Signature Theatre Announces Schedule For Its Free Target Open House 8/8

Signature Theatre, the recipient of the 2009 Tony Award® for Outstanding Regional Theatre, celebrates the best in musical theater and drama at its Target Open House on Saturday, August 8 from noon – 9:30 pm.  Free and open to the public, this fun-filled Signature event is 9½ hours of exciting performances, and fascinating master classes, demonstrations, and exhibits, plus kids’ offerings, all offered in Signature’s swanky two-theater complex.  Events begin every 15 minutes.  Located in the Shirlington Village area of Arlington, VA just off I-395, Signature Theatre is approximately nine minutes from downtown Washington, D.C.  Free parking is available in two adjacent public garages.

Target Open House attendees can go behind the scenes at the innovative theatre, hear musical highlights from the upcoming season (including Showboat and Sweeney Todd), hear reunion concerts of past Signature shows, learn new dance steps from a Helen Hayes-winning choreographer, pick up performance tips from master artists, attend a Broadway concert, hear live rock music on the Plaza, and more.   Special children’s activities will include a moon bounce and crafts, including mask and puppet making.  As a unique feature at this year’s Target Open House, Signature is offering a pay-what-you-can opportunity for theater-lovers to be photographed with The company’s Tony Award statue.  Photos will be available for downloading following the event.

Open House headliners will include the Tony nominated chanteuse Emily Skinner (called “a blissfully improbable hybrid of Merman and Dietrich” by The New York Times), singer/songwriter Katie Thompson (remembered as the red-headed standout in LaChiusa’s Giant), and a highlights concert featuring the original cast of Signature’s huge 2002 hit Hedwig and the Angry Inch.  Target’s sponsorship of the Open House allows Signature to offer the local community this free day of events celebrating The company’s 20th anniversary season.  For more information visit, www.signature-theatre.org.

Signature’s 20th anniversary season opens on August 11 with Dirty Blonde starring Emily Skinner as Mae West and continues with Show Boat, I Am My Own Wife, Sweeney Todd, [title of show], the world premiere of Sycamore Trees, and the world premiere run of“First You Dream” The Kander & Ebb Concert.

The schedule is as follows:
11:45                Pam Parker, R&B (Plaza Stage)

12:00                Signature Season Highlights Concert, musical theater (MAX Theatre)

12:15                Overtures Graduates in Concert, musical theater (ARK Theatre)

12:30                Pam Parker, R&B (Plaza Stage)

12:30                Conversation with Signature’s Production Team

12:45                Felicia Curry: Acting with Music Master Class (Shen Rehearsal Room)

1:00                  Matt Conner, piano (Mead Lobby)

1:15                  Julia Nixon in Concert, R&B/musical theater (MAX Theatre)

1:30                  American Musical Voices Concert, original songs (ARK Theatre)

1:45                  Dizzy Miss Lizzy, theater rock (Plaza Stage)

2:00                  Eric Schaeffer: Performance Master Class (Shen Rehearsal Room)

2:00                  “The Signature Documentary” film (Shirlington Public Library)

2:15                  My Audition Book: The Women I, their favorite songs (Mead Lobby)

2:30                  TBA (MAX Theatre)

2:45                  Signature Sings Sondheim, musical theater (ARK Theatre)

3:00                  Temika Moore, R&B (Plaza Stage)

3:15                  Karma Camp: Dancing Broadway Master Class (Shen Rehearsal Room)

3:30                  My Audition Book: The Men II, their favorite songs (Mead Lobby)

3:30                  Conversation w/ Signature’s Production Team (Zickler Rehearsal Room)

3:45                  Katie Thompson in Concert, original, R&B, musical theater (MAX Theatre)

4:00                  Nynth Ave Drifters, 3 guys with guitars (ARK Theatre)

4:00                  “The Signature Documentary” film (Shirlington Public Library

4:15                  Kuku, Nigerian singer/songwriter (Plaza Stage)

4:30                  Michael Baron: Auditioning Master Class (Shen Rehearsal Room)

4:45                  Peter Lerman, singer/songwriter folk & musical theater (Mead Lobby)

5:00                  Hedwig and the Angry Inch Highlights Concert (MAX Theatre)

5:15                  Signature Season Highlights Concert, musical theater (ARK Theatre)

5:30                  Blue Hotel, rock (Plaza Stage)

5:45                  Ask Eric Schaffer & Maggie Boland, Signature’s leadership team (Shen Rehearsal Room)

6:00                  My Audition Book:  The Women II their favorite songs (Mead Lobby)

6:15                  Emily Skinner in Concert cabaret musical theater (MAX Theatre)

6:30                  American Musical Voices Cabaret original songs (ARK Theatre)

6:45                  Blue Hotel, rock (Plaza Stage)

7:15                  My Audition Book:  The Men II  their favorite songs (Mead Lobby)

7:30                  Nevermore Highlights Concert (MAX Theatre)

7:45                  Katie Thompson in Concert, original, R&B, musical theater (ARK Theatre)

8:30                  Broadway on the Plaza – Finale Concert (Plaza Stage)

Extended offerings:

12 – 8:00           Moonbounce (Plaza)

12 – 4:30           Crafts for Kids – Mask and Puppet making (Shirlington Public Library)

All day                Set Models/Designs & Costume Sketches (Zickler Rehearsal Room)

Recipient of the 2009 Regional Theater Tony Award®, Signature Theatre is a non-profit professional theater company dedicated to producing contemporary musicals and plays, reinventing classic musicals, and developing new work.  Under the leadership of co-founder and Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer and Managing Director Maggie Boland, Signature has presented 26 world premiere productions and is renowned for combining Broadway-quality productions with intimate playing spaces.  In addition to the finest talent from the DC metropolitan area and New York, Signature has been a home to such theater luminaries as John Kander and Fred Ebb, Cameron Mackintosh, Terrence McNally, and The company’s signature composer, Stephen Sondheim.  Since its founding in 1989, Signature has been nominated for 276 Helen Hayes Awards for excellence in the professional theater and has been honored with 69 Helen Hayes Awards, including Outstanding Musical in 1992, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2005, 2006, 2008, and 2009, and Outstanding Play in 1999.

Signature is partially supported by a grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts and by a gift from Arlington County through the Arlington Commission for the Arts and the Cultural Affairs Division of the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources.

Signature Theatre is just nine minutes from downtown Washington, DC in Arlington’s Shirlington Village.  The new theater complex is located at 4200 Campbell Avenue (22206) off I-395 at the Shirlington exit.  After the exit, blue Signature signs mark the way to the Theatre.  Free parking is available in two adjacent public garages.  Please note that Campbell Avenue is a new street and some GPS online mapping systems do not yet recognize Signature Theatre's address.  For directions visit http://signature-theatre.org/map.htm.

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