At Signature Theatre in Arlington, the fall season has already kicked off with Ethan Lipton’s “No Place to Go” (through Oct. 16), a commentary on the sad state of working in America starring Bobby Smith backed by a cool trio of musicians. In a stunning performance, Smith plays George, a writer/musician juggling artistic pursuits and a day job as an information refiner. When the unfeeling company decides to streamline, George must decide whether to remain in the city that never sleeps or follow his “permanent part-time job” to Mars.

Smartly staged by Signature’s artistic director Matthew Gardiner, the show runs a brisk, effective, and entertaining 90 minutes. With the feel of a nightclub act squeezed into an office, George, the band’s front man, stands mostly center stage, bookended by a standard issue desk and a large copy machine. “No Place to Go” proves a wonderful vehicle for Smith, allowing the out actor to demonstrate his sensational singing range, comedic gifts, and depth as an actor. Sigtheatre.org

GALA Hispanic Theatre in Columbia Heights presents “Revoltosa”/ “The Troublemaker” (through Oct. 2) helmed by out director José Luis Arellano. Alternating between song and Spanish spoken word (with English subtitles), this popular zarzuela is at its heart “a story about an outspoken woman who upturns traditions with her neighbors and delights in exposing social hypocrisies.” Galatheatre.org

At Anacostia Arts Center, award-winning performer Charisma Wooten is reprising her celebrated comedy cabaret, “A Night with Jackie ‘Moms’ Mabley” (Sept. 23 – Oct. 9), presented by Essential Theatre. For decades Mabley killed it playing man-hungry Moms, shuffling around stages in a housecoat and slippers. Offstage, often outfitted in silk shirts and trousers with a showgirl on her arm, the famed groundbreaking Black comedian was out to friends and colleagues. Theessentialtheatre.org

North Bethesda’s Strathmore Music Center boasts a fall lineup including, among many offerings, music collective Sweet Honey in the Rock (Sept. 16), famed Bossa Nova phenom Sergio Mendes (September 29), and “The Hip Hop Nutcracker” (Nov. 20-22). Strathmore.org

At Ford’s Theatre, esteemed out director Michael Wilson is staging Horton Foote’s “The Trip to Bountiful” (Sept. 23 – Oct. 16), an American classic about going home. The much-anticipated (by me for sure) production features D.C. great Nancy Robinette as Carrie Watts, an elderly woman determined to return to her rural hometown. The cast also includes Joe Mallon as Carrie’s overly protective son Ludie, and Kimberly Gilbert as his selfish wife Jessie Mae. Fordstheatre.org

Shakespeare Theatre Company opens its season with Tony-winning Mary Zimmerman’s “The Notebooks of Leonarda da Vinci” (Sept. 29 – Oct. 23). Composed entirely of words from da Vinci’s notebooks, the piece brings his glorious genius to vivid life. Shakespearetheatre.org

Spooky Action Theatre’s autumn offering is gay playwright Jordan Harrison’s “Maple and Vine” (Sept. 29 – Oct. 23) a play about a disillusioned urban couple who in pursuit of happiness forsake contemporary trappings for a more 1950s lifestyle. Spookyaction.org

Mosaic Theater Company opens its fall season with playwright Ifa Bayeza’s “The Till Trilogy” (Oct. 4 – Nov. 20). The three plays (“The Ballad of Emmett Till,” “Benevolence,” and the world premiere “That Summer in Sumner”) reflect on the life, death, and legacy of young Emmett Till, whose senseless murder in 1955 Jim Crow South remains a pivotal moment in American history. The long-awaited production directed by Talvin Wilks, features ten actors performing in rotating repertory. Included in the cast are talented out actors Vaughn Ryan Midder and Jaysen Wright.

Arena Stage opens the fall season with “Holiday” (Oct. 7 – Nov. 6), a sparkling romantic comedy penned by Philip Barry, followed by retiring artistic director Molly Smith’s directorial adieu “My Body No Choice” (Oct. 20 through Nov. 6), some of America’s leading female playwrights share what choice means to them, through the telling of fiction and non-fiction stories rooted in personal experience. Arenastage.org

The DMV fall season is more than peppered with plays by Lynn Nottage, the African-American Pulitzer Prize winner whose work frequently highlights the struggles of working class and marginalized people. Below are two.

At 1st Stage in Tysons, out director Jose Carrasquillo is staging Nottage’s “Mlima’s Tale” (through Oct. 2), a story about an elderly poached elephant whose magnificent ivory tusks embark on a journey across the world, introducing characters connected to the ivory trade. 1ststage.org

Theatre J has tapped talented Paige Hernandez to direct Nottage’s “Intimate Apparel” (Oct. 19 – Nov. 13). Set on New York’s Lower East Side circa 1905, it’s the story of Esther, an African-American seamstress, who while sewing lingerie yearns for romance, particularly with one Orthodox Jewish fabric merchant. Theaterj.org

With “Judy” (October 22), the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington celebrates the music of the incomparable legend Judy Garland. Fourteen soloists plucked from the Chorus will share stories and sing her tunes, including favorites like “Over the Rainbow,” “The Trolley Song,” “Come Rain or Come Shine,” “The Man That Got Away,” and “Happy Days are Here Again.” Gmcw.org

At Olney Theatre, Clare Barron’s off-Broadway hit “Dance Nation” (Sept. 28 – Oct. 30) follows a tween-age dance team from Liverpool, Ohio, as they compete for the top prize at the Boogie Down Grand Prix. Actors of varied ages — including excellent out actor MaryBeth Wise — portray the girls (and one boy) as adolescents and their future adult selves. Not for kids.

And for theatergoers who missed it last season, Olney Theatre is remounting its terrific production of “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” (Nov. 9 through Jan. 1, 2023). And fortunately for audiences, out actor Jade Jones, a self-described queer, plus-sized Black woman, is reprising her star turn as Belle. Olneytheatre.org

Finally, Theatre Washington has announced the return of Theatre Week, a three-week celebration of the launch of the 2022-2023 theater season in D.C. Theatre Week will be held Sept. 22-Oct. 9, and will offer shows at discounted prices, a Kickoff Fest and Concert on the Southwest waterfront, and other community events. 

The 2022 Theatre Week Kickoff Fest and Concert will take place on Saturday, Sept. 24 on the Waterfront in Southwest. The Fest from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at Arena Stage (1101 Sixth St. SW), will feature performances, workshops, conversations, free locally made food & drinks, giveaways, and more. The Kickoff Concert will follow on the floating stage (Transit Pier) on the Wharf, and will feature performances from D.C.-area theater luminaries. Both events are free with registration through Goldstar, the official ticketing partner of Theatre Week.

Throughout Theatre Week, more than 20 area productions will offer discounted tickets at $22, $33, $44 through Goldstar. More information on Theatre Week shows, events, and registration is available at theatreweek.org.

‘Ain’t No Mo’’
Sept. 11-Oct. 10
Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
641 D St., NW
$30 – $67
Woollymammoth.net  

Throughout his career, Jon Hudson Odom has played many queer parts, including Belize, the wise nurse in Tony Kushner’s “Angels in America”; the title character in Jordan Tannahill’s “Botticelli in the Fire”; and recurring same-sex love interests on two HBO series, “Somebody Somewhere” and “Lovecraft Country.”

And now, the trend continues. Odom is playing a drag queen named Peaches in the regional premiere of Jordan E. Cooper’s comedy “Ain’t No Mo’” at Woolly Mammoth Theatre. Comprised of sketches, it tracks the hope-filled Obama administration through the Trump years when African Americans no longer necessarily feel welcome. In response, all of America’s Black population is offered free tickets on a one-way flight to Africa. Peaches is the flight attendant. 

As an acting student at North Carolina School of the Arts, Odom didn’t foresee a future speckled with queer roles. “The idea of remaining in the closet to move ahead in this profession was an idea that was very much present,” says the handsome 30-something actor. 

“So, to have come this far where I can stand on stage proudly as a queer Black man is quite the revolutionary thing for the community. I’d bring some part to do in class but queer roles weren’t offered. It was the ‘Street Car Named Desire’ mold – either you’re a Stanley or a Mitch. Now being a Blanche is a choice for me too.”

A staple of Washington theater for more than a decade before returning to his native Chicago about four years ago, he’s pleased to be back in town but doesn’t regret having left. In Chicago, Odom is closer to family and working from there, he’s found many opportunities on stage (including the prestigious Steppenwolf Theatre Company) and television. 

For Odom, the most gratifying part about working in D.C. again is being in a room with incredibly talented Black artists at Woolly Mammoth: “Jordan is one of our best playwrights and ‘Ain’t No Mo’’ is a brilliant vehicle to showcase some great talent. I’m really excited to see what we can bring to his work.”

WASHINGTON BLADE: Tell us about Peaches

JON HUDSON ODOM: She’s a lot of fun, but she’s also fierce and not to be fucked with. It’s been a challenge to create a drag queen from the inside out. You don’t meet a lot of drag queens who’ve done text work. It usually begins externally. But yeah, the corset and heels alone change the way you move and breathe. 

BLADE: Jordan Cooper both wrote and created the part of Peaches on stage. Intimidating? 

ODOM: I’m the second actor to play Peaches. So yeah, it’s some big heels to fill. To make Peaches my own is a wonderful challenge.

Before Peaches, Jordan [Cooper] hadn’t written a queer character. In a recent conversation, he told me that Peaches was inspired by Eunice Evers the nurse in David Feldshuh’s play “Miss Evers’ Boys’” about the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. She’s the gatekeeper. 

For most of his life Jordan felt more comfortable in Black rather than queer spaces. With “Ain’t No Mo” he wanted to bring the two together. It’s a hot button issue in the Black community because so much of the culture is rooted in the Baptist church. I remember growing up and that was the sin to not be spoken of.

BLADE: Is this your first time doing drag on stage?

ODOM: When I played Belize, the nurse in “Angels in America” at Round House Theatre, we did a scene with Belize in drag. His drag is referred to in the script but never shown, so I really went to bat for it.  The way we did the scene gave a glimpse into the otherwise unseen magical world he inhabits when not nursing. 

BLADE: Is Woolly still an artistic home for you?

ODOM: Yes. It’s a hallowed place for me, and Woolly’s audiences are incredible. After doing regional theater all over the country I appreciate how Woolly has cultivated an audience diverse in race and age. I’m really looking forward to being around that community. 

The run includes a blackout night, which means an entirely Black audience for one of the shows, which I think will be really incredible. I feel sad for those who will miss it. 

BLADE: Is “Ain’t No Mo’” more than a comedy?

ODOM: It’s both a celebration and indictment. And a call to arms. When you’re having tough conversations about racism, colorism, and homophobia, a laugh followed by a gut punch is a good way in. 

‘Dear Evan Hansen’
Through September 25
The Kennedy Center
2700 F St., N.W.
$79.00 – $199.00
Kennedy-center.org

Throughout the pandemic, understudies have emerged as heroes of the stage. Always there, always ready at a moment’s notice, they cover roles when principal actors are sent home with a positive COVID test. Without them, the show doesn’t go on. 

Nineteen-year-old out actor Pierce Wheeler is one such hero. Since joining the national tour of “Dear Evan Hansen” two months ago, he’s been called on to understudy four times for Evan and twice for supporting character Jared Kleinman.  

“I played Evan my debut week in Boise, Idaho. The rehearsal process was quick. It happened and I was proud of it,” he says.  

And now through Sept. 25, Wheeler will be waiting in the wings of the Kennedy Center’s Eisenhower Theater in case he’s needed again. 

Long before landing his current gig, Wheeler had itemized theatrical goals on his phone’s notes app. Topping the list was playing Evan in “Dear Evan Hansen.” The winner of six Tony Awards including Best Musical, it’s the story of a shy, sensitive high schooler whose life dramatically changes when a fellow student dies by suicide. 

The show marks Wheeler’s professional debut. After graduating from high school in the spring of 2021, he started at New York University’s Musical Theatre program. When not in class, he was auditioning around town. On the last day of his first year, he received an email announcing he’d been hired for “Dear Evan Hansen,” and is currently on a gap year from NYU. 

“Teachers and peers say if you’re doing the thing you went to college for why go back? I’m very big on education and have lots to learn. Whether I continue working or one day go back to school is up in the air. I’d be happy with either outcome.”

Broadway lore is chock full of understudy stories. Perhaps the most legendary being Shirley MacLaine’s leap form the chorus to cover for an injured Carol Haney in “The Pajama Game.” Hollywood film producer Hal Wallis, who happened to be in the audience that night, noticed MacLaine’s sparkle and opened the doors to movie stardom. 

While Wheeler isn’t counting on a movie deal yet, he’s loving the understudy experience. “When you’re called to go on it’s a real adrenaline rush,” he says. “Learning more than one role isn’t always easy. But I’m glad it’s been a challenge. This sets me up to take on harder things in the future.

Whether or not he’s slated to perform, he warms up before every showtime. Sometimes during intermission, understudies are tapped to cover the second act. They never know. But inevitably most nights and matinees, he passes the time backstage with other understudies playing board games (Catan is a new obsession), talking, watching movies, or napping. 

A self-described community theater kid, Wheeler grew up in Amityville (village on New York’s Long Island, a place best known as the setting of the book “The Amityville Horror”) as the youngest of four children – all queer. “We were a little community who enjoyed a silent acceptance of breaking hetero normative standards,” he says. “I’m so thankful to have them in my life. They shaped me.”

He first saw “Dear Evan Hansen” off-Broadway at Second Stage with his siblings on Easter Sunday in 2015: “I was really young but I remember sitting and thinking this young man is singing and acting so magnificently and I’d like to do that.” 

Wheeler is a high tenor. He’s described as having a quick vibrato, and a youthful spirit and vocal energy. At 19, he’s closer in age to Evan than most actors who’ve played the part: “Evan is pretty much an anxious high schooler who makes mistakes. Because I stepped out of high school less than two years ago, I totally get the social hierarchy and worries that come with that and the show’s underlying theme of connecting via social media resonates.” 

“Having grown up gay helps me to play an emotionally charged teenager like Evan who is straight by the way,” he adds. “I think it allows me to better tap into where lie the dark and happy emotions. Being in touch with love, depression, and anxiety all at the same time.”

Despite his youth, Wheeler has the poise and confidence tempered by the humility of an older soul. Too busy for a relationship at the moment, he says, “Touring has me focusing on myself and I think I’m in love with that.”