Before there was RENT… there was tick, tick… BOOM!, Jonathan Larson’s explosive musical about life, death, and the necessity of art. The semi-autobiographical story follows Jon, a composer struggling to break into New York City’s theater scene. This intimate, three-actor production boasts unforgettable songs including “30/90,” “Johnny Can’t Decide,” and the Sondheim-inspired “Sunday.”

Directed by Emmy® and Tony Award® winner Neil Patrick Harris!

Shen Yun: Take an enlightening journey through 5,000 years!

For one night only, Japan Society presents Nihon Buyo (literally “Japanese dance”), an elegant, refined art form performed by artists skillfully trained in kabuki dance. Its exciting annual presentation with the Kennedy Center features the dance pieces Toba-e and Boléro, along with performances by musicians playing traditional Japanese instruments. 

As beloved on Broadway and opera stages as she is in her roles in film and on television, record-breaking six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald joins the NSO for an unforgettable evening of vocal beauty! Don’t miss the chance to hear her stunning renditions of Broadway classics and contemporary favorites in a staggering performance of stratospheric talent.

The town of Dustbin is known for two things: rules and dust. But one day, Raina spies a cloud in the sky—and adventure ensues with Calamity Jane, Johnny Appleseed… and a thunderstorm! Coming to the Center from ZACH Theatre in Austin, TX, this charming new folktale takes the stage, packed with spirited tunes.

An Evening with Seth MacFarlane and Liz Gillies unfolds with grandeur, blending the talents of two celebrated actors, vocalists, and longtime friends/collaborators. Join us for a night of lush, orchestral jazz duets and comedy with the National Symphony Orchestra!

Set today in the Shear Madness hairstyling salon, this record-breaking comedy is Washington’s hilarious whodunit. After more than 17,800 performances, the show has stayed in great shape. Performances are ongoing.

This major permanent exhibit in the massive roof-level Atrium will explore Kennedy’s appreciation and promotion of the arts and why the Kennedy Center came to be the living memorial to him and his ideals.

The Moonshot Studio at the REACH celebrates creativity and the artist in everyone through hands-on art-making. The recommended age is 5 years old and above. Stop by anytime from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on (most) Saturdays & Sundays to explore our projects.

Join us for a FREE film screening in the Justice Forum at the REACH. The documentary FULL CIRCLE follows two leaders in the disability community, Trevor Kennison and Barry Corbet. The film is an unblinking examination of the challenges of Spinal Cord Injury, and a celebration of the growth that such tragedy can catalyze.

Launched as a partnership between Mark Morris Dance Group and the Brooklyn Parkinson Group, this program offers internationally acclaimed dance classes for people with Parkinson’s Disease in more than 250 communities and 24 countries. 

The winners of the 2023 Piano, String, Woodwind and Voice competition for K–12th grades will perform classical to contemporary repertoires along with spiritual songs.

Join us for a FREE film screening in the Justice Forum at the REACH. The documentary FULL CIRCLE follows two leaders in the disability community, Trevor Kennison and Barry Corbet. The film is an unblinking examination of the challenges of Spinal Cord Injury, and a celebration of the growth that such tragedy can catalyze.

The winners of the 2023 Piano, String, Woodwind and Voice competition for K–12th grades will perform classical to contemporary repertoires along with spiritual songs.

Eli Paperboy Reed and The Harlem Gospel Travelers face off in an epic soulful sing-off for the ages! The two have been working together for close to a decade, starting when the younger Travelers were students of Reed’s at foundation in Harlem.

From Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia, pianist Natalia Kazaryan has been hailed by the New York Sun for her “prodigious ability,” remarking that she “immediately established an atmosphere of strength and confidence.”

As part of our Hip Hop & … Festival, join us for a very special presentation of our Hip Hop Listening Sessions focused on the intersection between hip hop and jazz! Whether it’s classic hip hop songs with iconic jazz samples, jazz compositions, covers or collaborations, series, or concept projects, we will be exploring the myriad of ways that jazz and hip hop intersect.

In honor of Duke Ellington’s 125th and hip hop’s 50th birthdays, five-time Grammy Award–winning pianist, composer, producer, and founding Kennedy Center Hip Hop Culture Council Member Robert Glasper celebrates the iconic musical legacies of Ellington and hip hop legend J Dilla through his genre-shattering brand—Black Radio.

An exciting collaboration between three brilliant and legendary musicians, The Rakim & DJ Jazzy Jeff & Ravi Coltrane Project is a must-see event for music and culture lovers.

The one-and-only Norah Jones brings her Visions Tour to D.C.! Jones burst onto the world stage in 2002 with Come Away with Me—the seminal album that introduced a singular new voice and became a global phenomenon reaching #1 in 20 countries, selling nearly 30 million copies, and sweeping the 2003 Grammy Awards with eight wins. Visions, Jones’ seventh solo album, will be released March 8, 2024. Please note: There is an eight-ticket limit per patron for this performance.

As beloved on Broadway and opera stages as she is in her roles in film and on television, record-breaking six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald joins the NSO for an unforgettable evening of vocal beauty! Don’t miss the chance to hear her stunning renditions of Broadway classics and contemporary favorites in a staggering performance of stratospheric talent.

Before there was RENT… there was tick, tick… BOOM!, Jonathan Larson’s explosive musical about life, death, and the necessity of art. The semi-autobiographical story follows Jon, a composer struggling to break into New York City’s theater scene. This intimate, three-actor production boasts unforgettable songs including “30/90,” “Johnny Can’t Decide,” and the Sondheim-inspired “Sunday.”

Directed by Emmy® and Tony Award® winner Neil Patrick Harris!

An Evening with Seth MacFarlane and Liz Gillies unfolds with grandeur, blending the talents of two celebrated actors, vocalists, and longtime friends/collaborators. Join us for a night of lush, orchestral jazz duets and comedy with the National Symphony Orchestra!

For its annual Kennedy Center engagement, the beloved company presents Ailey classics and new works, including Ailey’s signature Revelations.

Three-time Grammy winner and Musical America’s 2023 “Artist of the Year” Hilary Hahn performs Korngold’s glamorous, glittering Violin Concerto—an extraordinary fusion of Viennese romance and Old Hollywood. Then, brace yourself for the immortal “Eroica” Symphony, Beethoven’s vast ode to heroism, revolution, and freedom.

American Ballet Theatre’s quintessential production of Swan Lake returns to pull D.C. audiences back under its spell. Journey to the enchanted lake, complete with soaring choreography, hauntingly beautiful music, and extravagant sets.

In honor of Duke Ellington’s 125th and hip hop’s 50th birthdays, five-time Grammy Award–winning pianist, composer, producer, and founding Kennedy Center Hip Hop Culture Council Member Robert Glasper celebrates the iconic musical legacies of Ellington and hip hop legend J Dilla through his genre-shattering brand—Black Radio.

An exciting collaboration between three brilliant and legendary musicians, The Rakim & DJ Jazzy Jeff & Ravi Coltrane Project is a must-see event for music and culture lovers.

The one-and-only Norah Jones brings her Visions Tour to D.C.! Jones burst onto the world stage in 2002 with Come Away with Me—the seminal album that introduced a singular new voice and became a global phenomenon reaching #1 in 20 countries, selling nearly 30 million copies, and sweeping the 2003 Grammy Awards with eight wins. Visions, Jones’ seventh solo album, will be released March 8, 2024. Please note: There is an eight-ticket limit per patron for this performance.

Great Scott! Back to the Future, the beloved, cinematic classic is now a Broadway musical with its destination set for Washington, D.C., in 2024. When Marty McFly finds himself transported back to 1955 in a time machine built by the eccentric scientist Doc Brown, he accidentally changes the course of history. Now he’s in a race against time to fix the present, escape the past, and send himself... back to the future.

Don’t miss a joyful evening of Latin stand-up! Comedians Fabrizio Copano, Carmen Lynch, and Jesus Trejo are bringing the laughs to the Club at Studio K. All three comics will perform their sets in English at the 7:30 p.m. show, and then in Spanish at the 9:30 p.m. show!

Grammy Award–winning bassist, composer, and bandleader Linda May Han Oh leads a dynamic group of musicians in The Glass Hours, a striking and deeply moving collection of works based on the fragility of time and life. On this enveloping new album, loss and resilience permeate every melody, harmony, and rhythm she orchestrates and improvises.

Pianist Myra Melford and drummer Allison Miller draw on their shared passion for nature and the life-giving power of light in their Lux Quartet. Saxophonist Dayna Stephens and bassist Scott Colley amplify the two bandleaders’ innovative compositions to craft an intense, glowing sonic experience. The combination of artists is, according to Melford, “like throwing a spark at tinder—everything immediately bursts into flames.”

Join us for two nights of uproarious comedy! Co-Curated and Music Directed by Henry Koperski, Downtown at the KC Cabaret is back for its second year. This year, we’re joined by host Murray Hill who will keep the laughs and the crowd going! Headliners joining him (on their respective evenings) are Riki Lindhome and Amber Ruffin, who will belt their hearts out and hit all the laugh lines! 

Join us for a very special presentation of our Hip Hop Listening Sessions focused on love in hip hop! This Listening Session will be complemented by live visuals and a special performance set by Dior Ashley Brown, along with a live band highlighting classic hip hop love songs.

Join us as we kick off the BLACK GIRLS ROCK! POP-UP with the Vibes & Vinyl Party and Jam Session!

The winners of the 2023 Piano, String, Woodwind and Voice competition for K–12th grades will perform classical to contemporary repertoires along with spiritual songs.

Eli Paperboy Reed and The Harlem Gospel Travelers face off in an epic soulful sing-off for the ages! The two have been working together for close to a decade, starting when the younger Travelers were students of Reed’s at foundation in Harlem.

From Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia, pianist Natalia Kazaryan has been hailed by the New York Sun for her “prodigious ability,” remarking that she “immediately established an atmosphere of strength and confidence.”

Come experience the best of D.C.’s Go-Go music at this funk-filled Millennium Stage. Don’t Mute DC presents a program of D.C.’s only indigenous music to help celebrate the upcoming opening of D.C.’s only Go-Go Museum.

Prepare to welcome the Year of the Dragon with lion dancing and drumming performances at the Kennedy Center on the Millennium Stage!

Juliana Hatfield’s inimitable 35-year career has seen her an underground darling, a cultural emblem, and a time-tested veteran whose tender singing and exemplary guitar playing is an iconic and enduring pinnacle of indie and alternative rock.

Students from the National Symphony Orchestra Youth Fellowship Program will perform chamber music on the Millennium Stage. 

Members of the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra emerge from the orchestra pit and take their place on the Millennium Stage to share the rich and varied chamber music repertoire. Each musician plays a solo part and the interaction among them creates an astonishing range of sounds and emotions.

Kingsley Flood is a Boston and Washington, D.C.–based band with a “Billy Bragg-like folk-punk sound” (The Washington Post) and “signature high energy” (Rolling Stone). NPR says Kingsely Flood is “a band that seems to understand where inspiration can lead.”

Since his neo-psychedelic Green On Red days, Chuck Prophet has been turning out country, folk, blues, and Brill Building classicism. Stephanie Finch is an accomplished singer-songwriter and keyboardist in her own right, having carved a niche in the music world with her soulful performances and versatile talents.

Students from the National Symphony Orchestra Youth Fellowship Program will perform chamber music on the Millennium Stage.

How do the many spaces we inhabit change us and impact our health? The "Arts & Wellness with NeuroArts Blueprint" series continues with a discussion on the art and neuroscience of design – plus a special "Tuning the Audience" singing activation with Sing for Hope! Join co-hosts Renée Fleming and Susan Magsamen to explore how neuroscientists, architects, and artists use intentional design and neuroaesthetics to bring communities together through creative expression.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and Georgetown University celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a free, ticketed musical tribute, the Let Freedom Ring Celebration.

With vocals in Spanish, English, and Spanglish, Okan is led by the Cuban–born violinist and vocalist Elizabeth Rodriguez and percussionist and vocalist Magdelys Savigne, both Grammy® and Latin Grammy® nominees.

Members of the National Symphony Orchestra play an assortment of chamber music.