D.C. Theatre Week, an annual event celebrating the kickoff of the 2022-23 theater season, returned to Washington, D.C.  for the first time since 2019. 

The event will be held from Sept. 22 to Oct. 9 and tickets give attendees access to a wide variety of events. From six-time Tony Award-winning musical “Dear Evan Hansen” to 11-time Tony Award-nominated “The Color Purple,” attendees will receive discounted tickets to several plays and musicals in the D.C. area.

Theatre Week co-producer Christopher Michael Richardson said the event will feature free social events for theater lovers in the District. 

“This year, we’ve got exciting new partnerships including a DC Theatre Night at The Nats, Theatre Week Happy Hours peppered throughout (Studio Theatre, Synetic Theatre, Creative Cauldron, Round House Theatre, & Signature Theatre), and a free outdoor concert at The Wharf on the 24th,” Richardson wrote to The Hoya. “We’re so excited to have these new connections and share the wonderful work of DMV area theatres with the broader DC community.”

The event’s Kickoff Fest will have performances, workshops, interactive game shows, prize drawings and popup stalls from over 40 local theaters. Anyone can attend the free Sept. 24 event at Arena Stage at the D.C. Wharf.

Richardson said the event will be particularly enriching for college students, whether they are trying to become more involved in community theater or simply looking for leisure activities and free food.

“The Kick Off Fest is a great place to connect with representatives from area theatres and learn more about their student programs, discounts, and offerings THROUGHOUT the year, not just during Theatre Week,” Richardson wrote. “Theatre Week allows students to discover all the DMV has to offer in terms of theatre with a lower cost and more perks.”

Richardson said Theatre Week is also a great opportunity to explore the richness of arts and culture in the DMV area. 

“Theatre Week’s primary goal is to highlight and uplift the work that all of these fantastic theatres are doing,” Richardson wrote. “Programs like Theatre Week remind us of our collective community and the Broadway caliber theatre that happens right here in the DMV.”

Richardson also said he hopes the event will reach audiences throughout the District, not just those who are already part of the D.C. theater scene.

“Theatre Week is a great opportunity to welcome new audiences and make new theatre lovers with discounts that lower the cost barrier and encourage the DC community to try something new, ” Richardson wrote. “As we head into a new season of theatre in the DMV, Theatre Week encourages all of us to try new things and broaden our horizons.”  

President and CEO of Theatre Washington Amy Austin said this year’s Theatre Week aims to celebrate how theater in the District has persevered through the pandemic and will be bigger and better than previous iterations.

“We are taking over all three floors of Arena Stage, a beautiful and spacious venue. And it’s our first partnership with DCWharf and the Mayor’s Office (#202Creates) to host the concert on the Wharf,” Austin wrote to the Hoya.

COVID is still impacting theatres across the D.C, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) area. DC Theatre announced in early September that over 50 theatres across the DMV would be continuing their indoor masking requirement to keep employees and patrons safe. 

As the first Theatre Week to be held since 2019, the events will celebrate how DC Theatre has persevered despite pandemic-related shutdowns and mandates. 

Austin said she hopes Theatre Week will revitalize residents’ appreciation for arts and culture in the District. 

“Theatre Week gives them access to many places at exceptional prices,” Austin wrote. “They will find our art scene exciting in its diversity and extensive collaboration. That is what sets us apart from other places.”