(This Community Post was written by Avant Bard Theatre and underwritten by Embracing Arlington Arts.)
Avant Bard kicks off 2023 with a world premiere: Billy and George , written by Daryl L. Harris and Ken Jones, and directed by DeMone Seraphin. It’s December 25, 1776, just hours before General George Washington and the Continental Army cross the Delaware River to defeat the Hessian soldiers at Trenton, New Jersey. Washington and his closest companion, the enslaved person William “Billy” Lee, prepare for the crossing while discussing, arguing, and challenging the concepts of freedom, war, and love. Come for a more nuanced portrait of the nation’s first president and meet the unexpected confidante who influenced Washington’s perspective on peace, freedom, and independence.
March brings Julius Caesar , directed by Kathleen Akerley. Akerley modernizes the Shakespeare classic with an ensemble of nine actors who dismantle the story to question what determines historical outcomes: the ambition and speeches of a few or the shifting personalities and demands of the citizenry? Video and contemporary text will place this question squarely in post-2016 America.
Billy and George : Jan 19-Feb 11, Gunston Arts Center
Julius Caesar : Mar 9-Apr 1, Gunston Arts Center
Avant Bard is committed to making theatre accessible and affordable. Gunston Arts Center is wheelchair accessible. Each production will include ASL- interpreted performances. Avant Bard provides student and veteran discounts and makes all previews and Saturday matinees pay-what-you-can.
Tickets and details: www.avantbard.org