The Thanksgiving Play, written by 2020 McArthur Fellow Larissa Fasthorse, is intended to be funny, edgy, and serious. A group of terminally “woke” actors struggle to create a play for a local elementary school that presents a balanced history of the first Thanksgiving, trying to include all perspectives but without offending anyone. Read the Full Story >>
theater
The 2022 Contemporary American Theater Festival – A Quick Guide
This year’s Contemporary American Theater Festival festival kicks off on July 3 with four days of previews (pay-what-you-can) followed by a packed schedule of opening weekend plays and events on July 8, 9 & 10. Six plays will be presented on a changing schedule Tuesday through Sunday during the following three weeks through July 31. Read the Full Story >>
Building The Shepherdstown Opera House
Construction of the Shepherdstown Opera House began in December 1909 and the theater opened its doors for its first show in June of 1910. Read the Full Story >>
Rude Mechanicals Present Hamlet
he Rude Mechanicals Medieval and Renaissance Players of Shepherd University return to the stage this November to present Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Read the Full Story >>
A Blues Legend Comes Alive! — Sep 16
The Friends of Shepherdstown Library (FOSL) will host Doris Fields on September 16 (Thu), 6:30 pm in the pavilion at Morgan's Grove Park (4198 Kearneysville Pike, Shepherdstown, WV). Fields will be portraying legendary blues singer Bessie Smith, performing and answering questions in character. Read the Full Story >>
CATF Shares Highlights of New Theater Online
The discussion and development of new theater goes on, even if the stages are dark. With the continued presence of COVID-19, the theater community continues to create and explore new avenues for sharing and collaborating online — offering the public glimpses into the process that would normally not be so visible. The Contemporary American Theater Read the Full Story >>
Keeping the Stage Lights On at the Black Box Youth Playhouse
Whether or not you consider yourself an artist, there is no doubt that art touches your life. The arts tell our story, they are a beautiful legacy. Engaging people from an early age in the arts enhances their development by opening their eyes to different experiences, different voices, and uniquely personal ways for them to express their own dreams and visions. Read the Full Story >>
CATF UnMuted: A New American Theater Experience for 2020
If the CATF team found themselves lost in the woods, they wouldn’t just look for the signs to get back on the old road -- they’d figure out how to blaze a new trail. We’ve all learned a lot over the past four months, enough to know that the CATF organization made the right decision to postpone the summer season. While the community has been mourning the loss, the team got to work at what they do best -- being creative. Read the Full Story >>
Behind the Scenes with CATF 2019
Entering its 28th year, Shepherdstown’s renowned Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) runs from July 5-28 and comprises six new plays by American playwrights—spotlighting contemporary issues that both challenge and entertain audiences. Read the Full Story >>
CATF Continues to Address and Confront in 2018
The Contemporary American Theater Festival is entering its 27th year and promises to deliver another round of fresh, cutting-edge performances undeniably relevant to the times. Read the Full Story >>
Theater Selections Tackle Timeless Ideas with Contemporary Ferocity
Ed Herendeen, director of the Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF), was listening to readings of this year’s six chosen plays when he realized something. Read the Full Story >>
Designing the Diverse Worlds of CATF
In early June, the area where Shepherdstown’s annual Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) takes place is calm—so calm, in fact, that if you were to sit at one of the tables in the “copper canyon”—the valley between Shepherd University’s two contemporary art buildings—you’d be surprised to learn just how much is actually going on around you amid the stillness. Read the Full Story >>
Behind the Scenes with CATF Founder Ed Herendeen
One of the great things about theater, and writing in general, are stories within the story. The Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) is literally built upon such a notion. Each year, the event attracts a global audience to Shepherdstown—for many reasons—but mostly, because of the stories being told. Read the Full Story >>
Ready and Willing to Take the Risks
For 2017, the Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) at Shepherd University (SU) is increasing its repertory from five to six productions—continuing the annual tradition of producing and developing new American theater while capturing a snapshot of the current American landscape. Read the Full Story >>
Shepherdstown Opera House Comes Full-Circle
In October 2010, Pam and Rusty sold the Opera House to Lawrence and Julie Cumbo, who both had a vision to take it to the next level. As a filmmaker, Lawrence wanted to preserve the theater's cinematic tradition, but he knew music had to be another cornerstone of Opera House culture. Read the Full Story >>