Gardens and cultures clash
June 2-18 2023
Directed by Brady Greer Huffman
8:00 PM — June 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, & 17
2:00 PM — June 4, 11, 17, & 18
This comedy of good intentions and bad manners turns friendly neighbors into feuding enemies. Pablo and Tania are realizing the American dream when they purchase a house next door to community stalwarts Virginia and Frank.
A disagreement over a long-standing fence line soon spirals into an all-out war of taste, class, privilege, and entitlement. The hilarious results guarantee no one comes out smelling like a rose.
Presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com
Reviews
“A biting, perceptive, and ultimately hopeful sendup to our fraught relationships with those around us – even right next door.” — DC Theatre Scene
“A comedy planted in difficult, painful issues.” — Chicago Tribune
“Skillful comedy… bright and witty and clever.” — Cincinnati.com
“A true breath of comic fresh air. It’s a biting, perceptive, and ultimately hopeful sendup to our fraught relationships with those around us – even right next door. Beyond snappy one-liners and garden hose fights, the play challenges audiences to look beyond petty differences and rediscover our shared decency.” — DC Theatre Scene
“A lighthearted comedy with some heavier threads woven through for just the right amount of heft.” – Broadway World
“Sharp, witty writing, lots of laughs, a strong cast, a beautiful set, a sense of currency and immediacy, and an ideal summer length: 90 minutes, no intermission. Everything about it clicks and hums.” — Minnesota Post
“Native Gardens is the best stage comedy of the summer.” — Star Tribune
About the Author
Karen Zacarías was recently hailed by American Theater Magazine as one of the ten most-produced playwrights in the US. Her award-winning plays include The Copper Children, Destiny of Desire, Native Gardens, The Book Club Play, Legacy of Light, Mariela in the Desert, The Sins of Sor Juana and the adaptations of Just Like Us, Into the Beautiful North and How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accent. She is the author of ten renowned TYA musicals (including Ella Enchanted: The Musical) and the librettist of several ballets.
She is one of the inaugural resident playwrights at Arena Stage, a core founder of the Latinx Theatre Commons – a large national organization of artists seeking to update the American narrative with the stories of Latinos – and she is the founder of the award-winning Young Playwrights’ Theater (YPT). YPT was cited by the Obama administration as one of the best arts-education programs on the nation.
Karen was voted 2018 Washingtonian of the Year by Washingtonian Magazine for her advocacy work involving the arts. She is an inaugural 2019 Sine Fellow for Policy Innovation at American University and is selected by The League of Professional Theatre Women to receive the 2019 Lee Reynolds Award, given annually to a woman in theater who has helped illuminate the possibilities for social, cultural or political change. In 2021, Karen was awarded a United States Artists Fellowship award.
Karen lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband and three children. www.KarenZacarias.com
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New Ticket System
After many years, we have decided to upgrade our ticketing system to improve our services, simplify the online shopping cart and allow us to scan tickets at the door. We’ve kept our ticket prices the same, but we’ve added a $1 fee per ticket for online purchases to help defray the cost of the program. You will see this fee added to your online purchase.
We appreciate your support and your patience as we make these changes.