HISTORY OF THE NEON

THE INNOVATIVE THEATER WITH FRENCH FLAIR
LOCATED IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL

LE NEON French American theatre was created in 1987.

Since January 1992, when it first settled in its own little black box space in Arlington, it has been a permanent professional theater company with an average annual program of four shows and one hundred performances.

Since October 1997, LE NEON has been playing in the ROSSLYN SPECTRUM THEATER, a new auditorium in an ideal location near the Rosslyn Metro and across the street from the Newseum.

MAP: LOCATION OF THE ROSSLYN SPECTRUM
PERFORMANCE HOME OF THE NEON THEATRE

Principles

The work of the company is based on five principles:

-- to be a French-Amecan theater playing both in English and French, and accessible to a variety of audiences;

-- to use texts as "pre-texts," not only plays but also short stories, novels or themes;

-- to create through a process of team brainstorming, physical exercise, and drama improvisations;

-- to use the theater space as a whole by placing the audience at the heart of the action.

Using these principles, LE NEON has created many shows in French, in English, in two versions or combining both languages, or even silent!

Style

Features of LE NEON performances:

Unusual scenography --- a physical quality of acting -- the use of music and highly choreographed productions -- a deliberate choice to stay away from realism.

LE NEON presents original creations as well as works by the greatest French authors, from Rabelais to Ionesco, and adaptations thereof.

The Company

LE NEON is a highly motivated permanent group of actors, visual artists, designers and technicians. Our work is enhanced by the participation of well-known visiting artists -- often including the best actors of Washington -- who seek exposure to our work methods.

The core of our team is composed of native French speakers, much appreciated by theatergoers who like to hear the text in its "native accent" when a show is performed in French.

The Audience

According to a recent survey, our audience, which was mainly French or French-speaking at the start, has now become more generally representative of the sophisticated and cosmopolitan theater-going public of Washington. It consists of people who have traveled, who are open to the world, who stem from a great variety of origins.

The educational role of LE NEON is confirmed by growing attention from professors, teachers and students. Numerous school groups attend regular performances or special matinees; colleges and universities invite LE NEON to perform within their walls.