An annual celebration promoting the D.C. region’s theater scene is returning this month with an expansion to Dulles International Airport.
Theatre Week is set to kick off on Sept. 24 with pop-up performances at Dulles and Reagan National Airport, featuring actors Ben Bogen and Divine Iweha, who have both starred in past shows at Arlington’s Signature Theatre.
The campaign introduced airport pop-up shows at National last year to give both travelers and homecoming residents a taste of what the region’s theaters have to offer, says Amy Austin, president of Theatre Washington, the D.C.-area industry nonprofit that organizes Theatre Week.
“Expanding to Dulles this year is a wonderful addition,” Austin said in a statement to FFXnow. “Audiences can catch performances in the main terminals at both locations. We’re so grateful to [the] Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority for partnering with us to bring live theatre right into the heart of how people experience our region.”
Marking the launch of the local theater season since 2017, with a couple years off for the pandemic, Theatre Week will run from Sept. 24 through Oct. 11. It offers special events and discounted tickets to more than 30 participating productions across D.C., Northern Virginia and Maryland.
Tickets will go on sale for $25, $45 and $65 starting tomorrow morning (Sept. 9).
According to a press release, this year’s participants from Fairfax County are:
- 1st Stage (1524 Spring Hill Road, Tysons) — Harold Pinter’s Betrayal, running from Oct. 8-25. Some dates will include post-performance discussions with different members of the production team, including the cast and director.
- NextStop Theatre (269 Sunset Park Drive, Herndon) — The Second Best School Shooting, described as a “dark comedy” about two friends grappling with the aftermath of a school shooting. Making its U.S. premiere, the play runs from Sept. 17 through Oct. 11.
- Workhouse Arts Center (9518 Workhouse Way, Lorton) — Bat Boy: The Musical, which started a run last Saturday (Sept. 5) that will continue through Oct. 25
Notable options for discounted tickets outside Fairfax include “Monsters of Villa Diodati” at Creative Cauldron in Falls Church, Signature Theatre’s “Merrily We Roll Along” revival, “Come From Away” at Ford’s Theatre, Folger Theatre’s new take on “Measure for Measure,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” at Round House Theatre in Bethesda, and more.
Those looking to sample the season’s offerings before committing to a particular show can get a taste of the musical theater productions at Make a Scene!, a free Theatre Week concert at The Wharf in D.C. scheduled for Sept. 29 at 6-8 p.m.
According to Theatre Washington, a pop-up performance is also being planned at the Eastern Market Metro station on a date to be announced.
Later in the campaign, participating theaters will collect donations after curtain calls on Oct. 1-4 for Theatre Washington’s Taking Care Fund, which provides financial assistance to professional theater workers experiencing personal or medical emergencies and other unanticipated challenges.
“Theatre Week is an invitation to experience the incredible range of theatre happening across our region,” Austin said in the press release. “Whether you’re a lifelong theatre lover or someone seeing a show for the very first time, there’s a seat waiting for you. From performances in our theatres, to pop-ups in our airports, Metro stations and beyond, Theatre Week 2026 is about bringing people together, celebrating the artists and organizations who make this community so vibrant, and reminding everyone that theatre is thriving in our region.”
