THE SCORE & More Lead Washington, DC's September 2026 Top Theatre Shows

Washington, DC is never lacking outstanding theatre, whether epic Broadway shows, engrossing dramas or bold fringe offerings. BroadwayWorld is rounding up our top recommended theatre every month.

The Score

Shakespeare Theatre Company (Harman Hall) - September 11, 2026 through September 16, 2026

Brian Cox in Theatre Royal Bath's Production of THE SCORE By Oliver Cotton Directed by Trevor Nunn SEP 11–OCT 18, 2026 | HARMAN HALL Powerhouse Golden Globe-winning actor Brian Cox (HBO’s SUCCESSION) is directed by the legendary Trevor Nunn (LES MISÉRABLES, CATS) in THE SCORE, which pits creativity against the whims of power. In spring 1747, Johann Sebastian Bach (Cox) reluctantly visits the court of Frederick II, Europe’s most ambitious and dangerous leader. When the king presents Bach with a musical puzzle, the composer must confront how to rise to the challenge without forsaking his own morality. Brian Cox brings a “volcanic presence” (THE TIMES (UK)) to Bach in the play’s only American engagement. From the Press "BRIAN COX IS MAGNIFICENT." – THE TELEGRAPH "IRRESISTIBLE AND BITTERSWEET." – THE STAGE "BRIAN COX STRIKES A CHORD." – THE TIMES Tickets are selling fast—buy your tickets today at ShakespeareTheatre.org or call 202.547.1122 from noon–6pm daily.

For tickets: click here.

Wish You Were Here

Studio Theatre - Now through October 31, 2026

Written by Pulitzer Prize-winner Sanaz Toossi and directed by Sivan Battat, this play follows Salme and her four best friends as they prepare for her wedding in 1978 Karaj, on the eve of the Iranian Revolution. Over the next decade, everything changes for these tightknit friends, their country, and the futures they find for themselves. Toossi brings her trademark wit and insight to this story of diaspora told from the perspective of those who stay.

For tickets: click here.

GARBO: EL ACTOR QUE SAVÓ AL MUNDO (Garbo: The Actor Who Saved The World)

GALA Hispanic Theatre - Now through September 27, 2026

By Gustavo Ott 

Original Music by Koki Lortkipanidze

Directed by Carlos Celdrán

WORLD PREMIERE

In Spanish with English surtitles

GARBO: The Actor Who Saved the World brings to the stage one of World War II’s most extraordinary and true little told stories: Juan Pujol, a frustrated theatre artist from Catalonia who became one of history’s most brilliant double agents. Driven by his instinct for performance and storytelling, Pujol created an elaborate web of deception that helped mislead the Nazi regime, paving the way to Allied victory in the Battle of Normandy. Transforming this true story into a cinematic, metatheatrical adventure, GARBO traces Pujol’s journey from his early dreams of joining Federico García Lorca’s legendary theatre troupe to his role in one of the war’s most daring espionage operations.

At a time when disinformation, propaganda, and the fragility of democracy continue to shape public discourse, GALA’s world premiere examines the power of storytelling to influence perception, challenge power, and shape history. The production asks what happens when imagination moves beyond the stage—and becomes a tool for resistance.

For tickets: click here.

Bonnie and Clyde

The Arlington Players - September 5, 2026 through September 20, 2026

The Arlington Players Open 76th Season with Passion, Crime, and the American Dream in Bonnie & Clyde

The Tony-nominated musical runs September 5–20 at the Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre.

ARLINGTON, VA — Fueled by the Great Depression, a thirst for fame, and a reckless romance, two Texas outlaws captivated an entire nation. This September, The Arlington Players open their 76th season with the Tony-nominated musical Bonnie & Clyde, running September 5–20, 2026, at the Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre.

With a book by Ivan Menchell, lyrics by Don Black (Sunset Boulevard), and music by Frank Wildhorn (Jekyll & Hyde), the show pairs historical drama with a score spanning rockabilly, blues, and traditional Broadway. The story follows Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow’s rapid descent from West Texas locals into America's most wanted fugitives.

Co-directors Kayla Damian and Ethan Kahwaty lead the production, featuring Megan (MJ) Cooper as Bonnie Parker and Ryan Kieft as Clyde Barrow. The principal cast includes Garrett Walsh (Buck Barrow), Cody Boehm (Blanche Barrow), and Antonio Miranda (Ted Hinton), supported by a talented ensemble.

The show is produced by Madison Chupka, and includes co-music directors Ryan Li and Adam Esrig, choreographers Shayna Druckman and Brooke Cody, lead carpenter Sam Thompson, costume designer Sam Lewis, and fight and intimacy choreographer Kara Turner.

Tickets are $33 for adults, $28 for seniors and military, and $23 for children, students, and groups of 10 or more (all applicable fees included). For performance schedules, parking directions, and ticket purchases, visit thearlingtonplayers.org.

For tickets: click here.

Hook in Concert

Wolf Trap - September 5, 2026 through September 5, 2026

Follow the second star to the right, and straight on ’til morning! Steven Spielberg’s beloved epic Hook celebrates its 35th anniversary with the National Symphony Orchestra as they bring John Williams’ Grammy-nominated score to life with the full film on screen. Starring Robin Williams as an adult Peter Pan—now a workaholic lawyer who has forgotten his past life in Neverland—the film follows his daring return to rescue his children from Captain Hook (Dustin Hoffman), reunite with his trusty sidekick Tinker Bell (Julia Roberts), and rediscover the magic of who he truly is.
 

Start Time: 7:30PM

Doors Open: 6:00PM

For tickets: click here.

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

Round House Theatre - September 9, 2026 through October 11, 2026

Directed by Lili-Anne Brown
Co-produced with Olney Theatre Center

Set in 1920s Chicago and pulsing with rousing blues music, wry comedy, and poetic insight, August Wilson’s acclaimed play follows trailblazing singer Ma Rainey and her band during a fraught recording session. As conflicts flare over art, power, and control, the struggle between the musicians and studio executives grows to a shattering finale. Don’t miss this explosive and thrilling “genuine American masterpiece” (Chicago Reader) that takes a searing look at the racial exploitation at the heart of the music industry and celebrates the cathartic power of the blues. 

For tickets: click here.

Venus

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company - September 9, 2026 through October 4, 2026

Venus is a dark comedy by Steve Yockey, creator of HBO's Flight Attendant and Netflix's Dead Boy Detective, directed by Woolly Mammoth Artistic Director Reggie D. White. Nicole likes things orderly while Beth is all instinct, and what begins as an intoxicating collision of opposites turns bizarre as romance descends into obsession. Fear takes on a life of its own and both women find themselves haunted by their pasts, their patterns, and a strange woman in a red raincoat. The production is a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere.

For tickets: click here.

The Fruits of Our Labor

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater - September 10, 2026 through November 1, 2026

In commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary, Step Afrika! premieres The Fruits of Our Labor—a powerful new production exploring rhythm, resilience, and the unfinished story of the American experience. 

Blending stepping, percussion, and striking visual imagery, this visceral new piece examines what it means to believe in a nation still in the making. Created in collaboration with artists Jakari Sherman, Conrad R. Kelly II, and Vusi Mdoyi, the explosive movement and a bold palette of red, white, and blue, ask the nation: What have we inherited and what are we still fighting to become?

For tickets: click here.

Come From Away

Ford's Theatre - September 10, 2026 through October 18, 2026

Ten years after making its Ford’s Theatre debut, Tony Award-winning Come From Away returns to our historic stage and tells the heart-warming true story of how a small Canadian town cared for 6,579 airline passengers stranded there on 9/11. When 38 planes were diverted to its doorstep, the town of Gander doubled in size, playing host to an international community of strangers and offering food, shelter and friendship. Featuring a rousing score of folk and rock, Come From Away honors the better angels of our nature, revealing hope and humanity in a time of darkness. 

For tickets: click here.

Looking to include your shows? Submit them to our listings here.