MANIFESTO

/ˈdärk ˈˌhôrs/- a candidate or entrant judged unlikely to succeed.

Mission

To make strong choices and have fun doing it. We strive to produce bold, imaginative, theatre in an accessible way by thinking outside of the black box. Being trailblazers by nature, we're not afraid to go off the beaten path. That's why we work on both new and established plays. Dark Horse recruits the most hard working and committed talent, both onstage and off, while welcoming all who are willing to learn. We endeavor to create transformative experiences on both sides of the stage. It is a major priority to keep professional theatre inclusive. We accomplish this by keeping all tickets $20 or less, ensuring free parking at all venues, having handicap accessibility at both of our performance residences, making each production experiential for the audience, holding occasional open rehearsals, and offering Q&A sessions with cast and crew after performances. Join us and raise the stakes on your theatre experience.

History

Dark Horse Theatre Company, L.L.C. was founded in 2009 out of a mutual compulsion to produce challenging, collaborative, and daring theatrical work. They soon began work on the very first Dark Horse production Oleanna. At this time, the company was in residence at Artistree (later called The Artory) in Herndon, VA teaching classes and rehearsing. DHTC performed regularly at the DC Arts Center in Washington D.C. After many successful productions, the team decided to take a break from performances to regroup and focus mainly on workshops and education. In 2013, the company relocated to Fauquier County, VA. In 2018, Dark Horse began residence at Grace Church in The Plains. Calamity Improv was conceived and cast in August of 2018. In early 2019, we partnered with ArtsHerndon in efforts to share our work with even more Northern Virginia audiences. The company debuted IMPROVICON of Northern Virginia in June of 2019, which is now held bi-annually throughout Northern VA. Dark Horse now produces 3 dual location runs of mainstage shows and 20+ performances of Calamity Improv per season. In 2023, for the first time ever, Dark Horse will opened its doors for classes for the creative community in Fauquier and Herndon.

Production Philosophy

Dark Horse utilizes a studio theatre philosophy. This means each show is developed under a workshop atmosphere and will evolve from the first rehearsal until closing night. Emphasis is placed on table work in the early stages. Homework and research are done throughout the entire rehearsal process. We have a 120 hour rehearsal period for all mainstage shows to allow time for exploration.

Hiring

Dark Horse is an inclusive and approachable professional theatre company. Primary casting and directorial consideration goes to residents and company members. We ask all who feel compelled to come work with us. Interested in joining our team? Reach out by sending us an email letting us know why you've got what it takes!

All roles (with the exception of internships and community productions) are compensated by stipend. We do not discriminate in any of our hiring decisions.