Ah, Wilderness! and The Importance of Family: A Q&A with Kyle Donnelly

 “I find it very touching that he can write so lovingly of this fictional family and that his wish for that life can be brought to the stage as a counterpoint to his other plays.”

In the midst of tech rehearsals, Kyle Donnelly, director of Eugene O’Neill’s Ah, Wilderness! took a moment to talk about creating the idyllic world of O’Neill’s only comedy.

 AS: How would you describe the story of Ah, Wilderness?

KD: Ah, Wilderness! is the story of the childhood and family that Eugene O'Neill fantasized that he might have had were he to be lucky enough to be born into another family in New London, CT. It is the story of the loving Miller family over the span of the Fourth and Fifth of July in 1906.

 Click here to read the full interview.

 Click here to purchase tickets to Ah, Wilderness! or call 202-488-3300 today.

The O'Neill Festival Takes D.C. By Storm

Join us in a city-wide celebration of America's first master playwright, March 9-May 6. Here are some exciting highlights happening at Arena Stage to add to your calendar. Plus, explore the full listing of Festival events and purchase tickets online.

FULL-LENGTH PLAYS

Ah, Wilderness!
March 9-April 8
Return to an idyllic age of Americana in Eugene O’Neill’s unabashedly romantic and sweetly funny Ah, Wilderness! As the Connecticut-based Miller clan plans their traditional Fourth of July festivities, their dreamy-eyed middle child ... (Read more).

Tickets

Long Day's Journey into Night
March 30-May 6
Meet the Tyrones: Like most resilient, American families, they have had their share of highs and lows – from celebrity and financial success to illness and loss. One fateful day, as their increasingly drunken hours slip by ... (Read more).

Tickets

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS, NEW WORKS & STAGED READINGS

The Complete & Condensed Stage Directions of Eugene O’Neill
Volume 1: Early Plays/Lost Plays
New York Neo Futurists
April 19-22
The New York Neo-Futurists release Eugene O’Neill’s stage directions from their dissertation prison and transform them into rip-roaring physical comedy – in under 90 minutes.

Anna Christie
Taffety Punk’s Riot Grrrls
March 17-18
Anna’s back in the man’s world of the New York waterfront, looking for the father who abandoned her to want and abuse many years before. Taffety Punk’s Riot Grrrls offer a distinctive spin on the piece by casting Eugene O’Neill’s classic as an all-female production.

Begotten: O’Neill and the Harbor of Masks
Georgetown University
April 26-29
As part of its partnership with Arena Stage, Georgetown University presents this original work starring local actor Rick Foucheux (Nat Miller in Ah, Wilderness!)and set in a mythic landscape that evokes Eugene O’Neill’s fascination with the Greek dramas.

Festival Info & Tickets

Harold Hill Casting Announcement for The Music Man

We are thrilled to announce Burke Moses - the original Gaston in Broadway's Beauty and the Beast - will star as Harold Hill this summer along with Kate Baldwin as Marian the librarian. Here's a sneak peek at this summer's hottest leading man - guaranteed to sweep you off your feet!

Burke Moses (Harold Hill) Broadway: Beauty and the Beast (created the role of Gaston); Kiss Me, Kate; Guys and Dolls and The Frogs. Off-Broadway: The Fantasticks, Way of the World, Wasted and The Most Happy Fella. TV: White Collar (FOX), 30 Rock (NBC) and One Life to Live (ABC).

Don't let the toe-tapping production of 2012 pass you by!
Secure your tickets online or call 202-488-3300 today.

Countdown to Tony Award Winner
The Normal Heart

In just three months, we launch the national tour of The Normal Heart — winner of three Tony Awards including Best Revival of a Play. A quarter-century after it was written, this outrageous, unflinching, and totally unforgettable look at the sexual politics of New York during the AIDS crisis remains one of the theater’s most powerful evenings ever.

“A great night at the theater!” - New York Times

“Riveting theater!” - Newsday

Purchase tickets online or call 202-488-3300 today.