SHAKESPEARE THEATRE COMPANY FREE OPEN REHEARSAL FOR THE AMEN CORNER

January 27, 2020, Washington, D.C.: On Sunday, February 2 at 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m., theatregoers are invited to attend a free Open Rehearsal session at Sidney Harman Hall (610 F Street NW) for The Amen Corner by James Baldwin, directed by Whitney White.

For nearly 30 years the Shakespeare Theatre Company has invited audiences to attend Open Rehearsals and see how theatre is made. It is a rare opportunity for audiences to see productions in a raw, unfinished state and cultivate an appreciation for the artistic process. With actors exploring the set for the first time and working in their street clothes, the Open Rehearsal may look more casual, but audience members in attendance should be aware that the cast and crew are actively working during this time. This event is free to attend, but reservations are recommended due to popular demand. To RSVP please visit: http://www.shakespearetheatre.org/events/amen-corner-open-rehearsal/

“An Open Rehearsal is our chance to open up The Amen Corner and Harman Hall to everyone,” explains Director Whitney White (What to Send Up When It Goes Down). “It is a unique act of hospitality to make the theatre an open, free, and inclusive space, to extend an invitation, a welcome to everyone. In this open rehearsal, it’s a new experience for the audience and the actors as they rehearse on the completed set for the first time. We’d love to extend that invitation and welcome for everyone to see The Amen Corner, and to also attend the many free performances, art exhibits, and talks for the Amen, Baldwin! programming, too.”  

The Amen Corner
James Baldwin’s profound drama is centered around a 1950s storefront church in Harlem, where Pastor Margaret Alexander rails at her congregation and her teenaged son for their vices. With a gospel choir singing of redemption in one room and her son bonding with his ailing father over their love of jazz in the next, Margaret must face the music herself when a figure from her own troubled past returns. Whitney White, winner of the Susan Stroman Director Award, makes her STC directorial debut in this powerful production rich with music, humanity, and Baldwin’s lyrical prose. For more information on The Amen Corner or to order tickets please visit our website: http://www.shakespearetheatre.org/events/the-amen-corner-19-20/

Amen, Baldwin! A Living Celebration
In conversation with The Amen Corner, STC will also host a series of special events titled Amen, Baldwin! A Living Celebration throughout February and March. Amen, Baldwin! celebrates the legacy of James Baldwin and his impact upon Washington, D.C., uniting institutions, community partners, and local artists and activists. For further details please visit: http://www.shakespearetheatre.org/amen-baldwin/