Fall Arts Preview: Performing Arts
By • September 9, 2025 0 1391
THEATER
¡Adelante! GALA Hispanic Theatre presents Manuel Puig’s “El beso de la mujer araña/Kiss of the Spider Woman,” directed by José Luis Arellano (through Sept. 28).
Theatre Alliance is part of the “rolling world premiere” of “Fire Work,” Mary Glen Fredrick’s play about labor, power and community, directed by Shanara Gabrielle (through Sept. 21). Next: the lyrical “Furlough’s Paradise” by a. k. payne, directed by Autumn Angelettie (Oct. 30 to Nov. 23).
At the Atlas Performing Arts Center: Songs of the Goat’s “Antigone,” translated by Anne Carson and directed by Kate Debelack (through Sept 14); and ExPats Theatre’s “Cold Country” by Relo Finger, translated and directed by Karin Rosnizeck, set in a Swiss village (Sept. 27 to Oct. 19).
Also at the Atlas, directed by Mosaic Theater Company Artistic Director Reginald L. Douglas: Kareen Fahmy’s “Dodi & Diana,” in which astrological doubles of Dodi Fayed and Princess Di await a convergence (through Oct. 5).
“The Inheritance, Parts One and Two,” Matthew López’s pair of plays inspired by E. M. Forster’s 1910 novel “Howards End,” is at Round House Theatre in Bethesda, directed by Tom Story (through Oct. 19).
“The Inheritance,” now playing at Round House Theatre.
In Staunton, the American Shakespeare Center is mounting “Romeo and Juliet,” directed by K.P. Powell (through Nov. 15) and “The Two Gentlemen of Verona,” directed by Aidan O’Reilly (Sept. 11 to Nov. 15).
“Everything Is Wonderful” at The Keegan Theatre! Chelsea Marcantel’s powerful Amish drama is directed by Josh Sticklin (Sept. 13 to Oct. 5).
The pitch in “Red Pitch,” at Olney Theatre Center, refers to a south London soccer field (Sept. 17 to Oct. 19).
Folger Theatre steps up with “Julius X,” Al Letson’s re-envisioning of Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar,” directed by Nicole Brewer (Sept. 23 to Oct. 26).
Celebrating 40 years, Shakespeare Theatre Company kicks off a many-splendored season in Harman Hall with “Merry Wives,” Jocelyn Bioh’s Bard-aptation, directed by Taylor Reynolds (through Oct. 5) and Henrik Ibsen’s “The Wild Duck” in the Klein Theatre, adapted by David Eldridge and directed by Artistic Director Simon Godwin (Oct. 18 to Nov. 16).
Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen.
Call it Ibsen Autumn. Theater J, at the Edlavitch DC Jewish Community Center, presents Amy Herzog’s adaptation of “An Enemy of the People,” directed by János Szász (Oct. 29 to Nov. 23).
In “The American Five,” by Chess Jakobs at Ford’s Theatre, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Coretta Scott King, Bayard Rustin, Stanley Levison and Clarence B. Jones plan the March on Washington. Aaron Posner directs (Sept. 19 to Oct. 12).
If you’re near Herndon: NextStop Theatre presents “Dream Hou$e” by Eliana Pipes, directed by Dylan Arredondo, in which Latina sisters try to sell their house on a reality show (Sept. 11 to Oct. 5).
Since the second Gilded Age has arrived, it’s time to hear from Sam Clemens, as portrayed by Richard Thomas in “Mark Twain Tonight!” at The National Theatre (Sept. 20 and 21).
Signature Theatre Artistic Director Matthew Gardiner directs “Strategic Love Play” by British playwright Miriam Battye (Sept. 23 to Nov. 9).
In “The Heart Sellers” by Lloyd Suh, directed by Danilo Gambini at Studio Theatre, two Asian immigrants meet on Thanksgiving Day in 1973 (Sept. 24 to Oct. 26). Then, set in the D.C. suburbs of the 1960s, ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, “Mother Play: A Play in Five Evictions” is the latest from Paula Vogel. Margot Bordelon directs (Nov. 12 to Dec. 21).
In Reggie D. White’s “Fremont Ave.,” directed by Lili-Anne Brown at Arena Stage, “three generations of Black men face off at the card table” (Oct. 8 to Nov. 23).
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s “Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus” was published anonymously in 1818, when she was 20. Rising up right after Halloween at Synetic Theatre: Nathan Weinberger’s adaptation, directed by Paata Tsikurishvili with choreography by Irina Tsikurishvili (Nov. 1 to 23).
Irish contemporary arts center Solas Nua brings Ciara Elizabeth Smyth’s dark comedy “Lie Low” to the Atlas, directed by Rex Daugherty (Nov. 6 to 23). And a small office in Idaho appears on H Street NE when Mosaic presents the world premiere of “A Case for the Existence of God” by Samuel D. Hunter, directed by Danilo Gambini (Nov. 13 to Dec. 7).
On a lighter note: “Ho Ho Ho Ha Ha Ha Ha” by Julia Masli, co-directed by Masli and Kim Noble at Woolly Mammoth (Nov. 13 to Dec. 21). Neil Simon fans can cross the Potomac for “Lost in Yonkers” at The Little Theatre of Alexandria, directed by Chantale Plante (through Sept. 27).
Is it musicals you crave? The Kennedy Center is alive with “The Sound of Music” (through Oct. 5). At Signature, “Play On!” sets Shakespeare’s words to Ellington’s music (through Oct. 5). Batter up at Arena Stage for an updated, relocated adaptation of “Damn Yankees” — subbing the Orioles for the Senators — directed and choreographed by Sergio Trujillo (through Nov. 9). “The Pirate Ballad of Bonny & Read,” a world-premiere musical by Vanessa Marosco and Peter Simon Hilton, sails into ASC, directed by Allie Babich (Oct. 16 to Nov. 16). Sandy, Danny and Rizzo are back in “Grease,” directed by Frank D. Shutts II, with music director Mark Deal and choreographer Suzy Alden, at The Little Theatre of Alexandria (Oct. 25 to Nov. 15). Punk rock comes to The Keegan with “Lizzie the Musical,” as in Borden (Oct. 31 to Nov. 30). And heading to The National: “Hadestown,” Anaïs Mitchell’s post-apocalyptic retelling of Greek myth (Nov. 18 to 23).
For the kids: Jonathan Rockefeller’s “The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show” at Bethesda’s Imagination Stage, based on Eric Carle’s books and directed by Nikki Mirza (Sept. 17 to Oct. 12); the world premiere of Cornelia Cody’s “Héctor, el niño eléctrico/The Electric Kid,” directed by Mauricio Pita, at GALA (Oct. 18 to Nov. 1); “Fábulas Fairytales” (Oct. 29 to 31) and “New Squid on the Block” (Nov. 12 to 14) at the Smithsonian’s Discovery Theater; and, in The Kennedy Center’s Studio K, Treehouse Shakers’ “Flutter,” introducing babies and toddlers to the seasons (Nov. 7 to 9).
Probably not for the kids: The International Nerdlesque Festival at the Atlas, “Where pop culture, fandom and striptease collide” (Sept. 12 and 13); and “Planes, Trains, and ???: The Unauthorized Improv and Musical Parody,” in The Kennedy Center Family Theater, oddly enough (Nov. 7 and 8).
A rare opportunity at the National Museum of Asian Art: I Gusti Putu Sudarta performs a Balinese Wayang Kulit shadow play accompanied by members of Gamelan Raga Kusuma (Sept. 28).
Meanwhile, in the Ken Cen Theater Lab, “Shear Madness” never ends (Oct. 7 to Sept. 30).
DANCE
This Saturday, Dance Place’s Spirit Week festival finishes with “classes and storytelling circles with legendary DMV Dance Elders, pop-up performances every hour and a block party” (Sept. 13). Coming in early October: Lionel Popkin (Oct. 3 and 4).
Côté Danse performs “The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark” in Wolf Trap’s Filene Center in Vienna (Sept. 17).
The place to be for National Dance Day is the Reach at The Kennedy Center (Sept. 20). Next month, the Opera House welcomes the Stuttgart Ballet, performing John Cranko’s “Onegin” (Oct. 8 to 12), Sergio Buŝlje leads the Pan American Symphony Orchestra in “Tango of the Americas” in the Terrace Theater (Oct. 11) and Bodytraffic presents “This Reminds Me of You,” a program of works by Juel D. Lane, Trey McIntyre and Matthew Neenan, in the Eisenhower Theater (Oct. 29 and 30). Also in the Terrace: this year’s Local Dance Commissioning Project awardee, Chitra Subramanian (Nov. 8 and 9).
For the kids in the Family Theater: “Little Murmur,” a solo dance work about living with dyslexia by Aakash Odedra (Oct. 25 and 26); and “Pulse,” a world premiere by Company | E about our living planet (Nov. 1 and 2).
Following “Dance For All” performances at CityCenterDC (Sept. 26 and 27), The Washington Ballet opens its season with “Moving Forces,” a program of works by Justin Peck, Dwight Rhoden, Christopher Wheeldon and Artistic Director Edwaard Liang in the Eisenhower (Oct. 24 to 26).
The Washington Ballet’s season-opener is “Moving Forces.”
Chamber Dance Project presents “an exploration of music, movement and cultural heritage,” featuring Charlton Singleton’s work for string quartet, “Testimony,” and dances choreographed by Christian Denice, at the Lyceum in Alexandria (Oct. 23).
Dance companies at George Mason University’s Center for the Arts in Fairfax: Hubbard Street Dance Chicago (Oct. 25) and Limón Dance Company (Nov. 1).
Coming in November: Moveius Contemporary Ballet’s season-opening show (Nov. 8, 9 and 14).
OPERA
Washington National Opera Artistic Director Francesca Zambello directs Verdi’s “Aida,” conducted by Kwamé Ryan with “hieroglyphic and calligraphy-inspired sets from artist Retna.” The singers: Jennifer Rowley and Amber R. Monroe as Aida, Rachann Bryce-Davis and Agnieszka Rehlis as Amneris and Adam Smith and Robert Watson as Radamès (Oct. 24 to Nov. 2).
Artistic Director Tim Nelson directs In Series’ world-premiere staging of Alessandro Stradella’s “St. John the Baptist” with a new English text by Bari Biern (Oct. 2 to 5 at 340 Maple Drive SW; Oct. 10 to 12 at Baltimore Theatre Project).
In Lisner Auditorium, Washington Concert Opera presents Gluck’s “Iphigénie en Tauride” with Kate Lindsey, Theo Hoffman, John Moore and Fran Daniel Laucerica, conducted by Artistic Director Antony Walker (Nov. 23).
VOCAL
Vocal Arts DC opens its season with a Terrace Theater performance by soprano Erin Morley, tenor Lawrence Brownlee and pianist Gerald Martin Moore, followed by dinner at La Bise (Sept. 28). Next in the Terrace, mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke and pianist Myra Huang (Nov. 4).
Wolf Trap’s Chamber Music at The Barns series presents mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter and pianist Kristian Bezuidenhout (Oct. 9).
As part of the NSO season in the Concert Hall: baritone Matthias Goerne and pianist Daniil Trifonov perform Schubert’s “Winterreise” cycle (Oct. 21). Also that night: Duo Atlantis sings an art-song program in the Terrace; and the Russian Chamber Art Society presents a gala concert of arias and duets from Tchaikovsky’s “Queen of Spades” at the Embassy of France (Oct. 21).
Back in the Terrace: a recital by bass-baritone Nicholas Newton, this year’s recipient of the Marian Anderson Vocal Award (Nov. 3).
CHORAL
The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC brings its annual fall cabaret to the Keegan Theatre. Is it “Bawdy”? You bet (Oct. 11).
Washington Master Chorale’s “Sacred Jewel Box” concert features a new work by Christopher Hoh (Oct. 18 at St. David’s Episcopal Church in the Palisades and Oct. 19 at All Saints Church in Chevy Chase). That Sunday, the Cathedral Choral Society’s Steven Fox conducts Mozart’s Requiem (Oct. 19).
“Undas,” the Filipino Day of the Dead, is the theme of The Choral Arts Society of Washington’s fall performance at Live at 10th and G!, under the baton of Artistic Director Marie Bucoy-Calavan (Nov. 2).
In Georgetown on the same day: London-based Renaissance ensemble Stile Antico in the Dumbarton Concerts series at Dumbarton United Methodist Church; and Trio Mediaeval from Norway at St. John’s Episcopal Church (Nov. 9).
Latinoamericano opens the Dumbarton Concerts series.
Looking ahead: The City Choir of Washington sings works by Haydn, Mozart and Marianna Martines in the program “An Apartment in Vienna” at the National Presbyterian Church (Nov. 16) and Stanley Thurston’s Heritage Signature Chorale is “Reaching New Horizons” at First Congregational United Church of Christ (Nov. 22).
ORCHESTRAL AND CHAMBER
After the National Symphony Orchestra’s tributes to John Williams and Steven Spielberg (Sept. 11 to 13), the Bee Gees (Sept. 16 and 17) and “The Princess Bride” (Sept. 23 and 24), Yuja Wang hits the Kennedy Center Concert Hall piano bench to play Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 at the gala (Sept. 27). The following week, Music Director Gianandrea Noseda leads a program including Mélanie Hélène “Mel” Bonis’s “Three Dances,” the complete Ravel ballet “Daphnis et Chloé” and Saint-Saëns’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with Simon Trpčeski (Oct. 2 to 4). Ex-Music Director Christoph Eschenbach conducts an all-Beethoven program, including the Violin Concerto with Isabelle Faust (Oct. 16, 18 and 19).
Joshua Bell plays Saint-Saëns’s Violin Concerto No. 3 at the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s season-opening gala at Strathmore, conducted by Music Director Jonathon Heyward (Sept. 19). The following Saturday’s concert, with Heyward on the podium, features pianist Inon Barnatan, violinist Stefan Jackiw and cellist Hayoung Choi playing Beethoven’s Triple Concerto (Sept. 27). In Poe-tober, Heyward conducts Mark Simpson’s “Israfel,” based on Edgar’s angelic poem, plus Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 2 with Francesca Dego and Berlioz’s “Symphonie fantastique” (Oct. 23).
Michael Repper conducts a performance by The National Philharmonic, also in residence at Strathmore, of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 and works by two Coleridge-Taylors, Samuel and Avril, with violinist Curtis Stewart (Sept. 20). The Washington Chorus joins in for “One Song: Exultávit!,” conducted by the chorus’s Artistic Director Eugene Rogers, a program of Bach’s Magnificat in D Major and Reena Esmail’s “This Love Between Us,” featuring tabla player Amit Kavthekar and sitarist Rajib Karmaker (Oct. 25).
Led by Artistic Director Victoria Gau, Capital City Symphony exhorts us to “Persist!” at its season-opener at the Atlas. The program includes Valerie Coleman’s “Fanfare for Uncommon Times,” the overture to Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” and Shostakovich’s “Festive Overture” and Symphony No. 5 (Oct. 5).
Washington Performing Arts presents Britain’s Philharmonia Orchestra, directed by Santtu-Matias Rouvali, at Strathmore, performing Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G Major with Víkingur Ólafsson and works by Sibelius and Gabriela Ortiz (Oct. 27).
Segueing to chamber music: The Phillips Collection’s Sunday Concerts sell out early, but you can try for rush tickets in-person, by phone or online the Friday afternoon before or, failing that, in-person standby tickets one hour before. First up is the American Brass Quintet (Sept. 28).
Cello at The Kennedy Center: Young Concert Artists presents James Baik in the Terrace Theater (Sept. 30); in the Family Theater, puppet artist Scottie Rowell and NSO cellist David Teie perform “Super Cello!” (Oct. 18 and 19). Also in the Terrace, the Kennedy Center Chamber Players (Nov. 2).
Catch the Academy of St Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble at GMU (Oct. 3).
The Smithsonian Chamber Music Society’s season starts with the Smithsonian Consort of Viols (Oct. 5) and Winds of the Smithsonian Academy Orchestra (Nov. 2), both at the National Museum of American History.
Performers brought to you by Washington Performing Arts (other than pianists, see below): Third Coast Percussion with Salar Nader on tabla in Lisner Auditorium (Oct. 18); Twincussion at Sixth & I (Nov. 8); and one-name-only violinist Midori with pianist Ieva Jokubaviciute, also at Sixth & I (Nov. 15).
Have you experienced the Library of Congress’s Coolidge Auditorium? Upcoming opportunities: Consone Quartet playing Haydn and Mozart with fortepianist Kristian Bezuidenhout (Oct. 17); Simone Dinnerstein, Jennifer Johnson Cano, Katherine Needleman and the Baroklyn ensemble playing Bach (Oct. 29); and Mexican percussion ensemble Tambuco (Oct. 30).
The Dumbarton Concerts season begins with Cuarteto Latinoamericano’s farewell tour (Oct. 25).
The Music at Dumbarton Oaks series sounds off with cellist Eric Jacobsen & Friends, this year’s friends — performing works by Mozart, Beethoven, Villa Lobos and Alex Sopp — being violinist Austin Wulliman, violist Kyle Armbrust and Sopp himself, a flutist and singer (Oct. 26 and 27).
Folger Consort collaborates with Folger Poetry to present “Virtuosos of Violin and Verse,” featuring poet, author and actress Rose Solari (Nov. 7 to 9).
Ángel Gil-Ordóñez’s PostClassical Ensemble returns to the Terrace with “The Pale Blue Dot: A Musical Voyage Inspired by Nature.” With The Children’s Chorus of Washington, PCE performs works by Debussy, Delibes, Grieg, Virgil Thomson and “Lord of the Rings” composer Howard Shore (Nov. 19).
Pianists: At GMU, Jeffrey Sigel gives “Keyboard Conversations” concerts focusing on Beethoven (Sept. 14) and Chopin (Oct. 12). Washington Performing Arts’ Hayes Piano Series presents Avery Gagliano in the Hopkins Bloomberg Center Theater (Oct. 25). The NSO hosts Alexandre Kantorow in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall (Nov. 1). Then, in the Library of Congress’s Coolidge Auditorium and Whittall Pavilion: a recital of works by Pierre Boulez, Nikolai Obukhov and Sir George Benjamin by Pierre-Laurent Aimard (Nov. 14).
Save the dates for GALA’s XXI Fuego Flamenco Festival (Nov. 6 to 9, 14 to 16 and 21 to 22).
ROCK, POP, ROOTS, JAZZ AND HIP HOP
Summer lasts longer at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, which is hosting the Outlaw Music Festival with Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, Sheryl Crow and others (Sept. 14) and the three-day All Things Go Music Festival (Sept. 26 to 28).
More music outdoors: Washington Performing Arts presents “Tregaron Unplugged” at Tregaron Conservancy (Oct. 4).
A few of Strathmore’s fall notables: Joss Stone (Oct. 9), Ben Folds (Oct. 15), Chris Thile (Oct. 17), Patty Griffin and Rickie Lee Jones (Oct. 24) and octogenarian keyboard master Herbie Hancock (Nov. 1).
All roads lead to Alexandria, where The Birchmere’s lineup includes: The Robert Cray Band (Sept. 24), The Wallflowers (Sept. 26 and 27), trumpeter Arturo Sandoval (Sept. 28), bluegrassers Sierra Hull and John Craigie (Oct. 8), Squirrel Nut Zippers (Oct. 21), Thomas Dolby (Oct. 23), Jeffrey Osborne (Oct. 24 and 25), Kathy Mattea (Oct. 30) and ex-Monkee Micky Dolenz (Nov. 6).
Wolf Trap’s season in the Filene Center wraps up with Maren Morris (Sept. 12), Ziggy Marley and Burning Spear (Sept. 18) and Steve Winwood (Sept. 20). The Barns open their doors with Noel Paul Stookey of Peter, Paul, and Mary (Oct. 16).
At Capital One Arena, Adam Sandler sings “You’re My Best Friend” (Sept. 27). Then, talk about a fearsome foursome: Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight and Stephanie Mills, aka The Queens! (Oct. 3). Fall marches on with Druski (Oct. 9), K-Poppers Seventeen (Oct. 29 and 30) and Playboi Carti (Nov. 11).
Garbage is coming to The Anthem (Sept. 17), and so are: David Byrne (Sept. 27 and 28), Iggy Pop (Sept. 29), Addison Rae (Sept. 30), Lorde (Oct. 4 and 5), The Psychedelic Furs with Gary Numan (Oct. 15), Modest Mouse (Oct. 18), Cage The Elephant (Oct. 26), Jon Batiste (Oct. 31) and Halsey (Nov. 4).
The Howard Theatre welcomes B.o.B. (Sept. 20), Stereolab (Sept. 23), Jesse McCartney (Sept. 30 and Oct. 1), Lil Tracy (Oct. 5) and Jessie J (Nov. 7).
Then there’s The Warner Theatre, presenting Marisela (Sept. 26), Elvis Costello & The Imposters (Sept. 29), Ali Sethi (Oct. 5), Yes (Oct. 11), Gov’t Mule (Oct. 31) and jazz vocalist Samara Joy (Nov. 12).
Speaking of jazz, over at Georgetown’s Blues Alley, Harry Schnipper has put together a Brazilian series (Sept. 10 to 12), a Chilean series (Sept. 17 to 21), an Argentinean series (Sept. 22 to 26) and a Cuban series (Oct. 14 to 19). Also: the Mike Stern Band (Sept. 27 and 28), the U.S. Army Blues with trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis (Oct. 23), Delfeayo Marsalis with the Paul Carr Quartet (Oct. 24) and Eliane Elias (Nov. 8 and 9). Plan to stop in during Hammond B3 Week (Nov. 10 and 12 to 15). (Whaddaya mean, what’s a Hammond B3?)
Eliane Elias takes the Blues Alley stage on Nov. 8 and 9.
For Big Band lovers: the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, led by Charlie Young, lets loose with a “Jazz and the Armed Services” program at the National Museum of American History (Nov 8); and the Glenn Miller Orchestra serenades the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater (Oct. 17).
Hip hop is still popping into The Kennedy Center Concert Hall, with Tyrese (Oct. 17) and Noochie’s “Live from the Front Porch” (Nov. 9).
Quite a mix at Lisner Auditorium: Iranian Armenian musician Martik (Oct. 11), Russian rockers Mashina Vremeni (Oct. 12) and Pakistani Sufi singers Fareed Ayaz and Abu Muhammad Qawwals (Nov. 1).
Is it pop? Is it classical? Who knows? But “Disney’s Moana Live-To-Film Concert” is coming to Strathmore (Oct. 12) and The National is presenting “PlayStation the Concert” (Oct. 17 and 18) and “Twilight In Concert” (Oct. 24 and 25).
