This May, D.C. theater seems to be all about real representation. Plenty of local theater companies are kicking off summer with works about African-American, Asian, and Latinx experiences. Here are nine shows you won’t want to miss.
Last Call:
The White Snake: Constellation Theatre Company in residence at Source Theatre presents Mary Zimmerman’s music- and movement-infused adaptation of a classic Chinese fable about two snakes that take the form of beautiful women in order to experience the human world. The show must close on May 26.
Just Opening:
Jubilee: A world premiere a cappella tribute to the racial barrier-breaking musical collective The Fisk Jubilee Singers comes to Arena Stage. Written and directed by Tazewell Thompson (who received raves for his Porgy and Bess at Lincoln Center), this historical and musical journey runs April 26-June 2.
Spunk: Based on three short stories by Zora Neale Hurston and adapted and directed by famed dramatist George C. Wolfe, Signature Theatre’s production weaves compelling musical numbers into an exploration of the African American experience through the 20th century. Runs April 30-June 23.
Sooner/Later: The story of a teenage girl who helps her single mother get back into the dating scene promises a “metaphysical twist.” This production is part of Mosaic Theater’s Locally Grown initiative to commission productions from local D.C. playwrights—this one is by Allyson Currin, a founding member of The Welders). Runs May 15-June 16.
The Children: Lucy Kirkwood’s unnerving thriller gave audiences big chills in both New York and London and now it comes to Studio Theatre under the direction of artistic director David Muse. The story is of two long married nuclear physicists living a quiet life in isolation after a major natural disaster, but their contained existence is upended by the return of a former colleague almost 40 years later. The show runs through June 2.
Quick Runs:
Michael Kahn and Friends: Off the Record: No, unfortunately this is not a comedy revue starring Shakespeare Theatre’s outgoing artistic director Michael Kahn, but it should still be equally engaging and revealing. Kahn will be joined by a group of artists he’s worked closely with over the years at the theater (including Stacy Keach and Wallace Acton) for a lively discussion about his 33-year tenure. The night promises have tidbits for theater lovers and D.C. history buffs alike, as Kahn has seen the city and its arts scene through many changes. Catch this conversation on May 15.
Pride and Joy: If there’s such a thing as theater law, one of those rules may be that every popular musician eventually must get their own jukebox musical. National Theatre brings Marvin Gaye’s turn, in the form of Pride and Joy. The story follows Gaye’s relationship with Anna Gordy Gaye through 28 of his most beloved songs. See what’s going on from May 1-12.
Klytmnestra: An Epic Slam Poem: Theatre Alliance at the Anacostia Playhouse presents a hypnotic one-woman show (featuring and written by Dane Figueroa Edidi) that draws on Greek myths, Kabuki theater, and African dance for a re-telling of the Greek myth of a mother killed by her own son. Runs May 21-June 16.
En El Camino: Stories of Love & Migration: Teatro de la Luna & Teatro la Bolsa present Valentina Ortiz, a prominent storyteller from Mexico, in a one-woman performance at Casa de la Luna. The show explores migration and times Ortiz has felt like an outsider from childhood to adulthood. Her one-night only performance takes place May 10.
