Play readings and workshops offer a chance to see exciting new work at various stages of development. Want to see the next big thing while it’s still being crafted? Get in on the ground level and see the creative process in action. Featuring new plays and musicals by local and national artists, here are the upcoming play readings and workshops in the DMV.
JULY
Anacostia Playhouse presents an afternoon of sultry and uplifting music of Fashad Tyler and his three-piece band on Sunday, July 30 at 3 PM. They will deliver a dynamic ninety-minute experience, packed with familiar tunes that will warm your heart, and have you singing along. Fashad worked with gospel greats such as Beverly Crawford, Lecresia Campbell, Daryl Coley, Martha Munizzi, Vicki Yohe, Norman Hutchins, Dorinda Clark-Cole, LaShun Pace and Steven Ford, just to name a few. Fashad also added acting to his resume in 2019, performing in Black Nativity, at the Anacostia Playhouse. His performance yielded him a Helen Hayes award nomination. He also starred in A Snowy Nite at the Dew Drop Inn. Expect a tune or two from these performances. Tickets are $30.00 and are available here.
Anacostia Playhouse will present a group of talented youth who will perform excerpts from the Tony-nominated and Obie Award-winning musical, The Me Nobody Knows, Friday, July 28 at 7:00 PM and Saturday, July 29 at 2:00 PM. The two performances by these neophyte thespians, who will have worked together for only six weeks, will demonstrate their new skills through acting. This show was inspired by actual writings of students in New York public schools, and poetically examines the thoughts, fears, and aspirations of young people as they move through the world. Tickets are pay-what-you-can, with a $5.00 minimum, and are available here.
4615 Theatre presents Coon by Playwright Henery Wyand on July 15 at 6:00 pm at Temperance Alley Garden (outdoor venue). Wyand describes Coon as “an experimental exploration of black femininity and ritual.” Set in the middle of the woods, a gang of raccoons create a community of love with the pressure of raccoon hunters. How do these rituals of love create a space of serenity and peace? Tickets are free but an RSVP (here) is appreciated. For more information, click here.
4615 Theatre presents You Must Be So Lucky by Playwright Alyssa Haddad-Chinn on July 10 at 7:00 pm at Temperance Alley Garden (outdoor venue). Plot summary: Poh Poh invites her granddaughter, Jenny, to her apartment to make dumplings for the Lunar New Year. As they prepare, the two begin to discover that changes within Chinatown aren’t leaving space for them. Tickets are free but an RSVP (here) is appreciated. For more information, click here.