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.
Constellation Theater Company presents Bram Stoker’s Dracula Movie Party, Monday, October 27 at the Miracle Theatre, 535 8th St SE, Washington, DC. Doors open at 6:30 PM and the movie screening begins at 7:30 PM. The evening will feature a private screening of the film, a costume contest, a raffle, free popcorn, a cash bar, and local drag performer Johnny Alucard as the night’s vampire host. Tickets are $20 and available here.
Spooky Action Theater presents a staged reading of The White Bitch – Or, Hedda Gabler in Helgeland, by Drew Lichtenberg and directed by Elizabeth Dinkova, Sunday, October 26 at 2:00 PM at Universalist National Memorial Church, 1810 16th St NW, Washington, DC. Tickets are free; reserve here.
Mosaic Theater Company hosts a workshop presentation of CODE RED by Emily Mann, Saturday, October 25 and Sunday, October 26 at 7:30 PM at Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St NE, Washington, DC. Tickets are $25 ($15 for Mosaic subscribers) and available here.
The Kennedy Center presents Little Murmur by Aakash Odedra, Saturday, October 25 and Sunday, October 26 in the Kennedy Center’s Family Theater, 2700 F St NW, Washington, DC. This solo dance theater show for young audiences uses projections, an extraordinary soundscape, moving dance, and sprinkles of humor to explore the trials of living with dyslexia. Tickets are $25 and available 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.
Duke Ellington School of the Arts (DESA) Theatre Department presents March for the Arts 2025, Saturday, October 25 from 10:00 AM-3:00 PM at 3500 R St NW, Washington, DC. The event features performances by DESA students and is a fundraiser for the school’s theater department. Fly high on magical moon bounces, shop ‘til you drop at the villainous vendor market, dare to take a haunted train ride, and savor FANG-tastic food offerings, guaranteed to delight even the pickiest of ghouls! More information and donation links here.
Best Medicine Rep presents a free reading of The Affliction, written and directed by John Morogiello, Wednesday, October 22 at 7:00 PM in the Hefner Auditorium at Asbury Methodist Village in Gaithersburg, MD. Entrance is at the corner of Odendhal and Lost Knife Road. Admission is free. No tickets necessary. More information and directions available here.
Folger Shakespeare Library presents Tomorrow’s Verses: The O.B. Hardison Reading, Tuesday, October 21 at 7:30 PM at the Folger, 201 East Capitol St SE, Washington, DC, featuring DC-based singer, author, educator, and youth worker Alexa Patrick (Remedies for Disappearing). Patrick will be joined by Tatiana Figuroa Ramirez, Kenny Caroll Jr, and Sasa Aakil to read works that honor the past, energize the present, and envision the future. Tickets are $20 ($10 for livestream), with a $10 discount available for federal employees. Details and tickets here.
Nu Sass and The Sirens of Sin present Dungeons & Divas: Honor Among Tease, a fantasy role-playing burlesque musical, Sunday, October 19 at 7:00 PM at The Comedy Loft of DC, 1532 22nd St NW, Washington, DC. Tickets are $25 and available here.
Studio Acting Conservatory presents a two-day Dialects Workshop, Saturday, October 18 and Sunday, October 19 from 2-6 PM at 3423 Holmead Pl NW, Washington, DC. This intensive course will explore the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) and two distinct British English dialects: Received Pronunciation (RP) and Cockney. Registration is $150 (financial aid is available); register here.
The Auxiliary Improv presents Halloween Improv Comedy Night, Saturday, October 18 at 8:00 PM at the Lyceum, 201 S. Washington St, Alexandria, VA. Wear a costume, have some candy, and laugh! Show is 18+ recommended. Tickets are free, with a $10 suggested donation, and available here.
Transformation Theatre presents REPROECO, a virtual reading of six newly commissioned short plays exploring the intersection of reproductive rights and environmental justice, Tuesday, October 14 at 7:00 PM. Tickets are pay-what-you-can between $10-$25 and 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.
