This popular American musical is an insightful, vibrant and humorous take on our founding fathers' determination to do the right thing for their fledgling nation. As members of the Second Continental Congress struggle to reach consensus, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson argue for independence from the British monarchy. The ensuing debates defined our country. As we explore this historical moment through the evolving identity of America today, this robust, award-winning musical boldly brings our country's beginnings to blazing life.
Shows in DC: Current DC Theatre Productions
Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' searing satire of a family digging through their recently deceased patriarch's crumbling estate is both gut-splittingly funny and shocking in its confrontation of conveniently forgotten family history. DC-luminaries Kimberly Gilbert (Angels in America) and Cody Nickell (Ink) star as siblings battling over the possession and meaning of their father's dark patrimony. As the rest of the family descends on the ancestral property in rural Arkansas, old rivalries and grudges are eclipsed by the moral weight of what they find. Staged in our black box Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab, this will be a unique staging of one of the most important American plays of the past 15 years.
The "love-shaked" Rosalind and her cousin Celia are forced to leave the court where they find respite and adventure in nature, inevitably succumbing to the madness of love and delightfully unpredictable circumstances.
Step into a world where light and dance intertwine in this breathtaking retelling of Sleeping Beauty. As dancers glide across the stage, their illuminated costumes create a dazzling display of color and light, making every twirl and leap feel otherworldly. This isn’t just a ballet show—it’s a magical experience that brings a beloved classic to life in a way you’ve never seen before. Get your tickets now for Ballet of Lights: Sleeping Beauty in a Sparkling Show in Washington DC!
Renowned American actor and stand-up comedian, Bill Bellamy, is celebrated for his magnetic stage presence and distinctive comedic flair. Emerging from his beginnings at MTV, Bellamy has entrenched himself as a cornerstone of the comedy landscape, enchanting audiences with his quick wit, affable charm, and perceptive humor. Spanning several decades, his illustrious career is adorned with memorable roles across film and television. As a stand-up comedian, Bellamy consistently delights audiences, effortlessly drawing crowds with his uproarious anecdotes and astute observations.
Various Locations
Candlelight Concerts in DC are immersive live-music experiences that pair talented local musicians with the warm glow of thousands of candles in some of Washington, DC’s most memorable venues. Created and produced by Fever, the Candlelight series reimagines everything from classical masterworks to contemporary tributes and themed programs, giving you an intimate, atmospheric night out that feels equal parts concert and event.
The year is 1940-something, and Chicago's night scene is sizzling. Enter Joey Evans. A slick-talking, velvet-voiced songster with dreams bigger than the bandstand. But in a city where the right connections mean everything, he is caught between a bright-eyed chorus girl and a wealthy widow who can bankroll his big break-for a price. As the lights dim and the music swells, Joey's got a choice to make: play it straight or risk it all for the spotlight. This classic Rodgers and Hart score, including "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered," "What Is a Man?," and "I Could Write a Book," now includes "This Can't Be Love" and "The Lady Is a Tramp," among others. Co-directed by Tony Award-winning choreographer Savion Glover and actor, director, and producer Tony Goldwyn, the stakes are high, the music is hot, and the game of romance and ambition never sounded so good.
Disney's Beauty and the Beast is the classic story of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, who is really a young prince trapped in a spell placed by an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will end and he will be transformed to his former self. But time is running out. If the Beast does not learn his lesson soon, he and his household will be doomed for all eternity.
From the creators of the hit comedy DRUNK SHAKESPEARE comes The Greatest (Drunk) Love Story Ever Told: DRUNK ROMEO & JULIET! The stage is set in a hidden library speakeasy. One professional actor has 5 shots of whiskey and then attempts to perform a major role in Shakespeare's greatest love story: Romeo & Juliet. Hilarity and mayhem ensue while the remaining sober actors try to keep the script on track. Every show is different depending on who is drinking...and what they're drinking!
The Eureka Day School in Berkeley, California, is a bastion of progressive ideals: representation, acceptance, social justice. In weekly meetings Eureka Day's five board members develop and update policy to preserve this culture of inclusivity, reaching decisions only by consensus. But when a mumps outbreak threatens the Eureka community, facts become subjective and every solution divisive, leaving the school's leadership to confront the central question of our time: How do you build consensus when no one can agree on truth?
Freckleface Strawberry The Musical, based on the beloved New York Times best-selling book by celebrated actress, Julianne Moore, is a fun and touching family musical. Freckleface Strawberry will do anything to get rid of her freckles - from scrubbing them with soap to caking on makeup... and even wearing a ski mask to school! Will her schoolmates realize that it's her under the mask? Will Freckleface be brave enough to finally face her complexion in the mirror? With the help of her lovable schoolmates, including an amazingly talented ballerina, a cutie jock, a charming ditz and a totally kooky teacher, Freckleface learns that everyone is different - and that's what makes everyone special.
In this brand-new show, very young children will discover the beauty of the world during daytime and nighttime. They will watch–and help–Winnie and August work the “day shift:” waking the birds, putting dew in the grass, and baking fresh clouds; and the “night shift:” releasing the fireflies, shining the stars, and banishing nightmares. Using gentle, multi-sensory storytelling and incorporating audience participation.
Identical twins Hilda & Helga are the blonde-haired, blue-eyed ideal- at least according to Uncle M, the researcher-turned-father-figure who supervises their highly controlled children's home in 1940s Germany. After accidentally being exposed to American movies and music, the H Twins become convinced they're destined to be vaudeville stars. The twins tell their story via a darkly funny, musical, reality-bending variety show.
When the plague steals 11-year-old Hamnet from his loving parents, Agnes and William, they must each confront their loss alone. And yet, out of the greatest suffering, something of extraordinary wonder is born. Experience the U.S. premiere of the Royal Shakespeare Company's "sweeping and sentimental" (The Guardian) stage adaptation of Maggie O'Farrell's best-selling novel, adapted by award-winning playwright Lolita Chakrabarti (Life of Pi) and directed by Erica Whyman.
Powerhouse vocalist Awa Sal Secka pays tribute to the Black luminaries who changed Broadway. Spanning the musical canon from Shuffle Along to The Wiz to The Color Purple, Secka toasts such artists such as Juanita Hall, Pearl Bailey, Ben Vereen, Audra McDonald, Lilias White and more in a joyous musical celebration.
Based on the real-life Scopes "Monkey" Trial, this electrifying courtroom drama pits two towering legal minds against each other in a small-town battle over science, religion, and the right to think freely. As the town becomes a stage for national attention, personal conviction clashes with public opinion in a trial that transcends its time. Inherit the Wind, the American classic by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, is a searing, deeply human portrait of a country still wrestling with the cost-and courage-of progress.
Ana is on her own, a scholarship student at a boarding school, until she meets day-student Jonah. But what begins as an exploration of new and joyful desire shifts into more complex negotiations of intimacy and survival, covering decades in one woman’s life. Critically lauded in New York, Jonah is a story of rage, resilience, and the radical possibilities of trust by Studio favorite Rachel Bonds.
Don't miss the area premiere of Cricket Daniel's hilarious and poignant comedy The Lost Virginity Tour. Join us as four women bond during a road trip to the places where they first became women. Friendship, heartache, regrets and first loves. Will revisiting the past alter their future? Take a journey down memory lane with turns toward the unexpected as each lady recounts an introduction to sex in often hilarious but sometimes harrowing detail! Directed by John Morogiello.
The Capital Hilton
Brian Curry has a secret. He's going to read your thoughts, predict your future and blow your mind. But what does that make him? A psychic, a mentalist, a magician or a very good liar? Packed with twists and turns and a sneak peak into the techniques of an incredible liar, this 60 minute performance will leave you astounded long after the curtain closes.
Various Locations
Two demographically diverse, snarky sleight-of-hand experts battle live and onstage, for the title of DMV's Best Magician in The Magic Duel. Packed with fast-paced, seriously funny magic, audience members choose the contest's magical challenges and vote electronically for the winner of the coveted 'Golden Wand.'
All aboard for intrigue! Ken Ludwig's thrilling adaptation of Agatha Christie's beloved mystery follows detective Hercule Poirot as he races to solve a murder aboard the luxurious Orient Express. With a train full of suspects and a murderer on the loose, this stylish whodunit is packed with drama, suspense, and theatrical flair.
After one shady deal too many, Hassan and Shirin’s brother is waiting in his cell for sentencing. For Shirin, successful and with a university degree, it is the long-overdue consequence of her brother’s lifestyle without any desire on his part to “integrate.” For Hassan and his friends Omar, Murat, and Freddie, it is the arbitrary violence of an unfair system that never gave them a chance. Trying to convert the pressures into political energy, they organize a demonstration against racial profiling when thugs show up and things take an unexpected turn. With fast-paced dialogue, playwright Arad Dabiri raises troubling questions about national identity, family guilt, personal responsibility, and individual freedom.
WANTED: Someone to go back in time with me. This is not a joke. You'll get paid after we get back. Must bring your own weapons. I have only done this once before. SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED. After seeing this classified ad, ambitious journalist Darius sets out on an expedition to find its writer. When she agrees to go along for the ride, however, Darius finds herself in way over her head.
In this story filled with music and puppets, a clash between a brainy library mouse and a gaggle of street mice leads to wild stories and comic chases, teaching children to respect differences, appreciate books, and find confidence in who they are.
An uplifting comeback story like no other, TINA - The Tina Turner Musical is the inspiring journey of a woman who broke barriers and became the Queen of Rock n' Roll. Set to the pulse-pounding soundtrack of her most beloved hits, this electrifying sensation will send you soaring to the rafters.
A Learning Theater Production. A group of princesses, each more beautiful than the last, are locked in their room each night, but in the morning, their dancing shoes are completely worn through as if they had been dancing all night! Unable to find the cause, the King promises that anyone who can solve the mystery may choose one of his daughters to wed. Join Creative Cauldron's Learning Theater Ensemble as a brave young soldier reveals the secret and a magical dancing kingdom. This enchanting adaptation of this classic Grimm tale features Spanish language elements and original music by Matt Conner and Stephen Gregory Smith.
A timely immigrant love-comedy with music. Adapted from Shakespeare's Two Gentlemen of Verona, the story follows friends-turned-rivals from Ireland to America during the Great Famine, blending Shakespeare's wit with traditional Irish tunes and delivering a dynamic celebration of love, immigration, and humanity.
L. Frank Baum’s beloved story of a Kansas farm girl who travels over the rainbow to the Land of Oz has thrilled audiences for generations. This delightful musical adaptation of the classic tale features the iconic score from the MGM film. Follow Dorothy, Toto, and friends down the yellow brick road to the Emerald City to find brains, heart, courage, and the magical power of home!