Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

An absolute gem of a theater. Well designed & comfortable. Offers creative performances.at reasonable pricing. We ( 4 of us) just saw ho ho ho ha ha ha...which was creative, funny, engaging, reflective. The 4 of us ( 2 who are 40 and 2 who are in their 60's) absolutely loved the performance. Highly recommend the performance and the theater.

Seats down below, standing room up top. Relaxed atmosphere, easy parking, went for the Hip-Hop Honors. Kwame, Kid n Play, Dana Dane, Sweet T, Jungle Brothers and Red Alert.

Beautiful and very flexible presentation space. Can't speak from performers ' view. Every performance has been, transformative is too strong, but I left with different notions from when I entered. Back to the space for guests. Lots of that, though restrooms are "politely discreet". Places to sit, places to gather and mingle, plus, adult beverage is available. Atrium entrance and lobby, very airy. Every review asks for info about parking. It exists. Plan ahead. Parking karma is available, Just be calm and practice attentive meditation when finding a place for the car that owns you.

A nice venue for theatre. For a reasonable price they have what they are calling a "golden ticket". One can use it to see any show, anytime, as often as you would like. Check out their events to see if they have something you might like to see. Included photos to show how nice the venue is.

Small space theater. Line of sight to stage from every seat. Interesting, imaginative productions that stimulate the mind and/imagination. Located in the heart of downtown DC.

I've bought 4 theater tickets in 3 months for 2 shows. It's a great size theater... intimate and cozy but roomy. Only one time I've come into you theater that it smelled a little musty.

Terrific intimate theater, choices usually off the beaten path, excellent production values, topnotch acting, always thought-provoking AND entertaining.

Love this venue! Diverse, interesting shows, great facility, parking is ok for dc depending on the time you go

If you have time and interest in a show at this theatre, I would definitely recommend coming here! My friends and I went to see second city's dance like there's black people watching, which was so much fun and can't wait to see them again! The theatre was very comfortable with a good temperature, good seats and clean space. The main glitch happened when we got into the venue and tried to get our tickets. We had seats in the l row although they didn't have us and we had to go to the ticket buying line, which took quite a bit of time. They said we owed 44 dollars, which was strange and made no sense since we already paid. We did eventually get seated although, just make sure you come ahead of time (15 minutes) to ensure you get seated on time and don't run into any issues.

I have seen two shows here and the recent one was Sensational Sea MInkettes. It was a great performance and the slightly compact nature of the auditorium created an intimate atmosphere! The availability of PWYW tickets also helps make productions accessible to students and/or others.

I like this theater space in downtown DC! I bought a chair in the regular section and it was slightly too high off the ground to be comfortable. The shows are great and very innovative and weird in the best way!

I saw a performance of The Sensational Sea-Minkettes here. I really enjoyed the intimate setting of this theater and the innovative, unique, and engaging performance. I will add this theatre to my list of venues and look out for other performances. The venue itself is very clean, well lit, modern, and a treat for your eyes even before the show starts. There is a concession area with alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages, and assorted lounge areas. Very instagramable if you care. I highly recommend!

I received an email telling me about discount parking for 16 at Clara Barton Parking Garage. At the theatre, I was told that today Woolly cancelled their agreemen. I was given no notice. Shame on you Woolly for not giving me notice.

Woolly Mammoth is always staging really innovative work and is unlike a lot of other professional theater companies in DC. I loved that I got to see A Strange Loop there before it transferred to Broadway, and have been really moved by other shows like Just For Us, the Nosebleed, Kiss, etc. and have loved when they've brought in improvisers from UCB. I do have a few complaints, largely about their box office. The box office staff is difficult to get ahold of. Even if you call or email during their stated hours, you might not hear back from them for a few days (even if your show is in that timeframe). Most recently I called because I realized my order for The Nosebleed wasn't in their system and I wanted to figure out what happened. Luckily, I ended up buying another set of tickets because I didn't hear back from them for five hours, just before I left for the show that night. They promised to look into what happened but I assume I won't hear back from them. The box office staff has helped me out in the past, like when I was exhibiting COVID symptoms and needed to change performance dates, but lost out on the early bird discount code; they upgraded my seats to make up for the difference in price. The chairs on the sides and in the back are not very comfortable if you have a wider body, but the main chairs in the lower section tend to be better. I like that their main bathrooms are now gender neutral. I wish that their shows had longer runs! They don't tend to stick around for long as it's one theater, but by the time you hear about the show it's gone!

I had been outside WMTC many times over the years, but had never seen a show here. I was excited to explore a new DC theatre in such a brilliant show as "A Strange Loop" (which by the way, no words... so good...) The theatre itself is on the *smaller* side... or cozy side. It's possibly the smallest I had been in in DC. But that's great because even a seat in the back is still close. I sat on the side (box 3?) and found my view partially cut off. I saw the people in the box closest to the stage leaning over to see action on the side of the stage. So you're best off finding a seat in the center if you can. I think it's worth mentioning they are beyond amazing for having PWYC (pay what you can) tickets which makes theatre available to people who otherwise might not be able to afford it. I love them for this.

Nice updated theater for shows. I don't think there is a bad seat in the house. A tad bit cramped but you'll be fine. The staff are very nice and inviting.

Woolly Mammoth is a great theatre house to catch edgy performances that touch on the many aspects of the human experience. Woolly provides a great atmosphere, and offers an intimate setting for their plays and performances that makes the audience feel as if they're part of the show (and depending on the show, you will be). Drinks and snacks are available for purchase at the theatre. I would also highly recommend showing up to your show early so you can take advantage of the cozy lounge that is set-up downstairs. In many cases theatre may seem out of reach for people because of the price, but if you're under 30 years old Woolly Mammoth offers discounted ticket prices to their shows - so take advantage before you age out!

This is an intimate space with great views from every seat. It's easily accessible by Metro. They also offer $10 parking in a nearby garage. There are many nearby restaurants with an array of happy hour opportunities. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable. There is a limited supply of snacks and beverages available for purchase, which is nice during intermission. We saw an improv comedy show on the pay what you want night. It's location and offering quality means that I'll return to see a play sometime soon.

I haven't been to a show here, but I did attend a company meeting in the auditorium. As a venue, it's GREAT! It's in downtown DC close to the National Mall and the space itself is modern. They have enough restrooms, a cafe, and the auditorium seats several hundred. Despite the size, the auditorium feels more intimate with a small stage in the front.

Why did I not know about this place before? Went last night to see "What to send up when it goes down". Phenomenal...... interactive workshop. The venue is in a great location near Gallery place metro. Everything is within walking distance. They have relaxed lounge area and lobby with very friendly staff. We had general seating and with the space being cozy there really wasn't a bad seat. I love the fact that the bathrooms are not gender specific so a guy may walk in while you're in there but it's all cool..... we are there for the same reason. I immediately started to look at their schedule snd can't wait to return. I only wish the cafe was open cause a duster was dehydrated!

Went to Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company for the first time to watch Gloria by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. I really liked the theatre! You buy tickets on the floor that you enter on and then go downstairs where the theater entrance is. There are two bathrooms on the top floor, but the rest are on the bottom level. At the bottom level, there's a small bar setup with snacks, sodas, coffee, wine, and beer. There was also a small exhibit of sorts setup and Woolly Mammoth swag on display for sale. The theater has a bottom seating area and you have to go up the stairs to get to the rest of the seats. I sat on the top level in the last row and I would say that the seats were still very good! I don't think there are any bad seats in this theater. Can't wait to come back and see more shows here! Great way to spend an evening.

I recently attended this venue for the play "BLKS." I purchased my tickets ahead of time from a discounted ticketing service and was told to go to Will Call. Will Call is located to the left of the main entrance and was seamless. After getting the tickets, we headed downstairs to what appeared to be a bar area. The bar/snack area is spacious with a good vibe. There are plenty of high bar tables and stools to enjoy a drink, a merchandise display for quirky t-shirts and accessories, as well as various couches to further enforce the loungey vibe. I cannot speak to drink/cocktail quality as I had pregamed at a bar but no one looked disgusted and no one was drunk out of their mind which probably means drinks have a reasonable ratio of liquor to juice/simple syrup/ice etc. The venue inside is small and intimate. There really isn't a bad seat in the house and I say that as a short woman. I was placed in the very back on high stools and could still see over the head of the man in front of me with no issue. There are two levels so if you're on the balcony on level 2, still expect to have a good view. If you're in the mood for a bite to eat after, Rasika is right next door. And Dirty Habit (a few blocks down) is a good bar/restaurant that gives you a discount if you bring in your theater ticket stub. The only pain point is the parking garage that is directly across from the theater is a crap shoot. Online it notes they do not close until 11, but I found out later that they tend to close whenever they want (during the week anyway). Case in point, my show was 2hrs from 8-10 and as I was leaving the garage to attend the show I was told they were closing at 10. Also, if I wasn't back before 10 I'd have to get my car the next morning. It was some straight bulllllshit.

If you're attending a production at the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, prepare to step outside of the box. Things can get a little weird and that's a really, really good thing. While visiting DC, we snagged tickets to see 'Fever' while in town. I knew nothing about the show itself, but the theatre had rave reviews and that was enough for me! We waited in the reception area while we waited for showtime. During this time we noticed how diverse the crowd was. This place really does appeal to everyone! Once inside, we were lead on a journey that was unlike any sort of theater production that I've ever experienced, and I loved it! It was a voluntary collaboration with strangers that almost instantly become your tribe. The theater is located just outside of Chinatown and is super easy to get to on the train. Concessions aren't great so you'd be better off grabbing a cocktail or dinner at one of the neighboring restaurants.

I visited this theater for the first time recently and was impressed. The location is super accessible via the Gallery Place or Archives metro stops. I went to Will Call to grab my tickets, which was seamless, and then made my way downstairs. There was fair pricing on the snacks and drinks that were available and the line was pretty short right up until showtime when people wanted things last minute. I really liked the layout of the theater. While I was very close in the orchestra section, it appeared that there weren't any "bad" seats. The theater hosted a party after the show and I spent time admiring how spacious it was, with cool lighting, and interior design. I really enjoyed my time there and look forward to checking out another show in the near future!.

I love this venue! This is a small, intimate theater in Chinatown. There is parking across the street and many shows have discounted tickets via GoldStar. I originally planned to see a show on Thursday and plans changed to Wednesday. I showed up and they had rush tickets. I was a little nervous because this was my first time at Woolly Mammoth and I wasn't sure what it would be like to sit in the last row of the theater...I was pleasantly surprised. Our seats were awesome! It seemed all seats in the house were great but I can't say for certain but wouldn't hesitate to sit anywhere especially for a deal. I like the diversity and quirkiness of the shows here and may make a trip to DC especially to see an upcoming production. For all my out of towners looking to experience DC's theater scene without breaking this bank, this is a great option!

I attended my first Woolly show last night, and absolutely loved the experience. The space is really intimate, and it seems that there is no bad seat in the house. We arrived a few minutes late and had to be seated in the balcony, but still felt intimate with the actors and stage. We watched The Nether, which was so gripping that 90 minutes just flew by. The visuals and stage lighting were stunning and gave so much dimension to the play that at times I felt like I was in an ethereal yet twisted dream. 3 1/2 meter parking nearby after 6:30 and plenty of dining options!

Went to see The Black Side of the Moon. The theater looks new. It's very clean and quite small.

Octoroon was funny, entertaining and thought provoking. The lead man was awesome. One can see well from any seat. I like the location and contemporary look of this theatre.

This theatre space is lovely and almost intimate for downtown theatre standards. The plays are novel and perhaps avant grade, intriguing in the talent presented in the physical performances and the content themes, leaving you questioning roles by people in their physical forms and their personal identities as related to social perspectives. The orchestra is a prime choice for seating, and really, anywhere on that level works well. The balcony area is pretty decent at any angle, but you may miss some action on the sides depending on where you are seated. The lobby/foyer/ waiting/ mingling area is low key, allowing you to sit or walk around without feeling a lesser-second-class theater patron because you are not a subscriber-member. I like the entrance on the street on the side of the theater, and the upstairs/ downstairs nature of the theater that is airy and free spirited. There are some snacks and beverages to purchase if you are so inclined before the show or during intermission. Staff and volunteers here are cheerful, helpful and patient. Parking seems easier than near other theaters. There are some good restaurants nearby for some before or after theater dining. If you are trying to change up your normal theater routine, this is a great choice!

I've had Woolly bookmarked for more than a year. Not because I have wanted to try it--oh believe me, I've tried it--but because I never could find the time to write a review that can capture the magic that is the Woolly Mammoth Theater Company. Eventually, I just decided that I would try my best, put out my untested review, and see what happens. And that's what Woolly's all about: putting out brand new (or almost brand new), challenging works of theater and seeing what happens. Some are polished, some are raw. Woolly is a laboratory, a place where fairly young yet quite brilliant writers are able to push their own limits. Highlights include plays by Sarah Ruhl, who is becoming to the English language what Gabriel Garcia Marquez is to Spanish. It's a place where playwrights can take risks, where the audience will not always agree with what's happening on stage, where you will leave, as one reviewer said, contemplating about something you have not thought of before. Woolly is a place where you find new ideas that spawn what comes as close to original thought as I will ever encounter. But it's not necessarily fringe. Woolly founder and artistic director Howard Shalwitz and his staff do a phenomenal job of finding new talent and bringing forth a quality product. It's as if he went to a fringe theater festival, saw two hundred plays, picked the best, worked with the playwright for a year to improve the work, and then staged it, just for you. Woolly has put on some tremendous performances over the past several years. I have been fortunate enough to see more than a dozen performances in their newish space, and I've appreciated all but a couple of them. And those few blemishes are so adorable to me; I see them differently, because I'm in love with Woolly. The actors are solid, too. Sarah Marshall is one of the most wonderful people I have ever had the privilege to see on stage. If you have the chance to see her--go. The topic doesn't matter. She will light up the room. Kimberly Gilbert is excellent, too. I have heard they have very good classes. I took a one-hour acting class from one of their teachers and found it very enjoyable. Woolly has a yard sale twice a year where they sell all of their props, costumes, and sets for unbelievably low prices. It's worth showing up for. You can also buy stuff through the theater's website. They also have had the tremendous foresight to regularly bring in Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind, an incredible troupe out of Chicago's Neo-Futurists, which is sure to delight (memorize the phrase "When we sell out, WE ORDER OUT" before you go). Woolly is refreshing. Woolly is unique. Woolly is soul-searching. Woolly is community. Woolly is inspirational. Woolly is satiating. Woolly is fresh. Woolly is forward-thinking. Woolly is calculated. Woolly is safe. Woolly is risk-taking. Woolly is home. Woolly is for growth. Woolly is engaging. Woolly is creation. Woolly is intimate. Woolly is accessible. Woolly is sophisticated. Woolly is down-to-earth. Woolly is in the stars. Woolly is dreamy. Woolly is fantastic. Woolly is super(lative?). Woolly is change. Woolly is community organizing. Woolly is grounded. Woolly is idealistic. Woolly is meaning. Woolly exists to expose. To Woolly is to learn, love, question, dream, smile, swoon, ache, groan, wonder, and hope. Woolly provides ways to make sense of the chaotic world in which we live. Please support this adventure. And please forgive the inadequacy of my words. I have tried my best in thirty minutes or less.

Nice small theater in the heart of downtown DC, where every seat truly is a good seat!

It was my first time going to this theater - did not realize it was so close to the metro (2 blocks from Gallery Place and 1 block from Archives metro stop). There is also a parking garage across the street which showed $10 for Event Parking but yet its posted hours showed it closed at 7pm. Anyways, when I entered the building to the Woolly Mammoth, there is a small area with chairs and tables to the right. What looked like the box office was straight ahead. The show I went to see on this day was The Totalitarians. Initially as I got down the stairs, it looked as if someone had set up their own office within the lobby, but as I walked around some areas, I noticed it was actually part of the show...neat. There is a little spot called "Judith's Café" that serves snacks and drinks like 4-5 choices of beer, 2 choices of wine, some soda and from what I remember...peanuts, M&M's, cookies and pretzels, so it is best to have an outside meal before arriving. I have been to several shows within the DC metro area and for a few I have sat in the front row and enjoyed my view. This was actually the first time I sat in the front row of a theater, but did not enjoy the view - the stage was also an awkward size. It is somewhat hard trying to explain, but here goes - you know when you go to a movie theater and the only seat available is the one in the front and so you end up watching the movie looking up most of the time based on where and how your seat is positioned...well it is kind of like that. I felt the characters were too close to the edge of the stage, that most of the time I was looking up at them and I felt uncomfortable. Other times, where they were on the stage, my head was turned completely to the far left and so that very hard to watch. I could not really bend forward to see them perform as I would be blocking people's views of the stage as well. Instead of seeing the performers on stage, I got a silhouette view of the person's face sitting next to me with a snippet of the play to the right. To me that was a bad view and I was hurting my neck in the process. I did look around and saw how the other seats where positioned and I will come back to this theater, but sit in a different seat or even try the balcony seats instead.

I purchased tickets from a third party website Goldstar and my tickets were waiting for me at Will Call. I wished that the tickets could be available during box office hours rather than just an hour before showtime. After picking up the tickets, we went downstairs where there was a waiting area with a small gift shop with merchandise, books, games, and toys for sale, a membership booth and game to win beers, a photo booth for a chance to win tickets to future shows, and a cafe with snacks and bottled beverages (wine, beer, soda, water) for sale. I wished they had board games to kill time before showtime. It was a small theater. The discount tickets were for the upper level seating. My friend and I saw Let Them Eat Chaos. The first half of the play was full of laughter however the second half wasn't as enjoyable due to their failed attempt to connect the skits together.

Went with a group of 10 to see "A Girl's Guide to Washington Politics" by the Second City comedy troupe. This was my third performance I've seen at the Woolly Mammoth and I've always left impressed and, most importantly, entertained. I love their choices made the past two seasons of quirky, interesting plays. I find the spartan, yet modern, design of the theater and lobby space appealing. The staff is friendly (although one of the ushers sent us upstairs when our seats were actually on the main level). And generally, there are no bad seats, in terms of sight lines, in the house. I definitely find great value for my entertainment dollar at the Woolly Mammoth! "A Girl's Guide to Washington Politics"? Simply hilarious! I love clever, intelligent humor. I love political humor. I love improv. I loved this production! The Second City players are all enormously talented! The two who stood out to me (not to count, categorize, define or otherwise put them in a box) were Joey Bland who has a Seth Rogen-ish look and appeal and Brooke Breit who is hilariously energetic if not manic and reminds me of Cheri Oteri from her SNL days. Bottom line...SEE IT. You'll be glad you did.

I went here with a large group. We went to see " A Girl's Guide to Washington Politics". This is the third time I've been to the Woolly and I can say I'm a huge fan. I haven't seen a bad production yet. "A Girl's Guide to Washington Politics" was absolutely hilarious. The humor was clever and the improvisation was top notch! This is a must see. The entire cast will keep you in stitches.

Stumbled across this place Tuesday night around 7:30pm after dining at Rasika right before. After talking to the front desk, we decided to get two balcony tickets for American Utopias by Mike Daisey. The seats themselves were okay (both in terms of view and comfort), and the acoustics and lighting were good. Although I was one of the few people who didn't laugh during the show, it was still a good performance. Unfortunately, they no longer offer Pay What You Can Performances, but they still have good discounts like 30yo or under patrons and stampede seats.

I had the wonderful opportunity to see Black Side Of The moon Last week it was awesome !!! and truly hilarious I really do hope They bring it back.The audience gave a standing ovation. The cast was brilliant ,it was just like seeing a group of friends just hanging out and being real! The theatre was so comfortable ,and having Michelle Obama's face as the back drop was truly genius.

Had a blast watching Marie Antoinette. Totally off the wall and nothing like we expected. Really enjoyed it and even though we were in the "cheap" seats everything is so close there are no bad seats. Students and people 30 & under get a great rate ($24 each) which I was lucky to take advantage of. Be sure to come out and catch a show here!!!

Went to see the second city's let them eat chaos! I loved the performance. The theater is comfortable and intimate. We sat in the third row and I felt like I was center stage. The performance itself was phenomenal. The theater lobby is a cool social spot in itself, there is a modern seating area, cool posters from previous shows, and a selfie room where you can take photos using props then post them to Twitter. The seats are comfortable and cushy with a good amount of leg room. The stage is broad and and the props are interesting and engaging. I definitely will be coming back to Wolly Mammoth for more performances.

I loved this venue. I went to see Underground Railroad Game here with a large group of friends. This review is not about that particular play (jury's still out on my feelings about that one). Our group was seated in the last row of the theater and we didn't miss a word. Super convenient location just off the red line metro and near lots of places to eat and drink. I would go back here for another fun night with friends in the future.

This is such a great theater venue! There's no bad seat in the house, but your view can be semi-obstructed by sitting in the seats on the second level on the sides. The theater is so small and intimate that even with a slightly obstructed view you still feel like you're basically on stage. They have a very reasonably priced cafe that you can pre-order drinks for intermission from, as well as just enjoy refreshments before the show. They bring a variety of diverse shows to the stage, and I would be very interested in seeing another show here!

This ain't your parent's theatre. It's contemporary, you can bring drinks into the theatre (!!!!), and the entertainment selection seems to lean towards the controversial / provocative side. You can tell this theatre company is catering to the counter-culture of fine arts. Traditional theatre etiquette isn't really enforced. Practically everyone was in jeans, there was no grand bell to signify the show's starting or the end of intermission, and did I already mention they allow drinks in the theatre!? A tiny complaint: Coat check was weird...well, non-existent, actually. It was just a lonesome clothes rack in the corner with 20ish hangers. Hopefully no one steals your coat! PRO TIP: If you're under 30, discounted tickets are available just for you. Go millennials!

Do you know that if you're under 30, you can get $20 tickets to ANY show at the Woolly Mammoth? I took advantage of this option by calling the box office and getting tickets for myself and my sister. The seats were nice, but I wish there was a place to put beverages since they do have a bar and they do allow beverages into the theater. (Though glass is not allowed, so they request that you pour the beer into a plastic cup. Classy.) My tickets were waiting for me at Will Call, and it was easy and convenient to pick them up a couple hours before the show started. We then went next door to have dinner and returned a few minutes before the show started. We had plenty of time to grab drinks at the bar and find our seats. The bar has a couple of fun cocktails and a decent selection of beer in bottles and cans. As other reviewers have mentioned, the theater is small and intimate. The staff was friendly. I don't really have any complaints about the Woolly Mammoth as a venue. With the $20 ticket option (if you're under 30), it's worth checking out a show that interests you. I definitely plan to return.

What a gem this theater is! The theater is small so it has a nice quant feel. If you get a chance to see anything here I'm sure it will be great.

This is a beautiful theater with quirky shows- A friend took me to see their current run of "Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind" and it was AMAZZZZZING. It managed to be weird, wonderful, and hilarious while peppering in powerful social commentary and critiques. Added bonus? Your life will be split between before and after you saw the segment titled "Adore." It is that great. Tickets are reasonably priced and it's near 2 metro stations. Check it out! You'll thank me later :)

the "Pay What you Cans" are usually worth every penny since you can actually pay whatever is in your pockets that day to watch a play that will be coming out within the next week there for $30+ per ticket. So clearly the price is right. I strongly recommend arriving in the line to get the tickets about 1 hour before the opening of the line (which I believe is 6:30pm) just grab a friend, or a book to kill the time. The lines can wrap around the block and then some if you get there late and then you won't know if they'll have tickets left over if you're in the back. I've been the second to last person to get tickets before and there were still 25 more folks waiting behind me. I felt like I had to sneak off or else they'd beat me up for the tickets. The only catch is that sometimes these plays are hit or miss. I've wanted to walk out about 2 out of 6 times I've come to see the plays, but for the most part, it's too hard to NOT watch them all the way through and not enjoy the Liveliness of it all. If you have time on a Monday or Tues. to wait in the lines for the Pay What You Can tickets then do it...just be prepared.

This theater is wonderful! Recently, I saw "Octoroon" there - a great play. It's a play that makes you a bit uncomfortable at times. But, all plays are not just for entertainment; sometimes the purpose is to open our eyes in the most shocking ways. Wooly is known for bringing those type of plays to Washington theatre goers.

I was really impressed with this theater. I went to watch the just-for-one-weekend show "MacHomer" (hilarious) and was quite pleased with the entire experience. I called earlier that afternoon about getting tickets and the person on the phone was friendly and patient. The theater itself is a very nice space, open and airy. It is a small theater, but well organized so it really didn't seem like there would be a bad seat in the place. I was impressed mostly by the service. I know, it's a theater, not a restaurant, but after I walked in, I wandered around a bit, looking around at everything. I was approached by theater manager who asked me if it was my first time at the Woolly Mammoth (it was) and then really enthusiastically told me about the upcoming shows, things to look forward to, and asked if I had any questions. Everyone who worked there was friendly and efficient, and they had the look of people who really enjoyed being there. They have some really good deals - $15 for 25&under, $15 stampede seats (10 side balcony seats held until 2 hours before showtime except for special performances, VIP & opening nights), and "Pay-What-You-Can" tickets for the first 2 performances (usually a Monday or Tuesday night, sold 90 minutes beforehand). Otherwise, tickets run from $26 to $60 max. A very un-pretentious place, Woolly Mammoth is a great place to introduce someone to the theater and ruin preconceptions of theaters as a stuffy or boring place. I think it would make a good date place, and there a bunch of restaurants in the area too. Afterwards, you could get some tapas, and talk about the play you just watched.

Woolly has the crucial quality that most of the other DC area regional theaters lack: the guts to produce new work. It was here that I saw the production that I count as the best piece of professional theater that I saw last year (Mike Daisy's "How Theater Failed America") and it's this theater that compels me to wait in line on pay what you can night. It's this theater that I count on to challenge me as an audience member. (A'int gonna happen with a season of nothing but Arthur Miller. Arena Stage, are you listening?) This is the place most likely to produce work by playwrights who are working to tell the deepest truths through art, and it's one of the only local theaters that regularly produces work by women and artists of color. Sadly, this is still a huge issue in the theater world and most of the plays that are produced each year are by the same handful of dead white European dudes. Hey, I love me some Shakespeare and some Shaw, but it gets to be like a one-sided conversation after a while. Woolly Mammoth takes risks. Real risks, not just putting naked people on stage and calling that risky, or pulling other stupid gimmicks. Along with real artistic risk taking comes the possibility of missing the mark, which sometimes happens here. But when it does, it's never a result of complacence or cowardice. Come check it out. See why live theater is worth saving. Feel what it's like to breathe the same air as the characters who are living their stories right in front of you. Or, if you're a fellow artist, come here to be reminded that there ARE still a few other people out there doing what it is that we love while staying above the influence of the corporatocracy.

Tips: If you're 25 or younger, all tix are just $15 with ID. Also, 2 hours before most shows they'll sell "stampede" side balcony seats for for $15. Finally, WM has pay-what-you-can shows usually the first week of a run. This page should give a heads-up: http://dctheatrescene.com/hot-tickets/ 11/6/06: WM's current play, "Martha, Josie, and the Chinese Elvis" is quite funny, especially in the first act. It's about a 40-year-old dominatrix's birthday party. Guests include a middle-aged dry-cleaner who likes to dress like a French maid, an obsessive compulsive housecleaner, and a hilariously bad Elvis impersonator. It all sounds very eccentric, but the play turns out to be very endearing, plus it features an amusing and touching performance by the actress who plays Brenda Marie. 9/4/06: This month's WM production is "In the Continuum" -- a terrific play about two pregnant women with HIV, one in Zimbabwe and one in Los Angeles. I found it really poignant, surprisingly funny, subtle, and wonderfully feminist. The African woman is faithfully married, but her husband is not so faithful, and her society expects her to stay with her husband and family no matter what. The LA woman dreams of marrying her basketball athlete 'boyfriend,' who's not exactly monogamous, but his talent and celebrity make all her friends jealous of her, especially when she reveals that she's going to have his baby. The play explored how the very behaviors that gave these women social acceptance were the very things that got them sick. Really intense. Don't miss this one. Now - about the theater itself. The other night I (under five feet tall) sat in the 3d to last row, directly behind a very tall large person (well over six feet tall). But somehow because of the way the seats were staggered, I managed to see everything onstage. That is, what great sightlines! The new theater is in the basement, but it's a spacious basement with tall ceilings, and I liked the sleek stark white lobby. The website says they got a special award from the American Institute of Architects. Because it holds just 265 seats, this is DC's version of an off-Broadway theater, but its central location at 7th and D NW puts it right in the middle of DC's entertainment district.

As someone who lives in DC I forgot how much I like the type of performances they bring. Went to a performance last night. Quality of acts thy bring in is simply outstanding. This is a smaller size theatre but not a bad seat in the house. Everything is handicap accessible and gender friendly. Modest snack and drink bar. Lots of great restaurants right outside doors of venue.

I was pleasantly surprised when I visited Wooly Mammoth. It was unique and very different than any theater I have seen in DC. It is a small theater and all seats are great. Check out a show here. I have heard good things about all of their productions.

Wow, this place is incredible. I saw Eclipsed here last night and it was amazing. The space is really wonderful: intimate and beautiful. There is a really great community vibe about the place as well. I will be coming back regularly now. They also have some great options if you are tight on funds. They have $15 tickets for under 25 (I missed that by a few years), they offer "pay what you can" nights a few times for each production, they sell half-price tickets to some shows on Goldstar.com and they also sell 10 half-price walk up seats for every show. Go check out Eclipsed if you can. It ends on Sept 27th.

Woolly used to have its home in a warehouse on 14th Street (I am dating myself here). Even with the "new" location, it still continues to do-- what the New York Times calls "Washington's most daring theater company." The space itself is a modern basement theater which makes any play I see here dramatic. Just last year one of their plays won the 2005 Otto Rn Castillo Award for Political Theatre. For wanna be thespians, Woolly offers quarterly theater school classes and has an extensive outreach program developing community plays and teaching playwriting.

Went to this Theater last night to see The Underground Railroad Game and it was simply amazing.

My favorite theatre company in DC. They put on modern, often times edgy shows. It doesn't always work, in fact I've been to a couple that were monumental failures, but when they flop it is usually because they are overly ambitious, and they generally are great. Many of their shows, like Clyburn Park have gone on to be huge success outside of DC as well. I've been going to Woolly for over 20 years now... and well before they were in their newest performance space, and I try to go to every show for the season. The new space is just a gorgeous, intimate place to stage modern theater.

You can pre-order intermission drinks. Wine for $6, Beer for $5, PBR for $3. Huge draw. A group of 15 or so of us girls went to see A Girl's Guide to Washington Politics by Second City... Amazing. I really don't think I've laughed that hard in a long time. (The wine helped.) The space was perfect for a small show like that... Minimal props, you could hear and see everything, a very intimate venue. I would go back in a heartbeat. Ditto for Second City.