Get Down Tonight: Classic Funk Now Playing at Signature Theatre

Signature Theatre is closing out its 2025–2026 cabaret season with a high-energy celebration of one of music's most irresistible genres. Get Down Tonight: Classic Funk is now playing at Signature's ARK Theatre in Arlington, Virginia through May 17, 2026, and it delivers exactly what the title promises — a joyful, groove-heavy evening that has audiences clapping along from the first number and, before long, on their feet.

The show is led by Isaac "Deacon Izzy" Bell, a seven-time Washington Area Music Award winner and Howard University graduate who has become one of the most beloved performers in Signature's cabaret series. Joining him is Shayla S. Simmons, a DC-area theatre veteran whose credits range from Signature's own productions to Shakespeare Theatre Company and a Helen Hayes Award nomination for her work at Constellation Theatre. Together, the two bring an easy chemistry and genuine command of the material that elevates the evening well beyond a simple song revue.

The setlist draws from the deep well of classic funk, featuring tracks from James Brown, Sly and The Family Stone, George Clinton, Prince, Chic, and more. Audiences will recognize favorites like "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag," "I Got You (I Feel Good)," "Shining Star," and "She's a Bad Mama Jama" — anthems that defined an era and still carry an undeniable charge. Bell and Simmons treat these songs with both reverence and infectious enthusiasm, reminding theatergoers why funk endured as a cultural force and why it still moves people so effortlessly today.

Running approximately 75 minutes with no intermission, Get Down Tonight: Classic Funk is a tight, propulsive show that wastes no time getting into the groove and never lets up. It is recommended for all ages, making it a rare theatre outing that works equally well for a date night, a group of friends, or a family looking for something with a little more fire than a typical evening out.

Signature Theatre is located at 4200 Campbell Ave. in Arlington's Shirlington neighborhood, with free parking available for patrons in the surrounding public lots and garages. The show runs through Saturday, May 17 — so there are only a handful of performances remaining. Tickets are available at sigtheatre.org or by calling the box office at 703.820.9771.