Shows in Washington

Arena Stage is America's most historically important regional theater — a Washington DC institution whose founding in 1950 by Zelda Fichandler created the American regional theater movement and whose Tony Award-winning productions have launched the careers of more major American theater artists than any comparable institution. Arena's extraordinary role in creating the concept of regional theater and its consistent production of important American drama make it one of the most culturally significant performing arts institutions in the United States.

Folger Shakespeare Theatre performs in the world's largest collection of Shakespeare documents — the Folger Shakespeare Library's intimate 250-seat Elizabethan stage where productions of Shakespeare's works are performed in the most historically authentic setting available in America. The extraordinary combination of the world's finest Shakespeare research collection and outstanding theatrical productions creates a performing arts experience of unique scholarly and artistic significance.

DC's metropolitan performing arts scene extends across Maryland and Virginia — a network of outstanding theaters, concert halls, and performance spaces serving one of the most educated and culturally engaged metropolitan populations in the United States. The DC area's extraordinary concentration of federal workers, diplomats, academics, and international visitors creates a performing arts audience of unusual diversity, sophistication, and civic engagement.

Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is the most important performing arts institution in America — a five-venue national memorial to President Kennedy presenting the National Symphony Orchestra, Washington National Opera, and the full spectrum of international performing arts. As America's national arts center, it presents more performances annually than any other arts organization in the world and represents the federal government's commitment to the arts as fundamental to democratic culture.

Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is America's most important performing arts institution — a national cultural center on the Potomac presenting the National Symphony Orchestra, Washington National Opera, and the full spectrum of performing arts in five extraordinary performance spaces. As the living memorial to President Kennedy and as the national stage for American cultural life, the Kennedy Center presents more performances annually than any other arts organization in the world and represents America's most significant statement about the importance of the arts to democratic culture.

Lisner Auditorium at George Washington University is Washington DC's most important university performing arts venue — a 1,491-seat GWU concert hall presenting outstanding concerts, lectures, and cultural events for the Foggy Bottom campus and the greater DC community. GWU's extraordinary position adjacent to the White House and the State Department creates a university performance venue uniquely shaped by Washington's extraordinary political environment.

The National Symphony Orchestra represents America's most important orchestral voice — a Washington DC symphony whose position at the Kennedy Center creates performances of unique national significance. As the orchestra of the nation's capital, it performs for presidents, foreign dignitaries, and at the world's most politically important performing arts venue, creating a musical experience uniquely shaped by Washington's global role.

DC's vibrant independent theater scene extends across Logan Circle, Columbia Heights, and throughout the city — a network of small theaters, black box spaces, and storefront venues where emerging theater companies produce innovative new works for Washington's engaged theater community. DC's extraordinary concentration of theater talent (the city has more professional theater companies per capita than any American city outside New York) creates an independent theater ecosystem of remarkable creative energy.

Studio Theatre is Washington DC's most important intimate theater company — a Logan Circle institution producing contemporary theater of the highest quality in four intimate performance spaces. Its extraordinary commitment to presenting the finest contemporary European and American drama, combined with its role as the primary presenter of Harold Pinter and Tom Stoppard in Washington, creates a theater of unusual intellectual sophistication and artistic ambition.

Toby's Dinner Theatre of Columbia is a Maryland institution offering professional Broadway-style musical theater productions in an in-the-round dinner theater format since 1979. The buffet-dinner-plus-show format, professional Equity productions, and family-friendly programming have made it one of the region's most beloved theatrical destinations for over four decades.

Woolly Mammoth Theatre is Washington DC's most adventurous producing theater — a Penn Quarter institution presenting the most politically and artistically challenging new American theater in the nation's capital. Its extraordinary commitment to producing work that directly engages with American political and cultural life makes it uniquely appropriate for Washington DC and creates a theater of genuine political and artistic significance.