Two big-name theaters in Washington DC are the Kennedy Center and the National Theater. The Kennedy Center was established by Dwight Eisenhower in 1955 as an auditorium for art and performance. A memorial to President John Kennedy, the center debuted in September of 1971. It has grown to be extremely popular for parties to see a variety of performances such as comedies, dramas, and choral arts. The Kennedy Center’s upcoming show season included many exciting musicals, such as “Clue,” “& Juliet,” “Life of Pi,” “Legally Blonde,” “Les Misérables,” and “The Sound of Music.” A highlight of these musicals is “& Juliet,” which will be showing at the Kennedy Center from Dec. 17 through Jan. 5. “& Juliet” follows classic characters Romeo and Juliet, yet it is instead guided by the question, “What would have happened if Juliet hadn’t ended it all over Romeo?” “& Juliet” is a jukebox musical, meaning its songs are not original to the show, and it features hits like “Problem” by Ariana Grande, “It’s Gonna be Me” by *NSYNC, and “Baby One More Time” by Britney Spears.
The National Theater has been a part of DC history since 1835. The second-oldest theater in America, the National burned down four times throughout its history but was rebuilt swiftly each time. “SIX,” “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” “Mean Girls,” “Tina,” “Kimberly Akimbo,” and “Shucked” are some of the musicals you can see this season at the National. A show to spotlight from that lineup is “SIX,” coming in mid November, which tells the story of the six wives of King Henry VIII. More of a concert than a musical, “SIX” is only an hour and 30 minutes long, and features powerful songs, feisty dancing, and detailed costumes.
If you’re in the mood to see a friend perform, there are local production companies to check out. Vienna Youth Players, also known as VYP, puts on a musical every summer at the Vienna Community Center. This past year, VYP performed Disney’s “Newsies,” telling the tale of the New York City Newsboys Strike of 1899.
“VYP is a great way to stay involved in the community. It’s really fun, and you get to meet a lot of new people from all over the place. I love meeting new people so this was a really fun thing for me to do this summer, and I’m so thankful,” Abigail Cramer (’27) said.
Traveling Players was another local production that put on a variety of shows each year and also featured acting camps for all ages.
“Being away from my family and being with a group of theater kids for three weeks really does change a person. I feel like I really grew and wasn’t the same person I was before I stepped into the program,” Alexis Stattel (’26) said.
Professional theater allows the viewer to be transported out of their world, to see, think, and feel the emotions of a cast. Their characters can teach us things about ourselves or make us feel heard and seen in a way that nothing else can. Theater provides dramatic conflicts, loving and heartbreaking relations, energetic songs, and exciting new beginnings.