Opening the Mead Center for American Theater in October would be reason enough for the Arena Stage to celebrate this year. But tomorrow, the Arena Stage marks another milestone: the company's 60th anniversary.
Arena Stage was founded in 1950 by Zelda Fichandler, Thomas Fichandler and Edward Mangum. For its 60th year, Arena Stage has programmed a season featuring Edward Albee's "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"; "The Arabian Nights," written and directed by Tony Award–winner Mary Zimmerman; and "Oklahoma!", among performances.
This year, Arena Stage will open the Mead Center for American Theater. Its new campus at 1101 Sixth Street SW, which saw groundbreaking in January 2008, opens with a gala celebration on October 25.
A limited number of individual tickets for the Arena Stage's opening gala celebration go on sale tomorrow. Those individual tickets cost $1,500 and $2,500 -- though more elite sponsorship opportunities exist, up to $50,000 tickets.
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will serve as the honorary charis for the black-tie gala, performance and dinner. Mayor Fenty and Michelle Fenty will be the honoroary co-chairs.
