Family Theater
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Unveiled on December 9, 2005, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts' new 324-seat Family Theater provides a new home for world-class family theater performances for the nation's youth and continues the Kennedy Center's $125 million commitment to performing arts education for adults and children alike.
"This new venue" said Michael Kaiser, president of the Kennedy Center, "expands the Kennedy Center's ability to produce and present excellent works for young people." The inauguration of the Kennedy Center's state of the art 324-seat Family Theater facility coincides with the 30th anniversary of the Kennedy Center's youth oriented Performances for Young Audiences series.
Designed by the architectural firm Richter Cornbrooks Gribble, Inc. of Baltimore, the new theater is located on the site formerly occupied by the AFI Film Theater. Its construction spanned 11 months, and incorporates the most modern theatrical innovations available, including: premium audio technologies; a computerized rigging system; and a digital video projection system.
Family Theater Seating Chart
![[Family Theater Seating Chart]](/images/about/virtual_tour/family_theater_seating.gif)
Coming to the Family Theater :
Shear Madness
- Jun. 19 - Sep. 30, 2012
- Family Theater
- Running Time: 2 hours
- Tickets and Schedule
Description:
Shear Madness is the 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.
Shear Madness has been running at the Kennedy Center for almost 25 years, giving nearly 11,000 performances, and is the second longest play in the history of American Theater (its sister production of Shear Madness in Boston is #1.)
PLEASE NOTE: Shear Madness performances from Jun. 19 to Nov. 1. have moved to the Family Theater.
Shear Madness performances are ongoing. If you don't see your date listed, please contact your group sales associate to hold your preferred date now or check back for future performances.
Performance Timing: 2 hours, with one intermission.
