Archived Dupont Underground Events

The Year That Comedy Got Cool. (A Picnic Theater Company Parody)

On Thursday June 4, join Picnic Theatre Company at Dupont Underground for a parody performance of My Favorite Year: The Year Comedy Got Cool!

It's 1967 New York in the age of live television, and an aging silver screen legend is slated to appear on the top-rated late night sketch comedy show, the King Kiser Comedy Hour.

A young writer (based on the life of Mel Brooks) is tasked with keeping her sober and on script for the broadcast, while comedy writer veterans navigate the tumultuous changes in American society during the burgeoning era of rock and roll, Vietnam, feminism and the youth revolution.

6pm Cocktails and Music

7pm Performance, 90 minutes

Tickets $20, all proceeds benefit the preservation of the Dupont Underground historic urban art space.

Directed and Adapted by Steve Rochlin

Cast: Sara Cook Matthew Gregory Nihal Krishan* Paul Massaro* Alexa Newlin Antonio Olivo Marisela Ramirez* Steve Rochlin* Adam Ruben* Christina Sevilla* Courtney Sexton* Ram Viswanathan* Shawn Westfall* David White

The exhibition chronicles the local LGBTQ+ Pride movement and how the pickets and protests of the 1960s led to the vibrant celebrations of the 2020s.

On view June 5-July 4: Fridays Saturday and Sundays 11-5.
(Closing at 1 pm on June 7 for the 2 pm matinee of A Fine Madness.)

The exhibition will run through Pride Month and close on July 4th, 2026.

RHP is an all-volunteer run 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to collect, preserve, and promote the history and culture of the diverse LGBTQ communities in the metropolitan Washington, DC area.

The exhibition disrupts the popularly held belief that the LGBTQ+ Rights Movement began with the Stonewall Riots in 1969 New York. While this pushback to police violence was vital, DC’s LGBTQ+ history of resistance actually predates the Stonewall Riots. RHP recognizes this picket, four years before the Stonewall Riots, where 10 members of the Mattachine Society of Washington marched with signs in front of the White House--as the start of DC’s rich queer history.

Visit five cultural institutions in the Dupont Circle and Kalorama neighborhoods during the annual Walk Weekend!

The following museums will be open for free on Saturday, June 6 and Sunday, June 7 from 11 am-4 pm.* Bring your parents, kids, friends, and neighbors!

• Anderson House, The American Revolution Institute of the Society of the Cincinnati and a National Historic Landmark

• Dupont Underground, Multidisciplinary platform for creative expression housed in an abandoned streetcar station

• National Museum of American Jewish Military History, Institution preserving the contributions of Jewish Americans to the peace and freedom of the US

• The Phillips Collection, America's first museum of modern art

• The President Woodrow Wilson House, Home of the 28th president and a National Trust for Historic Preservation Historic Site

Learn more about the Dupont Kalorama Museums Consortium.

*To see the special exhibition Miró and the United States at The Phillips Collection, guests must purchase a ticket.

 JUSTIN WEAKS

DIRECTED BY RAYMOND O CALDWELL

Dupont Underground
June 5 – 7, 2026

For the final show of the 2025-26 season, Woolly Mammoth Company Artist Justin Weaks invites us to the intersection of ‘performance’ and ‘event’ for a radical act of remembrance.

Inspired by the mission of the Voyager Golden Record, A Fine Madness calls on its audience to participate in the creation of a new record of shared humanity through a kaleidoscope of poetry, games, music, scientific findings and storytelling. Through retelling and reclaiming his own personal journey as a Black gay man living in Washington D.C. and newly diagnosed with HIV, Justin seeks to create a new archive that is inclusive of his lived experience and those of the people in the room. As the line blurs between performer and audience, space opens for discovery and healing. A Fine Madness is both experiment and celebration, experience and discovery, and an act of affirmation in the face of erasure. For the record!

ABOUT THE TOUR
Following the March 2024 workshop presentation of A Fine Madness at Woolly Mammoth, we are thrilled to bring this project back to DC audiences in the form of a local tour where the piece is performed for the public in different D.C. communities and cultural hubs.

Join us for the finale of Read the Room, a six-part poetry series that turns the Underground into a refuge for urgent truths and literary magic. This finale features a curated lineup of poets excited and engaged, ready to share, and eager to nurture your love of poetry.​

Poetry here is treated as high-quality art and powerful entertainment — your ticket directly supports the poets through a dedicated revenue share.

• Doors: 6:00

• Show: 6:30

When things don’t go as expected, how do you deal with them? From love to loss, self-reflection to acceptance, rebuilding to rebranding, defeat to triumph, everyone has to occasionally find their way again.

With wit, wisdom, and the music of yesterday, Life’s Other Plans is a relevant tale for today. In an intimate, hour-long cabaret of story and song, Helen Hayes nominee and queer artiste Miss Kitty makes her powerful one-woman show debut.

Blending live music and storytelling, this production shares Miss Kitty’s journey as a Black trans woman and actress in the DMV area. The piece highlights both the beauty and the challenges of navigating the performing arts, offering a meaningful space to uplift trans voices, foster allyship, and create connection within our community this Pride Month.

SHOW INFORMATION:

• Dates: June 19,-20 7:30-9, June 21 5-6:30

• Runtime: 1 hour (No intermission)

• Age Rating: 18+ (Adults Only)

Join us for the fifth installment of Read the Room, a six-part poetry series that turns the Underground into a refuge for urgent truths and literary magic. This opening night features a curated lineup of poets excited and engaged, ready to share, and eager to nurture your love of poetry.​

Poetry here is treated as high-quality art and powerful entertainment — your ticket directly supports the poets through a dedicated revenue share.

• Doors: 6:00

• Show: 6:30

Market, Gallery, and Community Weekend

Moms Make Dope Art. 
They’ve held it together when things were breaking apart, and they’ve made something out of nothing when the world needed space to breathe.

This Memorial Day weekend, Dupont Underground presents Mom’s Art Show—a multi-sensory takeover of the tunnels dedicated to the mother figures whose creativity shapes our lives. Part curated market, part digital gallery, and part interactive community space, this weekend is about giving "Mom" artists her flowers.

What’s Happening:

• The Market: Shop original visual art (paintings, photography, and mixed media) created by mother figures from across the DMV.

• The Gallery: A digital exhibition on our gallery projectors featuring the "Mom’s Art Appreciation" storytelling project.

• Additional ticketed events on Saturday and Sunday too

Schedule:

• Saturday, May 23 (12 PM – 8 PM): Art Market + Surrealist Games + Papi Wines

• Sunday, May 24 (12 PM – 6 PM): Art Market + Paint & Debate (Maternal Health Focus)

A Fun Workshop for the Creative Mind!

May 23 from 3- 4:30

This high-energy, zero-pressure workshop is designed to help you grow your creativity through collaborative games and manufactured juxtapositions. We’ll try games once used by artists like Salvador Dalí and Frida Kahlo, and try some modern-day versions as well. Whether you’re a professional artist, a comedian, or someone who can't even draw a stick figure, this is for you. Leave your inner critic at home, bring your quirkiest friend, and come out and play.

These games will be happening during Mom's Art Show at Dupont Underground! Come out to enjoy a wide variaty of art made by Mom's (because Mom's Make Dope Art!) and exercise your own creative muscles while having fun.

Event hosts: Theodore Carter and Mandy Kimlick

Papa Wine is a casual, community-driven wine pop-up designed to feel more like a gathering than a traditional tasting. Liv and Bri pour thoughtfully selected wines while creating a space to connect, meet new people, and enjoy wine in a way that’s fun and approachable.

Light snacks will be provided.

Tickets:
$30/ pp

A community event focused on maternal and women’s health, with a special emphasis on Black women and other underrepresented communities.

A space where creativity & conversation collide.

Glimpse of Run of Show:

2-3PM: Painting & Informal Discussion

3-4PM: Healing & Wellness Reset

4-5PM: Small Group Discussion & Mini-Gallery Showcase

Counterpoint Concerts
Friday, May 29, 2026

6:30 PM  9:00 PM

Clarinetist Zachary Good, violinist Katie Hyun, and cellist Brook Speltz join pianist and Counterpoint founder Natalia Kazaryan for a program spanning centuries—from Heinrich Biber’s baroque intensity to Andy Akiho’s contemporary energy—culminating in Olivier Messiaen’s transcendent Quartet for the End of Time.

Messiaen’s Melody on a Theme of Mozart offers a serene reimagining of a classical motif, setting the stage for Biber’s virtuosic Passacaglia for solo violin. Akiho’s Lost on Chiaroscuro Street explores light and shadow through rhythmic vitality and texture, leading to Messiaen’s masterpiece—composed in a WWII prisoner-of-war camp—which unfolds as a profound meditation on time, spirituality, and the mysteries beyond human experience.

Official event art by David Plunkert.

This performance has been made possible by the generous support of the Beverly Losch Memorial Fund and Historic Dupont Circle Main Streets

See community cherry blossom photos projected throughout Dupont Underground!

Dates: First two weekends of April 2026 (April 4–5 and April 11–12) Location: Dupont Underground, Dupont Circle, Washington, DC
Price: $5

Everyone loves Cherry Blossoms in DC! And we all see them in our own unique ways. This community photo call is for everyone!

Blossom Fever is a projection exhibition featuring cherry blossom photographs taken by DMV residents. No professionals required. No aesthetic agenda. Just your blossoms, your neighborhood, your eye — projected on the 300-foot projection wall of Dupont Underground's historic reclaimed trolley station.

Join us for the fourth installment of Read the Room, a six-part poetry series that turns the Underground into a refuge for urgent truths and literary magic. This opening night features a curated lineup of poets excited and engaged, ready to share, and eager to nurture your love of poetry.​

Poetry here is treated as high-quality art and powerful entertainment — your ticket directly supports the poets through a dedicated revenue share.

Doors: 6:00
Show: 6:30

The Art of Kimono at Dupont Underground

For the second year in a row, garment and kimono expert Tomomi Miyajima will present Japanese methods of kimono dressing on live models. Guests will have the opportunity to see, touch, and experience traditional garments, accessories, and fabrics up close.

Come early to make sure you get a seat!!

🌸This is a registered National Cherry Blossom Festival event.


About Tomomi Miyajima, Ph.D.

DR. TOMOMI MIYAJIMA: JAPANESE ARTISTRY & CULTURAL AMBASSADOR

Founder of Tokiya Japan in DC, Tomomi passionately brings the essence of Japanese craftsmanship to a global stage, specializing in exquisite handcrafted Kimono and Pottery. She offers unforgettable cultural immersions in Tea Ceremony, Kintsugi, Ikebana, and Wabi-sabi/Zen Aesthetics.

With a Ph.D. in Education from UCLA and 15 years of experience as an Education Specialist at the World Bank, Tomomi is a leader in bridging diverse cultures. She also serves as Principal of the Washington Japanese Heritage Center, a school that teaches K-12 students.

A highly sought-after cultural ambassador, her recent engagements include Kimono Live-Shows (Dupont Underground, Otakon) and Cultural Seminars (Ikebana International, JETAADC, Anacostia Arts Center, National Cherry Blossom Festival, Japan House LA, Miss US International, etc.), and curating official ceremonies at the Embassy of Japan.

See more about the event partners!

Tokiya Japan (reopening soon)

Dupont Circle Main Street Cherry Blossom Weekend

Dupont Underground EVENTS

Griffin McElroy joins us at Dupont Underground to discuss his new Choose Your Own Adventure book, The Stowaway! Best known for being a New York Times Bestselling author, podcaster, voice actor, video producer and gaming journalist. He’s the co-host of long-running comedy podcasts My Brother, My Brother and Me and actual play podcast The Adventure Zone, for which he’s co-authored a series of seven graphic novel adaptations. Join us for an interactive reading of his new book, The Stowaway followed by a Q&

Join us for The Movement Street’s annual two-day celebration of culture, fashion, and community impact — an immersive weekend centered on creativity, recognition, and storytelling.

Day 1: A curated mixer + awards night spotlighting emerging leaders, creatives, partners, and community changemakers.

Day 2: A full creative experience featuring our signature fashion show, art gallery, marketplace, live performances, and select scholarship presentations recognizing outstanding students and creatives.

The Lady Bird of Saint John brings together Rosa and Verónica, two sisters who migrated to the United States following very different paths. One arrived with documents. The other crossed the border without them.

After years apart, they reunite in Verónica’s apartment in downtown Chicago. What begins as a long-awaited reunion slowly reveals the weight of their shared past: family expectations, sacrifice, resentment, love, and the complicated choices people make in search of a better life.

As the night unfolds, the sisters confront painful truths about immigration, class, and the meaning of family. Hidden secrets surface, memories clash, and the fragile bond between them is pushed to its breaking point. Their conversation becomes a reflection of a larger reality affecting thousands of families across borders.

Inspired by the political climate surrounding immigration policies in the United States, The Lady Bird of Saint John is an intimate story about separation, survival, and the consequences of systems that divide families.

TRIGGER WARNING: This play contains strong language and themes of immigration trauma, family conflict, violence, and references to the detention of migrant children. Viewer discretion is advised.

Language: The Lady Bird of Saint John will be performed in English.

Old music is given new meaning in an original theater piece that includes that searing and unforgettable arias from J.S. Bach’s masterpiece, and a new spoken re-languaging of the Gospel text that reshapes the work into an exploration of profound human loss and grief, and the promise of hope. This miniature approach to one of the repertoire’s largest works seeks to discover its essential emotional power in a ritual staging aimed at the soul of its audience.

March 6 at 7:30pm
March 7 at 7:30pm
March 8 at 2:30pm

Part of InSeries’ Passion Plays Festival

DescriptionIn religious traditions, passion narratives are about suffering, sacrifice, and transformation, and usually centered around one hero or savior. But Passio is a contemporary concert where the passion story takes a different turn: that of polyphony. We meet survivors, pioneers, and creators who reveal an often unheard story of resilience and transformation, where various classical singing techniques, fortepiano, jazz, blues, South Asian percussion, and baroque strings merge with each other in time and space.

‍

With the direction of soprano Maribeth Diggle and compositions by pianist Lucie de Saint Vincent, created in collaboration with the ensemble, Passio becomes a collective act of voices based on interviews with the musicians of the ensemble themselves. One that makes the passion stories we share with each other visibly more complete. And one that Bach would  have surely loved.

March 13 at 7:30pm
March 14 at 7:30pm
March 15 at 2:30pm

Part of InSeries’ Passion Plays Festival

Persian-American poet and scholar Fatemeh Keshavarz and pianist and composer Adrienne Torf come together to make a new piece of opera-theater that fuses Faure’s Requiem, jazz elements, and Brechtian theatrical traditions in a powerful contemplation of the human experiences contained in “ female incarceration in America”. This extended poem-opera sheds light on the lives and resilience of women in the U.S. prison system, their hopes, dreams, fears, and day to day experiences, offering a voice to a population often overlooked. Six acclaimed local performers join the composer herself, leading an instrumental ensemble from the piano, to animate the important original work.

March 20 at 7:30pm
March 21 at 7:30pm
March 22 at 2:30pm

Part of InSeries’ Passion Plays Festival

Join us for the third installment of Read the Room, a six-part poetry series that turns the Underground into a refuge for urgent truths and literary magic. This opening night features a curated lineup of poets excited and engaged, ready to share, and eager to nurture your love of poetry.​

Poetry here is treated as high-quality art and powerful entertainment — your ticket directly supports the poets through a dedicated revenue share.

Doors: 6:00
Show: 6:30

We are proud to present two distinct yet deeply connected visions of womanhood. From the intricate, wearable storytelling of Dasha Pomeranz to the raw, visceral explorations of Sylvana Burns, the exhibits challenge us to reconsider who the female experience is carried, worn, and perceived.

March 7 opening, free. Normal entry Friday, Saturday, Sundays 11-5, $5.

Dasha Pomeranz: Threads of Migration
A unique fusion of journalism, fashion, and art, The Threads of Migration explores the journeys of immigrant women through the design of skirts.

Threads of Migration is the vision of Dasha Pomeranz, founder of the brand Mrs Pomeranz. As an immigrant herself, Dasha was inspired by the resilience, traditions, and dreams of women she met in the United States. Each skirt is a testament to their courage, blending storytelling with design to create meaningful, wearable art.

Sylvana Burns: Reverberations
Reverberations begins in the quiet tensions of the female body, not just as something that carries the burden of representation, but as something that is heavy in itself. To be female is to feel weight in motion, in posture, in breath, in stillness. The body echoes what it's been told: to shrink, to soften, to stay contained.

Sylvana Burns is a London based Mexican visual artist whose work rotates around the notion of the female body, its representation and sexuality as a form of existence in itself. The work is a constant search in which the artist comes to terms with the burden of being meaning, specifically being meaning as a Woman.

⚠Content Notice and Age Advisory:The exhibition Reverberations by Sylvana Burns contains themes and imagery that some viewers may find sensitive or challenging, including mature themes. Parental and viewer discretion is advised. 

SPECIAL EVENTS & CLOSURES

Opening Day & Gallery Tea: Saturday, March 7.
Free Entry all day. Tea and refreshments served at 2:00 PM.

Sundays March 8, 15, and 22: Closing at 2 pm for matinee opera.

Friday, March 27: Closing 2 pm for Creative Classic event.

Saturday, March 28: The gallery will be CLOSED for a private event.

The Art of Assembly is a fashion show dedicated to elevating fashion culture in the DMV and celebrating diverse expressions of style, while creating meaningful opportunities for emerging and established talent to thrive.

It is a space where pieces move in rhythm and purpose—aligned. A dance of many parts, a whisper, a hum—where the collective becomes what the individual cannot. The Art of Assembly honors the power of unity through creativity.

7 pm to 11 pm

Paint & Debate is a transformative, community-forward event series that merges visual art with critical conversation to spark inclusive dialogue

6:30 - 8:30 PM.

Welcome to Melodies of Migration: Storytelling Through Music, a special event celebrating immigrant musicians and the powerful role music plays in preserving heritage. Through live musical performances, featured artists will share their personal journeys and stories of how they use music to remain connected to their roots, despite now residing in the DMV. Together, we’ll honor resilience, identity, and the universal language of sound. Don’t miss this opportunity to listen, learn, and be moved by stories told through melody.

February 24th, 2026 at 7:00pm (doors open at 6:30pm).

This event is led by KAMA DC, a volunteer-run non-profit that provides a platform for immigrants and refugees living in the DMV area to share their stories and skills. If price is a barrier, please email info@kamadc.org for a complimentary free ticket.

Join us for the second installmentof Read the Room, a six-part poetry series that turns the Underground into a refuge for urgent truths and literary magic. This opening night features a curated lineup of poets excited and engaged, ready to share, and eager to nurture your love of poetry.​

Poetry here is treated as high-quality art and powerful entertainment — your ticket directly supports the poets through a dedicated revenue share.

Doors: 6:00
Show: 6:30

The January opening sold out, so get tickets fast!

Step into the atmospheric depths of Dupont Underground for an intimate, communal performance of Madam Judit. Adapted from the celebrated work of Slovenian writer Ivan Cankar, this monodrama stars NYITA Award-nominated actress Gaja Višnar in a raw exploration of longing, social defiance, and the search for authentic love.

This is not a traditional stage play. Guests are seated together at a shared table, each marked with a personal name card, blurring the line between the audience and Judit’s emotional world. As the story unfolds, you will be served authentic Slovenian wine (or water) at your seat, fully immersing you in the sensory experience of the performance.

Catch one of two peformances on February 13, at 3 and 7 pm. Doors open 30 minutes before the show.

Tickets are limited! Donations are appreciated—pay what you can.

SOLD OUT

Because you can’t resist a broken world with a broken heart, celebrate Valentine’s Day with us at Dupont Underground, the official home of La Pluma Theatre, on February 14.

After 12 years of international success, with productions in Colombia, Mexico, and Spain, LOVEknots, by Victor Salinas, returns to DC following a sold-out first reading at GALA Hispanic Theatre with a renewed cast, featuring Miss Kitty, Irene Hamilton, Cristina Sánchez, Dylan Toms and Sebastián Treviño.

This sharp, dark comedy explores the places where love goes missing, and the absurd, often hilarious ways we keep searching for it.

Doors & bar open: 7:00 PM
Showtime: 8:00 PM (Running time: 90 minutes, no intermission)

Post-show music: LOVEknots DJ
Limited Availabilty! goes here

This series brings together some of the top Black burlesque artists from across the United States for storytelling, sensuality, and cultural reflection.

Get tickets for the opening performance February 6, an artist talk on February 8, and the general exhibition on view at Dupont Underground Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from1 1-5 running February 6-March 1.

The performance on February 6 is 18+. For daytime hours, the exhibition includes mature themes and may not be appropriate for all ages. Parental and viewer discretion is advised for guests under 18.

Presented by Metrocabaret Club.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH BURLESQUE EXHIBITION INFORMATION

Everybody Wants to Be a Showgirl is a Black History Month exhibition celebrating the artistry, cultural impact, and living legacy of Black burlesque performers. Featuring over 100 Black performers from around the world, the exhibition highlights how Black burlesque artists have shaped American performance, fashion, and commercial entertainment—often without institutional recognition.

Through costumes, archival materials, immersive installations, and live programming, the exhibition centers on living artists while honoring the lineage of Black performance traditions that continue to influence culture today.

Dates: February 6-March 1, 2026
EXHIBITION VIEWING HOURS: Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays 11:00 AM-5:00 PM

This exhibition includes mature themes and may not be appropriate for all ages. Parental and viewer discretion is advised for guests under 18.

Feast your eyes, mind, body, and spirit on a night of profoundly absurd tomfoolery.

This alt-comedy night has everything: clown, burlesque, a troll under a bridge, and MORE.

Tickets are getting engaged and eloping off the shelves with eager customers - get yours before they sell out!

Feb 7th, 7:30-9:00pm, doors at 5. $17/ $12 with early bird discount until Jan 15th. (Additional discount if you buy 5 or more tickets at one time!)

Produced by Alliance for New Music-Theater

Buried deep beneath a besieged steel plant in Mariupol, the last surviving member of a Ukrainian military band shelters in the dark, clinging to his trumpet and to memory as the city is crushed above him. In the uniquely immersive environment of Dupont Underground, the bunker becomes the stage, and the audience is placed inside the war zone, surrounded by a site-specific soundscape that testifies to art’s capacity, even amid horror, to inspire hope.​

Critics hail The Trumpeter as a must-see theatrical experience, built around a harrowing wartime story “that no news report can deliver,” with a sound design that “grabs you and absorbs you” long after you leave. Featuring Michael Kevin Darnall and Lise Bruneau, live trumpet by Kevin McKee, and a vocal ensemble of Ukrainian men, this production fuses text, music, and environment into a visceral journey.​

Multiple performances from January 22 through February 1.

Content Advisory: This performance engages directly with the realities of war, including bombardment and siege, and may be triggering for those affected by conflict or related trauma.

See behind the scenes of the Trumpeter and explore photographs from United Help Ukraine and Ukraine House.

Fridays 11-5, Saturdays 11-1:30, and Sundays 11-2:30.

$5 entry, tickets on Eventbrite or at the door.

New Date Added! Catch the 1000 Dreams Portraits one final time on First Friday, January 2 from 6-8 pm. (Free entry)

Our understanding of the refugee experience most often comes from stories told by people who are not refugees, which can lead to incomplete and biased narratives. Refugees (and others experiencing forced migration) are often depicted as either a threat to the host society and their identity, or, helpless victims who must be rescued. These stereotypes create attitudes that affect policies and practices that can have severe negative impacts on the lives of refugees and the societies in which they find themselves. Moreover, these stereotypes don’t take into account the huge diversity of refugee experiences. For the narrative to change, refugee voices must be heard. 1000 Dreams amplifies stories of people experiencing forced migration, allowing others to learn about their strengths, their challenges, and their dreams.

The interviews and photographs that make up “1000 Dreams” have been produced by more than 90 refugees worldwide. Every refugee storyteller has completed a workshop and mentorship program with Witness Change, where they’ve learned photography and interviewing skills. This is a project about refugees, by refugees.

“1000 Dreams” is a project created and run by Witness Change. Read all their stories at 1000dreamsproject.com

The images in this exhibition have been documented in Europe and the United States. This exhibition has been made possible thanks to the support of the Heinrich Boell Foundation

**January 17 is SOLD OUT. Check out the February 11 next installment!!!

Join us for the launch of Read the Room, a six-part poetry series that turns the Underground into a refuge for urgent truths and literary magic. This opening night features a curated lineup of poets excited and engaged, ready to share, and eager to nurture your love of poetry.​

Poetry here is treated as high-quality art and powerful entertainment — your ticket directly supports the poets through a dedicated revenue share.

Produced by Alliance for New Music-Theater

Buried deep beneath a besieged steel plant in Mariupol, the last surviving member of a Ukrainian military band shelters in the dark, clinging to his trumpet and to memory as the city is crushed above him. In the uniquely immersive environment of Dupont Underground, the bunker becomes the stage, and the audience is placed inside the war zone, surrounded by a site-specific soundscape that testifies to art’s capacity, even amid horror, to inspire hope.​

Critics hail The Trumpeter as a must-see theatrical experience, built around a harrowing wartime story “that no news report can deliver,” with a sound design that “grabs you and absorbs you” long after you leave. Featuring Michael Kevin Darnall and Lise Bruneau, live trumpet by Kevin McKee, and a vocal ensemble of Ukrainian men, this production fuses text, music, and environment into a visceral journey.​

Multiple performances from January 22 through February 1.

Content Advisory: This performance engages directly with the realities of war, including bombardment and siege, and may be triggering for those affected by conflict or related trauma.

The Pulse tragedy unites two lives. THE SWALLOW in English or Spanish.

La tragedia de Pulse une dos vidas. La Golondrina en Inglés o Español

THE SWALLOW (La Golondrina)

By Guillem Clua
Directed by Reynolds Robledo

Our understanding of the refugee experience most often comes from stories told by people who are not refugees, which can lead to incomplete and biased narratives. Refugees (and others experiencing forced migration) are often depicted as either a threat to the host society and their identity, or, helpless victims who must be rescued. These stereotypes create attitudes that affect policies and practices that can have severe negative impacts on the lives of refugees and the societies in which they find themselves. Moreover, these stereotypes don’t take into account the huge diversity of refugee experiences. For the narrative to change, refugee voices must be heard. 1000 Dreams amplifies stories of people experiencing forced migration, allowing others to learn about their strengths, their challenges, and their dreams.

The interviews and photographs that make up “1000 Dreams” have been produced by more than 90 refugees worldwide. Every refugee storyteller has completed a workshop and mentorship program with Witness Change, where they’ve learned photography and interviewing skills. This is a project about refugees, by refugees.

“1000 Dreams” is a project created and run by Witness Change. Read all their stories at 1000dreamsproject.com

The images in this exhibition have been documented in Europe and the United States. This exhibition has been made possible thanks to the support of the Heinrich Boell Foundation

Join us for two nights celebrating Ibero-American short films! Presented by AACIA, this series features short films from across Latin America, Spain, and Portugal — showcasing the diversity of the region.

Featured Countries:
• Nov 18: Brazil, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, Chile, Ecuador, and Dominican Repúblic 
• Nov 19: Argentina, Cuba, Spain, Mexico, Colombia

 RSVP here: Humanitix Link
Don’t miss this cinematic journey through Ibero-America! 

6:00 p.m.

In their series of ever evolving and constantly moving shows, Cupboard’s Cabaret aims to foster the budding clown and alt-comedy community in DC. The Cabaret highlights performers who have previously honed their act, whether at Fringe Festivals, prestigious French clown colleges, or right here in DC. The night continues with a free open mic, Cupboard’s Laboratory, where anyone can sign up to try out a clown idea in front of a live audience, and things get increasingly weird and experimental.

November 21st will feature Griefcat, Eva Lewis and Chizo Nwagwu, and Mother's Pouch.

Cupboard's Cabaret is created and produced by Nora Dell and Carly Kraybill. 

You can reach us at cupboardscabaret@gmail.com or on instagram @cupboardscabaret

Show at 7:30 pm

Not for the individual, la rumba is the expression of the collective. It is the voice of the people, the rhythm of the barrio, the sound of heritage preserved through song and dance.

DJ Pedro Night and salsa band Orquesta Manplesa present Rumba in DC: live salsa remixed for the first time ever.The Prime Minister of Adobo and the District’s youngest salsa band unite onstage for a hybrid live/DJ performance. Expect traditional guaguancó rhythms to mix with funk, reggaeton, and hip-hop. Hear congas & campanas meet 808s and synthesizers.

$21 (SOLD OUT!)

Taking Heart: DC Writers on Courage

By Writers for Democratic Action: DC+MD Chapter in partnership with Dupont Underground

At a time when courage is as necessary as it is scarce in our shared political life, Writers for Democratic Action invites members of the public to attend an afternoon of literary readings on the theme of courage.

On Sunday, November 16, from 2 to 3.30, several DC area writers -- Olga Grushin, Leeya Meyta, Marina Omar, and Hong Quynh Vo, among others -- will present a rich diversity of translations, poetry, essays, and fiction in DuPont Underground's performance space.

This free event is in partnership with Dupont Underground.

Join us for a remarkable evening as we launch La Pluma Theatre, Dupont Underground's resident company devoted to transforming human stories into shared experiences. In the daring and evocative atmosphere of DU, we take you beneath the city streets, to the place where truth shines and where art dares to speak freely.

Here, theatre becomes a sanctuary: a platform for healing, celebration, and community-building. A stage where every performance becomes a ritual of liberation, a declaration of resistance, a spark of rebirth.

7:30pm – 9:30pm

Music: DJ Olivares
Performance: Mari Con Carne

Picnic Theatre Company's comedy thriller, Invasion of the Body Snatchers - a parody sequel to the 1950s and 1970s sci-fi thriller classic! 

Set in the near future, people around the world are suddenly possessed by a mysterious presence. Can governments, scientists, universities and military operatives win the race to save humankind before it is too late?

6pm cocktails
7pm performance (90 minutes)

$20 - all proceeds support Dupont Underground

October 18: GRAND OPENING: kung fu demos, lion & dragon dancing, and more!

Extended hours at DU: Open Sunday and weekdays (Sunday through Thursday) from 11:00am - 5:00pm

Fridays and Saturdays will be open from 11:00am - 10:00pm

(Closed October 31)

Since 1995, Hung Tao Choy Mei Leadership Institute has brought martial arts, African drumming, traditional Chinese Lion and Dragon Dance, and Chinese musical instruments to Washington, DC.

Learn more about HTCMLI at jowga.org.

Classical musicians performing music from your favorite video games, movies, and cartoons! Doors open at 7:30 pm

From 2-4 come dance! All ages welcome—wear your costumes if you have them!

🎃ALL ABOARD! HERE COMES THE SPOOKY TRAIN 🎃

The annual Fantom Comics Halloween party will take place in Dupont Underground !!
19 Dupont Cir NW, Washington, DC 20036

LIVE SETS by CLEAR CHANNEL & SAD ROACH!
DJ BAST will be spinning all night!

Video games with SakuraSkirmish and animations from District Motion Graphics and much much more! 5 pm to midnight.

Open and free to the public 6-9 pm, we will host an artist gathering and arts exchange during the Dupont Circle First Friday. Join us for two artists panels from 7-8 pm!

Inclusive conversation on political, social, & pop cultural issues. 6-8 pm on Saturday, October 11.

October 18: GRAND OPENING: kung fu demos, lion & dragon dancing, and more!

Extended hours at DU: Open Sunday and weekdays (Sunday through Thursday) from 11:00am - 5:00pm

Fridays and Saturdays will be open from 11:00am - 10:00pm

(Closed October 31)

Since 1995, Hung Tao Choy Mei Leadership Institute has brought martial arts, African drumming, traditional Chinese Lion and Dragon Dance, and Chinese musical instruments to Washington, DC.

Learn more about HTCMLI at jowga.org.

Counterpoint Concerts opens its 2025–26 season with a tribute to Maurice Ravel in honor of the 150th anniversary of his birth, featuring his most evocative solo piano works.

DOORS & BAR CART OPEN AT 1:30 PM PERFORMANCE: 2:00 PM – 3:20 PM (NO INTERMISSION)

See below for October events.

Join DMV Music Alliance, featuring Suspicious Package with local bands Running Late and Durty Neil at Dupont Underground for a one night festival to support local music and arts in DC!

Season Opener for Counterpoint Concerts. Ravel’s haunting visions come to life through live animation.

See DC through an artists lens. Videography and photography by locals.

(The exhbition will be closed for a private event Friday, September 26 from 2-5 pm and all day Saturday, September 27.)

On View through October 5. Exhibition Page.

7:00 PM - Doors open - ALT-DC: Videos + Stills 
8:30 - 10:30 PM - Chicha Morada - DC's Psychedelic Cumbia Band
11:00 PM - Closing

Dupont Underground joins Art All Night with the exciting sounds of Chicha Morada, a Washington, DC-based band that fuses rock 'n' roll with the soulful rhythms of Peruvian chicha and cumbia.

DANCING is RESISTING!

A Tintas DC Showcase, a celebration of Latine voices from across the DC metro area, highlighting the richness and diversity of the Latine experience through poetry, storytelling, music & performance