Dear friends,

 

It is with a mix of pride, sadness, and a whole lot of gratitude that we share with you that, after a decade of telling stories in the DC area, 4615 Theatre Company will be sunsetting this year.

 

After a great run of two world premieres earlier this year, our leadership team and board started talking together about the right next steps for 4615. We are, of course, in an enormously difficult time for the performing arts, and the ongoing effects of the pandemic have set us back at a pivotal time in our small company’s journey. This certainly affected our decision, but we also found that we were at the right moment to move on, both as individuals and as an organization. Being a theatre of our size means that everybody involved has numerous other commitments and passions in both our professional and personal lives. The past few years have brought changes for all of us including, happily, new opportunities in theatre and beyond. Not every theatre need last forever and, after taking stock, we decided together that we were ready to close the book, and celebrate how far we’ve come. 

 

10 years ago this month, a group of young artists, home from school for the summer, staged a production in multiple rooms of a house, for an audience of family and friends. They had no ambitions at the time besides creating a space to collaborate together and make something unique. The show turned out to have an impact, and the next year, 4615 Theatre was founded, as a space where emerging artists could tell big, narratively sweeping stories both old and new. 

 

We couldn’t have imagined then just how much 4615 would grow, and how many extraordinary artists we would have the honor to work with. We produced 30 full productions (including seven world premieres, almost entirely by local playwrights), as well as countless other workshops and special engagements, ranging from site specific performances to virtual experiences, such as an online solo musical and an original video game. Along the way, we were fortunate enough to collaborate with some of the kindest and most brilliant theatre-makers from this extraordinary community, some of whom started out with 4615, and continue to inspire us wherever they go. As for our audience and patrons, we couldn’t have asked for a more supportive or adventurous group of theatregoers.

 

4615’s outdoor performances in Temperance Alley will continue this summer, after which we’ll have a farewell celebration some time this fall, likely featuring lots music and sharing stories. Until then, we just want to say thank you a thousand times over. Whether you are an artist, an audience member, or both, thank you for being a part of 4615 and for all of the ways you supported, challenged and defined us. It has been the honor of a lifetime being a part of the DC theatre community, and as we all move on to new adventures, we hope to see you again soon, especially at our fellow indie theatres. 

 

With love and gratitude,

 

Greg, Paige and Jordan

(Producing Director, Managing Director and Board Chair)