In looking around the U.S. in anticipation of a busy 2026-27 theatre season, we decided to tell the stories of three major theatrical hubs: Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. In exploring the unique challenges each community has faced and overcome, we’re also looking for the lessons these cities might hold for the national theatre field. Amid controversy and chaos, shifting real estate landscapes, changing audience behavior, and fickle funding, all three theatre scenes have much to celebrate and to look forward to.