Meet Ashlee

Posted Jul 9, 2026

Meet Swing Nation

🩰✨ WELCOME TO SWING NATION ✨🩰In Dance Nation, anything can happen—and that’s where our incredible Swings step in.Tasked with learning multiple tracks, choreography, blocking, and character work, swings are the ultimate backstage superheroes. Their talent, adaptability, and dedication help make every performance possible, and we’re so grateful for the hard work they put in behind the scenes.When you see our swings at the theater, be sure to give them some extra love—they’re an essential part of bringing Clare Barron’s Dance Nation to life. 💜🎟 Dance Nation runs July 17–26 at Fredericksburg Theatre Ensemble.

Posted Jul 7, 2026

Meet Connie

🩰✨ Character Spotlight: Meet Connie! ✨🩰Connie’s not just fighting for a spot on the team—she’s searching for a place where she truly belongs.Connie is acutely aware of what it means to stand out. She grapples with questions of race, representation, and the pressure of feeling like she has to work twice as hard to be seen. Her journey shines a light on the complicated experience of growing up while trying to reconcile who you are with who the world expects you to be. Connie’s story reminds us that every young person deserves to feel valued, heard, and celebrated for exactly who they are.Clare Barron’s Dance Nation, July 17–26.🎟️ Get your tickets today!

Posted Jun 30, 2026

Meet Luke

🏠Character Spotlight: Meet Luke! ❤Luke is the only boy on the competition dance team, but don’t mistake him for an outsider. He’s every bit as dedicated, talented, and determined as the girls around him—even if he sometimes struggles to find where he fits.As the team prepares for a national competition, Luke navigates the pressures of adolescence, the complicated dynamics of friendship and first crushes. Funny, vulnerable, and full of heart, Luke reminds us that growing up is its own kind of choreography.Experience the joy, chaos, and emotional honesty of Clare Barron’s Dance Nation!🎟️ July 17–26! Get your tickets HERE:

Posted Jun 29, 2026

Meet Zuzu

🩰 Character Spotlight: Meet Zuzu! 🩰Zuzu has one goal: finally be the best. Every rehearsal is a chance to push harder, dance bigger, and get one step closer to her dreams.But ambition comes with a cost. As friendships are tested and insecurities bubble to the surface, Zuzu discovers that growing up isn’t just about perfecting your technique—it’s about figuring out who you are when the music stops.Come experience Clare Barron’s wildly funny, deeply moving Dance Nation and meet all the unforgettable young dancers who are fighting for a chance to shine.🎟️ July 17–26! Get your tickets HERE:

Posted Jun 24, 2026

Meet Vanessa

🩰 Meet Vanessa (aka The Crumpled Sailor) ⚓A fierce competitor and a passionate dancer, Vanessa shines bright on the stage… until her little… um…. mishap. 😬Don’t miss Dance Nation, running July 17–26!🎟️ Get your tickets today and come cheer on Vanessa and the rest of the team as they dance their hearts out.

Posted Jun 23, 2026

Meet Amina

🩰 As the team’s standout performer, Amina seems destined for greatness, carrying the weight of high expectations while chasing her dream of becoming the best. Confident, disciplined, and fiercely competitive, she’s determined to make it all the way to Nationals.But being the star isn’t always easy. As friendships are tested and ambitions collide, Amina must navigate the pressures of perfection, the complexities of growing up, and what it truly means to succeed.Catch Amina and the rest of the Dance Nation team as they leap, stumble, and fight their way toward their dreams in Clare Barron’s wildly funny and deeply moving Dance Nation.🎟️ Dance Nation runs July 17–26!Tickets HERE:

Posted Jun 18, 2026

Meet Sofia

💜 She knows what’s up…Sofia’s big and brash personality makes her the one her team mates can go to for information about all things adult. (Her big sisters told her so.) But beneath her confidence lies a young girl wrestling with the pressures of growing up and finding her place in her body and in the world.Don’t miss Sofia and the rest of the unforgettable dancers as they leap, stumble, dream, and fight for their moment in the spotlight.- 💃 Dance Nation by Clare Barron - 📅 July 17–26🎟️ Get your tickets today!

Posted Jun 17, 2026

Meet Maeve

🐺 Get ready to meet the girl who howls at the moon and dances with her whole heart…Maeve! 🐺Wild, determined, and absolutely obsessed with wolves, Maeve sees herself as part of the pack. She admires their strength, loyalty, and fierce independence—and she isn’t afraid to let her imagination run free. Whether she’s sharing her vast knowledge about wolves or pushing herself to be the best, Maeve brings passion, intensity, and a unique perspective to the team.Meet the whole team at DANCE NATION by Clare Barron, opening July 17th!

Two performers sit side by side on the stage steps, laughing together.

Posted Jul 26, 2026

Today is the last performance of Dance Nation

Today is the LAST performance of DANCE NATION by Clare Barron! 🩰😤❤️‍🩹You don’t want to miss this poignant and hilarious look into pre-teen ambition and self-discovery.Get your tickets NOW📸: Keri Church | Keri-VA Wedding Photographer

The Dance Nation company crowded together under deep red light, mouths open mid-shout, beneath a framed portrait.

Posted Jul 25, 2026

Two chances left to see Dance Nation

Experience the drama, the determination, the DANCE! ❤️‍🩹🩰😤You have two chances left to see DANCE NATION by Clare Barron! Tonight at 8pm and tomorrow at 2pm!Get tickets HERE📸: Keri Church | Keri-VA Wedding Photographer

Posted Jul 24, 2026

TODAY ONLY: 50% off Dance Nation

TODAY ONLY! 🩰😤❤️‍🩹Use code ZALMSAC to get 50% off your tickets to tonight’s performance of Clare Barron’s DANCE NATION!Enter at checkout online or give us the code when buying tickets at box office. Again this special offer is only good for tonight’s performance! Hurry and get your tickets TODAY!Video courtesy of Cam Cornell and B-Kpr Photography

Six Dance Nation performers hold a theatrical group pose in white costumes under pink stage lighting.

Posted Jul 23, 2026

Dance Nation in the Fredericksburg Free Press

Check out this article by the Fredericksburg Free Press for DANCE NATION by Clare Barron! “There are so many layers of drama and so much that speaks to experiences at that age that never abandons you.” Liam Thompson, assistant directorRead the full story at the Fredericksburg Free Press.You have three more chances to see it this weekend, starting TOMORROW NIGHT!Get tickets HERE

Posted Jul 22, 2026

Dance Nation trailer

“BRILLIANTLY CAST!” 🩰“HONESTLY FIERCE” 😤“I CAN’T STOP THINKING ABOUT IT!” ❤️‍🩹Audiences are buzzing about DANCE NATION by Clare Barron! But don’t take their word for it. You have three more chances to see this weekend!Get tickets HERESpecial thanks to Cameron Cornnell and B-Kpr Photography for putting together this video!

Director and choreographer Courtney Fox poses with silver pom-poms against a galaxy backdrop.

Posted Jul 17, 2026

It’s Opening Night!

🎉✨ The wait is over! Dance Nation by Clare Barron officially opens tonight! 💙🩰To celebrate, today, we’re shouting out the production and creative team! From sleek set design, to killer choreography, these artists have poured their hearts into bringing this bold and unforgettable story to life.**Not pictured are our amazing lighting designer and technical director, Silas Alvarez and our lovely intimacy director, Kim Leone.Join us July 17–26 and experience one of contemporary theatre’s most powerful and talked-about plays.🎟️ Get your tickets now and be part of the excitement—we’ll see you at the theatre! link

Posted Jul 13, 2026

Meme Nation

DANCE NATION WITH NO CONTEXT 💃🩰You’ll just have to come see for yourself….Tickets HERE:

Scrapbook collage of childhood and recent photos, reading “MEET COURTNEY”, “DIRECTOR & CHOREOGRAPHER”, “FEARLESS LEADER”, “SASSY PANTS”, “PLANT MOM” and “Dance Nation, July 17th to 26th”.

Posted Jul 10, 2026

Production Team Spotlight: Director & Assistant Director

🎭✨ Every leap, every laugh, every heartbreaking moment in Dance Nation begins with a shared vision, and we’re incredibly fortunate to have an amazing directing team leading the way.A seasoned choreographer and FTE veteran director, Courtney Fox has guided this company through the wild, funny, vulnerable, and deeply human world of Clare Barron’s Dance Nation, helping each performer discover the truth, humor, and heart at the center of these unforgettable characters.Working alongside Courtney is Assistant Director Liam Thompson. Liam has been an invaluable collaborator throughout the rehearsal process, bringing his special brand of comedy skills, trying his hand at choreography, and helping bring this ambitious production to life. You need to see the face dance.Together, they’ve created a rehearsal room where bold choices are celebrated, every voice is valued, and this remarkable

Posted Jun 23, 2026

Dance Nation fundraiser

🩰 Help Us Reflect Greatness! 🩰As we prepare for our upcoming production of Clare Barron’s Dance Nation, we’re raising funds to purchase portable rehearsal mirrors for our cast. These mirrors will give our performers the tools they need to refine choreography, build confidence, and bring this energetic, hilarious, and heartfelt story to life.Every contribution, big or small, helps us create a stronger rehearsal environment and invest in the artists who make our productions possible.If you’d like to support Dance Nation and the future of community theatre in Fredericksburg, please consider making a donation today!Thank you for helping our dancers shine. 💙✨

Posted Jun 9, 2026

Dance Nation

WE WANT TO CHANGE THE WORLD THROUGH DANCE! 🕺🌏😤Join FTE this July when we follow a group of pre-teen competitive dancers as they strive for greatness, grapple with growing up, and discover what it means to find their place in the world.Funny, fearless, and unexpectedly heartfelt, Dance Nation explores ambition, friendship, identity, and the messy beauty of adolescence with unforgettable energy.- 📅 July 17th–26th, Friday & Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 2pm - 📍 Fredericksburg Theatre EnsembleGet your tickets HERE:

Posted Jun 8, 2026

Announcing the cast and crew of Dance Nation

Announcing the cast and crew of DANCE NATION by Clare Barron!🧑🏻‍🩰🇺🇸💪🏼Somewhere in America, an army of pre-teen competitive dancers plots to take over the world. And if their new routine is good enough, they’ll claw their way to the top at Nationals in Tampa Bay. A play about ambition, growing up, and how to find our souls in the heat of it all. 👯‍♀️😤❤️‍🔥Running July 17th - 26thTickets on sale NOW:

Posted Jun 7, 2026

Meet Schmendiman

🎭 Few characters burst onto the stage with as much confidence—and questionable self-awareness…Convinced of his own brilliance, Schmendiman eagerly inserts himself into conversations with some of history’s greatest minds, offering opinions that are often as entertaining as they are misguided. Schmendiman’s enthusiasm and determination make him oddly endearing—and impossible to ignore.Steve Martin’s PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE returns to the stage TONIGHT!Get your tickets before they’re gone! 🎨🍷💫

Posted May 24, 2026

Meet Gaston

Meet Gaston — a regular at the Lapin Agile with plenty to say and absolutely no shortage of opinions. 🍷😂Gaston brings humor, heart, and a wonderfully ordinary perspective to a bar filled with extraordinary personalities. Surrounded by artists, inventors, and dreamers, he somehow manages to keep up… most of the time. Charming, curious, and delightfully relatable, Gaston is one of the many unforgettable characters you’ll meet in Steve Martin’s clever comedy about art, science, and the people caught in between. 🎭✨Make sure to get your tickets to this afternoon’s matinee performance of PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE!

Meet Ashlee

Related posts