Jane Austen in 39+ Minutes

An abridged version of James’s JANE AUSTEN IN 89 MINUTES with optional scenes to extend its length.

In this uproarious, clever, engaging comedy, narrator Jane Austen and a madcap cast of ladies and gents deliver condensed versions of all six of Austen’s beloved novels at a lightning pace, including modern day zingers about Austen’s fame—and fandom. Fans will be delighted, although no knowledge of Austen’s work is required to enjoy the play, which basks in the glory of her major works, while also poking fun at their pitfalls—a hilarious and loving homage to the celebrated English writer whose insightful wit and romantic stories are treasured across the world today.

right before I go: School Edition

Stan Zimmerman (The Golden Girls, Roseanne, Gilmore Girls) brings to life the last words written in letters by individuals lost to suicide—including celebrities, veterans, kids that were bullied, LGBTQ, and the clinically depressed—and those who have survived suicide attempts. Since its acclaimed first performance at the Hollywood Fringe Festival in 2015, the play has traveled across the country, raising awareness and offering hope for suicide prevention.

The Name Jar

After her first day of school in America, a young, Korean, immigrant girl decides to change her name to something “easer to pronounce.” With the enthusiastic help of her new classmates, she soon has a jar filled with exciting new names. Will she choose a new name? Or will she find value in her own?

The Little Mermaid

Awakened by a thunderstorm in the middle of the night, a family passes the time by weaving their own wondrous and joyful mermaid tale, using comedy, music, and dance to bring the timeless story of love and adventure to life. Hans Christian Andersen’s once cautionary tale about a disobedient girl is transformed into a magical journey that encourages young people to listen to their hearts and choose the right path even when it’s a difficult one.

Winnie-The-Pooh

Christopher Robin has just moved into a new neighborhood and he isn’t happy. Despite a neighbor girl knocking on his door and asking him to play, Christopher Robin prefers to stay inside and play with his favorite stuffed animals. To bring him out of his shell, his father A.A. Milne tells him wondrous tales of his beloved toys and their many adventures, hoping that, through them, Christopher Robin will find the courage to make a friend. Adapted from A.A. Milne’s original story, WINNIE-THE-POOH brings your favorite characters to the stage and shows audiences of all ages the importance of friendship.

Chlorine Sky

“Ok, so boom. / We ain’t friends anymore.”
Sky and Lay Li were always in sync. But now their rhythms are changing; Sky likes swimming, and Lay Li is all about beauty. Sky, basketball; Lay Li, boys. Things make more sense underwater and on the court. This adaptation of Mahogany L. Browne’s popular young adult novel, CHLORINE SKY, is an intimate coming-of-age story told in verse about two girls who are best friends—until they aren’t. Sometimes, growing up means growing apart.

12 Million Footsteps

January 28, 2017. An executive order signed by the President sends three complicated and lost individuals wandering on their own homebound odysseys. As one searches for his lost father, another searches for his detained uncle, and another searches for connection to her faraway home. Searching for hope and for home, their lives become entwined with Homer’s ancient text in beautiful and life-altering ways.

Hoopla!

The fifth-grade talent show is approaching, and everyone at Baldwin Elementary is abuzz. Winston wants to win the show with his cheerleading routine and prove he’s more than the awful nickname everyone calls him: Fishboy. Introverted artist Gina wants nothing to do with the show, and she knows the overzealous (and unpleasant) twins, Randy, and Brandy, will probably win anyway. But with the persistence of Elliott, the school’s new kid and resident rebel, these unlikely friends form “Hoopla,” a dazzling hula hooping trio and help each other navigate the pressures of being a kid.

The Spoken Word

Germany in 1943. America in 2033. This charged play follows young adults separated by time and place, united by their resistance to the government oppression they’re surrounded by. In 2033, a group of protestors in hiding begin receiving cryptic text messages. Is it possible that they’re somehow being sent from 1940s anti-Nazi activist Sophie Scholl and other members of the famed White Rose resistance group? And if they are receiving these messages, why?

UnResigned

Alejandro has revolutionized student government at his Pennsylvania high school and changed it for the better, so when he unexpectedly resigns from being student body president halfway through his senior year, the entire school is shaken. Who will take over? Who should take over? This exciting play looks at the ways we contribute to our community, the power of the vote, and what it means to be a United States citizen.

Smile Lines

This groundbreaking and emotionally charged play immerses you in the fervor, intensity, determination, and selflessness of the Silent Sentinels protest at the White House in 1917. A century later, do we appreciate the sacrifices and convictions made by those brave individuals? SMILE LINES delves deep into the National Woman’s Party’s historic protests, connecting them to the ongoing struggle for all voices in today’s world.

295N

Six young Northern Virginia students find themselves thrust into a complex world, a world made of poetry, reenactments, the guiding words of Frederick Douglass, and the personal experiences of the students themselves. The heart of this complex world is the death of Freddie Gray, an event that forces each of these students to confront their own relationships with issues of race. As one young African American student, Jasen, finds himself compelled to seek justice, the others are forced to confront how close to home the issues of Baltimore actually are.