A ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the opening of Traveling Players Studio in Tysons Corner Center was held on Wednesday, Feb. 5.

Jeanne Harrison, Founder & Producing Artistic Director for Traveling Players Ensemble, kicked off the evening recognizing the people instrumental in making the Traveling Players Studio a reality: Matt Barry, AVP - Property Management; Todd Putt, Senior Manager Marketing; and Hillary Zahm, Senior Development Manager, with Macerich, the owner of Tysons Corner Center. Sol Glasner, President of the Tysons Partnership provided strategic networking.

ELECTED OFFICIALS and key donors were on hand to celebrate this milestone with Traveling Players. Dalia A. Palchik, Fairfax County Supervisor for Providence District, and John Foust, Fairfax County Supervisor for Dranesville District, congratulated Traveling Players on their new rehearsal space. Chairman McKay was represented by Hannah Menchhoff, Communications Specialist. Joining the ribbon cutting ceremony were Linda Sullivan, President & CEO of ARTSFAIRFAX; Amy Swaak, President of the McLean Community Foundation; and Nancy Daugherty, Arts Education Specialist with the National Endowment for the Arts who have provided invaluable grant support to Traveling Players over the years.

Most people know Traveling Players Ensemble as the nationally awarded educational theatre company with vibrant summer programs in residence at The Madeira School. For 18 years, Traveling Players has trained young artists in grades 3-12 in classical theatre and performed in beautiful historic places, like Shenandoah National Park where they perform Shakespeare in the Park. Beginning in 2007, they expanded to include winter performances and school-year classes in the McLean community, most recently at the Old Firehouse Teen Center.

“We are overjoyed to be aligned with Macerich as a Community Partner,” says Founder and Producing Artistic Director, Jeanne Harrison, “Tysons Corner Center is already so popular with our families and audiences. Our students loved performing on The Plaza this past summer and already consider the Studio a second home in which to train and perform during the school year.”

THE STUDIO opened Jan. 11 with 32 students beginning rehearsals for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Midsummer Night’s Dream. These shows will be performed for the public in Tysons Corner Center on March 14, 15, 21, and 22.

The new 4200 square foot Studio allows Traveling Players to work with more students year-round, taking acting classes, auditioning, rehearsing and performing, all in the mall and on the plaza in metro accessible Tysons Corner Center.

For more information, visit travelingplayers.org or call 703-987-1712.

Upcoming Activities

• In April, Traveling Players will launch a brand new Spring Break Acting Intensive Camp. Students in grades 6-8 who want to deepen their acting training or get to know Traveling Players better will spend the week in scene study workshops where they will delve into the core of the scenes through rehearsals and improvisational games that teach foundational acting skills.
• Beginning this summer, Traveling Players has expanded their award winning offerings of auditioned programs. Performers, new and returning, in grades 4-8 now have the option of either registering for camp as normal or auditioning for a faster paced, more in depth training.
  
• High School Students in grades 8-12 can audition for the elite pre-college programs: four-week Shakespeare Ensemble or seven-week Shakespeare Troupe. The next round of auditions are Feb. 15, 16, and 17 in the Studio at Tysons Corner Center.