'Glory Days' Headed to Broadway

Steven Booth and Andrew C. Call in Signature Theatre's "Glory Days," which will open in New York on May 6. (By Scott Suchman -- Signature Theatre)

The leaders of Constellation, WIT, the In Series and the Education Collaborative all told Backstage they intend to be in residence at Source.

At the Atlas, Catalyst will be in the flexible Sprenger Theater, which can seat more than 200, but Fortier intends to configure it for 180. "It's a lot of seats to fill," he conceded, but noted recent Catalyst shows, such as "Swimming in the Shallows" and "The Trial," averaged 90 percent or more of capacity at the Capitol Hill venue and people were often turned away.

Fortier said he'll keep the company's $10-per-ticket policy, even though Atlas rents will be higher than at Source. Catalyst will seek corporate sponsorships, apply for grants and expand its marketing.

Catalyst's 2008-09 season will open with a reprise of its well-reviewed 2004 adaptation of "1984" (Aug. 27-Oct. 12, 2008), by company member Christopher Gallu. This time it will be staged by Jim Petosa and, Fortier predicted, should resonate in an election season.

The second show is Bertolt Brecht's "Roundheads and Peakheads" (Feb. 11-March 14, 2009). Set in the fictional land of Yahoo, where which the races and classes are pitted against one another, the 1936 play is based in part on Shakespeare's "Measure for Measure." Gallu will direct, with actors singing, dancing, playing instruments and taking on multiple roles.

A third show (May 20-June 21, 2009) is to be announced.

"It still was a difficult decision to leave Source, because I think it's going to be an incredibly successful venue," Fortier said of Catalyst's move. "But as far as our long-term growth plan, the Atlas is a much better fit for us."

The state-of-the-art complex clearly thrills him. "When I walked through those doors -- I don't think I had been at Atlas before we considered that as an option -- I was transformed to another world," he said.

Follow Spots

¿ The Cultural Development Corp. was presented a Mayor's Arts Award for "excellence in service to the arts" in a ceremony at the Kennedy Center last week. In addition to operating the Flashpoint arts incubator and Source, CuDC consults with arts organizations and works with developers to incorporate arts elements such as theaters and galleries.

¿ Ray Ficca, a company member of Charter Theatre and president of the National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts in Georgetown, will become artistic director of the Totem Pole Playhouse in Fayetteville, Pa., starting in September. A frequent summer performer there, Ficca will also continue his Washington gigs.

Staff writer Teresa Wiltz contributed to this report.