Congratulations to the Class of 2015!
We’d like to take the time to congratulate Encore’s seniors! Thank you for being a part of Encore’s community for multiple seasons, and allowing us to take part in your theatrical journey. We wish you the best of luck on your future endeavors! Check out our senior recognition video:
Encore Seniors Recognition Class of 2015 from Encore Stage on Vimeo.
Maddie Ashton
Thomas Boudreaux
Gabriel Brown
Jake Bucks
Andrew Burkholder
Paddy Clancy
Caroline Culberson
Sarah Fahrenkrug
Carly Greenfield
Kerry Hackes
Kristopher Heaton
Abby Huston
Perry Kaufman
Brandi Moore
Meghan Mack
Hannah Murphy
Meghan Pierce
Katelyn Sparks
Sean Willner
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- Katelyn Sparks and Maddie Ashton, The Little Mermaid 2014
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- Gabriel Brown and Katelyn Sparks, The Little Mermaid 2014
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- Sarah Fahrenkrug, Hobbit 2014
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- Sir Harry and Lady Larkin, played by David Lopez and Hannah Murphy in Encore Stage & Studio’s “Once Upon A Mattress” (2014)
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- From left to right: the Minstrel (played by Padraig Clancy), the King (played by Sean Hackes), and the Jester (played by Sarah Conrad) in Encore Stage & Studio’s “Once Upon A Mattress” (2014)
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- The Little Mermaid (2014)
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- Photo by Aileen Pangan.
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- Meghan Mack, Perry Kaufman and Kerry Hackes, Once Upon a Mattress (2014)
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- Thomas Boudreaux and Paddy Clancy, 2015 Benefit Breakfast
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- Sean Willner, Legally Blonde 2013
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- Abby Huston, Aladdin 2012
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- Photo by Larry McClemons
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- Jake Bucks, Tech Crew
The Other Encore Intern! Welcome Back Olivia Hammermaster!
Hey! I’m Olivia Hammermaster and I’ll be working at Encore this summer.
(There’s a fun picture of me as Oin in The Hobbit. Fun fact: That was the show where I feel like I learned the most and really grew as an actor.)
First of all, I don’t live here anymore. I moved to Vienna, VA when I was 11, found Encore at 14, and then moved to Georgia last August. With some hardcore pleading and a very convincing number of service hours, my parents let me come back to work here for the summer.
I used to attend Marshall High School over in Falls Church before moving to Marietta, Georgia. I’m a full IB student and no, I don’t know where I’m going to college yet. I can tell you that I’m potentially looking at majoring in psychology, but I have plenty of time to figure it out and change my mind!
(I’m the one in the white sweater- I stage managed Sherlock, working alongside this lovely tech crew.)
I’ve been involved with Encore since I was in eighth grade, and I’m now a rising senior in high school. I’ve done everything from cast to crew to stage managing to working at summer camps. My favorite productions, if I really had to choose, were 12 Dancing Princesses and Honk! Jr. For 12 Dancing Princesses, I played Stumble: the comic relief. I had so much fun developing that character and running around onstage. I worked on crew for Honk! Jr. and learned ALL of the music and choreography in the process. This summer, I’m splitting my time between our Stage Door camp and the Encore office.
Encore has always been a great experience for me– so great that I drove ten hours (I was the only driver in the car!) to continue working here. I’ll be running around helping with a lot of things, so you’ll probably see me at some point.
Thank you for reading! Come see our Stage Door production, Beauty and the Beast, and Act III, Shrek!
7 Encore Students Receive Awards for Excellence and Achievement
After participating in at least six Encore Stage and Studio productions: two onstage, two backstage on tech crew, and two more in either capacity, six Encore Stage & Studio students joined an elect group of Star Award honorees on Friday, June 12, at the Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre. Four present members received their awards from Sara Strehle Duke, the Executive Director of Encore Stage and Studio.
“The Star Award is an important milestone in the Encore experience,” said Duke. Duke continued saying “these six students should be proud of their accomplishments.”
The Encore productions that these Star Award Winners participated in Encore production include Hansel and Gretel, Charlotte’s Web, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and many more. Malena Davis, Maggie Keane, Colin Meek, Erin Poplin, GG Richmond, and Thomas Schindler accepted their awards during the intermission of Encore’s latest production Alice in Wonderland.
Kristen Jepperson, the company’s Technical Director, presented high school senior, Thomas Boudreaux, the “Crew-ton” award for his consistent work and dedication to the technical crew at Encore for the past four years. While the other tokens were shaped like a star, Boudreaux received a gold hammer.
Photos by Larry McClemons and Aileen Pangan
Meet the Arts Management Intern: Rosemarie O’Connor
Why, hello there Front Row readers! Seeing as I will be here at Encore for the summer, it’s just polite to let you all know a little bit about me.
I am a rising senior at Marymount University in Arlington, which is fitting because I’ve lived in Arlington my whole life. I’m studying Communication with a focus in Public Relations with a business minor. I still can’t tell you exactly what I want to be when I grow-up (or graduate next year) but, a summer at Encore is a way to help me sort that out. I mean, in an ideal world I could make a living wage as an actress in New York but, I love doing public relations type stuff in class and for different organizations that I’m involved in at Marymount.
Once Upon a Mattress has been my only Encore credit thus far. Apparently that one summer production last year was enough to have me apply for this job. I do a lot of work with the theatre club at Marymount and was even the president this past school year. It is amazing to be here at Encore and see a group that has been putting on productions and so much more for almost fifty years. (Marymount Actors’ Guild just had its fourth, so far so good as far as I know.)
As far as the summer goes, I’ve already had a weekend in the box office for the second weekend of Alice in Wonderland. That was actually a lot of fun. There were times where there were tons of people who wanted to get tickets at the door and I was still new to the system, but it was a good time. Trust me. I also got to work different tables and interact with lots of the Encore patrons. I can’t wait to meet and see more of you at Shrek. The toughest part of this weekend was doing all the things that needed to get done on crutches. I’ve got this lovely boot on my right foot and it makes moving or rather, hopping or crutching around a little more complicated. 
This summer on top of learning all that I can from the amazing Encore staff, I will be working on a few projects: helping with the Encore Tumblr, adding to the past show database, adding pictures from past seasons to the website, and helping to get some things going for the upcoming 50th season. Also, I am just looking forward to being here.
Thanks for reading and you just might be hearing again from me soon.
Nov. 6-15, 2015
Hansel and Gretel
From the classic story by The Brothers Grimm
Adapted by Vera Morris
Deep in a German forest awaits the Gingerbread Witch and her hobgoblin henchmen ready to transform children into tasty treats. Siblings Hansel, Gretel and friends go into the woods and find themselves in the path of the witch. To return home to their parents, this brother and sister duo will have to use their smarts to outwit the evil Witch. Spooky and full of action, we recommend this production for ages 6 and older.
Location:
All performances are held at Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre (125 S. Old Glebe Rd. Arlington, VA 22204)
Season Subscription and Tickets:
Choose your Subscription package! Select:
6-show package for $50 (All five Thomas Jefferson Theatre shows and Twelfth Night)
5-show package for $45
4-show package for $36
3-Gunston show package for $25
Single Tickets will be on sale July 27, 2015: $15 adults, $10 children, students, military and seniors with valid ID. Includes all box office fees.
Click here to purchase your season subscription online, or call our box office (703)548-1154.
Click here to return to 2015/2016 Season.
Interested in acting in our shows? Click here to learn about auditions.
Jan. 8-17, 2016
Snow White is a beautiful young princess who lives with her jealous stepmother, the Queen. When the Queen discovers that Snow White is truly “the fairest of them all,” she devises a plan to continue her reign permanently. After being banished to the woods, Snow White happens upon seven new friends that give her a place to call home. Your family will enjoy this musical adaptation of the classic fairytale. We recommend this musical for ages 4 and older.
Audition Dates and Times:
Auditions: October 13 and 14 from 5:00-8:00 pm.
Pre-Audition Workshop: October 3 from 10:00 am-12:00 pm. The pre-audition workshop fee is $55.
There is no audition fee.
Auditions are in the lower level of Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre (125 S. Old Glebe Rd, Arlington, VA 22204).
Location:
All performances are held at Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre (125 S. Old Glebe Rd., Arlington, VA 22204)
Enhance your theatre-going experience! Join us for Snow White’s Winter Ball!
Join us for this special event featuring tea and treats, fun activities, and a chance to meet your favorite Snow White characters!
Saturday, January 9, 2016 | After the 11am Snow White performance
Tickets: $35 | 11 am performance ticket sold separately
This production is sponsored by Michael Rogers, DDS. 
Click here to purchase your season subscription online, or call our box office (703)548-1154.
Click here to return to 2015/2016 Season.
Interested in acting in our shows? Click here to learn about auditions.
Feb. 26-Mar. 6, 2016
Treasure Island
What starts as a mystery turns into an adventure in a brand new Encore adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic novel. Young Jemma Hawkins escapes a dull life to search for where “X” marks the spot on a mysterious treasure map left behind by an old sea captain. Jemma meets a slew of thrill seeking sea farers as he races to find the treasure before any pirates do. From the playwright who brought you last season’s hit, The Three Musketeers, we recommend this production for ages 6 and older.
Performance Dates and Showtimes:
Friday, February 26, 2016 at 7:30pm
Saturday, February 27, 2016 at 11am and 3pm
Sunday, February 28, 2016 at 3pm
Friday, March 4, 2016 at 7:30pm
Saturday, March 5, 2016 at 11am and 3pm
Sunday, March 6, 2016 at 3pm
Location:
All performances are held at Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre (125 S. Old Glebe Rd., Arlington, VA 22204)
$15 Adults; $10 Children, Students, Military and Seniors. Click here to purchase your tickets online.
Click here to purchase your season subscription online, or call our box office (703)548-1154.
Encore’s 2016 season is sponsored by Michael Rogers, DDS.
Click here to return to 2015/2016 Season.
Interested in acting in our shows? Click here to learn about auditions.
Apr. 22-24, 2016
Six young spellers come together at a local school to use their talents to decide who will represent Putnam County in the national bee. Their zany personalities shine as they take on words that most people have never heard of, let alone can spell. Words fly as this fun, modern musical tells a tale of growing up while competing for prestige and bragging rights. We recommend this production for ages 8 and older.
Performance Dates and Showtimes:
Friday, April 22, 2016 at 7:30pm
Saturday, April 23, 2016 at 3pm and 7:30pm
Sunday, April 24, 2016 at 3pm
Location:
All performances are held at Gunston Arts Center – Theatre Two (2700 S Lang St, Arlington, VA 22206)
Tickets: $10 General Admission. Includes all box office fees. Click here to purchase your tickets online, or call our box office (703)548-1154.
This production is sponsored by Michael Rogers, DDS.
Click here to return to 2015/2016 Season.
Interested in acting in our shows? Click here to learn about auditions.
May 13-22, 2016
Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night
During a fierce storm and devastating surfboard accident, twins Viola and Sebastian are separated. Viola surfaces on a beach, and, believing her brother disappeared, finds acceptance by disguising herself as a man named Cesario. In a classic case of mistaken identity and unexpected love, hilarity ensues as we meet this 1960’s beach movie cast of characters. We recommend this production for ages 8 and older.
Performances and Showtimes:
Friday, May 13, 2016 at 7:30pm
Saturday, May 14, 2016 at 3pm and 7:30pm
Sunday, May 15, 2016 at 3 pm
Friday, May 20, 2016 at 7:30pm
Saturday, May 21, 2016 at 3pm and 7:30pm
Sunday, May 22, 2016 at 3pm
Audition Dates and Times:
Auditions: March 15 & 16 from 5:00-8:00 pm.
Pre-Audition Workshop: March 12 from 10:00 am-12:00 pm. The pre-audition workshop fee is $55.
There is no audition fee.
Auditions are in the lower level of Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre (125 S. Old Glebe Rd, Arlington, VA 22204).
Location:
All performances will be held at Gunston Arts Center – Theatre Two (2700 S Lang St, Arlington, VA 22206)
Tickets: $10 General Admission. Includes all box office fees. Click here to purchase your tickets online, or call our box office (703)548-1154.
Click here to return to 2015/2016 Season.
Interested in acting in our shows? Click here to learn about auditions.
Click here to purchase your season subscription online, or call our box office (703)548-1154.
This production is sponsored by Michael Rogers, DDS.
June 3-12, 2016
Play by Amy Thompson
Adapted from the Comic Strip, Cul de Sac by Richard Thompson
Four-year-old Alice Otterloop and her older brother, Petey, learn about friendship and the importance of being yourself in this world premiere play adaptation of Richard Thompson’s nationally syndicated Cul De Sac comic strip. When Alice decides to help Petey become more exciting she risks sending Petey further into his shell. With the help other their parents, teachers, and new and old friends the Otterloop children just might be able to learn something from each other. We recommend this production for ages 4 and older.
Performance Dates and Times:
Friday, June 3, 2016 at 7:30pm
Saturday, June 4, 2016 at 11am and 3pm
Sunday, June 5, 2016 at 3pm
Friday, June 10, 2016 at 7:30pm
Saturday, June 11, 2016 at 11am and 3pm
Sunday, June 12, 2016 at 3pm
About the comic strip and artist: “He never wanted to be anything other than a cartoonist,” says playwright Amy Thompson in describing her husband Richard Thompson. Richard, a long-time Arlington resident, had created thousands of illustrations and cartoons for dozens of magazines and newspapers before Cul de Sac debuted in The Washington Post Magazine in 2007. Thompson drew on incidents from his own childhood (“there’s a lot of him in Petey, the withdrawn artist” says Amy), and the lives of his family, including two daughters, Emma and Charlotte. Everything from Charlotte’s unbounded exuberance, to Emma’s discovery that a manhole cover made a great stage, to the reluctant introduction of a guinea pig in their home was fodder for Thompson’s re-imagined suburban Washington. Thompson’s Cul de Sac drew the attention of comic fans worldwide including some very famous fans.
“[The comic strip] is one of those rare visions that shows how surprising the ordinary world really is. Richard Thompson’s wonderfully peculiar Otterloop family is closely observed with deep sympathy and rings absolutely true, I’m a huge fan.” – Calvin and Hobbes creator Bill Watterson stated Watterson
“If Cul de Sac isn’t French for ‘wonderfully loopily sincerely life-affirmingly stupendously hilarious’ then there is something wrong with the French language.” -Children’s book author Mo Willems (Knuffle Bunny, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, Elephant & Piggie series)
“Cul de Sac is the funniest strip to appear in decades. Inside Out. It’s full of great characters, well-observed truths that most of us have forgotten about, and is so beautifully and funnily drawn that it is an absolute joy to look at even if you can’t read. (Of course, if you can’t read, then you’d better stop right now.)” -Pixar director and Oscar-winner Pete Docter (Films include Inside Out, Monsters, Inc. and Up.)
Click here for full press release.
Location:
All performances are held at Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre (125 S. Old Glebe Rd., Arlington, VA 22204)
Tickets: $15 Adults; $10 Children, Students, Military and Seniors with valid ID. Includes all box office fees. Click here to purchase your tickets online, or call our box office (703)548-1154.
This production is sponsored by Fairlington Dental.
Click here to return to 2015/2016 Season.
Interested in acting in our shows? Click here to learn about auditions.