Shear Madness is the interactive comedy whodunit that lets the audience solve the crime! Set in present-day Georgetown, Shear Madness engages locals and visitors alike as armchair detectives to help solve the scissor-stabbing murder of a famed concert pianist who lives above the Shear Madness unisex hairstyling salon. The show combines up-to-the-minute improvisational humor and a mixture of audience sleuthing to deliver a unique performance each night. With more than 13,500 performances at the Kennedy Center, Shear Madness is the second longest-running play in the history of American Theater. Performance Timing: 2 hours, with one intermission.

A reluctant historian is thrown out of her element when her acclaimed book about the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 is optioned by a larger-than-life Hollywood mogul with a track record for making smash-hit TV shows. The professional bleeds into the personal when she finds herself weighing the historical facts against her own awakening ambitions. In a hilarious workplace comedy with teeth, tensions rise and deals are made and broken.

Vocalist Hazel Mitchell-Bell is one of Washington, D.C.'s first ladies of jazz. Following her highly praised 2018 recording, Stronger Than Ever, she released Sack Full of Dreams in May 2021. She appears on festival, concert and club stages, enjoying one sellout after another. Working closely with pianist and Music Director Vince Evans, she performs and records with orchestras, big bands and smaller ensembles, stoking the fires of the D.C. jazz scene. The two have worked together since 2016. Stronger Than Ever features standards from the Great American Songbook and R&B hits backed by an 11-piece orchestra. The indie album enjoyed 12 weeks on the Roots Music Report Top 50 Jazz Chart, peaking at #12. Robert Rusch of Cadence Magazine calls her voice: “fresh and compelling and gripping.” Jim Hynes of Making a Scene calls her “one of the most impressive vocalists to enter this incredibly competitive arena of jazz vocalists.” Sack Full of Dreams reflects a heightened level of artistry and broadening of repertoire for Mitchell-Bell, whose influences include Nancy Wilson, Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughn and Phyllis Hyman. The 12 tracks feature her interpretations of jazz, blues and R&B favorites made famous by such artists as Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin and Luther Vandross and also include tunes from Broadway repertoire. The stunning songstress has performed at Blues Alley and other top clubs in the nation’s capital as well as the Kennedy Center, Montpelier Art Center, Keystone Korner, Preservation Jazz Festival, Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival, Panama Jazz Festival and Sheldon Cultural Center in St. Louis. She has thrilled standing room only audiences at D.C.’s City Winery and received standing ovations at such spots as the Cafe Mezzanotte, Keystone Korner, D.C. City Winery and Westminster Jazz Night series.

BREAK FREE: Tanya is a Black mother determined to break her son, Eric, out of death row — or die trying. She’ll need guns, to get her hair done, and to f*ck some people up. As time ticks towards the fateful date of Eric’s execution (and birthday), the play explodes into a collision of the hilarious and tragic. In this world premiere, playwright Dave Harris harnesses the storytelling techniques of comic books and video games to explore the complexities of generational trauma and daring heroism with his singular, satirical style. ASL INTERPRETED PERFORMANCES Thursday, June 8th, 8pm Sunday, June 18th, 2pm AUDIO DESCRIBED PERFORMANCES Saturday, June 10th, 3pm Saturday, June 17th, 3pm OPEN CAPTIONED PERFORMANCES Wednesday, June 14th, 8pm Thursday, June 15th, 8pm PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING OFF-SALE DATES Monday, May 29th and Tuesday, May 30th are Pay What You Will Performances (PWYW); PWYW will be available for purchase ONE WEEK before the performance Saturday June 3rd is OPENING NIGHT – Currently Sold Out, invite only Incendiary and Dave Harris are recipients of a Venturous Playwright Fellowship supported by Venturous Theater Fund. The Fellowship was created with the Lark Theatre and is now in partnership with the Playwrights’ Center. This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts

‘Don’t be afraid of that floor, hammer it!’ Solas Nua, with Fishamble: The New Play Company, presents the award-winning The Humours of Bandon this summer. On the eve of the Irish Open championship, we meet Annie, a 16-year-old Dubliner, as she charts us through the various successes and disappointments of her Irish Dancing life. We share her mind-numbing commitment and burning desire to win the Irish Open title. Will she win and, if so, in what way? From the confines of every parochial hall in Ireland, Irish Dancing champions are churned out at a massive rate. Medals and cups build up in drawing rooms and Riverdance swells a national pride, but the public aren’t privy to the blood, sweat, and tears that pave the way to the first-place podium. The Humours of Bandon is a coming-of-age story, full of heart, humor, and wisdom, for anyone who had a childhood passion that threatened to overwhelm their life.

ONE IN TWO BY DONJA R. LOVE DIRECTED BY RAYMOND O. CALDWELL Three Black queer men sit in an ethereal waiting room inviting audiences to join them in a whimsical theatrical experiment that is equal parts harrowing, hilarious, and hopeful. Inspired by his own HIV diagnosis and the resilience of the LGBTQ+ community, award-winning playwright Donja R. Love shines an honest light on the people behind the statistics in this “defiantly life-embracing” (The New York Times) new play. In the spirit of welcome, Mosaic is proud to remove financial barriers to our work by offering a lower cost option via the "Economy" ticket. Please choose the ticket pricing option which best suits your financial capability. If you are able to pay the full amount for a ticket the financial support is deeply needed and appreciated.

In 1992, the godfather of go-go, DC legend Chuck Brown, and a then unknown Maryland singer named Eva Cassidy created an album of music from the Great American Songbook called “The Other Side.” With CHUCK AND EVA, IN Series arrives at a new way of celebrating a story of DC music that is alive and well today. This concert experience brings that legendary album to life with a group of arts from DC and Baltimore's thriving jazz and new music scene. Led by jazz pianist and composer Janelle Gill (Desdemona), IN Series favorites Greg Watkins and Melissa Wimbish will lead an ensemble of jazz greats from around the region, including some that played with Chuck Brown himself. This show is a rare opportunity to delve deep and dreamily into a musical experience the likes of which only homegrown talent past and present could imagine.Limited performances will take place at the historic True Reformer Building, in the room where Duke Ellington gave his first public performances ever. In addition to the shows along DC's famed Black Broadway, we will present CHUCK AND EVA at Baltimore Theatre Project, the historic home for all that's new and cool in Charm City. This production is sponsored in part by a generous donation from Shannon R. Mouton

Louis Sedell Hayes was born May 31, 1937 in Detroit Michigan. He was always surrounded by music, actually first starting with the piano, before his father gave him a set of drums at age 10. A cousin noticed his talent, took him under his wing and made sure that his approach to the instrument would serve him well. And well it did, for after developing his skills in the fertile musical ground of Detroit in the 1950's with the likes of Yusef Lateef, Kenny Burrell, Doug Watkins and others, Louis found himself at the tender age of 18 in New York as a member of the great Horace Silver Quintet. His first recording with Horace, the classic Six Pieces Of Silver would introduce him to the jazz world as a new force to be acknowledged. Louis continued to enhance his reputation with Horace from 1956 until 1959 when he joined Cannonball Adderley wherehe propelled the quintet to joyous musical heights and timeless recordings through 1965. He joined piano master Oscar Peterson from 1965­67 during which time he and bassist Sam Jones became known as the "dynamic duo", recognized as the most powerful rhythm duo in jazz. Louis would rejoin Oscar in 1971 for a year. For the next decade or more he became leader or co­leader of a series of electrifying groups which included musicians such as Freddie Hubbard, Kenny Barron, Junior Cooke, Woody Shaw and Dexter Gordon. Louis also spent several years touring with McCoy Tyner. The Louis Hayes Group with Herald Mabern and Frank Strozier culminated four years of artistry with the album; Variety Is The Spice which received five stars, truly an accomplishment during a period when his style of hard driving, "bebop" was less preferred. In 2002 he formed and led the Cannonball Adderley Legacy Band and produced 3 successful CDs: Dreaming of Cannon, Maximum Fire Power, and Louis Hayes and The Cannonball Adderley Legacy Band. Band members were Vincent Herring, Jeremy Pelt and bass players Vincent Archer, Richie Goods and Dezron Douglas at various times. Louis has played and recorded with jazz greats such as John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, J J Johnson, Sonny Rollins, Jackie McLean, Wes Montgomery, Joe Henderson, Cedar Walton, George Benson as well as Ravi Shankar, John Lee Hooker and others. Recent engagements of note would include The Kennedy Center for the Arts, The JVC Jazz Festival, The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, and the Chivas Jazz Festival in Brazil. His latest release is Exactly Right, Savant Records.

We are excited to bring DanceAfrica DC Festival performances back to our Cafritz Foundation Theater with a DanceAfrica DC Fete! Come and celebrate! Photo Credit: Jay Williams

IMPRESSIONS is composed of five entrancing dance works inspired by memory, nature, and imagination. This evening-length performance features a diverse repertoire from Artistic Director and Founder Diana Movius, Ballet Master, Alvaro Palau, and in-house company member, Elizabeth Watson. Each piece showcases the athleticism and talent of the DC-based professional ballet company. This performance leads audience members on an ethereal journey into movement and artistic expression. Join us after Friday evening’s performance from 8:30 to 10:00pm for a reception with the Artistic Director and dancers! The reception includes remarks from Diana Movius, Founder and Artistic Director of Dance Loft, as well as complimentary hors d’oeuvres, desserts, wine and beer.

DC's Songbird Lori Williams comes home for two nights of jazzy musical vibes! Described by President Joseph R. Biden as “the voice of an angel...absolutely amazing.” Acclaimed international Jazz vocalist Lori Williams has a most impressive resume as a performing artist, music educator, songwriter, producer, musical theater actress, radio host, business owner (PositiveMusicPM.org), and artist-in-residence with over 30 years of experience. Her annual vocal jazz tour and performance at music festivals have taken her to Europe (Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Slovenia, Russia, Switzerland, Czech Republic, and Ukraine), Japan, British Virgin Islands, and across the USA. Her vocal jazz artist residencies have allowed her to work with and mentor students on college campuses in the United States and abroad. As a veteran vocal music educator and private vocal coach, Lori's received many honors for her contributions to the arts, including The Atlanta Chapter of the National Hampton Alumni Association’s 2023 Excellence in Arts and Entertainment Award, Outstanding Music Teacher in the October 2000 issue of Teaching Music, the 2007 Superintendent's Arts Teacher of the Year, and the 2010 Vincent E. Reed Teacher of the Year. Lori was nominated for a 2014 Helen Hayes Award as an Outstanding Lead Actress in a Resident Musical for her role as Ella Fitzgerald. Lori has received letters of recognition for her performances by President Joseph Biden, Speaker of the House John Boehner, and Senator C. Anthony Muse. Immersed in traditional jazz from an early age and earning a B.A. in Mass Media Arts from Hampton University, she hosts a weekly radio program on JazzRadioWETF.org - "Collector's Choice With Lori Williams". Her weekly broadcast focuses on women in jazz, the international scene and young performers dedicated to the roots and traditions of the music. Lori is also the producer and host of Sunday Jazz Lounge at St. James Live! Jazz club in Atlanta, Georgia (stjamesliveatl.com). For over three decades, Lori Williams has had the honor of working with many notable artists as lead / background / studio session / guest vocalist including Oleta Adams, Yolanda Adams, Regina Belle, Eric Benet, The Blackbyrds, Karen Briggs, Norman Brown, Tom Browne, Peabo Bryson, Chuck Brown, Jerry Butler, Jonathan Butler, Paul Carr, Terri Lyne Carrington, TC Carson, Gene Chandler, Renato Chicco, Stanley Clarke, Nick Colionne, Collaboration, Michael Colyar, Adrian Crutchfield, Chris "Big Dog" Davis, John Davis, John Di Martino, Will Downing, George Duke, Nathan East, Kevon Edmonds Derrick Gardner, James Genus, Jazmin Ghent, Savion Glover, Chelsey Green, Slide Hampton, Winard Harper, Christian Havel, Walter Hawkins, Howard Hewett, Dr. W. Weldon Hill, Tony Hightower, Corcoran Holt, William Hubbard, Daryl Hunt, Jessy J, Al Johnson, Allyn Johnson, Marcus Johnson, Stanley Jordan, Kindred the Family Soul, Ben E. King, James King, Anatoliy Kirnichnyy, Saltman Knowles Group, Rayshun LaMarr, Lavahi, Dee Lucas, Timmy Maia, Alex Malheiros, Jimmy Masters, Maysa Leak, Daniel McClain, Frank McComb, Marion Meadows, Najee, Jimmy Masters, Nathan Mitchell, Ed Neumeister, Milan Nikolic, Julia Nixon, Daniel Nösig, Antonio Parker, Phil Perry, Robert E. Person, Anne Phillips, Benjie Porecki, Lloyd Price, Chuck Redd, Althea Rene, Gino Rosaria, Ellie Saitoh and The Love Tambourines, Sylver Logan Sharp, Art Sherrod, Erwin Schmidt, Dick Smith, John Toomey, Tony Terry, Unit 3 Deep, Gerald Veasley, Chris Walker, Kevin Walker, Kim Waters, Anthony Wellington, Matthew Whitaker, Roz White, Bernhard Wiesinger, Vesta Williams, Larry M. Wilson, Angela Winbush, Sherry Winston, Frederic Yonnet, et.al.

Corcoran Holt presents the New York vibraphonist with a top-flight quartet.