Studio Theater and Woolly Mammoth in Washington, DC, Center Stage in Baltimore, and the Black Ensemble Theater and Court Theater in Chicago have released their listings of fall productions. However, these six upcoming productions caught our attention. Also, we have included a link to the companies’ entire season productions.

Studio Theater -  opens May, 2026 Purlie Victorious brilliantly uses the cover of madcap comedy to take a look at the long, ugly shadow of slavery.

Woolly Mammoth - The Great Privation – Sep 11 – Oct 12, 2025
Philadelphia’s African Baptist Church, 1832: a mother and daughter guard the grave of their husband and father to deter resurrectionists from pillaging it for science. Today, on the same grounds: another mother and daughter work as counselors at what is now a summer camp. Timelines collide, reminding us to find joy in our present even as we exhume our nation’s buried past.

Woolly Mammoth - The World to Come - Feb 3 – Mar 1
The residents of the SeaBreeze Hebrew Home for the Aging carry on as usual: knitting, playing Scrabble, fighting, and falling in love. As the apocalyptic outside world threatens their way of life, Fanny, Barbara, Ruth, and Hal fight to protect the community they’ve built together. Even while battling armored nurses, a wild ostrich, strange prophecies, and their ailing bodies, they find joy in each other’s company. The World to Come is a surprising new epic that reveals how powerful friendship can be as a form of resistance.

Center Stage – Santa Claus is Comin’ – Nov 26, 2025 – Jan 4, 2026
Deck the halls and jingle all the bells! This holiday season, join Center Stage for an upbeat, heartwarming evening of Motown magic! Packed with heart and groove, this spirited show features classic holiday favorites, reimagined with the unmistakable sound of Motown legends—from Smokey Robinson to The Supremes.

Black Ensemble Theater – Blue Heaven - September 14 - October 26
Blue Heaven is a fierce, funny, and deeply moving new production that takes you on a journey from shame to redemption, from heartbreak to healing, one unforgettable song at a time. Fueled by the legendary sounds of B.B. King, Big Mama Thornton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Muddy Waters, and Howlin’ Wolf. (See our review from the Nov 03-Nov 16, 2022 issue).

Court Theater - Big White Fog - Sep 12, 2025 — Oct 12, 2025
The United States is on the cusp of the Great Depression and, like many, the Mason family is struggling. Between the precarious economy and racial violence on Chicago's segregated South Side, something’s got to give. As different generations strive to secure the Mason family’s future, catastrophic decisions are made, leading to a heartbreaking twist and a blistering condemnation of America’s Big White Fog.