New Campaign Moves MEMPHIS to 2020-21 Season, Plans HEDWIG as Summer Opener
March 30, 2020: As the COVID-19 crisis continues to evolve, The Keegan Theatre is moving from emergency response efforts to planning for the future, announcing the new Return to Good Company campaign to focus Keegan staff, development, and company efforts during quarantine toward developing art to help restore a sense of community when the crisis dissipates.
“So much about this ongoing crisis is yet unknown,” says artistic director Susan Marie Rhea, “and how events will unfold in the coming weeks and months is unclear, but we do know there will be an end to this stressful situation. When that end arrives, we know that the arts will help restore our sense of community, and we want to be ready to help in the best way we know how: telling great stories and connecting human beings to each other and the community at large. In that spirit, we’re launching Return to Good Company, a Keegan campaign focused on using this dark time to prepare to launch into the brighter times ahead of us.”
In addition to planning remotely for numerous building improvement projects in Keegan’s theatre, classroom, and office areas, all designed to benefit audiences, students, and artists, Return to Good Company includes some bold programming adjustments.
The Tony-winning musical MEMPHIS has now been moved to the March/April slot of the 2020-21 season, ensuring that this highly anticipated DC premiere can be enjoyed by as many patrons as possible. Dipika Guha’s comedy YOGA PLAY has, unfortunately, been canceled from this year’s mainstage season, but will be performed as a staged reading after the theater reopens. Headlining Keegan’s reopening this summer will now be the company’s production of the award-winning fan favorite musical, HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH. Specific performance dates for HEDWIG have not yet been set and ticket sales are currently on hold until the COVID-19 crisis has subsided. Stay tuned for HEDWIG announcements.
“We can’t wait to reopen our doors and welcome our audiences back to Keegan, as soon as it is safe and restrictions are lifted,” says Rhea. “HEDWIG will give our audiences a terrific reason to come together and celebrate returning to Keegan. We’re excited about the pre-production work that our outstanding artistic team has already done on the show, and we’re so eager to add our extraordinary cast and band to the process as well. Part power rock concert, part stand-up comedy show, part Broadway, HEDWIG has something for everyone — and we think it’s the perfect reopener to bring our community together again.”
The Return to Good Company campaign also outlines a number of ways that interested and able parties can support Keegan during this stressful period. Like so many other organizations around DC, ticket sales make up a significant portion of Keegan’s annual revenue, and the company will sustain a financial hit with the suspension of performances. Visit the Donate page to make a donation online or to find information on setting up a recurring donation, supporting HEDWIG as a sponsor, or transferring ticket costs for canceled performances to a donation or Keegan credit.
