This fall, many exciting plays and musicals are being staged at theaters across the Northern Virginia area. Here are some highlights of the season’s must-see shows. Plus, hear from two local theater professionals and find out where to get a great meal before the show.
The Inheritance, Parts One and Two, at Round House Theatre
August 27 to October 19
This ambitious theatrical production is the regional premiere of Matthew López’s epic, multiple-award-winning play in two parts. Inspired by Howards End by E.M. Forster, it explores the lives of three generations of gay men. Guests can choose to watch parts one and two on separate days or to take in all six-plus hours in one day.
Play On!, Strategic Love Play, and Fiddler on the Roof at Signature Theatre
Dates vary
It’s impossible to pick just one show out of this Shirlington theater’s lineup. Play On! is a musical based on Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night set to Duke Ellington’s greatest hits. Strategic Love Play tackles modern dating in a witty comedy from Succession writer Miriam Battye. And the classic yet timely musical Fiddler on the Roof gets the Signature treatment in an intimate setting. “Play On!” runs through October 5, “Strategic Love Play” runs September 23 to November 9, and “Fiddler on the Roof” runs November 4 to January 25
Damn Yankees at Arena Stage
September 9 to November 9
A new adaptation of this golden-age musical, the first major revival in 30 years, will be directed and choreographed by Tony Award–winning choreographer Sergio Trujillo. In the beloved musical comedy, a die-hard baseball fan sells his soul to the devil to help his team beat the Yankees.
The American Five at Ford’s Theatre
September 19 to October 12
This world premiere play, written by Chess Jacobs and directed by Aaron Posner, dramatizes a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement as five visionary leaders — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Coretta Scott King, Bayard Rustin, Stanley Levison, and Clarence B. Jones — collaborate against the odds to organize the March on Washington.
ReproEco: Six Short Plays at Transformation Theatre
October 14, 7 p.m.
Stay home for this virtual performance of six short plays exploring reproductive freedom and environmental justice. Writers were commissioned by ReproFreedomArts.org. Shanea N. Taylor and Carly Bodnar will direct the online performance hosted by Transformation Theatre, a Laurel, Maryland–based nonprofit theater company that produces and helps develop “new plays that are by, for, and about underrepresented voices.”
Fair Play at 1st Stage
October 16 to November 2
Two teenage female runners navigate the world of elite sports in this play from British playwright Ella Road. As their friendship deepens, so does the pressure to win in this timely work inspired by real-world debates about sex testing in sports.
The Last 5 Years at NextStop Theatre Company
October 30 to November 23
This musical about the final years of a marriage, written and composed by Tony Award–winner Jason Robert Brown, was inspired by his personal life. It’s told from opposite timelines, with one in chronological order and one in reverse. DMV native Aria Velz will direct the production at this Herndon theater company.
Mother Play: A Play in Five Evictions at Studio Theatre
November 12 to December 21
The latest play from Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright (and NoVA native) Paula Vogel was a hit on Broadway last year starring Jessica Lange. It’s a darkly funny semiautobiographical story that follows a family in the DC suburbs over 40 years, focusing on the complicated relationship between an alcoholic mother and her two children.
ho ho ho ha ha ha ha at Woolly Mammoth
November 12 to December 21
If you didn’t catch this interactive one-woman show last year at Woolly Mammoth, you’re in luck. Julia Masli returns with her award-winning improvisational show that invites audience members to vent their problems, which she hilariously attempts to fix.
Q&A: Signature Theatre’s Matthew Gardiner
The arts leader, director, and choreographer from Northern Virginia shares his thoughts on the area’s theater scene.
What makes the DMV theater scene different from other places?
It’s not as sprawling as New York City. There’s a bigger sense of community in the DMV, there’s more of a sense of a tight-knit community that is here to support each other and to be in conversation with each other.
In addition to your productions, are there any shows you’re excited to see this fall?
I’m excited to see Damn Yankees that Arena Stage is going to be putting on. I think they have a new, interesting take on it with Sergio Trujillo, who’s a wonderful Broadway director and choreographer. I’m excited to see Mother Play at Studio Theatre.
Are there any newer Northern Virginia theater companies that are exciting to you?
A younger company that I think is doing exciting work is Monumental Theatre Company [in Alexandria]. I think they are creating some really interesting theater.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Q&A: The Inheritance Director Tom Story
The Woodbridge native has appeared in more than 75 plays and directed at numerous area theaters.
What is The Inheritance about?
It’s about three generations of gay men and what these generations of gay men have inherited from each other — the joy and sometimes the trauma. That really is what it’s about, but it’s also about being an artist.
Has your acting background helped you as a director?
I think that I have become a better actor by directing. And when I act, I become a better director. I love actors, and I think that, ultimately, you shouldn’t be seeing me as a director up there. You should be seeing the actors. They’re the people who are giving the story, and I love them, and I respect them.
Is there anything else you think readers should know about The Inheritance?
It deals with some really heavy subjects, but it’s really, really funny. There’s so much joy and humor and wit in it.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Dinner and Drama
Take advantage of these theater meal deals and discounts.
At the Wharf, feast on roasted Peking duck at Philippe Chow before catching a show at Arena Stage (prix fixe menus start at $59 per person). Tip: Pre-order the duck so you don’t miss showtime. For wine lovers, Station 4 offers 50 percent off bottles for theatergoers and a $39 three-course menu. Near Ford’s Theatre, Rasika West End has a $35 three-course Indian menu. In Shirlington, get 15 percent off freshly made pastas at Corso Italian before heading to Signature Theatre. After the show, discuss it over drinks at Samuel Beckett’s Irish Gastro Pub and present your ticket for 10 percent off your check.
Feature image of Arena Stage by Nic Lehoux, courtesy Bing Thom Architects
This story originally ran in our September issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to Northern Virginia Magazine.
