TheatreWashington

03/04/2026

On February 23, we celebrated playwright, director, and actor Psalmayene 24 and philanthropist Share Fund, led by Julie Jacobson and Pamela Nash, recipients of this year’s Victor Shargai Leadership Award.

Paired with the 2026 Helen Hayes Award nominations, it was a beautiful event to uplift excellence and creative leadership and to reflect on the strength of our community.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and who continues to make shine. ⭐️

📸: Kevin Parisi Photography

02/27/2026

Thanks to everyone who came out for our event on Monday and congratulations to all of this year's nominees! We can't wait to celebrate with you in May!



🎥: .in.the.whit

02/20/2026

REMINDER: Join us for the 2026 Helen Hayes Award Nominations and the Victor Shargai Leadership Award presentation to Psalmayene 24 and Share Fund this Monday, February 23!

Industry Pay What You Wish seats are SOLD OUT in the theatre but we have another great option to view the livestream the event in the lobby bar. You can have food and drinks from KBird while you watch the nominations!

Reserve your ticket today!

Join us on February 23, 2026 for an exciting evening celebrating outstanding achievements and contributions to the Washington, DC-area theatre industry. This event is being graciously hosted by Theatre Washington partner Studio Theatre (1501 14th St NW) and will begin with the announcement of nomina...

02/18/2026

Theatres across the Washington, DC region express deep concern and disappointment over The Washington Post’s recent cuts to its arts and culture staff and coverage.

Read the full statement and signers at: https://theatrewashington.org/updates/statement-washington-dc-region-theatre-community-washington-posts-arts-culture-staff-cuts

02/10/2026

Join the 2026 Ensemble!

We're hosting an open audition for performers that sing and dance on Monday, March 2 to find a big group of talented, dynamic artists.

Details + sign up form at https://theatrewashington.org/theatre-work/available-opportunities/helen-hayes-awards-performance-ensemble

02/05/2026

On behalf of the industry, we are deeply concerned by The Washington Post’s sweeping layoffs, including theater critic Naveen Kumar, arts and entertainment editor Jonathan Fischer, and senior editor overseeing theater coverage Zachary Pincus-Roth.

This loss is devastating for arts journalism and a serious blow to the DC-area theatre ecosystem. Theatre criticism is an essential component of a vibrant cultural scene. Reviews and features connect audiences to the work on our stages, provide context, cultivate dialogue between artists and audiences, and heavily influence ticket sales (the primary revenue source for most organizations). The absence of consistent, professional theatre coverage will immediately and severely impact our community.

This decision reflects the alarming decline of arts journalism nationwide. As traditional news media shrinks, arts coverage is often considered expendable, despite its essential role in fostering empathy and understanding, preserving cultural memory, and sustaining dialogue across generations.

The Washington, DC region is defined by intellect, curiosity, and rigorous debate. We are home to the country’s second-largest theatre community. We deserve robust coverage of our dynamic cultural life.

Theatre Washington will engage our community, including theatre-makers and leaders, in solution-oriented initiatives to address the potential devastating impact to our DC-area theatres. But we cannot do this alone.

We call on media leadership, private and public funders, and civic partners to take action. Arts criticism is not a luxury. It is a public good essential to democracy and the vitality of our region. Invest in its future.

02/02/2026

The announced two-year closure of The Kennedy Center, beginning this summer, will have widespread ramifications for the DC-area performing arts community and everyone who benefits from a culturally vibrant region. Prior to this administration’s takeover, The Kennedy Center was the busiest performing arts center in the country, presenting over 2,000 performances annually across ten venues and offering year-round access to the arts. Its more than 40 education and outreach programs engaged 1.4 million educators and students nationwide, contributing meaningfully to arts learning and participation across the country. The full implications of this closure, both locally and nationally, will take time to fully understand.

What we know for sure is this: The industry is vast, strong, and resilient. We are interconnected and expand beyond any single institution. We will support each other. Theatre Washington remains committed to working in close partnership with our community over the coming months. Together, we will listen, strategize, and act to chart a path toward a stronger, more sustainable future.

Here are three things we urge you to do today:

1. Support working theatre makers and institutions in our region. Buy a ticket to see a show at a DC-area theatre. Find one at: theatrewashington.org/shows

2. Donate to the Taking Care Fund. This community resource makes personal grants available to DC-area theatre makers who face emergency economic hardship. Consider a monthly recurring donation, as you are able, at theatrewashington.org/takingcare

3. If you are a DC-area theatre maker (including administrators and support staff) and find yourself facing an unforeseen personal emergency, apply to the Taking Care Fund. It is open on a continual cycle.

The way through this is together. Stand with the DC-area theatre community as we navigate these unprecedented times and continue to deliver relevant, important, excellent art on stages across the region.

Amy Austin, President & CEO
and the Theatre Washington team

01/29/2026

We are thrilled to honor the recipients of the 2026 Victor Shargai Leadership Award (VSLA): playwright, director, and actor Psalmayene 24 and philanthropist and theatre champion Share Fund, with leadership by Julie Jacobson and Pamela Nash.

In memory of beloved champion Victor Shargai, the VSLA recognizes individuals, groups, or institutions whose outstanding service and creative leadership have strengthened the Washington, DC-area theatre community.

The honorees are nominated by their peers in an open nomination process, then reviewed by a selection committee.

The 2026 Victor Shargai Leadership Award Celebration will take place in tandem with the 2026 Helen Hayes Award nominations at Studio Theatre on February 23.

More details + registration: https://theatrewashington.org/2026-victor-shargai-leadership-award-and-helen-hayes-awards-nominations

01/28/2026

The 2026 Helen Hayes Awards are right around the corner!

Nomination announcements will be made on Monday, February 23 at Studio Theatre. More details + tickets: https://theatrewashington.org/2026-victor-shargai-leadership-award-and-helen-hayes-awards-nominations

And save the date to join us at The Anthem on Monday, May 18 for the big event (seating info for nominees, theatre groups and special guests will go out following the nomination event).

01/27/2026

In November, Pinky Swear Theatre’s co-founder and artistic director, Allyson Harkey, passed away after a long battle with cancer. The DC-area theatre community is devastated by the loss and our hearts and love go out to her husband Seth, her best friend and creative partner Karen, her parents, and everyone who loved her. In her generous and community-minded spirit, she asked that Theatre Washington be one of the beneficiaries of gifts in her memory. To date, we have received almost $4,000 in gifts in her honor, for which we are deeply grateful.

Allyson worked tirelessly to improve the working environment for theatre professionals in our region, and joined Theatre Washington as an early leader of the Not in Our House movement. She cared about justice and making sure everyone’s voice was heard. As an artist, she brought her full self into performance and rehearsal rooms. She was vulnerable, honest, and fearless. She took extreme care in connection, the same with one person or an entire crowd.

We will endeavor to honor the gifts made in her name with our community-focused work this year.

01/22/2026

Applications for Theatre Washington’s Theatre Work Mentorship Program are now open! We are currently seeking interested mentees and mentors to join our next cohort, April 6-July 24, 2026.

This program is for adult theatre-makers (18+) at any age and any stage in their career. We’ll pair mentees and mentors up by artistic interests and create meaningful connections in the Washington, DC-area theatre community.

The mindset of our program is that we believe the practice of questioning is artistic and meaningful work. Both mentees and mentors are encouraged to wonder, to be curious, to ponder, to search, and to puzzle through questions together. This is a space where mentees and mentors can joyously discover together.

If you are interested in joining this upcoming cohort, find more information and apply to be a mentor or mentee by February 13 at

Facilitating positive relationships among aspiring, emerging, experienced, and seasoned theatre practitioners in the Washington, DC-area.