At Round House’s black box theatre in Silver Spring, there’s something different happening every day – performances, rehearsals, classes, discussions, and other activities.

In 08/09, Round House is launching “The Silver Spring Series.” In this new initiative for our black box, Round House will present a lineup of theatre, dance, and music programs by some of the DC area’s most dynamic performing arts companies and artists. We’re keeping ticket prices low – $15 (only $12 if you’re a Round House subscriber, senior citizen, under 25, or in a group of 10 or more)*.

“Round House Theatre Silver Spring is an intimate, flexible space that’s the perfect location for this eclectic lineup of performances by some of our region’s most compelling artists. In our new Silver Spring Series, Round House uses its resources to encourage and further the work of these exhilarating artists and companies.  We want to share their work – and the excitement of live theatre – with the entire community,” said Blake Robison, Round House Producing Artistic Director.

In addition, our artistic and community partners – ArtStream, Lumina Studio Theatre, Open Circle Theatre, and the AFI/Discovery Documentary Film Festival – will continue to use our Silver Spring theatre for their performances.

Performances at: Round House Theatre Silver Spring, 8641 Colesville Road (next to the AFI Silver Theatre)
Metro: Silver Spring (approximately two blocks from theatre) 

The restaurants and attractions of Downtown Silver Spring are just around the corner – click here. For directions to Round House Theatre Silver Spring – click here.

Round House Theatre presents
Rock the Voting Bloc: X-Plays DC Edition 7
By eXtreme eXchange
Features work by playwrights Brett Abelman, Kathleen Akerley, Llewellyn Hinkes, and Anne McCaw
Saturday November 1 at 8pm;
Sunday November 2 at 3pm

eXtreme eXchange gets its “finger on the pulse” with a fresh batch of original short plays on the eve of the most consequential presidential election in history. XX writers will be randomly assigned voting blocs as the basis for plays exploring a wide range of issues facing both sides of the aisle. And they'll do it just weeks before the event, keeping the plays as timely as possible. As with all X-Play editions, this promises to be an irreverent, thought provoking, and intelligent performance, immediately followed by a moderated discussion between the audience and the artists. For ages 13 and up.

Founded in 2004 during the Republican National Convention in New York City, eXtreme eXchange gathers artists to respond to current political and social issues in a style that's as thought provoking as it is entertaining. Through the innovative X-Play Series, these artists quickly create short works on different sides of a given issue. eXtreme eXchange promotes discussion through readings and its innovative X-Play Series, encouraging both artists and audiences to trade in polarization for conversation. Through this unique forum, artists from across the city come together to tackle important issues that are on our minds but not on our stages. Learn more about them at extremeexchange.wordpress.com.

TICKETS: $15 ($12 for Round House subscribers, senior citizens, patrons under 25, and groups of 10 or more)*. Call 240.644.1100 or click here.

Round House Theatre presents
Contradiction Dance: An Exchange Between Life and Dance
By Contradiction Dance
With Kelly Mayfield, Terence Nicholson, Kenneth Rascher, Arianna Ross, and Chop Shop Studios
Friday, November 7 and Saturday, November 8 at 8pm;
Sunday, November 9 at 3pm

Objects of Hope: Washington D.C. “I stood on my steps and watched the city burn, I was eight years old.” Historical events from 1968-2008 guide and frame a journey from the race riots 40 years ago to the socio-economic divide of today. As our present state of being is a result of past experiences, the past becomes storyteller and guide through a journey about the complex relationships between the many people who call D.C. home. For ages 12 and up.

Contradiction Dance is where theatre, dance, and pop culture meet. The company makes dances that report on, reflect, and question the world in which we live. Nurtured on the belief that artists and audience members communicate in a dialogue through the chosen medium, Contradiction Dance fosters discussion, reflection, and change through live performance and dance education. Contradiction Dance blends several dance forms (modern, hip-hop, tap, and jazz) with aspects of storytelling and theater. This mix allows the company to create an exchange between art and life for audiences, performers, and collaborators. In August 2007, Contradiction Dance began “Objects of Hope,” an on-going project examining our personal objects of hope, both literal and figurative, through movement, music, poetry and visual art. Learn more about them at contradictiondance.com.

TICKETS: $15 ($12 for Round House subscribers, senior citizens, patrons under 25, and groups of 10 or more)*. Call 240.644.1100 or click here.

Round House Theatre presents
Perfect/Finite
With Will Gartshore
Monday, November 10 and Monday, November 17 at 8pm

Helen Hayes Award winner Will Gartshore assembles an hour-long musical scrapbook of unforgettable moments, missed opportunities, and temporary thrills. With wry humor, quirky insight, and his exciting and distinctive voice, Will sings stories of auspicious beginnings, messy endings, and love’s beautiful flaws. Witty and bold, the program will be an eclectic combination of pop, rock, and contemporary theater songs, including gay themes and content. For young adults and up.

Will Gartshore is one of DC's most established, respected musical theatre performers. The winner of two Helen Hayes Awards (for Urinetown and Assassins) and a 7-time nominee, Will has appeared in numerous shows at theatres across the DC area, including Round House Theatre Bethesda. He was a featured soloist in celebrations commemorating Sondheim's 70th birthday and the 50th anniversary of West Side Story (both at the Library of Congress). Will was seen on Broadway in the original cast of Parade, Off-Broadway in The Last Session, in the City Center Encores! production of Ziegfeld Follies of 1936, and at numerous regional theatres around the country, including in Philadelphia and L.A. in the cast of 3hree, directed by Hal Prince. Will can be heard on original cast recordings of 3hree, Parade, and Ziegfeld Follies of 1936.

TICKETS: $15 ($12 for Round House subscribers, senior citizens, patrons under 25, and groups of 10 or more)*. Call 240.644.1100 or click here.

Round House Theatre presents
Cautionary Tales for Adults and The Many Adventures of Trixie Tickles
Written by Shawn Northrip
By Bouncing Ball Theatrical Productions
Directed by Shirley Serotsky, choreography by Melissa-Leigh Douglass, with musical direction by Andy Welchel
Friday, November 28 at 8pm, Saturday, November 29 at 3pm and 8pm; Sunday, November 30 at 3pm

Two unconventional mini-musicals: first, an unhinged librarian teaches several unsuspecting adults about the injustices of life. Next, a high-strung children’s TV star learns her own valuable lessons – like “being pretty is all that matters.” Singing and dancing and gunshots, oh my! Winner of the Audience Choice Award for Best Musical at the 2007 CapFringe Festival. Appropriate for adults.

The DC-based Bouncing Ball Theatrical Productions was founded in 2006 when writer Shawn Northrip joined with director Shirley Serotsky to start a company with the vision of creating new and unique musical theater works that challenged genre expectations with hip stories and contemporary music. Their work appeals not only to fans of musicals, but also to audiences who rarely attended live theater. Bouncing Ball's other productions have included the middle school rock musical Lunch at The First Annual Capital Fringe Festival and the New York Musical Festival and the punk musical Titus X, seen at DC's Black Cat. Learn more about them at bouncingballtheatre.com.

TICKETS: $15 ($12 for Round House subscribers, senior citizens, patrons under 25, and groups of 10 or more)*. Call 240.644.1100 or click here.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, Taffety Punk Theatre Company’s production of Tooth of Crime (scheduled for January 13 – 25, 2008) has been cancelled. We apologize for any disappointment or inconvenience.

Round House Theatre presents
Anna K
Based on Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, adapted by Jacqueline E. Lawton
By theHegira
Directed by Shirley Serotsky, dramaturgy by Rachel Miller. With Erica Chamblee, Kristen Egermeier, Danny Gavigan, Theo Hadjmichael, Adrienne Nelson, Francisco Reinoso, Jessica Rodriguez, and Theodore Snead.
Thursday, February 19 – Saturday February 21 at 8pm;
Sunday, February 22 at 3pm;
Thursday, February 26 – Saturday, February 28 at 8pm;
Sunday, March 1 at 3pm

Anna Karenina is Tolstoy's classic take on love and adultery set against the backdrop of high society Moscow and St. Petersburg. Keeping with the rich, complex, and masterful cultural setting, Anna K is set in Paris during the 1920's, at a time when African-American artists fled to the city of lights, love and opportunity. This provocative adaptation follows Anna K as she struggles to leave a loveless marriage and her adoring young son so that she might achieve a successful career and embrace the love of her life. Appropriate for ages 15 and up.

Led by Producing Artistic Director Danielle A. Drakes, theHegira, a creative collaborative and resource for artistic women of the African Diaspora, produces work echoing what it means to be a female woman of color. They showcase works that link women of the African Diaspora, whose artistic efforts are underrepresented in the theatrical mainstream. theHegira aims to develop, examine, hone, and produce quality work through a dialogue with artists embracing stories of struggle, survival and triumph. Learn more about them at thehegira.org.

TICKETS: $15 ($12 for Round House subscribers, senior citizens, patrons under 25, and groups of 10 or more)*. Call 240.644.1100 or click here.

Round House Theatre’s Heyday Players present
When Prince Charming Turns 60
Tuesday, February 24, 2009

An adaptation of classic fairy tales with a senior twist. FREE, no tickets required.

Round House’s Heyday Players performance troupe is composed of older adult volunteers who participate in the selection, direction, rehearsal, and staged-reading performance of theatrical work at senior gatherings, community centers, public libraries, and elementary schools in Montgomery County and the greater DC area. The troupe is dedicated to theatre that explores the humor and drama of the human condition across age and time periods.

Round House Theatre presents The Sarah Metzger Memorial Play 2009
Dracula
By Steven Dietz from the novel by Bram Stoker
Directed, designed, and performed by area High School Students
Friday March 13 – Sunday, March 22

Solicitor Jonathan Harker’s journey to remote Transylvania unleashes a terrifying evil upon England – the vampire Count Dracula. Dietz’s highly theatrical retelling of Dracula closely follows Stoker’s original text. 

The Sarah Play, which pays tribute to Sarah Emily Metzger, is the only production in the country offered as part of a regional theatre's regular programming that is directed, designed, stage managed, and performed entirely by high school students under the mentorship of professional theatre artists and practitioners. This production is made possible in part by the Sarah Metzger Memorial Fund and Jeffrey and Carolyn Leonard.

TICKETS: $15 ($12 for Round House subscribers, senior citizens, patrons under 25, and groups of 10 or more)*. Call 240.644.1100 or click here.

Round House Theatre presents
Digging Into Shakespeare
With Jon Spelman and Tina Chancey
Thursday, March 26 – Saturday, March 28 at 8pm;
Sunday, March 29 at 3pm

A solo piece performed with musician Tina Chancey based on Spelman’s mostly disastrous experience with Shakespeare productions, his relationships with the actresses in them, and his encounters with nutty Shakespearian critics. Commissioned by the Clarice Smith Center at the University of Maryland. For ages 16 and up.

Jon Spelman’s work has been hailed around the country and the world as “world-class.” Two previous productions at Round House have been the premieres of Off the Map and Frankenstein. Learn more about him at jonspelman.org. 

TICKETS: $15 ($12 for Round House subscribers, senior citizens, patrons under 25, and groups of 10 or more)*. Call 240.644.1100 or click here.

Round House Theatre presents
FarFar Oasis
By Happenstance Theatre Company
With Mark Jaster, Sabrina Mandell, Scott Sedar, and Tina Chancey
Thursday, April 16 – Saturday, April 18 at 8pm;
Sunday, April 19 at 3 & 7:30pm;
Thursday, April 23 – Saturday, April 25 at 8pm;
Sunday, April 26 at 3 & 7:30pm

FarFar Oasis is a companion piece to the original theatrical scrapbook, Low Tide Hotel. Taking the Middle Eastern Desert as its inspiration, it uses old time luggage labels, tales of great explorers and the notion of mapping the unknown; a collage of Arabiana songs like the Sheikh of Araby, as well as original compositions, the poetry of Rumi, the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayam and Ozymandias, and the riddle of the sphinx, etc. For ages 12 and up.

Happenstance Theater is a professional company committed to creating and producing original work. With the simplest means they create a visual and accessible theatrical experience. They seek to elevate the moment when the performers and audience meet, to lift their encounter beyond the daily and pedestrian into the realms of dreams, poetry, and art. Meaning is often found by happenstance. Learn more about them at happenstancetheater.com.

TICKETS: $15 ($12 for Round House subscribers, senior citizens, patrons under 25, and groups of 10 or more)*. Call 240.644.1100 or click here.

Round House Theatre’s Heyday Players present
Mapp & Lucia
by E.F. Benson
adapted for the stage by Bari Biern
performed by Round House Theatre’s Heyday Players
Thursday, May 21, 2009
7:00pm
FREE, no tickets required

Mapp & Lucia follows a fierce and funny social rivalry kindled when a wealthy and eccentric widow, Lucia, takes up residence for the summer in the seaside village of Tilling, England. Her landlady is the town’s social queen, Miss Mapp, and, while the two initially appear to be totally charmed with each other, a highly amusing power struggle ensues. Soon, everyone in the village is deeply enmeshed in the daily plots and ploys that pit one determined lady against the other.

The Heyday Players are a theatrical troupe composed entirely of older adult volunteers. Currently in its fourteenth season, the troupe is dedicated to performing free, on-site staged readings that explore the humor and drama of the human condition across all times and ages.

*Online ticket orders are subject to an additional $3.50 per ticket convenience charge. There is no convenience charge or handling fee on Silver Spring Series tickets purchased by phone (240.644.1100) or in person at the box office.

Programs by our artistic and community partners
For tickets, contact these organizations directly as specified below

Open Circle Theatre presents
Story Theatre
By Paul Sills
Directed by Suzanne Richard
Friday, August 22 – Saturday, September 13

Based on Grimm’s Fairy Tales and Aesop’s Fables, OCT’s production features an ensemble of 16 actors, with and without disabilities.

Open Circle Theatre is Washington DC’s first professional theatre dedicated to producing professional productions that integrate the considerable talents of artists with disabilities. OCT was formed by a group of people with and without disabilities, who possess professional theater experience, love of the theater, and a commitment to full access for all persons in every opportunity our community has to offer. For more information, visit opencircletheatre.org.

Lumina Studio Theatre presents
Shogun Caesar
Saturday, December 6 – Sunday, December 14

Lumina transforms Shakespeare's greatest political tragedy into a display of Eastern sound and vision. Transported to Medieval Japan, Julius Caesar dramatizes the fall of a great warrior Shogun and the scramble for power in a land teetering on the edge of chaos. With the Code of Honor being the highest standard in feudal Japan as it was in ancient Rome, Caesar shows a society where a warrior is judged by the noblest ideals - and can experience the highest fall from grace. With some of the Bard’s greatest verse, Caesar is a symphony for the ears; costumed in traditional Japanese court dress the Lumina production will be a feast for the eyes.

Lumina Studio Theatre provides unique opportunities for young and adult actors of all levels of experience to perform classic theatre in a professional setting. Lumina engages actors in a comprehensive performance-directed program of theatre arts, with in depth vocal and character coaching, improvisation, stage combat, live music, and dance choreography supporting the production in progress. Lumina primarily serves Takoma Park/Silver Spring and the surrounding communities. For tickets and schedule, visit luminastudio.org.

Lumina Studio Theatre Ensemble presents
Staged Readings from playwrights such as Martin Crimp, Carol Churchill, Harold Pinter, Samuel Beckett and David Mamet
Thursday, December 11 and Friday, December 12
For tickets and schedule, visit luminastudio.org.

Adventure Theatre presents
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Based on the story by C.S. Lewis; Dramatized by Le Clanché Du Rand
Dec 15-20, 2008 at 7pm
Dec. 21st at 11am and 1:30pm

The story of the never-ending war between good and evil, Narnia is a land frozen in eternal winter; a country waiting to be set free. Four adventurers step through a wardrobe door and into a land enslaved by the power of the White Witch. But when almost all hope is lost, the return of the Great Lion, Aslan, signals a great change and a great sacrifice. Watch as two actors portray all of the favorite characters from this classic. For ages 5 and up.

TICKETS: $10. For tickets and more information click here or call 301.634.2270.

Lumina Studio Theatre Ensemble presents
Revenge Of The Surreal Plays
Friday, April 3 – Sunday, April 5
For tickets and schedule, visit luminastudio.org.

ArtStream OnStage/The Silver Spring Inclusion Company
Friday, May 1 – Sunday, May 10

ArtStream, a regional organization based in the D.C. area, creates artistic opportunities for individuals in communities traditionally underserved by the arts. A consortium of professional artists, ArtStream reaches out to members of various groups such as persons with disabilities, seniors, people with short or long term illnesses and their families or caregivers, immigrants, veterans, people who are grieving, and students and teachers. Their purpose is to inspire and help heal through various art forms such as theatre, puppetry, visual arts, multimedia, music, and dance. This is accomplished through interactive workshops and productions, on-going classes, seminars, performances, and training. For tickets and schedule, visit art-stream.org.

Lumina Studio Theatre Youth present
Little Dorrit
Saturday, May 16 – Sunday, May 24
For tickets and schedule, visit luminastudio.org.

SilverDocs
AFI/Discovery Documentary Film Festival
Wednesday, June 17 – Sunday, June 21

SilverDocs, an international film festival, honors excellence in filmmaking, supports the diverse voices and free expression of independent storytellers, and celebrates the power of documentary to improve our understanding of the world. For tickets and schedule, visit silverdocs.com.