D.C.'s new arts playground brings theater, movies and opera to Southwest
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
A new arts playground opens Friday in Southwest D.C., bringing theater, opera, indie films and a cocktail bar under one roof.
Why it matters: The Revada Arts Center is betting that sharing costs, audiences and resources can help local arts organizations thrive — while making D.C.'s cultural scene more adventurous.
The big picture: Three organizations will jointly run the 9,000-square-foot center a few blocks from Arena Stage: longtime local company Theater Alliance, experimental opera company IN Series and newcomer 4EYE Film Center.
- The space features a 140-seat black box theater, a 58-seat cinema — Southwest's only movie theater — rehearsal facilities and a cafe-bar serving coffee, light bites and boozy bevs.
Behind the scenes: Unlike traditional arts centers that rent space to independent companies, Revada's three founding organizations share leadership, equipment and financial responsibility.
- Theater Alliance executive artistic director Shanara Gabrielle says the partnership isn't born of desperation but of a belief that the partners can accomplish more together.
- The setup could spark creative mashups, including Theater Alliance's upcoming all-Black reimagining of Sam Shepard's "Fool for Love," paired with films exploring Black cowboy culture.
What they're saying: "You can come any day of the year and walk in, and you don't know what kind of art you're going to get," Gabrielle tells Axios.
- Visitors might catch a play one night, comedy the next or an opera concert paired with a film — then linger over drinks.
Flashback: Revada grew out of an unlikely comeback. Theater Alliance lost its longtime home at Anacostia Playhouse in 2024.
- The company transformed a vacant Southwest retail space with little electricity and no running water into a makeshift theater.
- After a successful pop-up season, it secured a long-term lease and raised money to build a permanent arts center.
Full circle: 4EYE founder Emily Lenzner previously led an unsuccessful effort to revive Cleveland Park's beloved Uptown Theater, which remains dark. Now she's opening a nonprofit cinema of her own.
- Its first series, "Made in DC," features films shot around town, including "The Exorcist," "All the President's Men" and "No Way Out."
Zoom out: Revada opens as D.C.'s performing arts scene faces upheaval, from the Kennedy Center's closure to the loss of smaller venues, including 14th Street's Source Theatre.
- Gabrielle says the region was already short on affordable arts space. "We hope we're filling a need," she says.
What's next: Theater Alliance opens its season in November with the regional premiere of "Cold War Choir Practice."
- IN Series is planning a season exploring resistance to tyranny, while the center's cafe will host public co-working and artist networking days.
Go deeper: Revada's opening festivities kick off Friday with a noon ribbon-cutting. Saturday brings family-friendly workshops from noon to 2pm and an open house with behind-the-scenes tours from 2-4pm.