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New dreamers for Imagination Stage
Chevy Chase resident Susan Lacz was named president of the fiscal 2012 Board of Trustees for Imagination Stage, a visual arts performance and education center in downtown Bethesda.

The board also named five new members: Lauren Lang, Glen Sutcliffe and Rynthia Rost, all of Bethesda; Karen Sommer Shalett, of Chevy Chase; and Thomas Ransom, of Fairfax, Va. New members and leadership begin their terms Sept. 1.

Lacz works as partner and chief executive officer of Ridgewells Catering. She has been a member of the Imagination Stage board since 2005 and recently chaired its development committee.

Arena Stage debuts Catwalk Cafe
The restaurant at Arena Stage’s new facility on the Southwest Waterfront has been rechristened Catwalk Cafe.

The concessions service, formerly called Next Stage by Jose Andres, had to make a shift because Ridgewells Catering and Jose Andres’ ThinkFoodGroup parted ways on their catering company; the joint venture formerly operated the cafe. Now Ridgewells Catering has taken charge of Catwalk.

Although the name is different, some things sound similar – for example, the cafe’s cuisine will be inspired by plays that Arena Stage is performing. It will serve quick bites, salads, soups and entrees, and will begin operating 2.5 hours before a show starts. Concessions, a separate stand that serves lighter fare, will remain open after the show.

Arena Stage Updates Concessions and Dining Options with Catwalk Cafe
Moving into the second season in its expanded campus, Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater has updated the culinary options available to patrons in the venue. The upper lobby-level dining area has become Catwalk Café. This casual self-service café, along with its adjoining bar and the main lobby-level concessions, will continue to be operated by Ridgewells Catering, who ran the café launched during the inaugural season in the Mead Center: Next Stage Café by José Andrés.

Catwalk Café features a variety of sensational selections, ranging from quick bites to custom-designed salads, soups and entrées. It offers dramatic cuisine featuring flavors inspired by the great American plays currently in production, inspired views of the Southwest Waterfront and the Mead Center and features environmentally friendly service products. Catwalk Café opens two and a half hours prior to the start of scheduled evening performances and weekend matinees and closes once the show begins. Concessions, which serves lighter fare, opens 30 minutes prior to curtain and remains open one hour after the show.