There was not much fanfare surrounding 1st Stage’s original production back in September, or its second, “The Violet Hour,” which plays through Sunday. But the quality of acting and direction in both productions suggests that this 108-seat theatre will be around for quite some time.
The invention of artistic director Mark Krikstan, 1st Stage is intended to provide a “first stage” in the careers of young theatre professionals.
T“I taught at Marshall High School for years,” said Krikstan in a recent interview. “A lot of incredibly talented kids graduated, bitten by the theater bug, and headed off to college. Then I’d watch them go to New York, struggle in little hole-in-the-wall theatres, trying to get a foot in the door.
“So there’s a lot of talent leaving the county, because there’s no professional theatre in Fairfax County except for Wolftrap and George Mason’s Theatre of the First Amendment, now in hiatus. Then with all this talk of Tyson’s Corner becoming an urban experience with a Metro coming in, I thought to myself, ‘This is a choice opportunity to do for this area what Studio Theatre did for 14th St., where they revitalized the place.’”
Krikstan has put up his own money to get the theatre off the ground, but he’s had help along the way. 1st Stage was originally an office supply warehouse and when Krikstan went to the architectural firm of Butz-Wilbern just to get advice, they gave him what Krikstan calls “a beautiful design.” He’s also had support from a general contractor in Falls Church, M. Raina Associates, although Krikstan and his friends did a lot of the actual building and painting of the theatre.
This might be the hardest possible time to get a new endeavor off the ground, given the country’s financial situation.
“We opened our first show on Sept. 18 and the stock market crashed four days later,” said Krikstan. “What luck! But we’re going to continue, one step at a time. Everybody struggles in this economy. We’re no different.”
For information call 703-854-1856 or visit 1ststagespringhill.org
