Washington DC’s Fall Season Theater Round-up

The new season of live theater is opening in Washington DC and here’s a round-up of a few plays ranging from a couple classics to a pair of somewhat edgier plays.

Signature Theatre’s 2010-11 season continues with the world premiere of Walter Cronkite is Dead.

Staring Helen Hayes Award winners Sherri L. Edelen and Nancy Robinette, Walter Cronkite is Dead features two women, whose flights are delayed leaving them stuck in an stormy airport, sharing a table.  In a world that seems to be spinning beyond their control, Margaret and Patty strike up a conversation that encourages them to open up and challenge their preconceived notions.

Each woman represents two different sides of the culture war – one from a red state, the other from a blue state, yet they strive to find common ground.  The new comedy explores the choices we all make, the regrets we carry, and the losses we suffer over time.

Signature Theatre presents Walter Cronkite is Dead – 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington, Virginia (map)

Dates - October 26 – December 19, 2010

Tickets – $69.405 – $79.70.  Tickets are available online, by phone at or at the box office.

Nearest Metro Subway Station – Pentagon City – Blue & Yellow lines, then a $7.00 cab ride.

Parking – Free garage parking is available.

Oklahoma, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s timeless musical collaboration opens the new Mead Center at Arena Stage.

Celebrating the excitement and vigor of America’s westward pioneering movement to the Oklahoma Territory in 1906, Oklahoma brings classic tunes such as “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’,” “Surrey With the Fringe On Top,” and of course the title song, complete with highly athletic dances and boot-stomping energy.  The 683-seat Fichandler Stage will give theater-goers a unique theater-in-the-round staging of this classic.

Arena Stage presents Oklahoma! — Arena Stage – 1101 Sixth Street, SW, Washington DC (map)

Dates – October 22 – December 26, 2010

Tickets – $60.00 – $90.00.  Tickets are available online or at the box office.

Nearest Metro Subway Station – Waterfront-SEU station, Green line, then a 1–block walk or use the DC Circulator bus.

Parking – Limited paid parking is available at Waterfront Station across Sixth Street for $10.00.  Street parking is also available.

Theater J presents Neil Simon’s Tony Award-winning comic masterpiece The Odd Couple.

Long time divorced charismatic sports-writer slob and and self-professed Oscar Madison, feeling sorry for his recently single and broken hearted buddy Felix Unger, invites him to share his apartment while he struggles with his divorce.  But the hyper-clean and overbearing Felix insists on transforming Oscar’s filthy bachelor pad into an immaculate residence, complete with gourmet dinners and spotless floors, causing the friendship to turn caustic.

When Oscar arranges for a double date with a pair of British divorceés living in their building, the men’s bickering and one-upmanship reaches new and hilarious heights.  The Odd Couple may be the first bro-mance as divorced men turn to each other to build a new family.  The story was also developed into a movie starring Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon and long-running television series starring Tony Randall  and Jack Klugman.

Theater J presents The Odd Couple – Goldman Theater, 1529 16th Street, NW, Washington DC.  (map)

Dates - October 23–November 28, 2010

Tickets – $35.00 – $60.00. Tickets are available online, by phone at 800-494-TIXS or at the box office.

Nearest Metro Subway Station – Dupont Circle, Red line, then a 4–block walk.

Parking – Limited metered street and paid garage parking at 1616 P St., NW is available.

The Keegan Theatre kicks off its season with Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Sam Shepard’s play, Fool for Love.

The story surrounds the a night of verbal battling and struggle between a pair of on-again and off-again lovers, Eddie and May.  Taking place in a cheap motel near the Mojave desert, the couple deals with a complicated relationship entwined with jealously, love, hate and insatiable passion. They must decide if they should take their relationship forward amongst deep seeded fear (or more likely proof) of his infidelity with a wealthy woman.  Eddie attempts, once more, to declare his faithfulness and commitment to her, yet over the 15 years of their relationship, they have struggled with the truth about their relationship – they share more than love.

The Keegan Theatre presents Sam Shepard’s Fool for Love — Church Street Theater -
1742 Church Street, NW, Washington DC  (map)

Dates - October 16- November 7, 2010

Tickets – $35.00, Students and Seniors – $30.00.  Tickets are available by phone at 703-892-0202, via e-mail or at the box office.

Nearest Metro Subway Station – Dupont Circle – Red line, then a 3–block walk.

Parking – Limited metered street parking or area paid garage parking is available.

Images – courtesy of Signature Theatre and Theater J.