Ford’s Theatre Director Paul R. Tetreault announced that Craig Wallace (Fences, Necessary Sacrifices, Death of a Salesman, The Guard, Driving Miss Daisy) will once again take the stage as Ebenezer Scrooge in the theatre’s beloved holiday production of A Christmas Carol.

New to the production this year is Erin Weaver, making her Ford’s Theatre debut. Erin is an eight-time Helen Hayes Award winner and will be taking the Ford’s stage as Fruit Vendor/Ghost of Christmas Present.

Also returning to the cast this season are Justine “Icy” Moral (Sister Act, Ragtime, Into the Woods) as the Ghosts of Christmas Past and Future and Joe Mallon (Sister Act, Little Shop of Horrors, SHOUT SISTER SHOUT!, One Destiny) as the Clock Vendor.

“A Christmas Carol has been a joyful tradition on our historic stage for over 40 years,” said Paul R. Tetreault, director of Ford’s Theatre. “This story reminds us that it’s never too late to change, to connect, and to embrace the generosity and warmth that define the holiday season. Each year, it inspires audiences with its timeless message of hope and renewal.”

Performances of the classic Charles Dickens story begin November 20, 2025, and run for a six-week engagement through December 31, 2025. This “musically high-spirited” and “infectiously jolly” production (The Washington Post) is adapted by Michael Wilson and directed by Michael Baron. The performance runs approximately two hours with one intermission, and features Christmas caroling, a spirited children’s company, spooky stage tricks, and cheerful holiday dancing.

The Director

Michael Baron (Director) made his Ford’s Theatre directorial debut with the 2009 production of A Christmas Carol. He also served as associate director of the 2008 Ford’s production of The Civil War. Regional directorial credits include: Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma: The Prom, Carousel, Head Over Heels, Master Class, Frost/Nixon, Titanic, Bright Star, Fun Home, Assassins, Fiddler on the Roof, Dreamgirls, Big Fish, Oklahoma!, A Little Night Music, Les Misérables, Spring Awakening, Ragtime, Oliver!; ZACH Theatre: Cinderella, Peter and the Starcatcher; Olney: ASL-integrated The Music Man; Adventure: Big River, James and the Giant Peach. Baron holds an MFA from Trinity Repertory and a BA from Wake Forest, and has taught at American University, Brown University and College of the Holy Cross. He is a two-time Helen Hayes Award winner and received the Oklahoma Governor’s Arts Award. Baron is currently the Producing Artistic Director of the Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, the Official State Theatre of Oklahoma.

The Cast

Craig Wallace (Ebenezer Scrooge) was most recently featured at Ford’s in its 2024 production of A Christmas Carol and the Necessary Sacrifices radio play. A Ford’s Theatre Associate Artist, Wallace has also portrayed Troy in August Wilson’s Fences and was featured in Death of a Salesman, The Guard, Driving Miss Daisy, Necessary Sacrifices, and others. Additional recent credits include Uncle Vanya and Merry Wives at Shakespeare Theatre Company, Primary Trust at Signature Theatre, All the Way at Arena Stage, Our Town and King Lear at Shakespeare Theatre Company and Radio Golf and Ink at Round House Theatre, among others. He is an Ex-Officio member of the Ford’s Theatre Board of Trustees.

This year’s production also includes Stephen F. Schmidt as Jacob Marley, Erin Weaver as the Ghost of Christmas Present, Justine “Icy” Moral as the Ghost of Christmas Past and Ghost of Christmas Future, Joe Mallon as the Clock Vendor, Jonathan Atkinson as Bob Cratchit and Erin Driscoll as Mrs. Cratchit. They are joined by actors Michael Bunce, John Floyd, Jay Frisby, Victoria Gómez, Ayanna Hardy, Julia Wheeler Lennon, Jimmy Mavrikes, Derrick D. Truby Jr. and Kanysha Williams. The understudies are Lauren Davis, Christopher Mueller, Ashley D. Nguyen and Taylor Witt.

The children’s company features Luke Jones, Emerson Holt Lacayo, Milo Moore, Harrison Morford, William Morford, Olivia Nishimura, Tabitha Belle Popernack, Alina Santos, Teddy Schechter, Alyssa Stinnett, Alonso Waller and Valentina Waller.

The Creative Team

José Carrasquillo recreates Michael Baron’s original direction, assisted by Associate Directors Craig A. Horness and Erika Scott. Designers for A Christmas Carol include Scenic Designer Lee Savage’s striking iron work, which evokes London’s Covent Garden marketplace. The cast is outfitted in Alejo Vietti’s festive Victorian costumes. The design team also includes Lighting Design by Rui Rita, Original Music and Sound Design by Josh Schmidt, Wig Design by Charles G. LaPointe, Choreography by Shea Sullivan, Choral Direction by Jay Crowder and Dialects and Vocal Direction by Rachel Hirshorn-Johnston. The creative team is completed by Production Stage Managers Craig A. Horness and Brandon Prendergast, and Assistant Stage Managers Taryn Friend and Julia Singer.

A Christmas Carol runs November 20-December 31, 2025, at Ford’s Theatre, 511 10th St NW, Washington, DC. Tickets are now on sale and range from $42-$156. Tickets, showtimes, and further information are available at fords.org/performance/a-christmas-carol-2025.

Special Performances and Events

A sensory-friendly performance of A Christmas Carol is scheduled for November 23 at 2 p.m. ASL sign-interpreted and audio-described performances of A Christmas Carol are scheduled for December 4 at 7 p.m. and December 13 at 2 p.m. Military Appreciation Night is scheduled for December 11 at 7 p.m. Tickets are distributed through the USO Metro Ticket Line.

Beginning November 20, 2025, performances of A Christmas Carol will be captioned via the GalaPro App. GalaPro is available from the App Store or Google Play and allows patrons to access captioning on demand through their phone or tablet device. Patrons set their phones to airplane mode and connect to the local GalaPro WiFi network before the performance begins. More information is available at www.fords.org/visit-us/accessibility/galapro-captioning.

First Free Preview

Ford’s Theatre partners with TodayTix to give out free tickets for the first preview of each mainstage production in its theatrical season. 150 tickets will be available via the TodayTix app, beginning November 12 at noon ET and closing November 19 at 10 a.m. ET for the November 20 performance of A Christmas Carol at 7 p.m. The TodayTix app is available in the Apple App Store, Google Play and Amazon App Store. Visit www.fords.org/whats-happening/discounts/first-free-preview for lottery entry details.

Donation Drive for Local Charity

For the 16th year, the company of A Christmas Carol will devote time and energy to raising money for a Washington charity. Their efforts, coupled with audiences’ generous support, have raised $1,117,555 for local charities including Hope for Henry, Hope and a Home, Bright Beginnings, Homeless Children’s Playtime Project, House of Ruth, N Street Village, Bread for the City, Covenant House Washington, Food and Friends, Martha’s Table, Miriam’s Kitchen, So Others Might Eat, Thrive DC, TheatreWashington’s Taking Care Fund and For Love of Children (FLOC). This year’s company of A Christmas Carol will announce its selected charity in November.

Ford’s Theatre Society One of the most visited sites in the nation’s capital, Ford’s Theatre reopened its doors in 1968, more than a hundred years after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Operated through a partnership between Ford’s Theatre Society and the National Park Service, Ford’s Theatre is the premier destination in the nation’s capital to explore and celebrate Abraham Lincoln’s life and legacy.

Ford’s Theatre Society was founded under the guidance of executive producer Frankie Hewitt, who, during her 35-year tenure, established Ford’s as a living, working theater producing performances that highlighted the diversity of the American experience. Since the arrival of Paul R. Tetreault as Director, critics and the theatergoing public have recognized Ford’s for the superior quality of its artistic programming. With works from the Tony-nominated Come From Away and the nationally acclaimed Big River, to the world premieres of The American Five, Meet John Doe, The Heavens Are Hung In Black, Liberty Smith, Necessary Sacrifices, The Widow Lincoln, The Guard, Grace and Something Moving, Ford’s Theatre is making its mark on the American theater landscape. Under the current leadership of Board of Trustees Chairman Phebe N. Novakovic and through the lens of Lincoln’s leadership and legacy, Ford’s today endeavors to advance Lincoln’s “unfinished work” with programs and performances that cultivate empathy, encourage dialogue and bridge divides in American life.

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Long before Tinder, dating was a complicated mix of happenstance connections, missed phone calls, and the ever-important rules for dates one through five. Add in the baggage that comes from dating in your 30s and 40s — namely, exes and kids — and nerves are at an all-time high. This is the premise of the aptly named Fifth Date by Lori Boyd, now offered by DC’s Nu Sass Productions. A heartwarming ride through attraction and the not-so-quiet voices of anxiety whispering in your ear, this world premiere proves that jumping in with both feet is worth the risk.

Newly acquainted and still awkward, Jil and Ted navigate an all-important fifth date with wine and lasagna. Not quite casual but also not quite serious, it’s the date where things could go either way, and with omnipresent play-by-play commentary, their invisible alter egos work tirelessly to ensure they never forget that. Add in the pre-Y2K vibes of track lighting, answering machines, and Nokia ringtones, this one-act romcom energetically explores what happens when your inner and outer thoughts trip over each other through an evening of romance and vulnerability.

Back out into the dating world for the first time after a hard divorce, Jil, played by Rebecca Ellis, wavers between reaching for a genuine connection and retreating due to her insecurity. As an actress experiencing a streak of bad luck just as her body decides to remind her just how old she’s becoming, Ellis’ Jil exudes a tense and tired outlook on life while also balancing an unshakeably hopeful wish for love.  

Ted, played by Steve Lebens, also hopes that tonight is the date to take things from an intellectual connection to a deeper emotional (or physical!) level. A fifth-grade teacher with a penchant for alphabetization and ironing, Lebens’ Ted is earnest and eager and navigates the story’s events with bright eyes and a warm smile. 

Hanging over the shoulders, quite literally, of the story’s hopeful lovebirds were Jil’s Alter Ego, played by Aubri O’Connor, and Ted’s Alter Ego, played by Terry Heffernan. A steady pulse of absurdity and one-upmanship, this delightful duo settled into a groove as the wine began to flow for their corporeal selves. Heffernan’s Alter Ted kept his energy revved up to 11 pretty much the entire time with a mischievous grin and perpetually arched eyebrow. O’Connor’s Alter Jil delivered enough delightfully witty and casual one-liners to steal the show. Really finding their rhythm together in the latter half, many of my favorite parts of the production came from the Alter Egos’ bickering set against (or sometimes on top of) Jil and Ted’s fifth date on the couch below. 

In a space nestled among the office buildings of Metro Center DC, the creative team at Nu Sass Productions carefully crafted a time capsule Fifth Date world where love is possible even when cellphone service is not. Direction by Lynn Sharp Spears kept a steady flow of energy moving around and through the actors on set, while Intimacy Coordinator Ian Claar grounded the fireworks. Set design by Shiloh Coleman and prop design by Rye Ellis transported you, CD tower and all, back to the 1990s, accented easily by Stephanie Yee’s costume design. Lighting design by Chris Muska cleverly carved out an altered state for the Alter Egos, which they called the Void, amid the normal-life apartment, while sound design by Kathryn Parr made sure we never forgot what decade we were really in.

With this charming flashback of a romcom playing through the middle of November, Nu Sass Productions offers a refreshing and often silly escape from the current stressors of our larger world. Filled with heart and bravery, Fifth Date is a step back in time to the wholesome, quirky loves of the ’90s and ’00s, giving us all something to smile at, laugh about, and cheer for, which, in my book, makes for a pretty successful fifth date.

Running Time: 90 minutes.

Fifth Date plays through November 15, 2025, presented by Nu Sass Productions, performing at the Nu Sass Theatre located at 1100 H St. NW, Washington, DC. Tickets run. For tickets ( PWYW-$25), purchase them online. 

Fifth Date
Written by Lori Boyd
Directed by Lynn Sharp Spears

STARRING
Rebecca Ellis: Jil​
Steve Leben: Ted​
Aubri O’Connor: Jil’s Alter Ego​
Terry Heffernan: Ted’s Alter Ego​
Jessa Whitley-Hill: Jil Understudy
Mark Mumm: Ted Understudy​
Natalia Fyfe: Jil’s Alter Ego Understudy​
Evan Zimmerman: Ted’s Alter Ego​ Understudy

CREATIVE TEAM
Artistic Director: Aubri O’Connor
Producer: Elle Sullivan
Production Manager: Ileana Blustein
Stage Manager: Sara Karako
ASM: Danielle Carter
Light Designer: Chris Muska
Sound Designer: Kathryn Parr
Set Designer: Shiloh Coleman
Costume Designer: Stephenie Yee
Intimacy Coordinator: Ian Claar
Props Designer: Rye Ellis
House Manager: Joe Largess
Marketing: Hannah Wing-Bonica

The post A charming and often silly romcom in ‘Fifth Date’ from Nu Sass Productions  appeared first on DC Theater Arts.

It’s hard to believe that Washington National Opera is celebrating its 70th anniversary. For its season opening, Artistic Director Francesca Zambello has brought back her 2017 production of arguably the grandest of grand operas — Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida, best known for its triumphal scene often staged with live elephants. No elephants in this production, folks, but with its massive chorus, a children’s chorus, and integrated ballet numbers by choreographer Jessica Lang, there is plenty of spectacle. Yet Zambello insists the work is a chamber opera, and, truly, its best moments feel as if a camera has zoomed in to capture the inner turmoil of the three main characters, caught in an eternal triangle and torn between passion and duty.

Conceived by Verdi and with the help of librettist Antonio Ghislanzoni, Aida tells the story of an imagined war between Egypt and its neighbor, Nubia, in an unspecified reign during the time of the pharaohs. The work, which premiered in 1871, was fueled by the recent conquests of Napoleon pushing into Egypt and setting off a frenzy of archaeological and artistic interest in Egyptology across Europe.

Zambello has pushed the temporal unspecificity further with this production, and with her creative team and casting has created a vaguely modern world background that could be about any two multicultural nations at war. In this world, there are two kings insisting on their right. One, simply named “The King,” gains the power advantage and wants to keep undesirable foreigners from entering what he sees as his territory. Amonasro, also a king, rules over a poorer people desperately fighting to exist.

Against this background, Amonasro’s daughter, Aida, has become a captive and slave to Egyptian Princess Amneris. Both women are in love with Radamès, an ambitious, patriotic soldier who is soon tapped by the intermediaries of the gods to lead the Egyptian war efforts. Aida tries to hide her feelings from her powerful rival Amneris and is torn between her love for Radamès, her devotion to her father, and love for her people and homeland. Radamès is also torn between his love for Aida and his duty as a soldier. Meanwhile, Amneris uses everything in her power to ensnare the man she loves and humiliate Aida.

In 2017, the contemporary artist known as RETNA got top billing for his contributions to the opera’s overall design, and his calligraphic projections with their nod to Egyptian hieroglyphics seemed bold and innovative. In this rerun, they seemed somewhat arbitrary and finally tiresome. Some shifts in the panel projections and lighting, happening in the middle of a duet or trio, even distracted from the emotional storytelling.

Michael Yeargan’s less flashy scenic design contributions serve the story and have stood the test of time, as have Anita Yavich’s costume designs and Mark McCullough’s original lighting design, repurposed for this revival by Peter W. Mitchell.

The performances are strong and compelling. From the first utterance by Morris Robinson as the High Priest, this superb bass commanded the Kennedy Center’s Opera House. He and Kevin Short, as The King, are DC regulars who have blessedly anchored several WNO productions. Shenyang invests his portrayal of Amonasro with powerful dignity, and his confrontation with Rowley, rejecting her and pushing her to the floor, is a dramatic highlight.

The three leads are double cast, appearing on alternate nights. Jennifer Rowley sang the title role on opening night. Rowley is a true singer-actor, especially gifted in embodying the frailty and emotional vulnerability of the captive slave girl Aida. Her beautiful soprano was both elegant and full of pathos, and her control while singing softly was especially effective, while her physical freedom and full-bodied gestural expressiveness made for a most memorable performance.

Adam Smith’s Radamès is also a most satisfying cast choice. Smith is the epitome of a disciplined military leader, with ramrod physique and steely focus as when he’s poring over maps and plans with his soldiers. He even communicates a soldier’s awkwardness around court functions, especially when pressed into an uneasy and arranged romantic alliance with the King’s daughter, Amneris. But when he is with his love Aida, the depths of his emotional gentleness and passion are revealed through voice and body. Smith has created a most moving emotional arc, and there are many moments, as in the final duet between Radamès and Aida, that are exquisite vocally and emotionally heartbreaking.

Raehann Bryce-Davis has a powerhouse stage presence and a rich mezzo to fill the role of the calculating and sometimes cruel Princess Amneris, who is used to getting her own way. Occasionally, her voice, placed far back, lacks articulation and even gets muffled by the orchestra and other voices. But she, too, has created a most satisfying emotional arc, and when her breaking point comes in the final act, she stoops, legs splayed, as if she would dig and bury herself in the earth. This is the moment she realizes the irreversible, tragic ending she has condemned her love Radamès to, and her sound and physicality combined make for one of the great dramatic moments in this opera or any in my experience.

The Washington National Opera Chorus and orchestra produce a great sound under Conductor Kwamé Ryan. However, gathering this many people on stage at once sometimes feels static and blocky, especially with a simultaneously staged ballet in place of the iconic triumphant march (with elephants).The opera speaks to our times in several ways. Bringing the production of Aida to the Kennedy Center Opera House might signal, intentionally or not, that respect should be given to other sovereign states and that kings wielding power are likely to have tragic consequences in their collateral damage. Its message might also suggest that we should all work for peace through love. After all, what is life without love — or opera?

Running Time: Three hours with a 25-minute intermission.

Aida plays through November 2, 2025, in the Opera House at The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F St NW, Washington, DC. Purchase tickets (starting at $65.55) online or by calling (202) 467-4600 or toll-free at (800) 444-1324. Box office hours are Monday-Saturday, 10 am-9 pm, and Sunday, 12 pm-9 pm. A limited number of $39 Rush tickets will be available for every performance at the Kennedy Center Box Office the day of the performance. Rush tickets become available 2 hours prior to each performance.

The program is online here.

Directed by Francesca Zambelo. Conducted by Kwamé Ryan. Artistic Design: RETNA, Scenic Designer: Michael Yeargan. Original Lighting Designer: Mark McCullough. Revival Lighting Designer: Peter W. Mitchell. Costume Designer: Anita Yavich. Choreographer: Jessica Lang. Fight Master: Casey Kaleba.

Cast for opening night: Jennifer Rowley, Raehann Bryce-Davis, Adam Smith, Shenyang, Morris Robinson, Kevin Short, Dwayne Brown, Jenelle Figgins, Lauren Carroll, Nicholas Huff, and the Choruses and Orchestra of the Washington National Opera.

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October brings a rare and remarkable production to Washington, DC’s Shakespeare Theatre Company: The Wild Duck by Henrik Ibsen. Directed by Artistic Director Simon Godwin and performed by a tight-knit ensemble, the production balances humor and tenderness, bringing both avian and human follies into sharp focus.

Coincidentally, across town this month, Ibsen’s The Enemy of the People opens at Theatre J. What is in the air inspiring this twin revival of the playwright’s late-19th-century works, and how might they speak to us today?

Often called the father of modern drama and considered second only to Shakespeare, Ibsen was a fearless innovator who moved from mythic folk tales to psychological portraits (Hedda Gabler, A Doll’s House) to sweeping social critique. Then, in one creative surge during the summer of 1883, he wrote The Wild Duck — a smaller, symbolist play wrapped in domestic realism. Early audiences were baffled: the plot seemed to wander, the characters were unlikeable, and their choices unsettling. 

Here, adaptor David Eldridge and Godwin streamline the text, revealing its emotional power and cutting extraneous business. Scenic designer Andrew Boyce and lighting designer Stacey Derosier create a world where the domestic meets the symbolic and both take flight. Gone is the Act I dinner party of businessman Håkon Werle. Instead, offstage laughter and clinking glasses frame a brief prologue that quickly leads us to the heart of the story — the home and studio of photographer Hjalmer Ekdal and his family. A large dining/worktable anchors the space beneath a raked glass ceiling, where Derosier’s lighting shifts mood and time. An upstairs door hints at the aviary beyond — home to the wounded wild duck that becomes the play’s haunting central symbol.

Godwin directs the work with precision and restraint, eschewing gimmicks in favor of rich, natural performances that showcase ensemble acting at its best. Alexander Hurt and Nick Westrate inhabit the central characters of Gregers Werle and photographer Hjalmer Ekdal, friends since childhood who discover in adulthood that they’ve become ill-suited to each other’s entrenched habits. Westrate’s Hjalmer is a generous, affable friend and devoted father; a dreamer sustained by comforting illusions. Hurt’s Gregers, wounded by his father’s corruption and dalliances, is rigid in his ideals and determined to expose deception no matter the cost. Both men, in their own ways, resemble the wild duck: “diving down to the bottom of the deep blue sea” and clinging to what they believe keeps them alive.

The women in the play are grounded and practical. Melanie Field as Gina Ekdal is a strong and capable woman who runs both home and the photography studio. Gina carries a dark secret from her past but has moved beyond to build a relationship and home with Hjalmer and daughter Hedvig. We grow to sympathize and love this woman and also admire her persistence, industry, and resilience. Mahira Kakkar’s Mrs. Sørby, once entangled with two of the men, wields her charm and intelligence to her advantage. Both these characters have made their lives happy enough, though not without scars.

As the Ekdals’ teenage daughter, Hedvig, Maaike Laanstra-Corn is luminous — her restless energy and trembling vulnerability capturing a young girl facing the unthinkable. Robert Stanton (Håkon Werle), David Patrick Kelly (Old Ekdal), Matthew Saldivar (Relling), and indeed the whole cast, make for an exceptional whole. 

Sound designer Darren L. West and music director Alexander Sovronsky serve up music, and particularly violin solos, much like sherbet breaks between courses. 

The show was a feast and showed this generation the lasting legacy of Ibsen’s dramatic powers.

Running Time: Approximately two hours and 30 minutes with one 15-minute intermission.

The Wild Duck plays through November 16, 2025, in the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Klein Theatre, 450 7th St NW, Washington, DC. Tickets (starting at $39) can be purchased online, by calling the Box Office at 202-547-1122, or through TodayTix.

The Asides program is online here.

The Wild Duck
By Henrik Ibsen
Adapted by David Eldridge
Directed by Simon Godwin
Produced in Association with Theatre for a New Audience

CAST
Katie Broad, Melanie Field, Alexander Hurt, Mahira Kakkar, David Patrick Kelly, Maaike Laanstra-Corn, Bobby Plasencia, Matthew Saldivar, Alexander Sovronsky, Robert Stanton, Nick Westrate

CREATIVE
Scenic Designer: Andrew Boyce, Costume Designer: Heather C. Freedman, Lighting Designer: Stacey Derosier, Sound Designer: Darron L West, Music Director: Alexander Sovronsky, Movement and Fight Director: Jacob Grigolia-Rosenbaum

SEE ALSO:
STC announces cast and creatives for Ibsen’s ‘The Wild Duck’ (news story, August 11, 2025)

The post STC’s exceptional ‘Wild Duck’ gives wing to Ibsen’s emotional power appeared first on DC Theater Arts.

Reggie D. White’s Fremont Ave. — now having its world premiere at Arena Stage in a co-production with South Coast Repertory — captures something rarely seen onstage: the shifting, tender, and turbulent bonds between Black men across generations.

The story unfolds over three acts that span six decades. In Act One (1968), George Plique (Bradley Gibson) falls in love with Audrey, a strong-willed housekeeper raising her son, Robert. In Act Two (1990s), George’s now-grown stepson Robert (Gibson) gathers with his friends Frank, Walter, and Tony for another of their legendary card games. And in Act Three (2020s), an older George and Robert reckon with their family legacies through Robert’s son, Joseph (Gibson again), who is gay, and Joseph’s lover, Damon, the son of Walter. (Gibson impressively plays three roles — George, Robert, and Joseph — across time.)

That simple throughline grounds a sprawling, funny, and emotionally raw play. White’s script is both wide-ranging and specific — rooted in the language, humor, and rituals that sustain Black male friendships even when words sting.

At its core, Fremont Ave. celebrates camaraderie: the card-table trash talk, the easy laughter, the enduring care that undergirds even the harshest arguments. The men call each other out, talk over one another, wound and forgive in a rhythm that feels lived-in. 

George anchors it all. Gibson gives him a disarming gentleness in 1968 as a young music therapist with creative dreams and an almost naive belief in love. His tentative romance with Audrey (Jerrika Hinton, sharp and unsentimental) sparks the play’s emotional foundation. Audrey is practical, bruised by life, and wary of being rescued. When she storms out after George confesses his love, we fear it’s over — but her eventual return, humbled and open, becomes the origin point for the Plique family saga.

Around them orbit Wildlin Pierrevil’s peacekeeping Frank, Jeffrey Rashad’s sensitive Tony, and Stanley Andrew Jackson’s swaggering Walter. They’re professionals — lawyers and executives — but their connection transcends class. Lili-Anne Brown’s deft direction keeps the banter fluid and musical, with card games that seem to dance through time.

By Act Two, the setting has shifted to the 1990s, and the ensemble shines as the generational baton passes. Gibson reappears as Robert, now part of the card-table circle. The script ripples with the rhythms of age and inheritance: who has lived up to his potential, who has disappointed himself, and who’s pretending not to care. André Pluess’s sound design bridges the eras with a buoyant soundtrack — from disco to R&B to house — anchoring the men’s evolution in a vivid cultural timeline.

The play’s final act, set in the 2020s, shifts in tone and focus yet again. Older George (Doug Brown) and Older Robert (Kevin Mambo) face the emotional reckonings that come with age, legacy, and regret. Meanwhile, Robert’s son, Joseph, struggles to live authentically with his partner, Damon (a magnetic Galen J. Williams), who bursts in with a flamboyant, Vogue-inspired energy. Their chemistry — equal parts tender and defiant — feels like the next frontier of the story’s long meditation on Black masculinity.

At times, Fremont Ave. teeters on sitcom territory — especially in its late-play humor and a jarringly timed sexual interlude — but White always brings the focus back to love and survival. The generational scope is ambitious, and though some transitions blur, the emotional throughline remains strong.

A weaker thread is the portrayal of Audrey, who sometimes reads as a one-dimensional scold before morphing into a sainted matriarch offstage. Still, Hinton grounds her in pain and pride, and costumer Jos N. Banks gives her later-life “church lady” looks a visual authority that matches her evolution.

Tim Mackabee’s versatile set, with its mid-century furniture and clean architectural lines, transforms elegantly across eras. Lighting designer Kathy A. Perkins moves the action fluidly through decades — sunlight slanting across those back windows in one act, dusky blues signaling reflection in another. Each element reinforces Brown’s rhythmic pacing and the play’s musical pulse.

If there’s one historical beat missing, it’s the larger turbulence of 1968. The assassination of Dr. King and the nationwide grief that followed go unmentioned — a surprising omission in a work so invested in the emotional lives of Black men. Even a brief reference might have contextualized the deep ache of Act One and the prideful optimism of the third-act Obama-era nod.

Still, the piece lands as a triumph of spirit. White’s script captures both the sacred and the ridiculous in male friendship. His characters fight, forgive, drink, flirt, and age together. The production’s scale — ten fully drawn roles, multiple timelines, and a livewire sense of humor — makes Fremont Ave. feel both intimate and operatic.

By the time the older men reflect on their lives, the laughter and music echo like old memories. What remains is the bond — the unbreakable brotherhood that endures through heartbreak, shifting norms, and decades of change. On the 30th anniversary of the 1995 Million Man March, Fremont Ave. feels not just timely but necessary: a jubilant, complicated love letter to the Black men who show up for one another, generation after generation.

Running Time: Two hours and 30 minutes, including one 15-minute intermission.

Fremont Ave. plays through November 23, 2025, in the Kreeger Theater at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater, 1101 Sixth St SW, Washington, DC. Tickets ($49–$118) are available online or through TodayTix. Tickets may also be purchased through the Sales Office by phone at 202-488-3300, Tuesday through Sunday, 12-8 pm, or in person at 1101 Sixth Street SW, Washington, DC, Tuesday through Sunday, two hours before the show begins on performance days.

Arena Stage’s many savings programs include “pay your age” tickets for those aged 35 and under; military, first responder, and educator discounts; student discounts; and “Southwest Nights” for those living and working in the District’s Southwest neighborhood. To learn more, visit arenastage.org/savings-programs.

The program is online here.

Fremont Ave.
A Co-Production with South Coast Repertory
By Reggie D. White
Directed by Lili-Anne Brown

SEE ALSO:
Arena Stage announces cast and creative team for world premiere of ‘Fremont Ave.’ (news story, September 16, 2025)

The post Tender and turbulent Black male bonds in ‘Fremont Ave.’ at Arena Stage appeared first on DC Theater Arts.

This article was originally published in American Theatre Magazine on October 15, 2025. 

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has always been a part of my life. Growing up just outside of Washington, D.C., in the 2000s, I always saw its large marble building as integral to my city’s landscape, just as much as the Washington Monument. I came of age in the building, seeing Theater for Young Audiences as a kid, national tours of Broadway musicals as a middle schooler, and music concerts as a high schooler.

The creation of such a multifaceted arts organization was only possible thanks to the federal government. In 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the National Cultural Center Act, which allocated D.C. land for a culture center, and mandated that it would be a privately funded organization. President John F. Kennedy helped fundraise for the building before his assassination, and his successor, Lyndon B. Johnson, helped dedicate the center as a “living memorial” to Kennedy. Johnson remarked at a groundbreaking ceremony that “artistic activity can enrich the life of our people, which really is the central object of Government.” The Kennedy Center officially opened in 1971.

More than 50 years later, from August 2022 through March 2025, the Kennedy Center was my employer. My official title was junior copywriter/coordinator, advertising communications, in which role I collaborated with marketers and programmers to promote the Center’s wide range of performances. I edited dance season brochures, interviewed artists for a patron magazine, wrote radio ads for comedians, and sent emails for free Millennium Stage shows. I was especially proud to promote the Social Impact team, which provided outreach programs to local and national communities. The team often used the Center’s recently built REACH space to provide classes, staged readings, discussions, festivals, and more.

My job dramatically changed early this year. On Friday, Feb. 7, The Atlantic reported the Trump administration’s plans to fire Kennedy Center board members (who historically were appointed by the president for six-year terms). Trump stated these intentions himself with a Truth Social post on the same day, which also said, “Just last year, the Kennedy Center featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth — THIS WILL STOP.”

I spent the rest of that weekend waiting for the dominos to fall, and soon they did. (To read the rest of this article in American Theatre magazine, click here.)

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The following is a press release shared by CulturalDC to news organizations:

At a private event last month, CulturalDC’s Board of Directors announced that the organization would sunset operations after more than 27 years. This decision follows the sale of the historic Source building in August 2025, which CulturalDC originally purchased in October 2006 to preserve and redevelop as a multi-use performing arts space.

Founded in 1998, CulturalDC brokered over 300,000 square feet of artist space in all quadrants of the city, including projects like the Arts Walk at Monroe Street Market, Atlas Performing Arts Center, GALA Hispanic Theatre, Source, and Woolly Mammoth Theatre. Through initiatives such as the Mobile Art Gallery, the Capital Artist Residency, and Torrents: New Links to Black Futures, the organization has supported hundreds of artists annually and welcomed more than 40,000 audience members each year.

As part of its sunset plan, the sale of Source has allowed CulturalDC to invest in the city’s arts ecosystem in perpetuity. The organization has contributed a half-million dollars to establish the CulturalDC Capital Artist Residency and Visiting Artist Endowment at the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts at Howard University, ensuring the legacy of CulturalDC’s Capital Artist Residency program and cultivating new avenues for visiting artists. This residency provides underrepresented artists with housing, dedicated studio or rehearsal space, stipends, and opportunities for exhibition and public engagement, allowing them the resources and visibility to advance their practice on a national stage.

Dr. Raimi Gbadamosi, Chair and Professor of the Department of Art at Howard University, shared: “This endowment represents an extraordinary commitment to artists whose voices have historically been underrepresented. By supporting the Capital Artist Residency at Howard University, CulturalDC is creating opportunities for emerging and mid-career artists to deepen their practice, connect with students, and contribute to the cultural fabric of Washington, DC. We are honored to partner with CulturalDC in carrying this mission forward.”

Additionally, CulturalDC has gifted Hamiltonian Artists $150,000 to support the advancement of the Capital Artist Residency and Visiting Artist program in partnership with Howard University. This partnership will provide housing, public programs, exhibition resources and create unique opportunities for exchange between visiting artists and the talented students at Howard University and Hamiltonian audiences, fostering a rich exchange of ideas and perspectives, further strengthening the artistic ecosystem in DC.

Theater Alliance, a leading DC company dedicated to socially engaged, community- rooted theater, will receive a quarter of a million dollars from CulturalDC for capital improvements and equipment purchases supporting its black-box theater and multidisciplinary arts incubator and venue in Southwest DC. This investment will further Theater Alliance’s mission to develop, produce, and present socially conscious, thought-provoking work that fully engages the community in active dialogue. It also underscores CulturalDC’s longstanding commitment to supporting theater and the theater community in Washington, DC, affirming their belief in the power of performance to connect artists and audiences, and helps ensure their impact will continue to support DC’s creative community for years to come.

Further donations have been distributed to support programming and artistic initiatives at local and national partners, including The Bearded Ladies Cabaret, Extreme Lengths Productions, Black Public Media, JCINTIME Creatives Foundation, In Series, Capital Fringe–The Tyler Fund, Sarah Ewing Dance, Aru Dell’Art Dance, USAN USAN, and Rorschach Theatre.

Also, CulturalDC has donated $100,000 and its 40-foot repurposed, solar-powered shipping container, known as the Mobile Art Gallery, to The Nicholson Project, a hybrid artist residency program and gallery in Southeast DC that supports contemporary visual artists, designers, and creatives of color. With this transfer, the Mobile Art Gallery will continue presenting exhibitions and featuring artists in a public space, ensuring that art remains accessible and deeply rooted in the community.

Lastly, as part of its legacy planning, CulturalDC has returned Torrents: New Links to Black Futures, its celebrated multidisciplinary festival centering Black art, culture, and community, back to its Founder and Creative Director, Jamal Gray, a local cultural producer, musician, and curator based in Washington, DC, who first envisioned the program. CulturalDC is proud to have incubated and grown Torrents over multiple seasons, partnering with organizations such as Kennedy Center Social Impact, WMATA/Art In Transit, UMBRELLA Art Fair, Black Public Media, and Good Black Art. To ensure the festival continues to thrive, CulturalDC has contributed $25,000 to support Torrents’ 2026 programming, helping usher the festival into its next exciting chapter under Jamal’s leadership.

Kristi Maiselman, CulturalDC Executive Director, added: “For over 25 years, we’ve been a catalyst for bold ideas and creative connections in DC. This transition allows us to carry forward that mission in a new way, through lasting endowments and direct investments in artists. Our impact will live on in the classrooms, galleries, and communities we’ve helped nurture. We’re deeply proud of what we’ve built and grateful to every artist, partner, and supporter who made it possible.”

Since its founding, CulturalDC has been at the forefront of artist space development, operating key hubs like Flashpoint (2004–2016), producing the Source Festival (2008-2017), and later launching DC’s first Mobile Art Gallery, which has reached over 150,000 visitors across all eight wards of the city. Signature programs like the Capital Artist Residency have uplifted underrepresented artists with housing, studio space, stipends, and national visibility, while Torrents established a vibrant platform for Black artistic expression and cultural exchange.

As CulturalDC closes this chapter, its mission continues — to Make Space for Art, foster creativity, and empower the next generation of cultural leaders in Washington, DC.

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GALA continues its beloved tradition with the 21st annual international Fuego Flamenco Festival from November 6-22. Renowned for presenting stellar artists in an intimate tablao setting, the festival celebrates flamenco as a universal art form that champions tradition, fun, and innovation. This year’s festival brings to the nation’s capital a mix of traditional and contemporary flamenco through a variety of shows that celebrate both individual and group artistry.

The festival kicks off November 6 through November 10 with the Washington, DC premiere of Crónica de un suceso, created, choreographed and performed by the mesmerizing Rafael Ramírez from Spain. In this new show, Ramírez pays homage to the iconic Spanish Flamenco artist Antonio Gades who paved the way for what Flamenco is today.

The magic continues November 14 through November 16 with the re-staging of the masterpiece Enredo by Flamenco Aparicio Dance Company, a reflection of the dual nature of the human experience, individual and social, which premiered at GALA in 2023.

The festival closes with the world premiere of Las mujeres que habitan en mi, a piece created, choreographed, and performed by the incomparable Spanish artist Irene Lozano. Presented on November 21 and November 22, Las mujeres que habitan en mi promises a journey through Irene’s soul and her many versions.

The 21st Fuego Flamenco Festival also includes two interactive workshops to explore the fusion of dance, music, and songs of the diverse cultures that fused to create a distinct art form that continues to evolve and change as it has spread throughout the globe. Aula de Flamenco convenes artists, experts, scholars, educators, and the public on November 8 at 2 pm at GALA to examine the influence of the diverse cultures and people in Spain on the development, practice, and social-historical impact of flamenco on Spanish culture. The event is presented by Torcuart, an organization that promotes classical Flamenco and Spanish Guitar and associated disciplines in the United States, and led by Dr. José Miguel Hernández Jaramillo. Ph.D. in Advanced Flamenco Studies.

Flamenco en familia, the second interactive festival program for younger generations, featuring dancer Sara Jerez and guitarist Ricardo Marlow, will delight children and families on November 15 at 1:30 pm.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Rafael Ramírez (Director, Choreographer, Dancer) is a Flamenco artist from Malaga, Spain. who appeared in Fuego Flamenco XIX. He became a professional dancer at age 11. In addition to Crónica de un suceso and Lo preciso, presented at GALA in 2023, Ramírez’s innovative productions also include Entorno, Romances del pasado, Toques de mi conciencia, and Malagueando. He is the recipient of numerous pres. Among the most distinguished are “Breakout Artist Award” at the 2023 Jerez Festival and the El Desplante Prize at the Festival Internacional del Cante de las Minas (La Unión) in 2021. In 2018, he was named “Outstanding Dancer” at the Choreography Competition in Madrid where he performed Malagueando.

Flamenco Aparicio Dance Company is comprised of Artistic Directors Edwin Aparicio and Aleksey Kulikov; Principal Dancers Edwin Aparicio, Fanny Ara, Norberto Chamizo, Timo Núñez, and Cosima Amelang; Company Dancers Kyoko Terada and Sara Jerez; Guitarist Ricardo Marlow; Singer Amparo Heredia “La Repompilla”; and Singer and Percussionist Francisco Orozco “Yiyi.”

Edwin Aparicio (Choreographer, Co-director, Principal Dancer) is a Salvadoran choreographer, dancer, and director based in Washington, DC. One of the most sought-after flamenco performers, instructors and choreographers in the United States and Latin America, Aparicio is described by critics as “the most amazing dancer seen in years,” with “hellfire footwork” and choreographies with “beautiful, evocative imagery.” He trained with world renowned flamenco artist Tomás de Madrid and debuted at the legendary Casa Patas in Madrid in 2001. He is the founder of Flamenco Aparicio Dance Company and is the recipient of the Cross of the Order of Civil Merit, granted by King Felipe VI of Spain.

Aleksey Kulikov (Co-director) is a director from Kiev, Ukraine. He began studying ballroom dance at the age of nine, studied flamenco with Natalia Monteleon and then with Edwin Aparicio, “La Presy,” “LaTati,” Carmela Greco, Manuel Liñán, and Domingo Ortega. Kulikov has performed flamenco at various venues in the DC area, including the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage and GALA in Hugo Medrano’s production of Yerma and Edwin Aparicio’s Flamenco Deconstructed.

Irene Lozano (Director, Choreographer, Dancer) is a Spanish artist who began dancing at age four and formal training at age 11 at the Ateneo de Música y Danza of Málaga, where she discovered Flamenco, her greatest passion. She graduated with a degree in Spanish Dance from the Professional Conservatory of Málaga and has a degree in Choreography with a specialization in Flamenco from the Superior Conservatory. She has trained with La Lupi and renowned masters such as Rocío Molina, Antonio Canales, and Juana Amaya. In 2013, she founded her own company, received the prestigious Premio Desplante in 2022, and her show Presente was a highlight at the 2024 Festival de Jerez. She is the director of the Flamenco Dance Institute in Miami, Florida.

Fuego Flamenco Festival XXI runs November 6-22, 2025, at GALA Hispanic Theatre, 3333 14th St NW, Washington, DC. Single tickets are $50 Premium Center, $45 Orchestra Standard, $35 Orchestra Value, and $25 Balcony Value; $35 Seniors (65+), Military, Teachers, and Groups (10+); $25 25 and Under. Add $5 per person to all ticket prices for Noche de GALA performances on November 7 and 14.

Performances are Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm. For the most enthusiastic festivalgoers, GALA offers the Flamenco Festival Pass for $120, which includes one ticket for each of the three main shows. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit galatheatre.org or call 202-234-7174.

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Studio Theatre welcomes new Associate Artistic Director Jess Chayes. Chayes is an award-winning director and producer of new work. She spent three seasons as the Associate Artistic Director of Northern Stage as an inaugural member of the BOLD Theater Women’s Leadership Circle and is a founding co-artistic director of New York-based ensemble The Assembly, with whom she has co-created and directed eleven original productions. She has developed new plays with Playwrights Horizons, The Vineyard Theatre, and The New Group, among others, and worked as a member of Woolly Mammoth’s new work department. She is also a founding member of the New Georges Jam artists lab and a NYTW Usual Suspect. Chayes was awarded the 2017 Lucille Lortel Award by the League of Professional Theater Women and the 2019 Collaboration Award from the Women in the Arts & Media Coalition.

Chayes’ directing credits include Next Year in Connecticut at sheNYC, Misery at Warehouse Theatre, Smart at Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theatre, In Corpo at The Assembly, Jane Anger at Shakespeare Theatre Company in DC and Jen Campos Productions, Off Peak at Hudson Stage Company and 59E59, The Antelope Party at Dutch Kills, and Jordan at Northern Stage.

“Jess brings a wealth of producing, directing, and new work development experience,” says Artistic Director David Muse. “She’s seasoned and enthusiastic, knows the DC scene well, and brings a point of view that complements Studio’s sensibility. She comes highly recommended—it’s clear that New York City will miss her—and I’m looking forward to the commitment and perspective she’ll bring to the DC theater community and her work here at Studio.” Chayes’ tenure will overlap briefly with her predecessor in the role, Danilo Gambini, who departs Studio in order to pursue opportunities as a freelance director. Gambini’s most recent directorial work has been at Studio, with consecutive turns in the director’s chair on this summer’s Wipeout and the ongoing The Heart Sellers. His next show will be directing A Case for the Existence of God by Samuel D. Hunter at Mosaic Theater.

About Studio Theatre 
Studio Theatre is a longstanding Washington cultural institution dedicated to the production of contemporary theatrer. Over more than 40 years and 350 productions, the theater has grown from a company that produced in a single rented theater to one that owns a multi-venue complex stretching half a city block, but has stayed committed to its core distinguishing characteristics: deliberately intimate spaces; excellence in acting and design; and seasons that feature many of the most significant playwrights of our time. Studio is a values-focused organization that pursues artistry and inclusion, and brings characteristic thoughtfulness and daring to their efforts, onstage and off. The theater serves nearly 75,000 people each year, including more than 1,000 youth and young adults through community engagement initiatives. Founded in 1978, the quality of Studio’s work has been recognized by sustained community support, as well as 78 Helen Hayes Awards for excellence in professional theatwe. 

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The year is 1816. The place, Villa Diodati in Lake Geneva, Switzerland. The players are Mary Shelley née Godwin, her husband Percy Bysshe Shelley, her sister Claire Clairmont, Lord George Gordon Byron, and Byron’s physician John Polidori. The name of the game is: who can write the best ghost story over the course of one evening. The rest is history.

Rorschach Theatre bravely ventures into the unknown with the world premiere of So Late Into the Night, a contemporary rock musical by Shawn Northrip that reimagines the events of this evening on Lake Geneva that birthed Shelley’s world-famous novel Frankenstein. Northrip’s take on this legendary dinner party does not stop at ghost stories, however. The playwright conjures a full-blown seance where Lord Byron ill-advisedly summons a demonic ghoul to foretell how each person sitting at the table will die — and in what order. Lest our theatrical imagination dare to stop here, Northrip’s play also features a present-day rock band from Dayton, Ohio — referred to as “The Shelleys” — who are invited by the Ghoul to accompany these literary greats for an evening of dark and debaucherous magic. Providing apt commentary from the future, it is here that The Shelleys just might find the inspiration to finish the album they’re writing based on these very events.

Under the cover of darkness, we first encounter the dapper flirt Percy Shelley. Yet it is not his future wife Mary in his arms but rather her sister, Claire. When we do meet Mary, she is bemused but not angry with Percy, revealing a polyamorous pentagon shared between Mary, Percy, George, aka Lord Byron, Claire, and Polidori. Darker deeds take hold of the situation when George’s incantation summons The Ghoul — Adian Chapman as a leather-studded satyr with an attitude and a pair of combat boots to match. Nightmares begin to unravel and harsh secrets are revealed when these five young poets look with wide eyes into their own grim futures. As the characters continually remind us, the only thing they fear is obsolescence.

Isabelle Jennings Pickering plays the altruistic Mary with great attention to character detail, conjuring us into the writer’s innermost heartache. Maxwell Ross is equally compelling as her soon-to-be husband, Percy, whose death scene is among the most tragic and heart-pounding moments of the play. Paul Pelletier Jr plays the infamous cad Lord Byron as such, but with the slightest hints of insecurity beneath his proud demeanor. Jason Zuckerman plays Polidori admirably but demonstrates remarkable range with a number of secondary roles as well. Finally, Sydney Dionne is enchanting as Claire, the figure we know the least and thus hold the most curiosity about. Lydia Gifford as Trillian (lead vocals/keys) is a compelling narrator and virtuosic musician. She is accompanied by Veronica Rose Bundy on guitar, Billy Bob Bonson on bass, and Dani Ray on drums, all of whom come well equipped with snarky commentary and alt-’90s flair.

Directed by Jenny McConnell Frederick, So Late Into the Night catches us by the throat and leads us briskly into a confrontation with fate. The production, however, most immediately succeeds thanks to its unique and immersive stage design. Set designer August Henney seats everyone — some audience members included — at an oversized table doubling as the stage where this satanic seance becomes as much an experience as a theatrical event. Dean Leong’s lighting design infuses the warehouse venue with ghoulish rock-glamour. From sultry flickers of candlelight to brazen LEDs, plus proto-period costuming by Jessica Utz, the overall aesthetic evokes a sense of transcendent liminality. It appropriately splits us between the play’s two major settings: a grungy Dayton music hall and the enchanted Geneva dinner party. Brandon Cook’s sound design adds extra spooky flavor to the already damning occasion.

So Late Into the Night is imaginative and thought-provoking — and makes an ideal October outing. It is likewise well-cast and well-acted, albeit occasionally meandering (the unique stage layout succeeds experientially but begets some awkwardness for its actors). The script, however, is in need of some refinement, as it appears to jump from idea to idea without clear direction.More than that, So Late Into the Night seems to take the term “fan fiction” a bit too literally. Trillian’s bizarre fanaticism for the long-dead Shelleys feels like her only defining character trait, and throwaway resolutions fail to land as effectively as the playwright might have hoped. The script’s worst offender is that, seemingly out of nowhere, So Late Into the Night attempts to reclaim Claire Clairmont as a feminist icon when most of the play’s discussions about femininity and womanhood are otherwise centered on childbearing and cheating ex-boyfriends.

Much as Shelley did with Frankenstein, So Late Into the Night meditates on what happens when we fly too close to the sun. The production’s greatest irony is that it might inadvertently be doing exactly that. The idea of theatricalizing the Geneva dinner party has legs, and that is where Northrip’s drama is most compelling. The production is likewise admirable and at times truly frightening (in a fun way!). But, in all honesty, trying to decipher a concept musical from a concept musical about writing a concept musical is where this critic gets extremely lost. Rorschach’s production does excellent work to capture the essence of gothic horror, but — without any disrespect to “goth mommy” Shelley — they appear unsure about how to rein in the monster they’ve unleashed.

Running Time: Two hours and 30 minutes, with one intermission.

So Late Into the Night plays through November 2, 2025, presented by Rorschach Theatre performing at The Stacks at Buzzard Point, 101 V Street SW. Showtimes are Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8:00 PM and Sundays at 3:00 PM. Tickets are $50 for adults, $35 for students and seniors, with a limited number of $20 “InkTix” available for each performance. Purchase tickets online.

The program is online here.

The play is recommended for ages 13 and up. (See content information here.)

So Late Into the Night
By Shawn Northrip
Directed by Jenny McConnell Frederick
Music Directed by Nathan Nichipor

SEE ALSO:
Rorschach to open ‘So Late Into the Night’ at The Stacks in Buzzard Point (news story, September 2, 2025)

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Mosaic Theater Company of DC is proud to announce the Young John Lewis Reflection Series, a season-long slate of community conversations, performances and special events leading up to and surrounding the world premiere of Young John Lewis. Running March 26-April 26, 2026, Young John Lewis is a new musical celebrating the life and legacy of the late Congressman and Civil Rights leader. The Reflection Series extends the play’s themes into the community with events across all eight wards of Washington, DC, honoring Lewis’ commitment to “good trouble” while celebrating the city’s rich cultural, artistic and civic life.

“Art and activism go hand in hand in moving society forward,” said Reginald L. Douglas, Artistic Director of Mosaic Theater Company. “With this Reflection Series, we honor John Lewis’ legacy by creating space for dialogue, celebration and action across our city. Our hope is that audiences will see themselves in his story, and leave the theater not only inspired but empowered to make good trouble of their own.” “The Reflection Series is about weaving John Lewis’ story into the fabric of DC life,” added Jacob Ettkin, Mosaic’s Education and Engagement Manager. “By partnering with community leaders, schools, libraries and arts organizations, we’re ensuring that this musical extends beyond our stage into a citywide movement that uplifts history, community and future generations of changemakers.”

About Young John Lewis

Book and Lyrics by Psalmayene 24
Music by Kokayi
Directed by Reginald L. Douglas
March 26-April 26, 2026

It’s time to make some Good Trouble! In this new musical, Mosaic’s Playwright-in-Residence Psalmayene 24 honors the legendary “Conscience of Congress”: the late Congressman John Lewis. Focusing on the Congressman’s formative years of ages 18-28, Young John Lewis reveals the humanity and heart of this mighty historic figure. The musical explores how the murder of Emmett Till motivated Lewis to pursue a life of service, including leading the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, fighting for Civil Rights with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and nearly two decades of work in Congress. A theatrical event not to be missed, Young John Lewis is both a galvanizing call to action and an inspiring reminder that we can all make a difference, no matter our age.

A Season of Good Trouble: Young John Lewis Reflection Series

October

Celebration of Community
October 9, 2025 | Ward 2 | Eaton DC | Free event
In the spirit of John Lewis’ commitment to coalition building across disparate communities, Mosaic will celebrate the power of connecting across differences with this kickoff event at Eaton DC featuring food, drinks, and a celebration of Good Trouble from a diverse group of inspiring voices.

A Celebration of Community
Thursday, October 9 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Eaton DC – 1201 K St NW, Washington, DC 20005
Sign up here: https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSeN1C…/viewform

What to expect:
Sneak peek of Young John Lewis from Helen Hayes Award-winner Psalmayene 24 and a taste of the music from Grammy Award-nominee Kokayi
Insights from the Smithsonian Museum of African-American History & Culture
The Honorable Cori Bush and Mosaic Artistic Director Reginald L. Douglas in conversation
Panel of local leaders featuring Seeds of Peace, AARP DC, US Department of Justice–Civil Rights Division, Capital Pride Alliance, and Rising Organizers

November

Hip Hop History Month
November 5, 2025 | Ward 8 | Busboys and Poets Anacostia
Mosaic partners with Busboys and Poets Anacostia for a night uplifting local spoken word and hip-hop artists and highlighting Young John Lewis’ hip-hop roots.

December

A Celebration of DC Home Rule
Date TBD | Ward 2 | MLK Library
December 24, 2025, marks 52 years of home rule in Washington, DC. Mosaic heads to MLK Library–the first major project DC built independently–for a celebration of DC artistry, identity and community. Programmed in partnership with the DC Public Library and the DC History Center.

January

Remembering John Lewis: Good Trouble and the Black-Jewish Civil Rights Alliance
January 16-18 | Ward 3 | Adas Israel Congregation
Mosaic partners with Adas Israel Congregation and its church and gospel partners for the yearly Martin Luther King weekend days of inspiration. From shabbat to the Sunday community day of service, Mosaic and Adas will share stories, challenges and musical inspirations from Lewis’ exemplary life of social action and building the beloved community.

Not Just Another Day Off Poetry Reading
January 17, 2026 | Ward 6 | Folger Theatre
Each year, the Folger celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ‘s birthday with inspiring poetry readings and rousing historical speeches delivered by contemporary poets and actors. Mosaic will amplify their work and the significant relationship between Dr. King and Congressman Lewis, which is featured heavily in the musical.

The Fox & the Panther Play Reading
January 22, 2026 | Ward 4 | Busboys and Poets Takoma
The Fox & the Panther by Tariq Hamami takes us to the 1960s when Algeria established itself as the anti-colonial capital of the world and hosted multiple revolutionaries including the Black Panther Party. Presented in collaboration with California’s Golden Thread Productions, this new play reading will include a special talkback with the playwright and local leaders, highlighting the work of activists in the 1960s and now. Reading hosted at Busboys and Poets Takoma.

DC: A Home for New Musicals
January 26, 2026 | Location TBD
A panel conversation led by Washington Post theater critic Naveen Kumar highlighting local theater companies producing new musicals. Produced in partnership with Olney Theatre Company and Signature Theatre Company, the event will feature performances from Young John Lewis and upcoming productions at the peer theaters.

February 

The Spark
February 7, 2026 | Ward 6 | Atlas Performing Arts Center
Mosaic’s annual benefit event will honor local “Good Trouble” leaders Susan Clampitt (former Deputy Chair for Programs at the National Endowment for the Arts), Andy Shallal (Founder & CEO of Busboys & Poets), and George Vradenburg (civic leader and founder of Mosaic’s Trish Vradenburg Play Commission, honoring his late wife’s contributions to the arts by supporting emerging female playwrights). The event will feature a performance from Young John Lewis and a sneak peek of Mosaic’s 2026/27 season.

Celebration of DC Black Theater
February 26, 2026 | Ward 1 | Howard University
A moving panel highlighting DC’s long history of being a hub for Black theater featuring present-day local Black women artistic leaders in conversation with trailblazers who built the legacy. Programmed in partnership with Howard University and State of DC Black Theatre.

March 

The Mosaic High School Playwriting Contest
March 15, 2026 | Ward 2 | MLK Library
Mosaic uplifts the next generation of playwrights through its High School Playwriting Contest, providing mentorship, instruction and a professionally guided reading of the winning play with a director and working actors. This year’s contest is inspired by the themes of Young John Lewis, including justice, coalition building, and activism within our communities. 

Artist Talkback with Psalmayene 24
March 28, 2026 | Ward 6 | Atlas Performing Arts Center
Curious about what went into the making of Young John Lewis? Playwright Psalmayene 24 will share insights into the process behind the production and his artistic practice following a performance of the musical.

Author Talk: March
Date TBD | Ward 2 | MLK Library
March is a vivid first-hand account of John Lewis’ lifelong struggle for civil and human rights, meditating in the modern age on the distance traveled since the days of Jim Crow and segregation. Rooted in Lewis’ personal story, it also reflects on the highs and lows of the broader civil rights movement. Mosaic and the DC Public Library welcome March author Andrew Aydin for a conversation on his work and Lewis’ legacy. 

April 

Intergenerational Matinees
April 2, 9, 22, 23, and 30, 2026 | Ward 6 | Atlas Performing Arts Center
After watching Young John Lewis together, middle and high school students and seniors will engage in a post-show conversation with Mosaic’s artists and one another.

65 Years of Good Trouble: SNCC in DC
April 3, 2026 | Ward 6 | Atlas Performing Arts Center
2025 marks the 65th anniversary of the founding of SNCC–the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee–by leaders including Congressman Lewis. Mosaic invites SNCC members into conversation around SNCC’s work, legacy and more. 

Washington Performing Arts Weekend
April 10-12, 2026 | Ward 6 | Atlas Performing Arts Center
Mosaic partner organization Washington Performing Arts will lead the curation of a weekend of special events celebrating the power of music and local arts collaborations.

Millennium Arts Salon Talkback
April 12, 2026 | Ward 6 | Atlas Performing Arts Center
Millennium Arts Salon holds a talkback conversation bridging arts and activism after a matinee performance of Young John Lewis.

The Dramaturgy of Hip Hop Theater
April 18, 2026 | Ward 6 | Atlas Performing Arts Center
Young John Lewis keeps the power of hip-hop theater alive! Playwright Psalmayene 24 is a leading figure in the movement and will shed insights into the form and its legacy in dialogue with other hip-hop theater leaders.

The Next Generation of DC Changemakers
April 19, 2026 | Ward 6 | Atlas Performing Arts Center
John Lewis sparked many generations of activists and organizers towards fighting for change within their communities. This post-show conversation will feature some of the changemakers mobilizing for DC here and now.

The Good Troublemaker’s Symposium
April 24, 2026 | Ward 2 | Eaton DC
Mosaic concludes our season-long “Good Trouble’ Reflection Series with the Good Troublemaker’s Symposium. Featuring keynote speakers, breakout conversations, and opportunities to come together and mobilize towards a better future collectively. Programmed in partnership with Eaton DC and DC History Center.

Artist Talkback with the Cast of Young John Lewis
April 26, 2026 | Ward 6 | Atlas Performing Arts Center
Members of the cast will share insights into the making of the show and their unique connections to the work.

Ongoing

The Power of Knowing: John Lewis, Poetry & Hip Hop
Wards 5 and 7 | Capitol View Neighborhood Library, Francis A. Gregory Neighborhood Library and Woodridge Neighborhood Library
“The Power of Knowing” is an interactive workshop that brings together the legacy of civil rights leader John Lewis and the expressive energy of hip hop and spoken word. Led by poet, spoken-word artist, and hip-hop educational leader Tony Keith Jr. in partnership with DC Public Library.

More activities and special events to be announced.

About Mosaic Theater Company

Mosaic Theater Company of DC produces bold, culturally diverse theater that illuminates critical issues, elevates fresh voices, and sparks connection among communities throughout our region and beyond. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Reginald L. Douglas and Managing Director Serge Seiden, Mosaic produces plays that both entertain and enlighten, using art to build empathy amongst diverse people united by the magic of theater, and hopes to build community by reflecting the many cultures that call DC home.

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Mosaic Theater Company presents the DC premiere of A Case for the Existence of God, a deeply moving and critically acclaimed play by MacArthur Genius Samuel D. Hunter. Directed by Danilo Gambini, performances run November 13-December 7, 2025, at the Atlas Performing Arts Center. 

“It is an honor to welcome legendary writer Sam Hunter to Mosaic for the first time with this extraordinary play that has swept the nation and will now wow DC audiences, too,” said Mosaic Theater Artistic Director Reginald L. Douglas. “A Case for the Existence of God invites us to see ourselves in one another, across our differences, and to hold on to hope, even when hope feels hard to find. It is a timely reminder of the power of empathy and connection, which is at the core of Mosaic’s mission.”

“The DC theater scene has always loomed large for me – I was a resident writer at Arena Stage for a year and my first major production was at Woolly Mammoth back in 2011. This play is very personal to me, stemming from my own experience of becoming a father, and I feel very proud that Mosaic will be bringing this story to DC audiences.” said playwright Samuel D. Hunter. 

“A Case for the Existence of God is a wonderfully sophisticated play that exists in the intersection of race, class, fatherhood, and masculinity, while looking into these characters’ desires and desperations, dreams and nightmares, trying to find their way through love, friendship, hope, and connection,” said director Danilo Gambini.

About A Case for the Existence of God

MacArthur “Genius” grant recipient Samuel D. Hunter’s intimate, powerful play is a thoughtful meditation on human resilience. Inside a small office in southern Idaho, two men struggle to understand the confounding terms of a mortgage loan while connecting over the joy and pain of fatherhood. The pair form an unlikely friendship, using humor to find hope in the face of heartbreak.

Hailed as a New York Times Critic’s Pick, this moving new play is a testament to the power of finding one’s own community in the face of loneliness.

About the Artists

Samuel D. Hunter (Playwright) grew up in Moscow, Idaho and lives in New York City with his husband and daughter. His full-length plays include The Whale (Drama Desk Award, Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Play, GLAAD Media Award, Drama League and Outer Critics Circle nominations for Best Play), A Case for the Existence of God (New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best Play, Hull-Warriner Award), A Bright New Boise (Obie Award, Drama Desk nomination for Best Play), Greater Clements (Drama Desk nomination for Best Play, Outer Critics Circle Honoree), Lewiston/Clarkston (Drama Desk nomination for Best Play), The Few, A Great Wilderness, Rest, Pocatello, The Healing and The Harvest, among others.

His screenplay adaptation of The Whale, directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Brendan Fraser, was nominated for the 2023 BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and received two Oscars, including Best Actor. He was also a writer and producer on all four seasons of FX’s Baskets.

He is the recipient of a 2014 MacArthur “Genius Grant” Fellowship, a 2012 Whiting Writers Award, and an honorary doctorate from the University of Idaho. His work has been produced off-Broadway in New York City by Lincoln Center Theatre, Playwrights Horizons, LCT3, Signature Theatre, Page 73 Productions, Clubbed Thumb and Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre. Elsewhere, his work has been produced by Theatre Royal Bath, Theatre Rotterdam, Dallas Theatre Center, Seattle Rep, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, South Coast Rep and Victory Gardens, among others.

Two published anthologies of his work are available from TCG Books, and two more are forthcoming. He is a current Resident Playwright at the Signature Theatre in New York City and he serves on the executive board for the Dramatists Guild of America. He holds degrees in playwriting from NYU, The Iowa Playwrights Workshop and Juilliard.

Danilo Gambini° (Director) is a director and producer originally from São Paulo, Brazil. Recent directing credits include Wipeout by Aurora Real de Asua and The Heart Sellers by Lloyd Suh at Studio Theatre, the world premiere of Ni Mi Madre at Rattlestick Theater (OBIE Award Winner, Drama Desk Nomination, NYT Critics Pick), as well as The Rake’s Progress and Iolanta at Yale Opera.  His production of Agreste (Drylands) at Spooky Action Theater received six Helen Hayes Awards Nominations, including Outstanding Director. Other credits include the world premiere of the musical Sabina at Portland Stage Maine; Fun Home, The Tempest, Rock Egg Spoon at the Yale School of Drama; and Agreste (Drylands), Bakkhai, The Swallow and the Tomcat, and Truck at Yale Cabaret. Operas include Don Giovanni, Ariadne Auf Naxos, Eugene Onegin at Theatro São Pedro. He has held the positions of Associate Artistic Director at Studio Theatre, Associate Artistic Director at Rattlestick Theater, and Co-Artistic Director at Yale Summer Cabaret. He is a member of Roundabout Directors Group, ITA (Immigrant Theatermakers Advocates), and of TPOC – Theater Producers of Color. He has developed work at The Public Theater, Joe’s Pub, The Old Globe, Ars Nova, Milwaukee Rep, Woolly Mammoth, Chautauqua Opera, Gulfshore Playhouse, Latinx Playwrights Circle, amongst others. Danilo holds an MFA in Directing from the Yale School of Drama, a BFA in Film and Television and an artist diploma as an actor from the School of Dramatic Art, both at the University of São Paulo. 

Lee Osorio* (Ryan) is an award-winning actor and playwright. A seven-time Suzi Bass Award nominee, Lee won Best Lead Actor for Richard II. Select television credits include True Detective, Your Honor, The Resident, and Found. In 2024, two of Lee’s plays received world-premiere productions: Prisontown at Savannah Rep and A Third Way (Winner of the Del Shores Foundation Best Play, 2023) at Actor’s Express. Lee is a graduate of the Brown/Trinity MFA program (RIP) and a proud member of Actors’ Equity Associate and SAG-AFTRA.

Jaysen Wright* (Keith) is a DC native who returns to Mosaic following three seasons at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Credits include The Till Trilogy at Mosaic; The Merry Wives of Windsor, Into the Woods, Macbeth, Born With Teeth, Twelfth Night and The Three Musketeers at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival; Downstate, Choir Boy, Wig Out!, and The Rocky Horror Show at Studio Theatre; Beauty and the Beast at 5th Avenue Theatre; Smart People and Jubilee at Arena Stage; The Royale co-production at Olney Theatre and 1st Stage; Take Me Out at 1st Stage; The Importance of Being Earnest at Everyman Theatre; Actually and Sons of the Prophet at Theatre J; Macbeth at the Folger Theatre; The Wiz and A Christmas Carol at Ford’s Theatre.

The creative and production team for A Case for the Existence of God includes Nadir Bey (Scenic Designer), Danielle Preston++ (Costume Designer), Colin K. Bills++ (Lighting Designer), Sarah O’Halloran++ (Sound Designer), Pauline Lamb (Properties Designer), Sierra Young (Resident Intimacy and Violence Director), and Shayna O’Neill* (Production Stage Manager).

* Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. 
° Member of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society 
++ Member of United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829 of the IATSE.

Additional Events Mosaic continues its Reflection Series, started in 2022 in conjunction with The Till Trilogy, with year-round programming that provides inroads for deep engagement with the themes of its plays. Events for A Case for the Existence of God include:

• Artist Talkback with Sam Hunter: November 15 at 7:30 PM. Curious about what went into the making of A Case for the Existence of God? Come join playwright Samuel D. Hunter to hear about the process behind the production and his artistic practice.
• Intergenerational Matinee: November 20 at 11:00 AM. After watching A Case for the Existence of God together, students and seniors will engage in a post-show conversation with Mosaic’s artists and one another.
• Alone in the Togetherness: The Intersectionality of Isolation: November 21 at 7:30 PM. In an age where we’re more interconnected than ever, how is it that we’re also feeling more isolated? Join Mosaic alongside thought leaders in the fields of psychology and more to reflect on the themes of A Case for the Existence of God and dive into the whys behind our loneliness epidemic – and how we might move past them. 
• Adoptee/Adoptive Parents Affinity Performance: November 23 at 3:00 PM.  
• Intergenerational Matinee: December 4 at 11:00 AM. After watching A Case for the Existence of God together, students and seniors will engage in a post-show conversation with Mosaic’s artists and one another.
• Binge Bar Happy Hour: December 5 at 5:30 PM. Mosaic is back at Binge Bar – Washington’s premier alcohol-free destination – for a special happy hour featuring food and drink specials before the performance.
• Open-Captioned Performance: December 6 at 7:30 PM: This performance is open captioned. 
• Open-Captioned Performance: December 7 at 3:00 PM: This performance is open captioned.

A Case for the Existence of God runs November 13-December 7, 2025, in the Sprenger Theatre at Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Performances areThursdays–Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. (except November 27 and 28); Saturdays at 3 p.m. (except November 15); Sundays at 3 p.m.; and Thursday, November 20 and December 4, at 11 a.m. Tickets range from $50.50-$83.50 and are available online or through the box office. The Box Office can be reached at (202) 399-7993 or boxoffice@atlasarts.org from 12PM–6PM Tuesday through Sunday, or one hour prior to a performance. 

Discounts

• Rush Tickets: A limited number of $20 rush tickets are available via walk-up cash purchase at the box office beginning one hour before the start of each performance. Cash preferred.
• Senior Rate (65+): Save 10% with code: SENIOR
• Student Rate: $20 tickets with code: STUDENT
• Educator Rate: $20 tickets with code: EDUCATOR
• Military and First Responder Rate: Save 10% with code: HERO
• Furloughed and Laid Off Federal Workers: Get $20 tickets with code: SOLIDARITY
• Under 30: Patrons 30 and younger can access $25 tickets to Mosaic mainstage performances. Use code UNDER30. Restrictions: One ticket per order. Discount is not available on weekend matinees. 

About Mosaic Theater Company of DC  Mosaic Theater Company of DC produces bold, culturally diverse theater that illuminates critical issues, elevates fresh voices, and sparks connection among communities throughout our region and beyond. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Reginald L. Douglas and Managing Director Serge Seiden, Mosaic produces plays that both entertain and enlighten, using art to build empathy amongst diverse people united by the magic of theater, and hopes to build community by reflecting the many cultures that call DC home. 

The post Mosaic Theater to present DC premiere of ‘A Case for the Existence of God’ appeared first on DC Theater Arts.