The Most Promising Theater to See in the D.C. Area in 2026

Washington, D.C.’s theater scene is poised for an exceptional year in 2026. Across the region, companies are blending classic texts with daring reinventions, honoring American history while pushing theatrical form forward. From intimate experimental productions to large-scale musicals aimed at Broadway, the upcoming season offers something for every theatergoer. Here are 11 of the most anticipated D.C.-area theater productions to see in 2026, spanning Shakespeare, new works and inventive adaptations.

Synetic Theater Returns to Shakespeare

Physical-theater powerhouse Synetic Theater continues its nomadic era with a wordless reimagining of Antony and Cleopatra at the Shakespeare Theatre Company. Longtime collaborators Vato Tsikurishvili and Irina Kavsadze step into the iconic roles, revisiting a space where the troupe staged one of its most acclaimed works more than a decade ago.

Apocalypse Meets Absurdity at Woolly Mammoth

At Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, founding artistic director Howard Shalwitz returns to helm a world premiere by Ali Viterbi. Set in a retirement home during an impending apocalypse, the play blends humor, heart and surreal imagery in a story billed as a “coming-of-age” tale — set late in life.

A Cult Film Becomes a Musical

Signature Theatre presents a musical adaptation of the 2012 indie favorite Safety Not Guaranteed, featuring music by Ryan Miller of Guster. After a divisive New York premiere, the production gets a fresh staging in Arlington under director Oliver Butler, offering a second chance for the offbeat time-travel romance to connect with audiences.

Shakespeare as a Love Letter to D.C.

At Folger Theatre, Artistic Director Karen Ann Daniels makes her directorial debut with a reimagined As You Like It. The pastoral comedy becomes a celebration of Washington itself, infused with local flavor while retaining Shakespeare’s themes of exile, identity and love.

A Timely Revival of “1776”

With America’s semiquincentennial approaching, Ford’s Theatre stages a revival of the musical 1776. Directed by Luis Salgado, the production revisits the Second Continental Congress with renewed energy and a diverse cast of D.C. favorites.

Pulitzer-Winning Drama Comes Home

D.C.-native playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’s Appropriate arrives at Olney Theatre Center following its Tony-winning Broadway revival. The play’s excavation of family secrets and inherited racism promises an intimate, unsettling experience in Olney’s Theatre Lab.

John Lewis’s Early Years on Stage

Mosaic Theater Company presents a reimagined production honoring civil rights icon John Lewis. Created by hip-hop artist Kokayi and playwright Psalmayene 24, the musical explores Lewis’s formative years, blending history, activism and music in a deeply local context.

Theater in a Former Streetcar Platform

Dupont Underground hosts a stripped-down A Streetcar Named Desire, staged with four actors, no set and no props. Performed in the former streetcar station, the production brings Tennessee Williams’s text into stark focus through radical minimalism.

Wendell Pierce Takes on “Othello”

Actor Wendell Pierce stars as the Moor in Othello at the Shakespeare Theatre Company, directed by Simon Godwin. The production caps a season that blends classical drama with contemporary experimentation.

Suzan-Lori Parks Rewrites History

Round House Theatre stages Sally & Tom, a sharp, metatheatrical satire by Pulitzer Prize winner Suzan-Lori Parks. The play interrogates the legacy of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings ahead of the Declaration of Independence’s 250th anniversary.

TLC’s Story Comes to Arena Stage

Arena Stage closes its season with CrazySexyCool — The TLC Musical, a world premiere tracing the rise of the iconic ’90s girl group. Directed by Kwame Kwei-Armah, the production uses TLC’s hits to explore fame, friendship and resilience.