WASHINGTON, D.C.: As D.C. braces itself for a period of government shutdown after the Senate reached an impasse on funding for healthcare subsidies, theatres in the area have responded with support and ticket offers for impacted federal workers. With federal offices closed, federal employees and contractors in D.C. are out of work for however long the shutdown lasts (last time, it was for 34 days). For D.C. arts organizations, this first federal government shutdown since 2018 means that with federal offices closed, cultural institutions like museums and theatres that rely on federal services might not be able to operate. 

Status Updates

For the Smithsonian, where its Discovery Theater has not begun any performances yet for its season, the institution will be able to use prior-year appropriations to stay open. According to The Washington Post, this past Tuesday, the Smithsonian confirmed that it has enough funds to keep museums and facilities open through Monday, Oct. 6. 

At Ford’s Theatre, the historic site run by the National Park Service is closed, meaning no daytime visits will run for the duration of the shutdown. But performances of its current production—The American Five by Chess Jakobs, directed by Aaron Posner, about the five visionary minds behind the March on Washington—are still on, as well as access to its Aftermath Exhibits that cover what happened after President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination.

In the realm of the Kennedy Center, which receives government funds because it is a living monument to President John F. Kennedy, things are a little different. The Center is not allowed to use its funds for any direct production costs, including marketing or ticket sales. During previous shutdowns, it hasn’t stopped scheduling performances because it operates productions in a self-sustaining way, as required by law.

Theatre Resources for Federal Workers 

Yesterday, for its noon matinee performance, Arena Stage responded quickly with free tickets for federal workers to its current production of Damn Yankees (directed and choreographed by Sergio Trujillo, with updates to the book and lyrics by Will Power, Doug Wright, and Lynn Ahrens). At Imagination Stage, discounted $10 tickets to its puppet-centric production of The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show, directed by Nikki Mirza, are available for federal employees through Oct. 15.  And at Mosaic Theater, its production of Dodi and Diana, by Kahreem Fahmy and directed by Reginald Douglas, has $20 tickets available (with the aptly titled code SOLIDARITY), until it closes this Sunday, Oct. 5. 

The Shakespeare theatres in town are also offering discounts. At the Folger Theatre—which is fully open, as it is a private institution, not a federal one—all current and former federal employees can see Julius X: A Re-envisioning of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, adapted by journalist Al Letson and directed by Nicole Brewer, for $20 with the code FEDERAL. On the library side, $10 tickets for the upcoming “Virtuosos of Violin and Verse” concert, and the “Tomorrow’s Verses” poetry reading with D.C.-based poet Alexa Patrick are available.

At Shakespeare Theatre Company, tickets for its reimagined Merry Wives, adapted by Jocelyn Bioh and directed by Taylor Reynolds, are being offered for $45 through closing on Oct. 5 with the code 45TIX. The discount will also be available for The Wild Duck’s first week of performances on Oct. 18-24. (This production is co-presented with Theatre for a New Audience, adapted by David Eldridge, and directed by Simon Godwin.)

Theatre Lab, an acting school in downtown D.C., shared a 50 percent discount this morning for its adult voice and dance classes in the upcoming fall semester. The discount is exclusively for federal employees whose jobs have been paused or terminated by the shutdown or other recent changes to the federal workforce, “to show our support and gratitude to those who serve our country and community.” Workers can explain their situation to get the discount in this form.

Federal workers may also want to look at TheatreWashington’s final weekend of Theatre Week shows (discounted tickets range from $25-$65). President and CEO Amy Austin shared that the organization continues to “stand in solidarity with the civil servants, especially those in the Washington area, whose commitment to their work reflects their unwavering belief in the common good. Those same values are found in every story told on area stages.”