About this Organization
An established cultural institution in the greater Washington area for 40 years, Washington Revels is dedicated to reviving, sustaining, expanding, and celebrating cultural traditions — in music, dance, storytelling, and drama — that bind people together in spirit and joy.
… A seasonal gift to the community in song, dance, magic, foolery and tradition — The Washington Post
Staged or informal, large or small, Revels celebrations involve adults and children of all ages, mixing professionals and nonprofessionals. Audience participation is a hallmark: singing, dancing or becoming part of the drama, Revels audiences are always an integral part of the productions. Whether participating in a Revels celebration from the audience or stage, people invariably leave with smiles on their faces and joy in their hearts.
Annual events include the professionally staged and directed Christmas Revels at Lisner Auditorium (drawing over 10,000 attendees each December), Juneteenth Jubilee, plus Community Sings, Parades and more. Venues for these and many other productions range from outdoor parks to a 1500-seat theater.
Washington Revels is an active participant in the broader community. In the past, we have partnered with the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institution’s Discovery Theater, adapting materials from three of its Christmas Revels productions into multi-media programs seen by over 7000 school children.
Our annual Outreach Performance reaches more than 1,200 students, seniors, and others who would not otherwise have the opportunity to experience the joy of a Christmas Revels.
Under our Community Initiative, Washington Revels partnered with school, church and neighborhood groups to produce Revels-style community theater, providing production and directorial support while engaging the people of the partner communities as performers and as part of the production team.
