BACKSTAGE
Round House Theatre Donor Newsletter | Fall 2026 | Issue 32
London Tour
Cult of Love
Adult Classes at Round House
GREETINGS FROM OUR LEADERSHIP DEAR FRIEND, This is our first newsletter since officially launching our 50th Anniversary Season. We’ve already had the pleasure of sharing so many special moments with you, and we’re thrilled to celebrate more in the months ahead. As you probably know, we are commemorating 50 years with 50 free events for our community. From behind-the-scenes opportunities to memorable play readings, an array of classes, special events, and much more, we are grateful to be able to offer so many incredible events totally free of charge, all thanks to the support of donors like you. Don’t miss a recap of the 50 for 50 events that we’ve enjoyed to date on pages 3-5 and mark your calendars for many more to come. The 2026-2027 Season started with a bang as we co-produced August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom with our friends at Olney Theatre Center. Our popular Inside Look was enhanced with Olney supporters and 50 guests from the community joining us for a sneak peek into the production, essentially tripling the excitement for this electrifying production. A sold-out Opening Night capped off this perfect start to a remarkable season—check out photos from both events on pages 18-19. Next up, we’re excited to produce Cult of Love by Leslye Headland, following its Broadway premiere last year. This play continues our trend of producing unconventional holiday fare that is not only entertaining and thought-provoking but can also help those for whom the holidays can be difficult to feel a little less alone. Artistic & Dramaturgical Advisor Naysan Mojgani offers some insight into how Cult of Love fits into our niche of “non-jolly holiday programming” on page 8-9. Round House Education offers learning opportunities for all ages. Our adult classes give people the chance to build new skills, from comedy and improv to stage combat. Theatre classes offer something for people from all backgrounds—even risking vulnerability by deciding to try something new as an adult builds emotional resilience and opens up a world of new possibilities well after formal education has ended. Learn more about adult theatre classes on page 14. Finally, we have just returned from two weeks across the pond leading Round House’s annual London Tours. These trips are a highlight of each year as we get to enjoy unique theatre and cultural experiences, excellent food, and most importantly, the chance to get to know fellow travelers on a much deeper level. Get a glimpse into this year’s trip on pages 16-17, and make your plans to join us next year! There is so much to celebrate this season thanks to your ongoing support, and we’re just getting started. See you at the theatre!
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RYAN RILETTE
ED ZAKRESKI
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
FOR
5050 To celebrate our 50th anniversary, Round House is presenting 50 free theatrical experiences to honor the community we call home. We were delighted to welcome 50 members
30 students joined us for free student
of the public to the Inside Look for August
tickets to our Teen Night, on the first Friday
Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom; bringing an
performance of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.
electricity to the event!
In September, audiences joined for the first of
We also welcomed 50 lucky people to our
four “Round House Rewind” readings, Wedding
Tech Rehearsal for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,
Band, sponsored by an Anonymous Donor in
sponsored by Nan Beckley, where they were
honor of Ryan Rilette. We brought back familiar
able to see the final moments of the play being
faces and new faces, all directed by the newest
choregraphed by Greg Geffrard, the Associate
artist Board Member, KenYatta Rogers.
Director and Intimacy/Fight Director of the production. 50 people attended the first Thursday
Mark your calendar and visit RoundHouseTheatre.org to sign up for these future 50 for 50 events:
performance of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom for free—sponsored by The Share Fund—and raved about the production.
Round House Rewind Dec 7, 2026: Escape from Happiness by George Walker Feb 8, 2027: Nixon’s Nixon by Russell Lees May 3, 2027: Ironbound by Martyna Majok
Revisit Round House favorites from the last 50 years through staged readings that bring acclaimed works back to life in intimate settings throughout the season, while celebrating the artists and productions that helped define Round House’s history.
The readings of Escape from Happiness, Nixon’s Nixon, and Ironbound are sponsored by John and Val Wheeler.
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Homebound Revisited Jun 21, 2027
Return to one of the most memorable chapters in Round House history with a free screening of the complete 10-episode Homebound, along with a new episode set seven years later, followed by a live onstage conversation with original writers and cast members.
Homebound Revisited is sponsored by John and Val Wheeler.
Mainstage Tickets In addition to our usual Pay-What-You-Can and Two-for-One Tuesday discounts, Round House will offer 50 free tickets to the first Thursday performance of each mainstage show, selected by random drawing. Entry registration will open three weeks prior to a show’s opening, and winners will be drawn one week prior to the performance.
Free tickets to Thursday performances are sponsored by The Share Fund.
Tech Rehearsal Look-Ins Jan 21, 2027: Chinese Republicans Apr 8, 2027: Baby Shower Katie
Get a rare glimpse of the production process as a show comes together, from staging and design to the final technical elements.
All Tech Rehearsal Look-Ins are sponsored by Nan Beckley.
BACKSTAGE TOURS Nov 29, 2026 and Jun 13, 2027
Go behind the scenes and see the spaces, tools, and teamwork that turn bold ideas into live theatre.
INSIDE LOOKS
Oct 27, 2026: Cult of Love Jan 5, 2027: Chinese Republicans Feb 6, 2027: The Camp Silver Lake Jamboree Massacre | PRESENTED BY THE TEEN PERFORMANCE COMPANY Mar 30, 2027: Baby Shower Katie May 18, 2027: The White Chip Get a behind-the-scenes, advance look at our upcoming shows at our Inside Look events, featuring a discussion with the director, cast, and designers. These intimate events—normally an exclusive perk for Round House donors—will be opened to 50 members of the public, offering a sneak peek at the creative choices and design elements of each show. 4
The Inside Look for Cult of Love is sponsored by Ann Gilbert. The Inside Look for The White Chip is sponsored by an anonymous donor.
LOBBY EVENTS
Oct 26, 2026: Drag Bingo & Halloween Costume Contest Feb 22, 2027: Karaoke Night Join us for casual, community-centered gatherings that bring audiences and artists together in the theatre’s shared spaces.
TEEN NIGHTS Nov 20, 2026: Cult of Love Jan 29, 2027: Chinese Republicans Apr 16, 2027: Baby Shower Katie Jun 4, 2027: The White Chip
Create space for young people to experience theatre together, connect with artists, and make Round House their own. Learn more and reserve tickets here.
Additional dates to be announced for Homecoming Celebrations, the upcoming Bonnie Hammerschlag National Capital New Play Festival Readings, Open Classes, and more.
THANK YOU TO OUR GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY SPONSORS
Nan Beckley; Heidi and Mitch Dupler; Gil and Rona* Eisner; Jay and Robin Hammer; Manfred M Hein* and Florence H Hein*; Linda Ravdin and Don Shapero; David and Sherry Smith; and Judy and Leo Zickler. *in memoriam
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L
ike a play, every family has its characters, and you know them all: there’s the dreamer, the fixer, the social butterfly, the responsible one, the person who always knows where everything is, and he
person who thinks it costs too much For the next ten weeks, we’re inviting you behind the scenes to meet the family. Round House is made of people who believe that theatre matters and that it should be accessible to everyone. Our artists, educators, technicians, marketers, administrators, volunteers, board members, and audiences all show up so we can be together to share stories. This year, our family has an extraordinary story to tell: 50 years together. For five decades, in multiple venues, and under three brilliantly different artistic directors, people have gathered at Round House to tell stories, take risks, make discoveries, laugh, argue, learn, and see the world a through each other's eyes a little bit.
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This year, we’re introducing you to the people and groups who make Round House happen today and who will carry it into its next 50 years. Over the next ten weeks, we'll introduce you to the Dreamer, who determines what stories we tell; the Fixer, who makes the impossible happen; the Social Butterfly, who gets audiences through our doors; Mom’s Side of the Family, who brings theatre to young people and our community; and the Responsible Ones, who think about how we sustain this family for another 50 years. And yes, you’ll meet the Money Person, who will tell you something important: Your ticket is only one part of what makes Round House possible. Your generosity supports artists and education, keeps the lights on, welcomes audiences, enables artistic risk, and helps sustain the institution we all love. In other words, your gift makes you part of the family. Along the way, we’ll share behind-the-scenes stories, historical treasures, unexpected glimpses into Round House, and some special opportunities connected to our 50th Anniversary celebration. By the end of these ten weeks, we hope you’ll see Round as a community you help make possible. Families can be complicated. They can be noisy, passionate, and occasionally dysfunctional, but the best ones show up for each other. Will you help us keep the family going? With gratitude, The Round House Family P.S. Our holiday production, Cult of Love, is also about family—the complicated, hilarious, occasionally exasperating kind. It opens November 18, so it seemed only appropriate that we spend the fall introducing you to our own.
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OF
CULT
BY LESLYE HEADLAND
“BAH HUMBUG!”: HOLIDAY SHOWS FOR THE REST OF US
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By NAYSAN MOJGANI, Artistic & Dramaturgical Advisor
t’s a treasured tradition for families and students across America. Every December, we put on our nice sweaters, scrub the children behind the ears, and go see A Christmas Carol on stage. Or perhaps your school, like mine, would pack buses full of kids to go see The Nutcracker every year. Or you might prefer the stage adaptations of the movies you grew up watching: Miracle on 34th Street, It’s a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Story, White Christmas... Or maybe this year you mix it up and go see something totally new and different, like Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Christmas Carol. Or A Christmas Scarol. Or A Commedia Christmas Carol. Or A Don’t Hug Me Christmas Carol, A Seussified Christmas Carol, Christmas Carol High School, Our Christmas Carol, Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story, or Ebenezer Scrooge’s Big [Your Town Here] Christmas Show!. (Concord, the largest theatrical licensing house, lists about 50 different versions of the Dickens classic.)
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There are a lot of options to choose from, all guaranteed to fill you with as much Christmas cheer as a dozen sugar plums. But not everyone is necessarily looking for a cheery holiday season. This time of year can be challenging for many people, which is why Round House has established our own tradition of nonjolly holiday programming. The Seafarer dropped us into a house of reprobates spending Christmas drinking and gambling. A Hanukkah Carol, or GELT TRIP! The Musical invited our Jewish patrons to lead the festivities. Last season, Rules for Living made psychological dysfunction and family fights fun. And this year, we’re producing the regional premiere of Cult of Love. Leslye Headland’s recent Broadway hit places us in the Dahl household at Christmas, full of warmth, cheer, and music. Parents Ginny and Bill are overjoyed to have all their children and their spouses under the roof together for the holidays. But, as with any family, there are
LOVE DIRECTED BY RYAN RILETTE
Christmas and other winter holidays are rooted in the winter solstice: lights in the darkness, during the coldest and darkest time of year, bringing hope when we need it most. For many of us, that “light” is found with our loved ones. But for many others, like the Dahls, our families can be just as cold as the winter outside our windows. If that’s you—or you just need a reminder to be grateful that it’s not you—this might be just the holiday show you need. resentments and old scars and deep conflicts—no matter how many cookies and family singalongs they try to mask them with. Cult of Love is funny and touching, but it is also a portrait of a family torn apart by their refusal to acknowledge painful truths.
Whether the holidays are joyous or a burden, we hope you spend some of them here at Round House. Especially if you’re a bit of a humbug. We are, after all, a theatre for everyone. 9
, e v i t c e l l o c e r ego death theat e h t d n a , r e h e l l e K Carol n e e T e s u o H d n u Ro y n a p m o C e c n a Perform 10
Round House’s Associate Director of Development for Operations and Analysis, Patrick Joy, sits down with Teen Performance Company Alum, Carol Kelleher to learn more about her journey in starting her own theatre company in Chicago. PATRICK JOY: Hi Carol, thanks for taking the time to meet with me! First off, can you share how you were involved in the Teen Performance Company (TPC) here at Round House? CAROL KELLEHER: I was in the Teen Performance Company my junior and senior year of high school, which was 2015 through 2017. I played Brianna in Good Kids by Naomi Iizuka. And then I played Jen in Beach Week by Diana Metzger, who is Sarah Metzger’s sister. Those shows were a lot of fun.
“To be in that space and feel like I was a professional in that space for the first time was deeply impactful and important to me.”
I originally auditioned because I knew other people who were in Chatroom [the 2014-2015 TPC Play], and I was like, that sounds like the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. And so, yeah, I had to audition for it! PJ: What about TPC struck you as being so cool or unique?
CK: I think that throughout my education as a theatre practitioner, the most important thing that I’ve learned is how to do things yourself and generate things yourself. And I think that’s what was so great about it. It’s your first sense of—yes, you’re supported by all these adults—but it was this first thing that really felt like we were generating it ourselves and we were doing it ourselves. That was really, really wonderful. And also, obviously, the access to all of the people and spaces that you have access to for free is crazy. I mean, I do not know of another experience like that. Particularly in an area like Bethesda, where a lot of things are very out of reach in terms of their price point. PJ: I’m glad you said that, because we have been looking, and we have yet to find any other theatre in the country that offers a program like TPC for free! I also love what you touched on about doing it all yourself. Danisha [Crosby], who is our Director of Education, but was the Production Manager— CK: —I love Danisha!
PJ: I was talking with her a couple of months ago about Teen Performance Company, and she pointed out that it is hard, but she has to let the kids fail. And in the sense of like, they have to learn for themselves why you would do A instead of B, even if they want to do B. CK: Absolutely. There’s this sense of, I think, if the adults know that you’re maybe going to fail, there’s a sense that they trust you to do it and they trust you to fail safely, which is important. PJ: Were there any specific memories that stick out from your time in the company? CK: Definitely the first time rehearsing in the space, on the stage, because I had been going to see Round House shows for years. I remember the first show I saw was A Wrinkle in Time. So that was probably like, we’re talking like 2010 or something like that. Then to be in that space and feel like I was a professional in that space for the first time was deeply impactful and important to me. PJ: I hear that a lot from TPC alums! How did your experience with the company shape your path? CK: I work in arts education. I’ve worked in education for a while for my day job. Before joining the Chicago Symphony, I was a piano teacher and all sorts of other things. I think TPC has really shaped how I feel about the importance of arts education, not just through a theatrical lens, but in general. Yes, I ended up going into theatre, but I think arts education, having experiences like I did [at] Round House, shaped me as a human being, as a person, and as a member of society, and as a person who wants to participate civically. It has really shaped how I feel about the importance of education. It’s not just teaching a specific art, but it’s teaching you how to be a person.
“Having experiences like I did [at] Round House, shaped me as a human being, as a person, and as a member of society.”
PJ: That’s beautiful. It really is so much more than just mounting a production! So, once you finished with TPC,
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A group of last year’s company headed off to college all across the country this fall. We’ll be sure to interview them 10 years later too!
where’d you head next?
CK: After graduating high school I went to Illinois State University to study SANAA: University at Buffalo theatre. They have a majoring in Music Theatre program there called Free Stage that I was ANDREA: Towson University the president of. They studying Jazz/Commercial Performance and Music Education basically mount fulland is part of the color guard for scale fringe festivals the marching band! every semester that are entirely student ALEXANDER: Carnegie Mellon run, student directed, University studying Theater Design and Production student produced, student acted, student TOBY: Ithaca College studying designed all these Theatrical Production and Design. things. And then they Also playing Club Soccer and Club Rugby put on like 7 to 10 shows a semester. ANA: Savannah College of Art and That really gave me Design my first taste of producing, and like I said, the importance of figuring out how to generate your own work and to do things yourself; I really enjoyed that. I moved to LA for two years and I hated it so much because I sort of thought that doing film and theatre were interchangeable and they are just not at all. I just did not find any passion there. I love Chicago’s legacy of sort of storefront and do-it-yourself and pulling your theatre up by its bootstraps. So, I moved then to Chicago in 2023 to start ego death theatre collective with my friend Ben and we’ve been at it ever since. PJ: I’m so intrigued by the name of your company. What does ‘ego death’ mean to you? CK: Yeah, that name can alarm people! Something that we talk about a lot is that Chicago is such an ensembledriven city.
“What we really try to focus on is theatre that makes you ask difficult questions.” 12
The death of your own personal ego in service to the ensemble is always the goal. What can I do to service this greater project and this greater collaboration rather than in service to myself? It’s something we think about a lot. And then of course you have the hero’s journey: before they can rise again, they have to have their ego death. I think the biggest thing about ego death—my co-artistic director and I always talk about this—I
feel like theatre can be an echo chamber, because a lot of the people who go to see theatre are of the same or similar mindset. I feel like a lot of times people go to theatre and they walk away and they think, “yes, I am a good person. My belief system is reinforced. I know what was right.” I think what we really try to focus on is theatre that makes you ask difficult questions. We did Days of Rage, which is about Vietnam War protesters in the 1970s. And what I loved about it so much is it’s about people with a really righteous cause that I think everybody would agree on. The Vietnam War was an abject horror, but the question that people were forced to wrestle with is: how do you advocate for the causes you care about? And how can you make sure that you’re advocating in a way that is serving the cause and not self-serving? I just thought it was very applicable to a lot of the advocacy I see these days. Of course, they should all be entertaining and you should have a good time. We had a reviewer say—I remember this because it was my favorite review we’ve ever gotten—he was talking about how at ego death shows, he can never figure out where to draw the line ethically and morally. And that is all I want. It’s just, that’s exactly what I want to be doing. PJ: What was the process like starting a theatre company from scratch? CK: I have known that I wanted to start a theatre company since I started becoming interested in theatre in Chicago, basically, since I learned about Steppenwolf. I feel like that’s a very common Chicago story. You hear about Steppenwolf, you think, “oh my God, I want to do that.” My friend, Ben, who I went to college with, and I were just very aligned in the way we think about art and the kind of art that we’re interested in and the kind of art that excites us. So, we started talking about it. Just the two of us. And then, we decided eventually that it was… We wanted to do it so badly. And why weren’t we doing it? It is a lot of work. It is a staggering amount of work, but what I love about the way we first started it is we had an ensemble of actors who were willing to take on these admin roles, then they were guaranteed a part in this season. That’s how we worked for the first two years. Now we’re moving away from that model as we grow and have more support systems. That way, we automatically had this big community of people who were really excited and invested in its success. And that community keeps growing as we bring in more people. We did a pilot season where we did some workshops and readings over a couple months just to figure out what to do. Those were all a disaster. They were all terrible, but it gives you this baseline of what are the things that physically need to happen in order to get people into a space and have audience come into that space. Now we’re in residency at Greenhouse Theater Center in Lincoln Park, and we’re about to start our second full season there.
PJ: Congratulations! It’s funny because the people who will be reading this are obviously fans of Round House Theatre, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. And a lot of the theatre in DC is very established, unlike many Chicago theatres like ego death. So, to hear firsthand how one goes from nothing to existence is very interesting. You’d mentioned your pilot season was rocky. Were there any early successes or early stumbling blocks that you hit that you are willing to share? CK: Well, let’s see… Our first fully-staged play was in a church basement because we didn’t have any money for rent. We bought clamp lights that you see at a construction site. We put these Bluetooth lightbulbs in them. So, you can actually pre-program cues on them, which was fascinating, but they only work like 70% of the time, which is good, not great. We were running our sound through a Bluetooth speaker that our stage manager had that was hiding behind the bar of the church basement downstairs. It was tough in a lot of ways; we had no resources and it wasn’t a real theatre, and we had something like an average of 10 audience members a performance, but also I was incredibly proud of that work. It was one of my, one of my favorite things we’ve done. It was really spectacular. I miss it sometimes. Not that much, but sometimes. Not enough to go back to it! We’re starting season three, and we just became Jeff eligible, which is like the Helen Hayes awards. Our last two shows last season were Jeff eligible and we were recommended for both of them. So we were very excited about that! We’re starting out with Year One by Eric Gernand. Then we’re doing Lake House by my co-Artistic Director, Benjamin Kelly, and then we are doing Gidion’s Knot by Johnna Adams. I think one of the things I’m excited about is we have realized that we’re going to start to be able to invest a lot more in artists, which is obviously our first priority when it comes to budgets. Like we’ve got a space that’s plenty enough. But this season we’re going to be able to start investing in artists and bringing in more people, more exciting prospects. PJ: In your opinion, why is live theatre important? CK: I think that live theatre is important because it provides this opportunity for reflection on your place in the world in a way that you don’t often get. You know, people talk about how the most universal is the most specific. So, you can go see a play about people that are entirely different from you and see yourself reflected in that. I think that offers this wonderful opportunity for you to look at your life from a different angle, from a different perspective, and think about it in a way that maybe you hadn’t. At the same time, it can provide this wonderful opportunity for empathy with people that you maybe wouldn’t see yourself relating to. PJ: It’s funny you mention that, because our Artistic Director, Ryan Rilette, often talks about how theatre is an empathy
gym. The actors and the audience are all working out their empathy muscles.
“I have been guided by Round House through every aspect of my career!”
CK: Oh, just to mention that when I was starting ego death, Jesse [Aasheim], the former Production Manager got on a call with me and talked me through stuff and gave me a bunch of advice. And Ryan [Rilette, Artistic Director] also got on a call with me and talked me through a bunch of stuff. And so did Ed [Zakreski, Executive Director]! All three of them took the time, two years ago to spend time and answer my questions about how to run a theatre company and what they felt made it successful.
So, I have been guided by Round House through every aspect of my career! I know that sounds like I’m like blowing smoke, but I genuinely… I mentioned you guys in a job interview the other day, because they were asking where my love of theatre came from. I was also a Production Management Intern at Round House when I was in high school. I told this story about how when you’re an intern there’s a lot of grunt work and you’re sorting headshots, and filling out time sheets, and things. One day they asked me to put the labels on the AZT bottles for Angels in America [prop pill bottles]. I was like, “yeah, totally. I’d love to do that!” When people ask me what my favorite production I’ve ever seen, I say Angels in America at Round House Theatre. I went to go see it for like the second time, and I saw my stupid AZT bottles on stage. I was like, “I was a part of this!” I was just shocked. I don’t know, it was huge. PJ: Oh, that’s so delightful. CK: Yes. But no, I, so I literally brought that up in a job interview the other day, so you can tell it really meant a lot to me!
You can learn more about ego death theatre collective at www.egodeaththeatrecollective.org, on Instagram at @ego.death.theatre.collective, or on Facebook. Season 3 begins on November 6.
Interested in learning how you can support our Education Programs? Join us on MONTH DAY at TIME for a conversation with Danisha Crosby, Director of Education and Michael Barret Jones, Director of Development about how you can directly support programs like the Teen Performance Company and The Roundlings. Email Development@RoundHouseTheatre.org to receive your invitation!
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W ADULT CLASSES ARE THRIVING!
hen you think of Round House Education, you likely think of our teens in the Teen Performance Company or the Roundlings, or perhaps the many young people who spend a week or more of their summer with us. What you may not know is that Round House also offers a number of adult classes and they are thriving.
This year, adult classes include Casey Kaleba of Tooth and Claw Combat Arts teaching artists who are working to get professional certification in stage combat; Mark Jaster and Sabrina Mandell of Happenstance Theatre teaching physical comedy and mime; and long-time teacher Kevin Corbett teaching both beginning and advanced Improvisation. Our Dropin Friday night Improv classes have now been going on for more than two years and just continue to grow in popularity. Director of Education, Danisha Crosby, is happy to see the Education Center filled with grownups in the evening:
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It’s great to see everyone from professionals who want to grow their skills to complete novices who have been brought by a friend to their very first improv class ever. We talk about being a theatre for everyone, and I think providing ways
for adults to try out doing theatre, on whatever level, is just one more way Round House can be that theatre.” The education department plans on continuing to expand their adult offerings and will be adding an Introduction to Acting and other classes later this season. Kevin Corbett explained his thoughts on the thriving adult Improv classes this way:
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I think, in the post-COVID era, people wanted real connections. Improv classes give folks a creative challenge, a chance to be silly, and a sense of community. So much has grown from those first few drop ins, and now it’s a recognizable pattern. People try it out, like it, sign up for classes, make new friends, tell their old friends about it, bring those old friends to a drop in to play with their new friends, and then those old friends dig it & join the community. Rinse & repeat. Going to class feels more like getting together with family for some laughs.”
Join us for the next drop-in improv class on November 6 or join us for a whole semester of stage combat. Classes are open to adults of all ages! Visit RoundHouseTheatre.org/Education to learn more and sign up.
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LONDON TOUR
Each year, Round House travels across the pond to London along with 60 of its most dedicated supporters! Split into two weeks, each group of 30 attends a oneof-a-kind trip, with 5 of the best shows that London has to offer, exclusive, private interviews with artists and critics, meals at some of the best restaurants in the city, and spirited discussions about each of the shows—plus artistic and cultural tours!
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THE FIRST WEEK’S GROUP attended Electra/Persona (featuring Cate Blanchett) at the National Theatre, The Children at the Lyric Hammersmith, Into the Woods at the Noel Coward Theatre, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (starring Gillian Anderson and Billy Crudup) at @sohoplace, and The Story (featuring Letitia Wright) at the National Theatre. They had the chance to attend several private discussions led by Round House’s Artistic Director, Ryan
WEEK TWO OF THE TRIP attended Thelma and Louise at the Young Vic, Golden Boy (starring Josh O’Connor) at the Almeida Theatre, Man to Man (starring Tilda Swinton) at the Royal Court, The Cherry Orchard (starring Kristin Scott Thomas) at the Harold Pinter Theatre, and Standard of Living (starring Rory Kinnear) at the Theatre Royal Haymarket.
Rilette. They met and heard from Arifa Akbar, Chief Theatre Critic at The Guardian; Meera Syal, star of The Children; and Jordan Fein, director of Into the Woods. And, to top it all off, they had a 90-minute tour of the Victoria and Albert Museum led by the esteemed blue badge guides, and a viewing of the Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum, for its first time in England in over 900 years.
They also enjoyed a private tour of the Anish Kapoor exhibit at the Southbank Centre, and an external tour of the Tower of London with Yeoman Warders, culminating in their Ceremony of the Keys, a 700-year tradition. Each year, Round House’s London tours prove to be oneof-a-kind, featuring the best of London theatre, culture, food, and friendship!
Private interviews by Ryan Rilette included Matt Wolf, theatre critic for The New York Times and Sam Yates, director of Golden Boy.
Interested in joining us next year? Sign up for information for next year’s tour at RoundHouseTheatre.org or by emailing London@RoundHouseTheatre.org.
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or our very first 50 for 50 free event, we invited 50 members of the public to join the traditionally donorexclusive Inside Look for August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. A whopping 175 folks joined this production preview event, and the excitement among the crowd was electrifying! Attendees noted that this was the best Inside Look yet! Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom opened to a sold-out crowd of Round House and Olney Theatre Center donors, Press, friends, Round House family, and literal family—August Wilson’s daughter, Sakina Ansari, was able to join us. It was a wonderful way to start our 50th Anniversary Season!
MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM INSIDE LOOK
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Attendees get a glimpse at costume designs
Nicole Michelle Haskins (Ma Rainey)
Actor Derrick Truby (Slow Drag) responds to an audience question
Director Lili-Anne Brown
Artistic Director Ryan Rilette and the cast of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Yao Dogbe (Levee)
MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM OPENING NIGHT
Susan Dweck and Marilyn Falik
Bonnie Nelson Schwartz and Dr. Sandra Shannon, Founder and President Emerita of the August Wilson Society
Geri Kessler and Matthew Hein
Lynn Metzger, Diana Metzger, and Danisha Crosby (Director of Education)
Sakina Ansari (August Wilson's Daughter) and Yao Dogbe (Levee)
Val Wheeler
The Company of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
Ryan Rilette (Artistic Director), Linda Ravdin, and Daniel Shapero
Linda Ryan and Phyllis Meltzger
Heidi Dupler and Lorraine Bibby
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2026 2027 SEASON CHINESE AUGUST WILSON’S REPUBLICANS 50TH ANNIVERSARY
Our Golden Anniversary sponsors are Nan Beckley; Heidi and Mitch Dupler; Gil and Rona* Eisner; Jay and Robin Hammer; Manfred M Hein* and Florence H Hein*; Linda Ravdin and Don Shapero; David and Sherry Smith; and Judy and Leo Zickler. *in memoriam
MA RAINEY’S
BLACK BABY SHOWER BOTTOM KATIE By Alex Lin Directed by Desdemona Chiang January 27 – February 21, 2027 REGIONAL PREMIERE
Chinese Republicans is sponsored by J. Randall Beckers and Donna Mertens, and Leslie Grizzard and Joe Hale.
Directed by Lili-Anne Brown
September 9 – October 11, 2026
Co-produced with Olney Theatre Center
August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is sponsored by Judy and Leo Zickler.
CULT OF WHITE LOVE CHIP By Beth Hyland Directed by Jessica Fisch April 14 – May 9, 2027 WORLD PREMIERE
Part of The Bonnie Hammerschlag National Capital New Play Festival
THE
Baby Shower Katie is sponsored by Mitch and Heidi Dupler; Susan and Tim Gibson; Jay and Robin Hammer; and Robert E. Hebda.
By Leslye Headland Directed by Ryan Rilette November 18 – December 27, 2026 REGIONAL PREMIERE
Written and Directed by Sean Daniels June 2 – July 3, 2027 REGIONAL PREMIERE
Cult of Love is sponsored by The GPS Fund, Paul Henderson, and Rick Kasten.
The White Chip is sponsored by Rafael Hernandez Mayoral and Laura Roulet.
DEVELOPMENT DIRECTORY DONOR HOTLINE: 240.644.1405 Michael Barret Jones
Director of Development MJones@RoundHouseTheatre.org 240.670.8795
Katie Maurer
Associate Director of Development KMaurer@RoundHouseTheatre.org 240.644.1402
Patrick Joy
Associate Director of Development for Operations and Analysis PJoy@RoundHouseTheatre.org 240.644.1403
Natalia Fyfe
Development Associate NCumming@RoundHouseTheatre.org 240.641.5352