Saw the new musical "American Prophet", and it was AWESOME! It's a musical about Frederick Douglass' life with added calls to arms. The music had clear black gospel and blue/jazz roots that sounded great! I loved the Arena Stage, the venue was very intimate, and all the staff and ushers were very kind. There is a mask and vaccination mandate for the shows as well. The theatre is tells stories with DC flags and 51 state flags hanging to the store that sells many racial justice books. I was honored to see "American Prophet", and highly recommend people go see it. I will say the intermission didn't seem long enough, and we did not have enough time to use the restrooms and get drinks before we had to go back in, but that's me nitpicking. read more

Arena Stage - American Propher - Performing Arts Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I have been patronizing Arena Stage for years; it's finally time that I give them a review. Arena is a beautiful venue with three separate (and very different) stages, so they can maximize what they put up during the season. The box office staff is always friendly and efficient, and have been very kind in the past if I've been delayed getting to the theater for an extraordinary event and help me change my tickets. The ushers know exactly where you need to go. I subscribed for one season, and was always pleased with the customer service I received when I had questions or needed to change my tickets. (The free ticket exchange is a huge benefit if you subscribe!) They have discounted ticket programs for those who qualify. Get on their email or mailing lists to get discount offers on a show by show basis. They also work with TodayTix, but if you can't make your performance they can't do exchanges. Parking is *expensive* there and the garage is on the smaller side. Reserve your parking when you buy your tickets/subscribe so you're guaranteed a spot. Sometimes they fill up and cannot accommodate people without reservations. During the week you can sometimes find street parking nearby, but that's never guaranteed. The green line is about a block away and there are a few buses that drop off nearby, so you're better off taking public transit anyway. Arena is always staging interesting, new, groundbreaking and creative productions; even the classic musicals and plays are given a modern twist. I have no doubt this will remain the same with the new artistic director. It's always worth heading to Arena to see a show. You won't be sorry. read more

I guess this review is a little late for me! Arena Stage is definitely in my yearly rotation of shows I always have to come see (although I'm still sad I missed Dear Evan Hansen back in the day) But I guess most recently I learned about their history of programming Black Theater which makes me appreciate them even more. Thank you to the August WIlson biography for giving them lots of shout outs which gave me an insight into the history of the theater. I did see Jitney a few years ago there and I did have tickets to Seven Guitars (but my performance was cancelled due to Covid) but I love that they still regularly put on not only shows by A.W, but other minority playwrights which really was something he championed. PS super grateful to Arena Stage for the teacher discount. I wish I could give them more than 5 stars. read more

Lovely location, there was ample street parking around the area. Service was speedy inside, the staff were very helpful and welcoming. They have a great concession stand and there's even the chance to pre-order your drinks! The seating is comfy and you can see the stage clearly no matter where you're seated. read more

Arena Stage - Outside - Performing Arts Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Loved my experience here. Their parking garage was $27. This venue was larger than expected. There were multiple shows happening at the same time. I recommend getting here 35-40 mins before the show to enjoy the concession because no food/drink allowed. Masks are required for the duration of the show. read more

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I had an amazing time at the Arena Stage for the "Frederick Douglass: American Prophet" performance. I'll start by stating that I have a hearing disability. I attend concerts and shows pretty often and there are some venues that are not as friendly when it comes to disability accommodations for deaf/hard of hearing. It's not that they "won't" accommodate, but they just aren't as willing to accommodate and it almost is a turn off for me to visit certain venues. The Arena theater was the opposite. They were extremely accommodating and offered multiple options even though ASL interpretation wasn't available. Beyond that, everything in this theater as well as performance was top notch. The staff was friendly, the facility was modern, the snack options were actually appealing and the performance was phenomenal. I would absolutely come back to the Arena Stage again for another performance! read more

Wow! Simply wow! The Arena Stage is one of my favorite DC performance venues. Convenient to The Wharf at the SW Waterfront, it's a few minutes walk to some great choices for pre-theatre bites and post-show drinks. The performances are high calibre. The sound in that theater is great. The intimate stage really makes it a more immersive experience. And due to the set up, pretty much any seat would give you a great view. I absolutely love that they have some fun non-alcoholic drink options. The parking is conveniently located on the LL and reasonably priced. If you pre-purchase parking online, you get a discount. Just make sure you pre-purchase at least 3 hours prior to show time. Prices for tickets are also very accessible, especially given the level of performance. Definitely a great evening out. Make sure you check out the outside terrace pre-show! read more

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On Sunday, Sep 12, we saw the play Toni Stone. This is our 1st live show in at least 18 months due to the pandemic. We were so glad to be out and about, that I'm allowing myself to bestow 1 star just for AS still "being". The show being a good one was like icing on the top. The issues covered by the show are the difficult ones. Must be hard if they still around from the 1940-50 era. RIGHT. I digress. To enter you must be vaccinated or have a recent COVID test. AS is going to tell you this repeatedly on their web site before you buy tickets. You must also wear a mask. There was 1 intermission. AS provided free snacks set out at intermission as the bar/snack/restaurant service is still closed. That was very thoughtful since they could have put their head in the sand about that issue. Water, soda, pretzels, and granola bars were available for the taking as long as you could gobble them down within the 15 minute break. You can pay to park in their basement garage too. I had to call to add this to my itinerary because I missed it when buying tickets online. I phoned AS and they added parking to my tickets. I think their parking is a steal-of-a-deal. We come early (11:45AM for 2 PM show) and park. Then we walk over to Hanks Oyster Bar on the Wharf and eat brunch. Get some sun, people watch and stroll back to AS for the show. It's a full day for one of the lowest price for parking in the area. The show is a bonus. Lol. All very enjoyable. It lowered our stress level while raising our conscience. read more

Venue: The venue is in a great location and super nice inside. 10/10 Customer service: Staff was very friendly and helpful. 10/10 I came to see Unknown Soldier. Theatre was a nice size. I happened to have really great seats. You can take drinks inside the theatre as long as there's a lid. I'm enjoyed my time here and will be back! read more

I went to 2 shows at this location. The first one was to see Drumfolk which was a great show! And the send one was the American Prophet which was so inspiring. Makes you want to learn more about the history of Fredrick Douglass and his wife Anna (and their songs are catchy). The location is perfect. It's close to the metro and close to the wharf with a bunch of nice restaurants and good places to chill. I love the area. The staff was also super friendly. The place is not too large or crowded so that's also a plus as well. read more

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It's always a great time attending shows at Arena Stage. My first time here was for the play POTUS. It was such an amazing show! The pay-your-age option also makes tickets very affordable. Mindplay was also a great show, and I highly recommend it! read more

This DC theater venue is fantastic! There are several different auditoriums that help bring the audience into the plays or musicals. The various venues are accessible and have several seats dedicated to those needing more space and help with audio. Don't forget to grab a drink before the show! I've tried their Sidecar and it was excellent. The first show I saw was "The Holiday" and it was a fantastic play. The cast was smart, funny and hooked you from the start! The set is well integrated and was always adjusting to the scene. Note - the theater still requires masks so don't forget to bring one with you. If you forget, they do offer complimentary masks at the door. read more

One of my favorite DC stages - an intimate theater gives an opportunity for actors to interact with audience; a decent-sized bar space for intermissions with reasonable priced snacks; a modern design, including floor windows and plenty seating, provides light and comfort; and helpful ushers. The theater follows strict health guidelines during the pandemic. I am grateful for that. It requires vaccination proof and masks, which is responsible for all who love theaters. read more

Th arena is amazing! From entering in it has an attractive ambiance about it. We attended for a show.. while waiting we was able to indulge in some libations which I'm always down for. The staff was very friendly and helpful. I seen that they have many other rooms for different events! I'm hoping of returning here for some future events. read more

I have been to the two origina theaters before they were connected with this soaring envelopment. A stunning piece of Canadian-designed architecture in DC. I love the use of sustainable wood. With all the gentrification since it was update, parking is impossible for a decent price. We parked opposite the HUD building in L'Efant Plaza and did the short walk over several highway crossing; not very scenic. The public space of Arena is a bit cramped and not easy to navigate with a crowd. However, all the seats are great in the theater in the round Fitchandler theater. Not a bad seat there. We saw Lezguizamo's The Other Americans-- see it for the star writer an director. read more

Nice venue, 5 min walk from the metro station. I guess there are 3 different theatres. Cocktail bar is not good. read more

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I LOVE this space!!! I have not been to Arena Stage in yearsssssssssssss and it is still beautiful. It's definitely not as large as the Kennedy Center, but a bit more intimate of the space. I went to see Drumfolk in the Fichandler space and it's my fave! I really enjoy a theatre where seating surrounds the stage. It makes you feel like you're more engaged with the performers. read more

Arena Stage - Outdoor Terrace - Performing Arts Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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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. read more

Arena Stage - Lobby - Performing Arts Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This is my second time at Arena Stage and both theaters are pretty cool. This time around I saw a more serious play as the love theme was set in backdrop of Tulsa Riots. This was a really good play. read more

My friends and I watched a play here starring one of our college friends! The play is called Anything Goes and I didn't expect to like it but I did! There was a good deal of tapping which I really enjoyed and the cast did an amazing job! I took an uber here so i'm not sure how the parking situation is like but I heard that there is a garage so parking shouldn't be as hard. The ticket prices vary but we had this deal called 30 under 30 where you pay the price based on your age. It was nice because the tickets ranged from $85-120+ The place was super nice and there are lots of bar around the theater area! It is very close to the Waterfront station which is very convenient! There is an intermission for the plays so I took advantage of the bar which was obviously overpriced to buy at your own risk. Make sure to come to the play early and don't be late because they can't seat you if you're late when the lights are turned off! I would come back here again. The theater is interesting as it is 360 and it's fairly small so you can see everything even though you are all the way in the back read more

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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! read more

Arena Stage - Performing Arts Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This review is about the venue, not a specific play. We make a point of seeing something here when we visit DC, so our point of view is that of out of town visitors. The theatrical productions we've seen here have been uniformly excellent, with strong acting, direction and sets. The theaters are located in a striking modern building a bit outside of the highly touristed areas near the national mall, but it's easily accessible by metro, ride share or taxi. The restaurants nearby are okay, not great, and advanced planning on where to eat is essential. Food is available in the theater but post-pandemic it's pretty limited and pre-purchase looks like it's required. I'd highly recommend attending a play here as a part of a visit to DC! read more

This is a great theater. We saw Ride the Cyclone there and it was an amazing show. The staff was friendly and the drinks were amazing.

Arena Stage has done it again with "Holiday"! This was a fantastic experience that I don't think I would've introduced myself to without this opportunity and it is very much appreciated. It had me thinking about how people might've enjoyed entertainment before television came into play. Not only is this theatre small and personal but the art of a play itself really pulls you inside of the experience creating more of a first person point of view inside a sitcom or a telenovela which I've never been able to sit through on tv, but this method of delivery made it so much more engaging and enjoyable. This play was technically a rom-com set back in the day, long before I realized rom-coms existed. While I wouldn't say it was hilarious, it had its moments and more importantly it told a great story with many morals about what's really important in life balancing professional and societal success and wealth and materialism with living a fulfilled life nourishing the spirit and chasing experiences and pure dreams and finding somebody who has similar ideals. I could relate to this a lot, as I'm sure everybody can if they can look deep enough. It left me asking myself similar questions professionally. But what I know I can always be grateful for in every way is having a wife that fills my spirit and appreciates the adventure the way I do! The cocktails were tasty too! read more

Wonderful date night on Christmas Eve to see Nina Simone: Four Women at Arena Stage. I'm embarrassed to admit that this was my first visit to this theater but I can promise it will not be my last. I could rave all day and night about this awesome performance, but the review is about the venue... Parking kinda sucks in this area. Upon entering the lobby, the warm friendly greeters made us forget all about it. He used the mobile app for the purchase, as he frequents the theater, so the greeters directed us to the lower right side after a quick look at his phone. We sat in the third row on the end and the seats were quite comfortable. I worried about him being 6'10" and having enough leg room, however I'm the newbie, he's been there and done that! The venue is quite intimate. I felt like the actresses were talking to me when performing. And I was sure to give praise when appropriate during this exhilarating performance. All in all, this venue is run like a well oiled machine. The performance was sold out and everyone was seated and ready before the actresses took the stage. Thankfully the playbook provided a schedule for other shows as I will definitely return. read more

Arena Stage - 12/24/17 Fantastic Show @Arena Stage - Performing Arts Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I haven't been to the Arena Stage in almost 30 years. I couldn't believe how it changed from the outside. The actual Arena Stage was inside the outside building! Truly amazing! It's still the quaint up-close stage it was just with new wrappings around it. The play we were there to see was "Holiday." While the acting was great the play itself wasn't. Just a little convoluted. read more

Arena Stage - Theater. - Performing Arts Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The theater is absolutely marvelously built, beautiful contours and designs, nicely manicured landscaping, just a visual delight from all angles! The quality of performances that are rendered here are excellent, varied, and entertaining. I saw The Normal Heart many, many years ago, Dear Evan Hansen in 2015, Carousel in 2016, Pajama Game in 2017, and another show here tonight, and the only real complaint I have is that the seats are so tight and the rows are narrow. (Not much to be done now that's it's all new and recently built.) The box office employees, the ushers, and all others are friendly, courteous, competent, and helpful! The men's bathroom is huge and very, very clean. There is no cell phone service/LTE in the lower-level theater--I forget the name. Parking is sparse. Take Metro and save yourself headache, worry, and a few swear words and enjoy your show. read more

Arena Stage - Performing Arts Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Definitely recommend going to a show here! I love the unique stage set up so you can see the whole stage from all angles. The actors do a great job shifting angles too during performance. Also the alcoholic drinks at the concession stand are quite strong! read more

This facility is beautiful. There are three theaters. I haven't parked in Arena's garage but there are two parking areas nearby. Colonial parking is across the street, by the Wharf ($16). There is discounted parking for Arena guests ($14) across the street from Safeway. Make sure you get your parking ticket validated before you leave the theater. Waterfront metro is also nearby. Richard's place is a restaurant inside the theater. You can also order various meal specials inside the theater. I follow the theater's social media to keep up with events and discounts. Some performances allow tours before the show. The entrance is beautiful. The giant windows get a lot of sun light. read more

My friend and I went to our first Yelp Elite event to see the American Prophet and enjoy some drinks, and we had a great time! The bartender Erica was engaging and helped make our night even more fun. The production was incredible as well! Overall it was a lovely experience. read more

Arena Stage - Performing Arts Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The reason why I am here. Hanging out with my good sister girlfriend. This drink is amazinggggg read more

Arena Stage - The Shirley Douglas with Titos Vodka.... It's good - Performing Arts Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I went to see a musical that was 90 minutes long without intermission. I got up near the end to use the rest room. When I attempted to return to my seat, an usher told me that I could not return as it would disrupt others. I've never encountered this before, and I won't return. The ushers were unfriendly and antagonistic. This policy should be made known before the event starts. read more

Absolutely gorgeous location right by the Wharf in DC! The staff is all very friendly and welcoming. The shows are unique and entertaining. I am excited to come to more shows in the future. read more

I went to see Drumfolk and became a big fan of the Mead Center. The ticketing process was seamless as well as paying for parking in advance. The bar was nice and well-stocked. There are no bad seats since the performers face all directions. The stage was just the right size for the audience to be easily transformed into the electrifying story. I cant wait to attend my next play!!! read more

Arena Stage - Performing Arts Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

My first time here! Came to watch King Hedley II and loved it. There is street parking as well as a lot beside the Arena Stage. I believe parking in the lot is $20. We came on a Sunday, so street parking was free. Employees all around the Arena Stage are super helpful and friendly. It's incredibly spacious inside and I love the design of the building. Restrooms are conveniently located all around the Arena Stage. We really enjoyed the performance. Actors were on point. Lighting, costume, stage, and music all came together beautifully. Everyone is so talented and it was an overall wonderful experience. I cannot wait to come back to watch more shows at Arena Stage. read more

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WOW. Last night was the first time I have visited the Arena Stage. My husband bought tickets to "Dave," and we went to the 7:30pm show on 8/12/18. We took an Uber, so no review/comment on the parking garage situation everyone complains about... We were pleasantly surprised that we could take a drink into the theater. It was nice to sip a bourbon while enjoying the show. The theater itself is nice - seats weren't too terribly close together. The helpers were were helpful and friendly. The show was AMAZING. I would go see it again. They did a good job of turning the movie into a musical. They also incorporated more current humor - which was a little annoying at the beginning. I was afraid it was going to be a bash-Trump musical instead of the show I was looking forward to. But it turned out to be the perfect amount of "updating" and I laughed and cried through the entire thing. Very happy with the entire experience and I can't wait to go back! read more

Arena Stage - View from our seats - center balcony - Row CCC, seats 15 and 16. I LOVED them! Great view of everything and on the aisle. - Performing Arts Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

do not park in the garage under the theatre. it is an extreme hazard getting out of the garage and you will damage your car and the management will not do anything to help you. warning!!!! do not park in the garage. it is $30 and you can park on the street for much less but it is virtually impossible to get out of the garage without damaging your car. the management of both arena stage and the parking gargage could care less about me and you. as a matter of fact i wouldn't go to the theatre there ever. tickets are expensive and parking is a nightmare. do not do not do not park in the garage!!! read more

I'm giving them one star for a very poor business decision Arena sales just made. I bought tickets to American Prophet and shortly after received a postcard from the theater offering 35% off certain American Prophet shows. I called asking to exchange my tickets for others that reflect that discount or to receive that discount on my tickets and was told by both the sales agent and her manager that they would not do that. I've been a two-ticket full season subscriber for 30 years! I said that that didn't seem fair - they've been exchanging tickets for the last 3 years. But nope, that just changed and is no longer an option. I'll certainly not subscribe this year and will wait to get tickets. Stupid! read more

I recently went to see Drumfolk, which was phenomenal! If you have a chance please go support this amazing cast. Arena Stage also has some other cool performances coming through. I will certainly be back. I enjoy live art. read more

Arena Stage parking sucks. We went there to park our car with a $24 fee. The parking spots have areas where you have no other way out but to have the other car moved out, so the task of the parking staff is to make sure that those cars leave their keys so that other cars can go out any time. We went in there to park and the parking person pointed us to the area where it will be blocked, we were skeptical to leave our car in there and asked the staff if he will be sure that we can get out anytime we want if another person parked behind us and he said "YES, I do it everytime!" And we asked again to make sure he said, "I'm sure, Don't Worry!" So we left and parked there. When it's time for us to leave the worst happened! The parking person told us the owner of the car behind us didnt leave the keys on him. And he said he'll get the key of the other truck beside it so he can move our car out. We agreed. We waited for 30mins, and theres no key for the truck! Waited for another 30mins with the news that the owner of the truck is not even in the building and won't even get his car out for the day! And we demanded for a refund cause they've wasted our time waiting in the parking with this issue. The staff would argue that he cant do anything about it. That he is out of control. But that's his job. So we demanded the car to be towed and wheeled out of the way. And we waited for another hour to get it out of the way! We were so disappointed on how they handle it that they dont seem to care! They should always have a plan B if these things happened! They should act on it! They even told us "We can't do anything about it!" that made everything worst! Such a shame! read more

Arena Stage - Performing Arts Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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