Congratulations to the winners of the 2021 LTA One Act Competition! With more than 100 scripts submitted this year, these shows are truly some of the best that we’ve seen:

First Place: Across a Crowded Room by F. J. Hartland from Pennsylvania

Second Place: Guinea Pig Apocalypse by Tony Pasqualini from California

Third Place: Wild Horses by Brandy Victoria Durham from Maryland

We will be producing these shows sometime in the spring/summer of 2022, so stay tuned for updates on production dates!
If you’d like to help bring these new works to life on our stage, please email Nick Friedlander at nicholas.p.friedlander@gmail.com.

Thank you to all the authors who submitted their art to us, and an incredible thank you to the reading team who made this season possible and successful:
Vero Autphenne, Lori Barringer, Geoffrey Baskir, Ted Culler, Angelo Esposito, Krista Grimmett, Barbara Hayes, Mike James, Lauren Markovich, Dee Pocock Mendis, Lynn O’Connell, Janice Rivera, Steven Rosenthal, Eva Shinagel, Freddie Hughes Webster, Meggie Webster

The LTA Board of Governors released an updated Mission Statement and Code of Conduct.
Read or download the LTA Mission Statement & Code of Conduct here

August 19, 2021

Dear Friends of LTA,

To protect the health and safety of our patrons, actors, crew, and volunteers, the Little Theatre of Alexandria will require all patrons to provide proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 to attend any performance held in our theatre after September 1, 2021. Our actors, crew, staff, and volunteers are already subject to this requirement. Masks will continue to be required for everyone when inside any of our buildings, except for actors while they are performing. “Full vaccination” means that 14 days have passed since receiving either the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or the single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. For proof of vaccination, patrons must bring a physical copy or digital photograph of their vaccination record.

Patrons unable to be vaccinated against COVID-19 because of age, medical condition, or sincerely held religious belief must provide proof of a negative test result for COVID-19 from PCR testing done within 72 hours prior to the scheduled curtain time of the performance. PCR testing is available at most local pharmacies, as well as at free testing sites sponsored by the City of Alexandria and other municipalities.

Our policy follows similar decisions made by most other theatres in our region, and it will continue in effect for the foreseeable future. As recommendations from government and health officials are updated, including recommendations for booster vaccinations, we will update our policy as appropriate. Thank you for your understanding and supporting the continuation of live theatre during these challenging times.

If you have further questions, please contact the LTA office at 703-683-5778 or asklta@thelittletheatre.com.

Best regards,

Frank D Shutts II,
LTA President

LTA COVID Immunization Policy Details

2021 ANNUAL MEETING ATTENDEES

2020-21 ANNUAL REPORT

LTA Announces Election Results
The co-chairs of the Nominating Committee, Luana Bossolo and Jamie Blake, are pleased to announce the results of the LTA election.  LTA received 91 valid ballots. Winners had to receive at least 46 votes.

For the office of President, the membership elected Frank D. Shutts II to a one-year term.

For the office of Governor for Seasonal Planning, the membership elected Eleanore Tapscott to a two-year term.

For the office of Governor for Box Office, the membership elected Ira Forstater to a two-year term.

For the office of Governor for Front of House, the membership elected Monty Montgomery to a two-year term.

For the office of Governor for Membership, the membership elected Stacey Becker to a two-year term.

For the office of Governor for Technical Support, the membership elected Ken Crowley to a two-year term.

Thank you to all the members who attended the annual meeting and voted.  The newly elected President and board members will begin their duties on July 1.

Do you enjoy working on the technical aspects of theater? NextGenLTA is seeking a Tech Liaison to join the NextGen Committee. In this role, you’ll be helping find tech people to help with productions, help coordinate trainings for tech folks and much more, plus you’ll gain new friends and collaborators! Fill out our interest form here: https://forms.gle/4vT7EiddpWyf4WHJA 

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.

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

LTA Announces Auditions for Blue Stockings

written by Jessica Swale
directed by Marzanne Claiborne
produced by Lloyd Bittinger,  Margaret Chapman, and Christine Farrell

Audition Location & Dates:
Saturday, December 4, 2021, 1:00-5:00 p.m.
Sunday, December 5, 2021, 6:00-9:00 p.m.

Callbacks – By Invitation Only:
 Tuesday, December 7, 2021, 7:00-10:00 p.m

Performance Dates: February 26 – March 19, 2022
All auditions will be at The Little Theatre of Alexandria

For questions regarding this production and auditions, please email: ltalloyd@aol.com

Synopsis:  Set against the backdrop of Cambridge University in the late 19^th century, Blue Stockings tells the story of women who risk breaking contemporary social expectations for a world-class education, and the men whose worldview is enhanced or challenged by their presence at the prestigious school. The central theme of struggling for and acclimating to social change make this play timeless in nature, despite its Victorian setting. Blue Stockings is presented by arrangement with Nick Hern Books.

Blue Stockings was originally cast and produced about two years ago and closed before opening due to the pandemic. Therefore, all characters were cast and rehearsed to the point of being off book. A large number of those previously cast have been offered and accepted the resumption of their roles. Only the characters listed below are currently being auditioned for out of a cast of approximately 20 (depending on double-casting).

Audition Notes

All races and ethnicities are welcome. Please prepare a 1-minute monologue from a play of a similar genre, with or without the use of a British accent.  Auditions will also include cold readings from the script. Please be prepared to demonstrate the use of an upper class British accent when reading from the script. Please bring a headshot and résumé, if you have them, and be ready to list all conflicts for the following periods:

• Rehearsals – Usually Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and/or Sunday from December to February, Fridays possible
• Cue to Cue – Saturday, February 19
• Double tech – Sunday, February 20 afternoon and evening
• Tech week – Monday, February 21 through Friday, February 25
• Sponsor nights (potentially) – Tuesdays March 1, March 8, and March 15
• Performances – February 26 to March 19. The only scheduled dark nights are Mondays. All weekday and Saturday performances are at 8:00 p.m. Sunday performances are at 3:00 p.m.
• Strike – Sunday, March 20

Note: Not every character will be scheduled to be present for every rehearsal; groups of characters will be scheduled together based on scenes being rehearsed. There will be some rehearsals when all characters will be required to be present. A schedule will be provided well in advance.

Auditionees should be prepared to provide vaccination cards at the audition table and masks are required to be worn at all times, except when the actual audition occurs. All actors in the production must have provided proof of complete vaccination; masks will not be worn when on stage and will be required during rehearsals at the discretion of the producers and director. Those cast must be, or must become, members of the Little Theatre of Alexandria.

CHARACTERS

RALPH MAYHEW:  Early 20’s to early 30’s. Trinity student. A scientist and romantic. This role requires an actor who either speaks Italian or can achieve fluent pronunciation working with the show’s Italian language coach.

LLOYD: Early 20’s to early 30’s. Trinity student. A young vanguard of traditional English values. The type who would probably run for Prime Minister.

EDWARDS: Early 20’s to early 30’s. Trinity student, something of a romantic. This character must be able to jump on top of a table and sing a few bars of “The Last Rose of Summer” without musical accompaniment.

PROFESSOR COLLINS: Late 30s-60s. Lecturer at Trinity. Part of the old guard of Cambridge dons, but willing to keep an open mind.

BILLY SULLIVAN: (M) Mid-20s – Mid-30’s, Maeve’s brother. Illiterate, rough around the edges but dutiful.