SUBSCRIPTIONS

Most Affordable Option: Subscribing to the whole season saves you up to 10% on tickets for the year!

Guaranteed Seats: LTA puts on fantastic, sold-out shows each year. As a subscriber, you are ensured a seat to every main stage performance.  However, if you purchase the 6-show series subscription, The Producers will not be included. A Christmas Carol is also not included in any subscription package but can be purchased separately.

Reserved Seats: With season tickets you will not have to wait in line to pick up tickets since your seats will already be reserved and the tickets mailed to you.

Exchanges: If the date you have doesn’t work for you, you may exchange your ticket for another date during the run of the show. Exchanges for subscribers are free unless moving to a more expensive performance.

Subscriptions for 2019-2020 Season are now closed. Information about 2020-2021 Subscriptions will be available soon…

AUDITIONS

• If you have a headshot and acting résumé, you may bring them with you; auditionees, however, may be asked to have their picture taken by the LTA photographer.
• Please bring an accurate list of rehearsal conflicts with you to the audition.

All actors cast are required to become acting or regular members of LTA within two weeks of being cast.

To download a performing membership form click HERE.

For all other membership options click HERE.

To receive future information on auditions at LTA, send your email information to the LTA office at asklta@thelittletheatre.com with the subject line AUDITION EMAIL LIST.

NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Re-opening Statement

I hope this email finds you happy and healthy during these dog days of this long and unusual summer. LTA has been slowly and deliberately moving toward re-opening. A comprehensive statement on our re-opening will occur within the coming week. However, I want to share our basic rules now in case any of you anticipate coming to the building.

Visitors to LTA must follow the procedures listed below. Visitors, in this context, includes anyone and everyone coming into LTA spaces.

1. All visitors to LTA must wear a face mask that covers both mouth and nose at all times. No exceptions.
2. You must not come to LTA if you are:

-running a temperature above 99.5 degrees F;

-experiencing other symptoms of COVID such as cough, chills, or body aches (including headaches);

-in direct contact with someone suspected of having COVID in the last 14 days;

-recovering from COVID and do not have at least two negative tests indicating you are no longer carrying the virus; or

-unwilling to comply with LTA’s COVID-related procedures.

3. All authorized visitors must enter LTA through the front door (i.e. the Wolfe Street entrance), immediately use the hand sanitizing station, and sign in using the entry book.
4. Visitors should use only those spaces required to do their business.
5. The visitor must sanitize any space used during their visit. LTA has distributed sanitizing caddies in all rooms at LTA. Visitors must clean up after themselves, wiping down all touched surfaces (especially “high touch” surfaces such as doorknobs and handrails).

Please note that the LTA Business Office and Box Office managers continue to work most of their hours from home. Neither the Business Office nor the Box Office is open for walk-in business such as buying tickets, renewing or purchasing subscriptions, paying membership dues, or registering for classes.

If you need to come to the theater, please contact Tina McCrea at Tina@thelittletheatre.com or 703-683-5778 (x2). Tina will either approve your visit, ask you to contact the appropriate LTA Governor, or direct you to the LTA Safety Officers for approval.

Please know that the LTA cleaning staff cleans and sanitizes LTA’s public spaces every morning regardless of what activities have occurred the previous day. Public spaces include: the lobby, the Business Office, the Box Office, the front stairway, the public men’s room, the public women’s room, the accessible gender neutral bathroom, the Green Room, the auditorium, and the rehearsal room.

The following rooms are off limits unless reserved through the LTA Business Office: the classroom, the rehearsal room kitchen, the dressing rooms, the sewing room, Gadsby’s closet, the light and sound booths, the upstairs hallway and back stairway, the actors restroom and shower room, the actresses restroom and shower room, the stage left woodshop, the stage right paint and light shops, costume storage, props storage, and the Academy classrooms on floors 1-3. These spaces are marked as closed and must not be entered without authorization from the Business Office.

Anyone approved to be in the LTA building will be responsible for sanitizing their areas before and after they do their work.

Anyone who uses a restroom in the theater will be responsible for using sanitizing wipes to clean surfaces after use.

The Business and Box Offices:

The LTA Business and Box Offices are reserved only for LTA employees and theater officers.

Use of the LTA copy machine is limited to LTA employees and officers and must be sanitized immediately after each use.

The Business and Box Offices may not be used as drop off or pick up locations. Materials left for such purposes will be disposed of. Please note that Artistic Support is not currently accepting donations or the return of loaned items.

The Business Office is no longer a place for LTA members to congregate.

And finally,

To make our building safe for all users, LTA has invested in a significant amount of cleaning and sanitizing supplies and equipment. Already, some of these supplies have started to mysteriously disappear. Please help us keep these materials safe.

Regards,

Russ Wyland, LTA President

Stop Kiss

Stop Kiss follows Callie and Sara as they find each other, lose each other, and find their way back together against a backdrop of prejudice and violence.

Seating is limited for social distancing purposes.

Click here to reserve seats:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/stop-kiss-tickets-114350212564 

We are Listening; but We are Acting Too

At this difficult time, The Little Theatre of Alexandria stands fully and proudly with the African American community and the Black Lives Matter movement, and we stand strongly against injustice and racism. Actively dismantling racism in all its forms is a challenge and opportunity that must be embraced by all, and LTA is committed to redoubling its efforts to use the power of the stage and our community to make Alexandria a better—more just, more diverse, more welcoming–place to live, work, and play.

At LTA, we are listening; but we are acting too. The LTA Board has formed a DEI (Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion) committee to increase the presence of people of color not just in front of the curtain, but in all aspects of our theater. If you have ideas for how LTA can improve itself going forward, please contact LTA President Russell Wyland (russellwyland@gmail.com). Join us as we move forward and create a better tomorrow.

May 26, 2020 Message from LTA’s President, Russell Wyland

Dear LTA Family—

I hope this message finds you happy and healthy.

In April 1943, The Little Theatre of Alexandria closed its doors for what would become a three-year hiatus. Although Japan had attacked Pearl Harbor sixteen months earlier, LTA’s closure didn’t happen immediately: it corresponded to the U.S. government issuing ration books for products like coffee, canned goods, meat, dairy products, cooking oil, and leather goods. While none of these items were vital to the operation of a theater (except, perhaps, coffee), rationing signaled a time when luxuries and public entertainment became inappropriate. LTA would not resume public performances until early 1946: its first show was Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit.

Seventy-four years later, LTA again finds itself closed. This time, the closure happened with little warning. The new enemy is the COVID-19 pandemic. This crisis, which is unlikely to end completely until a vaccine is found and/or widespread testing becomes available, is arguably more serious than the closure experienced during World War II. Even after the “all clear” sounds, there will not be the equivalent of a V-J or V-E Day: patrons will need time before they are comfortable returning to the theater.

Since the pandemic started over ten weeks ago, I have written to you several times with bad news: first it was the midstream cancellation of Moonlight and Magnolias. Two weeks later it was the cancellation of Blue Stockings and Rumors.  I am now writing with some additional bad news, but this time the bad is tempered with glimmers of an exciting way forward.

CANCELLATION OF SISTER ACT, August Wilson’s FENCES, and WAIT UNTIL DARK

Given the ongoing spread of coronavirus, the LTA Board of Governors has cancelled LTA’s summer musical Sister Act, September production of August Wilson’s Fences, and October/November production of Wait Until Dark.

The Board did not undertake these cancellations lightly. While the financial hit will be difficult, LTA has a more pressing responsibility to our community. Keeping our actors, volunteers, members, and subscribers safe is our priority, and that “rainy day” fund we created years ago will now be used to sustain us during a period of belt-tightening.

On behalf of the Board, I want to thank the directors, producers, and production team members of Sister Act, Fences, and Wait Until Dark. They have invested time and energy in these shows, and we are grateful for that work. You have my word that we will try to bring these excellent shows to LTA audiences in the near future.

If you are a subscriber, we will be sending you a new early-bird subscription form for our 4-show season. If you already purchased a subscription by either check or credit card, your payment will be returned to you. We hope that you will re-subscribe to our 4-show season starting in early January, thereby locking in your preferred seating and your discounted subscription rate.

If you hold LTA gift certificates with expiration dates during our anticipated 2020-2021 season, those certificates have been extended through the 2021-2022 season.

“SMALL THEATRE FOR UNUSUAL TIMES”

And now for our exiting news.  In mid-June, LTA will announce exciting Fall programming designed especially for our core patrons: members, subscribers, and volunteers. We are calling it “Small Theatre for Unusual Times,” and it includes streaming opportunities and, we hope, small, high-quality socially-distanced theater events.

And what about LTA’s traditional Christmas Carol with its impressive set, large cast, and Victorian musical cheer?  I am happy to announce that the traditional Christmas Carol will return in December 2021 (directed by Carol Clark).  In 2020. as a culmination of “Small Theatre for Unusual Times,” the Board anticipates launching a reconceptualized production of Christmas Carol that keeps alive the LTA tradition but looks and feels like nothing we’ve done before. Stay tuned!

In short, “Small Theatre for Unusual Times” will be feel-good theater designed to respond to our current circumstances using LTA’s many strengths. Watch for an announcement in mid-June.

EDUCATION UPDATE

LTA is now rolling out a new education plan.  June summer camps are now being shifted online.  LTA is beginning its work with the City of Alexandria’s ALX Promise project and watching the Governor’s Forward Virginia plan to determine when and if students can return to LTA in small numbers in July.  Our focus will be one of small classes (8-10), intensive cleaning and sanitizing, and outdoor learning.  Watch our education website for developments.

A special note of thanks to our teachers who have weathered this difficult time. Through their creative thinking, determination, and high standards, they have continued to bring LTA’s educational tradition to our community (and beyond!).

SUNDAY NIGHT LAUGHTER

Just a reminder that LTA’s informal play-read group–the Script Addicts—are gathering every other Sunday on Zoom to read plays of all kinds (mostly comedies, as the world is dramatic enough). They assign roles at random and switch parts throughout the evening, without regard to age or gender. Not interested in participating but only want to sit back and enjoy the fun? Not a problem! All that is required is a desire to enjoy plays, make friends, and have some fun. This Sunday, May 31, the Script Addicts return with Much Ado About Nothing. To join, send an email to ltascriptaddicts@gmail.com.

We look forward to exciting days ahead.  Your patronage is important to us, and my fellow Board members and I look forward to seeing you again very soon.  Until then, STAY HEALTHY!

Regards,

Russell M. Wyland
LTA President

Congratulations to the WATCH Award winners!

🏆Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical – Brian Lyons-Burke as “Roger DeBris” – The Producers
🏆Outstanding Makeup Design in a Musical – Larissa Norris – The Producers
🏆Outstanding Musical – The Producers
🏆Outstanding Properties in a Musical – Kristin Apker – The Producers
🏆Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical – Alan Wray – The Producers
🏆Outstanding Hair Design in a Play – Susan Boyd – You Can’t Take It With You

Click HERE to see a full list of WATCH Award winners

LTA Member Playreading Group: Script Addicts

We’re excited to announce the launch of Script Addicts, an informal play-reading group hosted at LTA! We’ll be gathering every other Sunday from 7pm to 9pm, beginning March 1st on the second floor of the Academy, and reading all kinds of plays (mostly comedies, as the world is dramatic enough). We’ll assign roles at random and switch parts throughout the evening, without regard to age or gender. Not an actor? Not a problem! All that’s required is a desire to read some plays, make some friends, and have some fun.

UPDATE: LTA’s playreading group, Script Addicts, is moving online!

Join the Facebook group linked below or send an email to ltascriptaddicts@gmail.com to be added.

Link to join meeting from desktop or laptop:
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/5432132388

The Retros

Admission is free!

Upcoming shows at 8PM: August 22 and October 24. For ages 18 and up.

They’ll use your suggestions to create a fun night of improv!  Snacks and drinks will be served.  All current LTA Improv students get in free.  Everyone else pay what you choose ($5 recommended donation).  Like their Facebook page and follow them on Twitter to learn more about their upcoming shows!