THE HELLO GIRLS
A NEW AMERICAN MUSICAL HONORING THE FIRST WOMEN SOLIDERS IN THE U.S. ARMY
Sneak-Peek Mini-Concert
Sunday, May 5 at 4pm
The National World War I Memorial
1493 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004
Kennedy Center Concert
Tuesday, May 7 at 7:30pm
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Terrace Theater
2700 F Street, NW, Washington, DC 20566
Symphony Space Concert
Sunday, May 12 at 6:30pm
Symphony Space
2537 Broadway, New York, NY 10025
Prospect Theater Company’s hit musical The Hello Girls will play Washington, DC for one night only on Tuesday, May 7th at 7:30pm in the Terrace Theater at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (2700 F Street, NW), in a special staged concert presented by the Doughboy Foundation.
The production will also receive a special one night only presentation as part of Prospect’s IGNITE Series in New York City on Sunday, May 12 at 6:30pm at the Peter Norton Symphony Space (2537 Broadway, at 95th Street).
The critically-acclaimed musical tells the story of the first women soldiers in the U.S. Army, who served on the front lines during World War I, acting as bi-lingual Signal Corps Telephone Operators. Deployed to France, they connected over 26 million calls and remained to assist during the post-war period, including at the Treaty of Versailles that officially ended the war. Colloquially known as the ‘Hello Girls’, over thirty of the women received individual commendations, including Grace Banker who received the Distinguished Service Medal. Despite their key role in the American combat effort, when they returned home the women learned that the War Department did not consider them military veterans. They fought for their rights valiantly until 1977, when congress finally acknowledged their veterans’ status.
These special engagements will reunite members of the world premiere actor-musician cast, including Ellie Fishman (Into the Woods) as ‘Grace Banker’, Arlo Hill (Phantom of the Opera), Chanel Karim-khani (The Goree All Girl String Band), Andrew Mayer (The Great Comet of 1812), Ben Moss (OBIE Award, Oratorio for Living Things), and Lili Thomas (Chicago).
The show features music and lyrics by award-winning composer Peter Mills, with script by Mills and Cara Reichel. Choreography is by Christine O’Grady and music direction is by Ben Moss, and the production is directed by Cara Reichel.
Prospect Theater Company commissioned, developed, and premiered The Hello Girls in 2018, when it played off-Broadway at 59E59 Theaters, and earned multiple Drama Desk and Outer Critics’ Circle Award nominations.
In advance of the Kennedy Center ticketed performance, there will be a free family-friendly mini-concert performed by The Hello Girls cast at the National World War I Memorial in Washington, DC. Hosted by the US World War I Centennial Commission and the Doughboy Foundation, this special sneak-peek event will take place on Sunday, May 5th at 4:00pm.
This presentation of The Hello Girls is a partner-project supported by the US World War I Centennial Commission and the Doughboy Foundation. The Centennial Commission was established by the US Congress in 2013, to create public awareness regarding America's involvement, and sacrifice, in World War I.
The Hello Girls is an external rental presented in coordination with the Kennedy Center Campus Rentals Office and is not produced by the Kennedy Center.
The NYC performance is made possible in part by funding from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, and the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs.