Calendar: Play Readings, Workshops, and Short-Run Theater Events in the DMV

Check back regularly for the most up-to-date information about workshops, readings, and short-run/single-performance events.

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

Young Playwrights Theater presents Young Playwrights in Progress, a workshop performance showcasing the work of three student artists from Howard University, Saturday, March 21 at 6:00 PM at Busboys and Poets Takoma, 235 Carroll St NW, Washington, DC. Works featured include The Weight of Inheritance by Jaden Michael Madgett, B Series Timeline by Tabitha Rose, and Honey Island by Yisrael Robinson. Tickets are $25 ($15 seniors and students) for the in-person event and $15 ($5 seniors and students) for the livestream. Purchase tickets 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

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.