Studio Theatre, in conjunction with four other DC theaters, will host a three-day festival of readings from January 23-25, 2026, featuring new plays and works-in-progress. The New Pages, New Stages festival will feature public readings of two works-in-process from the Studio R&D program alongside projects from four local theaters, offering a snapshot of dynamic new writing for the theatre. Studio R&D has supported commissions and development of new work since 2012 and boasts playwrights like Rachel Bonds, Aaron Posner, Kimberly Belflower, and James Ijames among its alumni, and plays from Studio R&D have gone on to productions on Broadway, Off Broadway, across the US, and internationally.
Studio has invited four area theaters to showcase new plays: Arena Stage, Theater Alliance, Theater J, and Solas Nua. The names of selected playwrights and play titles will be announced in December. Tickets will be made available to the general public two weeks prior to the readings.
“Washington, DC is one of the country’s powerhouse theater cities,” noted Studio Artistic Director David Muse. “Part of my impulse in developing New Pages, New Stages was to showcase the range and depth of new writing on DC-area stages. By producing readings from four other theaters, large and small, I also hope to capture something of the excitement of the Kennedy Center’s former Page to Stage Festival, which didn’t return after the pandemic shutdown. Theater in DC is vibrant and varied, and New Pages, New Stages will give audiences a chance to get a sense of its range over three days.”
ABOUT STUDIO THEATRE
Studio Theatre is a national leader in the production of contemporary plays. Over 46 years and more than 425 productions, Studio has grown from a company that produced in a single rented theater to one that owns a multi-venue complex stretching half a city block, but has remained committed to core distinguishing characteristics: deliberately intimate spaces; excellence in acting and design; and seasons that feature many of the most significant playwrights of our time. Studio’s seasons are intentionally diverse and eclectic, featuring buzzworthy plays from today’s hot writers, groundbreaking world premieres, and reinvigorated contemporary classics, produced and performed by leading local, national, and international artists. Studio also incubates and develops new work, nurtures the next generation of arts leaders, and proactively engages with its community through a wide array of initiatives. Studio is committed to inclusion and access, and makes a concentrated effort to proactively dismantle barriers that have excluded people from joyful participation in our art form. Studio’s location, rich history, unique venues, and commitment to artistry have made it a regional landmark, where audiences find the best that contemporary theater has to offer.
ABOUT ARENA STAGE
The first racially integrated theater in our nation’s capital and a pioneer of the regional theater movement, Arena Stage was founded in 1950 in Washington, DC. Today, under the leadership of Artistic Director Hana S. Sharif and Executive Producer Edgar Dobie, Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater is a national center dedicated to American voices and artists. Arena produces plays of all that is passionate, profound, deep, and dangerous in the American spirit, and presents diverse and groundbreaking work from some of the best artists around the country. Consistently contributing to the American theatrical lexicon by commissioning and developing new plays, Arena Stage impacts the lives of over 10,000 students annually through its work in community engagement and serves a diverse annual audience of more than 300,000.
ABOUT THEATER ALLIANCE
For over two decades, Theater Alliance has been a driving force for innovation, activation, and artistic excellence in Washington, DC’s cultural landscape. Renowned for producing socially conscious and thought-provoking work, the company creates theater that sparks dialogue and fosters community engagement. Theater Alliance keeps justice at the core of its operations, prioritizes joy, amplifies under-told stories, and explores innovative artistic endeavors. Through its robust civic engagement initiatives, the company underscores its belief that the arts are essential to building a thriving, equitable society. Theater Alliance’s impact is reflected in its 111 Helen Hayes Award nominations and 31 wins, and in its proud status as a Core Member of the National New Play Network. With a steadfast commitment to its mission, Theater Alliance continues to create transformative experiences where all artists and audiences feel seen, valued, and inspired.
ABOUT THEATER J
Theater J is a nationally renowned, professional theater that celebrates, explores, and struggles with the complexities and nuances of both the Jewish experience and the universal human condition. As the nation’s largest and most prominent Jewish theater, Theater J aims to preserve and expand a rich Jewish theatrical tradition and to create community and commonality through theater-going experiences.
ABOUT SOLAS NUA
Solas Nua – ‘new light’ in Irish – is a leading multi-disciplinary arts organization that is dedicated exclusively to contemporary Irish arts. Based in Washington, DC, their mission is to bring the best of contemporary Ireland to the U.S. Recognized for their unique contributions to Washington’s artistic and cultural landscape, Solas Nua has earned international critical acclaim for their vibrant programming of presenting, producing, and commissioning world-class artistic experiences. Their work has been featured by The New York Times, The Irish Times, The Washington Post, on the cover of American Theatre Magazine, aired on RTE – Ireland’s national broadcast, The Guardian – Nigeria, and The Telegraph – Nigeria. Now in their 20th anniversary season, Solas Nua has garnered over 100 nominations and multiple awards, presenting the work of more than 1,000 Irish artists while keeping 90% of their programming free to the public.
