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World-Premiere Drama

Right to be Forgotten

  • Credits

    Written by Sharyn Rothstein
    Directed by Seema Sueko

  • Location

    Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle

[Rothstein’s] work has been called “a force of nature.”

— Time Out New York

The Internet never forgets. A young man’s mistake at 17 haunts him online a decade later. Desperate for a normal life, he goes to extraordinary lengths to erase his indiscretion. But freedom of information is big business, and the tech companies aren’t going down without a fight. Secrets, lies and political backstabbing abound in this riveting new drama about one man’s fierce battle to reclaim his right to privacy. Playwright Sharyn Rothstein (By the Water, USA Network’s "Suits"), winner of the prestigious 2015 Primus Prize and whose work has been called “touching & affecting” (New York Times), has written a striking allegory about privacy, social media and human forgiveness in the age of the internet.

Right to be Forgotten is generously sponsored by Joan and David Maxwell, Christopher Wolf and James Beller and is the recipient of an Edgerton Foundation New Play Award.

Right to be Forgotten runs approximately one hour and 35 minutes with no intermission.

A timeline of the right to be forgotten

Interested in learning more on this topic? Check out this custom recommended reading list from our friends at the DC Public Library! Learn more

Cast

JOHN AUSTIN

Derril Lark

MELODY BUTIU

Marta Lee

GUADALUPE CAMPOS

Eve Selinsky

RACHEL FELSTEIN

Annie Zahirovic

SHUBHANGI KUCHIBHOTLA

Sarita Imari

EDWARD O'BLENIS

Alvaro Santos

Creative

SHARYN ROTHSTEIN

Playwright

SEEMA SUEKO

Director

PAIGE HATHAWAY

Set Designer

IVANIA STACK

Costume Designer

ADAM HONORÉ

Lighting Designer

ANDRE PLUESS

Sound Designer

SHAWN DUAN

Projection Designer

ZACH CAMPION

Voice and Dialect Coach

KURT HALL

Stage Manager

HETHYR (RED) VERHOEF

Stage Manager

VENUS GULBRANSON

Assistant Lighting Designer

JOCELYN CLARKE

Dramaturg

GREGORY KENG STRASSER

Directing Assistant

Multimedia

"Right to be Forgotten" at Arena Stage
Audience reactions
"Right to be Forgotten" trailer
John Austin and Shubhangi Kuchibhotla introduce "Right to be Forgotten"
Photo of John Austin and Shubhangi Kuchibhotla by Margot Schulman.
Photo of John Austin by Margot Schulman.
Photo of Guadalupe Campos by Margot Schulman.
Photo of John Austin and Guadalupe Campos by Margot Schulman.
Photo of Edward O’Blenis and Rachel Felstein by Margot Schulman.
Photo of Shubhangi Kuchibhotla and John Austin by Margot Schulman.
Photo of John Austin and Shubhangi Kuchibhotla by Margot Schulman.
Photo of Rachel Felstein and Guadalupe Campos by Margot Schulman.
Photo of Rachel Felstein by Margot Schulman.
Photo of Rachel Felstein and Guadalupe Campos by Margot Schulman.
Photo of Guadalupe Campos by Margot Schulman.
Photo of Rachel Felstein by Margot Schulman.
Photo of Melody Butiu and Edward O’Blenis by Margot Schulman.
Photo of John Austin, Melody Butiu and Guadalupe Campos by Margot Schulman.
Photo of Melody Butiu by Margot Schulman.
Photo of Rachel Felstein and Melody Butiu by Margot Schulman.
Photo of Melody Butiu and John Austin by Margot Schulman.
Photo of John Austin and Melody Butiu by Margot Schulman.
Photo of John Austin (Derril Lark) by Tony Powell.

In The News

NBC 4

Sharyn Rothstein & John Austin talk about current themes in Right to be Forgotten

NTN24

Cuestión de Poder de NTN24 / viernes 25 de octubre de 2019

Woman Around Town

Shubhangi Kuchibhotla Talks About Online Dating in Arena Stage’s Right to Be Forgotten

Al Jazeera

Okay Google: Forget me!

Broadway World

Photo Flash: Arena Stage Celebrates Opening Night of Right to be Forgotten

Radio Sputnik

Sharyn Rothstein talks about timeliness of Right to be Forgotten

Recode Decode with Kara Swisher

Sharyn Rothstein and Seema Sueko chat about timely themes in Right to be Forgotten

DC Trending

Arena’s Right To Be Forgotten: A Conversation with Guadalupe Campos

1A

Who Has The Right To Be Forgotten?

Broadway World

Photo Flash: Arena Stage Presents Right to be Forgotten

WJLA

"Suits" writer brings new play to Arena Stage

Washington Post

Arena Stage tackles Internet privacy — and permanence — in Right to Be Forgotten

Broadway World

BWW Interview: John Austin Explores the Right to be Forgotten at Arena Stage

Writer's Haven Show with V. Helena

Sharyn Rothstein chats about Right to be Forgotten

The Southwester

Right to be Forgotten: Interview with Playwright Sharyn Rothstein 

On Tap Magazine

Right to Be Forgotten Sparks Healthy Debate

Front Mezz Junkies

John Austin Talks About Not Judging a Book by Its Cover, Digitally.

Northern Virginia Magazine

Right to be Forgotten director talks privacy, free speech and more

The Privacy Advisor

The Privacy Advisor Podcast: The Right To Be Forgotten hits pop culture

The New York Times

Theater This Season: A Show (or 10) for Every Mood

Broadway World

Photo Flash: Inside First Rehearsal For Right to be Forgotten at Arena Stage

American Theatre Magazine

TCG Announces 2nd Round of 2019 Edgerton New Play Awards

Broadway World

Edgerton Foundation New Play Awards Announce Second Round Of 2019 Recipients

Playbill

World Premiere of Sharyn Rothstein’s Right to Be Forgotten Finds Its Cast at Arena Stage

Broadway World

Arena Stage Announces Cast and Creative Team Announced for Right to be Forgotten

TheaterMania

Right to Be Forgotten Announces World-Premiere Casting

Accessible Performances

Closed Captioning
GalaPro Begins Friday, October 18. Learn more about Gala Pro

Open Captioning
Thursday, November 7 at 8 p.m.

Audio Description
Saturday, November 9 at 2 p.m.

Events

Privacy Law Panel
Thursday, October 17 from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. with a reception from 6 - 6:30 p.m.
Moderated by Kara Swisher, co-founder and editor-at-large of Recode and New York Times contributing writer. Presented in conjunction with the world-premiere play, Right to be Forgotten, which deals with themes surrounding free speech, privacy and the Internet.
Learn more

Post-Show Discussions
Tuesday, October 29 at 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, October 30 at 12 p.m.
Saturday, November 2 at 8 p.m.
Tuesday, November 5 at 12 p.m.

Wednesday, November 6 at 7:30 p.m.
Special Guests: Chris Wolf, founder and co-chair of the Future of Privacy Forum and partner at Hogan Lovells; and Arena Stage's Deputy Artistic Director Seema Sueko, director of Right to be Forgotten

Thursday, November 7 at 8 p.m.

Southwest Nights
Friday, October 11 at 8 p.m. Purchase
Saturday, October 12 at 8 p.m. Purchase
Sunday, October 13 at 7:30 p.m. Purchase
Tuesday, October 15 at 7:30 p.m. Purchase
Wednesday, October 16 at 7:30 p.m. Purchase
Thursday, October 17 at 8 p.m. Purchase