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The Performing Arts by Neighborhood

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White House Area and Foggy Bottom

South of Downtown D.C. and north of Georgetown, Foggy Bottom is home to the Kennedy Center and George Washington University’s Lisner Auditorium—two great venues for the performing arts. Both facilities present drama, dance, and music, offering a platform for some of the greatest American and international performers, though visitors will have to travel to find a pretheater dinner or drink.

Major Venues

Fodor’s Choice | John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
On the bank of the Potomac River, the gem of the D.C. arts scene is home to the National Symphony Orchestra, the Washington Ballet, and the Washington National Opera. The best out-of-town acts perform at one of three performance spaces—the Concert Hall, the Opera House, or the Eisenhower Theater. An eclectic range of performances is staged at the center’s smaller venues, including the Terrace Theater, showcasing chamber groups and experimental works; the Theater Lab, home to cabaret-style performances; the KC Jazz Club; and a 320-seat family theater. But that’s not all. On the Millennium Stage in the center’s Grand Foyer, you can catch free performances almost any day at 6 pm. TIP On performance days, a free shuttle bus runs between the Center and the Foggy Bottom/GWU Metro stop. | New Hampshire Ave. and Rock Creek Pkwy. NW, Foggy Bottom | 20566 | 202/467–4600, 800/444–1324 | www.kennedy-center.org | Station: Foggy Bottom/GWU.

Choral Arts Society of Washington. From spring to fall the 200-voice Choral Arts Society of Washington choir performs classical pieces at the Kennedy Center. Three Christmas sing-alongs are scheduled each December, as is a popular tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. on his January birthday. | 202/244–3669 | www.choralarts.org.

Washington National Opera. Founded in 1956, the Washington National Opera is one of the largest companies in the nation and presents eight works in fall and spring at the Kennedy Center Opera House. The operas, performed in their original languages with English supertitles, are often sold out to subscribers, but returned tickets are available an hour before curtain time. For standing-room tickets to each week’s performances, inquire at the box office starting the preceding Saturday. Every fall the Opera presents Opera in the Outfield, a free live performance in Nationals Park (also broadcast). | New Hampshire Ave. and Rock Creek Pkwy. NW, Foggy Bottom | 20566 | 202/295–2400, 800/876–7372 | www.dc-opera.org.

Washington Ballet. Between September and May the Washington Ballet presents classical and contemporary dance, including works by choreographers such as George Balanchine, Choo-San Goh, and artistic director Septime Webre. The main shows are mounted at the Kennedy Center, but each December the company performs The Nutcracker at the Warner Theatre. | 202/362–3606 | www.washingtonballet.org.

Lisner Auditorium.
A 1,500-seat theater on the campus of George Washington University hosts pop, classical, and choral music shows, modern dance performances, and musical theater, attracting students and outsiders alike. | 730 21st St. NW, Foggy Bottom | 20052 | 202/994–6800 | www.lisner.org | Station: Foggy Bottom/GWU.

National Gallery of Art.
The National Gallery offers a variety of music. On Friday from Memorial Day through Labor Day, local jazz groups perform to packed crowds in the sculpture garden from 5 to 9 pm. Loyal listeners dip their weary feet in the fountain, sip sangria, and let the week wash away. From October to June free concerts by the National Gallery Orchestra and performances by visiting recitalists and ensembles are held in the West Building’s West Garden Court on Sunday nights. Entry is first-come, first-served, with doors opening at 6 pm and concerts starting at 6:30 pm. On Wednesdays, free midday performances of classical music begin around noon. | 6th St. and Constitution Ave. NW, The Mall | 20001 | 202/842-6941 | www.nga.gov | Station: Archives/Navy Memorial.

Fodor’s Choice | Smithsonian Institution.
Throughout the year the Smithsonian Associates sponsor programs that offer everything from a cappella groups to Cajun zydeco bands; all events require tickets and locations vary; for a memorable music experience, try to catch one of the performances in the museum’s third-floor Hall of Musical Instruments, where musicians occasionally play period instruments from the museum’s collection. The Smithsonian’s annual summer Folklife Festival, held on the Mall, highlights the cuisine, crafts, and day-to-day life of several different cultures. (Texas, Wales, Colombia and Bhutan are among the most recent ones to have been featured.) | 1000 Jefferson Dr. SW, The Mall | 20560 | 202/357–2700, 202/633–1000 recording, 202/357–3030 Smithsonian Associates | www.si.edu | Station: Smithsonian.

Music

Orchestras

National Symphony Orchestra.
Under the direction of Christoph Eschenbach, the NSO performs from September to June at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. In summer the orchestra performs at Wolf Trap and gives free concerts at Rock Creek Park’s Carter Barron Amphitheatre. On Memorial and Labor Day weekends and July 4, the orchestra performs on the West Lawn of the Capitol. | New Hampshire Ave. and Rock Creek Pkwy. NW, Foggy Bottom | 20566 | 202/462–4600 | www.kennedy-center.org/nso.

Performance Series

Armed Forces Concert Series.
In a Washington tradition, bands from the four branches of the armed services perform June to August on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings on the East Terrace of the Capitol. Concerts usually include marches, patriotic numbers, and some classical music. The Air Force celebrity series features popular artists such as Earl Klugh and Keiko Matsui on Sunday in February and March at DAR Constitution Hall. | U.S. Capitol | 20515 | 202/767–5658 Air Force, 703/696–3718 Army, 202/433–4011 Marines, 202/433–2525 Navy | www.aoc.gov.

Sylvan Theater. Other performances take place at 8 pm from June to August, on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday nights at the Sylvan Theater. | Washington Monument grounds, 14th St. and Constitution Ave., The Mall | 20001 | 202/426–6841 | Station: Smithsonian.

Washington Performing Arts Society.
One of the city’s oldest arts organizations stages high-quality classical music, jazz, gospel, modern dance, and performance art in halls around the city. Past artists include the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Yo-Yo Ma, the Chieftains, Herbie Hancock, and Savion Glover. | Suite 510, 2000 L St. NW, Foggy Bottom | 20036 | 202/785-9727 | www.wpas.org.

Film

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.
Avant-garde and experimental first-run documentaries, features, and short films are frequently screened here for free. | Independence Ave. and 7th St. SW, The Mall | 20013 | 202/357–2700 | www.hirshhorn.si.edu | Station: Smithsonian or L’Enfant Plaza.

National Archives.
Historical films, usually documentaries, are shown here daily. Screenings range from Robert Flaherty’s 1942 coverage of the plight of migrant workers to archival footage of Charles Lindbergh’s solo flight from New York to Paris. TIP After catching a documentary, it’s easy to stroll by the Constitution in this solemn and impressive venue. | Constitution Ave. between 7th and 9th Sts. NW, The Mall | 20408 | 202/501–5000 | www.archives.gov | Station: Archives/Navy Memorial.

National Gallery of Art, East Building.
Free classic and international films, often complementing the exhibits, are shown in this museum’s large auditorium. Pick up a film calendar at the museum or online. | Constitution Ave. between 3rd and 4th Sts. NW, The Mall | 20565 | 202/842–6799 | www.nga.gov | Station: Archives/Navy Memorial.

Five Great Arts Experiences

Arena Stage: Housed in a state-of-the-art, audience-friendly facility, Arena Stage offers innovative new American plays as well as classic plays and musicals.

Busboys and Poets: This gathering place has become a mainstay for seeing cutting-edge poets, musicians, performing artists, authors, and political speakers. Something always seems to be happening at this combination restaurant, bookstore, fair trade market, and gathering place.

Kennedy Center: The gem of the D.C. arts scene, this is the one performance venue you might take with you if you were stranded on a desert isle.

Shakespeare Theatre: Among the top Shakespeare companies in the world, this troupe excels at both classical and contemporary interpretations.

Woolly Mammoth: This remarkable theater company stages some of the most creative and entertaining new plays from the nation’s best playwrights.

Screen on the Green.
Every July and August this weekly series of classic films turns the Mall into an open-air cinema. People arrive as early as 5 pm to picnic, socialize, and reserve a spot. The show starts at dusk. | 7th St., The Mall | 20560 | 877/262–5866 | Station: Smithsonian.

Capitol Hill and Northeast D.C.

The arts scene in Capitol Hill and Northeast D.C. has blossomed in recent years with the opening of several performance venues and the explosion of restaurants, bars, and stages along the emerging H Street Corridor. Leading the charge is the Atlas Center, at the cutting edge of dance, music, and drama. Lovers of classical drama will discover great performances and an authentic atmosphere at the Folger Shakespeare Library near the Capitol.

Major Venues

Atlas Performing Arts Center.
Known as the “People’s Kennedy Center,” this performance venue located in a restored historic movie theater is community-based, encompassing four theaters and three dance studios. The Atlas is home to a diverse group of resident arts organizations, including theater troupes, dance companies, orchestras, and choral groups. The nearest Metro stop is Union Station, though at night it’s best to take a taxi given the walk through dark streets. Parking is available on the street. | 1333 H St. NE, Northeast D.C. | 20002 | 202/399–7993 | www.atlasarts.org | Station: Union Station.

Music

Chamber Music

Coolidge Auditorium at the Library of Congress.
Over the past 80 years, the Coolidge has hosted most of the 20th-century’s greatest performers and composers, including Copland and Stravinsky. Today the Coolidge draws musicians from all genres, including classical, jazz, and gospel, and the hall continues to wow audiences with its near-perfect acoustics and sightlines. Concert tickets are free, but must be ordered in advance through Ticketmaster. | Library of Congress, Jefferson Bldg., 101 Independence Ave. SE, Capitol Hill | 20540 | 800/551–7328 | www.loc.gov | Station: Capitol South.

Folger Shakespeare Library.
The library’s internationally acclaimed resident chamber music ensemble, the Folger Consort, regularly presents medieval, Renaissance, and baroque pieces performed on period instruments. The season runs from October to May. | 201 E. Capitol St. SE, Capitol Hill | 20003 | 202/544–7077 | www.folger.edu | Station: Union Station or Capitol South.

Rorschach Theatre.
Rorschach stages some of the most creative plays in Washington, featuring intimate and passionate performances on the stages of the innovative H Street Atlas Performing Arts Center. The company offers lesser-known works by such playwrights as Pulitzer Prize–winning Tony Kushner and Russia’s Mikhail Bulgakov, as well as stage adaptations of literary classics such as Lord of the Flies. | 1333 H St. NE, Northeast D.C. | 20002 | 202/452–5538 | www.rorschachtheatre.com | Station: Union Station.

Dance

Joy of Motion.
Joy of Motion includes the resident Dana Tai Soon Burgess & Company (modern), Furia Flamenca, and Silk Road Dance Company (traditional Middle Eastern and Central Asian), among others. They perform in the studio’s Jack Guidone Theatre, located in Atlas Performing Arts Center in Northeast D.C. | 5207 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Friendship Heights | 20015 | 202/276–2599 | www.joyofmotion.org | Station: Friendship Heights.

Choral Music

Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
Choral and church groups occasionally perform at the largest Catholic church in the Americas. Every summer the Basilica offers recitals featuring the Shrine’s massive pipe organ. See the website for times and visiting performers. | 400 Michigan Ave. NE, Northeast D.C. | 20017 | 202/526–8300 | www.nationalshrine.com | Station: Brookland/CUA.

Theater and Performance Art

Folger Shakespeare Library.
The library’s theater, a 250-seat re-creation of the inn-yard theaters in Shakespeare’s time, hosts three to four productions a year of Shakespearean or Shakespeare-influenced works. Though the stage is a throwback, the sharp acting and staging certainly push the envelope. | 201 E. Capitol St. SE, Capitol Hill | 20003 | 202/544–7077 | www.folger.edu | Station: Union Station or Capitol South.

Downtown

Several of Washington’s most prestigious performance centers can be found in Downtown D.C. The Verizon Center, Woolly Mammoth Theater, Sixth & I Synagogue, and other venues are surrounded by the bustling nightlife around Chinatown (itself mostly located in Dupont Circle).

Film

Landmark’s E Street Cinema.
Specializing in independent, foreign, and documentary films, this theater has been warmly welcomed by D.C. movie lovers both for its selection and state-of-the-art facilities. It has an impressive concession stand, stocked to please the gourmand, the health-conscious, and those who just want a jumbo box of Milk Duds. The E Street is also one of the few theaters to serve alcohol. | 555 11th St. NW, Downtown | 20004 | 202/452–7672 | www.landmarktheatres.com | Station: Metro Center.

Major Venues

DAR Constitution Hall.
Acts ranging from Steve Harvey to Josh Groban to B.B. King perform at this 3,700-seat venue, one of Washington’s grand old halls. DAR is well worth a visit for both the excellent performers it attracts and its awesome architecture and acoustics. | 1776 D St. NW, Downtown | 20006 | 202/628–4780 | www.dar.org/conthall | Station: Farragut West.

D.C. Jewish Community Center.
The DCJCC hosts the Washington Jewish Music Festival and the Washington Jewish Film Festival, along with periodic musical performances by a diverse group of performers. | 1529 16th St. NW, Downtown | 20036 | 202/518–9400 | www.washingtondcjcc.org | Station: Dupont Circle.

Verizon Center.
In addition to being the home of the Washington Capitals hockey and Washington Wizards basketball teams, this 19,000-seat arena also plays host to D.C.’s biggest concerts, ice-skating events, and the circus. If Lady Gaga comes to town, this will be the spot to see her! Parking can be a problem, but several Metro lines converge at an adjacent station. | 601 F St. NW, Chinatown | 20004 | 202/661–5000 | www.verizoncenter.com | Station: Gallery Pl./Chinatown.

Theater and Performance Art

Capital Fringe Festival.
Brought to D.C. in 2005, Capital Fringe Festival sends every little theater in town into a frenzy every July. With tickets around $17, local performers display the strange, political, interesting, surreal, and avant-garde to eclectic crowds at all times of the day in venues throughout the city. TIP Just beware, not all of the theaters have air-conditioning, and Washington can be torrid in midsummer. | 866/811–4111 | www.capfringe.org.

Ford’s Theatre.
Looking much as it did when President Lincoln was shot at a performance of Our American Cousin, Ford’s primarily hosts musicals, most with family appeal. Dickens’s A Christmas Carol is staged every year. The historic theater, maintained by the National Park Service, is now more audience-friendly, thanks to a renovation that replaced hard wooden chairs with more-comfortable padded seats, added new restrooms, improved lighting and sound, and installed the building’s first elevator. Tours of the theater and a renovated museum are available for free, but timed entry tickets are required. | 511 10th St. NW, Downtown | 20004 | 202/426–6925 | www.fordstheatre.org | Station: Metro Center.

National Theatre.
Though rebuilt several times, the National Theatre has operated in the same location since 1835. It now hosts touring Broadway shows, such as Jersey Boys and Movin’ Out. TIP From September through April, look for free children’s shows Saturday mornings and free Monday night shows that may include Asian dance, performance art, and a cappella cabarets. | 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Downtown | 20004 | 800/447-7400 | www.nationaltheatre.org | Station: Metro Center.

Fodor’s Choice | Shakespeare Theatre.
This acclaimed troupe crafts fantastically staged and acted performances of works by Shakespeare and his contemporaries, offering traditional renditions but also some with a modern twist. Complementing the existing stage in the Lansburgh Theatre is the Sidney Harman Hall, which provides a 21st-century, state-of-the-art, midsize venue for an outstanding variety of performances, from Shakespeare’s Two Gentleman of Verona to the hilarious Abridged History of America. For two weeks in late spring the group performs Shakespeare for free at Carter Barron Amphitheatre. | 450 7th St. NW, Downtown | 20004 | 202/547–1122 | www.shakespearedc.org | Station: Gallery Pl./Chinatown or Archives/Navy Memorial.

Sixth & I Historic Synagogue.
Known for its author readings, with guests ranging from comedian Tina Fey to Nancy Pelosi, the Sixth & I Historic Synagogue has been named one of the most vibrant congregations in the nation. The historic, intimate space, founded in 1852, hosts religious events as well. | 600 I St. NW, Chinatown | 20001 | 202/408-3100 | www.sixthandi.org | Station: Gallery Pl./Chinatown.

Theater J.
In recent years Theater J has emerged as one of the country’s most distinctive and progressive Jewish performance venues, offering an ambitious range of programming that includes work by noted playwrights, directors, designers, and actors. Past performances have included one-person shows featuring Sarah Bernhard and Judy Gold as well as more edgy political pieces. Performances take place in the Aaron and Cecile Goldman Theater at the D.C. Jewish Community Center. | 1529 16th St. NW, Downtown | 20036 | 202/518–9400 | www.theaterj.org | Station: Dupont Circle.

Warner Theatre.
One of Washington’s grand theaters, the Warner hosts Broadway road shows, dance recitals, high-profile pop music acts, and the occasional comedian in a majestic art deco performance space. | 513 13th St. NW, Downtown | 20004 | 202/783–4000 | www.warnertheatre.com | Station: Metro Center.

Fodor’s Choice | Woolly Mammoth.
Unusual avant-garde shows with edgy staging and solid acting have earned Woolly Mammoth top reviews and 35 Helen Hayes Awards. The cast performs works with a social message and also welcomes Chicago’s Second City annually for a political comedy show. The troupe’s talent is accentuated by its modern 265-seat theater in the Penn Quarter near the Verizon Center. | 641 D St. NW, Downtown | 20004 | 202/393–3939 | www.woollymammoth.net | Station: Gallery Pl./Chinatown or Archives/Navy Memorial.

Georgetown

Georgetown is more than just bars on a Saturday night. Smaller drama groups stage productions in several of Georgetown’s larger churches; check local publications for the latest offerings.

Music

Chamber Music

Dumbarton Concerts.
Dumbarton United Methodist Church, a fixture in Georgetown since 1772 (in its current location since 1850), sponsors a concert series that has been host to such musicians as the American Chamber Players, the St. Petersburg String Quartet, and the Thibaud String Trio. TIP Before or after a performance, take a stroll through the nearby Dumbarton Oaks estate and park. | Dumbarton United Methodist Church, 3133 Dumbarton Ave. NW, Georgetown | 20007 | 202/965–2000 | www.dumbartonconcerts.org | Station: Foggy Bottom.

Dupont Circle

Dupont Circle’s reputation has grown in recent years as a place for good drama, with the Studio Theatre offering outstanding productions from new writers and some of America’s best-known playwrights. Talented troupes in unique venues, including the Keegan Theatre at Church Street and Washington Stage Guild, are sprinkled throughout the neighborhood. But a little-known secret are the free concerts offered at the Phillips Collection.

Film

National Geographic Society.
Documentary films with a scientific, geographic, or anthropological focus are shown regularly at National Geographic’s Grosvenor Auditorium. An easy walk from Dupont Circle, “NatGeo” also hosts speakers, concerts, and photography exhibits year-round. TIP The annual All Roads Film Project showcases works by indigenous and underrepresented minority-culture filmmakers from around the world, usually in September. | 1145 17th St. NW, Dupont Circle | 20036 | 202/857–7700 | www.nationalgeographic.com/nglive/washington | Station: Farragut North.

Music

Chamber Music

Phillips Collection.
Duncan Phillips’s mansion is more than an art museum. On Sunday afternoons from October through May, chamber groups from around the world perform in the long, dark-paneled Music Room. Phillips after 5, from 5 pm to 8:30 pm on the first Thursday of the month, offers a lively mix of jazz performances, food and drink, gallery talks, films, and more. TIP The free concerts begin at 4 pm; arrive early for decent seats. | 1600 21st St. NW, Dupont Circle | 20009 | 202/387–2151 | www.phillipscollection.org | Station: Dupont Circle.

Theater and Performance Art

The Keegan Theatre at Church Street.
This tiny 115-seat black-box theater is tucked among the scenic rowhouses of Dupont Circle. The Keegan Theatre troupe stages both Irish and American plays, and visiting troupes also perform. TIP Note that given the size and age of this unique venue, there is little access for those with limited mobility and long lines form for the bathrooms at intermission. | 1742 Church St. NW, Dupont Circle | 20036 | 703/892–0202 | keegantheatre.com| Station: Dupont Circle.

Studio Theatre.
One of the busiest groups in the city, this independent company produces an eclectic season of classic and offbeat plays in four spaces: the original Mead and Milton theaters, the newer 200-seat Metheny Theatre, and the experimental Stage 4. The theater is part of the energetic 14th Street Corridor. | 1501 14th St. NW, Dupont Circle | 20005 | 202/332–3300 | www.studiotheatre.org | Station: Dupont Circle.

Washington Stage Guild.
This company performs neglected classics and foreign plays in the Undercroft Theatre of Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church, offering lesser-known works by Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw, such as Don Juan in Hell and Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime. The Guild also stages selections from the Lady Gregory plays, hilarious slices of Irish life that presage Yeats and Beckett. | 900 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Logan Circle | 20004 | 240/582–0050 | www.stageguild.org | Station: Dupont Circle.

Adams Morgan

Adams Morgan has long been the hub of the city’s best avant-garde performances, primarily offered by the D.C. Arts Center. You can enjoy an incredible meal at a nearby restaurant, see a performance, and then head to one of the neighborhood’s colorful bars after the show.

Theater and Performance Art

Gala Hispanic Theatre.
This company attracts outstanding Hispanic actors from around the world, performing works by such leading dramatists as Federico García Lorca and Mario Vargas Llosa. Plays are presented in English or in Spanish with instant English translations supplied through earphones. The company performs in the newly renovated Tivoli Theatre in Columbia Heights, a hot spot for Latino culture and cuisine. | Tivoli Sq., 3333 14th St. NW, 14th and Park Rd., Columbia Heights | 20009 | 202/234–7174 | www.galatheatre.org | Station: Columbia Heights.

U Street Corridor

The U Street Corridor is enjoying a renaissance and is starting to reclaim its former title of Washington’s “Black Broadway.” The Lincoln Theatre offers great productions from diverse sources. Try some of the smaller venues in this neighborhood for original and compelling dramas.

Music

Opera

In Series.
Trademark cabaret, experimental chamber opera, and Spanish musical theater (also known as zarzuela) are among the hallmarks of this burgeoning nonprofit company, which performs at venues around the city. | 1835 14th St. NW, U Street Corridor | 20009 | 202/204-7763 | www.inseries.org.

Theater and Performance Art

Lincoln Theatre.
Once the host of such notable black performers as Cab Calloway, Lena Horne, and Duke Ellington, the 1,250-seat 1920s-inspired Lincoln is part of the lively U Street Corridor. It presents movies, comedy shows, and musical performers such as Harry Belafonte, the Count Basie Orchestra, and the Harlem Boys and Girls Choir. | 1215 U St. NW, U Street Corridor | 20009 | 202/328–6000 | www.thelincolntheatre.org | Station: U St./Cardozo.

Upper Northwest

Summer is when the performing arts come alive in Upper Northwest D.C. One of the city’s gems is Carter Barron, an outdoor amphitheater that offers everything from classical music to jazz to rhythm and blues. Other venues include the refurbished Avalon Theatre, which features outstanding documentaries and hard-to-find independent films. Some of the biggest blockbuster films are presented at the historic Uptown Theatre, which has the largest film screen in town.

Film

Avalon.
The Avalon, built in 1923, is operated by a nonprofit group and offers some of the best and most unusual in independent and foreign film. | 5612 Connecticut Ave. NW, Cleveland Park | 20008 | 202/966–6000 | Station: Cleveland Park.

Filmfest DC.
Twenty-five years running, this annual citywide festival of international cinema (officially known as the D.C. International Film Festival) takes place in late April or early May at venues throughout Washington. | Upper Northwest | 20015 | 202/234–3456 | www.filmfestdc.org | Station: Friendship Heights.

Loews Cineplex Uptown 1.
The Uptown is a true movie palace, with art deco flourishes, a wonderful balcony, and—in one happy concession to modernity—crystal clear Dolby sound. The theater boasts the town’s largest movie screen, almost three times the size of a standard screen with triple the effect. | 3426 Connecticut Ave. NW, Cleveland Park | 20008 | 202/966–5400 | Station: Cleveland Park.

Music

Choral Music

Washington National Cathedral.
Choral and church groups frequently perform in this breathtaking cathedral. Organ recitals on the massive pipe organ are offered every Sunday afternoon and the choir sings Evensong most weekdays around 5:30. Admission is usually free. | Massachusetts and Wisconsin Aves. NW, Cleveland Park | 20016 | 202/537–6207 | www.nationalcathedral.org | Station: Tenleytown/AU.

Performance Series

Carter Barron Amphitheatre.
On Saturday and Sunday nights from June to September, this 3,750-seat outdoor theater hosts pop, jazz, gospel, and rhythm-and-blues artists such as Chick Corea and Nancy Wilson. The National Symphony Orchestra also performs here, and for two weeks the Shakespeare Theatre presents a free play. | Rock Creek Park, 4850 Colorado Ave. NW, Upper Northwest | 20008 | 202/426–0486 | www.nps.gov/rocr/planyourvisit/cbarron.htm.

Southwest D.C.

Arena Stage is reviving the performing arts scene in Southwest D.C. Housed in the dramatically renovated and reborn Mead Center for American Theatre, the Arena attracts connoisseurs of great American drama. Take in a play, walk around the waterfront, and then enjoy some great seafood at one of many neighborhood restaurants.

Theater and Performance Art

Arena Stage.
The first regional theater company to win a Tony Award performs innovative American theater, reviving such classic plays as Oklahoma! and also showcasing the country’s best new writers. Arena’s productions are held in the state-of-the art Mead Center for American Theatre, the second-largest performing arts complex in Washington, after the Kennedy Center. Located near the still-developing waterfront neighborhood in Southeast D.C., the Mead features three stages: a theater in the round, seating 650; a modified thrust stage theater seating 514; and the “Cradle,” a new 200-seat black-box theater for experimental productions. | 1101 Sixth St., SW, Southwest D.C. | 20024 | 202/554–9066 | www.arenastage.org | Station: Waterfront/SEU.

Suburban Maryland

Several venues make it worth your while to venture outside the District for entertainment. Glen Echo Park, once an amusement park, is now an arts center, and the Strathmore, while farther out in Rockville, is easily accessed by Metro and well worth the trip.

Film

Fodor’s Choice | American Film Institute Silver Theatre and Cultural Center.
This state-of-the-art center for film is a restoration of architect John Eberson’s art deco Silver Theatre, built in 1938. The AFI hosts film retrospectives, festivals, and tributes celebrating artists from Jeanne Moreau to Russell Crowe. TIP The AFI Silver also hosts the annual Silver Docs festival, which features some of the world’s best documentaries and appearances by some of the greatest filmmakers, such as Martin Scorsese. | 8633 Colesville Rd. | Silver Spring | 20910 | 301/495–6700 | www.afi.com/silver | Station: Silver Spring.

Major Venues

Montgomery College–Takoma Park/Silver Spring Cultural Arts Center.
This brand-new facility boasts three stages that accommodate every type of perfomance: folk music, Asian festivals, children’s plays, classical music, avant garde dramas, and more. | 7995 Georgia Ave. | Silver Spring | 20910 | 240/567–5775 | www.cms.montgomerycollege.edu | Station: College Park.

Fodor’s Choice | Music Center at Strathmore.
Located just outside the Capital Beltway in North Bethesda, this majestic concert hall receives praise for its acoustics and its audience-friendly design. Major national folk, blues, pop, jazz, Broadway, and classical artists perform here. The center is home to the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and the National Philharmonic. More-intimate performances are held in the 100-seat Dorothy M. and Maurice C. Shapiro Music Room. TIP Consider taking the Metro to Strathmore; the center is less than a block from the Grosvenor Metro station. | 5301 Tuckerman La. | North Bethesda | 20852 | 301/581–5200 | www.strathmore.org | Station: Grosvenor/Strathmore.

Music

Orchestras

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.
The world-renowned Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, under the leadership of Marin Alsop, plays both at the Music Center at Strathmore and also at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore. | 5301 Tuckerman La. | North Bethesda | 20852 | 877/276–1444 | www.bsomusic.org | Station: Grosvenor/Strathmore.

Performance Series

Institute of Musical Traditions.
Emerging, near-famous, and celebrated folk performers such as Si Kahn, John McCutcheon, and the Kennedys perform at the Institute’s concerts, most often held at the St. Mark Presbyterian Church in Rockville, a 30-minute drive from Washington. | 10701 Old Georgetown Rd. | Rockville | 20852 | 301/754–3611 | www.imtfolk.org.

Theater and Performance Art

Glen Echo Park.
The National Park Service has transformed this former amusement park into a thriving arts center. Every weekend the Adventure Theater puts on traditional plays and musicals aimed at children ages four and up. Families can spread out on carpeted steps. At the Puppet Company Playhouse, skilled puppeteers perform classic stories Wednesday through Sunday. | 7300 MacArthur Blvd. | Glen Echo | 20812 | 301/634–2222, 301/320–5331 Adventure Theater, 301/320–6668 Puppet Co. | www.glenechopark.org.

Imagination Stage.
Shows like the classic Dr. Doolittle, and such original fare as Karen Zacarias and Deborah Wicks LaPuma’s Cinderella Likes Rice and Beans, are produced here for children ages four and up. The state-of-the-art center in Bethesda includes two theaters and a digital media studio. | 4908 Auburn Ave. | Bethesda | 20814 | 301/961–6060 | www.imaginationstage.org.

Round House Theatre.
Each season on its Main Stage in Bethesda, Round House presents an eclectic body of work ranging from world premieres to great 20th-century works to contemporary adaptations of the classics. Round House’s 150-seat black-box stage, home to more-experimental works, is in Silver Spring, adjacent to the American Film Institute Silver Theater. | 4545 East–West Hwy. | Bethesda | 20814 | 240/644–1099 | www.roundhousetheatre.org | Station: Bethesda.

Suburban Virginia

Suburban Virginia is home to a number of outstanding performing venues offering Shakespeare, opera, dance, popular music, and more. Some of the best musical productions are staged at the nationally lauded Signature Theatre in Arlington, only a short trip from downtown Washington. Some venues here are connected to the Metro, while you’ll need a car to reach others.

Major Venues

Center for the Arts.
This state-of-the-art performance complex on the suburban Virginia campus of George Mason University satisfies music, ballet, and drama patrons with regular performances in its 1,900-seat concert hall, the 500-seat proscenium Harris Theater, and the intimate 150-seat black-box Theater of the First Amendment. The 9,500-seat Patriot Center, site of pop acts and sporting events, is also on campus. | Rte. 123 and Braddock Rd. | Fairfax | 22030 | 888/945–2468 | www.cfa.gmu.edu.

Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts.
Wolf Trap is the only national park dedicated to the performing arts. June through September, the massive, outdoor Filene Center hosts close to 100 performances, ranging from pop and jazz concerts to dance and musical theater productions. In summer, the National Symphony Orchestra is based here, and the Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods delivers 70 free performances. During the colder months the intimate, indoor Barns at Wolf Trap fill with the sounds of musicians playing folk, country, and chamber music, along with myriad other styles. The park is just off the Dulles Toll Road, about 20 mi from downtown Washington. | 1645 Trap Rd. | Vienna | 22182 | 703/255–1900, 703/938–2404 Barns at Wolf Trap | www.wolftrap.org | Station: Vienna.

Theater and Performance Art

American Century Theatre.
Devoted to staging overlooked or forgotten 20th-century American plays, American Century has staged performances of Paddy Chafeysky’s The Tenth Man, Orson Wells’s Moby Dick Rehearsed, and even a rare Mel Brooks production, Archy and Mehitabel. | 2700 Lang St. | Arlington | 22206 | 703/998–4555 | www.americancentury.org.

Signature Theatre.
Led by artistic director Eric Schaeffer, Signature has earned national acclaim for its presentation of contemporary plays and groundbreaking American musicals, especially those of Stephen Sondheim. The company performs in a dramatic facility in Arlington, Virginia, with two performance spaces, the 299-seat MAX and the 99-seat ARK. | 4200 Campbell Ave. | Arlington | 22206 | 703/820–9771 | www.signature-theatre.org.

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