Fall theater brings a solid mix of lighthearted musicals and thoughtful plays to the D.C. area. Expect a month of area premieres from TV writers-turned-playwrights and female writers.
Trying: This autobiographical play by Joanna McClelland Glass about her time as the assistant to Former Attorney General Francis Biddle kicks off 1st Stage’s 12th season. The play centers around the powerful political figure and his tough treatment of his staff in the late 1960s. This heartfelt comedy closes Oct. 20.
Escaped Alone: Signature Theatre gets its first show from acclaimed playwright Caryl Churchill (Top Girls, Cloud 9) play on its stages this season. The play centers on a group of older British ladies enjoying tea in a garden. But in typical Churchill fashion, the conversation is not all polite, as topics veer from grandchildren to the apocalypse. Beloved D.C. actress Holly Twyford directs this local premiere. The production closes Nov. 3.
Elephant and Piggie: We Are in a Play!: Whether audiences have little ones to bring with them or are just young at heart, they may want to consider this comedic, musical take on the beloved Mo Willems books. The show tells the story of two best pals with their fair share of fun times and high anxieties (like, should they share their ice cream?!). Adventure Theater at Glen Echo Park closes this show on Oct. 27.
Day of Absence: Theater Alliance re-imagines Douglas Turner Ward’s 1965 play about a mysterious discovery that rocks a town in the deep South. The show includes comedy and music, and discussions about systemic racism that are as true in 1965 as they are today. The show runs Oct. 5-Nov. 3.
She Kills Monsters: Rorschach Theatre brings back its acclaimed 2014 production, this time imagined with immersive theater elements that take audiences into unseen parts of Atlas Performing Arts Center. The show centers around a young woman who uncovers her late sister’s Dungeons & Dragons notebook and uses it to go on a journey to understand her sister and conquer the demons of her own grief. Playwright Qui Nguyen (whose play Vietgone rocked Studio Theatre a couple seasons ago) has written a play with doses of 90s geek nostalgia and girl power. Runs Oct. 18-Nov. 10.
Crystal Creek Motel: A lot can happen in one year at a mysterious motel way off the beaten path in an undisclosed location somewhere in the north. That’s what Flying V Theatre explores in their world premiere play. Six directors helm 12 vignettes that take place in the same motel room during different dates in 2003. Check into Crystal Creek Motel Oct. 12-Nov. 2.
Right to be Forgotten: This world-premiere production at Arena Stage is about a man attempting to go up against the internet powers that be in an attempt to erase an indiscretion he made at age 17. Now the recipient of the Edgerton Foundation New Play Award, this Sharyn Rothstein show runs Oct. 11-Nov. 10.
Theory: A young professor creates an unmoderated online discussion forum in an attempt to promote free speech on campus. This experiment produces some scary and hostile results that make the professor fear for her life. Mosaic Theater Company brings this fast-paced play to the Atlas Performing Arts Center Oct. 23-Nov. 17.
My Barking Dog: When a wild coyote enters the apartment occupied by a man and a woman, it changes their lives—and perhaps civilization, too. The Edge of the Universe Players 2 tackle this quirky, philosophical play for a one-week run at Caos on F, from Oct. 4-13.
Escape to Margaritaville: In the world of Jimmy Buffett songs, summer doesn’t have to be over and we’re always on Island Time. This jukebox musical full of Buffett’s vacationland songs is a must-see for all Parrotheads, especially with a script by comedy writers Greg Garcia (My Name is Earl) and Mike O’Malley (Shameless). The tour’s stop at the National Theatre runs Oct 8-13.
This story has been updated to reflect that Trying is not a regional premiere.
