Sidney Harman hall is the home of the Shakespeare Theater Company
After stopping at the Washington Monument and the White House, visitors to the nation’s capital shouldn’t miss the opportunity to visit America’s leading institution devoted to the immortal bard. The Shakespeare Theater Center is not only an outstanding Shakespearean venue, but it is contributing to the revitalization of a neglected section of the city. This central area is now blossoming into a must-see neighborhood of fancy shops and cultural activities.
In 1992, after outgrowing the theater capacity in the picturesque Folger Shakespeare Library, the company made a daring move to the Lansburgh Theater. The new location was just five blocks up from Pennsylvania, in a part of the city burned out in the discord of the 1960s. The success of its productions, including A Woman of No Importance with Dixie Carter and Hal Holbrook’s portrayal of Shylock in The Merchant of Venice, attracted more and more theatergoers.
Helen Mirren portrayed Phedre in the exclusive American production of the Greek tragedy.
By 2007, the company inaugurated its own new building around the corner: the Harman Center for the Arts. The new venue is a luminescent glass box with a state-of-the-art theater. It also incorporates support facilities such as a “blood” kitchen to accommodate the prop crews for Shakespearean tragedies. The company now produces shows in both venues; it featured Helen Mirren as Phedre and housed last year’s blockbuster production of Candide.
Besides presenting the classics, the STC revives neglected historic plays. This year’s ReDiscovery production is a version of the 18th century French farce, The Heir Apparent. The show is a hilarious, timely romp about a nephew anxious to collect his promised inheritance. Adapted by renowned playwright David Ives, it features a lavish set, a rowdy American cousin and a real live pig.
Upcoming productions in this 25th anniversary season include Much Ado about Nothing, The Merry Wives of Windsor, a reading of Rogers and Hart’s The Boys from Syracuse, Artistic Director Michael Kahn’s original adaptation of Strange Interlude, and distinguished actor John Hurt in Krapp’s Last Tape.
Besides its own productions, the STC supports traveling and overseas performances of significance. The award-winning hit musical FELA! opened its national tour in Sidney Harman Hall, and Basil Twist, whose puppets have been featured in Harry Potter films, will present the ballet Petrushka next spring.
Just steps away from the theater, visitors can find gourmet indulgences such as tapas from Jaleo, chocolate-inspired meals from CoCo, and outposts of popular New York eateries, Carmine’s and Rosa Mexicano. The Woolly Mammoth and Fords Theater are also nearby. “There’s a whole life in Washington, DC that most people don’t know about,” according to STC Managing Director Chris Jennings. Patriotic institutions may be a priority, but travelers to the capital may want to take heed: After the historic structures and museums close up for the day, the cultural opportunities—from theater, opera and music to modern dance and ballet—are endless.
pictured above: A riotous group of actors (including a live pig) perform the updated adaptation of the 18th century French farce “The Heir Apparent.”
