Festival Brings 13 World Theater Productions To D.C.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Kennedy Center is hosting an international theater festival for the next three weeks, including the U.S. premiere of an Australian play about Rupert Murdoch and a dozen other productions.

The "World Stages" festival runs throughout March with short runs of 13 productions and three readings of new works. It's an ambitious undertaking with more plays in one month than many theaters stage in an entire year.

"Rupert" from the Melbourne Theatre Company about the media mogul Rupert Murdoch had its U.S. opening Wednesday night and runs through Saturday.

Other highlights include a new production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" including puppets from the team behind the Tony Award-winning play "War Horse."

The festival also includes theater companies from Brazil, Chile, China, Iraq, Israel, Mexico and 14 other countries.