Round House Theatre continues its milestone 50th anniversary season with the regional premiere of Cult of Love by Leslye Headland. Directed by Round House Artistic Director Ryan Rilette, the play tells the story of the Dahl family, who are devout Christians. The four adult Dahl siblings return home for Christmas Eve to reconnect, and the family must work through their religious and familial differences. Along the way, the festivities give way to confrontation, leading to surprising revelations, resurfacing grievances, and the testing of long-held beliefs.
Cult of Love marks a return to the stage for Jane Beard, a veteran DC actress coming out of retirement to star as Virginia “Ginny” Dahl in the production. A three-time Helen Hayes Award nominee, Beard was involved with Round House Theatre for many years, as both an actor and a director. In addition to her extensive theatrical experience in the DC region, Beard has also appeared in numerous film, TV, and commercial roles. Ahead of the play’s November 18 opening, DC Theater Arts’ Julia Tucker caught up with Beard to discuss her comeback and career. This interview has been edited for clarity, length, and flow.
Julia Tucker: What inspired you to come out of retirement to be part of Cult of Love for Round House’s 50th anniversary season, and how did this opportunity come about?
Jane Beard: When I quit acting about 23 years ago, I thought that I was done. Then, about a year and a half ago, I started reading plays with a friend who we knew was dying. As we were reading them, it was kind of fun to do. The week that he died, he gave me a direction in what we were reading, and I took the adjustment. I thought, “It would be really fun to do this again,” and he said, “You should still be doing this.” But I knew that I would not be doing it because if I did it, I wanted to do it with people who were doing it really well, with all the resources you need. I just thought, “Well, that will never happen.” Then, in the spring, I got a note saying, “Would you read this play [Cult of Love] and consider taking the role?” I went, “OK, so there it is. Yes, I’m doing this.” It’s like hitting the lottery — oh my gosh, it has been so wonderful!
How does it feel to return to Round House Theatre and see how the organization has grown since its early days? What has Round House meant to your career?
This was my artistic home, and I feel like it still is a home that fundamentally hasn’t changed. It still is very artist-driven and story-focused. When they [Round House and their mission] say, “Theatre for Everyone,” they are not kidding. That was the Round House that I knew. It is a place where people were welcomed and respected, and we were creating together. It is that, but on steroids now. Fifty years ago, when this started, people said, “Is this going to even last a season?” I wasn’t around at that point, but my husband was. I think if you went back in time and told those people it would still be here in 50 years at the way and the high level that it’s operating, they would’ve been knocked over. Just walking in the rehearsal room and walking in the building, you feel welcome, but walking in the rehearsal room is a dream. It’s like, “Who gets to do this? Stop your career, do something else, and then come back to something you used to love, and love it again?” That’s such a rare thing.
You’ve performed on many prominent DC stages, including Arena Stage, Studio Theatre, and Olney Theatre Center. What has the DC theater community meant to your career, and what has been the most rewarding experience of working in the region?
Any actor who comes here from New York or LA, they’re like, “I can’t believe how nice everybody is to everybody and how they’re telling each other about auditions.” That was the case when I was an actor, and it remains the case that this is a community. It is not a competition, and we do tell each other about opportunities that are coming up. I remember once saying to a theater, “You don’t want to audition me — you want to audition Naomi. She’s better for the role.” That’s just how it works here, it really does, and that continues. We are about the community and the arts in a way that you don’t see in another city. I did a lot in national union politics, so I really was in other markets, and it is absolutely not like that anywhere else.
Tell me about your character, Virginia “Ginny” Dahl. What do you most relate to in her journey, and what are some of the greatest challenges of the role?
I suppose the greatest challenge is that she’s super religious, and I am not, but we’re alike in that we love our children fiercely. She is somebody who demonstrates love less through saying it than through doing things that she thinks they might want, and through keeping them safe in ways that they may not know about. She’s an “acts of love” person rather than a “words of love” person. I think there are ways that we’re not alike, but also, there are mistakes she’s made with her family that I made with mine that I’m just like, “Oh, man. When my kids see this, what are they going to think?” But not talking about difficult circumstances, just trying to move through them, that’s Ginny. We don’t talk about anything hard, we just keep one foot in front of the other and keep going. That’s a fun challenge I’m confronting as well.
Why do you think Cult of Love will resonate with DC audiences, and why should theatergoers come see it this holiday season?
Oh, my gosh! There is no human being I can think of who isn’t going to find themselves in this play somewhere. The way that these people think about love, the way they think about pride and what they are fighting for in their individual lives — the miscommunications, lost opportunities, and real divisions in belief that separate them all come from the same source of love. With so many families divided by so much these days, you will see yourself in this play, and you will see yourself spoken for in this play. There’s no bad guy in this play. I say that thinking that maybe some people might think I’m a bad guy, but I think there are no bad guys in this play. I think everybody is acting from what they believe love to be. In the times we live in, this is something to come see and experience. Plus, the quality of the acting in this show — I sit there with my jaw on the floor watching them work. They finish a scene, and I find that my face has been wet because I’ve been crying and didn’t even know I was crying, because the work is exquisite. It is so true and raw, and they’re marvelous actors. Even just being able to see them put together, people should not miss these performances. I know I sound like a PR person, but I really, really mean it. In my life, I’ve not always said that about shows I was in.
Running Time: Approximately one hour and 45 minutes with no intermission.
Cult of Love plays November 18 to December 27, 2026, at Round House Theatre, 4545 East-West Highway, Bethesda, MD. Evening and matinee performance times are available. Tickets ($53–$107) can be purchased online, by calling 240-644-1100, or visiting the box office prior to the performance (box office hours are Tuesday–Friday 12–5 p.m.).
Advisory: Contains profanity, depicts toxic family dynamics and religious extremism, and includes discussion of and references to homophobia, addiction, mental health crises, suicide, and miscarriage.
SEE ALSO:
Round House to celebrate holidays with Broadway hit ‘Cult of Love’ (news story, November 1, 2026)
