All stories by Hannah Hessel Ratner on BroadwayStars

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

A Story Reborn: Cheryl West’s Akeelah and The Bee by Hannah Hessel Ratner

“We were just talking about this,” playwright Cheryl L. West tells me over the phone. “I’m one of the most produced contemporary playwrights at Arena Stage.” We…

SOURCE: theatrewashington.org at 10:20PM
Wednesday, October 28, 2015

The Keegan Theatre: New Work from Ireland by Hannah Hessel Ratner

As part of The Women's Voices Theater Festival, The Keegan Theatre is presenting a repertory schedule of plays by two Irish playwrights - Rosemary Jenkinson's The Dealer of…

SOURCE: theatrewashington.org at 10:54AM
Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Liz Maestri: Staking Her Claim by Hannah Hessel Ratner

In celebration of theatreWeek 2015 and the Women's Voices Theater Festival, theatreWashington is posting daily, in-depth features on the Festival's playwrights an…

SOURCE: theatrewashington.org at 11:49AM
Thursday, August 27, 2015

Women's Voices Theater Festival: Spotlight on Area Playwrights by Hannah Hessel Ratner

When seven of the larger theatres in the Washington area came together to create the Women’s Voices Theater Festival, they were experimenting on a grand scale. Could the local the…

SOURCE: theatrewashington.org at 11:44AM
Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Happenstance Theater: A Jungle-Gym Tradition by Hannah Hessel Ratner

In 2006 something game-changing came to the Washington area. The Capital Fringe Festival opened it’s doors and with it came new opportunities for theatre artists and performers interes…

SOURCE: theatrewashington.org at 07:22PM
Wednesday, June 24, 2015

All the World's a Stage: Spotswood’s Audio Plays by Hannah Hessel Ratner

Since November, Forum Theatre has been releasing episodes of Walking The City Of Silence And Stone. Seven out of nine episodes of playwright Stephen Spotswood’s site-specific audio dra…

SOURCE: theatrewashington.org at 02:28PM
Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Spooky Action Theater: Discovering Jarry by Hannah Hessel Ratner

Alfred Jarry is not a household name. Those who know him, know him as the author of the pre-absurdist play Ubu Roi, featuring the grotesque Pere Ubu with his signature cone-head and rotund s…

SOURCE: theatrewashington.org at 03:45PM
Wednesday, April 22, 2015

The Welders: The Birth of a Suicide Play by Hannah Hessel Ratner

“I have a wacky curiosity with suicide cults and group suicide,” playwright Bob Bartlett admits. Bartlett’s play happiness (and other reasons to die), is the third to come …

SOURCE: theatrewashington.org at 03:04PM
Wednesday, April 1, 2015

NNPN: A National Impact from a Little Office by Hannah Hessel Ratner

At this year's Helen Hayes Awards – to be celebrated April 6 – the National New Play Network (NNPN) will receive the Washington Post Award for Innovative Leadership in t…

SOURCE: theatrewashington.org at 09:00AM
Monday, March 23, 2015

Adventure Theatre: A New Yellow Brick Road by Hannah Hessel Ratner

The stories we experience in childhood frame how we see the world. Theatre, movies, and books become invaluable sources for understanding what’s around us. For playwright, dramaturg an…

SOURCE: theatrewashington.org at 06:57PM
Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Theater J: Local Playwright Tackles Local Truths by Hannah Hessel Ratner

Theater J has made a huge commitment over the past few years to local playwrights, with its Locally Grown new play initiative embracing writers in all stages of their process. Playwright Ren…

SOURCE: theatrewashington.org at 12:22PM
Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Mead Mentorship: Two Projects Flourish With Insight and Support by Hannah Hessel Ratner

Artists Rachel Hynes and Annalisa Dias are both in the process of creating unique pieces of theatre that prove the importance of artistic conversations and mentorship. The medium for develop…

SOURCE: theatrewashington.org at 05:02PM
Monday, December 29, 2014

'Tis (Still) the Season to Be Pointless! by Hannah Hessel Ratner

Following up the holiday season in the Mead Theatre Lab at downtown's Flashpoint are a bunch of Santa's elves who are ready to put on a show - just for you. It's not just any sho…

SOURCE: theatrewashington.org at 01:16PM
Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Playwrights: Start Your Applications! by Hannah Hessel Ratner

Playwrights often write in isolation for months at a time, prior to sharing their work in workshops, readings, and, eventually, productions. But there are a number of ways to become part of …

SOURCE: theatrewashington.org at 01:17PM
Thursday, November 13, 2014

WSC Avant Bard Gets a Taste of Mickle Maher by Hannah Hessel Ratner

Though this series generally showcases new work by area playwrights, this week I want to introduce you to a writer who, though he isn’t DC-based, is entertaining audiences at WSC Avant…

SOURCE: theatrewashington.org at 10:33AM
Thursday, October 30, 2014

Caleen Sinnette Jennings on The Welder's Way by Hannah Hessel Ratner

Caleen Sinnette Jennings called me on a Saturday morning from the parking lot of G Street Fabrics. She was on a mission to buy facing for the riser’s at Atlas Performing Arts Center wh…

SOURCE: theatrewashington.org at 12:03PM
Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Studio’s Intimate Commissions by Hannah Hessel Ratner

Every year, during the season planning process, Studio Theatre goes through dozens of unproduced scripts, enjoying what they’re reading, being impressed by the talent but having a hard…

SOURCE: theatrewashington.org at 04:27PM
Wednesday, October 1, 2014

The Science of Synetic by Hannah Hessel Ratner

Nathan Weinberger has amassed a growing collection of adaptations. As the resident dramaturg at Synetic Theater—the physical theatre company based in Arlington, VA—he’s rea…

SOURCE: theatrewashington.org at 04:03PM
Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Building the Tiny House Plays by Hannah Hessel Ratner

Proving its commitment to new work that reflects the unique qualities of our region, Pinky Swear Productions recently invited six playwrights to write short plays to be performed in the tiny…

SOURCE: theatrewashington.org at 06:05PM
Tuesday, September 2, 2014

George O’Brien: An Irish Playwright for an Irish Tale by Hannah Hessel Ratner

As a longtime professor at Georgetown University, George O’Brien kept his classes lively by always exploring new perspectives. Planning a lesson on John Millington Synge’s Irish …

SOURCE: theatrewashington.org at 05:57PM
Tuesday, August 26, 2014

How to Page-to-Stage in 2014 by Hannah Hessel Ratner

When most people are out of town enjoying their last bit of summer, The Kennedy Center comes to life. For almost 15 years, new plays get their time to shine over the Labor Day weekend. This …

SOURCE: theatrewashington.org at 12:05PM
Thursday, August 7, 2014

Camp Longacre Lea is in Session by Hannah Hessel Ratner

Sidebar Goto:  Summer Hummer: Ménage à Trois …

SOURCE: theatrewashington.org at 11:49AM
Friday, June 13, 2014

Discovering Liz Lerman by Hannah Hessel Ratner

The Wright Stuff We think of playwrights as writers but the spelling of their title reveals a deeper meaning. The rarely seen “wright” is an old word, and speaks to people who ma…

SOURCE: theatrewashington.org at 11:52AM
Friday, May 2, 2014

The Creative Source by Hannah Hessel Ratner

The Wright Stuff We think of playwrights as writers but the spelling of their title reveals a deeper meaning. The rarely seen “wright” is an old word, and speaks to people who ma…

SOURCE: theatrewashington.org at 12:15PM
Friday, March 28, 2014

She Tells Stories by Hannah Hessel Ratner

The Wright Stuff We think of playwrights as writers but the spelling of their title reveals a deeper meaning. The rarely seen “wright” is an old word, and speaks to people who ma…

SOURCE: theatrewashington.org at 05:13PM

All that Chat

2023-2024 BROADWAY SEASON
May 30, 2023: Grey House - Lyceum Theatre
Jun 26, 2023: Just For Us - Hudson Theatre
Jul 24, 2023: The Cottage - Hayes Theater
Nov 16, 2023: Spamalot - St. James Theatre
Dec 18, 2023: Appropriate - Hayes Theater
Mar 07, 2024: Doubt - Todd Haimes Theatre
Apr 14, 2024: Lempicka - Longacre Theatre
Apr 17, 2024: The Wiz - Marquis Theatre
Apr 18, 2024: Suffs - Music Box Theatre
Apr 25, 2024: Mother Play - Hayes Theater
Jun 10, 2024: The Drama Desk Awards