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World-Premiere Musical

Dave

  • Credits

    Book by
    Thomas Meehan
    and Nell Benjamin

    Music by
    Tom Kitt

    Lyrics by
    Nell Benjamin

    Directed by
    Tina Landau

    Choreographed by
    Sam Pinkleton

    Music Direction by
    Rob Berman

  • Location

    The Kreeger Theater

“A really FUN SHOW with a strong cast.”

— Broadway World

“A musical FOR OUR TIMES.”

— DC Theatre Scene

From a Tony and Pulitzer Prize award-winning creative team, comes the world-premiere musical comedy Dave, adapted from the Oscar-nominated film. Dave tells the story of high school teacher (and presidential lookalike) Dave Kovic, who is hired by the Secret Service as a stand-in for the Commander-in-Chief. When the President falls ill under less than “presidential” circumstances, Dave is thrust into the Oval Office to avoid a national scandal, and must find a way to gain the trust and love of the American people … and the First Lady.

Dave runs approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes with one intermission.
Please be advised this production contains haze and strobe lights.

Cast

JENNY ASHMAN

Ensemble/Partial Swing

JARED BRADSHAW

Ensemble/Partial Swing

JOSH BRECKENRIDGE

Duane Bolden

DANA COSTELLO

Ensemble/Ellen u/s

TRISTA DOLLISON

Ensemble

SHERRI L. EDELEN

Ensemble/Mrs. Smit

RACHEL FLYNN

Ensemble/Randi

KEVIN R. FREE

Ensemble / Murray

DREW GEHLING

Dave/President Bill Mitchell

ADAM J. LEVY

Ensemble / Dave / Bill Mitchell u/s

BRYONHA MARIE PARHAM

Susan Lee

MAMIE PARRIS

First Lady Ellen Mitchell

ERIN QUILL

Ensemble/Susan Lee u/s

JONATHAN RAYSON

Ensemble / Vice President Gary Nance

JAMISON SCOTT

Ensemble

DOUGLAS SILLS

Bob Alexander

THOMAS ADRIAN SIMPSON

Ensemble

VISHAL VAIDYA

Ensemble

Creative

THOMAS MEEHAN

Book Writer

NELL BENJAMIN

Book Writer/Lyricist

TOM KITT

Composer/Arranger/Ochestrator/ Music Supervisor

TINA LANDAU

Director

SAM PINKLETON

Choreographer

MICHAEL STAROBIN

Orchestrator

ROB BERMAN

Music Director

DANE LAFFREY

Set Designer

Toni-Leslie James

Costume Designer

JAPHY WEIDEMAN

Lighting Designer

WALTER TRARBACH

Sound Designer

PETER NIGRINI

Projection Designer

ROBERT-CHARLES VALLANCE

Wig Designer

KENNETH FERRONE

Associate Director

MAYTE NATALIO

Associate Choreographer

WILLIAM YANESH

Associate Music Director

TELSEY + COMPANY

Casting

MARK DOBROW

Production Stage Manager

MARNE ANDERSON

Assistant Stage Manager

Multimedia

Dave testimonials
Dave trailer
Photo of Drew Gehling and the cast of 'Dave' by Margot Schulman.
Photo of Drew Gehling by Margot Schulman.
Photo of Drew Gehling, Bryonha Marie Parham and Douglas Sills by Margot Schulman.
Photo of Mamie Parris and Drew Gehling by Margot Schulman.
Photo of the cast of 'Dave' by Margot Schulman.
Photo of Drew Gehling and the cast of 'Dave' by Margot Schulman.
Photo of Mamie Parris and Drew Gehling by Margot Schulman.
Photo of Douglas Sills and the cast of 'Dave' by Margot Schulman.
Photo of Jenny Ashman, Thomas Adrian Simpson, Vishal Vaidya, Drew Gehling, Adam J. Levy, Erin Quill and Sherri Edelen by Margot Schulman.
Photo of Drew Gehling and Mamie Parris by Margot Schulman.
Photo of Bryonha Marie Parham, Douglas Sills, Drew Gehling, Mamie Parris, Josh Breckenridge and Jonathan Rayson by Margot Schulman.
Photo of Josh Breckenridge and Drew Gehling by Margot Schulman.
Photo of the cast by Margot Schulman.

In The News

CBS News

Dave, a movie about an accidental president, is adapted for the stage

USA Today

New musical Dave features a national anthem to remember

Washington Post Express

Dave takes D.C. to a white house that's not quite our own

Playbill

First look at Drew Gehling and Mamie Parris in Dave

TheaterMania

Tina Landau wants Dave to show us what America could look like

WTOP

Dave makes its exciting world premiere

Broadway World

Theatre life with Rob Berman of Dave

Fairfax County Times

Sherri Edellen shares her Dave experiences

NBC4

Dave arrives at Arena Stage

Washington Post

Dave, a feel good musical about a humane president

Great Day Washington - WUSA9

Douglas Sills and Bryonha Marie Parham talk Dave in D.C.

Playbill

Tina Landau gets real about directing Dave

On Tap

World-premiere musical Dave is a unique modern story

Broadway World

Josh Breckenridge prepares for Dave

Washington Diplomat

Dave shows a feel-good side of politics

Role Call

The role of first ladies explored on stage

Broadway World

Cast and company of Dave celebrate their D.C. arrival.

American Theatre Magazine

Tina Landau, world builder

Broadway.com

Broadway’s Drew Gehling to lead world-premiere musical Dave

Washington Post

Star Broadway team brings Dave to Arena Stage

Washingtonian

Why Arena Stage is making a musical out of DAVE

Broadway.com

World-premiere musical adaptation of Dave debuts at Arena Stage

Accessible Performances

Open Captioned
Thursday, August 9, 2018 at 8 p.m.
Saturday, August 11, 2018 at 2 p.m.
Wednesday, August 15, 2018 at 7:30 p.m.

Audio Described
Saturday, August 11, 2018 at 2 p.m.

Events

Civil Dialogues
Sunday, August 12, 2018: The robots are coming
Will robots continue to take more of our jobs? Will they out smart us? Can they start wars?
Learn more

Post-Show Discussions
Tuesday, August 7, 2018 at 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, August 16, 2018 at 8 p.m.

Program PDF

Dave program