Dear Friends of Hartford Stage,

“Places!” Is one of my favorite words to hear backstage: the Stage Manager’s call to everyone to, quite literally, get into place for the beginning of the show. I love what the word does to the space and to each of us in it—filling us with excitement and anticipation for the work ahead. We are off, the story is about to begin.

Since our theatre closed in mid-March of 2020 I’ve wondered when again I’d hear that word resonate in our building. And since I’ve begun writing these letters to all of you, I’ve wished for the version of this letter that would announce our return. And now, after a 15-month long intermission (who would have believed it…) we can finally say it’s time to come back to our Stage.

Over the past several months with vaccinations increasing, cases decreasing, restrictions being loosened and much appreciated dollars being raised, we at Hartford Stage have been thick in the midst of planning and hoping and dreaming of our ability to Raise the Curtain—and now the official announcement is upon us.

Please join me for a special edition of Scene and Heard: LIVE! next Thursday, June 10 at 6PM via Zoom where we will announce our 2021/2022 season at Hartford Stage! I am thrilled by the artists and projects that we have gathered to share with you—it is an array of artists and stories that will uplift our humanity, our joy, and our resilience.

Things will look and feel a bit different next season as this past year has affected so many aspects of our industry and our daily lives, from communal gathering expectations to the acknowledgement and awareness of the continued racial injustice so many of our community members still face. We enter into a re-opening, re-awakened with wider eyes and hearts.

Join us to be the first to hear what we have planned.

Con muchísima anticipación y cariño,

Places!

–Melia

PS: Don’t forget to register for our inaugural American Voices New Play Festival happening virtually June 23-26 to hear and celebrate new plays by playwrights with Latinx and Hispanic roots. Acompáñanos! Register here: http://bit.ly/avnpf