Studio Theatre

Founded in 1978, Studio Theatre is Washington, DC’s premier venue for contemporary theatre and one of the most respected midsize theaters in the country, serving nearly 75,000 people each year. Studio’s renovation activates the streetscape and improves the visitor experience with a vibrant new facade, flexible window display system, and interior upgrades. A significant transformation of Stage Four allows Studio to achieve its program goals with a progressive, agile seating and stage system designed to accommodate any performance type.

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New signage and a bright yellow facade activate the streetscape, engaging the public with a new customizable window signage display announcing upcoming programming. A relocated ticketing booth at the entrance allows for more efficient ticket retrieval while opening up the lobby for receptions and intermissions. A glass box at the rear provides a venue for hosting private gatherings, readings, and events.

The new Victor Shargai black box theatre replaces an original fixed seating structure with a dynamic system that quickly transitions to various seating and stage arrangements. A new tension wire grid system hangs 20 feet in the air, allowing the in-house production team more freedom to operate lighting and scenery technology with ease around a central black box stage composed of three connected structures. To mitigate noise disturbances caused by vibration or movement, a layer of brick and terracotta was installed to isolate the black box and create a sound conduit between the original walls.

2023