World Premiere A FINE MADNESS Will Come to Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company will present A Fine Madness, created and performed by Company Member Justin Weaks and directed by Raymond O. Caldwell. Blurring the line between performance and communal gathering, this genre-defying work transforms theater into a living archive—one shaped in real time by the people in the room.

Inspired by the Voyager Golden Record, A Fine Madness asks a profound question: what do we choose to carry forward about who we are? Through a dynamic fusion of poetry, music, storytelling, games, and scientific inquiry, Weaks leads audiences in co-creating a collective record of shared humanity. The result is a kaleidoscopic experience that is as intimate as it is expansive—an act of remembrance, celebration, and affirmation.

At the heart of the piece is Weaks' own story as a Black [gay] man living in Washington, DC, navigating a recent HIV diagnosis. Through reclaiming and recontextualizing personal narrative, A Fine Madness pushes back against erasure and invites audiences into a space of radical honesty, discovery, and healing. As the boundaries between performer and audience dissolve, each performance becomes wholly unique—an experiment in connection and a testament to the power of presence.

A Fine Madness will tour to cultural hubs across Washington, DC, reflecting Woolly Mammoth's commitment to meeting audiences where they are and embedding the work within the fabric of the city. Performances will launch from Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company's Rehearsal Hall before moving to performance site partners Dupont Underground, Hamiltonian Artists, and The Nicholson Project between May 30 and June 28, 2026. 

These performance site partners share a dedication to centering the arts to create a more creative, engaged, and community-driven society, and an understanding that we are stronger collectively. This tour is a love letter to DC, and each of these partners bring their unique energy, history, and community to co-create a new living archive. 

Orbiting the production is a series of Constellation Events featuring creator and performer Justin Weaks and other special guests. These free gatherings are inspired by the spirit of the Golden Record, creating points of connection, reflection, and exchange across the city. Developed with a range of community partners, Constellation Events are designed to amplify the big ideas and themes around A Fine Madness while in community. Event partners include Chela Mitchell Gallery, The Inheritance Room, Home Rule Music and Film Preservation Foundation, and Thurst Lounge with more to be announced soon. Information on reserving your spot at the Constellation Events will be shared at a later date on woollymammoth.net.

Justin Weaks is a celebrated DC-based artist and a proud member of Woolly Mammoth's company of artists. A five-time Helen Hayes Award winner, Weaks has appeared in numerous productions at Woolly Mammoth, including There's Always the Hudson, Describe the Night, BLKS, and Gloria. With A Fine Madness, Weaks steps into a powerful role as both creator and convener, inviting audiences into a shared act of meaning-making. @keithweaks

“A Fine Madness doesn't invite us to merely observe a story, but to actively participate in its creation.” says Reggie D. White, Woolly Mammoth's Artistic Director. “Justin and Raymond have crafted something exquisite and visceral that gives voice to an issue that has stigmatized millions into silence and shame for decades. I'm so excited we can share this piece—a collective act of memory and meaning making, with all four quadrants of The District and deliver Justin's transformative community-centered work to community.” 

“This piece invites us into a complex conversation about the silences and erasures of the archive, and whose stories are preserved. It is no coincidence that the partners who have made this tour possible, including the Weissberg Foundation as well as our many performance site and Constellation Event partners, share a deep commitment to racial equity and justice work. A Fine Madness is a brilliant act of radical inclusion, and we look forward to welcoming communities across the DMV into this work,” says Kristen Jackson, Associate Artistic Director and Director of Connectivity at Woolly Mammoth.