Past Shows - 2000 to the present
CHRONOLOGY of THE NATIONAL THEATRE
TIMELINE - 2000 to the present
This record is a work in progress.
Click
here for 1835 - 1864
Click here for 1865 - 1899
Click here for 1900 - 1924
Click here for 1925 - 1949
Click here for 1950 - 1999
Links
to Show Pages
Click
here for the Memory Page: Audience Members Reminisce
Sources:
List A: A first computerized partial listing of titles of attractions
at the National Theatre was assembled by General Manager Richard
Schneider about 1987, apparently from playbills.
List B: A second more elaborate computer listing from 1982 included
dates, titles, and some performer annotation. This list included
many performances other than those at the National, and seems to
be the record of one east-coast theatre-goer's programs beginning
in 1943.
Personal Recollection: On a regular basis, individuals report specific
information which they know of "first-hand." We are told,
for example, that Billie Burke, Al Jolson and Chita Rivera are all
"Washingtonians." Chita attended Haywood School here.
Compilation of information Further work was done by President Donn
B. Murphy, and Archivist Thomas S. Shorebird, from 1988 through
1993. Dr. Murphy and Anthony Stewart made entries from 1993 through
1997.
Work to incorporate material from other files into a comprehensive
chronology was done by volunteer archivists Melvin Goldberg, Bayla
White, Mary Haley, Elaine Kolodny and Celia Shapiro over a multi-year
period beginning in 2000.
Notes
Where only the year and not the specific play dates of attractions
are known, the show titles are listed prior to dated attractions,
except when the dates for other attractions known to have played
in January make it clear that the undated attractions were later
in the year.
Abbreviations
SN refers to Stage for a Nation, Lee, Meersman,
Murphy, 1985, the official history of The National.
HNNT refers to History of the New National Theatre
by Alexander Hunter and J. H. Polkinhorn, November, 1954
ON refers to a series of orange notebooks containing
information taken from the files of the Washington Historical Society
on productions at the National beginning in 1835. Information culled
from The Intelligencer newspaper files of the Martin Luther King
Library. There are no program files for these entries.
Rapley Files - William W. Rapley was an owner and manager of the
theatre in the 1860's and the 1870's. He was later succeeded by
his son, Harry W. Rapley.
LINKS - For shows presented since 1997, when this
website was inaugurated, promotional pages exist. These pages
may include photos, some cast names, and other information about
the shows. Click
here for a list of links to these pages
November 30, 1999 through January 2, 2000
CHICAGO – musical: book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse; music by
John Kander; lyrics by Fred Ebb. Starring Nan Visitor, Vicki Lewis,
Robert Urich, Ray Bokhour, with Carol Woods and J. Maldonado. Directed
by Walter Bobbie.
2000
March 3 through March 8, 2000 [no program file]
BLUE’S CLUES
May 9 through June 4, 2000 [no program file]
RENT
December 5 through December 31, 2000
FOSSE – choreographed by Bob Fosse. Starring Reva Rice and
Linda Bowen featuring Terace Jones, April Nixon and Josef Patrick
Pescetto.
2001
May 8 through May 20, 2001 [no program file]
THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS – Starring Ann Margret.
October 16, 2001 through October 28, 2001 [no program file]
VAGINA MONOLOGUES
2002
January 22 through February 3, 2002 [no program file]
VAGINA MONOLOGUES
February 19 through March 16, 2002
CONTACT – written by John Weidman, choreography by Susan Stoman.
Tony-award-winning dance production.
March 28 through June 6, 2002
MAMMA MIA – musical based on the songs of Abba. Music and
lyrics by Bennie Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus; book by Catherine
Anderson.
June 11 through June 30, 2002
SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER – musical based on the film; stage adaptation
by Nan Knighton; featuring songs by the Bee Gees. Starring Richard
H. Blake, Jeanine Meyers, Aileen Quinn, with Joe Ricci, Cheyenne,
Joey Calveri, Troy Magino and Jim Ambler.
July 9 through July 21, 2002 [program file]
THE FULL MONTY
October 8 through November 10, 2002
MAN OF LA MANCHA -- musical written by Dale Wasserman; music by
Mitch Leigh; lyrics by Joe Darion. Starring Brian Stokes Mitchell,
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and Ernie Sabella.
November 27, 2002 through January 6, 2003
LES MISERABLES – musical by Alain Boublil & Claude-Michel
Schonberg. Based on the novel by Victor Hugo; music by Claude-Michel
Schonberg; lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer. Starring Randal Keith, Stephen
Tewksbury, Jane Paterson, Justen Steinagle, Erik Tolman Ward, and
Michael St. John.
2003
January 22 through February 2, 2003
DAME EDNA – a performance devised and written by Barry Humphries.
Starring Barry Humphries, Wayne Barker (on keyboard), Teri DiGianfelice
and Michelle Pampena (as the Gorgeous Ednaettes).
February 10, 2003
GODS AND GENERALS – world premiere of the film by Ron Maxwell,
based on the book by Jeffrey M. Shaara. Starring Robert Duvall,
Stephen Lang, Jeff Daniers, Mira Sorvino and Donzaleigh Abernathy.
The event hosts include Sen. George Allen, Sen. Robert Byrd, Sen.
Phil Gramm, Cong. Dana Rohrabacher and Cong. Ed. Markey.
March 4 through March 22, 2003
TALE OF THE ALLERGIST’S WIFE – comedy by Charles Busch.
Starring Valerie Harper, with Mike Burstyn, Sondra James, Jana Robbins
and Jonathan Hova. Directed by Lynne Meadow.
March 24 through April 13, 2003
42ND STREET – musical: book by Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble;
music by Harry Warren, lyrics by Al Dubin. Original direction and
dances by Gower Champion. Starring Blair Ross, Patrick Ryan Sullivan,
Patti Mariano, Frank Root, Robert Spring. Musical staging and new
choreography by Randy Skinner. Directed by Mark Bramble.
April 22 through April 27, 2003
THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES – by Eve Ensler. Starring Frederique,
Starla Benford, Amy J. Carle. Directed by Joe Mantello.
May 20 - June 8, 2003
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST - music by Alan Menken; lyrics by Howard Ashman
and Tim Rice; book by Linda Woolverton; choreography by Matt West.
Starring Roger Befeler and Jennifer Shrader, with Marc G. Dalio,
Andrew Boyer, Rob Lorey, Mary Jo McConnell, Jamie Ross, Tracy Generalovich,
Aldrin Gonzalez, Henry Hodges, Alex Rutherford, and Monica M. Wemitt.
Directed by Robert Jess Roth.
June 11 through June 29, 2003
CHICAGO – a new national touring company presentation of the
musical by John Kander and Fred Ebb, with the book by Mr. Ebb and
Bob Fosse. Starring Bianca Marroquin and Brenda Braxton, Gregory
Harrison, Rox Ryan, Ray Bokhour, R. Bean. Cast includes Caitlin
Carter and Mamie Duncan Gibbs. Choreography by Anne Reinking in
the style of Bob Fosse. Directed by Walter Bobbie.
September 18 through September 21, 2003
BORN OF A DREAM – U.S. Air Force Band in an original musical
production celebrating 100 years of powered flight. Music, lyrics
and orchestration by SMSgt. Larry MacTaggart and Msgts John Bliss,
Alan Baylock and Robert Thurston. Directed and choreographed by
Jamie Rocco. Script by Major General (Retired) John W. Brooks and
SMSgt. Larry MacTaggart.
September 30 through October 26, 2003 [no program file]
CATS
November 25, 2003 through February 14, 2004
MAMMA MIA – music and lyrics by Benny Andersson and Bjorn
Ulvaeus; book by Catherine Johnson. Cast includes Chilina Kennedy,
Emy Baysic, Karen Burthwright, Cynthia Sophiea, Rosalyn Rahn Kerins,
Jeanine Morick. J.J. Griffith, Phillip Nero, Joe Paparella, Michael
deVries, Craig Bennett, Gary Lynch and Milo Shandel.
2004
November 19 through December 19, 2004
MOVIN’ OUT – conceived by Twyla Tharp; music and lyrics
by Billy Joel. Starring Holly Cruikshank, Matthew Dibble, David
Gomez, Julieta Gros, Laurie Kanyok, Brendan King, Corbin Popp, Ron
Todorowski, Darren Holden and Matt Wilson. Directed and choreographed
by Twyla Tharp.
2005
January 18 through January 30, 2005
DISNEY ON THE RECORD – songs from Disney productions from
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to Home on the Range. Ensemble cast.
Directed and choreographed by Robert Longbottom.
March 29 through April 10, 2005
I AM MY OWN WIFE -- by Doug Wright based on interviews with its
subject, Charlotte von Mahlsdorf. Starring Jefferson Mays. Directed
by Moises Kaufman.
May 16 through July 2, 2005
MAMMA MIA – music and lyrics by Benny Andersson and Bjorn
Ulvaeus; book by Catherine Johnson.
August 20, 2005
George Washington University Medical Alumni Association White Coat
and Honor Code Ceremony
December 6, 2005 through January 21, 2006
LES MISERABLES
February 21, 2006 through March 5, 2006
DAME EDNA: BACK WITH A VENGEANCE
March 6, 2006 through April 13, 2006
HOT FEET - conceived by Maurice Hines - Music of Earth, Wind and
Fire
May 18 through May 21, 2006
DISNEY LIVE! MICKEY'S MAGIC SHOW
June 6 through July 9, 2006
SPAMALOT
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