Many Washington theatergoers were fortunate enough to see the recent National Theatre of Great Britain’s “Phedre” at the Shakespeare Theatre Company. Many others saw two screenings of that production before the play opened at Sidney Harman Hall.
The production and screenings mark the beginning of a year of collaborative programming between The National Theatre of Great Britain and the Shakespeare Theatre Company. From October 2009 through April 2010, the Shakespeare Theatre will be the sole venue in the Greater D.C. area for high-definition screenings of three National Theatre productions. The first, Oct. 5, will be of Shakespeare’s “All’s Well That Ends Well,” directed by Marianne Elliott. The screening will be held at Sidney Harman Hall at 7 p.m.
“When the Metropolitan Opera first did their screenings, that energized the performing arts community in a large way,” said Stacy Shaw, director of marketing and communications for the Shakespeare Theatre. “Originally, we were talking to the company that did the Met broadcasts, since they were looking for venues like the Harman for screenings.
“At first those conversations were separate from our conversations with the National about broadcasting ‘Phedre.’ Then we realized that we were both talking to the same company, so we closed the loop and started having conversations about being the sole venue in this particular market.
“We’re so pleased to host the National in Sidney Harman Hall. It’s a beautiful performance space, and our patrons really enjoyed the experience of going to ‘Phedre’ there.”
“Nation” will be shown Feb. 8, 2010. Based on a novel by Terry Pratchett, “Nation” is a coming-of-age story, illuminating the lives of two teenagers who learn to survive after a tsunami destroys their homes.
The final screening, on April 26, 2010, will be of Alan Bennett’s “The Habit of Art,” about an imagined meeting between Benjamin Britten and W. H. Auden.
Tickets to upcoming shows can be bought in advance and packages will be available. Tickets are still available to “All’s Well,” from $18 to $20. Tickets can be purchased through the box office at 202-547-1122 or through the Web site at shakespearetheatre.org.
