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74-399: Perseverance Theatre was founded in 1979 by Molly Smith . She developed it as an important not-for-profit regional theater that collaborated with leading theater artists. It has premiered more than 50 new plays by Alaskan and national playwrights. Paula Vogel ’s 1998 Pulitzer Prize -winning play How I Learned To Drive was written and developed while Vogel was an artist-in-residence with

148-457: A Grammy Award in 1996. The Kennedy Center is the only U.S. institution that presents a free performance 365 days a year, daily at 6pm (12 noon on December 24). The Millennium Stage, created as part of the center's Performing Arts for Everyone initiative in 1997 and underwritten by James A. Johnson and Maxine Isaacs , features a broad spectrum of performing arts, from dance and jazz, to chamber music and folk, comedy, storytelling and theater. In

222-551: A Pulitzer Prize-winner; William Bolcom 's Sixth Symphony, Roger Reynolds 's george WASHINGTON , and Michael Daugherty 's UFO , a concerto for solo percussion and orchestra. In addition to its regular season concerts, the National Symphony Orchestra presents outreach, education, and pops programs, as well as concerts at Wolf Trap each year. The annual American Residencies for the Kennedy Center

296-485: A commissioning program for new ballet and dance works. These works have been created by America's foremost choreographers—Paul Taylor, Lar Lubovitch , and Merce Cunningham—for leading American dance companies including American Ballet Theatre , Ballet West , Houston Ballet , Pacific Northwest Ballet , Pennsylvania Ballet , and the San Francisco Ballet . The Kennedy Center formerly supported and produced

370-406: A committee of five U.S. historians. The Kennedy Center presents festivals celebrating cities, countries, and regions of the world. The festivals are filled with a wide range of performing arts, visual arts, cuisine, and multi-media. In 2008, the center presented an exploration of the culture of Japan entitled Japan! culture + hyperculture . The 2009 Arab festival was an unprecedented exploration of

444-620: A cycle. In 1998, Smith returned to Washington when she was selected as Artistic Director of Arena Stage. Her emphasis has been on encouraging production of American plays, from both established and new playwrights, encouraging new voices by developing writers through commissions and workshops, and focusing on American stories. Her innovations have increased not only the range of playwrights and artists, but resulted in more diverse audiences for Arena Stage. She founded Arena's "downstairs series," which has held readings and workshopped some 60 plays, many of have later received full productions. Through

518-507: A free performance on March 1, 1997. In 1999, the center began web-casting each night's live performance, and continues to archive and maintain each event in a database of over 3,000 performances which may be accessed via the center's website. Performing Arts for Everyone initiatives also include low- and no-cost tickets available to performances on every stage of the Kennedy Center, and several outreach programs designed to increase access to Kennedy Center tickets and performances. An initiative of

592-578: A full season of plays from September to May on its 138-seat Mainstage. Readings, as well as productions generated by the theatre's educational programs, are also regularly produced in the Phoenix, the theatre smaller rehearsal space. In 2012 Perseverance Theatre began performing its full season in Anchorage. For the summer of 2014 Perseverance created a summer series in downtown Juneau called Summerfest. In 2001, Perseverance Theatre signed an agreement with

666-554: A national cultural center dates to 1933 when First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt discussed ideas for the Emergency Relief and Civil Works Administration to create employment for unemployed actors during the Great Depression . Congress held hearings in 1935 on plans to establish a Cabinet level Department of Science, Art and Literature, and to build a monumental theater and arts building on Capitol Hill near

740-475: A new pipe organ in 2012. The Opera House, in the middle, has approximately 2,347 seats. Its interior features include walls covered in red velvet, a distinctive red and gold silk curtain, given by the Japanese government, and Lobmeyr crystal chandelier with matching pendants, a gift from the government of Austria . It is the major opera, ballet, and large-scale musical venue of the center, and closed during

814-660: A new production of Ragtime in 2009. The Kennedy Center Fund for New American Plays has provided critical support in the development of 135 new theatrical works. In 2011, a new production of Follies starring Bernadette Peters opened at the Eisenhower Theater, and transferred to Broadway that fall. Since 1978, the Kennedy Center Honors have been awarded annually by the center 's Board of Trustees . Each year, five artists or groups are honored for their lifetime contributions to American culture and

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888-682: Is a program unique to the National Symphony Orchestra and the center. The center sends the Orchestra to a different state each year for an intensive period of performances and teaching encompassing full orchestral, chamber, and solo concerts, master classes and other teaching sessions. The Orchestra has given these residencies in 20 states so far: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, North and South Carolina, Oklahoma, North and South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Nevada, and Wyoming/Montana. The NSO recording of John Corigliano 's Of Rage and Remembrance won

962-624: Is convertible to a forestage or additional seating space. The venue reopened in October 2008, following a 16-month renovation which altered the color scheme and seating arrangements. Other performance venues in the center include: The Kennedy Center offers one of the few open-air rooftop terraces in Washington, D.C.; it is free of charge to the public from 10:00 a.m. until midnight each day, except when closed for private events. The wide terrace provides views in all four directions overlooking

1036-877: Is known for its annual production of the ballet " The Nutcracker ". Over the years, it has been performed by various different companies throughout the United States. The Kansas City Ballet performed "The Nutcracker" at the Kennedy Center in November 2022. In recent years the Kennedy Center has expanded its public education programs nationwide. The 2005 opening of the Family Theater has helped achieve this. The 2008–2009 season programming for Performances for Young Audiences reached more than 100 performances for young people and their families and over 110 performances for school audiences. The season included four Kennedy Center-commissioned world premieres: The Trumpet of

1110-466: Is make the arts a critical component in every child's education. CETA, which stands for Changing Education Through the Arts, creates professional development opportunities for teachers and school administrators. Each year over 700 teachers participate in approximately 60 courses that focus on ways to integrate the arts into their teaching. The Kennedy Center's CETA program also partners with sixteen schools in

1184-582: Is part of the center's Arab festival, Arabesque: Arts of the Arab World . Theater for Young Audiences on Tour toured with two nationally touring productions of The Phantom Tollbooth and Blues Journey . On June 8, 2016, it was announced that the Kennedy Center Theater for Young Audiences-commissioned musical Elephant & Piggie's We are in a Play!, with book and lyrics by Mo Willems and music by Deborah Wicks La Puma, transferred to

1258-612: Is the largest performance space in the Kennedy Center and is the home of the National Symphony Orchestra . A 1997 renovation brought a high-tech acoustical canopy, handicap- accessible locations on every level, and new seating sections (onstage boxes, chorister seats, and parterre seats). The Hadeland crystal chandeliers, given by the Norwegian government, were repositioned to provide a clearer view. Canadian organbuilder Casavant Frères constructed and installed

1332-532: The American Theatre Company in Chicago. Art Rotch served as Executive Artistic Director from 2008-2019. Rotch is a Perseverance alumnus who earned an M.F.A. in set design at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts . In 2018 Art Rotch was joined by Managing Director Joshua Midget. The current Artistic Director is Leslie Ishii and the current Managing Director is Frank Delaney. Perseverance produces

1406-754: The Art Tatum Piano Panorama, named after Dr. Taylor's mentor; the Louis Armstrong Legacy, highlighting vocalists; the Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival, the first festival by a major institution promoting outstanding female jazz artists; Beyond Category, featuring artists whose work transcends genre; the Platinum Series, with internationally acclaimed headliners; Jazz Ambassadors with

1480-595: The Ford Foundation , and approximately $ 500,000 from the Kennedy family . Other major donors included J. Willard Marriott , Marjorie Merriweather Post , John D. Rockefeller III , and Robert W. Woodruff , as well as many corporate donors. Foreign countries provided gifts to the Kennedy Center, including a gift of 3,700 tons of Carrara marble from Italy (worth $ 1.5 million) from the Italian government , which

1554-551: The Perseverance Theatre in her home town of Juneau, Alaska , soon after completing her master's in theatre at American University . She led the theatre company as artistic director until 1998. In addition to building audience and community through established works, she directed several world premieres of new works by rising American playwrights. Born and raised in a theater family in Juneau, Alaska , Smith moved to

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1628-829: The Rosslyn skyline in Arlington County, Virginia , to the west; the Potomac River and National Airport to the south; the Washington Harbor and the Watergate complex to the north; and the Lincoln Memorial , Department of State buildings, George Washington University and the Saudi embassy to the east. World premiere performances of Kennedy Center-commissioned works have been offered through

1702-843: The Sundance Theatre Lab. She formed the Arena Stage Writers Council in partnership with Georgetown University . The Council is composed of leading American playwrights and promotes development. Smith brings artists of international renown to the Arena. She is a member of the Board of the Theatre Communications Group, as well as the Center for International Theatre Development. She has also directed two feature films. Raven's Blood (1997)

1776-576: The Supreme Court building. A 1938 congressional resolution called for construction of a "public building which shall be known as the National Cultural Center " near Judiciary Square , but nothing materialized. The idea for a national theater resurfaced in 1950, when U.S. Representative Arthur George Klein of New York introduced a bill to authorize funds to plan and build a cultural center. The bill included provisions that

1850-538: The Suzanne Farrell Ballet in performances at the center and on extended tours. The center sponsors two annual dance residency programs for young people; Exploring Ballet with Suzanne Farrell and the Dance Theatre of Harlem Residency Program, both now in their second decade. The Kennedy Center's Contemporary Dance series offers a wide range of artistic perspectives, from the foremost masters of

1924-564: The United States Department of State , sending musicians on worldwide goodwill tours (1998–2004); the KC Jazz Club, a highly praised intimate setting; and Discovery Artists in the KC Jazz Club, highlighting up-and-coming talent. Kennedy Center and NPR annually collaborated on the beloved holiday broadcast 'NPR's Piano Jazz Christmas', until the retirement of host Marian McPartland, and hence the show, in 2011. Since 2003,

1998-676: The University of Alaska Southeast to assume responsibility for all theater education activities at the University, offering theater minors to its students. In December 2002, the theatre was one of just seven American companies to receive a $ 500,000 endowment challenge grant from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation in New York through its Leading National Theatres Program. The company successfully completed

2072-420: The 1958 National Cultural Center Act of Congress, which requires that its programming be sustained through private funds, the center represents a public–private partnership . Its activities include educational and outreach initiatives, almost entirely funded through ticket sales and gifts from individuals, corporations, and private foundations. The original building, designed by architect Edward Durell Stone ,

2146-741: The 2003/2004 season for extensive renovations which provided a revised seating arrangement and redesigned entrances at the orchestra level. It is the home of the Washington National Opera and the annual Kennedy Center Honors . The Eisenhower Theater, on the north side, seats about 1,161 and is named for President Dwight D. Eisenhower , who signed the National Cultural Center Act into law on September 2, 1958. It primarily hosts plays and musicals, smaller-scale operas, ballet, and contemporary dance. The theater contains an orchestra pit for up to 35 musicians that

2220-584: The Arena Stage. From 2016 to 2024, a total of 25 plays have been commissioned related to American history. The Mead Center for American Theater, completed in 2010, is one of her legacies. Smith has received Honorary Doctorates from Towson and American universities. She organized a march on the National Mall for gun control on January 26, 2013. [REDACTED] Theatre portal Kennedy Center The John F. Kennedy Center for

2294-481: The Arena. She also drove the development and design of a complex called The Mead Center for American Theater, completed in 2010. The project included renovations of the two existing theaters, and construction of a third theater, and related spaces to bring all functions to the site. With this, Arena became the largest regional theater in Washington and second to the Kennedy Center . In 1979 Smith had founded

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2368-487: The Hall of Nations are both 250-foot-long (76 m), 63-foot-high (19 m) corridors. The building has drawn criticism about its location (far away from Washington Metro stops), and for its scale and form , although it has also drawn praise for its acoustics , and its terrace overlooking the Potomac River. In her book On Architecture , Ada Louise Huxtable called it " gemütlich Speer ". Cyril M. Harris designed

2442-516: The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in 1964, following the assassination of President Kennedy . The National Cultural Center Board of Trustees, a group President Eisenhower established on January 29, 1959, led fundraising. Fundraising efforts were not successful, with only $ 13,425 raised in the first three years. President John F. Kennedy was interested in bringing culture to

2516-653: The Kennedy Center Opera House September 10, 1971. The Eisenhower Theater was inaugurated October 18, 1971, with a performance of A Doll's House starring Claire Bloom . Architect Edward Durell Stone designed the Kennedy Center. Overall, the building is 100 feet (30 m) high, 630 feet (190 m) long, and 300 feet (91 m) wide. The Kennedy Center features a 630-foot-long (190 m), 63-foot-high (19 m) grand foyer, with 16 hand-blown Orrefors crystal chandeliers (a gift from Sweden) and red carpeting . The Hall of States and

2590-480: The Kennedy Center appointed Dr. Billy Taylor as Artistic Advisor for Jazz, and his first installation was his own radio show Billy Taylor's Jazz at the Kennedy Center . Featuring his trio and guest artists in performance and discussion, the series ran for seven seasons on NPR . Since Taylor's appointment in 1994, the center has initiated numerous performance programs to promote jazz on a national stage, featuring leading international artists and rising stars, including:

2664-437: The Kennedy Center's auditoriums and their acoustics. A key consideration is that many aircraft fly along the Potomac River and over the Kennedy Center, as they take off and land at the nearby Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport . Helicopter traffic over the Kennedy Center is also fairly high. To keep out this noise, the Kennedy Center was designed as a box within a box, giving each auditorium an extra outer shell. After

2738-793: The Kennedy Center's founding chairman, the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) is a national theater program involving 18,000 students from colleges and universities nationwide which has served as a catalyst in improving the quality of college theater in the United States. The KCACTF has grown into a network of more than 600 academic institutions throughout the country, where theater departments and student artists showcase their work and receive outside assessment by KCACTF respondents. Since its establishment in 1969, KCACTF has reached more than 17.5 million theatergoing students and teachers nationwide. The Kennedy Center's CETA program's mission

2812-570: The Kennedy Center. Some of these include: The Kennedy Center regularly hosts special Inauguration Day events and galas during the start of each presidential term. During the United States Bicentennial , the Kennedy Center hosted numerous special events throughout 1976, including six commissioned plays. The center hosted free performances by groups from each state. In December 1976, Mikhail Baryshnikov 's version of The Nutcracker ballet played for two weeks. In 1977,

2886-823: The Lower 48 for college and graduate school. She attended Catholic University (Washington, D.C.), and received a master's degree in 1978 in theatre from American University . She returned to Juneau, where in 1979 she founded the Perseverance Theatre . Smith led this company as artistic director until 1998. Smith commissioned numerous world premieres at the Perseverance Theatre, including Paula Vogel 's Pulitzer Prize -winning How I Learned to Drive and The Mineola Twins , Tim Acito ’s The Women of Brewster Place , Moises Kaufman ’s 33 Variations , Charles Randolph-Wright 's Blue , Zora Neale Hurston 's lost play, Polk County ; and Sarah Ruhl 's Passion Play,

2960-951: The Millennium Stage, the Conservatory Project is a semi-annual event occurring in February and May that is designed to present the best young musical artists in classical, jazz, musical theater, and opera from leading undergraduate and graduate conservatories, colleges and universities. The Kennedy Center hosts residencies for artists to collaborate with the center's performing ensembles, programmers, and community initiatives. The center holds positions for Composer-in-Residence, Education Artist-in-Residence, and Culture Artist-in-Residence. The current artists-in-residence are The Roots , author Jacqueline Woodson , composer Carlos Simon , and pianist Robert Glasper . The center has co-produced more than 300 new works of theater over

3034-788: The Off-Broadway New Victory Theater in January 2017. Members of the National Symphony Orchestra will continue to present Teddy Bear Concerts throughout its seasons. During these concerts, children aged three to five bring their favorite stuffed animal to interactive musical programs featuring members of the NSO. Members of the NSO present NSO Ensemble Concerts, connecting music with various school subjects such as science and math, Kinderkonzerts, introducing kids to orchestral instruments and classical composers, as well as NSO Family Concerts. Started in 1969 by Roger L. Stevens,

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3108-668: The Opera House hosted George Bernard Shaw 's Caesar and Cleopatra with Rex Harrison and Elizabeth Ashley . The American Ballet Theatre has also frequently performed at the Kennedy Center. The troupe's 2004 production of Swan Lake , choreographed by Kevin McKenzie , was taped there, shown on PBS in June 2005, and released on DVD shortly after. Productions of The Lion King and Trevor Nunn 's production of My Fair Lady (choreographed by Matthew Bourne ) were presented in

3182-748: The Performing Arts (officially known as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts , and commonly referred to as the Kennedy Center ) is the United States National Cultural Center, located on the eastern bank of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. It was named in 1964 as a memorial to assassinated President John F. Kennedy . Opened on September 8, 1971, the center hosts many different genres of performance art, such as theater, dance, orchestras, jazz , pop, psychedelic , and folk music . Authorized by

3256-822: The Power Plays initiative, from 2016 to 2024 Arena has commissioned 25 new plays related to American history. Smith has also directed at the Shaw Festival in Canada (2007), Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Trinity Repertory Company, Tarragon Theatre in Toronto, and Centaur Theatre in Montreal, and includes the shows South Pacific , Mack and Mabel , Anna Christie , Cat on a Hot Tin Roof , " The Music Man ", and " My Fair Lady ". Smith has served as Literary Adviser to

3330-597: The Second Stage. 58°16′36″N 134°23′40″W  /  58.27656°N 134.39438°W  / 58.27656; -134.39438 Molly Smith Molly Smith is an American theatre director and the artistic director of Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. from 1998 to 2023. During this period, she emphasized promoting new American plays, playwrights, and voices, producing 200 works. In addition, she helped originate 150 works by workshops and commissions at

3404-661: The Swan , a musical adapted by Pulitzer Prize winner Marsha Norman from the book by E.B. White with music by Jason Robert Brown ; Mermaids, Monsters, and the World Painted Purple , a new play by Marco Ramirez; Unleashed! The Secret Lives of White House Pets , a new play by Allyson Currin in collaboration with the White House Historical Association; and OMAN...O man! , a new dance production conceived and directed by Debbie Allen and

3478-726: The Washington DC Metro area to develop long-range plan for arts integration at their school. Two of these schools, Kensington Parkwood Elementary School in Kensington, MD and Woodburn Elementary School for the Fine and Communicative Arts in Falls Church, Virginia serve as Research and Development schools for CETA. Exploring Ballet with Suzanne Farrell is a three-week summer ballet intensive for international pre-professional ballerinas ages 14–18. Suzanne Farrell , one of

3552-534: The artist four years to sculpt the two reliefs in plaster, creating 200 castings, and another two years for the foundry in Berlin to cast the pieces. In 1994, the Smithsonian Institution 's Save Outdoor Sculpture! program surveyed War or Peace and America and described them as being well maintained. Another sculpture Don Quixote by Aurelio Teno occupies a site near the northeast corner of

3626-603: The building. King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia of Spain gave the sculpture to the United States for its Bicentennial , June 3, 1976. The Kennedy Center has three main theaters: the Concert Hall, the Opera House, and the Eisenhower Theater. The Concert Hall, located at the south end of the center, seats 2,465 including chorister seats and stage boxes, and has a seating arrangement similar to that used in many European halls such as Musikverein in Vienna. The Concert Hall

3700-465: The center hosted a once-in-a-lifetime celebration, Jazz in Our Time, which bestowed the center's Living Jazz Legend Award to over 30 revered artists. During Dr. Taylor's tenure, the center has created recognized educational initiatives, including national jazz satellite distance-learning programs; adult lecture series; master classes and workshops with national artists and local metropolitan Washington, D.C. students; and Betty Carter 's Jazz Ahead—continuing

3774-448: The center would prohibit any discrimination of cast or audience. In 1955, the Stanford Research Institute was commissioned to select a site and provide design suggestions for the center. From 1955 to 1958, Congress debated the idea amid much controversy. A bill was finally passed in Congress in the summer of 1958 and on September 4, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed into law the National Cultural Center Act which provided momentum for

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3848-526: The center's jazz programs have been regularly broadcast on NPR's JazzSet with Dee Dee Bridgewater . Recent highlights, produced by the center, have included Great Vibes, A Salute to Lionel Hampton (1995); Billy Taylor's 80th Birthday Celebration (2002); Nancy Wilson , A Career Celebration (2003); Michel Legrand with Patti Austin , part of the center's Festival of France (2004); A Tribute to Shirley Horn (2004); James Moody 's 80th Birthday (2005); and Benny Golson at 80 (2009). In March 2007,

3922-442: The challenge in 2005. The theatre also recently raised $ 1.1 million for a facility renovation and expansion project. Perseverance Theatre participates in the National Playwright Residency Program (NPRP) from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and HowlRound Theatre Commons. In 2016, Vera Starbard began a three-year term as the Playwright in Residence (in cohort 2) and her grant was renewed in 2019 (cohort 3). Her play, "Devilfish"

3996-541: The company. Smith served as artistic director from the theater's founding until 1998, when she left to become artistic director of the Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. She was succeeded by Peter DuBois, who served until the fall of 2003. He was appointed Associate Producer, then the Resident Director, at the Public Theater in New York City . In July 2008, DuBois became Artistic Director of Boston's Huntington Theatre . In 2004, PJ Paparelli became Artistic Director of Perseverance Theatre. He left in November 2007, to lead

4070-416: The culture of the 22 Arab countries in the League of Arab States, titled Arabesque: Arts of the Arab World . In 2011, the Kennedy Center presented maximum INDIA , a three-week-long celebration of the arts and culture of the sub-continent. Since its establishment in September 1971, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has showcased jazz in solo, various ensembles, and big band settings. In 1994,

4144-458: The culture of the nation's capital. Opened in September 2022, Art and Ideals : President John F. Kennedy , is a permanent exhibit dedicated to President John F. Kennedy's relationship with art. The exhibit has four sections, each explaining the role art played in culture, democracy, social change, and the White House during Kennedy's presidency. The exhibit was designed by architectural firm KieranTimberlake , curator Ileen Gallahger, and

4218-420: The first Executive Director of the National Cultural Center, overseeing numerous fundraising efforts and assisting with the architectural plan. The total cost of construction was $ 70 million. Congress allocated $ 43 million for construction costs, including $ 23 million as an outright grant and the other $ 20 million in bonds . Donations also comprised a significant portion of funding, including $ 5 million from

4292-399: The genre to the art form's newest and most exciting artists. In the 2008/2009 series, the Kennedy Center recognized Modern Masters of American Dance, bringing Martha Graham Dance Company , Merce Cunningham Dance Company , Limón Dance Company , Mark Morris Dance Group , Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater , Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company and Paul Taylor Dance Company . The Center

4366-419: The most revered ballerinas of the 20th century, has been hosting this Balanchine -inspired intensive at the Kennedy Center since 1993. During their three weeks in Washington, D.C., Farrell's students practice technique and choreography during twice daily classes, six days per week. Outside of the classroom, excursions, activities and performance events are planned for EBSF students to fully immerse themselves in

4440-409: The nation's capital, and provided leadership and support for the project. In 1961, President Kennedy asked Roger L. Stevens to help develop the National Cultural Center, and serve as chairman of the Board of Trustees. Stevens recruited First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy as honorary chairman of the center, and former First Lady Mamie Eisenhower as co-chairman. In January 1961, Jarold A. Kieffer became

4514-403: The original estimates of $ 25–30 million. By November 1959, estimated costs had escalated to $ 61 million. Despite this, Stone's design was well received in editorials in The Washington Post , Washington Star , and quickly approved by the United States Commission of Fine Arts , National Capital Planning Commission , and the National Park Service . The National Cultural Center was renamed

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4588-410: The original structure was marked for expansion, a competition in 2013 selected Steven Holl Architects to undertake the design. The extension, called The REACH, opened in 2019. The plaza entrance of the Kennedy Center features two tableaus by German sculptor Jürgen Weber ; created between 1965 and 1971, which were a gift to the Kennedy Center from the West German government. Near the north end of

4662-648: The past 43 years, including Tony-winning shows ranging from Annie in 1977 to A Few Good Men , How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying , The King and I , Titanic , and the American premiere of Les Misérables . The center also produced the Sondheim Celebration (six Stephen Sondheim musicals) in 2002, Tennessee Williams Explored (three of Tennessee Williams ' classic plays) in 2004, Mame starring Christine Baranski in 2006, Carnival! in 2007, August Wilson 's Pittsburgh Cycle (Wilson's complete ten-play cycle performed as fully staged readings) and Broadway: Three Generations both in 2008, and

4736-422: The past twelve years, over three million people have attended Millennium Stage performances. The Millennium Stage has presented more than 42,000 artists, which includes over 4,000 international artists from more than 70 countries; performers representing all 50 states; and 20,000 Washington-area ensembles and solo artists. The Charlie Byrd Trio and the Billy Taylor Trio were the first artists to delight audiences with

4810-406: The performing arts, including dance, music, theater, opera, film, and television. The Kennedy Center has awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor annually since 1998. Named after the 19th-century humorist Mark Twain , it is presented to individuals who have "had an impact on American society in ways similar to" Twain. Many local arts organizations present (or have presented) their work at

4884-538: The plaza is a display of nude figures in scenes representing war and peace , called War or Peace . The piece, 8 ft × 50 ft × 1.5 ft (2.44 m × 15.24 m × 0.46 m), depicts five scenes showing the symbolism of war and peace: a war scene, murder, family, and creativity. At the south end is America which represents Weber's image of America (8 × 50 × 1.5 ft.). Four scenes are depicted representing threats to liberty, technology, foreign aid and survival, and free speech. It took

4958-475: The project. This was the first time that the federal government helped finance a structure dedicated to the performing arts. The legislation required a portion of the costs, estimated at $ 10–25 million, to be raised within five years of the bill's passage. Edward Durell Stone was selected as architect for the project in June 1959. He presented preliminary designs to the President's Music Committee in October 1959, along with estimated costs of $ 50 million, double

5032-405: The singer's legacy of identifying outstanding young talent. In 2015, Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett performed there as part of their Cheek to Cheek Tour . The National Symphony Orchestra , the Kennedy Center's artistic affiliate since 1987, has commissioned dozens of new works, among them Stephen Albert 's RiverRun , which won the Pulitzer Prize for Music; Morton Gould 's Stringmusic , also

5106-484: Was September 5, 1971, with 2,200 members of the general public in attendance to see a premiere of Leonard Bernstein 's Mass in the Opera House, while the center's official opening took place September 8, 1971, with a formal gala and premiere performance of the Bernstein Mass . The Concert Hall was inaugurated September 9, 1971, with a performance by the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Antal Doráti . Alberto Ginastera 's opera, Beatrix Cenci premiered at

5180-399: Was adapted from the mystery novel, Death of an Alaskan Princess, by Bridget Smith, and filmed in Juneau. A major community effort, it featured many local actors and extras. She also directed Making Contact (1999). In 2014 Smith married her longtime partner, Suzanne Blue Star Boy, in a ceremony officiated by Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg . They had met in Alaska. The ceremony

5254-456: Was constructed by Philadelphia contractor John McShain , and is administered as a bureau of the Smithsonian Institution . An earlier design proposal called for a more curvy, spaceship-inspired building similar to how the Watergate complex appears today. An extension to the Durell Stone Building was designed by Steven Holl and opened in 2019. The center receives annual federal funding to pay for building maintenance and operation. The idea for

5328-542: Was held in the Kogod Cradle of the Arena's complex, with the reception on the outdoor terrace and in the rehearsal hall. Smith led the development of Arena Stage as a center for new American plays, artists, and voices. Some 200 works were produced, including by established American playwrights. She directed many new works, and invited diverse actors and directors to participate in productions. Some 150 works were originated in readings, workshops and related initiatives at

5402-585: Was used in the building's construction. President Lyndon B. Johnson dug the ceremonial first-shovel of earth at the groundbreaking for the Kennedy Center December 2, 1964. However, debate continued for another year over the Foggy Bottom site, with some advocating for another location on Pennsylvania Avenue . Excavation of the site got underway on December 11, 1965, and the site was cleared by January 1967. The first performance

5476-437: Was written and performed during her first term. An example of the range of productions mounted by the theatre on its Mainstage can be seen in the list of shows from the 2006-07 season: From the 2007-08 Season: The theatre's Second Stage features more intimate productions and the work of developing actors, directors, and designers. The 2006 - 07 Second Stage season included: Perseverance Theatre's "Young Company" performs on

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