Food for Plot

Starving Artist Theatre nurtures fledgling actors

By Janet Rems

Courtesy of Starving Artist Theatre

Creatively, the 5-year-old Starving Artist Theatre is not hungry, founder Sage Costanzo says. Its mission to provide a venue for Metro-area theater artists to “take the leap into professional theater” is going strong, according to Costanzo, a 31-year-old resident of Falls Church. 

Financially, however, the small non-profit, whose shows run about $5,000 each, is suffering some malnourishment. “The bigger fish tend to eat all the little fish. … I try to be mature, but it’s tough,” she says of the shrinking pool of grant monies for the arts. But, Costanzo vows, “we won’t crumble.” 

And though the plan to permanently locate in Fairfax County was thwarted by lack of affordable space, Starving Artist found a congenial rental location at the DC Arts Center in Adams Morgan, where it conducts two productions a year. 

That, in combination with solid ticket sales, is good news for the actors and playwrights seeking to advance their careers at Starving Artist, including Costanzo, a playwright with a degree in creative writing from George Mason University. 

Starving Artist was born out of frustration, says Costanzo, who worked previously as a waitress and substitute teacher. “I wanted more. I couldn’t wait for something to happen,” she says.

She credits Starving Artist with launching the careers of at least 10 actors, one of whom joined a Shakespeare company in Chicago. Another currently performs in Las Vegas, and a third went on to found a children’s drama program. 

Costanzo “works really hard to give us a professional experience … without the scariness,” says fledgling actor Meghan Winch, who has performed in three Starving Artist comedies. 

For more information, visit www.thestarvingartisttheatre.com.

(May 2009)

Tags: Lights, Starving Artist Theatre