The Animals and the Children Took to the Streets at The Studio Theatre.

1927

Edward Gero and Patrick Andrews in the 2011 Goodman Theatre production of Red.

Liz Lauren

John Tweel and Jennifer L. Hopkins in The Tooth of Crime at WSC Avant Bard.

C. Stanley Photography

Nanna Ingvarsson and Mitchell Hébert in Forum Theatre's production of The Language Archive.

Melissa Blackall

Nigel Reed and Valerie Leonard in Bay Theatre Company's production of Love Letters.

Stan Barouh

Robert Stanton and Francesca Faridany in the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production of Strange Interlude.

Scott Suchman

Nathaniel Mendez and Jon Reynolds in Theater Alliance's production of Hum.

C. Stanley Photography

Christopher Bloch as Ben Franklin and Bobby Smith as James Wilson in 1776 at Ford's Theatre. Smith also was an understudy for the role of John Adams.

Carol Rosegg

The cast of Mr. Burns, a post-electric play at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company.

Scott Suchman

Warning: Don’t try this at home as there can be various side effects, including excessive pupil dilation and neck and back pain. To what do I refer? My sport: extreme theatregoing.

Between January 1, 2012 and July 1, 2012, I have been to the theatre 68 times — and that does not include the seven plays I saw at the Humana Festival of New American Plays and my trip to New York City to see Once. While that averages out to one play every three days for six months, in some weeks I was actually in a theatre on almost every night. I attend theatres large, small, medium, and miniscule; in the District, in Maryland, and in Virginia; musicals, dramas, comedies, classics, children’s theatre, readings — and every other distinction that could be assigned.

While I always considered myself an avid theatre-goer since I was introduced to theatre more than 40 years ago, this has been an unusually long, sustained stretch of attendance even for me. Why this marathon? Well, as the editor of theatreWashington.org, I crave knowing as much as I can about every Washington area theatre.

Although there are many, many takeaways from my odyssey, here are some of the highlights:

• Regretfully, I didn’t get to see everything I wanted to see. The work of our theatre community is so strong, diverse and voluminous that on any given night there are multiple options.
• I experienced exhilarating moments that will remain etched in my memory for many years, including the following to point out just a few:
The pure artistry displayed in 1927’s The Animals and Children Took to the Streets at Studio Theatre.
Ed Gero and Patrick Andrews priming a canvas in Arena Stage’s production of Red.
The intriguing use of language to create a unique world in Sam Shepard's The Tooth of Crime at WSC Avant Bard.
The heartbreaking inability of George (played by Mitchell Hébert) in Forum Theatre’s The Language Archive to utter the words necessary to save his marriage.
The Bay Theatre Company’s touching production of Love Letters which demonstrated that I had underappreciated the play years ago.
Discovering that Eugene O’Neill counts as a contemporary playwright thanks to the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production of Strange Interlude.
The joy of reading a dictionary in a world where nobody speaks as vividly portrayed in Hum at Theater Alliance.
The thrill of seeing Bobby Smith’s rendition of John Adams in 1776 when he went on as an understudy for Brooks Ashmanskas at Ford's Theatre.
The brilliance of using an episode of The Simpsons to prove the importance of storytelling to humans as shown by Mr. Burns, a post-electric play at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company.
• Although sitting in a theatre watching a show could be thought of as an “anti-social” activity, my theatregoing in 2012 reinforced my belief in theatre as a catalyst for social conversation. I have attended shows with people I have known for almost 30 years, for just a couple of months, and amounts of time somewhere in between the two extremes. But one thing was constant — the show sparked enjoyable, vibrant, and challenging conversation.
• That, just like everyone, there were nights where I wasn’t really in the right mood to be at the theatre, but I went anyway. And often shortly after the lights went down, my mood began to shift — reaffirming one of the many reasons the theatre is so important to me.

Here’s what I hope you take away from my journey:

• Going to the theatre isn’t a risky venture. There really is something for everyone.
• It’s easy. Don't let traffic, parking worries, or bad moods deter you. It’s worth it once you get there.
• There’s nothing else like it. Television and movies just don’t compare to connecting with fellow audience members as you watch every imaginable human drama literally play out right before your eyes.

Ok, so my form of extreme theatergoing may not be for everyone. But believe me, just putting your toe in the water will quickly deliver the incomparable joy of going to the theatre - without doing any appreciable harm to yourself!

So go to www.theatrewashington.org to take you pick of productions running every single day.

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