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The fact that Shepherd
University is across the border in a neighboring state
makes it seem like a long way to go for theater, even for great
theater. But it is actually only 65 miles from the Beltway to the idyllic
site of the Contemporary American Theatre Festival at West Virginia’s
Shepherd University. That makes it close enough to drive out for one or two
shows (they run matinees as well as evening shows on Wednesday, Thursday,
Saturday and Sunday). Or, it is far enough to make the trip a special
getaway if you stay overnight in order to see the four plays they stage in
repertory each summer.
Either way, a summer visit to Shepherdstown is rapidly becoming a tradition
for theatergoers from throughout the Potomac Region and beyond. At one
performance we were flanked by audience members from Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida and Wisconsin.
The
mission of the Contemporary American Theatre Festival is to bring new works
to life. Not all of them turn out to be as satisfying as everyone obviously
would like. But a trip to West Virginia each summer is a habit every true
theater fan should cultivate.
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