IN THE ROUND

Camp Arena Stage July 2016

Kathleen Turner in The Year of Magical Thinking October 2016

The cast of Moby Dick November 2016

The cast of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel.

A VIEW OF ARENA STAGE FROM ALL SIDES

EXCLUSIVE MEMBERS-ONLY NEWSLETTER No. 10FALL 2016

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NOTES FROM MOLLY AND EDGAR

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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NOTES FROM MOLLY AND EDGAR 2016/17 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS VOICES OF NOW AND CAMP ARENA STAGE DONOR SPOTLIGHT: CAROL AND RICK FROEHLICH REHEARSING AT ARENA INSIDE CAROUSEL WITH E. FAYE BUTLER CELEBRATING CAROUSEL OPENING NIGHT STAFF INTERVIEW WITH THE DEPUTY ARTISTIC DIRECTOR LILLIAN HELLMAN FESTIVAL 67TH SEASON OPENING NIGHTS MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS DEVELOPMENT STAFF DIRECTORY | BOARD OF TRUSTEES

I am inspired by the smart, diverse audiences at Arena Stage, and I love the challenge of creating dynamic seasons that energize you. The projects we produce at Arena reflect the underlying issues of today’s society and entertain at the same time. I’m looking forward to the season of

pioneering work we’re producing on Arena’s stages this season. We are a theater that focuses on American plays, American voices and American artists. We’ll be producing classics like Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun and Rodger’s and Hammerstein’s Carousel, as well as Roe and Intelligence, two political dramas. The Mead Center is designed to have conversations about the work happening in each area of the shared lobby and café. Join us for the conversations — many of you have been coming for decades and I appreciate the fact that you’ve introduced your families to Arena Stage. The other day I ran into a man who is now working in the theater in New York, and he remembers each play he saw at Arena as a young person. It’s heartening to hear stories like this. We’re 66 years old this year, and I’m energized for the next phase of Arena’s big life. I can’t thank you enough for your support as we engage our community and create productions that “stick to your ribs.” Through your commitment, you are ensuring the lasting legacy of the American canon through the powerful voices of today and the past. See you at the theater! All best,

Molly Smith, Artistic Director

Building on the momentum from last fall’s Women’s Voices Theater Festival, we believed that it was the perfect moment to revisit the works of American Giant, Lillian Hellman. In addition to Hellman’s The Little Foxes and Watch on the Rhine, we are producing five other plays written by women this season. We

are proud to celebrate diverse, strong and inclusive voices at Arena, and we are grateful to supporters like you who make this important work possible. In addition to our full productions of Hellman’s work, we are gearing up for a series of robust free events in conjunction with the Lillian Hellman Festival. Join us for play readings, panel discussions and even a video series of all-star chefs executing contemporary takes on Hellman’s recipes. At Arena, we believe that this kind of programming that extends beyond the stage makes space for further discussion and conversation — extending into our community. We are able to continue producing world-class theater and diverse outreach programs because of our supporters — our patrons, ushers and donors. You make it possible for us to showcase and celebrate the daring and inquisitive American spirit. With gratitude,

Edgar Dobie, Executive Director

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AROUND ARENA: A GLIMPSE OF THE 2016/17 SEASONTABLE OF CONTENTS

Arena’s 2016/17 season features seven plays by women, six playwrights of color and five female directors.

Board Member Lavern Chatman, Board Chair Judith Batty, Board Member Shawna Watley, Kathleen Turner, Board Member Joyce Moorehead, Board Member Lucia Riddle and Artistic Director Molly Smith celebrate Judith Batty’s new role as Arena Stage’s Board Chair.

An aerialist performs at the Season Kickoff Carnival. Families also enjoyed midway games, pony rides, face painting and a photo booth complete with a variety of costumes.

The cast of Carousel and special guests, conducted by Paul Sportelli, perform “Make Our Garden Grow” from Candide at the memorial service for Arena Stage co-founder Zelda Fichandler.

Edward Gero as Benjamin Hubbard, Gregory Linington as Oscar Hubbard, Isabel Keating as Birdie Hubbard and Marg Helgenberger as Regina Giddens engage in sibling rivalry fueled by greed in The Little Foxes.

Artistic Director Molly Smith, Marg Helgenberger and Gregory Linington on the first day of rehearsal for The Little Foxes, the first of two full productions in the Lillian Hellman Festival.

Original Music and Sound Designer Roc Lee, Director Gaye Taylor Upchurch and Lighting Designer Jesse Belsky at the first rehearsal for Joan Didion’s The Year of Magical Thinking.

Juan Winans as BeBe Winans, Kiandra Richardson as Whitney Houston and Deborah Joy Winans as CeCe Winans in Born for This: The BeBe Winans Story.

Students showcase their drumming skills during a Noontime Show at Camp Arena Stage this summer. The daily Noontime Show gives students the opportunity to show what they’ve been learning to their peers in a very supportive environment.

Photo by Arletta Charter

Photo by Greg Mooney

Photo courtesy of Arena Stage

Photo courtesy of Arena Stage

Photo courtesy of Arena Stage. Photo by Cameron Whitman Photography, LLCPhoto by C. Stanley Photography

Photo courtesy of Arena Stage

3... • FACT! magnam volupidellab inveri as reptass imagnienda dolorae perupta tempora tendaTo see videos of previous ensembles’ work, check out the Arena Stage Vimeo page at vimeo.com/arenastage.

VOICES OF NOW: CREATING POSITIVE CHANGE

Every summer, young artists aged 8-15 converge on Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School for Camp Arena Stage. This multi-arts camp is truly unique because students get to choose and create their own schedule. They can pick from over 75 classes such as aerial art, improvisation, fashion design, filmmaking, ukulele or hip-hop dance. Each day in the Noontime Show campers, staff and guest artists perform as individuals, small groups or classes. This daily show gives students the opportunity to share their work with their peers and provides a perfect venue for friends and family to support their growing artists.

This fall, Arena kicked off another season of Voices of Now (VON), a year-long, afterschool program that devises autobiographical plays with ensembles of middle-school, high-school and adult artists. The plays investigate social questions relevant to the artists and their communities with the primary goal of empowering the artists to create positive change. Previous plays have explored issues such as social justice, growth, loss, identity and personal responsibility. Participants also learn the tools of theater performance, such as movement, vocal expression and collaboration through a series of workshops. VON has grown

exponentially since its beginning in 2004. Originally created to serve one middle school, VON has expanded to serve hundreds of students in the D.C. area as well as students abroad. Through a partnership with the U.S. Department of State, members of the Arena Stage Community Engagement Department have taken the VON process to India, Croatia and Peru.

This year, VON will consist of ten ensembles within the D.C. area who will perform their original works both in their communities and in the Kogod Cradle at the Mead Center for American Theater as part of the Voices of Now Festival in May. In addition to partnering with local schools, VON collaborates with the Wendt Center for Loss and Healing to create an ensemble for grieving teenagers.

From outgoing drama enthusiasts to talented introverted writers, VON has an amazing impact on its participants. VON provides youth an opportunity to communicate their story and be heard.

— Camp Arena Stage Camper

MY FAVORITE THING ABOUT CAMP ARENA STAGE WAS SEEING MY OLD FRIENDS AND MEETING NEW ONES. WE ALL HAVE SOMETHING ALIKE – OUR LOVE OF ART.

— Voices of Now Alum

Voices of Now does more than just put young voices on stage; it provides a platform for their art to be seen and truth to be validated. The program allowed me to explore

the artist within myself and gave me the permission to use my personal stories to examine the world around me and

scream the words ‘I deserve to be heard.’

CAMP ARENA STAGE

4• FACT! magnam volupidellab inveri as reptass imagnienda dolorae perupta tempora tendaTo see videos of previous ensembles’ work, check out the Arena Stage Vimeo page at vimeo.com/arenastage. Invitations to Opening Night performances are a member benefit beginning at the Lead ($600) level. Contact the Development Office at 202-600-4177 for more information.

CAROL AND RICK FROEHLICH

Arena Stage salutes Discovery Communications for being a purpose-driven company dedicated to inspiring and entertaining others. Like Arena Stage, high-quality, mission-driven programming has been synonymous with Discovery since the company launched Discovery Channel — its first network — in 1985 with a mission to satisfy curiosity and make a difference in people’s lives. Today, that vision is the driving force behind their partnerships with a variety of civic and nonprofit organizations. Discovery Communications joins Arena this year as a sponsor of the Sixth Annual Military Thanksgiving — making it possible for 200 military members and their families to join Arena for a complimentary evening of theater. Arena Stage thanks Discovery Communications for their support and commitment to enhancing our community.

Carol and Rick Froehlich have been a part of the Arena family for many years. They’ve gone from subscribers, to donors, to sponsors of Military Thanksgiving. They took the time to share their Arena story with the Editor.

CLAIRE BANCROFT: When did you come to Arena, and what has kept you coming back? CAROL FROEHLICH: It wasn’t until I retired in 2007 that we became season ticket holders. RICK FROEHLICH: This year, though, we did something different. Instead of buying season tickets, we increased our donation level. We were getting invites to all of the opening night performances, and we had our season tickets as well, so instead, we decided to just attend the opening nights. CF: We find that at Arena, the people involved in the productions and the staff are so welcoming and friendly. At the dinner events, the people we’ve sat with have been friendly and welcoming as well, and we’ve made some great connections. And the performances! We’ve seen wonderful plays that we otherwise would never have gone to. CB: Why do you feel strongly about supporting the arts? CF: Supporting the arts is so important so that others can learn by being exposed to different kinds of productions. We don’t always get to experience different cultures, religions or lifestyles, but theater opens up exposure to all of those different experiences.

CB: What do you feel you’ve received back after giving to the arts? CF: The opportunity to be involved more is incredible. When we became season ticket holders and then bumped it up to being supporters, we were being invited to educational events, openings, and meeting new people. It really expanded our experience. RF: We are very strong believers in giving back to the community, to hopefully help others experience what we’ve been able to experience. We get a great deal of satisfaction from that. CB: Do you have a favorite Arena memory? CF: We have so many! RF: My favorite memory was when Dear Evan Hansen was playing, and one of Arena’s donors gave his entire box at the baseball game to Arena to help bring people closer together. The cast of Dear Evan Hansen was there, as well as Anne Paine West [Director of Board and Donor Relations]. She made each and every person in that box feel like they were royalty for a day. And, not just a day, actually, it’s whenever you see Anne; you feel like royalty. CF: The other great experience was when we were invited to a board member’s home and we had a breakout discussion about Arena. We discussed ideas about how to get younger people to attend and how to keep Arena vibrant and growing. Arena welcomed this opportunity to brainstorm and get ideas. We thought it was really novel to do that. We really look forward to a continued, growing relationship with Arena. Everybody is so welcoming that it makes it very easy to feel like you’re part of the family — and your feedback, thoughts and opinions are always welcome.

SPOTLIGHT ON DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

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BEHIND THE SCENES AT ARENA: OPEN REHEARSALLearn more about how a production makes its way from rehearsal to the stage at an Arena Open Rehearsal! At one of our fall Open Rehearsal events, Arena Stage members were able to observe part of a working Carousel rehearsal. This unique, behind-the-scenes opportunity gave Arena supporters a glimpse of the careful, creative preparation that every production at Arena Stage undergoes.

The afternoon began with light refreshments in the Molly Smith Study, where Deputy Artistic Director Seema Sueko engaged the attendees in a question-and-answer session, discussing the rehearsal process and Director Molly Smith’s artistic vision for the production. After the reception, the group was led upstairs to the Fichandler Stage. Carousel actors were just returning from a ten-minute break before diving back in to detailed singing and character work. Although Carousel had just started previews the night before, Director Molly Smith continued to iron out the minute details that make Arena shows one-of-a-kind.

As the group looked on, the creative team worked on some challenges posed by the unique Carousel set. With the conductor and rhythm section below the stage, and

the strings and horns overhead on a platform, they adapted to find the perfect sound levels for the music. This thorough work ensured that the actors will be able to hear the orchestration and that the audience will be able to hear a beautiful blend of instruments and voices. At the end of the rehearsal, Molly Smith and the cast applauded the audience to thank them for helping to make Carousel possible through their generosity.

Open Rehearsals are a member benefit beginning at the Ensemble ($100) level. Contact the Development Office at 202-600-4177 for more information.

Every year, generous foundations and individuals help make Arena’s pioneering work possible through grant funding and donations. Many of these foundations and individuals choose to remain anonymous, and we would like to formally thank them for their generosity. These donors provide support for Arena’s new stagings of American classics such as Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel, groundbreaking community engagement and education programs, and the creation of new works. With their help, Arena is able to inspire audiences, students and theater professionals.

Thank you to these foundations and individuals for your partnership and dedication to the growth of American theater and American voices.

SPOTLIGHT ON ANONYMOUS GIVING

Members enjoy refreshments while learning about the rehearsal process from Deputy Artistic Director

Seema Sueko.

The cast of Carousel brings the Fichandler Stage to life. Photo by Maria Baranova

6• FACT! magnam volupidellab inveri as reptass imagnienda dolorae perupta tempora tendaE. Faye Butler was honored with the 2016 Rosetta LeNoire Award for her dedication to diversity and empowerment of all theatre artists, regardless of race, sexual orientation, gender, age or ability.

MAKE A LASTING IMPACT! JOIN THE FULL CIRCLE SOCIETY!IMMERSED IN THEATER WITH E. FAYE BUTLER

CLAIRE BANCROFT: Could you tell me a little bit about your background? What brought you to the theater? E. FAYE BUTLER: My family was very focused in theater. Every weekend we had to do something as a family in the arts, whether it was cinema, fine art, the ballet, the symphony, theater. And out of all the things that we did, the thing that spoke to me the most was theater. So that’s how I got involved in the arts and the theater. We were very fortunate that my mother loved the arts.

When I told her I wanted to be an actress, my mother said ok. I never had any pushback from my parents. And so I have been very, very blessed, and I want people to know that. I am probably one of the few actors who can honestly say I’ve never had to have another job in 40 years. Since childhood, I’ve been focused on what I wanted to do, and I think that because my parents had such a positive energy about the

arts, I succeeded at what I wanted to do — being a working actor.

CB: What have you found to be particularly unique or exciting about D.C. and Arena audiences?

EFB: I think they’re very unique in D.C. I think people don’t really realize how loving, caring and smart the audiences in D.C. are. People are very open and welcoming here, and so is the theater community. I’ve never met so many philanthropists that love to give to the arts like they do in D.C. And they’re not people that give from a distance. They actually come to the theater, and they see things at the theater. The Meads were a perfect example of that.

CB: What should audiences keep an eye out for in this production?

EFB: The moments that we realize there’s hope. There is always hope. And it comes in so many forms. Carousel is a dark piece considering what we normally think of when we think about Rodgers and Hammerstein, but I think it’s beautiful. And the music is always beautiful. It’s reminiscent; it’s loving; it’s caring; it’s hope — and that’s what it’s all about.

CB: What keeps you excited about doing the show every night? EFB: When I come to the theater every night, I remember that for the people sitting in the audience, it’s their opening night. They’ve never seen it. They don’t know the story; they don’t

know the music; they don’t know the costumes; they don’t know anything. They’re sitting in a seat and ready to take a ride, and it is your responsibility and your obligation as an artist to take them on the ride. And if you remember that every night you go on, it takes you through. Remember, this particular audience will never see this particular show ever again — that’s the beauty of live theater.

SPOTLIGHT ON ANONYMOUS GIVING

Nicholas Rodriguez as Billy Begelow and E. Faye Butler as Mrs. Mullin in Carousel. Photo by Maria Baranova

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JUNE IS BUSTIN’ OUT ALL OVER - Carousel Opens at Arena

TIME magazine named Carousel the best musical of the 20th century.

Nicholas Rodriguez as Billy Begelow and Betsy Morgan as Julie Jordan learn they’re going to have a child.

Photo by Tony Powell

The Carousel ensemble revels in thoughts of whaling and sailing as they perform “Blow High, Blow Low”.

Photo by Tony Powell

Sunny Kapoor and Board Member Kay Kapoor, President, AT&T Federal and their guests.

Photo by Cameron Whitman Photography, LLC

Photo by Cameron Whitman Photography, LLC

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel is a gold-standard musical that has truly stood the test of time. Especially poignant in today’s world, Carousel asks the question: Do we deserve a chance to redeem ourselves? At the opening night performance, the audience followed Billy as he discovers that we do — despite our complicated, messy, human doings, we can be forgiven.

The audience was enthralled by Parker Esse’s dynamic, moving choreography as the ensemble leapt and twirled, creating the carousel where Billy and Julie first meet. For this production, Arena was granted permission to create a new musical arrangement, which was beautifully executed by Musical Director Paul Sportelli and the twelve expert musicians playing both above and below the stage. The hard work and collaboration between this cast and the creative

team created a captivating evening that audience members won’t soon forget.

8• FACT! magnam volupidellab inveri as reptass imagnienda dolorae perupta tempora tendaIn Carousel, Molly Smith, Nicholas Rodriguez and E. Faye Butler reunite for the first time since Arena’s 2011 production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!.

JUNE IS BUSTIN’ OUT ALL OVER - Carousel Opens at Arena

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Artistic Director Molly Smith and American Artist Award Recipient Moisés Kaufman.

Photo by Cameron Whitman Photography, LLC

Betsy Morgan (Julie) and Kate Rockwell (Carrie) celebrate Opening Night!

Photo by Cameron Whitman Photography, LLC

On November 10th, Arena Stage presented the American Artist Award to director and playwright Moisés Kaufman at a special dinner before the opening night of Carousel. The American Artist Award recognizes artists of the highest caliber, honoring their significant contributions to American theater. Previous awardees include Kathleen Turner, Edward Albee, August Wilson and Arena Stage co-founder Zelda Fichandler.

Mr. Kaufman was selected to join these greats because of his profound and provocative work which continuously pushes boundaries and sparks national conversations. His works include The Laramie Project, which helped spark our country’s first federal hate crimes legislation, and 33 Variations, which premiered at Arena Stage before it moved to Broadway.

AMERICAN ARTIST AWARD

Carousel is generously sponsored by: Additional support is provided by:

&Hank Schlosberg in memory of his wife Charlotte and George and Duffy Ftikas. Choreography is sponsored by Virginia McGehee Friend. Anonymous support is also provided for Carousel.

Carousel choreography sponsor Virginia McGehee Friend, Ken Hyle and Camille Brewer.

Photo by Cameron Whitman Photography, LLC

The cast and creative team of Carousel after the Opening Night performance.

Photo by Cameron Whitman Photography, LLC

ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE WITH DEPUTY ARTISTIC DIRECTOR SEEMA SUEKO

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Just a few months in her new role as Arena’s Deputy Artistic Director, Seema Sueko sat down with one of the Editors to discuss the power of theater and its ability to build community.

HANNAH FRIED-TANZER: What do you do as Deputy Artistic Director?

SEEMA SUEKO: I work closely with Molly Smith, our pioneering Artistic Director, and am responsible for operationalizing the artistic vision of the organization, and participating in the development of the vision, strategy and programming that advances the theater’s

position artistically, financially, and in the field. I also will direct one of the shows each season. HFT: How did you find your way to Arena? SS: Just before here, I was at Pasadena Playhouse for two and a half years as Associate Artistic Director. Prior to that, I spent a year here at Arena as a Visiting Artistic Associate on the TCG Leadership U(niversity) grant working one-on-one with Molly. And prior to that, I had founded and run a theater company in San Diego called Mo’olelo Performing Arts Company. Throughout my career, I have focused on two overarching goals: artistic excellence that creates space for all communities to engage with our art form, and pioneering new methodologies and models of theater to build thriving organizations. Arena Stage and Molly Smith are leaders in this field, and this is an organization that embodies excellence at every level. I see it in every

single department. Whether it’s writing a grant proposal or setting up a room for an event, there’s a level of excellence and integrity here that I wanted to be a part of. As an organization, we are committed to serving our communities locally and nationally and engaging in the critical conversations taking place within and outside of our field. For me, I do theater to build successful communities. I can live out that personal goal here at Arena. HFT: What excites you most about a performance of live theater? SS: Molly’s been a long-time mentor of mine, and one of the things she said to me was: “Talk about the world, and the artists will find their way.” When we feel we’re experiencing a piece of theater that is so electric, I imagine that’s because all of the artists engaged on that project are engaged with the world and aware of how their role is connected to something bigger: building a better world, contributing to the

Seema is also an accomplished playwright and has received commissions from Center Stage in Baltimore and Mixed Blood Theatre in Minneapolis

Seema Sueko addresses Arena Stage members at an Open Rehearsal for Carousel.

Photo courtesy of Arena Stage

Photo by Victor Vasquez

Arena Stage is excited to recognize Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. as a new corporate partner, giving generously to support the work that Arena produces. Charles Schwab has a strong commitment to diversity and giving back to their communities. This support helps to ensure that organizations are able to deliver on their missions and

build their capacity. Charles Schwab’s gift to Arena this year coincides with the opening of their new H Street branch, showcasing their commitment to giving back to our shared community. The generosity of Charles Schwab makes it possible for Arena Stage to continue producing outstanding productions and developing new works.

SPOTLIGHT ON CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION

SPOTLIGHT ON HATTIE M. STRONG FOUNDATION

Arena Stage is extremely grateful to the Hattie M. Strong Foundation for their generous support of Arena Stage’s Community Engagement and Voices of Now programs. Arena Stage’s Voices of Now (VON) is a deeply immersive, yearlong after-school program for middle-school, high-school and young adult artists in the Washington, D.C. region. Because of the generosity of foundations like the Strong Foundation, VON is able to give a voice to underserved youth populations in the area whose stories are underrepresented in the arts, ranging from inner-city bullying to LGBTQ stereotypes to aging out of the foster care system. This year, Arena Stage was able to serve approximately 200 young people through 85 skill-building workshops in the fall, and 60% of these artists joined 11 full ensembles that performed in May 2016 at the Voices of Now Festival. Arena Stage thanks the Strong Foundation for their commitment to arts education and to strengthening our shared community!

ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE WITH DEPUTY ARTISTIC DIRECTOR SEEMA SUEKO

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greater good. That’s also the electricity that happens within an audience that is also engaged with the world. That’s the tremendous thing about D.C. and Arena audiences — they’re thinking about the world.

HFT: What do you think audiences don’t realize about the process of making art on stage? SS: That everything you see has been a deliberate choice. I love it when people ask, “Why did you do x, y or z?” And then I just say, “Why do you think?” And I watch them go through that process — thinking of how that choice impacted the play or even impacted how they felt in that moment as an audience member. And then, if that choice was deliberate, then seeing that ‘aha’ in their eyes of, “Oh I see what you were striving for!” And, the process of discovery in the rehearsal room is great fun. I wish that all audience members could see and experience that at some point. HFT: What are you most excited about this season? SS: I’m making my Arena Stage directing debut with Smart People at the end of the season. So I have great excitement around that! I’m excited to work in the Kreeger space. I’m excited about all of the designers that we are working with. We’re 90% cast right now, and I’m excited about these actors. I’m excited to hold my feet to the fire to do everything I can to ensure that this debut production of mine here achieves the level of excellence that everybody here works towards. So, it’s excitement and nervousness!

HFT: How do you see Arena Stage evolving artistically over the next few years? SS: This organization has a reputation of leading the field, and so we definitely don’t want to sit back on that. We’re constantly keeping our ears and eyes open for writers and artists who we want to bring into the Arena tribe. I see us leaning more and more into the political on our stages, being in this D.C. town, continuing our commitment to American voices. Also, as our neighborhood evolves, we’ll learn things that might find their way into our artistic strategies. Mostly I’m thinking about looking at the world around us locally, nationally and internationally, and examining how that informs us and what we should be saying on our stages, in our hallways and in our lobbies.

The great hockey player Wayne Gretzky is known for saying, “I skate to where the puck is going, not where it has been.” I feel like that’s Arena Stage — skating to where the puck will be.

For more from Seema Sueko on her upcoming direction of Smart People, visit www.arenastage.org/shows-tickets/the-season/productions/smart-people

Stephen Spinella and Estelle Parsons in Arena Stage’s 2013 production of The Velocity of Autumn, a show Seema worked

on under the mentorship of Artistic Director Molly Smith. Photo by Teresa Wood

11... • FACT! magnam volupidellab inveri as reptass imagnienda dolorae perupta tempora tenda To see the first two installments of “Cooking with Lillian”, visit Arena’s YouTube page at www.youtube.com/user/arenastage1.

INTO THE VAULT: ARENA THROUGH THE AGES

Test your knowledge with a new Arena trivia question each issue!

THE LILLIAN HELLMAN FESTIVAL - Celebrating an American GiantBuilding on the momentum from last year’s Women’s Voices Theater Festival, Arena presents the Lillian Hellman Festival as part of the 2016/17 season. The festival features programming designed to celebrate the iconic playwright, author and political activist. The Lillian Hellman Festival continues Arena’s tradition of showcasing the work of influential American playwrights. Previous festivals have honored Edward Albee, Eugene O’Neill and Arthur Miller.

In addition to two full Hellman productions (The Little Foxes and Watch on the Rhine), festival programming

includes readings of Hellman’s Toys in the Attic, The Children’s Hour and Another Part of the Forest. There will also be a film screening of Julia, a 1977 film based on Hellman’s memoir Pentimento: A Book of Portraits, two panel discussions and a cooking series featuring all-star chefs executing contemporary takes on recipes from Hellman’s cookbook: Eating Together: Recollections and Recipes.

The accompanying festival events are all free, providing accessible cultural experiences for members of the D.C. community. Following the loss of Arena Stage’s co-founder and Artistic Director for 40 years, Arena Stage dedicates the festival to the memory of Zelda Fichandler. Just as Lillian Hellman was an American Giant for playwriting, Zelda was an American Giant for not-for-profit theater. The festival is generously sponsored by Board President Beth Newburger Schwartz.

HINT: This play examines the creative process behind a renowned composer and the parallel journey of a musicologist centuries later.

Board member Grace and Tim Terpstra

WHAT PRODUCTION WAS THIS FROM?

Photo by Scott Suchman

— Artistic Director Molly Smith

LILLIAN HELLMAN LIVED LIFE LARGE AS A WRITER, RADICAL ACTIVIST AND LOVER OF LIFE.

SHE’S DANGEROUS AND PROVOCATIVE AND BRILLIANT AT HER CRAFT AS A WRITER.

Marg Helgenberger as Regina Giddens in Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes. Photo by C. Stanley Photography

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On Friday, November 25, Arena Stage welcomed approximately 200 servicemen and women and their families to the Sixth Annual Military Thanksgiving at the Mead Center for American Theater. Members of the military community were invited for a complimentary dinner and performance of Carousel in thanks for their service and dedication to the protection of the American people. This very special evening would not have been possible without the support of Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Discovery Communications, David Bruce Smith in honor of Max Smith, Clark Construction, John and Linda Derrick, Rick and Carol Froehlich, USAA Real Estate Company, GEICO and Enterprise Holdings.

• FACT! magnam volupidellab inveri as reptass imagnienda dolorae perupta tempora tenda To see the first two installments of “Cooking with Lillian”, visit Arena’s YouTube page at www.youtube.com/user/arenastage1. Born for This co-writer and director Charles Randolph-Wright was a resident playwright as part of Arena Stage’s American Voices New Play Institute.

THE LILLIAN HELLMAN FESTIVAL - Celebrating an American Giant ARENA OPENS ITS 67TH SEASON IN THE NATION’S CAPITALBorn for This: The BeBe Winans Story opened to rave reviews as it kicked off Arena’s 67th season. This heartwarming true story of six-time Grammy Award-winning icon BeBe Winans’ journey to fame featured two members of the Winans family — Juan and Deborah Joy Winans.

Board member Grace and Tim Terpstra

A New York apartment came to life in the Kogod Cradle at the opening of The Year of Magical Thinking. Kathleen Turner brought a deep humanity to Joan Didion’s words that gave the audience the opportunity to contemplate their own ideas of death and grief.

Peter Coy, Mary Coy, Nancy Schertler and Howard Dent

Carl Meninger and Board Member Sylvia Greenberg

Audiences witnessed sibling rivalry rise to unimaginable heights in Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes. Directed by Kyle Donnelly, this classic tale of greed and betrayal in the 19th century was the first of two full productions in Arena’s Lillian Hellman Festival.

Diana Taylor, Board Member John Edelmann and Betty Taylor

Guest speaker Rear Admiral Charles W. Rock

Amelia Powell, Barbara Wahl, Board Member Linda Baumann and Jennifer Fischer

Board Chair Judith Batty, Pam Bundy, Tanya Hilton and Board Member Debbie Driesman

BeBe Winans with his niece and nephew, cast members Deborah Joy Winans and

Juan Winans.

SIXTH ANNUAL MILITARY THANKSGIVING

BECOME A MEMBERJoin today to enjoy the following benefits while helping us make outstanding American theater!

CAST Inner Circle

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($100

-299)

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0-599)

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0-999)

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0-1,499)

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ircle ($1,50

0-2,499)

Director’s C

ircle ($2,50

0-4,999)

Producer’s Circle

($5,00

0-9,999)

President’s Circle

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Leadership Circle

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($25,00

0+)

15% off discount and handling fees waived on single ticket purchases

Donor Newsletter – In the Round: A View of Arena Stage from All Sides

Backstage Tour

Invitation to attend Open Rehearsal(s) 1 2 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4

Drink Coupon(s) –$1 Off 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

Drink Coupon(s) – Complimentary 2 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4

Invitation to meet the cast at First Rehearsal(s) 1 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

Recognition in Arena Stage programs

Complimentary Opening Night invitation(s)* 1 2 4 5 7 8 8 all

Access to House seats through the VIP Donor Hotline (202-600-4177)

Recognition on the Annual Fund Donor Wall

Onsite Parking $8 $8 free free free free

Meet the Artist Cocktail Reception

Opening Night Dinner(s) with the artistic team 1 1 2 3 4

Meet the Artist Dinner

Ability to be a Production Intern for an Arena Stage show

Complimentary use of Bank of America Lower Lobby or Molly Smith Study

13...

A WARM WELCOME TO NEW MEMBERS!

Thank you and welcome to new members who joined from June 1, 2016 - November 30, 2016.

We gratefully acknowledge your contribution, which makes it possible for Arena to present high-quality productions and innovative education programs.Kenny and Marleen AlhadeffLavern ChatmanGraham FrankCary FullerMs. Ann HamiltonSteven and Tanya HiltonDr. Donald Wallace Jones, Dr. Betty Jean Tolbert Jones and Tracey Tolbert JonesDr. and Mrs. Arnold KaplinThomas KopfRobert Liberatore and Debra KraftBrian and Diana MeighanBarry and Joan RosenthalMs. Gail SattlerEvelyn TeelRobert and Jan StoutAnne Marie TigheMr. Kevin Tighe

This season, members at the Producer’s Circle and above had the opportunity to hear from director Kyle Donnelly and acclaimed actress Marg Helgenberger about their work on The Little Foxes at an intimate Meet the Artist Dinner, one of Arena’s numerous membership benefits.

While we appreciate gifts of all size, space only permits us to list new members of $300 and above.

*Excludes Ticketed Fundraising Events

Join Now! ONLINE: www.arenastage.org/donate PHONE: 202-600-4177 MAIL: Arena Stage Development Office, 1101 Sixth St. SW, Washington, DC 20024 (payable to Arena Stage)

DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT DIRECTORY ZELDA FICHANDLER1924-2016

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HOLLY K. OLIVERChief Development Officer202-600-4029holiver@arenastage.org DALE MOTTDirector of Strategic Advancement202-600-4062dmott@arenastage.org KRISTEN MITCHELLSenior Director of Individual Giving202-600-4026kmitchell@arenastage.org MARIA CORSOAssociate Director of Development Operations202-600-4025mcorso@arenastage.org

CHAIRJudith N. Batty

PRESIDENTBeth Newburger Schwartz VICE CHAIRSEric BravermanEdgar Dobie Vicki J. Hicks John LynhamRaymond SczudloDavid E. Shiffrin

TREASURERLarry Franks ASSISTANT TREASURERHubert M. Schlosberg SECRETARYShawna Watley

ASSISTANT SECRETARYRichard A. Newman TRUSTEESAndrew R. Ammerman Kent Amos Decker AnstromJoanne BarkerLinda A. Baumann Sander BieberSusan Haas Bralove Lavern Chatman Debbie Driesman John EdelmannJeri EpsteinRichard FeinsteinElliot FeldmanNicholas GoadAnn Hamilton Patti HermanMargot Kelly Daniel Korengold

B. Thomas Mansbach David B. H. Martin Joyce MooreheadTerry R. PeelLucia RiddleGene SamburgDavid Bruce SmithMolly SmithSheila StampfliRobert Stout LIFE TRUSTEESNorman BernsteinZelda FichandlerLee G. Rubenstein HONORARY TRUSTEESJim AbdoAshok Bajaj Michele G. BermanSteven R. Bralove John Derrick

Michael DeSantis Nancy M. FolgerNatwar GandhiSylvia GreenbergEllen K. Harrison Kay KapoorJudy Lansing Kovler Mark LevineNancy LowDavid O. Maxwell Joan P. Maxwell Ronald A. Paul, M.D.Beverly PerryJudy Lynn Prince William S. SessionsRichard W Snowdon Sandra E. Taylor Grace TerpstraMargaret Tomlinson Andrea Weiswasser

EMERITUS TRUSTEESArlene and Robert Kogod PAST PRESIDENTS AND CHAIRSJ. Burke KnappNorman BernsteinCurtin Winsor, Jr.Lee G. RubensteinRichard W. SnowdonDenie S. WeilRiley K. TempleSteven R. BraloveWendy FarrowJames J. RouseJohn M. Derrick, Jr.Mark ShugollDavid E. Shiffrin

ANNE PAINE WESTDirector of Board and Donor Relations202-600-4024apwest@arenastage.org CHAR MANLOVE-LAWSCorporate Relations Manager202-600-4030cmanlove-laws@arenastage.org

HANNAH FRIED-TANZERFoundation Relations Manager202-600-4031hfried-tanzer@arenastage.org MOLLY GOODMANCampaign Manager202-600-4043mgoodman@arenastage.org

MELANIE HEREDIAMembership Coordinator202-600-4027mheredia@arenastage.org ANDREW JACOBSDonor Relations Coordinator – Campaign202-600-4032ajacobs@arenastage.org CLAIRE BANCROFTWriter & Editor, In the RoundDevelopment Assistant202-554-9066 ext. 5059cbancroft@arenastage.org TRICIA EDWARDSDevelopment Coordinator202-600-4050tedwards@arenastage.org

THE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT IS HERE TO SERVE — LET US KNOW HOW WE CAN HELP!

ARENA STAGE 2016/17 BOARD OF TRUSTEES

TRIVIA ANSWER: The 2007 Arena Stage world-premiere of American Artist Award winner Moisés Kaufman’s 33 Variations, which went on to Broadway in 2009.

Zelda Fichandler left a lasting legacy not only for Arena Stage, but for the American theater. In 1950, she co-founded Arena Stage as one of the first nonprofit theaters in the country. Arena was the first racially integrated theater in D.C., the first U.S. theater to tour behind the Iron Curtain, and the first theater to win a Regional Theater Tony Award. In 1990, Zelda celebrated her 40th and final season as Arena’s Producing Artistic Director, achieving the longest tenure of any non-commercial producer in the American theater.

An extraordinary woman and brilliant theater professional, Zelda Fichandler transformed American theater with her vision and artistry. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of Zelda’s family and friends.

MOLLY SMITH, Artistic Director EDGAR DOBIE, Executive Director

EXCITING EVENTS YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS!Wednesday, January 18, 2017Opening Night of Roe Tuesday, January 24, 2017First Rehearsal for Intelligence

Saturday, February 4, 2017Open Rehearsal for Watch on the Rhine

Tuesday, March 14, 2017First Rehearsal for Smart People Thursday, April 6, 2017Opening Night of A Raisin in the Sun

(Invitations to above events vary by membership level; dates subject to change).Tony Neidenbach and Skye Mattox in Carousel, photo by Maria Baranova; Camp Arena Stage, photo courtesy of Arena Stage; the cast of Moby Dick, photo by Greg Mooney; Kathleen Turner in The Year of Magical Thinking, photo by C. Stanley Photography.Page 1: (from top to bottom) Nicholas Rodriguez in rehearsal for Carousel, photo by Ryan Maxwell; Isabel Keating as Birdie Hubbard and Marg Helgenberger as Regina Giddens in The Little Foxes, photo by C. Stanley Photography; The Kogod Cradle interior, photo courtesy of Bing Thom Architects; Voices of Now 2016 tableau work, photo courtesy of Arena Stage; The Little Foxes opening night dinner, photo by Cameron Whitman Photography, LLC.

1101 Sixth Street, SW Washington, DC 20024

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Designation Code: #8601 Designation Code: #19665

United Way of the National Capital Area

Combined Federal Campaign

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