World Premiere of 'John Doe' Opens at Keegan Theatre

Keegan Theatre is kicking off early 2026 with a brand-new world premiere, bringing JOHN DOE by Angelle Whavers to the stage from January 31 through February 22, 2026. The production is the first of two world premieres Keegan will present in the opening months of the year, and it also represents a milestone for the company’s Boiler Room Series initiative for new works. Developed through that program’s commissioning and workshop process, JOHN DOE arrives on the mainstage as the kind of ambitious, audience-ready storytelling the Boiler Room Series was built to nurture.

John Doe at Keegan Theatre

“In the Boiler Room Series,” explains JOHN DOE Director and BRS Artistic Director Josh Sticklin, “we exist to champion new work that takes risks — formally, tonally, emotionally. This play does that with incredible heart. And it asks an urgent question: when something happens that we cannot fix, cannot solve, cannot undo — what do we do with all the love we still have? I’m thrilled to share JOHN DOE as part of the Boiler Room Series because it’s doing what great theatre does: entertaining us, disarming us, and then — when we least expect it — telling us something real. It invites us to laugh, to flinch, to mourn, and maybe to leave the room a little braver than we entered.”

At the center of the play is an unlikely pairing with a sharply original hook. Zia is a devoted people-avoider living with anthropophobia, the fear of people. Doe, meanwhile, has a far stranger problem: he’s dead, and only Zia can see him. What begins as a bizarre connection grows into a shared mission, as the two are pulled into a search for Doe’s forgotten life while Zia confronts a challenge that may feel even more terrifying than ghosts—having to engage with the living world. It’s a premise that makes room for comedy, discomfort, and genuine feeling, balancing the supernatural with something deeply human and familiar.

The cast features Ariana Caldwell as Zia and Mitchell Alexander as Doe, joined by Alicia Grace as Talisha, Bianca Lipford as Nadia, and Patricia Williams Dugueye in the roles of Mom/Oscar/Jenny. Sticklin directs and also serves as Scenic Designer and Technical Director, leading a creative team that includes Niya John (Lighting Designer), Luke Hartwood (Properties Designer), Brandon Cook (Sound Designer), Jeremy Bennett (Projections Designer), Anya Peregrino (Costume & Hair/Wig/Makeup Designer), Mikayla Talbert (Stage Manager), Jared H. Graham (Production Manager), Dan Martin (Lead Electrics Technician), and Isabella Tapia (Revolve Programmer).

Performances run Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 3:00 pm, with select Monday and Wednesday evening performances at 7:30 pm also offered during the engagement. Alongside the run, Keegan is building in several special events designed to deepen the experience and make the show accessible for different audiences. On Sunday, February 8, matinee child care will be available onsite for $20 with sibling discounts, provided by Keegan PLAY-RAH-KA Teaching Artists, with limited capacity and advance registration required. That same afternoon also includes a “Meet the Artists” talkback immediately following the matinee, free and open to all patrons. Another talkback follows the Sunday, February 15 matinee as well, this time a “Meet the Playwright” conversation with Angelle Whavers, also free and open to all. Students can take advantage of Student Night on Wednesday, February 18, featuring discounted tickets with valid student ID and an opportunity to socialize with Keegan staff and leadership. And on Friday, February 20, a Young Professionals Happy Hour offers discounted tickets plus one complimentary drink coupon for patrons under 30.

For DC theatre fans who love discovering new work before the rest of the country does, JOHN DOE promises the special thrill of a world premiere paired with a story that blends wit, vulnerability, and a ghostly twist.