The National Theatre DC

08/26/2026

The National Theatre Foundation joins the world in celebrating the life and impact of Dolly Parton. Earlier this year, we started collaborating with the DC Public Library to promote Books from Birth, the local arm of the Imagination Library, which has provided hundreds of millions of books to little readers around the world. As an organization dedicated to creating access to the transformational power of the arts, we can think of few better examples to follow than Dolly’s.

08/25/2026

Now's your chance: put your name in the hat to be part of our Fall 2026 Teens Behind the Scenes at The National programs! Student entrants in the Washington, DC area will be drawn at random and offered two free tickets to a show in the Broadway at
The National season, plus access to our educational resource and post-show talkback. Click the link below or in the comments to get started.
https://www.nationaltheatre.org/teens-behind-the-scenes/student-interest-form/

08/24/2026

School is back in session in DC and beyond! To kick it off, check in with playwright Doug Robinson. Doug spoke with Director of Education and Community Programs Jared Strange about creating theatre for young audiences, his creative process, and the value of reading plays. Keep an eye out for more new TBTS Webinars and throwbacks in the coming weeks.

Doug Robinson (he/him) is an award-winning playwright who writes fo...

08/22/2026

School may be just around the corner but we've got more TBTS Webinars to share! Before we publish our conversation with a playwright writing for audiences of all ages, check out this throwback interview with Caleen Sinnette Jennings, creator of the hit "Queens Girl" trilogy. She spoke with TBTS Dramaturg Leayne C. Dempsey in 2025 about finding the confidence to write your story and the wisdom she wishes she had received as a student. Watch the video and check out more interviews with emerging and leading theatre professionals on our YouTube channel.

Caleen Sinnette Jennings is a playwright and professor emerita whos...

08/20/2026

We loved having Only Make Believe in the house last week and can't wait to put their guidance into practice!

08/14/2026

New video just dropped! Our TBTS Summer School Series continues with a look at the life of a production manager and designer, courtesy of Luis Garcia. Luis spoke with TBTS Dramaturg Leayne C. Dempsey about the various production departments in a theatre, the importance of advocating for BIPOC artists, and how he stays on top of new technology. Watch the video in full here and check out our playlists full of insights from emerging and leading theatre professionals.

Luis Garcia (he/él) is the production manager at 1st Stage and a de...

08/13/2026

On this day in 1979, “Timbuktu!” starring Eartha Kitt opened at The National Theatre. Adapted from the musical “Kismet,” “Timbuktu!” resets the fairytale-like love story between the daughter of a trickster poet and a nobleman in the Empire of Mali in West Africa during the 14th century.

Inspired by his experience on “The Wiz,” director Geoffrey Holder not only choreographed the numbers but designed the costumes. They were incredibly detailed and elaborate, combining West African elements with Broadway theatrical design. Dressed in revealing garments and adorned in cowrie shells, Eartha Kitt seduced audiences eight shows a week across the production’s entire Broadway run and North American tour.

08/13/2026

Big news: Saturday Morning Live at The National kicks off its 2026-27 season in just under a month! Join us for a special Main Stage kick-off by Choy Wun Lion Dance Troupe, who will share with us the dynamic, vibrant art of traditional Chinese liondancing. Performances are at 10am and 11:30am on Saturday, September 12. Pre-registration is now live on Eventbrite. Plus, keep your eyes peeled for a full season announcement coming your way soon!

Kick off the 2026-27 Saturday Morning Live at The National season with this introduction to traditional Chinese dance!

08/11/2026

Hey y’all! We’re wrapping up our spotlight of new Community Stages artists with a Sisi “SoulShine” Reid. Sisi (she/they) is a multidisciplinary dance-theater artist, storyteller, and educator. She is the Founder and Artistic Director of the touring dance-theater Soul Shine Theater Garden, a teaching artist on the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC)'s Teaching Artist Roster, and an actor with Verbal Gymnastics, a local playback theater company. Sisi creates site responsive and interactive solo performances that combine local history, play, and personal storytelling. She brings her signature "Embodying the Elements" (earth, air, water, fire, and light) workshops and performances to youth and communities so they may remember our interconnectedness with nature.

08/10/2026

We knew these rising artists would excel on their own but they really wowed us by taking on a duet just minutes after meeting each other!