Audio Described Performances
for Large Theaters in the Washington DC Metro Area
Arranged in Order
Alphabetically by theater
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Theater, Show Title,
Describer and Program Notes |
Start &End Date |
1st and 2nd Desc. date |
Time |
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The Grange Theater 9818
Georgetown Pike, Great Falls, VA 22066 – Mclean Community Players – 1-800-838-3006 Nothing at this time |
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Arena Stage Fichandler at the Mead Center - 202-488-3300 The Heiress Finding one’s voice is
never easy. Socially awkward and plain Catherine Sloper
has struggled her entire life under the disapproving and resentful gaze of
her father. It is the unexpected visit from a suitor full of sincerity and
instantaneous devotion that awakens Catherine’s long abandoned hopes of true
love and the opportunity for a fresh start. A devastating betrayal forces the
scorned Catherine to learn how to roar, realize her truth and take control of
her. Describer: Program Notes: Rita Tehan |
Fri 2/8 Sun 3/10 |
Sat 2/23 |
2:00pm |
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Arena Stage Fichandler at
the Mead Center - 202-488-3300 Junk As the brilliant and calculating Robert Merkin prepares a hostile takeover of a family-owned
manufacturing company, he is not concerned about crossing the line to get
what he wants in the name of “saving America.” Inspired by the volatile and
cut-throat financial world and the junk bond giants of the 1980s, “this epic
piece of work” (Chicago Tribune) is an enticing look at the money makers,
their hubris and those who tried to hold them accountable. Pulitzer Prize
winner Ayad Akhtar’s (Disgraced) latest work asks if redemption is truly
possible or if there is always a new scheme waiting in the wings. Describer: Sylvia Rosenthal Program Notes: Rita Tehan |
Fri 4/5 Sun 5/5 |
Sat 5/4 |
2:00pm |
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Arena Stage The Arlene and Robert Kogod
Cradle at the Mead Center 202-488-3300 JQA Complicated, passionate and
difficult, John Quincy Adams was a brilliant diplomat, ineffectual one-term
President and congressman known for his eloquence, arrogance and integrity.
This unique, highly-theatrical play by award-winning playwright Aaron Posner
(Stupid F**king Bird) imagines key confrontations between JQA and some of
America’s most dynamic figures: George Washington, Andrew Jackson, Frederick
Douglass, Abraham Lincoln, his own father, John Adams and more. At once
provocative, haunting and hilarious, this Power Play challenges the way we
think of our country, our government and ourselves. Describer: Larry Heflin Program Notes: Dennis McCoy |
Fri 3/1 Sun 4/14 |
Sat 4/13 |
2:00pm |
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Arena Stage Kreeger at the
Mead Center - 202-488-3300 Kleptocracy It is one of the most pivotal moments in
history — the Soviet Union has collapsed. In the ensuing rampage
of hyper-capitalism, the Oligarchs, a new class of robber barons, plunge
Russia into a terrifying dark age of chaos and corruption. When the richest
and most ruthless Oligarch attempts to reform and open Russian markets to the
world, he’s confronted by a young Vladimir Putin who is charting his own path
to power. This world-premiere drama by Kenneth Lin (House of Cards) turns the
spotlight on U.S. — Russia relations when crude oil is the
language of diplomacy and events that dominate today’s headlines are first
set in motion. Describer: Larry Heflin Program Notes: Sylvia Rosenthal |
Fri 1/18 Sun 2/24 |
Sat 2/2 |
2:00pm |
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Arena Stage Kreeger at the
Mead Center - 202-488-3300 Jubilee The world-renowned Fisk Jubilee Singers shattered
racial barriers in the U.S. and abroad, entertaining kings and queens. For
centuries, the bold acapella African American ensemble born on the campus of
Fisk University has blended their rich voices together sharing a heritage of
suffering, strength and endurance. “A known showman” with a “gift for
stirring theatricality” (Washington Post), playwright and director Tazewell
Thompson brings an innovative and heart-stirring score to life in this world
premiere. With uplifting spirituals and hymns including “Wade in the Water,”
“Ain’t That Good News,” “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”
and “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen,” this acapella musical with more
than three dozen songs is sure to ignite audiences. Describer: Regina Smith Program Notes: John Weber |
Fri 4/26 Sun 6/2 |
Sat 5/18 |
2:00pm |
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Ford’s Theatre 202-347-4833 Twelve Angry Men Behind closed doors, tensions run high as a lone
juror argues the innocence of a teenager accused of murder. In this
provocatively resonant American drama, 12 jurors from all strata of society
revisit the evidence, debate the issue of reasonable doubt and confront each
other's personal biases. Broadway director Sheldon Epps ignites a conversation
about how prejudice can shape the quest for justice. Describer & Program Notes: Bob Coley & Janet
Carsetti |
Fri 1/18 Sun 2/17 |
Tues 1/29 Sat 2/9 |
7:30pm 2:00pm |
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Ford’s Theatre 202-347-4833 Into the Woods In Stephen Sondheim’s imaginative, darkly comical remix
of the beloved Grimm fairy tales, a baker and his wife set out to reverse a
witch's curse in hopes of having a child of their own. The couple’s quest
takes them into the woods, where they encounter Little Red Riding Hood, Jack
and his beanstalk, a cautious Cinderella, a sequestered Rapunzel and a couple
of lovelorn princes. Sondheim's lush Tony-winning score and James Lapine's Tony-winning book conjure a world where
"giants can be good and witches can be right." Peter Flynn (Ford's
"Ragtime," "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,"
"1776") returns to direct this fanciful tale about the lengths to
which we’ll go to get what we wish. Describer: Rita Tehan Program Notes: John Weber |
Fri 3/8 Wed 5/22 |
Tues 3/26 Sat 5/4 |
7:30pm 2:00pm |
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Hexagon - Woodrow Wilson
High School Theater, 3950 Chesapeake Street NW, Washington, DC 20016 (Between
Nebraska Avenue and 40th Street) 202-333-7469 Nothing at this time |
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National Theater:
1-800-514-3849 Andrew Lloyd Webber, one of the titans of musical
theatre, returns with the uproarious, fist-pumping hit that “has Broadway rocking!”
SCHOOL OF ROCK is a New York Times Critics’ Pick and “An inspiring jolt of
energy, joy and mad skillz!” (Entertainment
Weekly). Based on the hit film, this hilarious new musical follows Dewey
Finn, a wannabe rock star posing as a substitute teacher who turns a class of
straight-A students into a guitar-shredding, bass-slapping, mind-blowing rock
band. This high-octane smash features 14 new songs from Andrew Lloyd Webber,
all the original songs from the movie and musical theater’s first-ever kids
rock band playing their instruments live on stage. Chicago Tribune raves,
“SCHOOL OF ROCK offers us a chance to be kids again, only with more talent
than we ever had.” Audio Describer: Patti Wong Program Notes: |
Wed 1/16 Sun 1/27 |
Sun 1/27 |
2:00pm |
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National Theater:
1-800-514-3849 NPR hailed this breathtaking tale, magically
directed by Tony® Award-winner Diane Paulus, as “far and away the best
musical of the year.” Directed by visionary Tony®-winner Diane Paulus and
based on the critically-acclaimed Academy Award® winning film, FINDING
NEVERLAND tells the incredible story behind one of the world’s most beloved
characters: Peter Pan. Playwright J.M. Barrie struggles to find inspiration
until he meets four young brothers and their beautiful widowed mother.
Spellbound by the boys’ enchanting make-believe adventures, he sets out to
write a play that will astound London theatergoers. With a little pixie dust and
a lot of faith, Barrie takes a monumental leap, leaving his old world behind
for Neverland, where nothing is impossible and the wonder of childhood lasts
forever. The magic of Barrie’s classic tale springs spectacularly to life in
this heartwarming theatrical event. Describer: Fran Bowie Program Notes: |
Tues 2/26 Sun 3/3 |
Sun 3/3 |
2:00pm |
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National Theater:
1-800-514-3849 A high-powered creative team – including co-directors
Robert De Niro and Jerry Zaks, writer Chazz Palminteri, and composer Alan Menken – bring this
streetwise smash to the stage. Broadway’s hit crowd-pleaser takes you to the
stoops of the Bronx in the 1960s, where a young man is caught between the
father he loves and the mob boss he’d love to be. Bursting with high, energy
dance numbers and original doo-wop tunes from Alan Menken, the songwriter of
Beauty and the Beast, A BRONX TALE is an unforgettable story of loyalty and
family that The New York Times hails as “A Critics’ Pick! The kind of tale
that makes you laugh and cry.” Describer: Fran Bowie Program Notes: Rita Tehan |
Tues 3/26 Sun 3/31 |
Sun 3/31 |
2:00pm |
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National Theater:
1-800-514-3849 Jim Steinman’s Bat Out
of Hell The Musical Named Best Musical at the London Evening Standard
Theater Awards, this rock ‘n’ roll spectacle “will make your jaw drop, your
heart soar and have you singing along” (WhatsOn
Stage). The romance of rock ‘n’ roll comes alive on stage in Jim Steinman’s
“jaw-dropping spectacle” (London Evening Standard). The streets are heating
up as Start, the forever young leader of rebellious gang The Lost, falls in
love with Raven, the beautiful daughter of the tyrannical ruler of
post-apocalyptic Obsidian in a love story that has “changed the way musicals
are staged forever” (North West End). Forget everything you know about
musicals and get lost in this critically-acclaimed, smash-hit theatrical
spectacle. Winner of Best Musical at the London Evening Standard Theater
Awards. Describer: Geoff Seeley Program Notes: Carolyn Mark |
Tues 5/7 Sun 5/26 |
Sun 5/26 |
2:00pm |
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Olney Theatre Center – Historic Stage 301 924 3400 MADELINE & THE BAD HAT This colorful musical captures the blithe yet
touching spirit of Ludwig Bemelmans’ much loved Madeline series. This amusing
tale traces the adventures of a young Parisian girl who – despite starting
off on the wrong foot with a mischievous new neighbor – eventually learns
that first impressions aren’t everything. Told with gentle humor, and
featuring a beautiful musical score, this amusing tale of
enemies-become-friends will charm and entertain children and adults alike. Describer Program Notes |
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Sat 3/30 |
12:00pm |
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Olney Theatre Center – Mainstage 301 924 3400 Once This unlikely gem of a musical delighted Broadway in
2012 with its emotional folk-rock ballads and an ensemble that plays its own
instruments, winning 8 Tony Awards including Best Musical. Set in
contemporary Dublin, a thirty-something street guitarist is about to give up
on his musical dreams when he meets a curious woman who wants to know all
about him. Captivated by her optimism, the two embark on a remarkable music-making
journey that includes a cadre of unlikely companions -- immigrants, oddballs,
and lonely hearts. Along the way, can the two of them find love? Based on the
2006 film which won an Oscar® for Best Original Song, Once channels the visceral
power of music and the elusive mysteries of love. Describer & Program Notes: Bob Coley & Janet
Carsetti |
Wed 2/6 Sun 3/10 |
Wed 2/20 |
8:00pm |
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Olney Theatre Center – Mainstage 301 924 3400 A Comedy of Tenors The Tony Award®-winning playwright of Lend Me a
Tenor is back with another farce set on the precipice of a big concert in
1936 Paris. When star tenor Tito Merelli refuses to
perform (he mistakenly believes himself cuckolded), the American impresario
Saunders and his sidekick Max stumble upon Beppo the Bellman, who happens to
look exactly like Tito and has a voice to match. Throw in a couple of young
lovers caught in flagrante delicto, Tito’s fiery wife, a randy Russian diva,
some slamming doors, and the result is an uproarious adult evening of
laughter and love. Describer:
Patti Wong Program Notes: John Weber |
Wed 4/10 Sun 5/12 |
Wed 4/24 |
8:00pm |
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Olney Theatre Center – Mainstage 301 924 3400 Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical From the author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
comes another unlikely hero: Matilda Wormwood. Born to parents who prize
their own ignorance and disdain books, learning, and any information they
can’t get from television, Matilda somehow manages to emerge...a genius.
Maybe even a magical one. However, she and the rest of the school are under
the tyrannical rule of a deliciously devious villain, principal Agatha
Trunchbull. Matilda embraces the fearful and terrifying moments of childhood
with humor, hard-earned optimism, and astoundingly witty musical numbers.
Songs like “Miracle,” “Naughty,” and “Revolting Children” will ring true to
adults and belong in the survival kit of any child making their way through
pre-adolescence and beyond. Audio Describer: Patti Wong Program Notes: |
Fri 6/21 Sun 7/21 |
Wed 7/10 |
8:00pm |
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Olney Theatre Center: Mulitz-Gudelsky
Theatre Lab 301 924 3400 Oil “Scorchingly ambitious,”
(The Guardian) this genre-busting American premiere follows mothers and
daughters over two centuries, from the dawn of the age of oil in 1889 to its
“peak-oil” demise sometime in the not-to-distant future. In five separate but
connected playlets, a single mother named May defies the odds to provide for
her daughter by any means necessary. From Cornwall, to Tehran, London,
Baghdad, and back, the mother-daughter power struggle evolves and shifts, even
as the resources that fuel it (and the rest of the world) begin to dwindle.
Bursting with theatricality, big ideas, and deeply personal emotions, Oil showcases
the talent of one of Britain’s fastest rising playwrights. Describer: Program Notes: |
Sun 2/17 Sun 3/31 |
Wed 3/13 |
7:45pm |
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Olney Theatre Center: Mulitz-Gudelsky
Theatre Lab 301 924 3400 Mary Stuart Based on the play by Friedrich Schiller. The two most
powerful women of the 16th Century – Queen Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of
Scots – are on an explosive collision course in this thrilling drama of sex,
power, intrigue, and betrayal. Pressured by the men of her court, who
desperately want her to marry and ensure the succession, the Protestant Queen
Elizabeth I must decide whether to put her cousin, the Catholic Mary Queen of
Scots, to the death. As she tries to keep her fragile hold on both the realm
and her conscience, a country fights to define itself. Artistic Director
Jason Loewith adapts Schiller’s classic clash of
titans for the #MeToo world with six extraordinary performers and the barest
of sets in our most intimate performance space. Describer & Program Notes: Bob Coley & Janet
Carsetti: |
Wed 5/8 Sun 6/9 |
Wed 5/22 |
7:45pm |
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Olney Theatre Center: Mulitz-Gudelsky
Theatre Lab 301 924 3400 Tiger Style! In this outrageous satire about stereotypes,
political correctness flies out the window as two Chinese-American siblings
search for their authentic selves. Albert Chen is a computer programmer so
modest he lets others take credit for his work. His sister Jennifer, a
doctor, is so professionally driven she can’t sustain a relationship (even if
she could find someone worthy of her work ethic). Despite their Ivy
League educations, musical virtuosity and impeccable manners, the siblings
mount a delayed adolescent rebellion against their disappointed Tiger Mother
(and equally demanding Tiger Father): they embark on an “Asian Freedom Tour”
that takes them to the People’s Republic of China, where the tour goes - no
spoilers - terribly wrong. Describer: Sylvia Rosenthal Program Notes: |
Wed 7/17/19 Sun 8/18/19 |
Wed 7/31 |
7:45pm |
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Round House Bethesda: 240 644 1100 Oslo Describer: Program Notes: John Weber |
Wed 4/24 Sun 5/19 |
Sat 5/4 |
2:00pm |
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Round House Bethesda: 240
644 1100 A Doll’s House, Part 2 When last we saw Nora
Helmer, she left her husband Torvald—and
audiences—with the slam of a door that became a feminist battle cry. Now, 15
years later, Nora knocks on that same door in search of closure… except the
reactions of those she left behind are not quite what she anticipated. That’s
the funny thing about the end of relationships, though: hindsight isn’t
necessarily 20/20 if you don’t stick around for the aftermath. Associate
Artistic Director Nicole A. Watson shares her artistic vision with Round House
audiences for the first time, directing this clever and sharp sequel to
Ibsen’s 1879 masterpiece that opens up old wounds with fresh insight,
unexpected humor, and modern sensibility. Describer: Rita Tehan: Program Notes: |
Wed 6/5 Sun 6/30 |
Sat 6/15 |
2:00pm |
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Roundhouse Silver
Spring: 240 644 1100 Nothing at this time |
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Shakespeare Lansburgh Theatre: 202 547 1122 Vanity Fair Becky Sharp never blushes. As the wily Becky and her
gentle friend Amelia scale social ladders and hurdle the whims of fate, only
one question matters: how do you get what you want in life? A bright dance
hall pageant poking fun at all our pretenses, this new adaptation by Kate
Hamill (Sense and Sensibility, The Wall Street Journal’s Playwright of the
Year 2017) harnesses the frivolity of Thackeray’s novel while recasting its
(anti) heroines as complex, vibrant women, delivering “a gift to actors and a
goody bag for its audience” (New York Times). Describer: Geoff Seeley Program Notes: Carolyn Mark |
Tues 2/26 Sun 3/31 |
Sat 3/23 |
2:00pm |
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Shakespeare:
Sidney Harman Hall :
202-547-1122 Richard The Third What does it look like when a man with no scruples
stops at nothing to gain power? If you’re unsure, Richard of Gloucester will
gladly demonstrate. What he lacks in looks he makes up for in bottomless ambition,
ruthless cunning and rapacious zeal: the crown, at all costs. As he
climbs ever higher, Richard bends the world to his will until even his mother
can’t bear to own him. Shakespeare’s mesmerizing chronicle of the megalomaniac’s
rampage to the throne—one of his greatest variations on history—remains an
irresistible study of villainy. David Muse returns after his hit production
of King Charles III, rendered “more incisively than…in its Broadway
incarnation” (The Washington Post). Describer: Dennis McCoy Program Notes: |
Tues 2/5 Sun 3/10 |
Sat 3/2 |
2:00pm |
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Shakespeare:
Sidney Harman Hall :
202-547-1122 The Oresteia Through ten years of war, grief and rage, Queen
Clytemnestra lies in wait for her husband Agamemnon’s return, determined to
avenge one child, only to doom the others. The sole surviving trilogy in
Greek tragedy, The Oresteia chronicles a deluge of violence that can only be
stopped when society peers into its own soul and sees the depths of its
complicity. Playwright Ellen McLaughlin (The Persians) has written a new
version of the classic, commissioned by STC. Her play, three years in the
making, weaves together the works of Aeschylus with stunning poetry and
emotional heft. An epic, world-premiere interpretation of this pillar of
western culture, The Oresteia makes a fitting end to Michael Kahn’s tenure as
Artistic Director of the Shakespeare Theatre Company. Describer: Dennis McCoy Program Notes: Rita Tehan |
Tues 4/30 Sun 6/2 |
Sat 5/25 |
2:00pm |
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Studio Theatre: 202-332-3300 Admissions “Astonishing
and daring. An extraordinarily useful and excruciating satire—of the left, by
the left, for the left—for today.” —The New York Times Bill and Sherri are the progressive-and-proud
headmaster and dean of admission at Hillcrest, a mid-tier New Hampshire
boarding school. Over the last fifteen years, they’ve worked tirelessly to
diversify the school’s mostly white population. But when their high-achieving
son’s Ivy League dreams are deferred, his reaction blasts open a deep rift between
the family’s public values and private hypocrisies. A no-holds-barred satire
on privilege, power, and the perils of whiteness. This is the follow-up to Joshua Harmon’s Bad Jews,
which shattered Studio box office records at Studio in 2014, and was remounted
in the 2015-2016 season. In his latest scathing comedy, Admissions, Harmon
takes aim at affirmative action and the two-facedness of well-meaning white
liberals at a New England prep school. Describer: Rita Tehan Program Notes: Sylvia Rosenthal |
Wed 1/16 Sun 2/17 |
Sun 2/17 |
2:00pm |
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Studio Theatre: 202-332-3300 Queen of Basel World Premiere SUPPORTED BY STUDIO R&D, STUDIO THEATRE’S
NEW WORKS INITIATIVE “Bettis a writer to keep an eye on.”
—NYTheater.com (about American Girls) It's Art Basel, Miami's weeklong party for the rich
and famous, where socialite darling Julie reigns over the blowout her
real-estate mogul father is throwing at his South Beach hotel. But when her
fiancé dumps her in front of the crowd, Julie hides from her humiliation—and
her father—in the hotel’s barely used storage kitchen. Her companions are
Christine, a cocktail waitress who recently fled war-torn Venezuela, and
Christine’s fiancé John, an Uber driver from the Miami slums. This explosive
elixir of power, class, and immigration status is a bold and contemporary
take on Strindberg’s Miss Julie by vibrant rising voice Hilary Bettis (The
Americans). Studio will premiere Queen of Basel, Hilary Bettis’s
unapologetically contemporary adaption of Miss Julie. Bettis takes August Strindberg’s
iconic play about class and sex and adds race, language, skin color, and
immigration status to its volatile mix. Describer: Rita Tehan Program Notes: Sylvia Rosenthal |
Wed 3/6 Sun 4/7 |
Sun 4/7 |
2:00pm |
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Studio Theatre: 202-332-3300 The Children In their remote cottage
on the British coast, a long-married pair of retired nuclear physicists live
a modest life in the aftermath of a natural disaster, giving scrupulous care
to energy rationing, their garden, their yoga practice. When former
colleague Rose reappears after 38 years, her presence upends the couple’s
equilibrium and trust. As the fallout from long-ago decisions
comes hurtling into view, Rose unveils a proposal that
threatens more than their marriage. A hit in London and New York, Lucy
Kirkwood’s latest is a taut and disquieting thriller about responsibility and
reparation—what one generation owes the next. Describer: Rita Tehan Program Notes: |
Wed 5/1 Sun 6/2 |
Sun 6/2 |
2:00pm |
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The Washington Revels GW Lisner
Auditorium Nothing at this time |
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