Chocolates and flowers are a dull choice for Valentines (or Galentines) Day, so grab some theater tickets instead and have a truly special celebration this month.

Last Chance

Recent Tragic Events – The Prologue Theatre performing out of The Atlas Performing Arts Center brings Craig Wright’s (Six Feet Under, Lost) play about Waverly and Andrew and their blind date that takes place the day after 9/11. While a story that exists in the shadow of 9/11 may not sound quirky or hilarious, but it does include an appearance from author Joyce Carol Oates, played by a sock puppet. The productions runs through February 16.

Just Opening

Shipwreck: A History Play About 2017 – In a co-production with New York’s esteemed Public Theater, Woolly Mammoth presents this U.S. premiere from playwright Anne Washburn (known from her previous Woolly hit Mr. Burns, a post-electric play). The less one knows about this show before going in, the better, because yes, it is a show about the 2016 elections that imagines President Donald Trump’s meeting with James Comey, but it’s also a family drama and an inspection of our current fraught political times. This show runs February 6-March 8.

The 39 Steps – Alfred Hitchcock’s 1935 spy thriller gets a quick-witted twist in this comedy. Four actors play more than 150 characters, spoofing Hitchcockian suspense and tension along the way. Constellation Theatre Company in residence at The Source Theater brings this Broadway hit romp to D.C., under the direction of local theater mainstay actor-director Nick Olcott and movement direction by a local master of physical comedy, Mark Jaster. Join in the fun February 6-March 8.

Boy – The Keegan Theatre presents the D.C. premiere of Anna Zeigler’s play about love, identity, and self acceptance. In the 1960s, after a terrible accident, a couple is convinced by a doctor to raise their baby boy as a girl.  The play explores the repercussions of that choice two decades later when the child is now an adult and exploring their place in their family and budding new relationships. Based on a true story, this production also is complemented by a staged reading of a new play Alix in Wonderland and a post-show discussion about genderqueerness on stage and in the media (Feb 24). This production runs February 7-March 7.

The Wanderers – Playwright Anna Zeigler is really having a D.C. moment as Theater J  is performing another play of hers. The Wanderers focuses on the intersections of two very different couples: One a pair of Hasidic Jews embarking on a arranged marriage and another two are celebrities (married to other people) engaging in a risky flirtation. While these two groups of lovers seem entirely different, where they come together says interesting things about current day romance. Fall in love February 19-March 15.

This Bitter Earth –  The relationship between black playwright Jesse and white activist Neil, who’s deeply involved in the Black Lives Matter movement, becomes ruptured when Neil questions Jesse’s commitment and interest in racial politics. This rift becomes even more pronounced with the news of more racially motivated murders. Theater Alliance explores whether their love can transcend the anxieties of our fraught cultural and political times. This production runs February 22-March 22.

The Amen Corner– The Shakespeare Theatre presents this production of James Baldwin’s play about a female pastor in the 1950s who preaches against vice in her congregation and her own family. When a visitor from her past emerges, she’s forced to recon with her own beliefs. Combining Baldwin’s gorgeous prose with gospel music, this play is something of a departure from STC’s usual programming. This production runs February 11-March 15.

Intersections Festival – While not exclusively a theater festival, the Intersections Festival, run annually out of The Atlas Performing Arts Center, brings together diverse voices in conversation about culture. There’s literally something for every taste: The family-friendly Mouse on the Move presented by Imagination Stage; the award-winning one woman show A Lesbian Belle Tells All; Small Creatures, an exploration of the work of Ernest Hemingway through dance and movement; Deidre Staples’ play White-ish about racial identity, and many, many more thought-provoking performances. A majority of the performances are followed by post-show talk backs, encouraging audiences to engage with the work they’ve just seen.  Single tickets and full festival passes are available. The festival runs February 29-March 1.

Quick Runs

A Daughter’s a Daughter –The name Agatha Christie brings to mind murder, mystery, and intrigue but her play A Daughter’s a Daughter—originally published under her pseudonym Mary Westmacott—is something quite different. It’s the intimate story of a contentious and complicated mother-daughter relationship. The Arlington Players brings this lesser-known play to the Thomas Jefferson Community Theater for its U.S. premiere. Catch this hidden gem through February 16.

The King’s Speech – Based on the Oscar-winning film of the same name, this play makes its D.C. debut at The National Theatre. The play tells the story of how King George VI works with an unconventional speech therapist to overcome a debilitating stutter that threatens his leadership over his country. Catch this production on its U.S. tour February 11-16.

This post has been updated with the correct dates for The King’s Speech.