Washington Area Theaters Go Virtual! 

Washington regional theaters have found creative ways of keeping in touch with their stuck-at-home audiences. From streaming past productions to offering virtual classes and workshops to podcasts and online panel discussions, our incredible Washington theater community has a whole host of offerings that bring the theater experience right into your home. We'll keep updating this list as new events and activities are announced.

If you have a digital class, event, or streaming performance upcoming, please contact us at info@theatrewashington.org.

Updated 3/18/21

Discussions, Panels & Round Tables
Classes, Workshops & Activities
Virtual Tours
Fitness & Health
Streaming Productions, Readings & Events
Podcasts, Audio, and Radio Plays
Benefit Events

DISCUSSIONS, PANELS & ROUNDTABLES

ARENA STAGE - Molly’s Salon
Ongoing, Thursdays (7pm), then streaming
Molly’s Salon (with Artistic Director Molly Smith) will take place each Thursday and will feature artists and leaders of Arena Stage. These half-hour long weekly conversations will include some of our best thinkers and creative firebrands. Molly will sit down with a variety of artists and leaders to discuss new ideas they are excited about and glimmers of hope for the future. Past events now streaming online.

March 18
Andre Pluess, sound designer (Arena's Right to Be Forgotten)
Megan Sandberg-Zakian, theater director, author and co-founder, Maia Directors

March 25
Stephanie Stebich, The Margaret and Terry Stent Director, Smithsonian American Art Museum and Renwick Gallery
Terry Burrell, Broadway and regional stage actor (Arena’s Oklahoma, Women of Brewster Place)

COST: FREE
https://www.arenastage.org/tickets/virtual-events/#block-Molly-s-Salon

FORD'S THEATRE - Cabinet Conversations: Creativity, History and Leadership
Live, bi-weekly (4pm), then streaming
Join Ford's Theatre live as we stream interviews with scholars, artists and other thought leaders as they think aloud about the future of the arts, civics and history. With each conversation, we connect the lessons of the Civil War, Lincoln's presidency, theatre, arts and education to our contemporary life. Cabinet Conversations are offered every other Thursday at 4pm EDT, are 30-60 minutes, and are simulcast on the Ford’s website, Facebook Live, Twitter and YouTube channel. Archived videos also available on the same platforms.

COST: FREE
https://www.fords.org/visit/virtual-events-and-special-tours/cabinet-conversations/

FOLGER THEATRE - Shakespeare Lightning Round
Ongoing on Wednesdays at 5pm
What’s your favorite Shakespeare play? Best disguise in Shakespeare? Most overrated Shakespeare play? Tune in on Instagram Live for a fun, fast-paced, Shakespearean chat show. We ask our guests 30 lightning-fast questions about their favorite—and least favorite—things about the Bard. Past episodes are streaming online. 

COST: Free
https://www.folger.edu/shakespeare-lightning-round

ROUND HOUSE THEATRE - Playwrights on Plays Discussions
Now streaming
Join Round House for a weekly online discussion series featuring Round House-affiliated artists. Literary Manager Gabrielle Hoyt will interview celebrated theatremakers about their own work and a play of their choice that has inspired them. This LIVE and interactive virtual event will give you the chance to ask questions of the playwrights and Gabrielle. Past episodes are posted on their website and include Martyna Majok on The Weir, Rachel Chavkin on Lear, Octavio Solis on Edward II, J.T. Rogers on Julius Caesar, Charly Evon Simpson on A Midsummer Night's Dream, Sarah Ruhl discussing Paula Vogel's The Baltimore Waltz, Tim J. Lord discussing Iphigenia 2.0 by Charles L. Mee, Aaron Posner discussing George Bernard Shaw's Man and Superman, Mfoniso Udofia, and Caleen Sinnette Jennings.

COST: Free
https://www.roundhousetheatre.org/RHathome

SHAKESPEARE THEATRE COMPANY - Shakespeare Hour LIVE!
Ongoing (7:30pm); Previous episodes available streaming
Join Artistic Director Simon Godwin and Resident Dramaturg Drew Lichtenberg for Shakespeare Hour LIVE!, an online tour through every corner of the Shakespeare universe. Each week, Simon and Drew will examine the world of Shakespeare and our own by discussing two plays from the Shakespearean canon which speak to each other thematically, dramaturgically, and historically. Special guests and friends of the STC extended family will also drop by. In Shakespeare’s lifetime, the theaters were closed  periodically due to plague outbreaks. These live conversations will take place online on Zoom. Access links will be shared with ticket holders in their order confirmation email. Upcoming dates and Special Guests:

COST: Free for STC members and subscribers; $10 for non-members

https://www.shakespearetheatre.org/events/shakespeare-hour-live/

SIGNATURE THEATRE - The Signature Show
Ongoing
Signature Theatres's The Signature Show is a biweekly half-hour digital experience featuring performances by acclaimed artists, interviews, celebration of new musical voices and tributes to the past, present and future of Signature Theatre. Watch for new episodes every two weeks on Signature’s YouTube channel – sigtheatre.  View past episodes - or catch the latest, which features performances and interviews with Felicia Curry, Christian Douglas, Nkrumah Gatling, Adam Gwon, Mark G. Meadows, Bobby Smith and more.

COST: FREE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQqea-D2oLE&feature=youtu.be

SPOOKY ACTION THEATER - Writing in Times of COVID-19, Conversation with Playwrights
Now streaming
With playwrights Kevin Kautzman, Matthew Kelly, Laura Shamas and Jack Novak, Moderator: Gillian Drake. Almost 600 people watched our recent live-stream readings.  Four talented playwrights let us translate their brilliant plays – intended for a live audience in a theater space – to a wholly different platform.  Our artists explored the storytelling options of teleconferencing technology to find new ways of bringing theatrical magic to an audience at home. To celebrate the success of our first round of New Works in Action Live!, we engage our playwrights in a conversation about their current experience writing during COVID-19 and their plans for producing new work in the near future.

CLASSES, WORKSHOPS & ACTIVITIES

1ST STAGE - Virtual Classroom
1st Stage is excited to announce our second series of online theatre education courses, taught by experts from the 1st Stage network of artists and educators. These exhilarating introductory courses will be held in a Zoom classroom environment, and are available for both adults and children. Each course will consist of six class sessions.

FOR: Adults, Young Adults and Children
COST: see website
http://www.1ststagetysons.org

THE ACTORS' CENTER - Online Classes
Ongoing
Join The Actors' Center Online for a variety of classes and workshops. Check their website and EventBrite for more details and schedule. There's something for everyone and every level.

COST: Varies per event;  AC Member and non-Member fees, and Pay-What-You-Can pricing
https://actorscenter.org/
https://actorscenter.org/calendar-node-field-date/month/2020-01?mc_cid=cb89258ebd&mc_eid=b2a6512f15

ARENA STAGE - Virtual Master Classes
Arena Stage’s popular masterclass series returns with eight virtual offerings for pre-professional and early-career adults in the fall. Each class will meet twice a week on Wednesdays and Fridays via Zoom. In an intimate setting of no more than 10-16 people per class, it is an exciting opportunity for community members to connect with experts in the field to hone their craft or be inspired to learn a new skill. Upcoming classes include:

FOR: pre-professional and early-career adults
COST: $70
https://www.arenastage.org/tickets/virtual-events/#block-Masterclasses

FOLGER THEATRE - Shakespeare Challenges - Shakespeare for Kids
Ongoing
Test your Shakespeare knowledge with an online Shakespeare scavenger hunt by searching for the answers to three trivia questions posted online.

COST: FREE
https://www.folger.edu/shakespeare-challenges?

FORD'S THEATRE SOCIETY - Our Words, Our Power: Women's History Month
March 22, 2021 at 7p ET
The “Our Words, Our Power” workshop series explores how ordinary citizens and public figures use their words to inspire change and shape our world. The hour-long workshops are open to the general public and livestreamed over Zoom at 7:00 p.m. ET. Each includes a performance of a notable speech or poem on a particular theme, a facilitated discussion on the speech’s impact, the emotions evoked and the relevancy of the words today, and applicable tips that anyone can use to improve public speaking. Explore Hillary Clinton’s “Women’s Rights are Human Rights” speech on March 22. Registration required.

COST: FREE
For More Information: https://www.fords.org/for-teachers/programs/#jump_link_1

IMAGINATION STAGE - Virtual Events & Activities, You & Me At Home
Fridays at 10:30am and Ongoing
Imagination Stage is doing what we can to bring lively entertainment and activities from our stages and classrooms to your living rooms! Visit their website blog and Facebook page for past and upcoming events for young people and families to enjoy and stay active, including:
- learning Bollywood dancing or dance moves from Zomo the Rabbit,
- build a castle model and more,
- take an "Imagination Stage Brain Break" (Fridays at 10:30am) with an online class in creative drama and storytelling games,
- You and Me At Home - join Early Childhood Program Coordinator Stacy Steyaert for an at-home version of one of our popular You & Me classes, caregiver and child experiences using props and materials to stimulate the senses and promote your child’s development (ages 12-36 months)

FOR: Youth and Families
COST: FREE
https://imaginationstage.org/blog/ or https://www.facebook.com/imaginationstage

INTERACT STORY THEATRE - Virtual Programming & Online performance, Rabbits and Sharks!
Ongoing
InterAct Story Theatre has launched it's first batch of virtual and online programming, including interactive workshops for kids, families, and educators, and the premiere of our first pre-recorded online performance. Looking for ways to keep students engaged in the virtual classroom or at home, seeking out online programming that makes classroom learning more interactive, or on the hunt for culturally responsive arts education options, or teaching artists with expertise in working with students with varied abilities, students with Limited English Proficiency, and students who just need to be active...even when they’re sitting in front of a Chromebook?  InterAct is here to help - and we’ve been adapting our workshops, residencies, and performances for virtual/online instruction. Look for the box saying “Available Online!”next to program titles online.  And if you don’t see what you’re looking for, ask us about designing a program just for you and your students.

• Rabbits and Sharks! -- the first in a series of pre-recorded online programs for kids, families, and educators -- is inspired by a beloved folktale from my own childhood in Japan. Now available to be booked as an online performance for individual schools/sites or licensed for multiple schools/sites together. This particular program is geared for early childhood an family audiences, and programs for elementary and secondary school are in development right now.

COST: varies
https://www.interactstory.com/

THE NATIONAL CONSERVATORY OF DRAMATIC ARTS - In the Moment mini acting lessons
Ongoing, added each Wednesday
In The Moment is a series created by The National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts to help actors take their performances to the next level. These streaming videos - each a mini acting lesson are availabe for everyone on The Conservatory's YouTube channel.

COST: FREE
https://www.youtube.com/user/ncdadrama/featured

SHAKESPEARE THEATRE COMPANY - Shakespeare Family Fest
April 10 and April 11, 10 a.m-4 p.m.
Hear ye! Hear ye! Join the fun in a FREE weekend of virtual events for the whole family. Explore the magic of theatre with virtual performances of A Mini-Summer Night’s Dream and The Tiny Tempest, a stage blood demonstration, interactive workshops, crafting activities, and more. Meet STC Engagement and Education staff and teaching artists and learn more about Classes for Youth and Teens and Camp Shakespeare. Drop in for a session or spend the whole weekend with us!
COST: FREE
For More Information: https://www.shakespearetheatre.org/shakespeare-family-fest/

STUDIO ACTING CONSERVATORY - Self-Taping Workshop (with Kate Debelack)
March 27-28 (1-5pm)
Join us for our brand-new Self-Taping Workshop! Discover the tips and tricks to nailing your next self-tape audition. Learn about lighting, background, framing, and other technical aspects of self-taping for theatrical auditions. Work on one monologue while focusing on video audition technique. This workshop will be on Zoom and led by Kate Debelack, a local actor, director, teacher, and producer. You can register online or call 202-232-0714 to sign up!

COST: $150
For More Information: https://studioactingconservatory.asapconnected.com/#CourseID=238737

WASHINGTON IMPROV THEATER (WIT) - Online Classes
Ongoing
WIT is hard at work creating Improv for All workshops to help people blow off some steam as everyone stays home. These workshops will be adapted versions of our regular, in-person workshops designed to work over video chat. Check back for upcoming offerings.

COST: $30 (sliding scale)
https://witdc.org/classes/

FITNESS & HEALTH

JOE'S MOVEMENT EMPORIUM - Virtual Yoga and Fitness Classes
Ongoing
Find great ways to move, learn and experience wellness with our virtual movement classes and tutorials - there’s a wellness way for everyone at Joe’s from Gentle Flow Yoga via Zoom and Vinyasa Yoga with Brooke Kidd, Floor Fitness via Zoom with Shaiday Dancy, Easy Yoga Community Class with Pauline Dunn, Movement Graffiti Community Class with Shawn Stone and more. Check schedule for details.

COST: flexible Pay-What-You-Can, $5-$15 per class
https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/classic/mainclass

SYNETIC THEATER - Virtual Synetic Fitness Classes
Synetic Fitness: Wednesdays & Fridays (6pm)

After a successful summer run Synetic Fitness is back to bring you intense workouts and fantastic Physical Theater activities from the comfort of your home. This year, over 90 people participated in Virtual Synetic fitness. Beat back the Zoom Fatigue, with Zoom Fitness taught by trained Synetic Company Members, each class has a different focus each week. We’ll get you moving, get your heart rate up, and keep you engaged, all while having fun and leveraging Synetic Physical Theater techniques. Hosted on Zoom.

COST: Pay-What-You-Can from $5-$20, register in advance
https://synetictheater.org/fitness/

COST: Free

https://www.facebook.com/SyneticTheater

STREAMING PRODUCTIONS, READINGS & EVENTS

ANACOSTIA PLAYHOUSE - Virtual Silenced Voices New Work Festival
Now streaming
We had a contest. We had winners. We were ready to present them. Then COVID hit. But we were not deterred. We made a movie instead of the Silenced Voices New Work Festival. Now we are almost ready for you to see these five short plays that from five wonderful playwrights, ten actors, one director and a production team working through many obstacles. A link to the event with all details will be available soon. The plays, directed by Bryanda Minix, are:

• Corner Store by Thaddeus Johnson
• View From the Porch by Khadijah Z. Ali-Coleman
• Bus Trip by Deidre CreativeSoul
• New Complex by Helen Claytor
• The New Congress Heights by Kelvin Prather

COST: Free
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMEDxaaIRik&feature=youtu.be

ARENA STAGE - Arena Riffs
March 17 - April 14, 2021
The three-part commissioned music series features three different composer and lyricist teams with musical selections infused with sounds of folk, indie and hip-hop. Themes in the musical series include the grief and void created by the pandemic, the nationwide reckoning on racial injustice, finding joy in difficult times and the exploration of one’s relationship to the country. The self-produced, self-contained finished pieces presented by Arena Stage will premiere on March 17, March 31 and April 14. Each original musical will be 20 – 30 minutes long and will be available to stream on Arena’s website.

COST: Free
For More Information: https://www.arenastage.org/tickets/arenariffs/

ARENA STAGE - Ken Ludwig's Dear Jack, Dear Louise: Love Letter Experience
Ongoing
In 2019, Arena Stage introduced you to Louise Rabiner and Jacob Ludwig, the parents of playwright Ken Ludwig, and audiences fell in love with their heart-warming love story. Patrons can now experience the magic of their connection and intimate journey through a series of nine letters of handwritten correspondence including letters, photos and telegrams designed and handcrafted with period details by Arena’s Stage’s Properties Director Jenn Sheetz and Assistant Properties Director Lance Pennington and developed by Arena Stage's Casting Director/Line Producer Teresa Sapien.

COST: $35
For More Information: https://www.arenastage.org/tickets/love-letters-experience/

BRAVE SPIRITS THEATRE - Shakespeare's Histories: Online Reading Series
Series completed June 2, 2020, now streaming on YouTube
Brave Spirits Theatre presents a virtual summer staged reading festival celebrating the history plays of the English early modern stage. A supplement to their two-year Shakespeare’s Histories project, these plays reveal the breadth and popularity of the history genre during Shakespeare’s era. Performed by BST's Histories ensemble cast and collaborators from across the world. Written by playwrights such as Christopher Marlowe, Thomas Heywood, George Peele, and John Ford, these plays span historical events from 1199 to 1499. These plays live in conversation with Shakespeare’s Histories, providing sources for Shakespeare’s plays and alternate versions of events and characters.

COST: Free, donations are welcome
www.youtube.com/user/BraveSpiritsTheatre

CREATIVE CAULDRON - Jake Blount Live Stream Concert
Sunday, March 21, 7:00 PM
Jake Blount is an award-winning banjoist, fiddler, singer and ethno-musicologist based in Providence, RI. He is half of the internationally touring duo Tui, a 2020 Strathmore Artist in Residence and a board member of Bluegrass Pride. Jake foregrounds the experiences of queer people and people of color in his work. He is a 2020 recipient of the Steve Martin Banjo Prize. Blount released his debut solo album, Spider Tales: The Guardian declared it an "instant classic" and awarded it five out of five stars.

COST: $15
For More Information: https://www.creativecauldron.org/2021-passport-series.html

CREATIVE CAULDRON - Irene Jalenti Jazz Concert
Friday, March 19 7:30 - 8:30 PM
Irene who brought her Beatles jazz homage to the 2019 festival, and her debut solo performance to Creative Cauldron's summer concert series returns for another evening of sensational music.www.irenejalenti.com
COST: $15
For More Information: https://www.creativecauldron.org/2021-passport-series.html

CREATIVE CAULDRON - Kara-Tameika Watkins Live Stream Cabaret
Friday, March 20, 7:30 PM
Kara has been a performer and creator at Creative Cauldron alongside her celebrated professional DC theater career. Join Kara-Tameika Watkins as she bares her soul in an evening of self-discovery and reflection of life during a pandemic.
COST: $15
For More Information: https://www.creativecauldron.org/2021-passport-series.html

FORD'S THEATRE SOCIETY - "One Destiny" On Demand
Available until June 13, 2021
Ford’s Theatre Society presents an on-demand video version of the popular stage play “One Destiny” by Richard Hellesen, directed by Mark Ramont. The 40-minute video production revisits the events of April 14, 1865, with a cast of historical characters who were present, including Ford’s Theatre co-owner Harry Ford and stage actor Harry Hawk. As they reconstruct the sequence of events, they grapple with the question: Could John Wilkes Booth have been stopped from assassinating President Abraham Lincoln? “One Destiny” On Demand is now available for streaming until June 13, 2021, with event registration.

COST: Free
For More Information: https://www.fords.org/visit/one-destiny/

HAPPENSTANCE THEATER - VANITAS
Through March 31, 2021
From the Happenstance Archives, our 2013 production of VANITAS. In this Theatrical work of Art, The Queen, Fool, Musician and Three Fates create an animated Cabinet of Curiosities that will remind the viewer to consider Imagination as a vehicle for transcending life's Inevitabilities. Death is coming, Play while you can.

COST: $15
For More Information: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/vanitas

HAPPENSTANCE THEATER - A ROSE FOR ERGENSBURG
Premiering April 1, 2021
A short film inspired by Fairy Tales and Hard Times.
​
COST: $10
For More Information: http://www.happenstancetheater.com

HAPPENSTANCE THEATER - THE JUXTAPOSE TENEMENT
April 10 onward
A Theatri-Virtual Website Collage inspired by isolation and the shadow boxes of Joseph Cornell. 
​
COST: $15
For More Information: http://happenstancetenement.com/

THE KENNEDY CENTER - Digital Stage Performances
Ongoing
Welcome to the Digital Stage. Watch extraordinary performances from The Kennedy Center's stages and beyond. Featuring original work, news clips and the best from their archives for you to enjoy on your own.

COST: FREE
https://www.kennedy-center.org/digitalstage/
 

IMAGINATION STAGE - Spy Academy & the Lost Treasure of Atlantis
February 13 - May 23, 2021
CALLING ALL SPY CADETS:
Spy Team 7 is on a mission to recover a powerful treasure from the evil Dr. Levinious, but we’ve lost contact. Only YOU can help us now. Please sign up and help us save the world! Our madcap team of expert spies needs YOU to help save the day and find the lost treasure of Atlantis! Full of surprises, fun, and memorable characters, each performance of Spy Academy takes a small number of families through a series of puzzles, codes, and challenges on a quest to recover the stolen Heart of the Dragon. Part online escape room, part interactive game, this creative and immersive theatrical experience is a live virtual event perfect for ages 5+

COST: $25
For More Information: https://patrons.imaginationstage.org/overview/9288?psn=9288

MOSAIC THEATER COMPANY OF DC - Inherit The Windbag
Ongoing
Washington Post humorist Alexandra Petri's pitched battle of bloviating wits revisits the televised Republican and Democratic Conventions of 1968 and the blistering nightly free-for-all between conservative pundit William F. Buckley and liberal author Gore Vidal. What ensues is a battle for history itself, in a no-holds-barred sesquipedalian brawl about another time when American politics was spinning toward entropy. A protean cast of Demons bring the likes of Norman Mailer, Ayn Rand, James Baldwin, and Truman Capote back to shine a bright light on these preening wordsmiths, wounded warriors on the battlefield of extreme partisanship.

COST: $10-25
For More Information: https://mosaictheater.org/inherit-the-windbag

REP STAGE - LOVE/language
March 26-March 29​, 2021
From romantic love to self-love, from love of family to love of our communities, we are all connected in some way through the language of one of humankind's most intimate emotions. With deeply personal monologues, LOVE/language explores how love can help us connect and heal in a time when isolation and unrest affect our daily lives. LOVE/language looks at our heart's desire through the lens of ten diverse playwrights from our local region. Rep Stage's fully produced, filmed theatre event of original commissioned works, will stream in the comfort and safety of your home.

The playwrights include: Bob Bartlett, Annalisa Dias, Dane Figueroa Edidi, Tracy Hall, Farah Lawal Harris, Susan McCully, JR Nexus Russ, Deb Sivigny, Hope Villanueva, Britt A Willis.

The cast features Felicia Curry, Regina Aquino, Temidayo Amay, Alejandro Ruiz, and Garnet Williams

COST: $15.00 single ticket/$25.00 household ticket (2 or more viewers)
For More Information: www.repstage.org

ROUND HOUSE THEATRE - Homebound, Web Series
Now streaming
Round House Theatre has gathered DC-area playwrights, actors, and designers for Homebound, a ten-episode webseries that explores life under Stay-at-Home orders in the Nation’s Capital. The series will star Round House Resident Artists Craig Wallace and Maboud Ebrahimzadeh, plus the other seven local artists who lost work with us as a result of the cancellation of our spring shows. We’ve paired those artists with ten of DC’s leading playwrights, each of whom will pick up on the prompts offered in the previous writer’s episode, writing a story that the actors can film themselves at home. These episodes will be supported by four of our incredible designers and directed by Round House Artistic Director Ryan Rilette and Associate Artistic Director Nicole A. Watson. Explore the full cast and creative team.

COST: FREE
https://www.youtube.com/user/RoundHouseTheatre/featured and https://www.roundhousetheatre.org/homebound

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