{{Short description|Theater company in Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.}} {{About|the theatre company in Maryland|the theatre in Brisbane, Australia|Roundhouse Theatre|the performing arts venue in London|Roundhouse (venue)}} {{Use American English|date=September 2025}} {{Infobox theatre group | bgcolour = | name = Round House Theatre | image = Round House Theatre building Bethesda MD 2025-04-08 15-47-04.jpg | logo = Round-House-Theatre-color-logo-small.png | caption = Theatre building on East-West Hwy | formed = {{start date and age|1978}} | location = 4545 East-West Highway, Bethesda, MD | disbanded = | artistic_director = Ryan Rilette | notable = [[Ed Zakreski]], Managing Director | website={{URL|https://www.roundhousetheatre.org}} }} {{advert|date=March 2017}}'''Round House Theatre''' is an American professional theater company located in [[Bethesda, Maryland]]. Founded in 1978, it operates as a [[501(c)(3)]] nonprofit organization. The theater produces contemporary plays and classic works, with a focus on American playwrights.
==History== Round House began in 1970 as “Street ’70”, a program by the [[Montgomery County, Maryland|Montgomery County]] Department of Recreation that provided educational outreach in the schools and performances throughout the county. In 1977, the company moved to the Round House Theatre, located in the former Bushey Drive Elementary School in Silver Spring, MD.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Reinink |first=Amy |date=2016-08-03 |title=Since You Asked: How Did Round House Theatre Get Its Name? |url=https://moco360.media/2016/08/03/since-you-asked-how-did-round-house-theatre-get-its-name/ |access-date=2024-11-25 |website=MoCo360 |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2002 the theater moved to a brand new facility in downtown Bethesda, which was a significant upgrade.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pressley |first=Nelson |date=1 June 2022 |title=Round House, Reshaping Its Future |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/style/2002/06/02/round-house-reshaping-its-future/0c9f4efc-c9ca-4fe1-9280-add3745a5bfc/ |access-date=25 November 2024 |website=The Washington Post}}</ref>
In 1982, the company was incorporated as a nonprofit under the name "Round House". The company remained a part of the County’s Department of Recreation until 1993, when it became a separate and independent professional theater group.<ref>Rose, Lloyd. "In Round House's Corner; The Director With An Actor's Instincts", ''The Washington Post'', May 3, 1998, p. G1</ref>
==About== Round House presents a combination of modern classics, new plays, and musicals for approximately 55,000 guests each year.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Handbagged |url=https://www.59e59.org/shows/show-detail/handbagged/ |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=59e59.org}}</ref> Round House has been nominated for 231 Helen Hayes Awards and has won 52.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nominees & Recipients Database |url=https://theatrewashington.org/helenhayesawards/nominees-recipients |access-date=2025-06-19 |website=TheatreWashington |language=en}}</ref> Round House has also been honored for four consecutive years with the 50/50 Applause Award from the International Center for Women Playwrights.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.womenplaywrights.org/award|title=International Centre for Women Playwrights - 2017 Award|website=www.womenplaywrights.org|access-date=2017-09-29}}</ref>
Round House’s educational programs serve more than 3,000 students at its Education Center in Silver Spring and other schools in Montgomery County. These programs include theatre classes for adults and youth, summer programs for grades K–12, and a teen performance company run by high school students. Round House also organizes Free Play, a program that allows teenagers and college students to attend theatre shows for free.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.roundhousetheatre.org/education/|title=Round House Theatre Education|last=|first=|date=September 29, 2017|website=Round House Theatre|archive-url=|archivedate=|accessdate=September 29, 2017}}</ref>
Round House is a member of the [[League of Resident Theatres]] (LORT) and the [[League of Washington Theatres]] (LOWT). The theatre is a [[501(c)(3) organization|501(c)3]] not-for-profit organization, with major support from Montgomery County, the [https://www.msac.org/ Maryland State Arts Council], and the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County.
==Productions==
=== 2025-26 season ===
* [[The Inheritance (play)|''The Inheritance, Parts One and Two'']] by [[Matthew López (writer)|Matthew López]] * [[Rules for Living (play)|''Rules for Living'' by Sam Holcroft]] * ''Nothing Up My Sleeve'' by [[Aaron Posner]] and Dendy * ''Sally & Tom'' by [[Suzan-Lori Parks]]
=== 2024-25 season ===
* ''Sojourners'' by [[Mfoniso Udofia]] * ''A Hannukah Carol, or GELT TRIP! The Musical'' by Aaron Kenny, Rob Berliner, and Harrison Bryan * ''[[What the Constitution Means to Me]]'' by [[Heidi Schreck]] * ''Bad Books'' by Sharon Rothstein * [[King James (play)|''King James'']] by [[Rajiv Joseph]]
=== 2018-19 season ===
* ''Small Mouth Sounds'' by Bess Wohl * ''[[How I Learned to Drive]]'' by [[Paula Vogel]] * ''[[Gem of the Ocean]]'' by [[August Wilson]] * ''[[Oslo (play)|Oslo]]'' by [[J. T. Rogers|J.T. Rogers]] * ''[[A Doll's House, Part 2]]'' by Lucas Hnath
=== 2017-2018 season ===
* ''[[In the Heights|In The Heights]]'' by [[Lin-Manuel Miranda]] and [[Quiara Alegría Hudes]], Co-Production with [[Olney Theatre Center]] * ''I'll Get You Back Again'' by [[Sarah Gancher]] * ''The Book of Will'' by [[Lauren Gunderson]] * ''[[Handbagged]]'' by [[Moira Buffini]], part of the [[Women's Voices Theater Festival (Washington D.C.)|Women's Voices Theater Festival]] * ''[["Master Harold"...and the Boys|"Master Harold" ...and the Boys]]'' by [[Athol Fugard]] * ''[[The Legend of Georgia McBride]]'' by [[Matthew López (writer)|Matthew López]]
=== 2016-2017 season === * ''[[Angels in America]] Part I: Millennium Approaches'' by [[Tony Kushner]], Co-Production with [[Olney Theatre Center]] * ''[[Angels in America]] Part II: Perestroika'' by [[Tony Kushner]], Co-Production with [[Olney Theatre Center]] * ''Miss Bennet: Christmas'' at Pemberley by [[Lauren Gunderson]] and Margot Melcon * ''[[Caroline, or Change]]'' by [[Tony Kushner]] and [[Jeanine Tesori]] * ''Or'', by [[Liz Duffy Adams]] * ''How I Learned What I Learned'' by [[August Wilson]], co-conceived by Todd Kreidler
=== 2015-2016 season ===
* ''Ironbound'' by Martyna Majok, part of the [[Women's Voices Theater Festival (Washington D.C.)|Women's Voices Theater Festival]] * ''The Night Alive'' by [[Conor McPherson]] * ''Stage Kiss'' by [[Sarah Ruhl]] * ''Father Comes Home from the Wars (Parts 1, 2 & 3)'' by [[Suzan-Lori Parks]] * ''[[Cat on a Hot Tin Roof]]'' by [[Tennessee Williams]] * ''The Who & The What'' by [[Ayad Akhtar]]
=== 2014-2015 season ===
* ''Fool for Love'' by [[Sam Shepard]] * ''Fetch Clay, Make Man'' by [[Will Power]] * ''The Nutcracker'' by Tommy Rapley, Jake Minton, Phillip Klapperich, and Kevin O’Donnell * ''Rapture, Blister, Burn'' by [[Gina Gionfriddo]] * ''[[Uncle Vanya]]'' by [[Anton Chekhov]], new version by [[Annie Baker]] * ''NSFW'' by [[Lucy Kirkwood]]
==See also== {{Portal|Theatre}} * [[Helen Hayes Award]]
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.roundhousetheatre.org/ Official Website]
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[[Category:1978 establishments in Maryland]] [[Category:Theatre companies in Maryland]] [[Category:Regional theatre in the United States]] [[Category:League of Resident Theatres]] [[Category:Members of the Cultural Alliance of Greater Washington]] [[Category:League of Washington Theatres]] [[Category:Theatre company production histories]] [[Category:Tourist attractions in Montgomery County, Maryland]] [[Category:Buildings and structures in Bethesda, Maryland]] [[Category:Buildings and structures in Silver Spring, Maryland]] [[Category:Arts organizations established in 1978]]