50 Fest Kicks Off CENTERSTAGE 50th Anniversary Season, 9/27-30

CENTERSTAGE kicks off its 50th Anniversary Season with 50 Fest, a four-day celebration that features special performances, events, premieres, and more. Events include the Opening Night of An Enemy of the People; the annual Backstage@CENTERSTAGE open house; From Page to Stage, a partnership with the Baltimore Book Festival; and the World Premiere of My America. 50 Fest is supported by Constellation Energy.

Opening Night—An Enemy of the People

Thursday, September 27, 8 pm

The season kicks off with the Opening Night performance of An Enemy of the People, written by American icon Arthur Miller, adapted from the play by Henrik Ibsen, and directed by CENTERSTAGE Artistic Director, Kwame Kwei-Armah. Miller takes on Ibsen’s classic conundrum, pitting brother against brother and a community against itself. Just in time for election season comes this riveting saga that asks, does the good of some outweigh the good of the rest? An Enemy of the People is made possible by support from Bank of America.

Single tickets go on sale August 20; www.centerstage.org or call the Box Office, 410.332.0033.

World Premiere— My America

Friday, September 28, 7 pm

Join us for the World Premiere of CENTERSTAGE’s artistic initiative, My America—a collection of 50 original monologues by many of the nation’s leading playwrights. In an evening featuring a selection of the project’s short films as well as live performances, we’ll explore the state of America through these thought-provoking monologues, playwright interviews, and live music. After the program, stick around as The Head Theater opens up and spills out into the lobby and surrounding spaces for a celebration of My America with music, conversation, and a chance to meet some of the writers. My America is supported by The Charlesmead Foundation.

Ticketed event, call the Box Office 410.332.0033 for more information.

Celebration—50 Fest: From Page to Stage

Friday, September 28, 12-8 pm

Saturday, September 29, 12-8 pm

Sunday, September 30, 12-7 pm

CENTERSTAGE is turning 50 and extends the Baltimore Book Festival down to Calvert Street with 50 Fest: From Page to Stage. We'll be painting the street and featuring free performances from local theater artists, musicians, poets, painters, dancers and more. Monument Street will come alive with booths and stages celebrating the power of live performance and the role of art in the community.

During 50 Fest, CENTERSTAGE and the Enoch Pratt Fee Library will launch The Big Read with three performances bringing to life the writings of Edgar Allan Poe, featuring Single Carrot Theatre, Iron Crow Theatre Company, and Tony Tsendeas. (Saturday, September 29, 4 pm at CENTERSTAGE). 50 Fest kicks off a month-long series of events, performances, and educational outreach focused on the life and works of Edgar Allan Poe.

The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. Seventy-eight not-for-profit organizations received grants totaling $1 million to host a Big Read project as part of the 2012-2013 program. The Big Read is managed by Arts Midwest.

Open House—Backstage@CENTERSTAGE

Saturday, September 29, 12-8 pm

Backstage@CENTERSTAGE, our annual free, family open house, will feature tours, workshops, demonstrations, and performances throughout the theater. Bring the whole family and get a behind-the-scenes look at how theater is made, hear local storytellers, and experience musical and theatrical performances from around Baltimore and across the state.

CENTERSTAGE, the State Theater of Maryland, celebrates its 50th Anniversary Season in 2012-13. The professional, nonprofit company serves as a local hub and national leader for provocative, entertaining theater and as a catalyst for conversation in the community. Each year, a broad range of productions in two intimate performance spaces attracts a highly diverse audience of more than 100,000 people—including more than 8,000 fiercely loyal members. Under the leadership of acclaimed playwright, actor, and director Kwame Kwei-Armah (Artistic Director) and national arts leader Stephen Richard (Managing Director), CENTERSTAGE enters its 50th year with a renewed dedication to the production of world-class theater in the heart of Baltimore.

 

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