Hawkins, 1959: a regular town with regular worries. Young Jim Hopper’s car won’t start, Bob Newby’s sister won’t take his radio show seriously and Joyce Maldonado just wants to graduate and get the hell out of town. When new student Henry Creel arrives, his family finds that a fresh start isn’t so easy… and the shadows of the past have a very long reach.

Brought to life by a multi-award-winning creative team, who take theatrical storytelling and stagecraft to a whole new dimension, this gripping new adventure will take you right back to the beginning of the Stranger Things story – and may hold the key to the end.

An open-hearted, “utterly absorbing, very funny, darn near perfect play” (The Daily Beast) about leaving your comfort zone to find fulfillment. 

Meet Kenneth, a 38-year-old longtime bookstore worker, who is perfectly content with his after-work routine: a mai tai (or two) at the local tiki bar. But when his employer decides to close the store, Kenneth must also turn the page and choose a new direction—including some daring steps into a world he has evaded. BOLD Artistic Producer Malkia Stampley makes her Goodman directing debut with this “tender, delicately detailed portrait” (The New York Times) about new beginnings.

Buckle in for an electrifying take on a classic tale.  

Emily Burns (adaptor of STC’s Macbeth and Much Ado About Nothing), reimagines Mary Shelley‘s romantic gothic science fiction masterpiece as a chilling exploration of what it means to create a new life. Visceral and provocative, this production reveals the inner lives of Elizabeth and Victor Frankenstein in bold new ways. Riding the edge of cinematic thriller and intense drama, Frankenstein redefines the legend we know, the name we fear, and the monstrous act at the heart of the story. 

A beguiling bonanza of Shakespearean devilry.  

Dubbed “The villain of Broadway” by Playbill, Tony Award-nominee and Grammy Award-winner Patrick Page (King Lear, Hadestown) has never shied away from exploring his dark side. Now, with this tour de force show, “one of America’s greatest classical actors” (The Wall Street Journal) turns to the twisted motivations and hidden humanity at the heart of Shakespeare’s greatest villains. Moving swiftly through the canon, Page illuminates Shakespeare’s evolving conception of evil by delving into more than a dozen of his most wicked creations, offering a thrilling masterclass on the most terrifying subject of them all: human nature. Previously seen on-screen, now is the chance for audiences in D.C. to experience an enhanced version for the stage. 

Gathering at their childhood island home off the coast of Georgia, four sisters meet to create a family quilt to honor their recently deceased mother. When their reunion turns into a reading of their mother’s will, everyone must grapple with a troubling inheritance. Stitched with history, ritual, laughter and tears, will their “blood quilt” bind the family together or tear them apart forever? 

Lileana Blain-Cruz will direct The Blood Quilt by Katori Hall. 

As Vladimir and Estragon wait and wait for the arrival of the elusive Godot, a cast of mysterious misfits interrupt their endless vigil in Samuel Beckett’s tragi-comic masterpiece that has captivated audiences for decades. Timeless and multi-layered, Waiting for Godot changed the course of contemporary drama and remains as resonant and riveting as ever. Gare St Lazare Ireland, “the unparalleled Beckett champions” according to the New York Times, bring their wit and skill to what promises to be a Godotfor the ages featuring Conor Lovett (I’ll Find You, Versailles) and Rainn Wilson (Thom Pain, The Office).

Doors slam, sardines fly, and trousers drop in Michael Frayn’s side-splitting British farce about a theater company desperately trying to get their act together. Both onstage and backstage, chaos reigns for a troupe of floundering actors whose forgotten lines, misplaced props, and steamy romantic entanglements make it nearly impossible for the show to go on. An uproarious love letter to the theater, Noises Off is a peek behind the curtain—where everything that can go wrong, does!

THE LAST FIVE YEARS follows two New Yorkers, rising author Jamie (Grammy Award® and Golden Globe nominee Nick Jonas) and aspiring actress Cathy (Tony Award® winner Adrienne Warren), as they fall in and out of love over the course of five years.

With an acclaimed score by Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown, the musical explores whether a couple, once united by their dreams, can remain connected as their paths diverge.

Experience the Broadway premiere of one of the most beloved musicals of all time in a bold, new production, directed by Tony Award nominee Whitney White.

Cousins Sade and Mina used to be inseparable. Now leading very different lives, they return to their childhood town for the funeral of their mother and aunt. While Sade is on a three-day furlough from prison and Mina experiences a brief reprieve from her career and life on the West Coast, the two try to make sense of grief, home, love, and kinship. As the clock ticks down, the cousins grapple with their conflicting memories of the past and their shared hopes for the future. Poetic and theatrical, Furlough’s Paradise explores family dreams of a utopia yet to be realized.

Ebenezer Scrooge hates everything and everybody, but he hates Christmas most of all. Then one Christmas Eve he is haunted by the ghost of his former business partner, Jacob Marley, who warns Scrooge that a horrible fate awaits him unless he changes his miserable ways. Thus begins an adventure like no other, as Scrooge, with the help of the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet-to-Come, learns to open his heart to all those around him. This new adaptation of the classic story will leave you glowing with the joy of the season.

In Senegal on the eve of Y2K, an idealistic Peace Corps volunteer survives a mysterious car accident. An imposing State Department operative arrives at his hospital where she immediately takes command of the situation and his safety. Though they couldn’t be more different, they form an unlikely relationship. But when it becomes clear that they both have secrets, the volunteer is roped into a darker side of public service—one he can’t come back from. Unpredictable at every turn, this world-premiere thriller was commissioned by Manhattan Theatre Club. Dakar 2000 is written by Rajiv Joseph (Pulitzer Prize finalist for Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo; King James at MTC) and directed by May Adrales (Vietgone and Poor Yella Rednecks at MTC).

This new play with music gives witness to the lives of ordinary Appalachians as they celebrate “the most wonderful time of the year.” From the young girl in Tennessee obsessed with being a ballerina in The Nutcracker to the Kentucky father whose sons are fighting on opposite sides of the Civil War, these people and songs remind us what Christmas in the mountains is really all about.

This romantic “tale as old as time” follows Belle, a bookish young woman from a provincial town, and her unlikely captor the Beast, who is really a Prince under an enchantress’s spell. Can the Beast earn Belle’s love before the last petal of the rose drops, or will he remain forever entrapped by the magic spell? Will this small town ever learn not to judge a book by its cover?

The Shed presents a powerful new staging of Academy Award–winning writer of Moonlight Tarell Alvin McCraney’s acclaimed play, The Brothers Size. This co-production with Los Angeles’s Geffen Playhouse marks the 20th anniversary of this groundbreaking work, which explores themes of brotherhood, resilience, and the complexities of the Black male experience. Directed by Bijan Sheibani and presented in the round in The Griffin Theater, this play invites audiences to witness the raw and intimate story of two brothers navigating life after incarceration, weaving into the storytelling the rich tradition of the Yoruba people of West Africa.

A modern-day fable about two brothers in the Deep South. Ogun, the elder brother, embodies hard work and reliability, while Oshoosi, formerly incarcerated, is seemingly carefree and unpredictable. Their relationship is tested when the charismatic Elegba arrives, tempting Oshoosi back to his old habits. As the brothers wrestle with loyalty, freedom, and duty, their humanity is revealed through a raw and heartfelt exploration of the bonds of brotherhood.

LeBron James’ extraordinary tenure with the Cleveland Cavaliers brought hope to a city that had lost its sense of promise. In Rajiv Joseph’s powerful new play, superfans Matt and Shawn are brought together through their shared worship of “King” James. Over 12 years, from LeBron’s rookie season to an NBA Championship, the men navigate a turbulent friendship through their shared love of basketball, reminding us of the power of sports to connect, inspire, and unite us in good times and bad.

The Vermont Farm Project is a brand new, indie-folk musical about farming in Vermont, inspired by two years of interviews with farmers in the Upper Valley and beyond. The heartwarming musical, developed right here at Northern Stage, follows the stories and songs of an eclectic agricultural community through one day in the life of working on the land and asks us to consider what we harvest and what we leave behind.

"The full-of-riches new musical brings a classic record to life." - Jesse Green, The New York Times

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Step into the heart of Cuba, beyond the glitz of the Tropicana, to a place where blazing trumpets, and sizzling guitars set the dance floor on fire. Here the sound of Havana is born – an one woman’s remarkable journey begins.

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Inspired by true events, the new Broadway musical Buena Vista Social Club brings the Grammy® Award-winning album to thrilling life —and tells the story of the legends who lived it. A world-class Afro-Cuban band is joined by a sensational cast in this unforgettable tale of survival, second chances, and the extraordinary power of music.

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"Give yourself over to Buena Vista Social Club." (Time Out New York)

Jenna is caught in a dead-end marriage and a dead-end job, where making pies is her one source of joy. An unexpected pregnancy jolts her into action, and she starts making big changes. With her best friends and coworkers by her side, Jenna bakes a new life, one pound of butter, sugar, and flour at a time. A playful and soulful score by 6-time Grammy nominee Sara Bareilles lends boundless joy to this Broadway smash.

Returning from its blockbuster first season for an encore, ATC’s holiday musical extravaganza Scrooge! celebrates the season with the beloved story of Ebenezer Scrooge joined by a distinguished cast of more than 24 actors, live musicians, and an all-star creative team. With songs by the illustrious Oscar- and Grammy-winning and Tony-nominated composer Leslie Bricusse (“Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory”), this unique rendition exclusively brought to life by ATC is quickly becoming a cherished holiday tradition to share with your entire family.

The year is 1943 and we’re losing the war. Luckily, we’re about to gamble all our futures on a stolen corpse.

Singin’ in the Rain meets Strangers on a Train, Noel Coward meets Noel Fielding, Operation Mincemeat is the fast-paced, hilarious and unbelievable true story of the twisted secret mission that won us World War II. The question is, how did a well-dressed corpse wrong-foot Hitler?

Returning from its blockbuster first season for an encore, ATC’s holiday musical extravaganza Scrooge! celebrates the season with the beloved story of Ebenezer Scrooge joined by a distinguished cast of more than 24 actors, live musicians, and an all-star creative team. With songs by the illustrious Oscar- and Grammy-winning and Tony-nominated composer Leslie Bricusse (“Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory”), this unique rendition exclusively brought to life by ATC is quickly becoming a cherished holiday tradition to share with your entire family.

A musical celebration of the blues and its influence on American music, this toe-tapping revue weaves the stories of three women and one man as they navigate love, heartbreak, and rebirth. Set in a swanky 1930s Chicago hotel, this emotionally uplifting story features 26 of the hottest torch numbers by blues and jazz icons like Bessie Smith, Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen, Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Ida Cox, and Benny Goodman, to name a few. Come and celebrate a uniquely American music genre on this powerful and uplifting journey through the hearts of four of the country’s best crooners and a dozen of America’s best composers.

Is there such a thing as the perfect murder? Planning one might be possible, but pulling it off… that’s another matter. Having discovered his beautiful — and very wealthy — wife Margot’s infidelity, Tony has plotted his revenge. But the execution of her execution might not go according to design. Playwright Jeffrey Hatcher (Scotland Road, Wait Until Dark) brings an exhilarating new eye to the stylish thriller that inspired a Hitchcock classic.

Set against the economic turbulence of Pittsburgh’s Hill District in 1969, diner-owner Memphis Lee finds himself at a juncture: maintain his much-beloved neighborhood spot or sell it – changing the lives of its big-hearted regulars. With the finely tuned rhythms and complex characters that define the August Wilson canon, Two Trains Running explores the beauty in resilience.

Over the course of one fateful week, an unexpected friendship and collaboration quickly evolves into a powerful yet complicated love story and is centered around a couple’s passion for music. Prepare to be swept away by this Olivier, Tony, Academy and Grammy Award® winning musical that stole hearts on Broadway and speaks to the power of music that universally connects us all.

Since its first performance in 1892, Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker has evoked the wonder and joy of the holiday season. You will want to make Ben Stevenson’s spectacular production of this perennial favorite part of your holiday tradition.

Rising star playwright Mfoniso Udofia launches her sweeping cycle with a family’s origin story. Marriage, migration, and the pursuit of education collide when a young and brilliant Nigerian couple arrives in Houston, looking to earn their degrees and bring insights back to their home country. But when Abasiama discovers that her husband has been seduced by Motown records and American culture, she has to choose between the Nigerian Dream and her obligations as a matriarch. Director Dawn M. Simmons helms the lively and funny Sojourners at the historic Huntington Theatre following her acclaimed production of K-I-S-S-I-N-G at the Calderwood Pavilion.

Love takes center stage in this uproarious classic French comedy by 18th century playwright Pierre Carlet de Marivaux. A clever princess is smitten at first sight – but to win her prince, she must woo him in disguise. Mistaken identities, hilarious complications and deeply felt desire collide head on with Rationalist Philosophy – and surprising romantic entanglements ensue! Artistic Director Loretta Greco stages Stephen Wadsworth’s magnificent adaptation which inspired a passion for Marivaux in America anew.

The Alliance Theatre’s beloved production A Christmas Carol returns to The Coca-Cola Stage with its stunning adaptation, featuring a magical set design and striking costumes. Described as “high art of the season…a nostalgic feast for the eyes,” by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, audiences will be transported to the streets of London for the timeless redemption story of Ebenezer Scrooge, told with beautiful live music and an all-star cast. Join the Alliance Theatre for one of Atlanta’s most treasured holiday traditions. 

In a sweltering motel room in the Mojave Desert, May and Eddie lick their wounds and get ready for another relentless round. This brawl is eternal and infernal. And the Old Man is always watching.

Perhaps the sexiest, most haunting play of the 20th century, Fool for Love is a twisted and tequila-soaked love letter from one of the greatest American playwrights, indulging the need to get inside someone just to tear them apart.

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Declared “one of the most remarkable shows in musical theater history” by The Washington Post and “an anthem resonating on Broadway and beyond” by NBC Nightly News, DEAR EVAN HANSEN is the first contemporary musical about connection in the digital age. Meet Evan Hansen, a high school student who always feels like he’s on the outside looking in. 

After writing a letter to himself that was never meant to be seen, Evan becomes entangled in a lie that was never meant to be told and a life he never dreamt could be his. As a result, Evan finally gets what so many of us are searching for—the chance to finally fit in.Packed with some of the most popular musical theatre songs from the last decade including “You Will Be Found,” “Waving Through A Window” and “For Forever,” DEAR EVAN HANSEN features an uplifting score by the Tony ®, Grammy®, and Oscar® winning team behind The Greatest Showman, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and a book by Tony Award winner Steven Levenson.

 “…one of the most remarkable shows in musical theatre history.” – The Washington Post 

Beautiful. Bawdy. Bizarre. Welcome to La Cage aux Folles, the hottest drag club in St. Tropez and one of theater’s all-time biggest hits. Experience the groundbreaking musical comedy with a heartfelt score by Jerry Herman (Hello, Dolly!, Mame) and a hilarious script by Harvey Fierstein (Torch Song Trilogy). The Tony Award-winning musical comes to life in this all-new Playhouse extravaganza.

Join the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future as they lead the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge on a journey of transformation and redemption.

A young man with a secret. An older woman who will listen. A predatory flock of birds. An upcoming audition for The Wizard of Oz. Welcome to You Will Get Sick, a wildly imaginative new play that traces the touching, hilarious, heartbreaking saga of one man’s illness and his unlikely caretaker’s pursuit of her dreams.

Admired as “lively, surreal and surprising” by the New York Times, Noah Diaz’s Chicago debut is equal parts buddy-comedy, form-bending experiment and sober meditation on mortality.

Grace looks for the good in everything: in her husband’s rules, in the border he patrols, in the return of his estranged son. But a want for goodness cannot unwind the past, as this taut family reunion explodes in all directions. The Chicago premiere of Suzan Lori-Parks’ The Book of Grace is an incendiary family portrait from the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer of Topdog/Underdog. Witness this startling reminder that the search for common ground can be bloody and brutal, leaving casualties on every side of the divide.

Macbeth In Stride examines what it means to be an ambitious Black woman through the lens of one of Shakespeare’s most iconic characters. This 90-minute rock musical uses pop, gospel, and R&B to trace the fatalistic arc of Lady Macbeth while lifting contemporary Black female power, femininity, and desire.

Step into the vibrant world of Jaja’s African Hair Braiding, a beloved Harlem hotspot where West African immigrant braiders work their magic on the locals’ locks. Amidst the lively buzz of a scorching summer, love ignites, dreams soar, and secrets unravel. But beneath the surface lies a current of uncertainty, pushing this close-knit community to confront the challenges of being outsiders in their own neighborhood. From the pen of acclaimed Ghanaian American playwright Jocelyn Bioh (Goddess, School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play) and directed by Obie winner Whitney White, Jaja’s African Hair Braiding is “a play that is equally affecting as it is hilarious,” hails Entertainment Weekly.

When the distinguished elderly owner of a rural estate returns with a new, young wife, chaos erupts. Tensions run high, marriages reach their limits, confessions — and vodka — flow freely, and weapons are drawn. Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey, Paddington) plays Uncle Vanya in this heartbreaking comedy about the eternal battle between futility and change.

In 2007, a mysterious album featuring Nazi-era photographs arrived at the desk of a U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum archivist. As curators unraveled the shocking truth behind the images, the album soon made headlines and ignited a debate that reverberated far beyond the museum walls. Based on real events, Here There Are Blueberries tells the story of these historical photographs — what they reveal about the perpetrators of the Holocaust, and our own humanity.

In the summer, an old man and an old woman sit on a park bench, talk about the birds, and bet on the rain…but things aren’t as simple as they may seem. With humor, surrealism, and tenderness, the singular imagination and innovative style of acclaimed playwright Jiehae Park turn the ordinary into the extraordinary as the seasons shift, meditating on themes of human connection, memory, and growing older.

1927, San Juan Hill, a six-block stretch of Manhattan where tensions run deep between its populations of Black Americans and Caribbean immigrants. Eustace, recently transplanted from the South, falls in love with the girl next door, Annetta. But her ironfisted father, Joseph, an ardent Garveyite, has arranged for her to marry another man from the West Indies to protect his bloodline. In Steve Carter’s blistering saga, Eden, clashing ideologies and youthful passions threaten dangerous consequences for two families and their community.

A fast-paced techno-thriller unveiling the dark secrets lurking within Silicon Valley. Data is Matthew Libby's intriguingly suspenseful and relevant new play that takes you behind the locked doors of Silicon Valley. Its protagonist is Maneesh, a brilliant entry-level programmer at Athena Technologies, a data-mining firm. Content to work in the low-stress environment of User Experience, Maneesh has a crisis of conscience when he is offered a transfer to the more-central Data Analytics team, and learns the true nature of Athena's highly controversial and secretive work. Torn between idealism and survival, Maneesh is forced to come to terms with his unique American identity, all while learning the extent to which Athena is willing to go to hide its secrets.

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Ken Ludwig's fourth premiere at Arena Stage marks HANA Sharif's D.C. directorial debut. In Ken Ludwig's thrilling adaptation of Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile, Hercule Poirot becomes entangled in a web of deceit and desire aboard a cruise ship on the Nile River. When a murder occurs among the passengers, Poirot springs into action to unmask a killer who could strike again at any moment.

Step back into the holiday spirit with the joyful return of Step Afrika!'s Magical Musical Holiday Step Show, where the rich tradition of African American stepping blends with the magic of the season. Enjoy laughter, songs, and dance with award-winning performers on the Fichandler Stage. DJ Nutcracker and his Arctic friends amplify the festive atmosphere. This vibrant, fun-filled show promises a memorable adventure for the entire family, captivating your heart and senses. Don't miss this extraordinary holiday "step-stravaganza"!

Meet Sarah. She's funny. She's foul-mouthed. She's 10.

Ten-year-old Sarah faces a new school, her parents’ divorce, and an embarrassing secret you’ll never guess (unless you read the title) as Emmy winner Silverman’s bestselling memoir comes to life in The Bedwetter - A Musical. Featuring a book co-written by Silverman and Tony nominee Joshua Harmon (Prayer for the French Republic) and music by Grammy and Emmy winner Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), this is the musical story of a funny little girl with clinical depression.

Against the lavish backdrop of 1870s New York, where hypocrisy thrives and hidden passions simmer, Karen Zacarías brings Edith Wharton's timeless masterpiece, The Age of Innocence, to the stage. This adaptation unveils a searing critique of high society's suffocating norms, presenting a riveting tale of forbidden desires. Surrounded on all sides by an ocean of societal conformity, love clashes with duty, and innocence is sacrificed. Follow the compelling journey of Newland Archer as he grapples with the rigid constraints of privilege, torn between tradition and the allure of forbidden passion.

An entire town is plunged into terror as it frantically hides its grift and incompetence from the prying eyes of an undercover inspector. But the cons are about to get conned: the mysterious stranger accepting every bauble, coin, and advance thrown his way is not who he seems to be. Everyone is on the take–or the make–in this outrageously anarchic comedy of errors. Yura Kordonsky’s adaptation of Gogol’s timeless masterpiece, The Inspector, is both the moving drama of a community desperate for a better life and a farce exposing the absurd lengths to which they go in its pursuit.

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Development and production support for The Inspector is provided by Yale’s Binger Center for New Theatre.

Chicago’s “quintessential Christmas experience.” — Splash magazine

Treat your loved ones to the “perfect Chicago holiday tradition” (Chicago Parent) that has enchanted generations over four decades. Jessica Thebus returns to direct in this must-see, “moving and meaningful” (Chicago Sun-Times) annual production.

Helen Hunt—Oscar, Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner—stars in Susan V. Booth’s major revival of Pinter’s utterly domestic and utterly dangerous famed masterwork. 

Emma, Robert and Jerry have history. The “eternal triangle” takes center stage in an inventive retelling by the Nobel Prize-winning playwright. As Emma’s marriage to Robert comes to an end, she reconnects with Jerry, her former lover—and her husband’s best friend. The action unspools backward in time, uncovering hidden truths and revealing how little we know about those we think we know so much about. 

Acclaimed stage and screen actor Helen Hunt (Mad About You, As Good As It Gets) makes her Goodman debut in this “elegy about time and memory (where) the greatest dramatic weight lies in what’s unspoken, in the darkness of unsorted feelings” (New York Times).

Twenty years since its Broadway musical debut, The Color Purple is reborn in Lili-Anne Brown’s revelatory production—“perfection on every level!” (Chicago Sun-Times). 

It’s a celebration of life, hope and the healing power of love! The musical stage adaptation of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize- and National Book Award-winning novel is a heart-rending, yet ultimately joyous, story of a young woman’s perilous journey of personal awakening in the American South. Come ready to shout in church, stomp at the juke joint, laugh and cry with unforgettable “come-to-glory gospel hymns, down-and-dirty bump-and-grinds, jazz that stutters, dips and dives, and gorgeous alto arias” (Chicago Sun-Times).