Mr Burns: A Post-Electric Play
By Anne Washburn / Directed by Paul Takacs / February 26 - March 1, 2026
Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play
By Anne Washburn
Directed by Paul Takacs
February 26 – March 1, 2026
VCUarts Theatre is excited to present Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play. Anne Washburn’s Mr. Burns is a meditation on the power of storytelling and oral traditions. Set in a world after a mysterious cataclysm has brought about the end of America as we know it, survivors initially gather around a campfire and try to entertain one another by sharing from memory, the story of their favorite Simpsons episode. Seven years later a post apocalyptic acting troupe looks to mount a performance of that very same episode and 75 years later the story and its reenactment have now become a quasi-religious ritual. Mr. Burns asks how we might be defined by the very stories that we tell.
Performances are February 26 – March 1 at the W.E. Singleton Center for the Performing Arts (922 Park Ave Richmond, VA 23284).
Tickets: $20. Tickets available here: bit.ly/vcutheatretix
About The Director: Paul Takács (he/him) is a Richmond, VA based director and is currently directing Ira Levin’s Deathtrap for Virginia Rep. Before that, heinclude: The world premiere of Andrew Gall’s Burial Tax for Firehouse Theatre. Mo Willems and Deborah Wicks La Puma’s Don’t Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus!, Roald Dahl’s Charlie & the Chocolate Factory and Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, all for Virginia Repertory Theatre. He was the founding Artistic Director of The Shop in New York City, where he directed the New York premieres of David Harrower’s Knives in Hens for The Shop at 59E59 Theaters and Philip Ridley’s Dark Vanilla Jungle at HERE Arts Center. Other credits for The Shop include the U.S. premieres of Jon Fosse’s I Am The Wind translated by Simon Stephens and Philip Ridley’s Tender Napalm, both at 59E59 Theaters. Other work: The world premiere of David Pinski’s Yiddish play Professor Brenner and the premiere of a new translation of Peretz Hirshbein’s Yiddish play Carcass both for the New Worlds Theatre Project at HERE Arts Center, NYC. He holds a BA in Drama from St. Mary’s College of Maryland and an MFA in Directing from The New School for Drama. Paul is currently Head of Upper School Theatre at St. Christopher’s School in Richmond, VA and Artistic Director of Ampersand, the joint theatre company of St. Christopher’s and St. Catherine’s Schools. www.paultakacsdirector.com
PERFORMANCE INFO:
Performances will take place in the W.E. Singleton Center for the Performing Arts located at 922 Park Ave.
Showtimes:
Thursday, February 26 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, February 27 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, February 28 at 2:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 28 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, March 1 at 3:00 p.m.
Tickets and available at bit.ly/vcutheatretix
All tickets are general admission. The VCUarts Theatre Box Office is now cashless. Please purchase tickets online or in-person with a credit/debit card. The box office opens on-site one hour before performances, and seating typically opens 30 minutes before performances.
Parking: There is a paid parking deck located at N. Harrison and W. Broad Streets. You can also use public street parking which follows Richmond City regulations.
Questions? Get in touch with the VCUarts Theatre Box Office. Phone: 804-828-2020 | Email: artsboxoffice@vcu.edu
To stay up to date on the production, follow us on social media – instagram.com/vcuartstheatre.