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The Price

The Price of the Past

Arthur Miller's The Price - A Reading List

What do our possessions mean and what do they say about our lives? How do we deal with the memories and meanings of our accumulations at the end of our lives? What is the price we pay for our choices? The great Arthur Miller explored these questions in his very personal and lesser-known play, The Price.

Native Gardens

Green Hedges Make Good Neighbors

A Reading List for Arena Stage's Native Gardens

Although DC is the City of Trees, we do not generally look at the plant life around when we tell the stories of our lives and our communities in the District. But gardens and plants often make for the best metaphors and signposts for understanding our relationships to each other and to the city that we inhabit. 

The Originalist

An American Original

A Reading List for Arena Stage's 'The Originalist'

Needless to say, the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia shook up U.S. politics deeply. Scalia's influence on the court was profound, and it is no surprise that writers have engaged both his legal career and writing as well as his overall personal presence on the court in trying to understand him. 

Shakespeare's Kings cover

Shakespeare's "Henry VI" and "Richard III"

Two Kings, One Crown

William Shakespeare's "The Hollow Crown" series returns to PBS this month! 

The Little Foxes

Lillian Hellman's The Little Foxes

Mon., Oct. 3 at 7 p.m.

You are cordially invited to attend the Southwest Library discussion of Lillian Hellman's drama The Little Foxes.  This event is presented as part of In the Arena, a community discussion of works being produced at Arena Stage.  Copies of the play are available for checkout at the Southwest Library's information desk.

The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare

The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare

Southwest Book Discussion, 1 p.m., Sat., Aug. 27

You are cordially invited to attend the monthly Southwest book discussion.  Copies of this month's selection, The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare, are available at the information desk.

Hamilton the Revolution cover

'Hamilton' and Beyond: Tony Nominees at Your Library

So the 2016 Tony nominations are out.  You may not be able to get to NYC to see these shows, but you have a library, a computer, and an imagination and sometimes that’s enough. (Trust me, the version of Rent I pictured in my head was way better than the one I eventual saw.)  Here are some of the nominees and some resources to help you out. Best Musical Hamilton

PKL Youth Advisory Now Forming

Earn Community Service Hours as a Library Youth Advisor

Teens!  Are you a respectful, responsible young adult aged 13-19 and interested in sharing your ideas about how the Parklands-Turner Library can meet your needs and the needs of other young people in our community? Visit the library today or phone 202-645-4532 and ask to speak with Ms. Auset for more information on how you can be a part of this exciting new group.

Kaufman and Company

The Play's the Thing

Comedy Tonight--and tomorrow night too!

The District of Columbia has a rich and varied theater scene, and the District of Columbia Public Library has a terrific collection of scripts and plays from many different times and cultures to match it.  I've included some of my favorite comedies from the 20th and 21st century below. They're as much fun to read as they are to watch.

Portrait of John Philip Sousa

Marching Along with John Philip Sousa

An evening with the famous "March King"

The library will present a special performance by local actor Dwane Starlin as he embodies the life and spirit of the great American bandmaster and composer John Philip Sousa (1854-1932), known for his military and patriotic marches such as "The Washington Post," "Semper Fidelis," and "Stars and Stripes Forever" and who was born in Washington DC, on Wednesday, November 4, at 7 p.m.

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