Stage 2012: Plays and Musicals in DC, MD & VA

The Janus face that represents theatre – the grin of comedy and the grimace of drama – isn’t the only game in town when it comes to the emotions in front of the footlights. There’s also plenty of hysteria and happiness, tears and trauma, vindication and victory, to sate the most voracious of Washington’s theater mavens. If you can feel it, you’ll see it on D.C.’s stages.

ADVENTURE THEATRE MTC

Glen Echo Park
7300 MacArthur Blvd.
Glen Echo, Md.
301-634-2270
adventuretheatre-mtc.org

Big, The Musical – Based on the movie and featuring music by David Shire and lyrics by Richard Maltby Jr. Jeff Frank and Michael Bobbit, who also directs, adapted John Weidman’s book for “Theatre for Young Audiences” (9/21-10/28)
A Little House Christmas – Based on the books by Laura Ingalls Wilder and directed by Serge Seiden, the narrative takes place during a pre-Christmas when a storm threatens the little house on the prairie (11/17-12/31)
Winnie the Pooh – Pooh and Piglet go on a Heffalump hunt, while Rabbit schemes to get rid of Kanga’s bathtub. Oh, and Eeyore loses his tail. Directed by Jerry Whiddon (1/19-2/12/13)
Three Little Birds – A world-premiere musical, based on a story by Cedella Marley and featuring the music and lyrics of Bob Marley, about three birds who sing songs to Ziggy, a shy Jamaican child who won’t leave his room for fear of hurricanes and evil spirits. Directed by Nick Olcott. (3/15-4/14/13)
Big Nate – Based on the comic strip by Lincoln Pierce with music by Chris Youstra and lyrics by Youstra and Jason Loewith. Directed by Michael Baron (5/3-6/2/12)
Cat In the Hat – Well, you know this incredible story. See it to come to life in this production based on the one created by the National Theatre of Great Britain (6/21-9/2/13)

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AMERICAN CENTURY THEATER

Gunston Theater II
2700 South Lang St.
Arlington
703-998-4555
americancentury.org

J.B. – Two vendors in a circus take on the roles of Satan and God to examine the meaning of life by observing the travails of J.B., a banker whose life is falling part. Written by Archibald MacLeish. Directed by Rip Claussen (9/14-10/6)
The Show-Off – An ambitious and audacious young faker transforms the lives of those around him (1/11-2/2/12)
Voodoo Macbeth – A reimagining of Shakespeare’s play, adapted by Orson Welles, and using the imagery and traditions of, well, voodoo (3/22-4/13/13)
Biography – A woman’s acceptance of a hefty fee to write her tell-all memoirs creates problems in this drawing room comedy by S.N. Behrman. Directed by Steven Scott Mazzola (6/7-7/29/13)
Summer Musical TBA (7/19-8/17/13)

ARENA STAGE

Mead Center for American Theater
1101 6th St. SW
202-488-3300
arenastage.org

Red Hot Patriot – Kathleen Turner stars in this one-woman show as newspaper columnist Molly Ivins, a dyed-in-the-wool liberal from deep in the heart of Texas. The show weaves personal anecdotes and a humorous look at politics. (Now to 10/28, Kogod)
One Night with Janis Joplin – Created, written and directed by Randy Johnson, this musical event features more than a dozen singers and band members and is packed with classic songs that shine the light on Joplin and those who influenced her (9/28-11/4, Kreeger)
My Fair Lady – Molly Smith reinterpreted the legendary, beloved Lerner-Loewe musical for the Shaw Festival in Canada. She has reassembled the creative team and brings the show to Arena (11/2-1/6/13, Fichandler)
Pullman Porter Blues – A world-premiere production by Cheryl L. West that reveals the true heroes hidden within every man, set in 1937 aboard a train bound from Chicago to New Orleans. Three generations of porters battle each other, racial tensions and an uncertain future. Featuring 14 original and classic blues songs (11/23-1/6/13, Kreeger)
Good People – Facing eviction, single mother and mouthy South Boston native Margaret Walsh reunites with an old flame who ”made good,” hoping that his fortune can somehow improve her own. From Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire (Rabbit Hole) and named the Best Play by the New York Drama Critics’ Circle during its Broadway run (2/1-3/10/13, Kreeger)
The Grand Parade – Inspired by the multi-layered paintings of Marc Chagall, this production from the Double Edge Theatre is an original world-premiere event that fuses physically daring spectacle with evocative music to create a kaleidoscopic exploration of the 20th century (2/6-2/10/13, Kogod)
Metamorphoses – MacArthur ”Genius” Mary Zimmerman returns with a magical interpretation of Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Through lyrical storytelling and stunning imagery, Zimmerman constructs a wondrous world where gods and mortals interact in a giant pool on Arena’s in-the-round stage (2/8-3/17/13, Fichandler)
Mary T. & Lizzy K. – Writer-director Tazewell Thompson stitches together an insider’s look at the unlikely friendship between first lady Mary Todd Lincoln and her talented seamstress, the successful freed slave Elizabeth Keckly. The world-premiere drama is the first commission of Arena Stage’s American President’s Project (3/15-4/28/13, Kogod)
The Mountaintop – Katori Hall’s bold reimagining of the last night of the historic life of Martin Luther King Jr. Exhausted from delivering a significant speech, King rests in his room at the Lorraine Motel when an unexpected visit from a feisty, young maid compels him to confront his own humanity and the fate of our nation. Winner of the Olivier Award for Best New Play (3/29-5/12/13, Fichandler)
Other Desert Cities – Jon Robin Baitz’s drama tells the story of a woman’s return home after a six-year absence. When news of her upcoming memoir threatens to revive the most painful chapter of the family’s history, old family wounds are opened, childhood memories are tested, and the family learns that some secrets cannot stay buried forever (4/26-5/26/13)

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CONSTELLATION THEATRE

1835 14th St. NW
202-204-7741
constellationtheatre.org

Taking Steps – In Alan Acyckbourn’s farce six British guests of a former brothel-turned-hotel evade a ghost, capture an intruder and unwittingly bed hop. Directed by Allison Stockman (Now-10/7)
Zorro – Yes, that Zorro, the masked avenger who fights crime with a swashbuckling vengeance (1/17-2/17/13)
Gilgamesh – Part god, part man, King Gilgamesh goes on an epic quest for immortality. Featuring poetry by the Pulitzer Prize-winning Yusef Komunyakaa (5/2-6/2/13)

DOMINION STAGE

Gunston Theatre One
2700 S. Lang St.
Arlington
703-683-0502
dominionstage.org

Spring Awakening – An exhilarating, sexually and angst-driven musical about coming of age in turn-of-the-century Germany (10/5-10/20)
Avenue Q – The adult Sesame Street featuring puppets galore (1/11-26/13)
Bent – A compelling love story between two men imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp (tba)

FOLGER THEATRE

201 East Capitol St. SE
202-544-7077
folger.edu

Hamlet – This is the first American stop for Hamlet presented by London-based Shakespeare’s Globe, marking the company’s D.C. debut. Dominic Dromgoole, artistic director of Shakespeare’s Globe, and Globe regular Bill Buckhurst co-direct this raw, elemental production of Shakespeare’s classic, stripped down to a furiously fast-paced two and a half hours (Now-9/22)
The Conference of Birds – A poignant 12th century Persian fable about the search for the divine. Directed by Aaron Posner (10/23-11/25)
Henry V – Robert Richmond directs this production of the Shakespeare classic (1/22-3/3/13)
Twelfth Night – Lost lovers and unruly servants conspire in this beloved romantic comedy set. Directed by Robert Richmond (4/30-6/9/13)

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FORD’S THEATRE

511 10th St. NW
202-347-4833
fordstheatre.org

Fly – Based on the experiences of the Tuskegee Airmen, Trey Ellis and Ricardo Khan’s drama is the powerful story of four African-American military pioneers who proved themselves as officers and pilots during World War II (9/21-10/21)
A Christmas Carol – Edward Gero returns to play Scrooge in Michael Baron’s adaptation of the Dickens classic (11/16-12/30)
Our Town – A 75th anniversary production of Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, presenting a timeless commentary on the transience of human existence. Teenagers George and Emily meet, fall in love, marry and suffer the slings and arrows of everyday life. Stephen Rayne directs (1/25-2/24/13)
Hello, Dolly! – In Jerry Herman’s timeless musical, Horace Vandergelder hires matchmaker Dolly Levi to find him a wife. Dolly soon hatches a plan to woo and win Vandergelder’s hand herself. Eric Schaeffer directs this co-production with Signature Theatre (3/15-5/18/13)

FORUM THEATRE

Round House Silver Spring
8641 Coleville Road
Silver Spring
240-644-1390
forumtd.org

Holly Down in Heaven – When Holly, a brilliant 15-year-old born-again Christian, becomes pregnant, she banishes herself to the basement and confides only in her dolls – particularly a life-size psychiatrist doll who closely resembles Carol Channing. A world-premiere comedy by Kara Lee Corthron. Directed by Michael Dove (9/27-10/20)
Nine Circles – A fierce psychological drama that ventures into the darkest corners of both the war and the mind – in hopes of light on the other side (2/7-3/2/13)
Clementine in the Lower 9 – Dan Dietz’s drama tells the story of Agamemnon using the aftermath of Katrina as the setting (5/23-6/15/13)

GALA HISPANIC THEATRE

3333 14th St. NW
202-234-7174
galatheatre.org

In Spite of Love – A count and princess have vowed never to fall in love – then they meet each other. One of the most popular comedies to come out of Spain’s Golden Age (Now to 10/7)
The House of the Spirits – The saga of the Trueba family, tracing the post-colonial social and political upheavals of Chile. A tale of magical realism that speaks to passion, human rights and reconciliation (2/7-3/10/13)
DC-7: The Roberto Clemente Story – A musical based on the life of Clemente, who went from barrios of Puerto Rico to a successful run with the Pittsburgh Pirates to a fateful flight to Nicaragua to deliver humanitarian aid (4/18-5/26/13)

KEEGAN THEATRE

Church Street Theatre
1742 Church St. NW
703-892-0202
keegantheatre.com

A Couple of Blaguards – Colin Smith directs this two-man show by literary greats Frank McCourt and Malachy McCourt. Flavored with incidental music from the great Irish tradition, the show follows the trials of the young McCourts in poverty-stricken Limerick, Ireland, through their journey to the U.S. and Brooklyn (9/21-10/14)
All My Sons – Arthur Miller’s classic story about two very divergent life paths and the collision course they inevitably face (11/3-12/1)
An Irish Carol – Mark Reha directs this annual holiday tradition, an homage to the Dickens classic, is told as only the Irish can (12/14-31)
Cabaret – Keegan takes on the Kander and Ebb masterpiece (1/26-2/23/13)
A Behanding in Spokane – A macabre tale from Martin McDonagh, the show concerns a mysterious stranger on the hunt for his missing appendage (3/16-4/6/13)
The Full Monty – The Americanized musical stage version of the 1997 British film, with a book by Terrence McNally and a score by David Yazbeck. The musical follows group of unemployed steelworkers desperately seeking employment. Until they hatch a plan to make money by shedding it all for the ladies (5/4-6/1/13)
Rabbit Hole – A dark, absorbing Pulitzer Prize-winning drama about the emotions that befall people after a tragedy (6/22-7/13/13)
A Few Good Men – Aaron Sorkin’s military court drama about two Marines accused of murder and the Navy lawyer who defends them. Directed by Jeremy Skidmore (8/10-9/7/13)

KENNEDY CENTER

War Horse

2700 F St. NW
202-467-4600
kennedy-center.org

DruidMurphy: Conversations on a Homecoming – In the 1970s a young man, after a 10-year absence, suddenly returns to County Galway from New York. Presented by Tony-winning Druid Theatre Company as part of a three-play cycle of works by renowned Irish dramatist Tom Murphy (10/17-20, Eisenhower)
DruidMurphy: A Whistle in the Dark – The uprooted Carney family tries to adapt aggressively to life in an English city in 1960 (10/18-20, Eisenhower)
DruidMurphy: Famine – The villagers of Glanconnor face the real prospect of starvation as the second crop of potatoes fails in 1846 (10/19-20, Eisenhower)
War Horse – This powerfully moving and imaginative drama about a boy and his bond with a remarkable horse. The Tony Award-winning play features astonishing life-sized puppets that bring to life galloping, charging horses (10/23-11/11, Opera House)
Jekyll & Hyde – Constantine Maroulis and Deborah Cox star in this revival of Frank Wildhorn and Leslie Bricusse’s musical (11/20-25, Opera House)
Irving Berlin’s White Christmas – Direct from Broadway, the classic holiday movie live onstage (12/11-1/6/13, Opera House)
Million Dollar Quartet – This Broadway musical was inspired by the true story of the time Sam Phillips assembled Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins for a famed recording session (12/18-1/6/13, Eisenhower)
Nordic Cool 2013 – A series of productions from some of the most acclaimed companies in Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Norway. Productions include August, Fanny and Alexander, The Wild Duck, and Metamorphosis (2/20-3/9/13, Various)
The Guardsman – A new production of the 1920s Broadway comedy smash that originally starred Lunt and Fontanne as newlywed actors, full of fresh love, tender egos and jealous schemes (5/25-6/23/13, Eisenhower)
Anything Goes – Cole Porter’s greatest achievement, featuring such memorable tunes as “You’re the Top,” “I Get a Kick Out of You,” and the title song (6/11-7/7/13, Opera House)
The Book of Mormon – The Tony-winning musical from the creators of South Park hits the KC, starring Gavin Creel (7/9-8/18/13, Opera House)

METRO STAGE

1201 North Royal St.
Alexandria
703-548-9044
metrostage.org

Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris – The music of Brel is celebrated in this revue. Directed by Serge Seiden (Now to 10/21)
A Broadway Christmas Carol – Michael Sharp directs Kathy Feininger’s cross between the Dickens classic and parodies of classic show tunes (11/15-12/23)
Ladies Swing the Blues – Set in 1955 in New York City’s 52nd Street, four jazz divas gather to pay homage to jazz legend Charlie Parker. A world premiere from Thomas W. Jones II, with original music by William Knowles (1/24-3/17/13)
Ghost-Writer – When a novelist dies mid-sentence, his typist continues to take dictation creating concern among the novelist’s wife, publisher and the general public. Directed by John Vreeke (4/18-5/26/13)

NATIONAL THEATRE

1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
202-628-6161
nationaltheatre.org

Les Misérables – The 25th Anniversary Tour makes its way back to town. Here’s your chance to see it for the 10th time (11/12-12/30/12)

OLNEY THEATRE CENTER

2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road
Olney, Md.
301-924-3400
olneytheatre.org

Over the Tavern – Precocious 12-year-old Rudy believes that we were put on earth ”to have fun.” He refuses to be force-fed rules and values from anyone, not from his parents and especially not from Sister Clarissa. John Going directs (9/26-10/21, Mainstage)
Cinderella – The Rodgers and Hammerstein take on the enchanting fairy tale (11/14-1/6/13, Mainstage)
Spring Awakening – The explosive Duncan Sheik musical explores the journey from adolescence to adulthood (2/7-3/10/13, Mainstage)
Neville’s Island, A Comedy in Thick Fog – Tim Firth’s comedy follows four out-of-shape, middle-aged businessmen who succeed in being the first people ever to get shipwrecked on a tiny island just off Britain’s Lake District (4/4-28/13, Mainstage)
The Submission – Shaleeha G’ntamobi’s stirring new play about an alcoholic mother and her cardsharp son trying to get out of the projects has just been accepted into the nation’s preeminent theater festival. Trouble is, Shaleeha G’ntamobi doesn’t exist, except in the imagination of wannabe white playwright Danny, who created her as a kind of affirmative-action nom-de-plume (5/9-6/9/13, Theatre Lab)
Angel Street (”Gaslight”) – Is the handsome Jack Manningham a caring husband – or is he discreetly trying to drive his young wife Bella into insanity under the guise of kindness? Directed by John Going (6/20-7/14/13, Historic Stage)
Carnival – The classic musical tells the story of a lonely orphan girl who literally runs away to join the circus. Based on the movie Lili (8/1-9/1/13, Mainstage)
Saint Joan and Hamlet – A rotating rep from the BEDLAM theater company of classics by George Bernard Shaw and Shakespeare (9/5-10/27/13, Theatre Lab)
Tartuffe, or The Hypocrite – Set in modern Paris, Molière’s always relevant classic comedy about a religious hypocrite and the home he invades gets a vibrant makeover and a Euro-pop score (9/26-10/20/13, Mainstage)
Once Upon a Mattress – A delightful musical based on the fable of The Princess and the Pea (11/14-12/29/13, Mainstage)

REP STAGE

10901 Little Patuxent Parkway
Columbia, Md.
443-518-1500
repstage.org

The Temperamentals – John Marans’s play tells the story of two men, Harry Hay and Rudi Gernreich, as they fall in love building The Mattachine Society, the first pre-Stonewall gay-rights organization (Now to 9/16)
Mary Rose – A girl disappears only to return mysteriously with no memory of time passed, setting off a heartbreaking and thrilling course of events. Directed by Michael Stebbins (10/31-11/18)
Barrymore – Samm-Art Willams’s play deals with the coming of age of a young black man from rural North Carolina (2/27-3/17/13)
Boeing Boeing – An American architect living in Paris in the swinging ’60s juggles relationships with three air hostesses, all employed by Boeing-Boeing airlines (4/17-5/5/13)

ROUND HOUSE THEATRE

4545 East-West Highway
Bethesda
240-644-1100
roundhousetheatre.org

Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo – A quick-witted tiger, two homesick American Marines and a troubled Iraqi gardener roam the streets of war-torn Baghdad in search of meaning, redemption and a toilet seat made of gold (Now to 9/30)
I Love to Eat – James Still’s affectionate portrait of James Beard, America’s first foodie. Nick Olcott portrays the culinary maestro (10/17-11/4)
Young Robin Hood – King Richard is off on the Crusades and Nottingham is at the mercy of the evil and corrupt sheriff. When his father is falsely accused of a crime and imprisoned, impetuous teenager Robin, already a skilled archer and swordsman, has to devise a rescue (11/28-12/30)
Glengarry Glen Ross – David Mamet’s searing comedy about a group of desperate Chicago real-estate salesmen willing to engage in any number of unethical, illegal acts – from lies, flattery and threats to bribery, intimidation and burglary – to get a piece of the action (2/6-3/3/13)
How to Write a New Book for the Bible – A powerful, beautiful new play taken from Bill Cain’s own experiences. A man moves in with his ailing but always funny mother when she becomes too frail to care for herself. Their reunion heals old wounds, opening a heartfelt and humorous new chapter in their relationship (4/10-5/5/13)
Becky Shaw – When Suzanna sets up her best friend Max on a blind date with her husband’s co-worker Becky Shaw, she sets into motion a series of cataclysmic events that forever change all of their lives (5/29-6/23/13)

SCENA THEATRE

H Street Playhouse
1365 H St. NE
703-683-2824
scenatheatre.org

A Clockwork Orange – A musical adaptation of Anthony Burgess’s compelling novel (10/13-11/18)
A Child’s Christmas in Wales – The classic holiday story by Dylan Thomas (12/1-31)
Metamorphosis – Kafka’s classic about a man who awakens one day to find himself turned into a dung beetle (1/6-2/10/13)
Shining City – Conor McPherson’s drama about a man in turmoil after the death of his wife (3/11-4/21/13)
Accidental Death of an Anarchist – Dario Fo’s daring comedy set amid a fascist police state (5/5-6/16/13)
Salome – The Oscar Wilde classic, reworked (7/7-8/18/13)

SHAKESPEARE THEATRE COMPANY

Harman Center for the Arts
610 F St. NW

Lansburgh Theatre
450 7th St. NW
202-547-1122
shakespearetheatre.org

The Government Inspector – Nikolai Gogol’s satire of provincial bureaucracy concerns a mischievous civil servant who is mistaken for an incognito inspector, sending a small town and its corrupt officials into chaos. Directed by Michael Kahn (Now to 10/28, Lansburgh)
Black Watch – A return visit by the National Theatre of Scotland, the Olivier-winning drama reveals what it means to be part of the legendary Scottish regiment, what it means to be part of the war on terror and what it means to make the journey home again (9/19-10/7, Harman Hall)
The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart – Another import from the National Theatre of Scotland, the show is performed in an actual pub as the tale unfolds around the audience (11/14-12/9)
A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Mismatched lovers Hermia, Lysander, Demetrius and Helena encounter a supernatural squabble that will alter their destinies forever. Directed by Ethan McSweeny (11/15-12/30, Harman Hall)
Les Liasons Dangereuses – John Malkovich directs a new French-language revival of Les Liaisons Dangereuses direct from the Théâtre de l’Atelier in Paris (12/6-9, Lansburgh)
Hughie – Richard Schiff takes on the title role in Eugene O’Neill’s powerfully focused commanding study of Erie Smith, a man whose illusions of a grand lifestyle are wavering after the death of the stranger who quietly validated his larger-than-life confidence (1/31-3/17/13, Lansburgh)
Coriolanus – Caius Martius earns the new name of ”Coriolanus” for his heroic triumphs. However his inflexible self-belief and contempt for popular rule cause him to be condemned as a traitor and sent into exile. Desiring revenge against the Romans who banished him, he launches an assault on his beloved city. David Muse directs (3/28-6/2/13, Harman Hall)
Wallenstein – A newly commissioned adaptation and translation of Friedrich Schiller drama. One of Germany’s greatest dramatic works, Wallenstein follows the famous general Albrecht von Wallenstein at the height of his influence and power during the Thirty Years’ War. Directed by Michael Kahn. In rep with Coriolanus (3/28-6/2/13, Harman Hall)
The Winter’s Tale – One of Shakespeare’s later plays, this compassionate and dazzling saga tells the tale of King Leontes, who is overcome with jealousy when he believes his pregnant wife Hermione and his good friend King Polixenes are lovers. Directed by Rebecca Bayla Taichman (5/9-6/23/13, Lansburgh)

SIGNATURE THEATRE

4200 Campbell Ave.
Arlington
703-820-9771
signature-theatre.org

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas – Miss Mona’s Chicken Ranch brothel comes to life in this rollicking new production of the award-winning musical by Larry L. King and Peter Masterson. Directed by Eric Schaeffer (Now to 10/7, Max)
Dying City – A year after his identical twin brother’s suspicious death in Iraq, a man shows up unannounced at his sister-in-law’s apartment. An emotionally brutal skirmish ensues (10/2-11/25, Ark)
Dreamgirls – Matthew Gardiner directs the Tony Award-winning musical that made a star of Jennifer Holiday (11/13-1/6/13, Max)
Shakespeare’s R&J – A repressive all-male Catholic boarding school bans Romeo and Juliet. Four male students unearth a secret copy and steal into the night to recite the prohibited tale of adolescent passion. Directed by Joe Calarco (2/5-3/3/13, Max)
Hello, Dolly! – A co-production with Ford’s Theatre (3/15-5/18/13, Ford’s Theatre)
Crimes of the Heart – Beth Henley’s Pulitzer Prize-winning dark comedy about three eccentric sisters who reunite at their granddaddy’s Mississippi home when the youngest shoots her husband because she ”didn’t like his looks.” Directed by Aaron Posner (4/2-28/13, Max)
Company – Eric Schaeffer directs the Sondheim classic in which a 35-year-old bachelor searches for answers to life on his birthday. Familiar songs include ”Being Alive” and ”Ladies Who Lunch” (5/21-6/30/13, Max)

STUDIO THEATRE

1501 14th St. NW
202-332-3300
studiotheatre.org

Invisible Man – An adaptation of Ralph Ellison’s 1952 masterpiece, the play follows an anonymous black man as he journeys from the Deep South to a basement in the borderlands of Harlem, from a betrayal at his ivy-covered negro college to a nightmare job in a paint factory in New York City to the story’s violent climax at a Harlem race riot. (Running now)
Dirt – David Muse directs Holly Twyford in this world premiere by Byrony Lavery (Opens 10/17)
Aliens – The dingy back alley of a sleepy Vermont coffeehouse is home to trash bins, weathered patio furniture and two affable slackers. When an awkward teen attempts to evict them from their makeshift perch, KJ and Jasper recruit him as a protégé (Opens 11/14)
An Iliad – David Muse directs an adaptation of Homer’s epic poem (Opens 12/21)
Contractions – The U.S. premiere of British playwright Mike Bartlett’s black satire (1/2/13)
The Motherfucker with the Hat – Out on parole, Jackie is determined to start anew with his childhood sweetheart Veronica, but her unrelenting coke addiction and the discovery of another man’s hat in his living room threaten to derail his progress. Directed by Serge Seiden (Opens 1/30/13)
4000 Miles – Tana Hicken stars in this play about a 21-year-old neo-hippie who, following his girlfriend’s death, seeks refuge in the Greenwich Village apartment of his 91-year-old leftist grandmother. Directed by Joy Zinoman (Opens 3/20/13)
2-2 Tango and Skin Tight – A pair of one acts about coupling, from New Zealand and Canada (Opens 4/24)
The Real Thing – Tom Stoppard’s classic about a playwright and his complicated relationship with his wife. Directed by David Muse (Opens 5/22/13)
Baby Universe: A Puppet Odyssey – A captivating fable about the search for a new planet on which to sustain human life. Inspired by real-life scientific events and theory, the show features 30 puppets, animation, a space-age score and a robot based on Stephen Hawking (Opens 6/26/13)
The Rocky Horror Show – Studio’s 2ndStage celebrates its 25th anniversary with this 40th anniversary production of the crazed, hip musical (Open 7/10/13)

SYNETIC THEATER

Crystal City
Arlington
800-494-8497
synetictheater.org

Jekyll and Hyde – Synetic’s version of the classic puts a new spin on the strange case of the charming and sociable Dr. Jekyll and his sinister friend, accused murderer Mr. Hyde. Starring Alex Mills (9/20-10/21)
A Trip to the Moon – Natsu Onoda Power directs this story of six astronauts sent to the moon by way of a cannon. On the moon’s surface they embark on a haywire adventure, awakened by a moon goddess and pitted against a throng of insect-like ”Selenites.” Based on the silent film by Georges Méliès (12/6-1/6/13)
The Tempest – The latest in the ”Silent Shakespeare Series,” directed by Paata Tsikurishvilli (2/24-3/24/13)
Three Musketeers – D’Artagnan’s journey to become a musketeer bounds to life with plenty of romance, intrigue, and animated duels crafted by resident fight choreographer, Ben Cunis (5/9-6/9/13)
A Midsummer Night’s Dream – A brief revival of one of Synetic’s most popular offerings (7/24-8/4/13)

THEATRE J

1529 16th St. NW
202-518-9400
theaterj.org

Body Awareness – It’s Body Awareness Week at Shirley College, and the nontraditional Vermont family members Phyllis, Joyce and their possibly autistic son Jared are rocked by a visiting photographer in this comedy by Annie Baker (Now to 9/23)
Our Class – An epic spanning two continents and 80 years. Ten Polish classmates grow up, their lives take dramatically unexpected turns as their country is torn apart by invading armies, first Soviet, then German, then Soviet again (10/10-11/4)
Woody Sez – A boisterous retelling of the life of troubadour Woody Guthrie blends musical numbers, scenes from Guthrie’s life and excerpts from his progressive newspaper column (11/8-12/2)
Apples from the Desert – A poignant drama about love and reconciliation, this hit Israeli play follows the young Sephardic Rivka, a religious teenager, who falls for Dooby, a secular kibbutznik, at a dance class in Jerusalem (12/15-1/6/13)
Boged: An Enemy of the People – A sudden chemical leak in an Israeli industrial park endangers the region’s water supply. The mayor is quick to cover up the scandal, but his brother fights to expose the truth. The family feud quickly turns into a political war with major environmental repercussions. An adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s play (1/12-2/3/13)
Race – David Mamet’s latest play ruthlessly examines guilt, betrayal and racial posturing as two male lawyers are called to defend a wealthy white client charged with the rape of a black woman (2/6-3/17/13)
Andy and the Shadows -– Andy Glickstein is the son of Holocaust refugees who fears he can’t get married because he hasn’t suffered enough. His family’s gathered on the South Side of Chicago to celebrate his engagement to clear-headed Sarah, but party preparations are interrupted as Andy is pulled by memories and pre-adolescent enchantments of his mother’s bath-time stories recounting her dramatic escapes from the Nazis. Written by Ari Roth (4/3-28/13)
The Hampton Years – Jacqueline E. Lawton’s play revolves around the development of great African-American artists John Biggers and Samella Lewis under the tutelage of Austrian Jewish refugee painter and educator, Viktor Lowenfeld (5/29-6/30/13)

WASHINGTON IMPROV THEATER

Source
1835 14th St. NW
202-204-7770
washingtonimprovtheater.com

POTUS Among Us – A hilarious take on the American political system in a fully improvised production, created instantly every show (10/11-11/5)
Harold Night – Each Tuesday is a demonstration and experimentation in the world-famous long form technique, Harold (every Tuesday night)
Classes throughout the fall (check the website for schedule)

WASHINGTON STAGE GUILD

Undercroft Theatre
900 Massachusetts Ave. NW
stageguild.org

Pygmailion – The George Bernard Shaw classic (10/25-11/18)
Tryst – Karoline Leach’s provocative play about financial gain and true love (1/3-27/13)
Inferno – Bill Largess adapted and performs this one-man show about the journey to hell based on the work of Dante (2/21-3/17/13)
The Elder Statesman – T.S. Eliot’s final play in its first D.C. production (4/25-5/19/13)

WSC AVANT BARD

Artisphere Black Box
1101 Wilson Blvd.
Arlington
703-418-4808
wscavantbard.org

Six Characters in Search of an Author – Set during a rehearsal for Luigi Pirandello’s The Rules of the Game, the play finds actors and a director interrupted by orphan characters, seeking to have their story told. Tom Prewitt directs (10/10-12/9)
Caesar and Dada – A world premiere by Allyson Curren and directed by Lee Mikeska Gardner. An acting troupe rehearsing Julius Caesar seeks to challenge and change the audience’s expectations and experiences (5/16-6/7/13)
The White Devil – Murder, imprisonment, disguise, feigned madness, elopement, banishment, torture and scheme upon scheme are just a few elements in John Webster’s torrid story of love, political corruption and revenge. Directed by Christopher Henley (5/29-7/7/13)

WOOLLY MAMMOTH

641 D St. NW
202-393-3939
woollymammoth.net

The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity – A drop-kicking, body-slamming, balls-out theatrical happening set in the larger-than-life world of professional wrestling. Directed by John Vreeke (Now to 9/30)
You for Me for You – Two North Korean sisters make a bargain with a smuggler to flee to the United States. When one of the sisters is denied passage because she is too weak to make the treacherous trans-Pacific crossing, the other sister makes a promise to race across time and space to save her (11/5-12/2)
The Pajama Men: In the Middle of No One – Albuquerque, N.M., duo The Pajama Men come to Woolly with this delightfully silly comedy thriller about love, alien abduction and the spirit of adventure (12/11-1/6/13)
The Convert – Set amid the colonial scramble for Southern Africa in 1895, Danal Gurira’s play follows Jekesai, a young girl who escapes a forced marriage in her native village and lands in a Westernized household where Africans are pitted against each other over the arrival of Christianity (2/11-3/10/13)
American Utopias – A world premiere of the latest from Mike Daisey, as he explores how we create civic spaces for ourselves in which we act out our dreams of a better world. Daisey travels from Disney World and its theme park perfection, to the drug-fueled anarchic excesses of Burning Man, from the Masonic underpinnings of our nation’s Capitol (3/19-4/14/13)
Stupid Fucking Bird – Aaron Posner has loosely adapted Chekhov’s The Seagull in this contemporary and irreverent riff on the classic play. Directed by Howard Shalwitz (5/27-6/23/13)