Avant Bard | theatre on the edge
Our 35th season, beginning in October 2024, offers a rich and distinctive lineup that exemplifies our mission to interrogate the classics and classical themes and showcase innovative voices.
The season kicks off with the October 2024 9th annual FREE Scripts in Play festival presented in Arlington art galleries, featuring three bold and thought-provoking new scripts. A wine and cheese reception accompanies each reading!
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Eclipsing Stars
Written by Kaely Michels-Gualtieri
Directed by Natalie Cutcher
(A Staged Reading)
"In 1847, young Edwin Booth is pulled out of school by his father, a renowned tragedian, to tour the country performing Shakespeare. Left behind is his younger brother, John Wilkes Booth. So begins the story of the Booth brothers: one rises to fame, while the other falls into infamy.
As the ringmaster of this unfolding tale, P.T. Barnum leads us through a world where historical truth, Shakespearean verse, and circus metaphor converge on a perilous tightrope stretched between tyranny, democracy, and free will.
The curtain rises. History unfolds. And we’re left asking: What is the cost of a human life when the show must go on?"
Please take note:
August 1st Staged Reading will be performed at Big Bear Cafe, 1700 1st Street NW, Washington DC 20001
August 7th Staged Reading will be performed at Dock5, 1309 5th Street NE, Washington DC 20002