Glimpses of the Moon begins September 8th

Gia Mora and Stephen F. Schmidt as Ellie and Nelson Vanderlyn

in Glimpses of the Moon (Photo by Colin Hovde).

A Jazz Age Musical

based on the novel by Edith Wharton

Book and Lyrics by Tajlei Levis
Music by John Mercurio
Directed and Choreographed by David Marquez

A sparkling romantic musical, Glimpses of the Moon follows the jazzy whirl of New York society in 1922. Popular but penniless, Susy Branch and her friend Nick Lansing devise the ultimate fundraising scheme -- to marry and live off the wedding presents, while they help one another look for suitable millionaires. The plan works perfectly -- until they fall in love.

SCHEDULE, PERFORMANCE TIMES

AND TICKET INFORMATION

PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN PREVIEWS
Wednesday & Thursday, September 8 & 9 at 8:00pm
($10 minimum expected, more greatly accepted)

NO SHOW FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10

$25 PREVIEWS
Saturday, September 11 at 3pm & 8pm
Sunday, September 12 at 3pm

PRESS/ OPENING NIGHT
Sunday, September 12 at 7:00pm

PERFORMANCES THRU OCTBER 17:
Thursdays & Fridays at 8:00pm
Saturdays at 3:00pm and 8:00pm
Sundays at 3:00pm and 7:00pm

TICKETS:
$45 - $50

Call 800-494-8497
or CLICK HERE to order tickets online.

READ MORE ABOUT THE PRODUCTION

"one of the best new musicals I've seen in ages...a well-crafted, witty musical comedy...a sparkling valentine to the Jazz Age." -BroadwayWorld.com

CLICK HERE to read about the Cast & Crew

CLICK HERE to read the Press Release




For more information, visit http://www.glimpsesofthemoon.com/

Calvin Ramsey returns to Washington with The Green Book

In 2007, MetroStage produced Bricktop which had the book and lyrics co-written by Thomas W. Jones II and Calvin Ramsey. Mr. Ramsey is returning to Washington this September to participate in a staged reading of his play The Green Book at the Lincoln Theatre on September 15.

We would encourage our MetroStage patrons to take advantage of this opportunity to experience this important play about this historic time. The fact that Julian Bond is participating in the reading makes it even more historic. We hope to see you there.

CLICK HERE to read Celia McGee's article, "The Open Road Wasn't Quite Open To All" in the August 23rd edition of The New York Times >

In memory of our dear friend and colleague, Jane Pesci-Townsend

Dori Legg, Carolyn Griffin and Jane Pesci-Townsend

I worked with Jane as an actor (Parallel Lives, 1994) and as a director (Last Five Years, 2004)— I only wish I had witnessed her as a teacher/mentor/friend and colleague for the thousands of students at Catholic University who will carry on her spirit and artistry and life lessons for generations to come. Jane was truly the most honest, authentic, genuine, generous --- there are simply not enough adjectives to describe her --- artist and, more importantly, person we will ever have the privilege of knowing. She was the funniest and the most heart-breaking— whether she was acting or singing or just being Jane --- which only comes from a place of absolute honesty and vulnerability. The loss for her friends, colleagues and students is immeasurable, but we can all be thankful that we knew her because her beauty and talent will live with us in our daily lives, in our art, and on the stage and will influence generations to come.

Carolyn Griffin
Producing Artistic Director

MetroStage's New Season

OH, LOOK: Glimpses of the Moon, opening in September at MetroStage, will feature Gia Mora and Stephen F. Schmidt. (Photo by Colin Hovde)

MetroStage in Alexandria will open its next season with a new musical, Glimpses of the Moon (Sept. 8-Oct. 17), based on the novel by Edith Wharton. The book and lyrics are by Tajlei Levis and the music by John Mercurio. Director-choreographer David Marquez will stage the show with a cast that includes Stephen F. Schmidt and Gia Mora.

Producing Artistic Director Carolyn Griffin says the "Jazz Age musical" will be a world premiere, because its earlier incarnation was in cabaret form at Manhattan's Algonquin Hotel. Griffin hopes Glimpses of the Moon will have a life after MetroStage. "There's every reason in the world to think that it might be a viable show for other theaters looking for small musicals," she says.

Other MetroStage-nurtured shows that have gone onward and upward include Rooms, a Rock Romance, which moved off-Broadway and has been produced at other theaters, and Pearl Bailey . . . by Request, starring Roz White. Cool Papa's Party, with a script by Thomas W. Jones II, music by William Knowles and choreography by Maurice Hines, premiered at MetroStage in 2009, and Griffin says there are plans afoot for a Broadway staging.

It should be interesting for audiences to see shows in early and evolving stages, she says, as they will with Glimpses of the Moon. "The writers and the composer are revisiting the script and the music and will be making minor changes for this next stage of the development of the musical."

MetroStage's holiday show will be A Broadway Christmas Carol (Nov. 18-Dec. 19), a spoof by Kathy Feininger, directed by Larry Kaye and choreographed by Nancy Harry.

Singer-actress Bernardine Mitchell will return to MetroStage as the legendary performer Ethel Waters in His Eye Is on the Sparrow (Jan. 20-March 13) by Larry Parr, directed by Gary Yates.

The stars of MetroStage's 2009 hit Heroes, a three-character piece adapted by Tom Stoppard from a French play, will reunite in Stoppard's farce The Real Inspector Hound (April 14-May 29). John Vreeke, who staged Heroes, will direct.

CLICK HERE to read the full Washington Post story by Jane Horwitz