Selah Theatre Project Opens 15th Season in New Winchester Arts Home

Selah Theatre Project is beginning its 15th season in a new permanent home, The Vivienne L. Jackson Sanctuary for the Arts, a community arts center at 302 N. Braddock St. in Winchester.

The building is believed to be the first in Winchester named for an African American woman. It honors Vivienne L. Jackson, owner of Ruth’s Tea Room, a gathering place known for welcoming people from across the community before integration.

Selah Theatre Project, a nonprofit known for socially conscious, issue-driven productions, said the new location offers a meaningful setting for a season centered on community, history, compassion, and belonging.

“Our new home carries someone’s legacy in its very name,” said Bleu Do’zia, founding artistic director of Selah Theatre Project. “Ms. Vivienne opened her doors to this community long before it was easy or expected.”

Do’zia said the company’s 15th season is designed to continue that spirit of welcome.

“Season 15 is our way of doing the same,” Do’zia said. “We are radically and unapologetically inviting everyone in, to create, witness or immerse themselves in community art.”

The season will include original works, historical dramas, musicals, comedies, youth theatre, and a scholarship fundraiser.

Season Opens With ‘The Colored Patriot’

The first production, “The Colored Patriot,” will be presented Aug. 28-30 at the Shenandoah Civil War Museum.

The free, one-weekend event is being presented with support from the Josephine School Community Museum and the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Shenandoah Valley.

The original play tells the story of Thomas Laws, an enslaved Black man who served as a Civil War spy and helped secure the Union victory at the Third Battle of Winchester.

Set in a modern courtroom, the play asks audiences to consider whose stories are remembered and whose are erased from history.

‘Come From Away’ Brings a Story of Compassion

Selah will follow with “Come From Away,” running Sept. 11-13 and Sept. 18-20.

The musical tells the true story of Gander, Newfoundland, where 38 airplanes carrying thousands of passengers were diverted after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Residents of the small Canadian town opened their homes and community spaces to stranded travelers from around the world, overcoming cultural and language differences through generosity and cooperation.

Comedy, History and Original Works

The season continues in October with “Clue,” running Oct. 9-11 and Oct. 16-18.

Based on the popular board game and cult-classic film, the comedy follows familiar characters, including Scarlet, Plum, White, Green, Peacock, and Mustard, as they try to solve a murder inside Boddy Manor.

In November, Selah will present “Purlie Victorious,” from Nov. 13-15 and Nov. 20-22.

The play follows traveling preacher Purlie Judson as he returns to his Georgia hometown to save a church and help cotton pickers living under the control of Ol’ Cap’n Cotchipee.

The year will close with “Miracle on Braddock Street,” running Dec. 11-13 and Dec. 18-20.

The Selah original follows Macy, a young girl who befriends Kris, a quiet homeless man whose presence seems to bring small miracles. Her father, a grieving city councilman, is working to remove homeless people from Winchester’s streets.

The story explores compassion, grief, hope, and the possibility that those most easily overlooked may carry the greatest gifts.

2027 Productions

The 2027 portion of the season opens with “The Elephant Man,” scheduled for Feb. 19-21 and Feb. 26-28.

The production tells the story of Joseph Merrick through an ensemble of performers who share the central role. The play focuses on Merrick’s inner life and his relationship with Dr. Frederick Treves.

Selah’s youth company, Selah-Upstage, will present “The Very Strange Dream of Alice M. Who” from March 12-14 and March 19-21.

The original production follows Alice into a world where the styles of Lewis Carroll and Dr. Seuss collide, telling a story of imagination and self-discovery.

In April, Selah will bring back “Ruth’s Tea Room,” an original play about Vivienne L. Jackson.

The production, now in its fourth staging, follows Azi Wells as she returns home after her mother’s death and seeks comfort in the tea room that shaped her childhood.

Performances are scheduled for April 9-11 and April 16 and 18.

The play celebrates Black-owned spaces, community memory, and the lasting influence of people who create places where others feel they belong.

Scholarship Dinner Honors Larry Lamar Yates

Selah will hold The Work Continues Scholarship Dinner on April 17, 2027.

The event honors Larry Lamar Yates, remembered by the company as a “Theatre Angel” who believed no student should be denied an opportunity because of cost.

Proceeds will support the Larry Lamar Yates Memorial Scholarship Fund, which helps young artists attend Selah’s summer camps and acting classes.

The dinner will include a performance of “Ruth’s Tea Room.”

Season Ends With ‘Noises Off’

The final production of the season will be “Noises Off,” running May 14-16 and May 21-23.

The farce follows a touring theatre company as rehearsals and performances of a play called “Nothing’s On” fall into chaos.

The production features missed cues, slamming doors, offstage feuds, and the repeated appearance of a troublesome plate of sardines.

Tickets, Sponsorships, and Community Partnerships

Season passes and individual tickets are available through selahtheatreproject.org.

The company is also seeking local businesses and organizations interested in sponsoring Season 15. Sponsorship information is available from Joanna Schilling at joanna@selahtheatreproject.org.

Each production will also include a nonprofit night designed to help local or national organizations raise money and reach new supporters.

Organizations interested in taking part may contact Do’zia at bleu@selahtheatreproject.org.

Selah Theatre Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit theatre company that uses performance as a tool for conversation, healing, and change. Its work includes original plays, youth education, community partnerships, and productions exploring history, identity, and social justice.

As the company begins its first full season at The Vivienne L. Jackson Sanctuary for the Arts, it plans to continue building on its guiding idea: theatre should invite audiences to pause, reflect, and connect.