ABOUT

Mission

    The Elden Street Players organization is committed to providing affordable, high-quality theatrical productions to the diverse local community.

History

 The non-profit 501(c)3 Elden Street Players organization (E.S.P.) was founded in 1988 by a group of local theater arts enthusiasts. Since its inception, the company has developed a reputation as being a company "where directors love to advance their craft." ESP's all-volunteer productions have gained regional attention and a loyal local following.

    Despite inhospitable economic times, the non-profit Elden Street Players organization has thrived over the years. The group maintains an experienced all-volunteer Board of Directors and a capable stable of all-volunteer casts and crew-members. 

    Thanks to careful growth and a supportive donor community, in 2007, Elden Street Players became an owner of their comfortable "intentionally small" performance space, The Industrial Strength Theater. Further establishing the group's production capabilities, in 2010, Elden Street Players purchased "Elden Street Players' Backstage", a scene shop and prop facility.

Today

    The Elden Street Players organization launches five Main Stage productions, as many as five Theater for Young Audiences productions, and a holiday show annually.

    The organization continues to garner numerous awards from the Washington Area Community Theater Honors (WATCH) and delights in surprising audiences by pushing the limits of what is possible in a theater where none of the 114 seats is more than 25 feet from the stage.

Tomorrow
    
    In January, 2013, Elden Street Players announced the hiring of Evan Hoffmann as Producing Artistic Director, as well as ambitious plans to expand the company with a professional theatre company called "NEXTSTOP Theatre Company".

Industrial Strength Theater - Wig Heads
Wig Heads - Photo by Matt Rose Photography

Recent ESP Honors and Awards

  • Throughout its history, Elden Street Players and its casts and crews have been honored with a significant number of nominations and awards.
  • 2011 W.A.T.C.H. Awards The Washington Area Theater Community Honors Award Ceremony was held Sunday, March 11, 2012 – 7:00 pm at The Birchmere, Alexandria, VA.Elden Street Players' Winners include:Outstanding Set Painting ...
    Posted Jul 9, 2012, 11:16 AM by Matthew Thompson
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Main Stage Production Archive




Favorite past quotations about Elden Street Players:

" Altogether, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is the pinnacle of local theatre: professional at its core with its heart in the neighborhood. C’est fantastique!" ~ Genie Baskir, ShowBizRadio

""It takes a lot of nerve for an amateur theater to tackle a daunting venture such as The Who's Tommy. The entire show does justice to the original conception of that ingenious 1969 album. In a word, it's a sensation." -- Leonard Hughes, The Washington Post

"In five years of writing about the local community theatre scene, the boldest area theatrical productions have come from the creative energy of the Elden Street Players (ESP)." -- Michael Birchenall,The Times Community Newspapers

"This little gem (The Tenth Man) requires a slew of accomplished character actors to pull it off... apparently that's no problem for the Elden Street Players." -- Leonard Hughes, The Washington Post

"With productions like the one presented by The Elden Street Players, (A Raisin in the Sun) the raw human condition will live on in the 'industrial strength' nature of the stage." -- Michael Birchenall, The Times Community Newspapers

"With bold intentions, Elden Street Players -- with 'The Alchemist' -- has once again pushed the community theatre experience beyond the safe formulas for building audiences. A full house on opening night showed there is a demand for intelligent theatre." -- Michael Birchenall, The Times Community Newspapers