Running November 7-16.
Theater Reinvented will bring to life Rosie the Riveter: A Spectacular Experience, in partnership with Virginia Beach's Military Aviation Museum. Launch full throttle into this inspiring, woman-led narrative by Virginia's very own Trey Clarkson, celebrating the triumphs, friendships, and resilience of women, starting November 7th through 16th for a two-week-only limited engagement.
Rosie the Riveter: A Spectacular Experience is truly an exhilarating journey through history! This experience goes beyond the typical play-it immerses you in a lively spectacle right in the hangar of Pungo's Military Aviation Museum, home to one of the world's largest collections of vintage military aircraft. Step into 1942 and immerse yourself in a vibrant world filled with singing, dancing, and the sounds of a live swing band. Feel the energy of factory life coming alive around you and witness Rosie taxiing off the runway in a WWII aircraft.
Trey Clarkson, a Virginia native, is not only a talented playwright and director but also an adjunct professor at Old Dominion University and Tidewater Community College, as well as the theater director for Great Bridge High School. With experience both behind the scenes and on stage, he has shared his talents on stage in productions with Virginia Stage Company, Virginia Arts Fest, and Chesapeake Fine Arts Commission's Shakespeare in the Grove, to name a few. Disappointed with the disproportionate amount of female talent and interest compared to male interest, Clarkson decided to create a play to showcase the talents of his female students. Inspired by Rosie's "We Can Do It!" poster, he aimed to craft an experience that would celebrate and empower women.
The Military Aviation Museum has transformed its hangars into a stage for an immersive theatrical production for the first time ever. Clarkson states that collaborating with Keegan Chetwynd of the Military Aviation Museum and ROŪGE: Theater Reinvented team Patrick Mullins and Leila Stephanie has been an artist highlight of his creative journey. "The Military Aviation Museum as a partner has been invaluable. Their support, along with the commitment of our actors, has truly brought this ambitious vision to life," agrees ROŪGE's Executive Producer Patrick Mullins.
ROŪGE: Theater Reinvented continues to revolutionize live performance art-as an audience member, you'll be right in the thick of it-moving alongside the actors through two massive hangars filled with the sights, sounds, and energy of a WWII factory. Feel the rumble of a live WWII aircraft cranking up, try your hand at riveting, and move and groove up close. It's an immersive, adrenaline-fueled journey that puts you at the heart of the action, surrounded by the hard work, passion, and precision that defined the era.
WHAT: Rosie the Riveter: A Spectacular Experience presented by ROŪGE: Theater Reinvented in collaboration with the Military Aviation Museum, Written and directed by Trey Clarkson.
WHEN: Thursday, November 7th at 7:30PM
Friday, November 8th at 7:30PM
Saturday, November 9th at 7:30PM
Thursday, November 14th at 7:30PM
Friday, November 15th at 7:30PM
Saturday, November 16th at 7:30PM
WHERE: Military Aviation Museum
1341 Princess Anne Road
Virginia Beach, VA 23457
HOW: Purchase tickets online: rougeva.org OR militaryaviationmuseum.org/event/rosie
Basic Ticket: $50
Rosie's VIP Guest (VIP Ticket): $75
Home Front Hero (VIP Ticket + Donation): $100
Basic Tickets only provided entry to the Immersive Experience. VIP tickets include reserved seating at USO Dance and a drink. Home Front Hero tickets include VIP benefits and a War Bond.
War Bonds are sold at the show, and can be pre-purchased at the Home Front Hero level; these are donations to the Museum. These donations are tax deductible, and much like the real war bonds issued during World War II, they are financing the construction of an aircraft!
This presentation is made possible with the generous support of the Military Aviation Museum, 757 Makerspace, and the Virginia Beach Arts & Humanities Commission. ROŪGE: Theater Reinvented is funded in part by the citizens of Virginia Beach through a grant from the City of Virginia Beach Arts and Humanities Commission, and the City of Norfolk through a grant from Norfolk Arts.
Videos