Live Entertainment Around DC this Winter

Stay warm and entertained at a show this winter! Children’s plays, puppet shows, monster trucks, musicals, sports events, date night options… there’s live entertainment to indulge every interest. Here are details on what you can see at local venues, listed in order of start date, with discounts noted where available.  Happy Viewing!

Fiddler on the Roof
Where: Signature Theatre | Arlington, VA
When: Through January 25
Tickets: $47-96 (look for discount)
The iconic musical is staged in Signature’s in-the-round intimate setting. Tevye, a poor Jewish milkman, his family and their tightknit community honor tradition but must contend with a changing world and a rise in antisemitism at their home in Czarist Russia. The glorious score with songs “Sunrise, Sunset” “If I Were a Rich Man” and “Matchmaker” unite with exquisite dance in this classic of the musical theater canon filled with humor, heart – and life.

Frosty the Snowman
Where: Adventure Theatre | Glen Echo, MD
When: Through January 11
Tickets: $28
Do you want to build a snow man? How about watching him spring to life in front of you for one day of adventures before he melts away? In this merry wintertime romp, chock-full of chuckles and comic antics, Frosty gallops into the hearts of kids and adults alike — even the heart of one skeptical -– through his uproarious antics. Recommended fo all ages.

Tiny Tots
Where: The Puppet Co. | Glen Echo, MD
When: Most Saturdays & Sundays at 10am
Tickets: $8
The series presents puppet shows designed for the youngest theater patrons (ages 0-4). They are shorter, the lights stay on, and the doors stay open. They have an arsenal of shows that they switch up every performance, so be sure to check the schedule to see what’s playing when you go.

Washington Capitals
Where: Capital One Arena | Penn Quarter, DC
When: Many dates
Tickets: Varies (find discounts)
See some live entertainment, sports-style! The Washington Capitals ae in the thick of their season and will be hosting many games at home through winter. Check for discount tickets here.

Washington Wizards
Where: Capitol One Arena | Penn Quarter, DC
When: Many dates
Tickets: Varies (find discounts)
The Wizards also have plenty of games still on the schedule, so you can see some exciting basketball action. Check here for possible discounts.

High School Musical Jr.
Where: Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre | Arlington, VA
When: January 9-18
Tickets: $13-16
Encore Stage & Studio presents their signature “by kids for kids theatre” of this screen to stage show… Are you ready to “Get’cha Head in the Game”? Encore’s talented youth performers are bringing Disney’s High School Musical JR to the stage! Cheer for Troy, Gabriella, and the whole East High crew as they sing, dance, and learn that being yourself is the real star power. Gather your friends and family, grab your Wildcats spirit gear, and get ready for a performance packed with energy, fun, and big feels.

Antony & Cleopatra
Where: Klein Theatre | Penn Quarter, DC
When: January 9-25
Tickets: $74+
Synetic Theatre returns triumphantly to the Shakespeare Theatre with its epic wordless adaptation of Antony & Cleopatra. Featuring the unparalleled skills of the Synetic ensemble, this passionate love story is a collision of empires, as the ascension and assassination of Julius Caesar gives way to the sweeping love story of the Queen of Egypt, Cleopatra, and Caesar’s mighty captain, Antony. Vato Tsikurishvili and Irina Kavsadze star as the pair whose love shakes the foundations of empires.

Saturday Morning Live!: The R.E.M.I.X.
Where: National Theatre | Downtown DC
When: January 10, 10am & 11:30am
Tickets: Free!
Join National Theatre at their free entertainment series for kids as they R.E.M.I.X the mainstage with Sole Defined! R.E.M.I.X. is their name and percussive dance is their game. There are two performances, at 10am and 11:30am. Be sure to register for free tickets!

Stomp
Where: National Theatre | Downtown DC
When: January 16-18
Tickets: $67+ (look for discount)
STOMP is explosive, inventive, provocative, witty, and utterly unique—an unforgettable experience for audiences of all ages. The international percussion sensation has garnered armfuls of awards and rave reviews and has appeared on numerous national television shows. The eight-member troupe uses everything but conventional percussion instruments – matchboxes, wooden poles, brooms, garbage cans, Zippo lighters, hubcaps – to fill the stage with magnificent rhythms.
Recommended for ages 4+.

Gabby’s Dollhouse Live!
Where: National Theatre | Downtown DC
When: January 21-22
Tickets: 37+
In this a-MEOW-zing musical show, Gabby unboxes a special acorn that needs the magical touch of a rainbow to grow. But when CatRat causes a color cat-astrophe and breaks the rainbow, Gabby and the Gabby Cats must find the colors again to set things right. Recommendeded for ages 2-6.

Monster Jam
Where: Capital One Arena | Downtown DC
When: January 24-25
Tickets: $20+
The world’s largest monster truck tour will thunder its way back into DC.  Fans will have the chance to cheer, scream, and be amazed as massive Monster Jam trucks and world champion drivers take over Capital One Arena for a weekend packed with stunts, smiles, and jaw-dropping skills. With awesome trucks, amazing stunts, big air, and action-packed excitement, it’s the definition of fun for everyone.

Clue
Where: National Theatre | Downtown DC
When: January 27 – Februray 1
Tickets: 54+
A mansion. A murder. A mystery. Murder and blackmail are on the menu when six mysterious guests assemble at Boddy Manor for a night they’ll never forget! Was it Mrs. Peacock in the study with the knife? Or was it Colonel Mustard in the library with the wrench? Based on the fan-favorite 1985 Paramount Pictures movie and inspired by the classic Hasbro board game, Clue is the ultimate whodunit that will leave you dying of laughter and keep you guessing until the final twist. Recommended for ages 12+.

Paranormal Activity
Where: Harman Hall | Penn Quarter, DC
When: January 28 – February 7
Tickets: $39-132  (look for discount)
James and Lou move from Chicago to London to escape their past…. An original story set in the world of the terrifying Paranormal Activity film franchise, Shakespeare Theatre Company’s thrilling new play will haunt you long after the lights go out.  We can’t say anything else. Recommended for teens and older.

 Chez Joey
Where:  Arena Stage | Southwest DC
When: January 30 – March 15
Tickets: $83-133 (look for discount)
The year is 1940-something, and Chicago’s night scene is sizzling. Enter Joey Evans. A slick-talking, velvet-voiced songster with dreams bigger than the bandstand. But in a city where the right connections mean everything, he is caught between a bright-eyed chorus girl and a wealthy baroness who can bankroll his big break—for a price. As the lights dim and the music swells, Joey’s got a choice to make: play it straight or risk it all for the spotlight. Recommended for teens and older.

The World to Come
Where: Woolly Mammoth Theatre | Penn Quarter, DC
When: February – March 1
Tickets: $41+ (look for discount)
The residents of the SeaBreeze Hebrew Home for the Aging carry on as usual: knitting, playing Scrabble, fighting, and falling in love. As the apocalyptic outside world threatens their way of life, Fanny, Barbara, Ruth, and Hal fight to protect the community they’ve built together. Even while battling armored nurses, a wild ostrich, strange prophecies, and their ailing bodies, they find joy in each other’s company. The World to Come is a surprising new epic that reveals how powerful friendship can be as a form of resistance. Recommended for ages 16+.

The Enchanted Mermaid
Where: The Puppet Co. | Glen Echo Park, MD
When: February 7 – March 1
Tickets: $16
Once upon a time, our hero John Cobbler stumbled upon a hidden castle. A beautiful maiden has been transformed into a mermaid! Can John use his wits to free the mermaid and escape from the wicked Lord Fish? Based upon the Walter de La Mare short story “Lord Fish” written in 1927, this show features elegantly crafted Bunraku-style puppets with elaborately built miniature castle and interior sets.

Little Miss Perfect
Where: Olney Theatre | Olney, MD
When: February 8 – March 8
Tickets: $47-96
Joriah Kwamé became a viral TikTok star with his song “Little Miss Perfect,” which garnered millions of views and launched this new musical with Broadway aspirations. High school kids are under a lot of pressure. Just ask Noelle, who has lived up to expectations of perfection her whole life, even as she’s attempted to blend in as one of the few Black students at a predominantly white school. But now it’s senior year, and a scholarship to Howard University is within her reach —if she can demonstrate leadership skills. With an irresistible mix of hip-hop, showtunes, and pop sounds, Little Miss Perfect distills Noelle’s journey as she seeks to escape her small Midwestern town. If this were a fil, it would be. rated PG.

Freckleface Strawberry The Musical
Where: Adventure Theatre | Glen Echo, MD
When: February 13 – March 29
Tickets: $28
Freckleface Strawberry The Musical, based on the beloved New York Times best-selling book by celebrated actress, Julianne Moore, is a fun and touching family musical. Freckleface Strawberry will do anything to get rid of her freckles – from scrubbing them with soap to caking on makeup… and even wearing a ski mask to school! Will her schoolmates realize that it’s her under the mask? Will Freckleface be brave enough to finally face her complexion in the mirror? With the help of her loveable schoolmates, including an amazingly talented ballerina, a cutie jock, a charming ditz and a totally kooky teacher, Freckleface learns that everyone is different – and that’s what makes everyone special. Recommended fo all ages.

Havana Hop
Where: Imagination Stage | Bethesda, MD
When: February 14 – March 7
Tickets: $15-45
A charming, dynamic tale of culture and originality, created by award-winning DC and IStage artist Paige Hernandez, using her childhood as inspiration. What if you were invited to dance for President Obama? You’d want it to be the best dance ever! Meet young Yelia who visits her grandmother in Cuba to add a salsa flavor to her own hip-hop style! Journey with Yelia as she discovers the fun of her multi-cultural heritage. Recommended for ages 5-10.

Saturday Morning Live!: Words, Beats, & Life
Where: National Theatre | Downtown DC
When: February 14 & 28, 10am & 11:30am
Tickets: Free!
Join National Theatre’s free entertainment series for some family-friendly beats from friends at Words, Beats & Life! WBL is a transformative Hip-Hop performance experience, rooted in the music and dance culture of Washington, DC, that aims to transform individual lives and communities through Hip-Hop culture in all its forms. There are two performances, at 10am and 11:30am. Be sure to register for free tickets!

Inherit the Wind
Where:  Arena Stage | Southwest DC
When: February 27 – April 5
Tickets: $73-118 (look for discount)
Based on the real-life Scopes “Monkey” Trial, this electrifying courtroom drama pits two towering legal minds against each other in a small-town battle over science, religion, and the right to think freely. As the town becomes a stage for national attention, personal conviction clashes with public opinion in a trial that transcends its time. Inherit the Wind, the American classic byJerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, is a searing, deeply human portrait of a country still wrestling with the cost—and courage—of progress. Recommended for teens and older.

I’mPossible 
Where: Warner Theatre | Downtown DC
When: March 1
Tickets: $39.75+
Known as the first inclusive circus in the country, Omnium blends world-class acrobatics, dazzling aerials, and jaw-dropping feats with performers of all abilities, cultures, and backgrounds.  I’m Possible follows young Johnny on his journey to courage, strength, and perseverance through an awe inspiring, madcap circus adventure with no limits, no boundaries, and no barriers.  The show doesn’t just wow audiences, but also delivers a powerful message of inclusion, resilience, and joy.  Omnium proudly provides access for audiences of all ages & abilities, too.

Cinderella
Where: The Puppet Co. | Glen Echo Park, MD
When: March 7 – April 19
Tickets: $16
Rod puppets convey the classic tale of rags to riches, love at first sight (twice!), and getting what we all deserve. Don’t miss this fan favorite production, or your magical midnight curfew!

Twelve Dancing Princesses (Doce Princesas Bailarinas)
Where: Creative Cauldron | Arlington, VA
When: March 13-29
Tickets: $18/student, $20/adult, $65/family 4-pack
A group of princesses, each more beautiful than the last, are locked in their room each night, but in the morning, their dancing shoes are completely worn through as if they had been dancing all night! Unable to find the cause, the King promises that anyone who can solve the mystery may choose one of his daughters to wed. Join our Learning Theater Ensemble as a brave young soldier reveals the secret and a magical dancing kingdom. This enchanting adaptation of this classic Grimm tale features Spanish language elements and original music by Matt Conner and Stephen Gregory Smith.

1776
Where: Ford’s Theatre | Penn Quarter, DC
When: March 13 – May 16
Tickets:
This popular American musical is an insightful, vibrant and humorous take on our founding fathers’ determination to do the right thing for their fledgling nation. As members of the Second Continental Congress struggle to reach consensus, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson argue for independence from the British monarchy. The ensuing debates defined our country. As we explore this historical moment through the evolving identity of America today, this robust, award-winning musical boldly brings our country’s beginnings to blazing life.

The Simon & Garfunkel Story
Where: National Theatre | Downtown DC
When: March 14-15
Tickets: $77+
Using huge projection photos and original film footage, and featuring a full live band performing all the hits, the immersive concert-style theater show chronicles the amazing journey shared by the folk-rock duo, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel. It tells the story from their humble beginnings as Tom & Jerry to their incredible success as one of the best-selling music groups of the ‘60’s to their dramatic split in 1970. It culminates with the famous “The Concert in Central Park” reunion in 1981 with more than half a million fans in attendance.

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