Start! Start anywhere!! You learn the most by doing and there’s so much to do when making art, especially live art like theater. So much of that effort is extremely valuable even when the audience doesn’t see it. Starting wherever you are with whatever skills you have can lead you to new insight on what brings the whole process together. Our voices are needed in lighting design, in costuming, in stage management, and in marketing, as much as they’re needed writing scripts and performing on stage. Start where you are and see how you’ll grow
Today we are highlighting our stage manager of The Addams Family , Josie Funk , who is also an Encore alum! You may remember them as our stage manager for last year’s summer musical, Footloose . Josie is currently a college student at VCU Arts, studying stage management. Read along to learn more abo
The last director we had the privilege of speaking to in our Directors Assemble! series, is Abigial H.! She’s directing The Edge of Noir by Gary Peterson and has been with Encore Stage & Studio for five years! Last year, you may have seen Abigail direct A Murdered Mystery by Karl Garner in our first
The next director we are featuring on Directors Assemble! Is Imogen B.! They’re directing The Knave of Hearts and have taken on several roles at Encore between cast and crew. We are excited to see her shine in her directorial debut! Stick around to learn more about all things Student Directed One-Ac
Next up on the Directors Assemble! interview series, highlighting the student directors of Encore Stage & Studio’s 2026 Student Directed One-Act Plays, we have Ajan G. This will be Ajan’s 20th show with Encore, and we are excited to share with you all the details of the production he will be directi
Next up on the Directors Assemble! series, we have Zach R ., director of Spy School by D. M. Larson. This is his second year as a student director with Encore Stage & Studio, and we are excited to welcome him back. Before directing, he played many roles at Encore, including but not limited to: Fritz
Next up on our “Directors Assemble” series, Jazz B. takes center stage. After spending years at Encore Stage & Studio both on stage and behind the scenes, Jazz makes zis debut as a director with Jackie and the Potato Stalk by D. M. Larson. We got to interview zim and get insight on a new take on a c
Today, we’re thrilled to launch our new “Directors Assemble” series on the Front Row Blog with a spotlight on Divya K. , director of Excuse Me by Amir Razavi. Divya has been a familiar face at Encore in so many roles, from cast member and backstage crew to front of house, stage management, and even
From the moment she first experienced the magic of Annie on Broadway, Madaline knew she wanted to be part of a world where stories move people and possibility feels tangible. Her journey has taken her from the electric wings of Macbeth to performing original work at the Maryland Renaissance Festival
As we celebrate Black History Month on the Encore blog, we’d like to introduce Aaliyah Dade! Aaliyah, how are you involved at Encore Stage & Studio? I am a teaching artist and Flip The Script actor! What was the first show you ever did, what do you remember most about it? The first show I ever did w
There are moments in every artist’s journey when the curtain lifts and something inside clicks into place. For Curtis, that spark came through powerful storytelling, meaningful representation, and the electric glow of stage lights that turned strangers into family. We continue to celebrate Black His