male
Unexpected Stage Company: Pelicans by David Johnston, directed by Christopher Goodrich
Unknown Penguin: What She Said by Patrick Flynn & Michelle Polera, directed by Patrick Flynn
Venus Theatre Company: The Powers That Be, written and directed by Deborah Randall
Voices Unbarred: Dear America: Disconnect Between Perception & Truth by Men of Cohort 32, directed by Allison Frisch
Washington Improv Theater: I Wrote That by Ryan Brookshire, Elaine Colwell, Elizabeth Fulton, Isabel Galbraith, Tim Harkin, Nina Hsu, Kristina Martinez, Olivia Martinez, Jordana Mishory, Jamal Newman, Joe Randazzo, directed by Jordana Mishory
Washington Stage Guild: Dead Air by Greg Jones Ellis, directed by Bill Largess; and A Thing of Beauty by D.W. Gregory, directed Steven Carpenter
Washington Women in Theatre: Stella Adler by Sidra Rausch, directed by Karen Berman
Young Playwrights’ Theater (YPT): In the Mind of a 21-Year-Old Art Student by Nevaeh
Edwards, directed by Farah Lawal Harris
TICKET INFORMATION
For the schedule, please visit the Festival website.
Page-to-Stage is FREE and open to the public. No tickets required. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Seating is limited and subject to availability. Doors open 30 minutes prior to the start of each performance. There is no free parking for free events.
Need a Lift?
The free Kennedy Center Shuttle, the Center’s link to Metro’s Foggy Bottom/George Washington University/Kennedy Center Metro station (blue/orange/silver lines), departs every 15 minutes from 9:45 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., Monday –Thursday; 10 a.m. to midnight, Fridays and Saturdays; noon to 11 p.m., Sundays; and 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Federal holidays. Free parking is not available when attending free events.
FUNDING CREDITS
Page-to-Stage is made possible by Share Fund.
