The Dragon at Spooky Action Theater

The Dragon

Spooky Action Theater
1810 16th St NW Washington

Terrorized by a wicked dragon, a town gets a chance for freedom with the arrival of a confident and cocky Sir Lancelot (yes, distantly related). Sounds simple enough, right? On the surface a supernatural fairytale, this subversive play written (and banned) in Stalinist Russia offers a scorching satire of authoritarian regimes and the mechanisms they use to control people. In a sharp new adaptation centering immigrant actors, The Dragon is a witty allegory that exposes the dangers of tyranny - and would be even more fun if it were not so disturbingly relevant.

Thru - Oct 19, 2025

Thu, Oct 9: 7:30pm

Fri, Oct 10: 7:30pm

Sat, Oct 11: 7:30pm

Sun, Oct 12: 2:00pm

Wed, Oct 15: 7:30pm

Thu, Oct 16: 7:30pm

Fri, Oct 17: 7:30pm

Sat, Oct 18: 7:30pm

Sun, Oct 19: 2:00pm

Show Type: Comedy/Drama

Box Office: 301-920-1414

www.spookyaction.org

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The Dragon Reviews

Average Rating based on 3 reviews

Highly Recommended
Recommended
Somewhat Recommended
Not Recommended

DC Theater Arts - Highly Recommended

"...What kind of play would be banned in both Stalinist Russia and Nazi Germany? Only one that dares to expose authoritarianism through the most accessible form: a children’s fairytale. The Dragon is just that — a political fairytale whose sharp satire, with unmistakable allusions to both Nazi Germany and Stalinist Russia (and now Ukraine and many others), earned it a ban in its own time, yet its warnings echo far beyond its era."

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- Lucille Rieke

Washington City Paper - Recommended

"...The Dragon is a riveting production, and the twin narratives provide compelling explorations of power and protest. Constrained by the genre’s attendant tropes and archetypes, however, the fairy tale is the weaker of the two strands. The romance between Lancelot and Elsa comes up short—falling in love feels like a rote ritual for dashing knights and damsels-in-distress."

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- Lydia Wei

BroadwayWorld - Highly Recommended

"...While the rest of the world shakes their heads and wonders what’s become of us, the fierce company of Spooky Action Theater has upped the ante for D.C. theatre-goers with a production of one of Russia’s most beloved cautionary tales—“The Dragon,” by Russian playwright Evgeny Schvarts. Director and Co-Adaptor Elizabeth Dinkova has created a thrilling and thought-provoking production that is true to Schvarts’ vision, and could not be more timely or necessary."

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- Andrew White

The Dragon at Spooky Action Theater

The Dragon

The Dragon Reviews

DC Theater Arts - Highly Recommended

Washington City Paper - Recommended

BroadwayWorld - Highly Recommended

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