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.
SEPTEMBER 2026
Washington Stage Guild presents An Evening with Rip Van Winkle and Washington Irving, a reading by WSG founding members Laura Giannarelli and Bill Largess, Wednesday, September 30 at 7:30 PM at the Undercroft Theatre in the Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church, 900 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC. The reading is Pay-What-You-Can (cash or credit card) at the door, no reservations necessary.
The Theatre Lab School for the Dramatic Arts presents its 2026 Fall Reading Series, featuring the following staged readings:
- The Front Page by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur, Tuesday, September 29 at 7:30 PM
- Six Characters in Search of an Author by Luigi Pirandello, Tuesday, October 6 at 7:30 PM
- The History Boys by Alan Bennett, Tuesday, October 13 at 7:30 PM
- Museum by Tina Howe, Tuesday, October 20 at 7:30 PM
All readings will be held at The Theatre Lab, 900 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC. Admission is free; select reading(s) and RSVP here.
Ford’s Theatre presents 25 Years After 9/11: Lessons in Leadership, Resilience and Finding Our Better Angels, Tuesday, September 29 at 6:00 PM at Ford’s Theatre, 511 10th St NW, Washington, DC. Speakers include Hillary Rodham Clinton, former U.S. Secretary of State, U.S. Senator and First Lady; Mitch E. Daniels Jr., former Indiana governor and Purdue President Emeritus; and Norah O’Donnell, CBS News correspondent. Tickets are free; register here.
The British Players present an evening of staged readings: Still Life by Noël Coward and O’Flaherty V.C. by George Bernard Shaw, Saturday, September 26 at 7:00 PM at Bannockburn Clubhouse, 6314 Bannockburn Dr, Bethesda, MD. Tickets are free; reserve here. Complimentary light snacks and beverages will be served during intermission.
Arena Stage presents its Adult, Youth and Family Open House, featuring free sample classes by Arena teaching artists, Saturday, September 26 from 11:00 AM-2:30 PM at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater, 1101 Sixth St SW, Washington, DC. Admission is free, and no prior experience required for classes.
Body Language, a theatrical solo comedy show by Jenny Napolitano, premieres Friday, September 25 through Sunday, September 27 at The Writer’s Center, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda, MD. Tickets are $30 and available here.
Washington Performing Arts and Dance Theatre of Harlem present Firebird, Friday, September 25 at 7:30 PM and Saturday, September 26 at 2:00 PM and 7:30 PM at the National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC. Tickets range from $78-$162 and are available here.
GEM Theater Productions presents The Arrangement by Jacqueline H. Thomas, Friday, September 25 at 7:00 PM and Saturday, September 26 at 3:00 PM at the A.J. Ferlazzo Auditorium, 15941 Donald Curtis Dr, Woodbridge, VA. Both performances include post-show talkbacks. Tickets are $40.50 (fees included) and available here.
The Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University presents The Sound of Peace, an interactive performance by cellist and Rotary Peace Fellow Diego Carneiro featuring music, conversation, storytelling, and human connection, Friday, September 25 at 4:45 PM at
MetroStage presents a reading of Cousin Bella by Sherman Yellen, Tuesday, September 22 at 7:00 PM at The Lyceum, 201 South Washington St, Alexandria, VA. Tickets are $30 and available here.
Avant Bard Theatre presents Ronald Reagan and the Ontological Paradox of Intent: a new…wave…musical by Shawn Northrip, directed by Jenny McConnell Frederick, Sunday, September 20 at 6:00 PM at The Filling Station at El Rey VA, 4201 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA. The reading is presented through Avant Bard’s Resistance Readings series. Admission is free; RSVP here. Food and drink will be available for purchase.
Pipeline Playwrights presents a video-on-demand streaming run of Around the Snake Turn by Patricia Connelly, September 17-October 1. Tickets are $22 general admission, $15 for students, and $30 for small groups of 2-5 people, and available here.
