2021-2022 Season Brochure

2021-2022 SEASON

WELCOME BACK TO

A BRAND NEW STUDIO

FRIENDS, Though from the outside Studio may have seemed quiet since our last production in March 2020, for those of us who work here it has been anything but.

We took this time to launch a full-tilt renovation of our home in Logan Circle. So, as we prepare to welcome you back to a space that feels at once familiar and brand new, we’re breaking new ground both metaphorically and also quite literally.

Among the changes that will greet you next season are a reengineered and fully versatile flagship theatre, a café and bar for round-the-clock gathering, community lounges, and a host of upgrades to building systems and theatre technology that you won’t see, but will enhance your theatregoing experience tremendously.

We’ve planned a season that meets this moment with ambition, excitement, and vision. Our productions include an inventive theatre-meets-installation piece about refugee brothers on an epic journey; a world premiere by an ascendent young playwright poised for her breakout; the winner of the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Drama; a sweeping story about recovery to inaugurate our reimagined theatre space; and an acclaimed exploration of race and friendship tested by a radical social experiment.

We’re eager to welcome you back after such a prolonged time apart. Rest assured that your wellbeing is our top priority, and we’re taking every measure to assure that we can enjoy live theatre together comfortably and safely.

The 2021-2022 season will be a momentous one for Studio. I hope you’ll join us.

Yours,

DAVID MUSE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

fli

gh t

FLIGHT BY VOX MOTUS DIRECTED BY JAMIE HARRISON AND CANDICE EDMUNDS BASED ON THE NOVEL HINTERLAND BY CAROLINE BROTHERS ADAPTED BY OLIVER EMANUEL

DECEMBER 2, 2021 – FEBRUARY 20, 2022 STAGE 4

With their small inheritance stitched into their clothes, two children set off on an epic journey across Europe—orphaned brothers on a desperate odyssey from Afghanistan to freedom and safety.

Wearing headphones and viewing a handcrafted diorama from a personal booth, audience members are plunged into the brothers’ story of hope and survival, playing out in breathtaking, intimate miniature. Flight is an immersive installation created by Scottish innovators Vox Motus and designed by Jamie Harrison (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child magic effects and illusions designer).

An invitation to bear witness to the personal stories of two of the 300,000 displaced children who make unaccompanied journeys every year.

There are no live actors in this production. Audience me mbers will arrive at staggered times and view the play from individual boo ths with headphones.

D CANDICE EDMUND

JAMIE HARRISON AN

S

“Pulse-pounding, immersive storytelling. Strange and exquisite and intensely affecting.” —The New York Times UNDERWRITTEN BY SUSAN AND DIXON BUTLER

FLIGHT

4

2019 OUTER CR ICS CIRCL AWA FOR OUTSIT RD TANDING NEEW PLAY Leo, Dawn, Ralph, and Misha are four longtime friends and sometimes lovers who are coming into their own in the city, until a violent police encounter prompts Leo to suggest an audacious experiment that unmasks long-simmering secrets among the group. Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks brings her bold sense of humor and history to a story about four thirtysomethings in a not-at-all post-racial world.

WHITE NOISE BY SUZAN-LORI PARKS DIRECTED BY REGINALD L. DOUGLAS

JANUARY 12 – FEBRUARY 20, 2022 MILTON THEATRE

eviscerating new s s’ rk Pa ri Lo nza Su “The brilliance of is that underneath the finely crafted, play White Noise y apparent realism of its surface, its often sharply funn away into archetype.” —Vulture roots stretch deep

SUZAN-LORI PARKS

LAS

REGINALD L. DOUG

UNDERWRITTEN BY AMY WEINBERG AND NORBERT HORNSTEIN

WHITE NOISE

6

PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS

DUNCAN MACMILLAN PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS BY DUNCAN MACMILLAN DIRECTED BY DAVID MUSE

MARCH 16 – APRIL 24, 2022 VICTOR SHARGAI THEATRE

DAVID MUSE

Emma is an actress. She also has an addiction, and it’s trying to kill her. In rehab, but not ready for recovery, Emma just wants to escape—through drugs, through performing, through anything that lets her make her own reality. David Muse inaugurates the Victor Shargai Theatre with a stunning production that evokes the vivid and disorienting world of intoxication and lies as Emma decides whether to fight for her recovery and the people, places, and things she’ll face there.

“Duncan leaves yoMacmillan’s thri lli u scrapin —The Ne g the insng, devastating p w York T ides of yo l imes, Crit ics’ Pick ur soul.”ay

UNDERWRITTEN BY JOAN AND DAVID MAXWELL

PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS

8

JOHN PROCTOR IS THEVILLAIN

Things are unsettled at Helen County High in rural Georgia—rumors are swirling around a student’s dad, another student blew up her life and left for Atlanta, and Mr. Smith’s junior English class has to make it through sex ed before they can finally start The Crucible. But what one man calls a witch hunt, a young woman calls the truth, and when the teens start questioning what really happened in Salem, everything threatens to change. A new play from a major new voice, John Proctor is the Villain captures a generation in mid-transformation, running on pop music, optimism, and fury—writing their own coming of age story.

JOHN PROCTOR IS THE VILLAIN BY KIMBERLY BELFLOWER DIRECTED BY MARTI LYONS

APRIL 27 – JUNE 5, 2022 MEAD THEATRE

E R E I M E R P D L R WO

“For two hours, was happening it felt like something —Mary McNama, not being performed.” ra, Los Angeles Times

KIMBERLY BELFLOWER

UNDERWRITTEN BY DR. MARK EPSTEIN AND AMORETTA HOEBER AND TERESA AND DAN SCHWARTZ

MARTI LYONS

JOHN PROCTOR IS THE VILLAIN

10

funny.” y l g n i t i b eview l and “Flavorfu —New York Stage R

It’s August in Memphis, time to crown the new Hot Wing King. Backed by his best friends and boyfriend Dwayne, who serve as his fry crew The New Wing Order, Cordell has a feeling that this is his year. But then a family emergency throws Dwayne’s nephew into the house on prep night, one of his crew starts messing with the seasoning, and suddenly Cordell’s future is in danger of going up in flames. Winner of the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Katori Hall (The Mountaintop) has written a fresh and fierce comedy about the risk and rewards of celebrating who you are.

THE HOT WING KING

BY KATORI HALL DIRECTED BY STEVE H. BROADNAX III

JUNE 22, – JULY 31, 2022 VICTOR SHARGAI THEATRE

KATORI HALL

2021 PU

LITZER

STEVE H. BROADNAX III

PRIZE F OR DRA

UNDERWRITTEN BY ALBERT G. LAUBER AND CRAIG HOFFMAN

MA

THE HOT WING KING

12

SPONSORS Studio Theatre’s 2021–2022 season is made possible through the generosity of our Season Sponsors. This dynamic group of individuals understands the value of producing powerful contemporary work in intimate spaces and invests in Studio’s innovative projects and initiatives. We are grateful for their generosity and investment in Studio.

2021-2022 SEASON SPONSORS SUSAN AND DIXON BUTLER DR. MARK EPSTEIN AND AMORETTA HOEBER DAVID AND JEAN HEILMAN GRIER SARI HORNSTEIN KATHLEEN KUNZER ROSENZWEIG AND PAUL ROSENZWEIG ALBERT G. LAUBER AND CRAIG HOFFMAN JOAN AND DAVID MAXWELL TERESA AND DAN SCHWARTZ THE SHARE FUND STEVE AND LINDA SKALET BOBBI AND RALPH TERKOWITZ MARK TUSHNET AND ELIZABETH ALEXANDER AMY WEINBERG AND NORBERT HORNSTEIN

13

S T U D I O T H E AT R E

COVID SAFETY ATTENDING A SHOW Patrons must show proof that they are fully vaccinated at the time of entry into our theatres. Masks are required to enter the building.

Acceptable proof of vaccination is a physical copy or a digital photo of your vaccination card.

This policy is in effect through December 2021. This date is subject to change and will be reviewed by aligned venues in October.

HVAC SYSTEM In addition to the above precautions, Studio has also upgraded its HVAC system as part of our Open Studio renovations. The system is brand new and uses hospital grade MERV13 air filters, for superior air filtration.

EXEMPTIONS Theatres will offer exemptions for those unable to be vaccinated, such as children under 12, people with medical conditions, or those whose religious beliefs prevent vaccination. Those who cannot get vaccinated due to these reasons may instead present a COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of the performance start time, or a negative COVID-19 antigen test taken within 6 hours of the performance start time.

Read more about COVID safety protocols on our FAQ page at studiotheatre.org/faq.

Andrea Harris Smith in Pipeline.

Photo by C. Stanley Photography.

S T U D I O T H E AT R E

14

SUBSCRIBE TODAY Reserve your seat to experience all five plays!

Choose your day and we’ll take care of the rest.

DAY OF WEEK

ZONE A (PREMIUM) ZONE B (VALUE)

TUE/WED/THU/SUN EVENING/SAT MATINEE

$325

$275

FRI/SAT EVENING AND SUN MATINEE

$385

$350

Subscribe at studiotheatre.org/subscribe or by calling the Box Office at 202.332.3300.

All of our theatres are fully accessible. We also offer large print and Braille programs, ASL interpreted and Open Captioned performances, and assistive listening devices. For more on accessibility at Studio, visit studiotheatre.org/accessibility.

Oarabile Ditsele and the cast of The Fall. Photo by Chris Sanderson.

15

S T U D I O T H E AT R E

SUBSCRIBER BENEFITS PARKING

Early access to reserve curbside valet parking, so that your drive to Studio is a breeze.

COMPANION PASSES

DISCOUNTS

Receive 20% off additional tickets purchased throughout the season.

NO FEES

Never pay service charges or Receive a complimentary pair of tickets per account to introduce friends to Studio. handling fees.

Free, easy exchanges.

BEST SEATS

Get first choice for seating and guaranteed seat retention upon renewal.

SAVINGS

EARLY ACCESS

Get first dibs on tickets before they go on sale to the general public.

Save up to 35% off regular ticket prices.

S T U D I O T H E AT R E

16

BECOME A MEMBER AND GO INSIDE STUDIO Inside Studio members are a dedicated group of individuals who contribute to the success of Studio’s mission to share the best in contemporary theatre. In recognition of their generous support, Inside Studio members enjoy a range of experiences, including:

INSIDE LOOKS: ARTIST TALKS WITH PLAYWRIGHTS, ACTORS, AND DIRECTORS INVITATIONS TO OPENING NIGHT EVENTS COMPLIMENTARY PARKING PASSES FOR THE WASHINGTON PLAZA HOTEL SIGNED SCRIPTS FROM WORLD PREMIERE PRODUCTIONS GUIDED BEHIND-THE-SCENES TOURS Find the membership level that’s right for you and join us at studiotheatre.org/membership.

17

S T U D I O T H E AT R E

MEMBERS MAKE OUR VITAL WORK IN THE COMMUNITY POSSIBLE In keeping with Studio’s brand of storytelling, our performance spaces are characteristically intimate, allowing ticket sales to make up only half of Studio’s revenue—the other half comes through contributions.

Giving a gift today, you can generate positive impact throughout our community by joining fellow theatre-goers who believe in the power of theatre.

Become a member of Studio’s family today.

Together, our members help fuel: Our on-stage programming, enjoyed by more than 65,000 people annually.

The creation of new work through Studio R&D, our incubator and commissioning program.

This season’s student matinee program, providing schools with access to virtual viewings of select Studio mainstage productions that align with core curriculum guidelines.

Ticket affordability initiatives, through partners like the DC Public Library, to ensure our work is accessible to community members across the DC-metro area.

Professional development through Studio’s Apprenticeship program, which prepares early-career professionals to excel in the theatre industry at places like Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, Milwaukee Rep, and Roundabout Theatre Company.

Good Bones workshop with (L to R) Director Psalmayene 24, Playwright James Ijames, Community Organizer Sabiyha Prince, and Literary Director Adrien-Alice Hansel.

S T U D I O T HFLIGHT E AT R E

18 18

STUDIO THEATRE @STUDIO_THEATRE @STUDIOTHEATRE

SUBSCRIBE TODAY 202.332.3300 STUDIOTHEATRE.ORG

DAVID MUSE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR REBECCA ENDE LICHTENBERG MANAGING DIRECTOR

1501 14TH NW WASHINGTON, DC 20005

STUDIO THEATRE

NON-PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID WASHINGTON DC PERMIT 1273