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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Round House Theatre continues its 2025/26 season with the U.S. premiere of Rules For Living, a wickedly funny yuletide farce about family dysfunction and societal norms. Written by British playwright Sam Holcroft, the play has been newly adapted for American audiences and is directed by Round House Artistic Director Ryan Rilette. It will run from December 3-January 4. More information and tickets here.

The play follows a family preparing Christmas lunch. As the matriarch of the house puts everyone to work to create the perfect meal, what seemingly starts as a pleasant Christmas tradition descends into chaotic revelations of secrets, hostilities, and bitter grudges. As the story unfolds, the audience uncovers the hidden “rules” each character follows to cope with family dynamics, offering a sharp, funny look at how we handle pressure and conflict.

“I’m so excited to tackle this hilarious holiday comedy with a dream team of comedic actors. Rules for Living takes the typical dysfunctional family holiday story into new territory by drawing attention to the unspoken rules we all follow, often unconsciously, and the coping mechanisms we rely on when navigating the complexities of family dynamics. It’s an entertaining and relatable story told with wit, heart, high energy, and a lot of laughs,” says Artistic Director Ryan Rilette.  

The cast includes Will Conard, Jonathan Feuer, Avery Harris, Naomi Jacobson, John Lescault, Maisie Posner, Dani Stoller, and Dina Thomas.

The cast is joined by a brilliant creative team, which includes Scenic Designer Jimmy Stubbs, Costume Designer Ivania Stack, Lighting Designer Emma Deane, Sound Designer Delaney Bray, Fight Director Casey Kaleba, Dramaturg Naysan Mojgani, Casting Director Sarah Cooney, Assistant Director Michael Glenn, Production Stage Manager Tori Schuchmann, and Production Assistant Ellen Mitchell.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Sam Holcroft (Playwright) is an award-winning playwright and screenwriter. Theater credits include A Mirror (Trafalgar Theatre, West End), co-produced with Second Half Productions; the musical Fantastic Mr. Fox (Nuffield Theatre, Southampton and Lyric Hammersmith); Rules for Living, The Wardrobe, and Edgar and Annabel (The National Theatre); While You Lie (Traverse Theatre); Pink (Tricycle Theatre); Vanya (Gate Theatre); and Cockroach (National Theatre of Scotland). Television work includes The Rook (Lionsgate). Awards include the Windham Campbell Prize for Literature in the Drama category and the Tom Erhardt Playwriting Award for Most Promising Writer. Sam is currently writing on an HBO series, is developing a new play for Second Half Productions, and is under commission to the National Theatre. 

Ryan Rilette (Director) is in his fourteenth season as Artistic Director of Round House Theatre. For Round House, he has directed Bad Books (world premiere), The Seafarer, “We declare you a terrorist…” (world premiere), Throw Me on the Burnpile and Light Me Up, Homebound, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Oslo, Small Mouth Sounds, “Master Harold”…and the Boys, The Book of Will, Angels in America: Perestroika, The Night Alive, Fool for Love, This, and How to Write a New Book for the Bible. He also acted in Ink and Uncle Vanya at Round House, has directed at theatres throughout the country, and has acted in a handful of TV shows and films. During his tenure at Round House, he has produced seven of the 10 highest grossing seasons and 17 of the top 20 highest grossing productions in the theater’s history. His productions have received 99 Helen Hayes Awards nominations and 30 Helen Hayes Awards. Ryan created the theater’s Equal Play commissioning program, Resident Artist program, Fair Play pay scale for artists, and Free Play ticketing program. Prior to joining Round House, Ryan served as Producing Director of Marin Theatre Company, Producing Artistic Director of Southern Rep Theatre, and co-founder and Artistic Director of Rude Mechanicals Theatre Company. He is the former Board President of the National New Play Network. 

CAST INFORMATION (ALPHABETICAL)

Will Conard (Matthew) is a recent graduate of NYU’s Grad Acting MFA program and is very excited to begin his theatrical career at Round House Theatre in this production of Rules for Living. Film/TV: Lapsis. BA: Brown University.

Jonathan Feuer (Adam) is making his Round House Theatre debut. Local credits include Richard III and As You Like It at Shakespeare Theatre Company, John at Signature Theatre, Monumental Travesties and Charm at Mosaic Theater Company, Antigone Project at Rep Stage, and The Call at Theater J. He has also worked at Arena Stage, Studio Theatre, Kennedy Center TYA, Imagination Stage, Prologue Theatre, Solas Nua, Spooky Action Theater, The Keegan Theatre, Adventure Theatre, and more. Jonathan is an MFA graduate of the Academy for Classical Acting at GW. He will next appear in Eureka Day at Theater J in the spring.

Avery Harris (Emma) is delighted to be stepping onto the Round House Theatre stage for the first time. Her most recent credits include The Bedwetter (Laura) at Arena Stage and Ragtime (The Little Girl) at Signature Theatre (Helen Hayes Nomination for Best Ensemble). Other theater credits include The Little Mermaid (Ariel) and Matilda (Matilda).

Naomi Jacobson (Deborah) has appeared at Round House in Caroline, or Change; The Lyons; Wintertime; The Talented Mr. Ripley; Smell of the Kill (all married to actual husband John Lescault); The Tempest; and Mere Mortals. She has performed at most of the DC-area Equity theatres, including The Kennedy Center, Shakespeare Theatre, Arena Stage, Signature Theatre, and Woolly Mammoth Theatre. Regionally, she has performed at the Guthrie Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Cleveland Playhouse, Milwaukee Rep, Center Stage, Cincinnati Playhouse, Indiana Rep, Arizona Theatre Company, Village Theatre, Maltz Jupiter, and the Berkshire Theatre Festival. Her voiceover work includes NPR, PBS, Discovery Channel, and the Smithsonian. She has received three Helen Hayes Awards, numerous nominations, the Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship, the Anderson-Hopkins Award, and a DC Arts Individual Artist grant. 

John Lescault (Francis) Previous credits at Round House include Shakespeare, Moses, and Joe Papp; Our Town; Wintertime; The Lyons; Caroline, or Change; A Prayer for Owen Meany; and Handbagged. International credits include Defiant Requiem (Prague Spring Music Festival) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Shakespeare Theatre Company/Macau Arts Festival). New York credits include Handbagged (59E59/ Round House Theatre) and Le Deserteur (Opera Lafayette at Lincoln Center). Regional credits: Native Gardens and A Prayer for Owen Meany (Cincinnati Playhouse); The Second City’s Twist Your Dickens, Love Factually, and Opera Lafayette’s Sancho Ponca (The Kennedy Center), as well as productions at Arena Stage, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Signature Theatre, Ford’s Theatre, Studio Theatre, Olney Theatre, and CATF (among many others). Film/TV: Lincoln, The Day Lincoln Was Shot, Unsolved Mysteries, Beautiful Something, The Fox Hunter, and Dakota. John has been a narrator of commercial audiobooks and for the Library of Congress’s Talking Books program for 30 years. He is a graduate of The Catholic University of America.

Maisie Posner (Emma) is ecstatic to be making her Round House Theatre debut in this hilarious and heartfelt play. Previous professional roles include Bielke in Fiddler on the Roof at the Olney Theatre Center and Rebecca Gibbs in Our Town at the Shakespeare Theatre. She has also done professional readings of The Story of Walter for Signature Theatre and Shakespeare & the Zombie Plague of 1590. Maisie is a 9th grader in the CAP Program at Montgomery Blair High School. 

Dani Stoller (Carrie) is an award-winning playwright and actor currently based in Washington, DC. Performance credits include This Much I Know (59E59 Off-Broadway); Which Way to the Stage and Ragtime (Signature Theatre, Helen Hayes Nomination for Best Supporting Performer); My Body, No Choice (Arena Stage, Helen Hayes Nomination for Best Supporting Performer); As You Like It, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and District Merchants (Folger Theatre); The Joy That Carries You, The Humans, The Diary of Anne Frank, and The Crucible (Olney Theatre Center); and This Much I Know, Hester Street (Helen Hayes Nomination for Best Supporting Performer), and Prayer for the French Republic (Helen Hayes Nomination for Best Supporting Performer)(Theater J). She has also performed at Studio Theatre, 1st Stage, Keegan Theatre, and The Kennedy Center. Playwriting credits include Easy Women Smoking Loose Cigarettes (Signature Theatre), Just Great: an adaptation of some book by F. Scott Fitzgerald (recently published by Broadway Licensing), The Voices of Blackwell Island, The Possumneck Playhouse Presents…, Failureland (Signature Theater SIS Program), Girlhood (Round House Theatre Teen Performance Company commission), and The Joy That Carries You, co-written with Awa Sal Secka (Olney Theatre Center, winner of the Helen Hayes Charles MacArthur Award for Best New Play). Education: BFA Ithaca College, MFA CUA.

Dina Thomas (Nicole) is a DC theater artist and real estate agent who is thrilled to be back after making her Round House debut earlier this year in the reading of Baby Shower Katie. Other DC credits include At The Wedding, Cry It Out and 2.5 Minute Ride at Studio Theatre; The Berlin Diaries, Chameleon, and The Wanderers at Theater J; Much Ado About Nothing and The Metromaniacs at Shakespeare Theater Company. Her Off-Broadway credits include The Metromaniacs at Red Bull Theater, Clever Little Lies at Westside Theatre, and Tribes at Barrow Street Theatre directed by David Cromer. Regional credits include Everything You Touch at Contemporary American Theater Festival; The Metromaniacs at The Old Globe; See How They Run and 10×10 New Play Festival at Barrington Stage Company; and Bad Jews (BroadwayWorld Award, Best Actress), I’m Gonna Pray For You So Hard, and Miss Witherspoon at Unicorn Theatre. She has an MFA in Acting from the University of Missouri–Kansas City and a B.A. in Theatre from Binghamton University.

Ari Post (Understudy, Matthew/Adam) is thrilled to make his Round House Theatre debut with Rules for Living. DC credits include The Comedy of Errors, Romeo and Juliet, and The Rover at Shakespeare Theatre Company; Electionland at Storyworks Theater; and The Two Gentlemen of Verona and The Odyssey at Shakespeare Theatre Company (MFA). Other credits include Now to Ashes at the DC Fringe Festival (Best of Fringe), and Venus in Fur, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, and Side Man at local area theaters. Upcoming credits include Appropriate at Olney Theatre Center and Once at NextStop Theatre Company. Training: MFA in Acting, Shakespeare Theatre Company at George Washington University.

Vince Rossano (Understudy, Francis) is back for his second understudy gig at Round House.  He is a recent arrival in the DMV area, having spent most of his nearly-60-year theatrical career performing in regional theater in his home state of Vermont. In the past few years, he has appeared in Much Ado About Nothing, The Seagull, and The Father at Unadilla Theater, Taming of the Shrew at the Vermont Shakespeare Festival, Native Gardens and A Number at Vermont Stage, and To Kill a Mockingbird and Kiss Me Kate at the Mirror Repertory Theater. He and his wife have also toured the Eastern Seaboard with their production of A.R. Gurney’s Love Letters. He has a degree in theatre from the University of Vermont and also studied theatre at Goddard College.

Amy Benson (Understudy, Carrie/Nicole) is thrilled to be understudying at Round House Theatre once again! Amy is Round House’s Artistic and Executive Associate, was the assistant to director Alan Paul on Round House’s production of Next to Normal, and understudied the incomparable Kimberly Gilbert in What the Constitution Means to Me. She is also the Festival Producer for the workshops during the Bonnie Hammerschlag National Capital New Play Festival. She was the Founding Artistic Director of Walking Shadow Readers Theatre, a new play development company, and has directed Best Medicine Rep, Too Much Damn Theater, and the Philadelphia Dramatists Center.  Amy also has extensive teaching experience as a teaching artist at Imagination Stage, Adventure Theatre, and Epworth Preschool. She has taught in Beijing, China, and Berlin, Germany, where she founded her own acting studio, Amy Benson Studios. Amy has a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.

Mara Rosenberg is delighted to return to Round House Theatre, where she understudied the role of Nan in Jennifer, Who is Leaving. Since relocating to the DMV from Charlotte, NC, Mara has been seen in productions at Silver Spring Stage (Circle, Mirror, Transformation), NOVA Nightsky Theater (Picnic and The American Plan), The Arlington Players (A Daughter’s a Daughter), Greenbelt Arts Center (Motherhood Out Loud), and Pipeline Playwrights (Wednesdays in Mississippi). Mara spends her days making silly voices as a school librarian.

Rules for Living runs December 3, 2025-January 4, 2026, at Round House Theatre, 4545 East-West Highway, Bethesda, MD. Performances are Tuesday through Friday at 7:30 PM, Saturday at 8:00 PM, and Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 PM. Tickets start at $50 with ticket discounts available. Purchase tickets by calling 240.644.1100, ordering online, or visiting the box office.

Available ticket discounts include:

• Pay-What-You-Can performances: PWYC tickets go on sale online or by phone only (no walk-up sales) beginning three weeks before the first performance of each show. The patron decides the admission price. Limit of two tickets per order. PWYC tickets are available for performances on Wednesday, December 3 (7:30pm) and Saturday, December 6 (2pm) and are subject to availability.

• 2-For-1 Tuesday: For all Tuesday performances of Rules for Living, all seats are buy one, get one free. 2-for-1 Tuesday tickets are available online or by phone (240.644.1100) with promo code TWOFORONE. Discounts may not be combined. Not valid on previously purchased tickets.

 • Free Play: Free Tickets for students ages 13 through college: Round House Theatre’s Free Play initiative ties into its greater strategy to develop theater audiences of tomorrow by providing rich, meaningful arts experiences today. For more information, visit RoundHouseTheatre.org/FreePlay or email Education@RoundHouseTheatre.org.

• On the House community ticket access program: Round House’s next step to remove barriers that can make it difficult for some community members to experience its work is On the House, which provides complimentary group tickets to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and community-serving organizations with a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor. For more information, visit RoundHouseTheatre.org/On-Stage/On-The-House or email Community@RoundHouseTheatre.org.

• Blue Star Theatre Program: Active-duty military personnel, veterans, and their immediate family qualify for a $10 discount off the single ticket price. Learn more at RoundHouseTheatre.org/On-Stage/Tickets.

• Group Sales: Groups of 10 or more can save 10% off the single ticket price and are exempt from single ticket fees. These tickets must be reserved and purchased in advance by calling 240.644.1100 or emailing GroupSales@RoundHouseTheatre.org.

ACCESSIBLE PERFORMANCES

• Audio-Described performances: December 13 (matinee)
• Open-Captioned performances: December 14, December 20 (matinee)
• Masks are required at the following performance: January 3 (matinee)

POST AND PRE-SHOW DISCUSSIONS

• Post Show Discussions: Dec 3, Dec 4, Dec 14, Dec 21
• Director Discussion: Dec 5 at 6:45 pm
• Designer Discussion: Dec 3 at 6:45 pm
• Teen Night: Dec 5: Join Round House for dinner followed by a pre-show discussion before the show and attend a performance of the play followed by a post-show activity.

ROUND HOUSE THEATRE HEALTH & SAFETY POLICIES

Round House Theatre no longer requires that audience members wear masks for most performances in its theater. However, masks are required for certain performances and for events in other Round House spaces, including the Event Room. Round House continues to strongly recommend masks as the best way for individuals to protect themselves from COVID-19 and other seasonal viruses, and asks audience members to respect the choices of others. Round House will offer a limited number of mask-required performances for audience members who may prefer a fully masked environment. Masks are required for the matinee performance on January 3.

ABOUT ROUND HOUSE THEATRE

Round House Theatre is one of the leading professional theaters in the Washington, DC area, producing a season of new plays, modern classics, and musicals for more than 50,000 patrons each year at its theater in Bethesda. Round House has been nominated for 235 Helen Hayes Awards and has won 54, including four Outstanding Resident Play Awards and the Charles MacArthur Award for Original New Play in 2016. Round House’s lifelong learning and education programs serve more than 5,000 students each year at its Education Center in Silver Spring, in schools throughout Montgomery County, and at its Bethesda theater. Cornerstone programs include Free Play, which provides free tickets for students age 13-college, the Teen Performance Company, which culminates in the student-produced Sarah Metzger Memorial Play, Summer Camp for students in grades K-12, and a full slate of classes for adults and youth.

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Baltimore Center Stage (BCS) proudly announces the next cohort of Lab410, the theater’s play development initiative dedicated to amplifying the voices of playwrights with deep connections to Baltimore. Following a competitive open call that drew dozens of submissions from across the region, three playwrights have been selected for the 2025/26 residency: Ty’Ree Hope Davis, Madeline “Mo” Oslejsek, and Jalice Ortiz-Corral.

Launched in 2024 under the artistic leadership of Stevie Walker-Webb, Lab410 reflects BCS’s commitment to nurturing bold new voices whose stories are nurtured by, based in, or dedicated to Baltimore. Each playwright will participate in a year-long residency, receiving developmental support, mentorship, and the opportunity to present a public reading or workshop of their new work.

“Baltimore is a city of storytellers and Lab410 exists to make sure those stories are heard,” said Stevie Walker-Webb, Artistic Director of Baltimore Center Stage. “This new cohort represents a dynamic range of artistic perspectives, each rooted in truth, courage, and creativity. Their voices are exactly what the American theater needs right now.”

Meet the 2025/26 BCS Lab410 Playwrights

Ty’Ree Hope Davis – RIOT: The Beat of Freddie Gray

A recent BFA Acting graduate of Howard University’s Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts, Davis is an actor, poet, and artistic activist from West Baltimore. His one-man play, RIOT: The Beat of Freddie Gray, explores rhythm, grief, and resilience in the wake of social unrest. The piece has been performed at Howard University, Young Playwrights Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre Company, and will appear at Everyman Theatre in 2026.

Madeline “Mo” Oslejsek – A Beautiful and Interesting Disease

A queer multidisciplinary artist and graduate of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (London), Oslejsek’s work interrogates identity, queerness, and the multiplicity of human experience. Her writing blends poetic imagination with theatrical experimentation, reflecting an evolving journey toward authenticity and artistic freedom.

Jalice Ortiz-Corral – Who’s Been Giving out Plan-B at the Library?

A writer, director, and stand-up comic from Baltimore, Ortiz-Corral is a two-time graduate of London’s Royal Holloway University and Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. She currently serves as Marketing Coordinator at Everyman Theatre and has directed at Strand Theatre and the Baltimore Shakespeare Factory. Her sharp, irreverent writing explores modern womanhood, reproductive politics, and humor as survival.

About Lab410

Lab410 offers selected playwrights a year-long residency including dramaturgical guidance, professional mentorship, and opportunities for public presentation. The initiative was established as part of Baltimore Center Stage’s broader mission to cultivate local talent and contribute new voices to the national theater landscape.

The program’s inaugural cycle drew nearly 100 submissions, culminating in a staged workshop of Karen Li’s Canton Waterfront in August 2025. The Lab410 name pays tribute to Baltimore’s area code — a symbolic nod to the city’s creative heartbeat, charm and the artists shaping its future.

About Baltimore Center Stage

Designated the State Theater of Maryland in 1978, Baltimore Center Stage provides the highest quality theater and programming for all members of its community, including youth and families, under the leadership of Artistic Director Stevie Walker-Webb and Producing Director Ken-Matt Martin. Baltimore Center Stage ignites conversations and imaginations by producing an eclectic season of professional productions across two mainstages, through engaging community programs, and with inspiring education programs. Baltimore Center Stage is led by its core values — chief among them being Access For All. Its mission is heavily rooted in providing active and open accessibility for everyone, regardless of any and all barriers, to Mainstage performances, education initiatives, and community programming.

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Theaters across the Washington, DC-area are offering free and discounted tickets to federal workers affected by the ongoing shutdown. In uncertain times, theater can be a powerful communal experience – a place to seek a deep understanding or to simply be entertained.

See the full list of participating theatres and their offers.

“DC-area theater is rooted in the vibrancy and diversity of its residents and visitors. At a time when federal workers find themselves living through another period of uncertainty, we open our theater doors to them. Theater is a place you can be uplifted, find laughter, or find catharsis. Together, the DC-area theater community says, ‘You are welcome here!’” said Amy Austin, President and CEO of Theatre Washington.  

“STC believes art should be accessible, and in addition to our ongoing dedication to a range of ticket prices, we have extended offers of low-price seats to as many performances as possible for furloughed employees. In addition, as theater artists, it is important to us that art be a community, and that the theater is a safe place where people can find comfort, joy, or an escape, without the added financial strain,” said Angela Gieras, Executive Director of Shakespeare Theatre Company.

“Whether you’re looking for a deeper connection to what it means to be human, or just in need of a night of escapism – a night at the theater fits the bill,” said Jenny McConnell Frederick, Artistic Director of Rorschach Theatre.

About Theatre Washington
Through collaborative partnerships, advocacy and programs, Theatre Washington supports the Washington, DC-area’s professional theater community to celebrate artistic achievement, strengthen the theatrical workforce, support institutional growth and advancement, and cultivate collective action. Theatre Washington’s core programs include: the Helen Hayes Awards, Theatre Week, Theatre Work, and the Taking Care Fund.

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Round House Theatre has announced the passing of Jerry B. Whiddon, longtime artistic director of Round House and founding member of Street 70, who died on October 17 at age 77, surrounded by family and friends. The cause of death was complications of Alzheimer’s disease.

“It is difficult to overstate Jerry’s impact on the history and growth of this organization,” says Artistic Director Ryan Rilette. “Beyond his two decades of leadership, which marked a period of profound growth for Round House, Jerry’s artistic point of view — as both an actor and a director — was experienced in performances all over the region. He was a visionary and a dear friend, and he will be deeply missed.”

In 1970, freshly armed with a theatre degree from Towson University, Whiddon became a founding member of the new Street 70, the Rockville city program that, in 1973, became associated with the Montgomery County Department of Recreation — and that would eventually become Round House Theatre. Street 70 was “literally a street theater,” Whiddon told the Washington Post in 1998. “We performed at intersections. In shopping center parking lots. There was lots of touring, lots of classes.” Whiddon became artistic director of Street 70 in 1977, the same season that it was rechristened as Round House Theatre. A year later, he relinquished the role to Jeffrey B. Davis and moved to New York to pursue an acting career, though he continued to perform at Round House.

In 1985, recently married to Jean Brown and expecting their first child, Whiddon returned to Maryland to assume the role of Round House’s Producing Artistic Director, serving in that capacity until 2005.

Whiddon’s years at Round House’s helm were transformative for the company, including the expansion into an independent non-profit entity, the transition of the theater to a LORT-D union house, and the move from the former venue on Bushey Drive in Silver Spring to Round House’s current home in downtown Bethesda and Education Center in downtown Silver Spring.

Whiddon directed 23 productions at Round House (including Our Town with Pat Carroll, the production that opened Round House’s current building) and appeared on stage numerous times, including favorite roles in An Almost Holy Picture, The Weir, and Uncle Vanya, receiving multiple Helen Hayes Award nominations across acting and directing categories. He acted and/or directed at theaters across the region, including Adventure Theatre, Arena Stage, Bay Theatre, Everyman Theatre, Folger Theatre, the Kennedy Center, Olney Theatre, Studio Theatre, and Theater J, as well as Off and Off-Off Broadway.

“It always matters to me that the artists are at the center of everything we do,” said Whiddon in 2002. “Creating the environment where they can each be their best, bring their best, and explore the outer edges of their abilities brings me no end of joy.”

Whiddon is survived by his wife of 42 years, Jean Whiddon (Lewes, DE); daughters Amelia (Jon) DeBord (Brooklyn, NY) and Hannah (fiancé Matthew Axell-House) Whiddon (Lewes, DE); grandsons Cole and Tate DeBord; and brother William Whiddon (Ashburn, VA).

A memorial service celebrating the life of Jerry Whiddon will be held at Round House Theatre (4545 East-West Highway, Bethesda, MD) on Monday, December 15 at 1pm. His family asks that those wishing to commemorate Jerry consider a memorial donation to Round House Theatre, his artistic home for so many years.

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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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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. 

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The Keegan Theatre is pleased to announce the cast and team of Lizzie, the ferocious punk-rock musical that reimagines the infamous 1892 axe murder as a visceral, unapologetic thrill ride, playing October 31-November 30, 2025.

“I’m so honored to be directing Lizzie for Keegan Theatre,” remarks Director and Choreographer Jennifer J. Hopkins. “It’s a story about dangerous women, or perhaps the consequences that result in denying them agency. Our production shares a version of Lizzie’s story that exudes the struggle for power with rock music only survivors – and this wildly talented, powerhouse cast of performers – can generate. I invite audiences to come discover why Lizzie’s story still resonates today, and to experience the roller coaster of caution and collision.”

On October 31, Keegan unleashes Lizzie, the ferocious punk-rock musical that rips the lid off the legend of Lizzie Borden. Fueled by rage, retribution, and a blistering all-female rock score, Lizzie reimagines the infamous 1892 axe murder in a show that’s equal parts gothic horror, riot grrrl rebellion, and rock concert. Lizzie is a visceral, unapologetic thrill ride. Blood will spill. Guitars will wail. Justice will scream.

The cast of Lizzie includes Caroline Graham (Lizzie), Brigid Wallace Harper (Bridget), Sydne Lyons (Emma), and Savannah Blackwell (Alice), with understudies Chloe Pearl and Hana Clarice. 

In addition to Director and Choreographer Jennifer J. Hopkins, the creative team includes Marika Countouris (Music Director), Gabrielle Busch (Assistant Director), Sierra Young (Blood and Intimacy Coordinator), Deb Crerie (Dramaturg), Josh Sticklin (Scenic Designer and Technical Director), Sage Green (Lighting Designer), Alec Green (Sound Designer), Logan Benson (Costume Designer), Tiesha Cooper (Hair/Wig/Make-up Designer), Cindy Landrum Jacobs (Properties and Set Dressing Designer), Lorna Ryan (Sound Engineer), Jared H. Graham (Production Manager), Kristen Geatz Temple (Stage Manager), and Eileen Jones (Assistant Stage Manager).

Lizzie the Musical runs October 31-November 30, 2025 at the Keegan Theatre, 1742 Church Street NW, Washington, DC. Performances are Thursdays-Saturdays at 8:00 pm, Sundays at 3:00 pm, and select Mondays and Wednesdays at 8:00 pm. Tickets are $70 ($60 students and seniors) and available online.

Special events scheduled throughout the run include:

• Sunday, November 9: Matinee Child Care is available onsite, provided by Keegan PLAY-RAH-KA Teaching Artists. (Limited capacity, advance registration required.)
• Sunday, November 9: “Meet the Artists” Talkback immediately following the matinee performance. Free and open to all patrons!
• Friday, November 14: Young Professionals Happy Hour, which includes discounted tickets to the show and 1 complimentary drink coupon for patrons under 30 years old.
• Sunday, November 16: Post-Show Discussion: The Erasure of Female and Queer Histories, immediately following the matinee performance. Special invited guests, to be announced soon, will discuss the suspected queer identity of Lizzie Borden and how female and queer histories are so often erased. Free and open to all patrons!
• Wednesday, November 19: Student Night, which includes discounted tickets to the show for current students with valid student ID, plus an opportunity to socialize with Keegan staff and leadership.

The post Keegan Theatre announces cast and creative team for ‘Lizzie the Musical’ appeared first on DC Theater Arts.

The clocks are set. The line is drawn. Ann and Sophie have a chance to be champions. As their relationships, their bodies and their very identities are pulled into public scrutiny, does being exceptional come at too high a price? A gripping exploration of the underside of women’s athletics, Fair Play is the new work from Ella Road (The Phlebotomist), “the most promising young playwright in Britain.” – The Telegraph

The 1st Stage production of Fair Play features Mahkai Dominique and Camille Pivetta, and welcomes the actors to 1st Stage. The production is directed by 1st Stage Associate Artistic Director Deidra LaWan Starnes (hang, Quilters, The Rainmaker, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and others).

The design team includes: scenic design by Sarah Beth Hall, lighting design by Alberto Segarra, sound design by Thom Woodward, costume design by Cidney Forkpah, props design by Justin Nepomuceno, projection design by Mark Costello, dialect coaching by Jeri Marshall, and intimacy coaching by Lorraine Ressegger.

Fair Play runs October 16 – November 2, 2025 at 1st Stage, 1524 Spring Hill Rd, Tysons, VA 22102. Showtimes are Thursdays at 7:30pm, Fridays at 7:30 pm, Saturdays at 2 pm and 7:30 pm, and Sundays at 2 pm. General admission tickets are dynamically priced at $25 (limited availability), $40 (limited availability), and $55. Student, educator, and military tickets are $15. Tickets can be purchased online at www.1ststage.org or by calling the 1st Stage box office at 703-854-1856. 

The run time is approximately 90 minutes with no intermission. Captions and audio description will be offered for select performances. Check 1ststage.org/fair-play for the schedule.

About 1st Stage
1st Stage Theatre is an award-winning professional theater in the heart of Tysons, Virginia. The company serves as a cultural hub for the community producing first-rate theatrical productions as well as hosting professional musicians, orchestras, and visual artists, and providing educational opportunities for the community. 1st Stage’s production of The Nance received 4 Helen Hayes Awards in 2025, including Outstanding Production, and was the most nominated production in the region. Other awards include the American Theatre Wing’s National Theatre Company award. Additionally, 1st Stage is a renewed member of the Spur Local (formerly the Catalogue for Philanthropy) class of 2024-2025. In September 2016, The Wall Street Journal called 1st Stage “one of America’s most impressive smaller regional companies.”

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