NextStop Theatre Company is coming back to the stage with its first full-scale production since the COVID-19 pandemic forced it to halt public performances last spring.
The Herndon-based professional, nonprofit theater company announced this morning (Tuesday) that it will debut a filmed, online production of the musical romantic comedy “First Date” on April 30.
It will be the theater’s first show since the final weekend of “Ordinary Days” was canceled on March 12, 2020, according to a press release.
“I don’t know that I have ever been so excited to open a show,” NextStop Producing Artistic Director Evan Hoffmann said. “Putting this show together has been a true labor of love! We have been so eager to get back to creating high quality performances for our community and the cast and crew of “First Date” have brought together a mixture of talent, creativity, and passion, like I have rarely seen before.”
While the NextStop Theatre stage has been empty for more than a year now, the company has kept busy with some alternative offerings, including a small, in-person summer education program for theater students and an outdoor concert series.
Staged across September and October, “The Parking Lot Concerts” performances were entirely sold out, according to NextStop.
The company has also made the theater at 269 Sunset Park Drive available to the public to rent for private movie screenings. The NextStop Cinema program is still ongoing, as is the theater’s NextStop Now fundraising initiative.
“First Date” marks the company’s return to theater, but it will not be entirely traditional.
First staged on Broadway with Zachary Levi and Krysta Rodriguez in the lead roles, “First Date” follows two young, single people whose friends and family set them up on a blind date despite their wildly different personalities. Hijinks and romantic sparks ensue.
With Hoffman directing and actors Alex De Bard and Taylor Witt stepping into the lead roles, NextStop has turned “First Date” into a blend of theater and cinema, filming scenes both on stage and on location around downtown Herndon.
“This is truly a film-theatre hybrid,” Hoffman said. “Our team worked diligently to find innovative ways to make this a uniquely theatrical experience. We were able to utilize some of the best tricks that film has to offer, while making sure our audiences feel like they are practically back in theater with the performers.”
The show will stream at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday evenings and at 7 p.m. on Sundays through May 16. Tickets cost $25 and provide one stream per household.
More information about the production, including a full list of the cast and creative team and a link to purchase tickets, can be found on the NextStop Theatre website.
Photo courtesy NextStop Theatre Company
NextStop Theatre Company is adapting to restrictions posed by the COVID-19 pandemic by kicking off a new fall concert series.
The company plans to kick off an outdoor concert series called “The Parking Lot Concerts” on Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m. Shows will run from Sept. 26 through Oct. 31.
Each performance will include performers from previous NexStop productions, including Robert Mintz, Wood Van Meter, and Sarah Anne Sillers.
NextStop Theatre Company has been closed for public performance since the final weekend of “Ordinary Days” was canceled on March 12.
“With indoor performances cancelled since March, we have missed bringing entertainment and joy to our community!” said Evan Hoffmann, Producing Artistic Director of NextStop Theatre. “But now the wait is over!”
Here’s more from the theatre company on the series:
NextStop will transform the parking lot just outside of their building into an intimate outdoor venue and wine garden, with socially-distant, cafe-style seating for just over 40 patrons. It promises to be a delightful evening under the stars, featuring music, laughter, and a chance to be transported.
Guests are invited to pack a meal, bring take out, and are particularly encouraged to order from one of the many fine local restaurants, such as Jimmy’s Old Town Tavern and A Taste of the World, some of which will even deliver to the event! NextStop will also offer beer, wine, and other soft drinks at their outdoor bar, arranged specially for these performances.
With the health and safety of the community being NextStop’s top priority, all staff and guests will be required to wear a mask at all times, except when eating or drinking at their table. There will be 12+ feet of distance between other patrons and the performers.
Tickets are $60 for a table for two. A limited number of standing room single stools are available for $40. More information about the series and how to purchase tickets is available online.
Photo courtesy of NextStop Theater Company
Theater fans and movie-goers alike now have a private, socially-distanced movie-watching venue as an entertainment option this fall.
NextStop Theater Company is opening the “NextStop Cinema” in Herndon, where customers can rent out the entire theater for themselves for a private viewing.
Patrons will provide their own movie on DVD, Blu-ray or via a streaming service, and in return, the cinema will provide the full movie theater experience while still adhering to COVID-19 precautions.
“Nothing makes me sadder than seeing a theater empty,” said Evan Hoffman, the Producing Artistic Director at NextStop. “Since we do not feel the time is right yet for live performances, we thought we would try something completely different with our empty theater and let our beloved patrons make use of it for their own personal use and entertainment.”
NextStop Theater has been closed to public performances since March 12 when they canceled their final weekend showing “Ordinary Days.” However, they held a small educational program for 185 students in socially-distanced theater classes over the summer.
The theater is also holding a major fundraising initiative called the NextStop Now Fund. The campaign’s funds will go towards keeping the theater running during the shutdown, in addition to the revenue from the Cinema.
NextStop Cinema rentals are available for $50 per hour with a minimum of three hours, plus a $50 deposit. Those interested in making a reservation or finding more information can visit the NextStop website.
Photo courtesy of NextStop Theater Company
Next month in Herndon, fans can check out a production of “Noises Off” at the NextStop Theatre Com pany.
The production is a play within a play and allows viewers to “witness all the behind-the-scenes antics as an eccentric group of actors try to survive rehearsals, performances and each other,” a press release said.
Tickets range in price from $35 to $50 and showtimes will run from April 2- 26 at 269 Sunset Park Drive.
This comedy was written by Michael Frayn and will be directed by Evan Hoffmann, according to the event page.
Tickets can be purchased at the door but event organizers suggest patrons buy them ahead of time.
Photo courtesy NextStop
“Ordinary Days” will open at NextStop Theatre next month.
From Feb. 20 through March 15 at NextStop Theatre (269 Sunset Park Drive), people can enjoy a production that walks viewers through the lives of four young New Yorkers discovering how their paths intersect.
The event page described “Ordinary Days” as “A simple yet heartfelt story about how we search for and make connections in an increasingly chaotic world.”
This specific production was directed by Jay Brock and will star Bobby Libby, Sarah Anne Sillers, Carl Williams and Anna Phillips-Brown.
Ticket prices range from $44-55 and can be reserved online.
Image via NextStop Theatre
NextStop Theatre Company will present a new historical drama that takes audiences to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s hotel room the night before his assassination.
The historical drama, “The Mountaintop,” runs from Jan. 9 through Feb. 9 at 269 Sunset Park Drive.
Here’s more from the theatre company on the upcoming show:
In his hotel room on the night before his assassination, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. meets a young maid who forces him to consider exactly who and what he is fighting for.
On April 3, 1968, room 306 of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis is not yet the scene of one of our nation’s greatest tragedies. It is just another motel for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In this bold reimagining of history, Dr. King is visited by an enigmatic maid who can unveil the humanity and vulnerability of America’s larger-than-life icon. Full of vivid theatricality, poetic language, and surprising twists, this drama takes us to the summit of a man’s historic life and offers a stunning new view of his dream for our nation.
More information about the show is online. Tickets are available for purchase on the company’s website.
Photo via NextStop Theatre
A production of “Matilda” is coming to NextStop Theatre in November.
“Matilda” will debut on Thursday (Nov. 14) beginning around 7 p.m. at 269 Sunset Park Drive. Performances will run through Dec. 22.
“Based on the beloved Roald Dahl novel, ‘Matilda’ is the story of an extraordinary little girl who decides to fight back against tyrannical adults,” a press release said.
Tickets typically range from $40 to $55 dollars. Event organizers suggest that people get their tickets in advance because they are expected to sell out.
Image via NextStop
NextStop Theatre Company takes on “Pride and Prejudice,” Jane Austen’s literary classic that explores the themes of love, marriage and social status.
The theatre company, which is located in Herndon, promises to present a “spirited new adaptation.” The show runs from October 3 through 27.
The company wrote the following about the show, which is sponsored by Griffin Owens Insurance Group:
The headstrong Elizabeth Bennet faces mounting pressure from her status-conscious mother to secure a suitable marriage. But is marriage suitable for a woman of Elizabeth’s intelligence and independence? Especially when the irritating, aloof, self-involved… tall, vaguely handsome, mildly amusing, and impossibly aristocratic Mr. Darcy keeps popping up at every turn?! Literature’s greatest tale of latent love has never felt so theatrical, or so full of life than it does in this effervescent new adaptation.
Ticket prices range from $35 to $50 and can be purchased online.
Photo via NextStop Theatre Company
“Beehive: The 60’s Musical” comes to NextStop Theatre Company next month.The production, which is directed by Monique Midgette, takes audiences on a trip down memory lane by celebrating six songstresses that defined a generation.
Shows will take place between August 22 and September 22. The musical stars Rebecca Balinger, Allison Bradbury, Bethel Elias, Kayla Gross, Shayla Lowe and Hilary Morrow.
Tickets are available online. Prices range between $40 and $55, depending on the time and day of the performance.
Beehive is presented through a special arrangement with Theatrical Rights Worldwide.
NextStop is located at 269 Sunset Park Drive in Herndon.
Photo via NextStop Theatre Company
Director Evan Hoffman brings “Singin’ in the Rain” to life at NextStop Theatr Company (269 Sunset Park Drive) next month.
The show reimagines the golden age musical from Thursday to Sunday from May 23 to June 23. Tickets are between $40 and $55. The screenplay is by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. Songs are by Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed.
The production is made possible with support from Music Theatre International. The complete cast with their roles is below:
- Wood Van Meter / Don Lockwood
- Morgan Kelleher / Kathy Seldon
- Robert Mintz / Cosmo Brown
- Carolyn Burke / Lena Lamont
- Duane Monahan / R.F. Simpson
- Ethan Van Slyke / Rod/Hollywood Tenor
- Melrose Pyne Anderson / Zelda Zanders
- Elizabeth Spikes / Dora Bailey
- Suzy Alden / Swing
- Joseph McAlonan / Swing
Photo via NextStop Theatre
“Fallen Angels” starts — NextStop Theatre Company’s production of the Noel Coward comedy hits the stage tonight. [NextStop Theatre Company]
Checkmate — McNair Elementary School finished second in the K-5 category of the Virginia Scholastic Chess Championships. The McNair also placed third in the K-8 category. [FCPS]
Lake Audubon dredging update — The dredging project is still on track for completion in April. [Reston Association/YouTube]
Girl Power! Book Club tonight — Middle-grade readers can head to Scrawl Books at 7 p.m. to talk about “Front Desk.” [Scrawl Books]
A play about two women’s rivalry for the affections of a mutual lover is coming to Herndon’s NextStop Theatre (269 Sunset Park Drive) next month.
“Fallen Angels” dramatizes sexual desire and frustration as two housewives prepare to meet with an “exotic” former lover. The show originally opened in London in 1925 and was considered amusing but scandalous for its depiction of sex and adultery — both subjects that were seen as obscene and disruptive.
Ticketing in advance is recommended, as ticket prices may increase as seating fills. Tickets range from $35 to $50. The show will run Thursday-Sunday from March 14 through April 7. Student and group tickets are available at a discount.
Photo via NextStop Theatre
Sunday is your last chance to watch NextStop Theatre Company’s final performances of “The Wolves” — a comedy about the lives of high school girls at their daily soccer warm-ups.
Written by Sarah DeLappe, the play was a recent finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.
The show tonight (Feb. 22) starts at 8 p.m. at 269 Sunset Park Drive. Tomorrow, the curtain rises at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. The last two shows on Sunday start at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Tickets cost between $35-$60, depending on the demand.
Tomorrow (Feb. 23)
- All Gardeners’ Meeting (10 a.m.-noon) — Users of Reston’s community garden plots can attend the annual All Gardeners’ meeting, which will include two guest speakers and light refreshments, at the Reston Association’s headquarters. Discussion topics will include soil management, gardening with return on investments and gardening tips.
- Bored out of your Gourd (11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.) — Head over to Frying Pan Farm Park to make a birdhouse out of gourds the farm grew last year. The program costs $14 per person.
- Book Talk with Ralph Savarese (4:30-6:30 p.m.) — The author will join a panel of nonspeaking autistic students at ArtSpace Herndon.
- Reston Runners Annual Meeting and Dinner (6 p.m.) — The running group will meet at RCC Hunters Woods Village Center.
Sunday (Feb. 24)
- Meet Jason Michael Primrose (12:15 p.m.) — Jason Michael Primrose will introduce his latest sci-fi creation at Scrawl Books.
- Bird Walks (8-11 a.m.) — Beginning and expert birders are invited to search for birds around Reston. The walks start at the Lake Newport tennis courts.
- Maple Syrup Boil-Down (noon-2 p.m.) — Head to Colvin Run Mill to learn how sap is boiled down into syrup. Participants will get to taste some maple syrup. Tickets cost $5 per person.
- Annual NOVA Band Jam (4:30 p.m.) — Support the South Lakes High School at their performance at Ned Devine’s in Herndon. Tickets cost $5 for students and $10 for adults.
Photo via NextStop Theatre Company/Facebook
It’s snow joke — Heavy snow can be a health risk. The fire department has safety tips for shoveling snow. [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue]
Blockchain investment — “Fairfax County Retirement Systems has released details about its investment in a blockchain fund, seemingly to quell fears about the Virginia municipality’s two pension funds taking on exposure to cryptocurrency.” [CoinDesk]
Profile of a Restonian — “A Reston native and 2008 McLean High School graduate is serving at the U.S. Naval Submarine Training Center Pacific (NSTCP) in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.” The Fairfax County Times profiled Lt. Michael Hughes, who is a Navy submarine officer within the U.S. Pacific Fleet area of operations. [Fairfax County Times]
County chair contender — Alicia Plerhoples announced on Friday that she suspended her Fairfax County School Board campaign to run for the Board of Supervisors’ chair instead. [Mailchimp]
Clarabridge nears revenue goal — “In the two years since the veteran software executive took over as the third CEO of the Reston company, [CEO Mark Bishof] has reorganized the workforce, reached profitability and topped $80 million in revenue on the way to $100 million — buoyed by what he said is the recent strength in the customer experience industry.” [Washington Business Journal]
Theatre nabs nominations — Herndon’s NextStop Theatre Company received two Helen Hayes nominations — the James MacArthur Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play for Jacob Yeh in “East of Eden” and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play for Mary Myers in “45 Plays for 45 Presidents.” [Washington Theatre Guide]
Photo via @billwhe67/Twitter
NextStop Theatre Company is rolling out a new program to strengthen the network of D.C.-area playwrights.
The Herndon-based, nonprofit theatre company unveiled The Playwrights’ Initiative on Friday (Feb. 8) to help connect artists and to provide resources often needed for new theatrical works.
“I have long aspired for NextStop to get involved in developing new work,” NextStop Theatre Company’s Artistic Director Evan Hoffman said in a statement. “But I wanted to start by consulting with playwrights. I wanted to find out how we could best serve them and their creative process.”
Hoffman says that playwrights often say they face two challenges. “They lamented that the writing process can be very lonely work and that finding the people and space to gain objective feedback is daunting,” Hoffman said. “It is my hope we can help to ease both of those struggles through this program.”
The program has two components.
First, the theatre company will host an inaugural “Playwrights’ Mixer and Pitch-fest” on March 23. NextStop Theatre Company plans to invite 30 local playwrights network with each other and local directors and producers before each playwright pitches their work to the group.
After the event, playwrights in attendance will have the opportunity to complete a survey about the pitches, which will help NextStop Theatre Company select the works for a series of free staged readings. The theatre company plans to have professional actors and directors take part in the developmental readings, which are slated to take place over six months.
The Playwrights’ Initiative is partly funded by a grant from ArtsFairfax.
Photo by NextStop Theatre Company
