Play readings and workshops offer a chance to see exciting new work at various stages of development. Want to see the next big thing while it’s still being crafted? Get in on the ground level and see the creative process in action. Featuring new plays and musicals by local and national artists, here are the upcoming play readings and workshops in the DMV.
OCTOBER
Annapolis Opera presents Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Friday, October 31 at 7:30 PM and Sunday, November 2 at 3:00 PM at Maryland Hall, 801 Chase St, Annapolis, MD. Tickets range from $37-$79 (with student discounts available); purchase tickets here. Pre-performance discussion begins one hour prior to showtime; register for free here.
Annapolis Opera presents Mozart’s Wonderful Women – Three Sopranos in Don Giovanni, Saturday, October 25 at 3:00 PM at Maryland Hall, Earl Gallery, 801 Chase St, Annapolis, MD. Led by Eric Stoltzfus, tutor and music librarian at St. John’s College, this discussion explores the stories of the three unforgettable women of Don Giovanni. Tickets are free, but space is limited; RSVP here.
Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington presents Bawdy, its spicy fall cabaret, with three performances Saturday, October 11 at 2:00, 5:00, and 8:00 PM at the Keegan Theatre, 1742 Church St NW, Washington, DC. Tickets are $48 general admission ($43.50 seniors and $23 for audience members under 25) and available here.
Alliance for New Music-Theatre presents Josh Cleveland: One True Sentence, Tuesday, October 7 at 7:00 PM at the Arts Club of Washington, 2017 I St NW, Washington, DC. This night of musical storytelling is the latest in Alliance for New Music-Theatre’s George Fulginiti Series: Cabaret, Cocktails, & Conversation. Tickets are $65, with a subscription to all 5 2025/26 Cabaret Series events for $275. More information and tickets are available here.
Avant Bard Theatre presents its 10th annual Scripts in Play Festival, running October 3-19 at venues throughout Arlington, VA. The lineup includes:
- The Robotics of Love and Longing, by Germaine Shames, directed by Kathleen Barth
Friday, October 3 at 7:30 PM, The Schnider Gallery
Sunday, October 5 at 2:00 PM, Mason Exhibitions - As We Like It, by Oded Gross, directed by Tracey Ehrbacher
Thursday, October 9 at 6:30 PM & 7:30 PM, The Filling Station
Sunday, October 12 at 2:00 PM, MOCA Arlington - Overcoming Orion, by Abby Dunbar, directed by Audra Jacobs
Friday, October 17 at 7:30 PM, The Schnider Gallery
Sunday, October 19 at 2:00 PM, Mason Exhibitions
Full festival information and tickets (free with RSVP) available here.
The University of Maryland School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies, in collaboration with PT411 and Richmond Area Black Deaf Advocates, presents A Touch of Slavery, Thursday, October 2 through Sunday, October 5 at The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. A Touch of Slavery is a radically new kind of theater, performed by DeafBlind actors in Protactile, the language of the DeafBlind community. Protactile is a physical language and involves direct contact with actors. More information, showtimes, and tickets ($10 general admission, free for UMD students) available here.
SEPTEMBER
TheaterWorks USA presents Cat Kid Comic Club: The Musical by Kevin Del Aguila and Brad Alexander, a musical adaptation of Dav Pilkey’s Dog Man spinoff series, Friday, September 26 through Sunday, September 28 at Baltimore Center Stage, 700 N. Calvert St, Baltimore, MD. Showtimes and tickets ($40-$60) are available here.
Teatro de la Luna presents Una Luna Llena de Tango/A Tango Filled Moon, an evening of live music and dance featuring guest singer Ana Maria Pfeiff, bandoneon player Emmanuel Trifilio, and poems and memories of Buenos Aires told by Mario Marcel, Friday, September 26 and Saturday, September 27 at 8:00 PM and Sunday, September 28 at 3:00 PM at 4020 Georgia Ave NW, Washington, DC. Tickets are $30 ($25 students and seniors) and available here.
The DC International Theatre Festival presents three free panel discussions celebrating the transformative partnerships forged between American and international theater artists across borders. Events include:
- Working Across Japan and the United States
Sunday, September 21 at 6pm
Location: Studio Theatre
Presented by Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company - The Value of International Artistic Collaboration: A Panel Discussion
Friday, September 26 at 7pm
Location: Studio Theatre
Presented by Studio Theatre in conjunction with CODAworx Summit - The Power of Protokoll: Germany’s Global Company
Sunday, September 28 at 6:30 pm
Location: Woolly Mammoth Theatre
Presented by Goethe-Institut Washington and Shakespeare Theatre Company
Teatro de la Luna presents four Saturdays of live bilingual musical entertainment for children at their theater at 4020 Georgia Ave NW, Washington, DC. The lineup includes:
- Cantando-Ando con Mis Amigos Musicales! (Sing-Along with My Musical Friends!), Saturday, September 6 at 3:00 PM
- Cantando-Ando con Gabo y Mate (Sing-Along with Gabo and Mate), Saturday, September 13 at 3:00 PM
- Siempre Amigos (Buddies Not Bullies), Saturday, September 20 at 3:00 PM
- Vientos, Cuerdas, Percusión (Winds, Strings, Percussion), Saturday, September 27 at 3:00 PM
Tickets are $5 (free for children under 3) and available here.
