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.
MARCH 2026
Round House Theatre’s Teen Performance Company presents its 24th annual Sarah Metzger Memorial Play, At the End of the World by Morgan Gould, directed by Scout Amakali, Friday, March 27 through Sunday, March 29 at Round House Theatre, 4545 East-West Highway, Bethesda, MD. Showtimes are Friday at 7:30 PM, Saturday at 8:00 PM, and Sunday at 2:00 PM. Tickets are $25 and available here. Free tickets are available for high school and college students; details here.
Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington presents Body Beautiful, an evening of songs and stories celebrating body positivity, Wednesday, March 25 at 7:30 PM at National City Christian Church, 5 Thomas Circle NW, Washington, DC. The performance will be ASL interpreted. Tickets are $48 general admission ($43 for seniors and $23 for young people 25 and under) and available here.
Better Said Than Done presents its 2026 Women’s Storytelling Festival, both in-person and streaming online, Thursday, March 19 through Sunday, March 22. The festival kicks off with a virtual-only showcase March 19 at 8:00 PM. In-person events (with livestream options) run March 20-22 at Sherwood Community Center, 3740 Blenheim Blvd, Fairfax, VA. Full festival passes ($70) and virtual-only passes ($50) are available here. Single-day passes will be available at the door only for $35.
Mosaic Theater Company and DC Public Library present the 2026 Mosaic Teen Playwright Contest reading, Sunday, March 15 at 1:30 PM at the Martin Luther King Jr. Central Library, 901 G St NW, Washington, DC. This year’s contest is inspired by the themes of Young John Lewis, including justice, coalition building, and activism within our communities, and is presented as part of Mosaic’s Young John Lewis reflection series. Tickets are free; RSVP here.
Story District presents She Comes First, its annual night of true stories told live by women, Thursday, March 12 at 7:30 PM at Penn Social, 801 E St NW, Washington, DC. Tickets are $35 and available here.
Taffety Punk presents a staged reading of Freddie: A Girl, a new play by company member Kelsey Mesa, Saturday, March 7 at 8:00 PM at Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, 545 7th St SE, Washington, DC. Created and workshopped through Taffety Punk’s Generator project, Freddie: A Girl is based on true stories of the Dutch resistance to Nazi occupation. Tickets are free; reserve here.
Teatro de la Luna presents its Bilingual Artistic Festival for Children, Saturday, March 7 from 12:00 PM-4:00 PM at Casa Lala, 1244 Taylor St NW, Washington, DC. The festival will include theater, clown performances, music, dancing, storytelling, and activities for all ages. Tickets are $10 (free for children under 3) and available here.
Round House Theatre presents its fifth annual Bonnie Hammerschlag National Capital New Play Festival, including a series of developmental readings from February 26-March 8 at Round House, 4545 East-West Highway, Bethesda, MD. Readings include The Cave by Lauren Gunderson, Help! Help! Want. Want. Want. by JuCoby Johnson, Noise in the Line by Matthew Capodicasa, and Marble Rooftop by Eliana Theologides Rodriguez. Tickets are free but readings are currently full; find more information and join the waitlist here.
Atlas Performing Arts Center presents the 2026 Atlas INTERSECTIONS Festival, February 14-March 15 at the Atlas, 1333 H St NE, Washington, DC. The INTERSECTIONS Festival invites audiences of all ages to engage with a diverse lineup of performances in the genres of story, movement, and sound. Tickets range from $25-$37 for individual events, with a 3-show pass available for $69, a 4-show pass for $88, and a 5-show pass for $100. Festival lineup and tickets are available here.
