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The complete guide to theater, dance, performance art, and visual arts in the nation's capital. Curated descriptions, honest recommendations, one click to tickets.
Now Playing
9 shows
Closing SoonSponsored
OCTET
Jan 14 – Feb 22
This is essential viewing for anyone exhausted by their own relationship with technology—especially if you're skeptical that theater can say something original about the subject. If you prize intimate, ideas-driven work over spectacle and find Logan Circle's independent theater scene refreshing, *Octet* justifies your faith in Studio Theatre's artistic vision.
Chez Joey
Jan 30 – Mar 15
This is essential viewing for those drawn to character-driven drama with psychological depth—particularly audiences interested in stories about performance and identity that avoid easy sentimentality. If you're looking for spectacle or uplifting narrative arcs, look elsewhere; if you appreciate productions that sit with uncomfortable truths about ambition and loss, Arena Stage's intimate Southwest Waterfront setting makes this a worthwhile investment.
The World to Come
Feb 3 – Mar 1
This is for audiences who prize character work and understated emotional truth over plot mechanics. If you're drawn to plays about overlooked populations and find beauty in small moments, you'll connect here. Skip this if you need broad comedy or dramatic fireworks—the rewards are in observation and nuance.
THE BONNIE HAMMERSCHLAG NATIONAL CAPITAL NEW PLAY FESTIVAL
Feb 11 – Mar 15
Seek this out if you're interested in where theater is heading rather than where it's been. This is essential for playwrights, theater professionals, and audiences who want to engage with new work before it becomes canonized elsewhere—expect unpolished edges alongside genuine discoveries.Advertiser Creative / Image
Pendry Washington D.C.
The Wharf's new luxury hotel. Book a pre-theater stay with complimentary champagne & waterfront views.
Special Theater Packages →
On Beckett
Feb 11 – Mar 15
If you've always found Beckett's reputation for bleakness a barrier to entry, Irwin's physicality and genuine warmth might be your gateway. Skip this if you want conventional narrative momentum, but if you appreciate watching a master performer think through complex ideas in real time, this is essential.
The Humanities Lab: As You Like It
This is for people who want to understand *why* a play matters, not just experience it passively. If you've ever left a Shakespeare production wishing you'd caught more layers, or if you're the type to linger in museum galleries reading every placard, this Capitol Hill intensive will satisfy that hunger. Skip it if you prefer entertainment divorced from intellectual engagement.
Family Workshop: My Shakespearean Monologue
This works beautifully for families with kids ages 8-14 who are curious about language but might find traditional Shakespeare daunting. Skip it if your family needs passive entertainment, but if you want your kids to actively play with words and discover that Shakespeare's vocabulary can express *their* voice, this delivers exactly that.
Family Workshop: Celebrations - Shakespearean Style
This works best for families with children ages 6-12 who aren't intimidated by Shakespeare and parents who want their kids to experience literary classics as living, playful things. Skip it if your family needs highly structured, performance-focused activities; this is exploratory and messy in the best way.