Play readings and workshops offer a chance to see exciting new work at various stages of development. Want to see the next big thing while it’s still being crafted? Get in on the ground level and see the creative process in action. Featuring new plays and musicals by local and national artists, here are the upcoming play readings and workshops in the DMV.

NOVEMBER

The Kennedy Center presents Shamrock Tenors: Christmas in Belfast, Tuesday, November 25 through Sunday, November 30 in the Eisenhower Theater at the Kennedy Center, 2700 F St NW, Washington, DC. Tickets range from $39-$139 and are available here. 

Washington Concert Opera presents Iphigénie en Tauride by Christoph Willibald Gluck, Sunday, November 23 at 6:00 PM at George Washington University’s Lisner Auditorium, 730 21st St NW, Washington, DC. Admission includes a pre-show talk by WCO founder Peter Russell starting at 5:00 PM. Tickets range from $45-$134 and are available here. 

Keegan Theatre Artistic Director Susan Marie Rhea will be the speaker at The Georgetowner’s November Cultural Leadership Breakfast, Thursday, November 20 at 8:30 AM at 1310 Kitchen and Bar, 1310 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC. Tickets are $41.54 (including fees) and available here. 

Red Hill Theatre Group presents Dressing Amelia by Chloe Whitehorn, Friday, November 14 at 8:00 PM and Saturday, November 15 at 3:00 PM and 8:00 PM at Maryland Ensemble Theatre, 301 W. Patrick St, Frederick, MD. Tickets are $10 and available here. 

The Vintage Theatre Company’s Rustic Mechanicals present Macbeth one night only Friday, November 14 at 7:30 PM at BlackRock Center for the Arts, 12901 Town Commons Dr, Germantown, MD. Tickets range from $10-$36 and are available here. 

Alliance for New Music-Theatre and The Arts Club of Washington present In Flanders Fields, a music-theater retrospective of World War I, Tuesday, November 11 at 7:00 PM at The Arts Club of Washington, 2017 I St NW, Washington, DC. Tickets are $65, including a small bites buffet and beverages, and are available here. 

As part of its Script Tease series, Everyman Theatre presents a staged reading of Different Words for Happiness by Everyman company member Katie Kleiger, Monday, November 10 at 7:00 PM at Everyman, 315 W. Fayette St, Baltimore, MD. Tickets are pay-what-you-can (minimum $5) and available here. Tickets for the 4-performance Script Tease season are also pay-what-you-can (minimum $20) and available here. 

Edge of the Universe Theater presents Death and the Fool, a Tarot-inspired mystery play full of slapstick comedy, medieval music, puppetry and whimsy developed and performed by Happenstance Theatre, Saturday, November 8 at 8:00 PM and Sunday, November 9 at 2:00 PM at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, 641 D St NW, Washington, DC. Tickets are sold out, but standing room-only seating will be offered at the door; first-come, first-served. Details here. 

George Mason University’s Hylton Performing Arts Center presents Chicka Chicka Boom Boom: The Musical, Saturday, November 8 at 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM at the Hylton Center, 10960 George Mason Circle, Manassas, VA. Based on the beloved children’s book by Bill Martin Jr., John Archambault, and Lois Ehlert, this production is recommended for ages 3-9. The 2:00 PM performance is sensory-friendly. Tickets are $24 and available here. 

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra presents Bernadette Peters in concert, Friday, November 7 at 8:00 PM at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, 1212 Cathedral St, Baltimore, MD. Peters will perform selections from Rodgers and Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim, Jerry Herman, and more. Tickets range from $42-$140 and are available here. 

The American Pops Orchestra presents The Three Broadway Tenors, Thursday, November 6 at 7:00 PM at Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St NE, Washington, DC. Broadway, TV, and film sensations Justin Guarini, Cheyenne Jackson, and James Monroe Iglehart perform together for the first time in this can’t-miss concert! Tickets range from $55-$130 and are available here. 

OCTOBER

Annapolis Opera presents Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Friday, October 31 at 7:30 PM and Sunday, November 2 at 3:00 PM at Maryland Hall, 801 Chase St, Annapolis, MD. Tickets range from $37-$79 (with student discounts available); purchase tickets here. Pre-performance discussion begins one hour prior to showtime; register for free here.

The post Calendar: Play Readings, Workshops, and Short-Run Theater Events in the DMV appeared first on DC Theater Arts.

Location: Remote (with a residential address in the District of Columbia)
Position: Part-time (approx. 12 hours/week)
Reports to: DC Theater Arts Board of Directors

About DC Theater Arts
DC Theater Arts (DCTA) is the region’s go-to source for theater journalism, covering productions across Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia. For 15 years, our team of writers has built credibility and trust with readers and theatermakers alike.

DCTA was founded in 2010 by Joel Markowitz, a passionate advocate for the arts whose vision was to create a space where all theater in the region — large and small, professional and community-based — could be celebrated and critiqued. Joel’s dedication to inclusivity and breadth of coverage remains a guiding value for the organization today. Following his passing in 2017, the DCTA team has continued to carry forward his legacy. In 2021, the organization became a nonprofit, and in 2025 began actively applying for grants — signaling an exciting new chapter in our growth.

We are now seeking a part-time Executive Director to guide DCTA into its future: stabilizing our financial foundation, building efficient systems for how we operate, and creating opportunities for sustained growth, while honoring our legacy of covering the rich diversity of theater in the DMV region.

Position Overview
The Executive Director will oversee the nonprofit’s operations, finances, fundraising, and strategic partnerships. They will work, in partnership with DCTA’s Editor-in-Chief (EIC), to make content decisions for the site’s future. They will work, in partnership with DCTA’s Board Chair and the EIC, to make strategic decisions to secure a sustainable future for the organization.

This role is best suited for a candidate who is highly organized, loves spreadsheets and systems, and enjoys building the behind-the-scenes infrastructure that allows an arts organization to thrive.

While the site’s journalism is central to DCTA’s mission, the Executive Director’s charge is to ensure long-term sustainability — strengthening finances, pursuing grants, and developing steady revenue streams from advertising, memberships, and partnerships. They both manage and partner with an existing team of long-time, committed people working on the site.

Key Responsibilities
• Financial & Organizational Management: Develop and maintain budgets, payroll, and reporting systems that bring stability and accountability to the organization.
• Fundraising & Development: Build DCTA’s financial future through grants, sponsorships, advertising, donor cultivation, and membership initiatives.
• Strategic Partnerships: Cultivate relationships with theaters, funders, and community partners to expand DCTA’s reach and impact.
• Systems & Operations: Develop strong nonprofit systems for administration, compliance, and growth. Oversee advertising sales with existing clients and nurture new relationships
• Content Support:
—Oversee organizational aspects of DCTA’s journalism and, with the Editor in Chief, explore innovative ways to deliver content across platforms, including social media.
—Oversee DCTA’s digital media. In coordination with staff, design and post all in-house digital images, content, and fliers, and oversee content on all social media channels
• Board Relations: Work closely with the Board of Directors to align strategy and governance.

Candidate Profile
• Strong skills in systems, spreadsheets, and organizational management.
• Experience with nonprofit management, development, or arts administration.
• Demonstrated fundraising ability (grants, sponsorships, individual giving).
• Entrepreneurial and solutions-oriented, able to navigate challenges with creativity.
• Passion for theater and the performing arts; familiarity with the DC-area arts ecosystem a plus.
• Comfortable juggling this role with other part-time professional opportunities.

Opportunities & Challenges
• Challenges: Steering a site that has prided itself on covering all theater in the region, while balancing financial realities and sustainability.
• Opportunities: Building on a respected 15-year-old brand with credibility, a dedicated readership, and an excellent team of writers; shaping the future of how theater journalism is delivered; strengthening DCTA’s presence in social media, advertising, and partnerships.

Compensation
This is a part-time position (approx. 12 hours/week). The position offers a $1,000 stipend, monthly, to begin. That compensation will be reviewed — following an organizational assessment, after the Executive Director’s first 30 days of employment — after which the stipend may increase. This position does not include health benefits.

Application Instructions
Interested candidates should submit the following materials in a single PDF to Eric Colchamiro, eric@dctheaterarts.org, with the subject line DCTA Executive Director – [Your Name]:

1. Résumé (no more than two pages)
2. Three professional references
3. Written responses (no more than 250 words each) to the following questions:
—Why are you the right fit to lead this organization?
—Share one favorite theatrical experience you have had.

Deadline to apply: November 5, 2025. Applications will be considered as received.

The post Guide our future: DC Theater Arts seeks its next Executive Director appeared first on DC Theater Arts.

In many ways, our local colleges and universities serve as both a boot camp for theater training and a laboratory for creating original works and exploring daring, experimental works rarely seen on professional stages. Many of the theater professionals whose work we see regularly in local professional theaters, teach or supervise productions at these schools. How lucky we are.

As students have returned to colleges and universities across the DMV area, here are some highlights of what’s coming up this fall on local university stages, from University of Maryland Baltimore County’s celebration of the centennial of the Harlem Renaissance with a production of Langston Hughes’ Shakespeare in Harlem (in collaboration with Chesapeake Shakespeare Company and its Black Classical Acting Ensemble) to the Catholic University of America’s hilarious new adaptation of Jane Austen’s works, Sense and Austensibility, and much more.

American University

• Overture 2025 (October 3-4, sold out)
• Disarming Girls (October 16-26)
• Zoey’s Perfect Wedding (October 30-November 1)
• Godspell (November 19-22)

Benjamin T. Rome School of Music, Drama, and Art at the Catholic University of America

• Sense & Austensibility (October 23-26)
• Jesus Christ Superstar (November 20-23)

Bowie State University

• Everybody (November 5-8)

Corcoran School of the Arts and Design at George Washington University

• Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night (October 30-November 2)

George Mason University

• Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 (October 30-November 2)
• Light Up the Sky (November 20-23)

Howard University Department of Theatre Arts

• Young Griots: New Works for the Stage (October 9-11)

Mask and Bauble Dramatic Society (Georgetown University)

• The Humans (October 29-November 8)

Nomadic Theatre (Georgetown University)

• Heathers: The Musical (November 6-15)

University of Maryland Baltimore County

• Shakespeare in Harlem (October 30-November 9)
• Street Scenes (December 5-7)

University of Maryland School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies

• She Loves Me (October 18-25)
• Home (November 14-21)

The post Fall 2025: spotlight on local university stages appeared first on DC Theater Arts.

Play readings and workshops offer a chance to see exciting new work at various stages of development. Want to see the next big thing while it’s still being crafted? Get in on the ground level and see the creative process in action. Featuring new plays and musicals by local and national artists, here are the upcoming play readings and workshops in the DMV.

SEPTEMBER

TheaterWorks USA presents Cat Kid Comic Club: The Musical by Kevin Del Aguila and Brad Alexander, a musical adaptation of Dav Pilkey’s Dog Man spinoff series, Friday, September 26 through Sunday, September 28 at Baltimore Center Stage, 700 N. Calvert St, Baltimore, MD. Showtimes and tickets ($40-$60) are available here.

Teatro de la Luna presents Una Luna Llena de Tango/A Tango Filled Moon, an evening of live music and dance featuring guest singer Ana Maria Pfeiff, bandoneon player Emmanuel Trifilio, and poems and memories of Buenos Aires told by Mario Marcel, Friday, September 26 and Saturday, September 27 at 8:00 PM and Sunday, September 28 at 3:00 PM at 4020 Georgia Ave NW, Washington, DC. Tickets are $30 ($25 students and seniors) and available here.

The Keegan Theatre presents a free public workshop reading of John Doe, a new work commissioned through Keegan’s Boiler Room Series that will make its world premiere in January 2026. The reading will be held Wednesday, September 24 at 7:00 PM at The Keegan Theatre, 1742 Church St NW, Washington, DC. Admission is free but tickets are recommended; reserve tickets here.

The DC International Theatre Festival presents three free panel discussions celebrating the transformative partnerships forged between American and international theater artists across borders. Events include:

• Working Across Japan and the United States
  Sunday, September 21 at 6pm
  Location: Studio Theatre
  Presented by Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
• The Value of International Artistic Collaboration: A Panel Discussion
  Friday, September 26 at 7pm
  Location: Studio Theatre
  Presented by Studio Theatre in conjunction with CODAworx Summit
• The Power of Protokoll: Germany’s Global Company
  Sunday, September 28 at 6:30 pm
  Location: Woolly Mammoth Theatre
  Presented by Goethe-Institut Washington and Shakespeare Theatre Company

Greenbelt Arts Center presents a staged reading of It Will All Make Sense in the Morning by Erica Smith, directed by Rocky Nunzio, Saturday, September 20 at 8:00 PM at GAC, 123 Centerway, Greenbelt, MD. Tickets are pay-what-you-can (minimum $5) and available here.

ARTfactory’s Prime Time Players present Morning’s At Seven, a heartwarming and gently comic look at family, love, and the quiet revelations that come with growing older, Friday, September 19 through Sunday, September 21 at the ARTfactory, 9419 Battle St, Manassas, VA. Showtimes and tickets ($20) are available here.

IN Series presents a director’s salon featuring a behind-the-scenes look at St. John the Baptist, the explosive world premiere that will open the company’s 2025/26 season. The event will be held Thursday, September 18 at 6:00 PM at the Southwest Library, 900 Wesley Place SW, Washington, DC. Admission is free; RSVP here.

Theater & Policy Salon presents a Social Media Salon featuring a new play, Drink in Moderation, by DC-based playwright Ben Hatt, which explores the messy world of social media content moderation, with a public conversation on how to ameliorate the digital world’s harmful impacts on individuals and communities in DC and beyond. This event will be held Tuesday, September 16 at 7:30 PM and Wednesday, September 17 at 7:30 PM in Theater Alliance’s pop-up space at 340 Maple Dr SW, Washington, DC. Tickets are $20 suggested donation; RSVP for Tuesday here and Wednesday here.

Teatro de la Luna presents four Saturdays of live bilingual musical entertainment for children at their theater at 4020 Georgia Ave NW, Washington, DC. The lineup includes:

• Cantando-Ando con Mis Amigos Musicales! (Sing-Along with My Musical Friends!), Saturday, September 6 at 3:00 PM
• Cantando-Ando con Gabo y Mate (Sing-Along with Gabo and Mate), Saturday, September 13 at 3:00 PM
• Siempre Amigos (Buddies Not Bullies), Saturday, September 20 at 3:00 PM
• Vientos, Cuerdas, Percusión (Winds, Strings, Percussion), Saturday, September 27 at 3:00 PM

Tickets are $5 (free for children under 3) and available here.

The post Calendar: Play Readings, Workshops, and Short-Run Theater Events in the DMV appeared first on DC Theater Arts.

DC Theater Arts is proud to announce that Nicole Hertvik has returned as Editor in Chief, bringing her extensive experience, editorial vision, and deep commitment to the Washington, DC, theater community back to the organization.

Nicole previously served as Editor in Chief and Publisher of DC Theater Arts from 2017 to 2024, during which time she strengthened editorial standards and expanded the organization’s voice in covering the region’s vibrant theater scene. In her return, she will guide editorial strategy, mentor writers, and help amplify the stories of theater artists and organizations across the DC metropolitan area. In addition to her work at DC Theater Arts, Nicole has been a regular contributor to Washington City Paper, American Theatre Magazine, DCist, and other publications.

“I am thrilled to be returning to a larger, revitalized DC Theater Arts, where I will be able to focus solely on our editorial coverage at a time when art and politics are colliding in the nation’s capital and journalism is expanding into new mediums,” said Nicole. “I am so excited to put on my editorial hat and get to work.”

“Nicole’s leadership has inspired countless writers to pursue their love for theater criticism and journalism,” said Julian Oquendo, Executive Director of DC Theater Arts. “We are thrilled to welcome her back into this role to serve as a voice for theater at this crucial moment for our region.”

DC Theater Arts’ leadership team also includes:

• Julian Oquendo, Executive Director
• John Stoltenberg, Executive Editor
• Megan Wills, Managing Director
• Eric Colchamiro, Development and External Affairs
• Hannah Estifano, News Editor
• Gregory Ford, DC Theater University Editor

Together, this team is committed to ensuring that DC Theater Arts continues to be the region’s leading source of thoughtful, inclusive, and community-focused theater journalism.

For more information, please contact:
Julian Oquendo
Executive Director
DC Theater Arts
julian@dctheaterarts.org

About DC Theater Arts
DC Theater Arts is a nonprofit arts journalism organization dedicated to covering the dynamic theater community of the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. Through reviews, features, interviews, and news, DC Theater Arts amplifies the voices of artists and organizations, fostering deeper connections between theatermakers and audiences.

The post Nicole Hertvik returns as Editor in Chief of DC Theater Arts appeared first on DC Theater Arts.

By Julian Oquendo and Nicole Hertvik for DCTA’s Editorial Team

On Wednesday, August 13, 2025, the DCTA leadership team woke up to the news that President Trump would be making a major announcement at the Kennedy Center. Amid internet rumors that he would be making a name change to the organization, and days after his orders to federalize the DC Metropolitan Police Department and activate the National Guard on American citizens, we made the choice to listen in.

In a rambling speech, Trump instead announced that he would be hosting the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors award ceremony, an announcement that was met with tepid applause. Going off script, Trump engaged in several minutes of performative mock humility, insisting that he did not want to host the event but that his advisors, led by White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, begged him to host so it would get “much higher ratings.”

He then went on to announce the recipients of this year’s awards. The choices of honorees — Gloria Gaynor, KISS, Michael Crawford, George Strait, and Sylvester Stallone — are indicative of Trump’s personal taste and vision for the center: icons of pop culture and mass appeal.

We don’t question the worthiness of these artists to be recognized for their body of work. Each has contributed substantially to American culture. We do note that what is missing is any representation from the fields of opera, classical music, jazz, dance, or other less mainstream performing arts, an element that has been present in previous choices of honorees.

The speech at the Kennedy Center also gave Trump a podium to reiterate his claims that the Kennedy Center is in a state of severe disrepair, and that he would “make Washington, DC the safest, most beautiful capital in the world” through deployment of the National Guard, with a reminder that statehood for DC was “not gonna happen.”

We are witnessing the deployment of a police and military force against U.S. citizens, against the will of many members of that same force, and very much against the will of the people and the government of DC.

So, DC theater friends, what do we do? On Tyranny author Timothy Snyder discusses the importance of community and solidarity, particularly in the context of resisting tyranny and authoritarianism. He emphasizes the need for active participation, individual responsibility, and a strong sense of shared values to safeguard freedom and prevent the erosion of democratic principles. So what can our theater community do for our city during this crisis?

Organizations like Free DC and DC Migrant Solidarity Mutual Aid have offered to work with groups and organizations to train in bystander actions and provide legal resources where available. HIPS and Remora House provide resources for unhoused individuals, as well as harm reduction practices for people impacted by sex work and homelessness. These are the people who are being harassed and taken off the streets at this time. We have definitely missed a few organizations. Get in the comments (on Facebook and Instagram) and shout them out. These are the companies that have opened their doors to this community to support them, to film and share online when there is a police officer occupying space where they shouldn’t be in our city.

We are inviting our theater community, venues, and companies to consider what actions they can take at this time, whether to support these organizations or support their immediate community.

DC Theater Arts is here to support and magnify any company or individual that supports our community during this time. We look forward to serving as a hub for community action. Let’s start a conversation to brainstorm ways the DC theater community can stand up to tyranny. Or, if you are able to take action yourself, fill out this form, and we will share your story with our readership. It appears that the president will keep MPD under his control for 30 days. We will pursue this endeavor through September 30, 2025.

We look forward to hearing from you.

—The DCTA Editorial Team

DC Theater Arts is a 501(c)3 nonprofit. Your contributions are tax-deductible and help us continue this important work. If you are able to contribute, we invite you to donate to our work.

SEE ALSO:
How can theater talk back to Trump? (feature by Deryl Davis, March 31, 2025)

The post What can our theater community do for our city during Trump’s takeover? appeared first on DC Theater Arts.

2025 marks the 50th anniversary of Pride celebrations in Washington, DC, and the first time that the U.S. capital has hosted WorldPride. Here’s a peek at what’s on DC-area stages during World Pride (May 17-June 8), as our local theater community celebrates queer joy and artistry in all its forms.

Stage Plays

* = Partner, Theatre Washington’s Gay for #DCTheatre Festival

Hedwig and the Angry Inch* (Signature Theatre, Arlington, VA). Queer anthem cult classic celebrates surviving against all odds. Runs April 15-June 22. Pride Nights June 6 and June 20. Tickets here.

Head Over Heels* (Constellation Theatre Company, Washington, DC). Renaissance romance, Greek comedy, fantasy, and gender-bending blend in jukebox musical featuring the music of The Go-Go’s. Runs May 1-June 1. Pride Nights May 22 and May 30. Tickets here.

Paradise Blue* (Studio Theatre, Washington, DC). Immersive, music-filled drama about resilience, self-preservation, and community. Runs May 1-June 22. Tickets here.

Falsettos* (The Keegan Theatre, Washington, DC). Tony-winning contemporary musical about family, relationships, bar mitzvahs, baseball and AIDS. Runs May 10-June 15. Tickets here.

Twelfth Night* (Folger Shakespeare Theatre, Washington, DC). A playful interpretation of a beloved Shakespeare comedy that brings gender fluidity, mistaken identities, and what it means to move between worlds into a joyful discovery of love. Runs May 13-June 22. Tickets here.

Pondering About My Memories/Reflexión sobre el Recuerdo (Teatro de la Luna, Washington, DC). A poetic exploration of queerness, cheesiness, love and foolishness reflecting on the past, the present, the uncertainties of the future, and the unbearable question of the meaning of our existence. Runs May 16-25. Tickets here.

We Are Gathered* (Arena Stage, Washington, DC). A new queer love story from the Oscar-winning screenwriter of Moonlight, Tarell Alvin McCraney. Runs May 16-June 15. Tickets here. At select performances beginning May 22, couples are invited to exchange (or renew) their marriage vows on stage as part of Love Takes Center Stage, an immersive experience open to couples 18+ by application. Details and application here.

Senior Class* (Olney Theatre Center, Olney, MD). The class and gender divides of George Bernard Shaw’s original reemerge in surprising ways as two Broadway-obsessed students decide to stage their own original musical version of Shaw’s Pygmalion. Runs May 16-June 22. WorldPride Mixer May 29. Tickets here.

Frankenstein* (Shakespeare Theatre Company, Washington, DC). Emily Burns reimagines Mary Shelley’s gothic science fiction masterpiece as a chilling exploration of the horror within humanity and what it means to create a new life. Runs May 27-June 29. Pride Night June 8. Tickets here.

Andy Warhol in Iran* (Mosaic Theater Company, Washington, DC). When a fascinating University student takes Warhol hostage to publicize his group’s demands, a life or death struggle ensues over revolution, responsibility and the arts. Runs May 29-June 29. Equality Chamber of Commerce Night June 12. Tickets here.

The Berlin Diaries* (Theater J, Washington, DC). Award-winning playwright Andrea Stolowitz opens the pages of her great-grandfather’s journal to discover a previously unknown genealogy and searches for clues that propel her forward and backward in time, pursuing a family history formerly lost to war. Runs June 4-22. Tickets here.

Festivals

WorldPride 2025 International Choral Festival (Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington). 50 concerts. 25 venues. 30 choruses. 16 days. Runs May 22-June 8. Full schedule and tickets here.

WorldPride Arts Hub (Theater Alliance, Washington, DC). Featuring dynamic and inclusive events including vibrant performances, participatory community gatherings, and visual art installations — all designed to celebrate and uplift the richness of queer identity and culture. Runs May 29-June 6. Full schedule and tickets here. Performances include:

• Gender Play, or What You Will by Will Wilhelm and Erin Murray, presented by Theater Alliance and Shakespeare Theatre Company
• Noche de Jotería: A Queer Latine Variety Show, presented by Latinx History Project
• A Concert Reading of FINN, presented by Monumental Theatre Company
• Visual Arts Gallery: Quilts from ACLU Freedom to Be Monument

WoCo Fest 2025: Uplift (Boulanger Initiative and Strathmore, North Bethesda, MD). A two-day festival showcasing an eclectic lineup of LGBTQ+ and allied artists and ensembles, celebrating the voices of women and gender-marginalized composers in thrilling new ways. Runs May 30-31. Details and tickets here.

Improv Pride (Washington Improv Theater, Washington, DC). Celebrating DC’s local LGBTQ+ improv talent. Runs May 30-June 1. Full schedule and tickets here. Events include:

• Ask Me Anything with Brent Minor, founder of Team DC, an association representing the DC area’s LGBTQ sports clubs
• The Cookout: Black Pride Edition, featuring Malik and Rasheed, House of Whitney, and Queerfolk
• Danielle She/Her, a one-woman sketch show by WIT teaching artist Danielle Steger
• Free LBGTQ+ inclusive Improv for All workshops!

Pride Plays (Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, Washington, DC). A festival celebrating the rich tapestry of LGBTQIA+ experiences through the power of live theater. Runs June 3-June 6. Full schedule and tickets here. Plays include:

• The Normal Heart by Larry Kramer, a newly updated definitive edition of the 1985 classic
• Pony, a new work by Sylvan Oswald
• Novios, a new work by Arturo Luíz Soria
• The Hotel/Makeda: A Baltimore Cycle Play, a new work by Lady Dane Figueroa Edidi
• Mother Mary, a new work by KJ Moran Velz
• Fear & Wonder, a new work by Jason Tseng

Short-Run/Single-Performance/Special Events

Lesbo Solo: My Gay History Play (As You Are DC, Washington, DC). Legendary playwright Terry Baum tells us her convoluted and liberating coming-out-story as she both witnesses and creates gay history from the 60s to the present. Runs May 18-24. Four performances only! Tickets here.

Circus of the Self: A Show About Queer Joy, Juggling & Identity* (Spooky Action Theater, Washington, DC). Trans performer Lucy Eden’s one-woman autobiographical busking show interweaves circus, humor, poetry, and personal narrative. Runs May 29-June 6. Ten performances only! Tickets here.

Unmasked: Freedom in Full Color (Alliance for New Music-Theatre, Washington, DC). Vocal artist and composer Deacon, with collaborator Aran, presents his own rules for fully-realized living through poetry and song. Three performances only: at the Arts Club of Washington (June 3) and at Dupont Underground (June 6-7). Details and tickets here.

La Golondrina (Mexican Cultural Institute, Washington, DC). The fate of a strict singing teacher and her student become forever intertwined as they reveal details of their past, a past deeply marked by the Pulse nightclub shooting. Two nights only, June 6-7. Tickets here.

Queer Black Broadway Walking Tours (Off the Mall Tours and Rainbow History Project, Washington, DC). Walking tour of U Street Corridor, known as DC’s Black Broadway, ending at Thurst Lounge, DC’s first queer black-owned bar. Three dates only: May 25, May 31, and June 7. Details and tickets here.

Opera On Tap DC Metro Celebrates WorldPride 2025! (Wonderland Ballroom, Washington, DC). A fabulous night of music from LGBTQ+ composers, librettists, and poets, or that features an LGBTQ+ story or prominent figure. One night only, May 22. FREE! Donations welcome. Register here.

Out/Spoken: Stories That Celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride. (Howard Theatre, Washington, DC). 15th anniversary of Story District’s annual LGBTQ+ storytelling festival. One night only, May 24. Tickets here.

—and Find OUT! (Undercroft Theatre, Washington, DC). African American Collective Theater’s 33rd anniversary festival of new LGBTQ+ short plays celebrating DC Black Pride Weekend, written by Alan Sharp and performed Reader’s Theater style. One day only, May 25. Tickets here.

Queer Dramaturgy: Gender in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night (Folger Shakespeare Theatre, Washington, DC). Explore questions of self-discovery and gender play in Twelfth Night in this workshop with Professor Alexa Alice Joubin. One night only, May 30. FREE! Register here.

Lisa Stephen Friday in Concert: Celebrating Pride (The Keegan Theatre, Washington, DC). Acclaimed actor, musician, and writer Lisa Stephen Friday takes the Keegan Theatre stage to celebrate Pride with a healthy dose of Trans Pride, Trans Joy, and Trans Resilience! With Carmen Castillo. One night only, June 5. Tickets here.

Essex Hemphill: Take Care of Your Blessings (The Phillips Collection, Washington, DC). Essex Hemphill was a prominent Washington, DC, poet, performer, editor, and activist whose work engaged themes of race, gender, sexuality, love, and community during the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Explore his work and influence on visual and performing artists in this special exhibit. Runs May 17-August 31. Includes Notes on Essex poetry performance June 14. Register here.

* = Partner, Theatre Washington’s Gay for #DCTheatre Festival

And while DC’s WorldPride 2025 officially concludes June 8, continue celebrating Pride on stage for the remainder of June with The Rocky Horror Show: Pride Edition, running June 13-29 at Baltimore’s Iron Crow Theatre. Tickets here.

The post Your guide to what’s on stage during WorldPride (May 17 to June 8) appeared first on DC Theater Arts.

Solas Nua announces special guests and programming for Enda Walsh Festival

Shakespeare Theatre Company adds ‘Paranormal Activity’ to 25/26 season

‘We want to bring joy’: José Alberto Uclés and Tom Noll on their love of theater

In Ukrainian play ‘The Trumpeter,’ the cacophony of war in microcosm

New York

A high-spirited reimagining of an operetta classic in ‘Pirates! The Penzance Musical’

Deb Miller – April 30, 2025

Gilbert and Sullivan’s swashbuckling two-act comic opera The Pirates of Penzance, which premiered at NYC’s Fifth Avenue Theatre in 1879, is the subject of a new…

Nominations for the 69th annual Drama Desk Awards for Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off Broadway

Deb Miller – April 30, 2025

This afternoon at 12:50, on Spectrum News NY1, Norm Lewis, along with anchor Rocco Vertuccio and On Stage host Frank DiLella, announced the nominations…

Tony Award nominations for the 2024-25 Broadway season

Deb Miller – May 1, 2025

Nominations for the 78th annual Tony Awards were announced this morning, Thursday, May 1, at 9:00 am, by past recipients Sarah Paulson and Wendell…

The post DCTA had a newsletter glitch. Here’s what you missed. appeared first on DC Theater Arts.

The DC area is home to a robust community of educational institutions that produce theater. In many ways, our local colleges and universities serve as both a boot camp for theater training and a laboratory for creating original works and exploring daring, experimental works rarely seen on professional stages. Many of the theater professionals whose work we see regularly in local professional theaters teach or supervise productions at these schools. How lucky we are. Here are some highlights of what’s coming up this spring on university stages across the DMV area, from George Washington University’s hip hop remix of Shakespeare set in DC (In Gentle Verona) to Gallaudet University’s groundbreaking original ASL musical MEAT EXPECTATIONS, and much more.

American University

• Dance Nation (February 13-15)
• A Game of Love and Chance (February 25-March 1)
• 9-5 The Musical (March 27-29)

Benjamin T. Rome School of Music, Drama, and Art at the Catholic University of America

• The Rivals (February 20-23)
• La bohème (March 27-30)
• Bright Star (April 25-27)

Bowie State University

• The Incubator: Spring Theater Production (March 5-9)
• New Works Festival (April 17-19)

Corcoran School of the Arts and Design at George Washington University

• In Gentle Verona (February 27-March 2)

Gallaudet University

• Bruce Hlibok Playwright Competition (March 12)
• MEAT EXPECTATIONS (April 17-27)

George Mason University

• Mason Cabaret 2025 (January 31-February 2)
• The Tempest (April 3-6)
• Twelve Angry Jurors (May 1-4)

Mask and Bauble Dramatic Society (Georgetown University)

• 39th Annual Donn B. Murphy One Acts Festival (February 13-16)
• Sweeney Todd (April 3-13)

Nomadic Theatre (Georgetown University)

• Miscast (January 31-February 1)
• Ghosts (March 27-April 5)

The Theatre Lab School of the Dramatic Arts

• ‘night, Mother (March 13-15)
• Man of La Mancha (May 15-18)
• Shakespeare in Love (June 5-8)

University of Maryland Baltimore County

• John Proctor Is the Villain (April 3-13)
• in the darkest forest (May 2-4)

University of Maryland School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies

• for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf (February 21-28)
• Hip Hop Anansi (April 18-26)

Click to view DC Theater Arts’ college and university theater Facebook page.

The post Spring 2025 spotlight: what’s coming to local university stages? appeared first on DC Theater Arts.

A future without humanity in ‘Honey Bee Baby’ from Rapid Lemon Productions

This great new play glimpses life in a world of extremes. By CONSTANCE BEULAH

Closing Saturday, February 8, 2025

‘Petite Rouge: A Cajun Red Riding Hood’ lets the good times roll

Imagination Stage presents a joyful, rollicking musical adaptation of the classic fairy tale. By REBECCA CALKIN

The post Last-chance shows to see in the new year appeared first on DC Theater Arts.

DC Theater Arts is proud to announce the appointment of Julian Oquendo as its new Executive Director, Megan Wills as Managing Director, and Eric Colchamiro as Manager of Development and External Affairs. These strategic leadership appointments follow Nicole Hertvik’s announcement of her departure as Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of the website at the end of this year, and they reflect DC Theater Arts’ commitment to advancing its mission of promoting and celebrating the dynamic theater community in the nation’s capital.

Julian Oquendo, serving as Executive Director in a volunteer capacity, brings a wealth of experience in business management and tech automation within the data science and analytics industry, as well as restaurant management in the DC area. He was previously the data analyst for DC Theater Arts (DCTA) and, before that, a contributing writer and tech coordinator for DC Theatre Scene.

Megan Wills, in her new role as Managing Director, brings a rich background in writing, editing, theater, improv comedy, and nonprofit leadership. She has assisted Hertvik and the current leadership team with its expansion and transition into a nonprofit organization.

Eric Colchamiro brings a wealth of experience in outreach and development; he is a government affairs professional in the DC region, and has previously served as a Board of Trustees member for MD’s Round House Theatre and as an audience engagement lead for DC’s Woolly Mammoth Theatre.

Nicole Hertvik will continue to serve as a member of the Board of Directors, along with Don Mike Mendoza, and Chad Campfield. John Stoltenberg (who continues as Executive Editor) and Colchamiro have recently been elected as DCTA’s newest Board members.

Under this new leadership, DC Theater Arts plans to expand its website’s programming, technology, and social media products, strengthen partnerships with local arts groups, and build the next generation of writers and artists. The organization remains dedicated to highlighting the voices of professional and community artists and writers, engaging its audiences, and fostering excellence in journalism within the DMV at a time when hyper-local journalism and its organizations across the country face increasing challenges to remain in operation.

Megan Wills is an actor and improv comedy performer who has served in many roles in local theater and improvisation. She is a graduate of UMBC’s Interdisciplinary Studies Honors Program (Writing, Theater, and Women’s Studies), and made her mark in the Baltimore community by founding Charm City Comedy. There, she championed women in comedy through her Ladies All-Stars improv team and her women’s variety shows, Prim and Proper and Born This Way. Her efforts led to the DMV’s first Women in Comedy panel as part of the Charm City Comedy Festival, which garnered attention from NPR and led to Did You Hear the One About the Female Comedians? Megan also taught children’s improv for Enoch Pratt Library, Pumpkin Theatre, and the Columbia Center for Theatrical Arts. She looks forward to bringing her creative and managerial expertise to DC Theater Arts while continuing her role as Communications Manager for Merriweather Arts and Culture Center.

Eric Colchamiro is a longtime theatergoer in the DMV, and he counts eight Playbill books full of theatrical experiences among his prized possessions. His favorite local productions include Caryl Churchill’s A Number at Studio Theatre, Sarah Ruhl’s A Clean House at Woolly Mammoth, and Psalmayene 24’s Monumental Travesties at Mosaic. A native of the Boston area, Colchamiro is happily married and enjoys taking his young daughter out for a show whenever he can. His extensive experience in fundraising, partnership building, and community engagement will enhance DC Theater Arts’ efforts to expand its reach and secure vital resources to sustain its programs and initiatives.

An accomplished writer, John Stoltenberg holds master’s degrees in Theater Arts from Columbia University and in Public Relations and Communications from Georgetown University. He is retired from a career of more than four decades in publishing, including as managing editor of six national magazines. John has written for DC Theater Arts since 2013, served as Interim Editor-in-Chief of the site during COVID, and in 2021 became Executive Editor. He is a member of the American Theatre Critics/Journalists Association.

About DC Theater Arts
DC Theater Arts is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and celebrating the dynamic theater community of Washington, DC, and the surrounding region. Through in-depth coverage, theater reviews, and training, DC Theater Arts serves as a vital resource for artists, audiences, and arts advocates alike. If you are interested in joining our Board of Directors and would like to find out more, please complete this application.

Social Links
Facebook
Threads
Instagram
Subscribe to our Newsletter

The post DC Theater Arts announces new leadership appointments appeared first on DC Theater Arts.

A star-studded gala at the Kennedy Center Opera House Sunday night, December 8, celebrated the five recipients of the 47th Kennedy Center Honors. Hosted by 2023 honoree and award-winning musician, actor, and producer Queen Latifah, the ceremony honored director and filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola; legendary American rock band The Grateful Dead (Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, the late Phil Lesh, and Bobby Weir); blues rock singer-songwriter and guitarist Bonnie Raitt; jazz trumpeter, pianist, and composer Arturo Sandoval; and The Apollo, which received a special Honor as an iconic American institution.

The 47th Annual Kennedy Center Honors will be broadcast Sunday, December 22, 2024, from 8:30-11:00 p.m., ET/PT on the CBS Television Network and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on-demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the special airs).*

Here’s a quick preview of what you’ll see when you watch.

The Kennedy Center Honors recognizes and celebrates individuals whose unique contributions have shaped the way we see ourselves, each other and our world. Recipients have each had an impact on the rich tapestry of American life and culture through the performing arts. Whether in music, dance, theater, opera, motion pictures, or television, each Kennedy Center Honoree has a unique place in the national consciousness and their influence has inspired audiences from all walks of life.

*Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers will have access to stream live via the live feed of their local CBS affiliate on the service, as well as on-demand. Paramount+ Essential subscribers will not have the option to stream live, but will have access to on-demand the day after the special airs.

SEE ALSO:
Kennedy Center announces honorees for lifetime artistic achievements (news story, July 18, 2024)

The post Previewing the 47th Annual Kennedy Center Honors to air December 22 appeared first on DC Theater Arts.