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The Theatre Lab and the team behind the Arts Institute for Creative Advancement (AICA)--our workforce development program in technical theatre--are thrilled to announce a partnership with The Kennedy Center's Office of Accessibility/VSA to support training young adults with disabilities to become theatre tech professionals. The Kennedy Center received a 10M five-year grant award from the U.S. Department of Education under the Disability Innovation Fund (DIF) program, $600,000 of which will go to AICA to support our work promoting competitive, integrated employment (CIE) so that young adults with disabilities are paid real wages for real jobs, while creating pathways to some of today’s most in-demand fields.
In its first two years, AICA has a proven track record for helping young adults with and without disabilities attain livable wage employment in the field, with average starting wages of $22-$25/hr. 87% of AICA graduates were working in professional theatres within one month of graduation.
Special thanks and congratulations to our partners in the AICA: The Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, Life Pieces To Masterpieces, and the DC Arts Education Alliance.
You are cordially invited to the Graduation Ceremony of the AICA Class of 2024.
Please join us on August 20th to celebrate the accomplishments of the graduates of the Arts Institute for Creative Advancement (AICA), an intensive training and apprenticeship program in technical theatre. The commencement ceremony will be followed by a reception with the graduates.
What: AICA Graduation Ceremony and Reception
When: Tuesday, August 20th, 7pm-9:30pm
Where: Atlas Performing Arts Center,
1333 H Street, NE, Washington, DC, 20002
Doors open at 6:30pm. There will be a reception following the ceremony.
Featured Speakers:
Deidra Starnes, Associate Artistic Director, 1st Stage Theatre
Ben Harvey, Master Electrician and Lighting Professional
Click here to reserve your free tickets today.
Advance registration is required. Please RSVP by end of day Friday, August 16th. We cannot guarantee access to the ceremony without reserving tickets in advance.
ABOUT THE AICA:
AICA graduates have completed a program offering 700 hours of paid training and apprenticeships. They have earned nationally-recognized certifications and have worked extensively this year at a variety of professional theatres and concert venues as audio and lighting technicians, Assistant Stage Managers, run crew, wardrobe assistants, deck hands and carpenters.
The AICA was launched at the beginning of 2023 to help alleviate the labor shortage in backstage workers as well as to diversify the field by opening up opportunities for young adults who have encountered obstacles to a livable wage career path. The groundbreaking career-readiness program was formed by the founding members of the DC Arts Education Alliance and is led by The Theatre Lab, Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, and Life Pieces To Masterpieces.
The AICA is supported by The Share Fund, the National Endowment for the Arts, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton’s Community Project Fund, the Revada Foundation, the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, the Harman Family Foundation, Congressional Sports for Charity, Clark Winchcole Foundation, Venable Foundation, the Morgan Fund, VC Mars Foundation, the DC Department of Employment Services, and the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.
AICA Graduating Class of 2024: Howard Bolden, Dennis Bowe, Aniya DeVaughn, Diaya Fuller, Rose Hull, James Hundley, Daniel Interiano, Bionca Johnson, Troy Johnson, Natasha Morales, Alexis Poirier, Ainsley Priest, Kavon Riley, Taariq Saadiq, Demetrius Sadler, Makayla Smith, Taylor Stewart, and Muttaqi “Taqi” Daniels (posthumous)
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Union Market District’s Dock5
1309 5th St NE, Washington, D.C. 20002
Use code: THEATRELAB for 20% off tickets
Sam Landa, a Theatre Lab alum, and his interdisciplinary theatre and circus company, New York Circus Project, transforms Shakespeare's classic Hamlet into a contemporary acrobatic performance.
Sam describes his company and this show in this way: “Both circus and Shakespeare are perceived as aged forms. By matching the heightened sense of risk that circus delivers to a high-stakes narrative like Hamlet, the show exceeds the original intentions of each of the forms, delighting the audience in the process.” Sam, who is both the creator and director for this groundbreaking show, also works as a consultant of acrobatic and aerial elements on Broadway productions.
Growing up in Alexandria, Sam danced at The Washington School of Ballet; studied musical theater at The Theatre Lab; and was introduced to the aerial arts at Capitol City Circus School (formerly, TSNY DC). He attended high school at The National Circus School (Ecole Nationale de Cirque) in Montreal where he studied the aerial arts under world-renowned coaches. He graduated from Columbia University, where he founded the Columbia Circus Collective. It was at Columbia that this show was conceived.
New York Circus Project is a 501(c)(3) organization. In addition to transforming classics for the stage, the company offers free outdoor performances. These performances allow local communities the opportunity to experience live theatre coupled with aerial acrobatics and physical theater. Click here for tickets and information or email Sam at hello@newyorkcircusproject.org.
Use code: THEATRELAB for a special 20% discount.
Our partners at Washington Stage Guild are looking for their next part-time Social Media Coordinator!
Start Date: August 1st, 2024
Salary: $20/Hr. (Max. 10 hrs/wk)
Washington Stage Guild is seeking a part-time enthusiastic social media coordinator local to the greater Washington DC area to support the WSG marketing director.
Job Responsibilities:
-Manage the social media accounts of Washington Stage Guild, which are currently Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and YouTube.
-Assist with the execution of promotional campaigns for shows and events across key marketing channels.
-Create/adapt market material to create THREE (3) posts per week on each platform (excluding YouTube)
-Oversee artist Instagram takeovers and provide resources to help them succeed in show promotion.
-Be available to attend pre-scheduled rehearsals/performances/events and (when scheduled accordingly and adhering to all AEA Media rules) take photo/video footage to be used in marketing/promotional materials.
Qualifications:
- Must be proficient in Canva (or similar graphic design program) and LinkTree
- Creativity, Flexibility, and understanding of current social media trends
- Organizational and Time Management Skills
Interested applicants should send their resume and contact information to info@stageguild.org.
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Student alumni: Haliya Roberts is Lady Capulet in Boomerang Theatre Company's Romeo and Juliet, June 22-July 14. Allison Farrall will play Fatimah / US Pritti in Iron Crow Theatre's Everybody's Talking About Jamie, July 14-July 30. Heather Fetrow will play Soprano Chorus in Wolftrap Opera's La Boheme, July 19.
Youth Alumni: Nico Cabrera will play Young Will in Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre's Big Fish, August 8-September 1. You can also catch Nico performing in Capital Fringe's Medea, July 11-July 20.
Faculty members: James J. Johnson is Chuck Hall in Constellation Theatre Company's IS GOD IS, June 14-July 14. Madeleine Regina and Bryce Sulecki are Co-directing The Theatre Lab's Queer Stories Performance, July 24.
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Student alumni: Amanda D. Jones will play Edwardian in The British Players' The 60th Anniversary Old-Time Music Hall: In With The Old & IN With The New, June 7 - June 22. David Jones is the Director of Titusville Summer Theater's The Music Man, June 27-June 30. Ariel Casey is the Assistant Director of Howard County Center for the Arts' "Ah, Wilderness!" by Eugene O'Neill, June 22nd - 23rd. Philip Krzywicki will play the Butler in Workhouse Art Center’s The Drowsy Chaperone, May 18 – June 23. Nessa Amherst was Monty/Avery (u/s) in Greenbelt Arts Center's Fiveplay, May 31 - June 15.
Teen alumni: Nia Alsop will perform at "Come to My Garden" a one woman show on June 22 at Busboys and Poets. Miles Hanna was just signed by NYC talent agency, Carson Kolker Organization Ltd and will be moving to New York later this year to pursue his dreams! Miles recently graduated from the Conservatory of Performing Arts at Point Park University with a BFA in Musical Theatre. He performed his Senior Showcase in NYC where he was scouted by the talent agency.
Faculty members: Madeleine Regina directed The Theatre Lab's Creating a Role Class of 2024 for their production of Radium Girls, June 6-8 at The Undercroft Theatre. Kara Turner worked on staff for the Mid-Atlantic Melee Stage Combat Workshop in Columbia, MD June 8-9. Kristina Friedgen will play Drowsy Chaperone in Workhouse Arts Center's The Drowsy Chaperone, May 18-June 23.
" ["post_title"]=> string(29) "Where Are They Now? June 2024" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(28) "where-are-they-now-june-2024" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2024-06-14 10:37:20" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2024-06-14 14:37:20" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(31) "https://theatrelab.org/?p=66608" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "4" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [6]=> object(WP_Post)#10458 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(66167) ["post_author"]=> string(6) "256190" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2024-05-31 11:46:01" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2024-05-31 15:46:01" ["post_content"]=> string(2106) "Debkanya Mitra, a 21-year-old graduate of last year's Arts Institute for Creative Advancement (AICA), has secured funding to launch a program called "Mixing the Future," aimed at teaching young women of color how to produce their own music. Following graduation from AICA, a paid workforce development program in technical theatre led by The Theatre Lab and the DC Arts Education Alliance, Debkanya worked as the lead audio engineer (A1) at Atlas' Intersections Festival and participated in numerous union and non-union gigs in sound and stage crew across the area. Now, she is giving back to the community.
"Part of what led me to create this program," says Debkanya, "was when I realized how male dominated the stagehand field is. I wanted to create a group for women who are interested in learning how to engineer and release their music from start to finish. 'Mixing the Future' will guide young artists, from beginning to end, on how to finalize and produce a beat to a song. I have always been interested in music production but my experience in the AICA inspired me to take the next step and apply to the Omega Recording Studio in Maryland. I am so thankful to Deb Gottesman and Angelo Merenda (from AICA) for writing me an amazing recommendation. With their help, I was awarded the $5,000 Director Scholarship to attend the school."
A busy single mom, Debkanya just graduated from UDC with her Associates Degree and is on track to complete her Bachelor's Degree in the near future. Clearly, not even the sky is the limit for this amazing young woman!
Debkanya has already received a number of applications for "Mixing the Future" and is seeking 6-8 participants to make up the program. If you are interested, read more about this or apply by Monday June 10th at mixedbymitra.org.
After a sold out first show, which made it to the front page of the Washington Post, The Theatre Lab is once again collaborating with Making a Difference to present the Turning Pain Into Purpose: Say My Son's Name.
Celebrate Mother's Day with an inspiring play developed and performed by the Strong Azz Mothers, a coalition of moms who turn the pain of losing their sons to gun violence into purpose by supporting and advocating for families navigating the grief of loss and deferred justice. This show, directed by Bryanda Minix and Devin Smith, was developed through The Theatre Lab’s Life Stories program, which works with people from historically underrepresented populations to create original dramatic works from lived experience. Immediately following the performance there will be a talkback with the cast, directors, and individuals working to curb recent record-high gun violence in the District and surrounding areas.
Date: Sunday, May 12, 7:30pm
Location: American University’s Greenberg Theatre
TIckets: $25
PLEASE NOTE: In order to prioritize access for the friends and family of the cast, The Theatre Lab has a very limited number of seats. To be placed on a waitlist for purchasing a ticket from our exclusive stock, please fill out this form. By May 8th, we'll contact all individuals on the wait list to provide updates on ticket availability and offer further instructions for purchasing, should space permit.
Check out where our students, faculty, and alums are performing this month:
Student alumni: Robin Berl is the Playwright and Director of Theatre Prometheus's Dua: The Monster's Story featuring two student alumni Marley Kabin and Elgin Martin, May 10-June 1. Philip Krzywicki just completed a run of The Prom by The Arlington Players and he will play the Butler in Workhouse Art Center's The Drowsy Chaperone, May 18 - June 23. Aaron Spellane will play "65" in Rorschach Theatre's, Human Museum, April 12-May 15. Jake Boggs was cast in Chesapeake Theatre's The Two Noble Kinsman, an all-Veteran cast for a memorial day event in Baltimore. Boggs will be performing with folks that served in Navy, Army, Air Force, and Marines, May 24 and two shows on May 25. Jacquel R. Tomlin will play Madame Bathilde in The Little Theatre of Alexandria's IS HE DEAD, May 18 - June 8. Melanie A. Lawrence will play Anita (Understudy) in Studio Theatre's Problems Between Sisters, May 8 - June 16. Rodney Remson will perform as a Storytelling Artist in Story Extreme's Going Hard Show: Stories @ Obsessions, Crushes & Addictions, May 13 only. Gokce Oraloglu is the Assistant Director in St Mark's Players' Love’s Labor’s Lost, May 3 - May 18. Danielle Rhodes will play Dawn in Avant Bard's Homeless Garden, May 2 - May 25.
Teen alumni: Kat Stein will play Countess Lily in The Theatre Lab's Anastasia, May 16-19. Jordan Brown will play Sosh in Avant Bard's Homeless Garden, May 2 - May 25. Lila Shaw will play Paulina alongside Jasper Jones who will play Antigonus/Autolycus in Lumina Studio Theatre's The Winter’s Tale, May 3- May 11. Nico Cabrera will play Charlie in Two Rivers Middle School's Willy Wonka Jr. at Atlas Theatre, May 22-23. Indigo O’Doherty will play Gorilla Girl in Jackson-Reed High School's Cabaret directed by Dan Iwaniec, May 16 - May 25. Kylie Marco just graduated with a BFA in Music Theatre from Florida State University and has already booked three professional shows for the summer at Wagon Wheel. Lawrence Fortenberry is about to graduate from Pace University with a BFA in Acting for Film and will present a final showcase on May 6 and May 22. Maddie Belanoff was accepted to University of Cincinnati’s prestigious College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) program for musical theatre to start in the fall.
Faculty members: Craig Klein's voice can be heard on a television commercial for Tepezza ®, now airing across the nation. Krystle Seit will play Leslie in Spoonie Theater's "A Circle of Women", May 6. Kristina Friedgen will play the Drowsy Chaperone in Workhouse Art Center's The Drowsy Chaperone, May 18 - June 23.
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"All the actors, being in different stages of life, ultimately reached the same end of self realization and acceptance. This was very important to me to experience." - 2023 participant
Queer Stories is back by popular demand! We are currently seeking individuals ages 14-80+ who identify as a member of the LGBTQIA community. Embrace this unique opportunity to share your narrative through this dynamic and FREE program centered on the diverse experiences of the queer community in the DMV area. No acting experience is necessary.
Theatre Lab Life Stories instructors will guide and work closely with the students throughout the 11-week program to craft a powerful and engaging production that amplifies the unique voices of each individual.
We welcome people of all gender identities to participate in this intergenerational program, as we will weave together each participant’s individual experiences to create a collective and original performance!
Schedule: Wednesdays, May 15-July 24, 6-9 PM
Performance: Wednesday, July 24 at 7 PM at the Undercroft Theatre at the Theatre Lab.
**Please note that participants are expected to commit to the entire 11-week program.
Meet the Instructors:
Madeleine Regina is a director, actor, producer, and acting coach who primarily operates out of the Washington D.C. area. Madeleine works in many capacities at The Theatre Lab, including in their youth, adult, and Life Stories programs. Madeleine most notably is the co-producer of Feminist Fairytales, an audio drama that reimagines the genre of fairy tales through a feminist lens.
Bryce Sulecki is The Theatre Lab's Life Stories Manager and Program Manager. He brings creativity, passion, and expertise to his role, helping to shape and manage programs that empower individuals to share their personal narratives through the performing arts. Bryce is also a musician who has performed across the United States.
The Theatre Lab and the team behind the Arts Institute for Creative Advancement (AICA)--our workforce development program in technical theatre--are thrilled to announce a partnership with The Kennedy Center's Office of Accessibility/VSA to support training young adults with disabilities to become theatre tech professionals. The Kennedy Center received a 10M five-year grant award from the U.S. Department of Education under the Disability Innovation Fund (DIF) program, $600,000 of which will go to AICA to support our work promoting competitive, integrated employment (CIE) so that young adults with disabilities are paid real wages for real jobs, while creating pathways to some of today’s most in-demand fields.
In its first two years, AICA has a proven track record for helping young adults with and without disabilities attain livable wage employment in the field, with average starting wages of $22-$25/hr. 87% of AICA graduates were working in professional theatres within one month of graduation.
Special thanks and congratulations to our partners in the AICA: The Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, Life Pieces To Masterpieces, and the DC Arts Education Alliance.
-
Oct 03
AICA Partners with Kennedy Center to Support Apprentices with Disabilities
The Theatre Lab and the team behind the Arts Institute for Creative Advancement (AICA)--our workforce development program in technical theatre--are thrilled to announ... -
Aug 12
Join Us – AICA Graduation Ceremony 2024 🎓
You are cordially invited to the Graduation Ceremony of the AICA Class of 2024. Please join us on August 20th to celebrate the accomplishments of the graduates of th... -
Aug 06
Teen Alumni Sam Landa Brings an Acrobatic Hamlet to DC!
July 31 to August 11 Union Market District’s Dock5 1309 5th St NE, Washington, D.C. 20002 Use code: THEATRELAB for 20% off tickets Sam Landa, a Theatre Lab alum... -
Jul 12
Washington Stage Guild is Hiring!
Our partners at Washington Stage Guild are looking for their next part-time Social Media Coordinator! Start Date: August 1st, 2024 Salary: $20/Hr. (Max. 10 hrs/w... -
Jul 12
Where Are They Now? July 2024
Check out where our students, faculty, and alums are performing this month: Student alumni: Haliya Roberts is Lady Capulet in Boomerang Theatre Company's Romeo... -
Jun 14
Where Are They Now? June 2024
Check out where our students, faculty, and alums are performing this month: Student alumni: Amanda D. Jones will play Edwardian in The British Players' The 60th Anni... -
May 31
AICA Alum Paying it Forward
Debkanya Mitra, a 21-year-old graduate of last year's Arts Institute for Creative Advancement (AICA), has secured funding to launch a program called "Mixing the Futur... -
May 08
Strong Azz Mothers Return May 12, 2024
After a sold out first show, which made it to the front page of the Washington Post, The Theatre Lab is once again collaborating with Making a Difference to present t... -
May 02
Where Are They Now? May 2024
Check out where our students, faculty, and alums are performing this month: Student alumni: Robin Berl is the Playwright and Director of Theatre Prometheus's Dua: T... -
Apr 18
Queer Stories is Back this Summer!
"All the actors, being in different stages of life, ultimately reached the same end of self realization and acceptance. This was very important to me to experience....