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Inherit the Wind
Closing Soon
DC/Arena Stage/Inherit the Wind

Inherit the Wind

Arena Stage · Southwest Waterfront

RunningFeb 27 – Apr 5
Art Formtheater
Who It's Good For

If you value substantive drama that treats intellectual conflict as genuinely dramatic—not just as a vehicle for preaching—this is essential. This is also smart for anyone wrestling with how institutions should balance tradition and progress. Fair warning: if you're looking for a cozy, apolitical evening, look elsewhere.

Arena Stage brings Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee's courtroom classic back to the Southwest Waterfront for a timely revival. This 1955 play dramatizes the 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial, but its real power lies in how it dissects the collision between dogma and reason—a tension that feels decidedly contemporary. The battle between a small-town prosecutor defending creationism and a defense attorney championing evolutionary science unfolds less as historical pageantry than as a searching examination of how communities negotiate truth, expertise, and intellectual freedom. Arena's production likely leans into the play's theatrical energy: the packed courtroom becomes an arena in its own right, where ideas clash with genuine stakes.

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Arena Stage is in Southwest Waterfront. The nearest Metro station is Navy Yard-Ballpark (Green Line), about a 10-15 minute walk from the venue. The waterfront location is also accessible via the Green Line, making it convenient for public transit users.
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Last updated April 5, 2026 · Summaries written by Theaterloop editors with AI assistance

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