In a city beset by crime, one hero will rise to save the day. She is The Honey Bee!

2 full weekends of creativity are back at The Z! 

Showcases of music, comedy, theater, kid’s entertainment, open mics, a slient auction, and interactive art projects take over our block of Town Center this October in the don’t-miss event of the season! Come see what The Z is all about-there’s no arts fest like Proteus!

GET YOUR ALL-ACCESS PASS TO GET TICKETS TO ALL EVENTS

FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS: 

NEW PLAYS FESTIVAL:

Fridays & Saturdays, 9/30-10/1 and 10/7-10/8 at 7pm

Studio Theater

The 2022 Proteus New Plays Festival features four new works written in our American Dreamwrights Workshop. Join us for performances in repertory during Proteus and vote for your favorite show. Winner of the Audience Favorite will get an extended run in November. 2022 Selected Plays are: “A Cut Above” by Zachary and Christen Davis, “The Blood Cycle” by Benita Alane, “Likker Outta Control, Busting Arlena Cartwright” by Clyde Santana, and “No One Knows Her Song” by P.A. Wray

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PLAN B COMEDY HULLABALOO

Friday, Oct. 7 at 8pm

Mainstage

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PROTEUS BLOCK PARTY

Saturday, Oct. 8 from 2-7pm

FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Your introduction to The Z starts this October! Our annual Proteus Block Party is the biggest don’t-miss FREE event of the season showcasing music, comedy, theater, kid’s entertainment, open mics, and interactive art projects. We’ll have our doors open wide for the community to come see what The Z is all about-there’s no arts fest like Proteus!

PARTY LIKE A VIP: For $100 get a reserved seat on the terrace in the VIP lounge area, then enjoy dinner and a show with catered food and drink during the Block Party, and a ticket to the Proteus Music Contest at 8pm.

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PROTEUS MUSIC CONTEST

Saturday, Oct. 8 at 8pm

Mainstage Theater

The Proteus Festival Music Contest is for emerging and early-career musical artists!
See performances from our five finalists at Proteus Festival, and watch as a winner is crowned by a panel of music industry professionals. The grand prize is a headlining concert in the Live at The Z Music Series and a recording package in The Z’s recording studio.

Your introduction to The Z starts at the annual Proteus Block Party! Showcases of music, comedy, theater, kid’s entertainment, open mics, and interactive art projects take over Town Center this October in the don’t-miss free event of the season! Come see what The Z is all about-there’s no arts fest like Proteus!

FEATURING:

On the Terrace & Plaza: VA is for Arts Lovers LOVE sign art project and outdoor performances, plus an open mic sampler featuring our Z Artist Members and local performers alike

Studio: Rotation of performances by the Children’s Theater of Hampton Roads, Plan B Comedy, American Dreamwrights, and Proteus Creative Team Winners Past and Present

Main Lobby: Silent Auction with prizes from VB favorites

 

*Party like a VIP: Each VIP ticket includes a seated table on the Plaza or Terrace, a catered meal, drinks, and a ticket to the Proteus Music Contest Concert.*

Ballet Virginia’s season kicks off with a mix of contemporary and classical works. These performances will feature choreography by Lydia Roberts Coco, BV’s Artistic Director, as well as Dwight Rhoden, Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Mr. Rhoden was hailed as “one of the most sought-after choreographers” by the New York Times. Rhoden’s work, “Evermore” and Coco’s work “Bolero” are sure to delight. These wonderful and diverse artists will leave a lasting impression on the audience with their passion and artistry. Prepare to be thoroughly captivated!

Adaptation by Anton Five, Directed by Mike Burnette

Descend, bold traveler! CTHR presents Jules Verne’s classic tale brought to life with actors, puppets, and interactive storytelling! What mysteries lie beneath the very ground below our feet? What secrets will it tell? Will there be treasure untold? Will we be met by monsters out of time? There’s only one way to find out. Join CTHR on a “Journey to the Center of the Earth”! this November.

Explorers of any age are invited to attend (best appreciated by adventurers four and up).

FAMILY TIME: The Z and community partners present a full season of original tales and family favorites in fun, engaging performances for theater-lovers of all ages! Family fun starts here! Featuring performances by the Children’s Theater of Hampton Roads.

The community-favorite, Plan B Comedy series, where the laughter never stops (well, eventually it stops… but you get it)! Our longest-running resident company combines Sketch, Improv and Stand Up for an unforgettable afternoon of fun perfect for families. You’ll want to plan to be at Plan B. Comedy starts here!

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Plan B Comedy is very proud to be the resident comedy group at The Z. Performing regularly in both the Studio and the Main Stage, Plan B Comedy provides a high-energy, fast-paced and exciting experience. Plan B Comedy’s brand is “FUN” and it shows.

Written and Directed by Jessica Brooke Pinsky

Many years ago, in a world much different than our own, something roams the open ocean. Something with a pegleg. An eyepatch. Something ready to plunder and pillage the seven seas. Something… Aaaarrrrgggghhhh!

Greetings, fellow science fanatics! Welcome to SciTech Industries. Step into our lab and join
us for an experiment or two! Worried about explosions? Don’t be! We’ve taken every precaution to ensure our students have a safe and educational experience. In case of an emergency that, say, teleports us aboard a pirate ship, we’ll just haul wind and get back to the present faster than you can say “Davy Jones’s Locker”! Of course, the last time our scientists traveled through time there were a few- minor- glitches… but, nothing to worry about! After all, surely they’ve worked out all the kinks by now. How many times can time travel go wrong?

Come along, me hearties, and join your favorite scientists for another unforgettable adventure through time and space: “Pirates!”, the fourth installment of our Exclamation Point Series.

For scalawags of all ages (best enjoyed by buccaneers 4 and up).

FAMILY TIME: The Z and community partners present a full season of original tales and family favorites in fun, engaging performances for theater-lovers of all ages! Family fun starts here! Featuring performances by the Children’s Theater of Hampton Roads.

From “Anansi the Spider” to “Brer Rabbit,” traditional slave tales have hidden meanings that serve to educate and celebrate African American history. Storyteller Dylan Pritchett brings the early days of slavery to life through these tales that are wound tightly with themes of family strength and morals as well as lessons that teach about character and survival.

Dylan Pritchett shares his folktales with thousands of children and adults throughout the country, with positive messages that cross cultural boundaries. As the past president of the National Association of Black Storytellers, Dylan is dedicated to passing on the rich oral tradition of storytelling. In addition to live performances, Dylan has produced narration and served as a performer and consultant for a number of broadcast documentaries, including the PBS program, “View from the Mountaintop,” the Thomas Jefferson biography.

Presented in partnership with the Virginia African American Cultural Center and Arts for Learning. Free performance is provided through The Z Ticket Bank, special thanks to sponsorship from Virginia African American Cultural Center.

Additional program support is provided by Arts Alliance, Virginia Commission for the Arts, and National Endowment for the Arts.

 

Photos and/or videos may be taken of adults and children at performances and used for promotional purposes, which may include social media, web, and print

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Family Time: The Z and community partners present a full season of original tales and family favorites in fun, engaging performances for theater-lovers of all ages! Family fun starts here! 

Ballet Virginia’s winter performances bring a mix of contemporary and classical works with a focus on celebrating diversity. Choreography by Lydia Roberts Coco, BV’s Artistic Director, and Dwight Rhoden, Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Complexions Contemporary Ballet will be featured. Mr. Rhoden was hailed as “one of the most sought-after choreographers” by the New York Times. His work “Evermore”, is sure to delight with music by Nat King Cole. This transcendent program will also feature audience favorites “FIVE” and “A Seed of Faith”. “FIVE” is Coco’s work of historical significance which tells the moving story of the Central Park Five. Prepare to leave the theater with your heart and soul full of joy and hope.

Written and Directed by Jessica Brooke Pinsky

When your goose runs away, your magical harp gets stolen, your cow is sold at market, and your mom is always on your case, don’t you wish you could just climb a beanstalk to get away from it all?
Journey up the beanstalk with Jack to the land of the giants, March 2023 at The Z!
This audience favorite is appropriate for all ages (best enjoyed by those four and up).

FAMILY TIME: The Z and community partners present a full season of original tales and family favorites in fun, engaging performances for theater-lovers of all ages! Family fun starts here! Featuring performances by the Children’s Theater of Hampton Roads.

Learn from folk song duo Cindy Kays and Shelly Porter in this earth-friendly, environmental awareness program that teaches kids about habitats, environments, biology, recycling, and conservation. The interactive program includes original tunes like “It Really isn’t Garbage,” “Bebop,” and “Someone’s Gonna Use it After You.” Children and parents will enjoy this fun program celebrating our planet.

Presented in partnership with Arts for Learning and the Virginia Beach Arts and Humanities Commission. 

Cindy Kays and Shelly Potter have performed together for more than two decades as a children’s musical duo. Using stringed and percussion instruments, puppets, and props, Cindy and Shelly encourage students to participate with hand motions and singing. Their repertoire ranges from traditional and contemporary folk songs to original songs. Their four CD releases have all been awarded Parents’ Choice Awards for excellence in children’s music, a national honor.

Additional program support is provided by Arts Alliance, Helen G. Gifford Foundation, Virginia Commission for the Arts, and National Endowment for the Arts.

—————————————————————————————————————————Photos and/or videos may be taken of adults and children at performances and used for promotional purposes, which may include social media, web, and print.

Adaptation by Anton Five, Directed by Mike Burnette

Adventure! Excitement! Improv! Adventure! We invite you to join our two explorers, Phileas Fogg and Jean Passepartout, as they attempt to win a race across the globe. But to make this the trip of a lifetime, the explorers will need your help. Based on the novel by Jules Verne, this interactive CTHR production (back by popular demand) delights audiences of all ages. Will Jean and Phileas make it around the world on schedule, or will their hilarious antics slow them down? Only time will tell! This audience favorite is appropriate for all ages (best enjoyed by those four and up).

FAMILY TIME: The Z and community partners present a full season of original tales and family favorites in fun, engaging performances for theater-lovers of all ages! Family fun starts here! Featuring performances by the Children’s Theater of Hampton Roads.