Brave Spirits Theatre


Brave Spirits Theatre is a small, non-Equity theater based in Arlington, VA. The company was founded in 2011 by Charlene V. Smith and Victoria Reinsel. Brave Spirits is a “feminist-leaning classics troupe”, which produces plays by Shakespeare and his contemporaries, the era of “verse and violence”. The company regularly casts women in traditionally male roles. In doing so, the roles are often fully re-gendered: for example, in the company's repertory production of Henry IV, Part I and Henry IV, Part II, the lead characters were portrayed as Queen Henri IV, Princess Hallie, and Dame Jill Falstaff, with Doll Tearsheet switched to Dick Tearsheet.

History

Brave Spirits' first production was The Two Gentlemen of Verona in 2011 at The Fridge DC, in the Eastern Market area of Washington, DC. Subsequent productions included Richard III in 2012, and a repertory production of A Midsummer Night's Dream and Two Noble Kinsmen in 2014, all at the Atlas Performing Arts Center in Anacostia.
In 2015, the company began their residence at The Convergence in Arlington, VA, with a repertory production of Henry IV, Part I and Henry IV, Part II.

Repertories and Area Premieres

Brave Spirits regularly produces pairs of plays in repertory, and they regularly stage area premieres of plays by Shakespeare's contemporaries.
In 2014, the company produced A Midsummer Night's Dream and Two Noble Kinsmen in repertory at the Anacostia Arts Center in southeast Washington, DC.
In 2015, the company produced their regendered production of Henry IV, Part I and Henry IV, Part II in repertory.
In 2017, the company produced their “Incest Rep”, comprising A King and No King, by Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher; and 'Tis Pity She's a Whore by John Ford.

Shakespeare's History Tetrologies

In 2020, Brave Spirits is planning a repertory production of Shakepeare's two history tetrologies: the Henriad, or major tetrology, comprising Richard II; Henry IV, Part 1; Henry IV, Part 2; and Henry V; and the minor tetrology, consisting of Henry VI, Part 1; Henry VI, Part 2; Henry VI, Part 3; and Richard III. This will be the first time that all eight plays have been mounted and performed in repertory in a single season by U.S. company.