We continue our series of visits to the web sites of major regional theatres. This week:
You talk about your legacies, Arena is only on its third artistic
director in 50 years! It was co-founded in 1950 by Thomas
Fichandler, Edward Mangum, and Zelda Fichandler -- the last who
went on to lead the company through its first 40 years. They maintain
three spaces: the Fichandler Stage (827 seats), the Kreeger Theatre
(514 seats), and the Old Vat Room (named after the space that
served as their second home -- from 1956-1961 -- the converted
Old Heurich Brewery). In addition, Arena has staff and facilities
for entirely self-produced costumes, sets, and props.
The Arena's seasons are always eclectic and diverse, with particular attention to new works. The 1999-2000 is no exception with a new work by Paula Vogel, Hot 'N' Throbbing, juxtaposed with Kaufman and Ferber's The Royal Family, Culture Clash's Radio Mambo and Frank Loesser's Guys and Dolls, Oliver Goldstick's Dinah Was versus William Gibson's The Miracle Worker, and Charles Randolph-Wright's Blue with Arthur Miller's All My Sons. Their season runs from September through June.
Clean, crisp, clear -- that's the way to describe the Arena Stage site. It's fast loading, simply designed, and easy to navigate. You'll also easily find links to any other information you might be interested in, from the season listings to employment opportunities, from poster art to a letter from the artistic director. In addition (since this article was first published), they've added an online ticket purchase option -- one of the best designed we've seen. You initially get a simple choice of dates. Clicking on one of the dates brings you to a new page with a menu of what are considered the "best" available seats (and a link will take you to a seating chart so you can double check). Click "Proceed," pull down a menu to indicate the quantity of tickets desired, check the results (showing exact tickets) and enter your credit card information. Note, however, that the ticket purchase procedure is not secure, so you'll have to deal with your own trust issues.
Previous regional theatre views:
Actors Theatre of Louisville
- Louisville, KY
Alley Theatre - Houston, TX
Cincinnati Playhouse in the
Park - Cincinnati, OH
Coconut Grove Playhouse
- Miami, FL
Goodman Theatre - Chicago,
IL
Goodspeed Opera House - East
Haddam, CT
Old Globe Theatre - San Diego,
CA
Oregon Shakespeare Festival
- Ashland, OR
The Signature Theatre - Arlington,
VA
Originally published at Suite101.com Theatre, 9/7/99
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