What a ride we have had so far!  Last year, we began our residence at Gallaudet University, working with Theatre Arts faculty, staff, and students.  We enjoyed sold-out and critically-acclaimed runs of our shows.  And we were honored at the 2012 Helen Hayes Awards with the John Aniello Award for Outstanding Emerging Theatre Company. 

Wait until you see what we have in store for Season Four!  We kick off 2012-2013 with A Commedia Christmas Carol, running Nov-Dec at Gallaudet’s Elstad Auditorium.  Written and directed by Helen Hayes Awards Nominee Matthew R. Wilson, our modern, masked spin on the classical tale brings new life to the beloved novel by Charles Dickens.  A Commedia Christmas Carol is a treat for the whole family and a hilarious, heart-felt celebration of the holiday season.

Meanwhile, our critically-acclaimed production of A Commedia Romeo & Juliet is now on tour, playing to schools and theatres across the country!  In January 2013, it travels to Gaithersburg, Maryland, for a limited engagement presented by the Gaithersburg Arts Barn.  This high-octane and highly physical staging of William Shakespeare’s poetic text enjoyed a sold-out run and was Helen Hayes Awards Recommend© when it premiered in DC in 2012.  Do not miss this limited engagement remount at the Arts Barn, and contact our education department (tour@factionoffools.org) if you would like to book a performance of the show at a school or theatre near you! 

We conclude our mainstage series in the spring by returning to our roots with The Lady Becomes Him.  Based on a 16th-century Italian scenario, this original farce is directed by Artistic Associate Toby Mulford.  “Love changes people” when two young lovers resort to magic to aid their thwarted affair and they plunge the city of Naples into a chaos of misdirection, mistaken identities, and mutually assured embarrassment.  The Lady Becomes Him runs at Gallaudet’s Eastman Studio Theatre in April-May 2013. 

And, as usual, we will conclude the season by inviting other artists from the DC theatre community to join us in our 4th Annual “Fool for All”: Tales of Honor & Anchovies at the 2013 Capital Fringe Festival.  Over 100 DC actors have performed in previous “Fool for All” productions.  Don’t miss what is in store for the fourth incarnation!

In addition to producing our three mainstage shows and our annual “Fool for All,” we will continue to offer in-school and after-school workshops for all ages through our Education Department.  Furthermore, we are delighted to bring our brand of Commedia to a variety of upcoming festivals and conferences.  Once again, we will coordinate the worldwide Commedia dell’Arte Day on February 25th, and in DC we will host our annual celebration, full of fun and feasting. 

With special thanks to all of our supporters and fans, the Faction is excited to kick off our fourth season.

Stay Foolish, DC!

Best,
 
Matthew R. Wilson, Founding Artistic Director