BLACK WATCH Returns To STC, Beginning 9/19

The Shakespeare Theatre Company, recipient of the 2012 Regional Theatre Tony Award®, is proud to announce the return of Black Watch, the critically acclaimed production depicting war from the perspectives of soldiers in Iraq. After a sold-out run at Sidney Harman Hall in 2011, this world-renowned piece from The National Theatre of Scotland makes landfall with STC before continuing on its U.S. tour. Written by Gregory Burke and directed by Tony Award winner John Tiffany (Once), Black Watch deploys its audience into the hostile environments faced by soldiers, both internal and external.Black Watch will run from September 19-October 7, 2012, at Sidney Harman Hall (610 F Street NW).

Hurtling from a pool room in Scotland to an armored wagon in Iraq, Black Watch draws from interviews conducted by Gregory Burke with former soldiers who served in Iraq. Viewed through the eyes of those on the ground, Black Watch reveals what it means to be part of the legendary Scottish regiment, what it means to be part of the war on terror and what it means to make the journey home again.  John Tiffany’s production makes powerful and inventive use of movement, music and song to create a visceral, complex and urgent piece of theatre. Black Watch has captivated audiences comprising more than 200,000 people across three continents and has garnered 22 awards. Upon its last visit to STC, the production ranked #3 on Peter Marks’ “Best Theater of 2011" list in The Washington Post. The production also won four Olivier Awards for Best Director, Best Theatre Choreography, Best Play and Best Sound Design and the company won its first U.S. award when the New York Drama Circle named Black Watch Best Foreign Play in 2009.

Black Watch kicks off a chain of international productions as a part of the 2012-2013 STC Presents Series, which includes an additional performance by The National Theatre of Scotland: David Grieg’s The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart, which, like Black Watch, received rave reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. From the European mainland comes another STC Presents Series production, the Théâtre de l’Atelier’s stageplay of Les Liaisons Dangereuses under the direction of John Malkovich. STC’s Artistic Director Michael Kahn declared, “We intend to bring in the most innovative and highest quality of work. Our goal is to make sure we’re presenting the best of many kinds of performances, the best of their fields and I feel our STC Presents Series is just that.”