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Whether you’re looking for theater, jazz, dance, cinema, cabaret, comedy, or something classical, Washington, D.C., has some of the most exciting and thought-provoking entertainment in the country. Since the opening of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in 1971, the city’s performing arts culture has grown steadi
Whether you’re looking for theater, jazz, dance, cinema, cabaret, comedy, or something classical, Washington, D.C., has some of the most exciting and thought-provoking entertainment in the country. Since the opening of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Whether you’re looking for theater, jazz, dance, cinema, cabaret, comedy, or something classical, Washington, D.C., has
Whether you’re looking for theater, jazz, dance, cinema, cabaret, comedy, or something classical, Washington, D.C., has some of the most exciting and thought-provoking entertainment in the country. Since the opening of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in 1971, the city’s performing arts culture has grown steadily. Washington now hosts the third-largest theater scene in the country, as well as a rich offering of nightly music opportunities featuring local, national, and international talent, and so much more. No city outshines the District on the magnificence and variety of its arts venues.
Diverse theaters offer everything from Rodgers and Hammerstein to experimental fare. The Kennedy Center and the historic National Theatre bring in primarily big-time touring shows, but the 65-year-old Arena Stage offers the best in regional theater. Meanwhile, relative newcomers like the Studio Theatre, Woolly Mammoth, and northern Virginia's Signature Theatre offer a palette of performances as varied as any in the country.
The city also has its share of every kind of music imaginable, from classical quartets to the most current EDM sensation. With venues ranging from DAR Constitution Hall to the Verizon Center near D.C.’s Chinatown to northern Virginia’s Birchmere Music Hall, music can be found wherever you are, both in the city and its many suburbs.
Those looking for cinema can catch unusual foreign fare, rare documentaries, independent features, and classics. As for dance, Washington has more than enough options for ballet, modern dance, and more.
The Choir of the National Shrine, a professional choir of 16 voices, performs every Sunday at the Shrine's Noon Mass, in addition to visiting choral and church groups that occasionally perform at one of the largest Catholic churches in the Americas. Every summer and periodically throughout the year, recitals featuring the massive pipe organ are offered. See the website for times and visiting performers.
400 Michigan Ave. NE, Washington, District of Columbia, 20017, USA
The theater at the Folger Shakespeare Library, an intimate 250-seat re-creation of the inn-yard theaters of Shakespeare's time, hosts three to four productions each year of Shakespearean or Shakespeare-influenced works. Although the stage is a throwback, the sharp acting and inspired direction consistently challenge and delight audiences. The theater is undergoing a multiyear renovation, but you can catch performances and other events at other venues in Washington, D.C.
201 E. Capitol St. SE, Washington, District of Columbia, 20003, USA
Overlooking the Potomac River, the gem of the Washington, D.C. performing arts scene is home to the National Symphony Orchestra and the Washington National Opera. The best out-of-town acts perform at one of three performance spaces—the Concert Hall, the Opera House, or the Eisenhower Theater. An eclectic range of performances is staged at the center's smaller venues, which showcase chamber groups, experimental works, cabaret-style performances, and the KC Jazz Club. But that's not all. On the Millennium Stage in the center's Grand Foyer, you can catch free performances almost any day at 6 pm. And the REACH, a major indoor-outdoor, state-of-the-art expansion designed by Steven Holl and completed in 2019, provides a dynamic, open-air, collaborative space and a pedestrian bridge that connects with the other presidential memorials on the National Mall.
On performance days, a free shuttle bus runs between the Kennedy Center and the Foggy Bottom–GWU Metro stop.
2700 F St. NW, Washington, District of Columbia, 20566, USA
Specializing in independent, foreign, and documentary films, this theater is beloved by D.C. movie enthusiasts both for its selection and its state-of-the-art facilities. The Washington Post has often declared it D.C.'s best movie theater, its concession stand is fabulous, and it is one of the city's few movie theaters that serve alcohol.
555 11th St. NW, Washington, District of Columbia, 20004, USA
On Fridays from 5 to 8:30 pm from mid-May through the end of August, jazz groups from all over the country perform to packed crowds at the Pavilion Café in the Sculpture Garden. Listeners dip their feet in the fountain, sip sangria, and let the week wash away. Make sure to arrive early to snag a spot.
6th St. and Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, District of Columbia, 20001, USA
This acclaimed troupe crafts fantastically staged and acted performances of works by Shakespeare and other significant playwrights, offering traditional renditions but also some with a modern twist. Complementing the stage in the Lansburgh Theatre is Sidney Harman Hall, which provides a state-of-the-art, midsize venue for an outstanding variety of performances—from Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing to Racine's tragic Phèdre—by visiting companies like South Africa's Baxter Theatre, which staged a production of Mies Julie.
450 7th St. NW, Washington, District of Columbia, 20004, USA
Throughout the year, the Smithsonian Associates sponsor programs that offer everything from big brass to Cajun zydeco bands; all events require tickets, and locations vary. The Smithsonian's annual summer Folklife Festival, held on the Mall, highlights several different cultures' cuisine, crafts, and day-to-day life.
1000 Jefferson Dr. SW, Washington, District of Columbia, 20560, USA
This multifaceted theater company, one of the city's busiest, produces an eclectic season of contemporary European and offbeat American plays in four spaces: the original Mead and Milton theaters, the newer 200-seat Metheny Theatre, and the experimental Stage 4.
1501 14th St. NW, Washington, District of Columbia, 20005, USA
Opened in 1910, the Howard Theatre continues to be a draw in Washington, D.C. Initially a venue to highlight African American artists, the Howard Theatre now hosts diverse performances, from '80s hard rock by Sebastian Bach of Skid Row to old-school hip-hop by Slick Rick to Puerto Rican reggae by Cultura Profética. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974, it has also hosted many American musical icons, from Duke Ellington to Ella Fitzgerald, in its intimate space. The theater closed in 1970 and reopened in 2012 after an extensive remodel.
620 T St. NW, Washington, District of Columbia, 20001, USA
Unusual cutting-edge shows with solid acting have earned this company top reviews and 35 Helen Hayes Awards. The theater performs works for a decidedly urban audience that challenge the status quo. Its modern, 265-seat theater in bustling Downtown D.C accentuates the troupe's talent. The Woollies also create a unique lobby experience for each show, created to share the experience on social.
641 D St. NW, Washington, District of Columbia, 20004, USA
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