Best Musical Theaters In Washington Near Me

Jane L: I have seen several shows here but most recently saw Come From Away. I bought tickets on Goldstar and was given seats in Rear Balcony, Row H, seats 2-6. The show was amazing and you just can't beat the price (other than winning the daily lottery). The slope in the balcony is steep so be prepared for that but the good thing is it's easy to see the entire stage. For this show it was perfect for seeing all characters at all times and they never left the stage to walk through the aisles so we didn't miss anything. We got there 45 min early, breezed through the vaccination verification at the entrance, took the elevator up, and relaxed in the lounge until it was closer to curtain time. There are only 4 stalls in the women's bathroom so a line forms 10-15 min before the start. After the show, the wait for the elevator takes a while and a large crowd forms to take it down. If you opt for the stairs, it seemed like there were 8 sets to take.

Tracy Lindsey: We went to see Come From Away at The National Theatre. All the instructions, directions and details were sent in emails to lay out what was to take place. I was a little apprehensive about all of their guidelines, but let me just say the whole process couldn't have gone smoother. The staff was efficient and courteous. The theatre is beautiful, seats were good, no problems seeing or hearing the performance. I can't say enough good things about Come From Away, what a magnificent show!! We so enjoyed it! Highly recommend it!

Amanda Randall: If there were a 4.5, I would give the theater 1/2 additional points, but the seating area needs upgrading for comfort and visibility. The play was fabulous. I’ve seen the show a couple of times, and this was by far one of the best cast. The National Theatre is lovely but could use some updating of the chairs and inside the theater. Tall people, be prepared for your knees to hit the seats. Other than that, it’s a great location, walking distance to dinner and parking all around.

Michelle Garcia: First week of opening since the pandemic, you can tell the staff needs to get back into the swing of things still. The theater isn't too glitzy, there is enough room between seats, like most theaters its very compact but this was fine. The sounds was good. I don't like that restrooms are only on the second level, what about those on the first! Parking was easy to come by for a decent price. The lobby's are small.

Rita Moore: First time at this theater to see the musical Hair Spray. Great performance! The staff was very organized and friendly. The concession stand is over priced. Only other complaint is that the bathroom could use some deodorizer and the seats are not comfortable.

Scott Ellis: If you can afford to buy orchestra main floor tickets, seat and row space is nice. Otherwise prepared to be crammed into barely comfortable seat areas.The stage area looks completely outdated despite a supposed theater renovation. Sad that this the venue has not evolved.

S King: Great Audio. Comfortable seats. No obstructed views. Convenient to public transportation and multiple parking garages. . . . The only drawback is when there are major events happening downtown that impact road closures. Parades, protests, lighting of the National Christmas tree, marathons, etc.

Aivy League: Such a beautiful theatre, and was such a great experience. My mum in law, sis in law & I watched "come from away" which was ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC. A 5/5 for sure, they did such a good job with this show. It was funny, moving and so so entertaining. Can't wait to come back and see another show here. - IG: @SpicyAivy

RR: Saw the Illusionists last week and reminded me just how magnificent this building is. True without elevators and restrooms are on the second floor but there is no bad seat when watching . Nice bars and go to the second floor for no lines . You can bring drinks and food purchased inside . Lots of parking nearby and if you use spot hero I get very convenient parking at a discount . Several restaurants closed by if you arrive early and walk on E over to 12 or beyond.

Matt W: Great little theater in the heart of downtown DC. Very historical with a neat, FREE little museum on Lincoln. Saw "A Christmas Carol" on their Christmas run and it was very well done. Staff were nice Seats were a little narrow Small theater so pretty much every seat is a good view

James Su: The history just happened too fast. I can't they make this building still like it used to do, even the mudder occurred more than one hundred years. If you want to visit this, you need to book online. At this time, I don't have a chance to see since the reservation is almost complete. Next time I will come to visit this museum and learn more about how did it happen.

Alexandra B: Great museum describing the history behind the theater as well as its significance in President Lincoln's life and death. The theater hosts performances too. Because it's a smaller, older theater, the setting is more intimate, and I don't think there is a bad seat in the audience! A great experience all around.

Bethany Hoopes: The museum is 100% worth it! You get a deep dive into the history and scene leading up to the president’s depth. They have an incredible amount of artifacts from the event all the way through to his funeral procession. It’s quite breathtaking. Highly recommend experience for everyone.

Andy Stobie: Amazing feeling being there and seeing the theater. The tour was not organized well I thought, no group leader. More you just wander and read the captions. Some captions are not lighted well enough to read. We got the audio system, which provided good information. The host in the theater was very knowledgeable, but he seemed to answer only from a script he'd memorized, he was not a good listener to our questions. He spoke very fast without inflection.

Rena Correia: A remarkable collection of Lincoln memorabilia with such interesting information from his years as a senator through his election to president and his assassination. There is a column of books at least 3 stories tall showing all the books that have been written about Lincoln, he was such an interesting man!!!! A must see when in DC!!

Coach Aundre Blasingame: Historical site. It has aged and been restored well. SAW A GREAT MUSICAL CALLED GRACE! I recommended you reading this review go see it. Had an incredible time.

Casey M: Beautiful and historic museum dedicated to the life and death of Abraham Lincoln. The tickets cost $3 to buy ahead and the audio guides are $5 each. The self guided tour begins in the museum where you see the actual gun used to kill Lincoln, the wooden bar used to jam the door and the pillow where they laid his head after he was shot. After the museum, you walk up steps to the actual theater where you see the box where he sat when he was shot. Really wonderful and educational tour that my daughter and I thoroughly enjoyed. Plus, two very cute gift shops. Don't miss this one if you're in DC!

Danielle Flickinger: It is absolutely wrong that they bring you into the history exhibit first and give you only 15-30 minutes max to see everything (could take two hours or more depending on if you read a view every exhibit). Then your rushed into the theater for the rangers speech and everyone was informed once you go into the theater there is no re entry to the history museum. So basically plan on coming several times if you wish to view everything. Most do as this is the actual items and belongings of Lincoln and pertinent to the entire point of this journey. Upset is putting it mildly. Waste of time and sadly had my kids with us to let them view such important parts of history and they couldn’t by any means. These people do not care about educating and why spend the money on the history exhibit if people basically can only make it through one exhibit and rushed out.

Scott “DC Cheetah” Suchyta: It's a little hard to capture my opinion of Arena Stage by a number of stars. Let's start with the good. It is a very nice space. I really like the physical theatres and the stages. However, the shows I have seen (the entirety of the current season) just have not been particularly good in my opinion. The focus demographic of Arena Stage I will grant does not seem to be me. I think you will enjoy the shows more if you are closer to 60 than 30 years old. Historical characters, speculative fiction, strong/influential women, and the like have been highlighted this season. It's not exactly that I feel like the shows they put on don't reflect my values, I just don't think the shows have been particularly intriguing plays.

Brad Moffett: Watch a great presentation of Catch Me If You Can last night. It was the final night of the show and there was a special energy to the performance. The theater at Arena Stage is set in the round and there isn't a bad seat. We actually recommend sitting up at least halfway back as it gives you a clearer view of the entire stage. The ushers were very helpful and numerous. All in all a marvelous example of professional theater

Jessica McNutt: I always want to enjoy my experience at the Arena Stage more than I inevitably do. I don't feel like I'm the target audience for many of the shows, though some I really like. Most everyone that works there is always lovely and nice. The one exception being my last visit when an employee, who was actually sitting in the audience, was quite surprisingly rude and disrespectful to us. While it did happen and it's impacted my personal feelings about this theatre, I will say that every other employee has always been incredibly gracious, nice and helpful. If you are looking into a show here, you should do it. It may not be the best experience ever, but you'll almost certainly have a good time.

Kelly Prizel: This huge space can also host weddings! Located literally steps from The Wharf, there are a few hotels you can get ready for your wedding at, take pictures at The Wharf and then have your ceremony and reception at the Arena. With floor to very high ceiling windows, your ceremony and reception will be flooded with natural light. There is plenty of space to host a very large wedding here. They even have multiple options for where to host cocktail hour. The staff are really helpful and since they are used to making things run smoothly with huge performances, this is easy for them and they make it look effortless. The biggest downside is the carpet running throughout the building. It's a dark brown with bright orange. It's not subtle or minimal but I'm sure most people won't notice it. However, it can be an element you need to think about when coordinating your colors and decor.

Sara Borgeson: The shows at Arena Stage are absolutely outstanding on so many levels! Give yourself a gift and get to one (or all) of their shows. I especially love all of the different stages they have at their disposal! The diversity they bring to the DC theatre scene is needed and absolutely wonderful. 5 stars, highly recommend!!

Jane L: I see maybe two shows a year here, but I've also been to yoga with the American Pops, Arena Community Day, and DC Theater Week Kick Off events. I have enjoyed all of them! Fichandler Stage is in the round and sometimes I worry that it will be weird watching from behind the actors but they move enough that you see everyone fine and it gives you a different perspective, like you are actually part of the show. I just saw Newsies and it was amazing! The sound is not that great but the singing and dancing are wonderful. My seat was on the West side, Row D near aisle 5 and I thought it was perfect. I didn't have to strain my neck up or down. I got to the theater early so I decided to visit the cafe for chocolate cake and coffee. Both were pretty terrible. I recommend going elsewhere beforehand or bringing your own coffee.

Sushila Nair: I love Arena stage. There are a several relatively small theaters and a restaurant. The restaurant is very reasonably priced but the food has a slight cafeteria edge. The theatre is relatively new and modern. You get a good view from almost any seat. It is walking distance from the metro and right next door to a parking building. They have valet parking right at the entrance of the theatre for $25 which is very handy when you are late. The plays are mostly modern with a sprinkling of musicals. If you sign up for email they sometimes do discounts and they often have pay your age.evenings. On the whole I have yet to see something that I didn't like at Arena and more often than not I have seen something that I loved. There is a nice Indian restaurant and modern American at the Station which are walking distance.

Andrea Wu: I came here to watch Seven Guitars on a Friday night recently, and the venue was quite awesome. I got under 30 tickets right a few hours just before the show, and they checked for covid vaccination and ID at the door. The venue was really clean and so were the bathrooms. The stage was unique as the audience sat all around the stage, really cool! The show itself was just alright as the story was slow in the beginning but picked up at the end. Cool spot though!

MJ Bryant: Always entertaining! Plays cover historical events, places and people. Casts are extraordinary, realistic and take time to listen to audience after the plays. Awesome venue. Covid safety precautions.

Michael Replogle: One of the most down home theatre experiences you'll ever have. Real caring people who care about their art and how we recieve it. Go if you can.

Dolf Kämper: Great production! Nice place! Needs a bar :)

pattie fekete: This play was called a Christmas Carol nothing about this was Christmas. What happened to the goodness of Christmas if I wanted to be depressed I would have watched the evening news!

Rob Williams: Visiting from out of town, we have been to shows all over the world, from Broadway to the West End, and to shows all over DC and we happen to catch Chicago at the Keegan Theater, and it was a fantastic production. The Keegan is a small, intimate theater with a neighborhood feel, but don’t let its size fool you. The production was first class! The actors are experienced and talented, the show was well produced, and the orchestra played beautifully. We will definitely be back, and highly recommend. Bravo!

Simon Cable: My wife and I attended the Keegan Theatre performance of "The Full Monty" and had a great time. Keegan is a small theatre tucked into the middle of a residential street near Dupont Circle, but if you enjoy quality theatre without all the bells and whistles (and high prices) of Broadway (or Kennedy/Fords locally), I would definitely recommend Keegan. I don't know exactly how many seats there are, but it couldn't have been more than a couple of hundred, so for the performance, there really isn't a bad seat in the house. Which is good, since seating is general admission, first-come, first-served only. There are some light snacks available for a $1 donation, and a "bar" area that serves a selection of beer, wine, soft drinks, and water for reasonable prices ($2-5). There are two small restrooms downstairs and at intermission, it took pretty much the entire break for the line to work its way around. The vestibule is very small and can be cramped before the show and during the break, but it's to be expected, and you can always step out onto Church St. for some fresh air (or a smoke, if that's your thing). On the bright side, they announced at the show that the Company had recently finalized a purchase of the property and their capital campaign to renovate the space was in full swing. Once the improvements are done, the experience will be even better, I'm sure. The show itself was a lot of fun. I was a little worried about the quality of the talent, having never seen a show here before, but I was more than pleasantly surprised. All of the actors were very very good, with a great comedic timing and delivery. An exceptional value (tickets are $40, but you can usually find discounts online) and a very enjoyable night out.

Leigh Rawls: The Keegan Theatre is an awesome little gem in Dupont! Tucked away in an old church in a beautiful neighbor is a professional theater group that does outstanding shows! Back when I lived in the neighborhood, they were literally in my backyard (I loved when they would leave the back doors open and I could hear the musicals rehearsing)! I've lost count of the shows I've seen there and every single one has been so incredibly good! And there's not a single remotely bad seat in the house because the theater is so small and intimate! I love it! Highly, highly, highly recommend!

Christina Ra: Lovely little place in DC. Husband and I went to see the play ' West by God' and it was absolutely amazing. The actors/actresses were so good, all emotions were felt. We will definitely be back!

Jessica Joyce: Very nice clean theatre- looks brand new. I saw An Irish Carol over the winter which was fabulous. Great story line & excellent acting, especially by the lead Kevin. Will definitely return again soon!

Renee Lorenz: Great show selections. Wonderful staging and direction. Wonderful acting. Been to two shows and going back for more! Plan to get to the theatre area about a half hour before Showtime as street parking spaces around this part of DC is difficult to find.

Angela McKeen: What an historic and beautiful building! A wonderful venue to hold the recognition event for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. I couldn't have been more impressed with the elegance of the Warner Theatre

Lázaro Carvalhaes: I liked everything about this place, from the acoustics of the main room to the ease of parking. The restrooms are well maintained and the decoration is pretty cool too. I'd love to come back here when visiting DC again.

Phil Hardy: I love this theatre. The ornate architecture is simply sublime. I could stare at the walls and ceilings all evening. Acoustics are fine, seats comfortable and the bar lines move quickly. A take off a star because the toilets are in the basement. Takes awhile to get there and back.

Lisa Swager: The theater is 100 years old. It's looking overly ornate for today's standards. The curtains havent been taken down for cleaning in decades and look it. And the seats were designed for butts of 100 years ago, so anyone that's "a person of size" is going to be uncomfortable in these seats. Almost Frederick Fairgrounds bleacher seats- bad. Drinks were really expensive at $9 for a single and $18 for a double and all i ordered was a vodka collins and what i got was a vodka soda with a twist of lime. Not the same drink! Like everyone says, the acoustics are great. Could hear people talking down in the orchestra level. Parking under the Pennsylvania house was still $22 in this tiny garage with a 1-way driveway. But they did badge us into the lobby to take the elevator down to our car. We just had to find the right elevator to call. It's not the same as the building elevators, it's around the corner. I probably wont be back to this venue.

Christina King: The historic Warner Theatre is a lovely experience. The atmosphere is stunning. Seats are very tight. So if you are tall definitely get an aisle seat.

Michael: Architecture is truly something to see. Acoustics very good, seats comfortable, bathrooms clean, ushers friendly and helpful, and A/C nice and cool. Every seat is a good seat, but recommend getting middle orchestra. Parking garage super clean and well lit and reasonably priced. ( I paid 18 bucks online for the whole day). Would go there again, for sure.

Louise Brady: The theatre is beautiful. We had a great view of the stage from the middle of the balcony seats. Though it looked like there would be a great view from anywhere in the theatre as its nicely laid out and not too big. Drink prices are quite high but they do accept card and cash. Water in a can was a bit different!!. Plus it was called Liquid Death!!! I would happily go to another event at this theatre.

Valeria Contreras: Great venue. Has that classic theater vibe to it. The staff was incredibly courteous and polite. They have a great security screening as well. I do recommend getting to the theater quite early to avoid the security line. My one and only grievance is how freaking expensive the snacks were. Omg. Bought two large sodas, one single-shot vodka lemonade, and a small bag of chips, and that was a total of $50. Feels a little over the top when you have already bought expensive tickets to be there already. But understandable, it is almost expected from any theater like the Warner. Still, I'm salty about it.

Gary Lee: Saw Tedeschi Trucks in concert recently. The Warner Theatre was able to process guests through their COVID protocol, ticket verification and into our assigned seats quickly and efficiently. The concert was fabulous, the merch tables was manned by well-trained workers who kept the line moving; the snacks was in good supply and delicious warm pretzels was great!

Jessica McNutt: I love this theatre. The experience is always intimate and personal. The shows sit with me for days and I'm always better for having seen them.

Michael Covington: Excellent venue for performances. Viewing angle from all seats are great.

Linda Neuman: This unique and gorgeous performance space never disappoints. We have seen several incredible shows here with creative staging and impressive acting. Located near many wonderful restaurants and bars, it is a great central point for an enjoyable evening out. Come by metro, then hop on a shuttle that runs up and down the street. We need more places like this.

D Waldo: A stellar cast performed the production of MARY SEACOLE. Mary, a British-Jamaican holistic nurse, frequently considered the black Florence Nightingale also nursed war wounded soldiers.

Justin Hanna: Join Triumph DC Church on Sundays at the Atlas at 10a. Atlas Performing Arts Center is a fantastic venue for arts and theatre as well as worship. Come join us and make some new friends.

ron lu: Awesome bunch of musicians from the Capital City Symphony Orchestra and the Director VickiGau is more than awesome!

Adrienne: Saw a fascinating and moving play called "The Agitators" about the decades long friendship between Frederick Douglass and Susan B Anthony. It was my first time to The Atlas and it did not disappoint. The show was great and the facilities are very nice. The picture is of an after show discussion with the Artistic Director, Playwright and Directo.

Jabari Clark: Nice set of theaters with an organic, neighborhood feel. Friendly staff and clean facilities. Comfortable chairs and temperature. Not a fan of the service fee per ticket when buying as a bundle. That may prove to be cost prohibitive to some. No dedicated parking and street parking is limited. No local metro but streetcar stop is across street. Overall pleasant experience to bring local acts to the stage.

Tracey Newman: I am STILL talking about this performance! It was phenomenal! I am hoping there will be encore performances in the future. A beautiful kind was eloquently portrayed in this piece. Very well done!