NextStop Theatre Company kicks off its 2025/26 season with Dream Hou$e by Eliana Pipes, a sharp, wild comedy about family, gentrification, and the price of the American dream. Directed by recent Helen Hayes Award–winner Dylan Arredondo (Outstanding Direction for Astro Boy and the God of Comics at Flying V), Dream Hou$e begins previews Thursday, September 11, opens Saturday, September 13 at 8:00 pm, and runs through Sunday, October 5, 2025.
Winner of the 2021 Kendeda Award and Steinberg Playwriting Award, Dream Hou$e follows two Latina sisters appearing on an HGTV-style reality show to sell their family home. Hoping to cash in on their “changing neighborhood,” they soon find the show slipping into the surreal. As one sister grapples with the weight of their ancestral past, the other learns just how much she’s willing to sacrifice for their future. A comedy with a twist, Dream Hou$e asks: What is the cultural cost of progress in America, and is cashing in always selling out?
“This is a wildly funny and theatrically daring play,” says Producing Artistic Director Heather Lanza, who programmed her first full season around the theme Finding New Beginnings. “In many ways, we are all in a moment of transition. We are having to grapple with deep existential questions around what version of America we want to see, and what role we each can play to help shape that. The plays this season ask how we can use moments of upheaval or personal struggle to find a new beginning. Dream Hou$e is the perfect play to start investigating these ideas.”
The cast of Dream Hou$e features Cristina Sánchez (NextStop’s Native Gardens), Ixchel Hernandez (NextStop’s In the Heights), and Jule Nelson-Duac, with Leela Aviles-Dawson, Carianmax Benitez, and Sadie Koopman rounding out the ensemble, and Bri Houtman as swing.
The design team brings Dream Hou$e to life with a wild and imaginative level of theatricality on NextStop’s stage, featuring scenic design by Grisele Gonzalez, costume design by Ilyana Rose-Davila, lighting design by Alberto Segarra, props design by Jason Dearing, sound design by Madeline “Mo” Oslejsek, and multimedia design by Zavier Taylor. The production is supported by dramaturg Katie Ciszek, stage manager Sam Rollin, and assistant stage manager Andres Jovel.
Dream Hou$e is the first production in NextStop’s “NextPhase,” an initiative introducing new programming and audience experiences. As part of this effort, NextStop has launched a series of special community and affinity events tied to every production, new subscription packages, and additional ticket discounts including exclusive offers for theatergoers under 40. More announcements will be shared throughout the season as the NextPhase continues to unfold.
Dream Hou$e runs September 13-October 5, 2025, at NextStop Theatre Company, 269 Sunset Park Drive, Herndon, VA 20170. Tickets are $45 and available online or by calling 703-481-5930 x1. Enjoy 15% off select performances with promo code EBDH if purchasing before September 5.
Special events during Dream Hou$e include
- Topical Talkback – Friday, September 19
- $30 Under 40 Happy Hour – Friday, September 19
- Artist Talkback – Saturday, September 20 (following 2pm matinee)
- Latinx Affinity Night – Friday, September 26
About NextStop Theatre
NextStop Theatre Company is an award-winning professional theater company in the heart of Herndon, VA. Located minutes away from Reston Town Center, Historic Downtown Herndon, Dulles Airport, and the Herndon Silver Line Metro Station, the company has established a strong regional reputation for producing critically acclaimed productions and educational programs, while showcasing a wide array of local talent and arts relevant to the community.
SEE ALSO:
NextStop Theatre Company announces 2025/26 season (news story, May 8, 2025)
