Now Playing

A number of Washington area theater groups have begun their seasons. Here’s a look at what’s playing now.

Arena Stage—“The Shoplifters,” a new play and world premiere about the haves and have nots, a security guard and shoplifters, written and directed by Morris Panych, in the Kreeger Theater, through Oct. 19.

Theater J—Theater J’s season of Epic Expressions opens with “Yentl,” by Leah Napolin and Isaac Bashevis Singer, through Oct. 5.

Scena Theatre—“Shining City,” by Conor McPherson and world premiere of “Molly,” about Irish playwright and poet’s J.M. Synge’s lover, in repertory through Sept. 21 at Atlas Performing Arts Center.

Olney Theatre—“Colossal,” by Andrew Hinderaker, world premiere, through Sept. 28.

Signature—Stephen Sondheim’s “Sunday in the Park with George,” launches Signature’s 25th Anniversary Season, through Sept. 21.

Folger Theatre—“King Lear” starring Joseph Marcell of “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air,” through Sept. 21.

National Theatre—“Dirty Dancing-the Classic Story on Stage,” through Sept. 14.

Studio Theatre—“Belleville,” by hot playwright Amy Herzog, directed by David Muse, through Oct. 12.

Round House Theatre—Sam Shepard’s brazen, “Fool for Love,” through Sept. 27.

KENNEDY CENTER

Theater—There’s no question that the buzz at the Kennedy Center is around its own production of “Little Dancer,” which debuts at the Kennedy Center’s Eisenhower Theatre Oct. 25-Nov. 30. There’s also a new touring production of “Evita” by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, with Caroline Bowman in the starring role, Sept. 30 through Oct. 19 at the Opera House.

The National Symphony Orchestra—The NSO’s fifth season under Music Director Christoph Eschenbach includes: The NSO’s Season Opening Ball, welcoming new K.C. President Deborah F. Rutter, featuring star violinist Joshua Bell, conducted by both Eschenbach and NSO Pops conductor Steven Reineke. Sept. 21 in the Concert Hall.

Eschenbach conducts works by Mendelssohn, Schumann, and Mozart, featuring violinist Midori Oct. 30 and Nov. 1.The NSO Pops Orchestra will showcase the music from the films of Tim Burton (“Beetlejuice,” “Batman”), with conductor John Mauceri, Oct. 23-15.

KC Jazz
Kennedy Center Artistic Adviser for Jazz, Jason Moran launches the jazz season with a multitude of programs: Crossroads Club: Mehliana, with Brad Mehldau and Mark Guiliana, Oct. 4; Jazz Select Series, with Muhal Richard Abrams, Terrace Theater, Oct. 10; The San Francisco Jazz Collective, Terrace Theater, Oct. 17; Lou Donaldson Quartet, Terrace Theater, Nov. 14; KC Jazz Club, George Cables Songbook featuring Victor Lewis, Nov. 8.

WASHINGTON PERFORMING ARTS

Rising star classical pianist Steven Lin performs a diverse program of Mozart, Schuman, David Hertzberg, Chopin and Ravel at the Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theater, Sept. 27.

The Danish String Quartet, considered one of the hottest string quartets going, performing at the Terrace Theater with works by Mendelssohn, Shostakovich, and Beethoven, Oct. 15.

On Nov. 1, the gifted jazz singer Cecile McLorin Salvant returns by way of WPA in a much anticipated concert at the Sixth & I Historic Synagogue.

STRATHMORE

Strathmore kicks off its 2014-2015 Season with the irrepressible comedy of Wanda Sykes on Sept. 20 in the Music Center.
Ground-and-boundary breaking guitar groups California Guitar Trio and Montreal Guitar Trio perform at the Music Center, Oct. 10.

If Clint Eastwood’s movie version of “The Jersey Boys” wasn’t enough for you, check out the one and only original Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons at the Music Center, Oct. 15 and 16. In the Mansion on Oct. 23 are the sweet sounds of “The Moon & Seven Stars,” featuring Ronn McFarlane on lute and Mindy Rosenfeld on flute. The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra will feature world-class star violinist Hilary Hahn and soprano Tamara Wilson performing Beethoven’s Violin Concerto, with Marin Alsop conducting, at the Music Center, Sept. 18. The National Philharmonic starts its season at the Music Center under director Piotr Gajewski performing Dvorak’s New World Symphony with violinist Chee-Yun Oct. 18 and 19.

OPERA

The Washington National Opera begins its 2014-15 season with the company premiere of “Florencia in the Amazon,” by composer Daniel Catan. WNO artistic director Francesca Zambello directs this opera, based on works by Nobel Prize winning Columbian novelist Gabriel Garcia Marquez, which she also directed at its premiere at the Houston Opera Company in 1996. Two-time Grammy Award-winnner American soprano Christine Goerke stars as a famous opera singer in search of a former lover on a riverboat trip down the Amazon. At the Opera House, Sept. 20, 22, 24, 26, 28.

More familiar but also fresh and youthful will be the WNO’s production of Puccini’s opera about young bohemian lovers, “La Boheme,” directed by Joe Davies, with Phillipe Augin conducting. Nov. 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8 9, 10, 12, 13, 14 and 15.

Washington Concert Opera—This critically recognized company will present Vincenzo Bellini’s, “I Capuleti e I Montechi,” Sept. 28 at Lisner Auditorium at George Washington University. It’s an Italian, operatic version of the tale of Romeo and Juliet which stars Russian soprano Olga Peretyatko as Giulietta, mezzo-soprano Kate Lindsey as Romeo, and David Portillo as Tebaldo, with WCO Artistic Director Antony Walker conducting.

UPCOMING THEATER

Arena Stage—“Fiddler on the Roof,” directed by Molly Smith, Oct. 1 through Jan. 4. A 50th anniversary production of the play.

Theater J —“The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures,” by Tony Kushner. Nov. 13-Dec. 21.

Folger Theater—“Julius Caesar,” directed by Robert Richmond, Oct. 28-Dec. 7.

Constellation Theater—“Absolutely (perhaps),” by Luigi Pirandello, Oct. 9-Nov. 9.

Woolly Mammoth Theatre—“Marie Antoinette,” by David Adjimi, starring Kimberly Gilbert. Sept. 17-Oct. 12.

Shakespeare Theatre Company—Isango Ensemble Repertory, “The Magic Flute,” with Impempe Yomlingo and “Venus and Adonis,” September 12-21. “As You Like It,” directed by Ethan McSweeney, Oct. 28-Dec. 7.

Olney Theatre—“Awake and Sing!,” by Clifford Odets, Sept. 24-Oct. 19.

Forum Theatre—“Walking in the City of Silence and Stone,” fall through summer 2015; “How We Got On,” by Paige Henandez, Oct. 30-Nov. 23.

Gala Hispanic Theatre—“Cancun,” by Jordi Galceran, Sept. 11-Oct. 5.

Signature Theatre—“Elmer Gantry,” Oct. 7-Nov. 7; “Sex With Strangers,” D.C. Premiere, Oct. 14-Dec. 7.

American Century Theatre—“The Seven Year Itch,” by George Axelrod, Sept. 20-Oct. 11.

Ford Theatre—“Driving Miss Daisy,” starring Nancy Robinette and Craig Wallace, Sept. 26-Oct. 26.

Studio Theatre—“Bad Jews,” by Joshua Harmon, begins Nov. 4. “The Wolf Twins,” by Rachel Bonds, begins Oct. 15.

MUSIC

The Embassy Series—Now in its 21st season under Jerome Barry, the Embassy Series continues to offer a unique yearly program of concerts which combine world-class music with the opportunity to conduct musical diplomacy during trouble times. The venues—the city’s embassies and ambassador residences—provide rare opportunities for audiences to hear great music and come face to face with embassy officials from around the world.

This year, the series begins with a group of concerts that amount to a journey through Eastern Europe beginning with the Embassy of Slovakia (baritone Martin Babjak and pianist Daniel Buranovsky), Sept. 18; Embassy of Ukraine (Oleh Kaskiv, violin and Oksana Skidan, piano), Oct. 10; Embassy of Hungary (Hugo Kauder Trio), Oct. 14; Embassy of Bosnia-Herzegovina, (singer Azra), Nov. 7.

In addition, there is a special concert on Nov. 14, at the Residence of the Japanese Ambassador, with violinist Nanae Iwata.

The S&R Foundation—The S&R Foundation will hold its Overtures Fall Concert Series beginning with Char Prescott & the Ryo Yanagitani Duo, Sept. 12, at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage, followed by the Urban Tango Trio with Kazuma Miura, Sept. 24; Mohamed Shams, Oct. 2; METRio, Oct. 4; Outstanding DC Artists, Oct. 17 and Ayane Kozasa with Michael Djupstrom and Paul Wiancko, Oct. 24, all at Everyman Estate.

The In Series—The In Series is presenting “The Cole Porter Project,” through Sept. 20, and will stage the unusual “Fatal Songs: The Great Opera Murders,” through Sept. 21.

DANCE

Kennedy Center Terrace Theater—The iconic, edgy choreographer Martha Clarke brings a big cast—actress Amy Irving anddancers Alessandra Ferri and Herman Cornejo in a production of “Cheri,” Oct. 1-4.

Washington Performing Arts presents the sixth annual Velocity Dance Festival at Sidney Harman Hall Oct. 9-11, featuring over 20 of the area’s top dance companies and ensembles, from ballet to hip hop to flamenco.