Source Theatre

A multidisciplinary arts destination in the heart of historic U and 14th St.

CulturalDC purchased the Source Theatre in October 2006 with the vision of redeveloping the theatre’s multi-use performing arts space. Source’s 150-seat black box is vital to the area’s small and medium-sized arts organizations because the space is intimate, flexible, and affordable. Following an extensive $3.5 million renovation begun in early 2008, Source now provides a classroom, rehearsal studio, and administrative space.

Through 2017 it was home to the annual Source Festival, a space for new plays. In addition to the black box, Source houses three resident companies and area performing arts groups that maintain offices on the second floor of the building.

Located at 1835 14th St NW, Washington, DC. Closest Metro Station: U St. (Green/Yellow Line); Street Parking: Yes, paid and unpaid.

Past Artists

Insurrection by andres serrano

Jan. 6—13, 2022

CulturalDC partnered with London-based a/political to present Andres Serrano’s first-ever film. Combining poignant historical footage of the past 150 years; news segments from the past five years; and dozens of first-person recordings posted to online forums like Parler, Insurrection is an unflinchingly graphic narrative film that chronicles the events culminating on January 6, 2021.

Theater in quarantine

Mar. 5—Apr. 5, 2021

CulturalDC is partnering with Theater in Quarantine to present a selection of four works as part of the Lobby Series at CulturalDC’s Source Theatre. Due to COVID restrictions on gatherings for live performances, CulturalDC converted our storefront lobby windows into a projection screen for public art. Theater in Quarantine was also born out of the want to continue creating and delivering art - founder Joshua William Gelb transformed a 2’ x 4’ x 8’ closet inside his East Village apartment into a white-box theater.

subversions part 2: As An enemy by Brandon soderberg

Jan. 29—Feb. 28, 2021

Curated by Teri Henderson in collaboration with Baltimore based writer Brandon Soderberg, “As An Enemy” offers a stark microcosm of so many corrupt police forces across the country. The exhibition creates space for the victims of police brutality by telling the unique story of Black men and women victimized by the Gun Trace Task Force (GTTF)—a plainclothes police squad established to maintain the racist legacy of “law and order” in Baltimore City, led by the diabolical Wayne Jenkins, following the 2015 murder of Freddie Gray.

subversions part 1: UNITED IN DEMOCRACY by Miguel Braceli

Oct. 30—Nov. 30, 2020

CulturalDC is partnering with Baltimore-based curator Teri Henderson to present a two-part video exhibition that explores divisiveness in democratic countries and the history of racial injustices within the United States. The exhibit, “SUBVERSIONS,” will be projected onto the windows of CulturalDC’s Source Theatre in the historic 14th and U Street Corridor in Northwest Washington, D.C. The second installation will be presented in early 2021.

Gallery by S.J. Ewing & Dancers

Oct. 3—5, 2019

Gallery, created in 2019 for a site-specific presentation at FlashDC, was redeveloped for Source Theatre. The work is athletic and virtuosic with a score of house music driving it forward. Performed by a cast of seven female identifying dancers, the work is a study in the strength, resilience, empathy, and stamina of women. With no characters or narrative, the movement is built from internal physical imagery and manipulated and developed into solos, duets, trios, and ensemble work.

THIS is not a drill by Jefferson Pinder

Jun. 13—15, 2019

CulturalDC alumni Pinder presented a limited-run engagement of a performance art piece exploring racial injustices in America.In the late summer and early fall of 1919, violence and uprising erupted across the United States. Hundreds of Black lives were lost in the midst of a transitory period of unrest and hostility that was named The Red Summer. For summer 2019, Pinder embarked on a classic American journey: a road trip to visit major sites of The Red Summer.

Culturaldc’s source festival

Summers, 2008-2017

Starting in 2008, CulturalDC produced the award-winning Source Festival, which served as a vehicle for launching new plays and fostering the careers of emerging artists. After a decade-long run, CulturalDC brought the Festival to a close in 2017.

Everyone at CulturalDC is grateful to the 1,500+ artists that made Source Festival possible for the last decade. We are eager to see what grows from the roots we help plant in the Nation’s Capital and across the country.