The Christmas Revels

Christmas Revels is a cherished holiday tradition for over 70,000 people throughout the country. Every December, the Washington Revels community gathers in GW University’s Lisner Auditorium to celebrate the season through the traditional songs, dances, and stories of cultures from around the world. This year’s production was performed at Lisner Auditorium December 15 – 17, and is now available as a virtual encore streaming performance!

Arthur, Guinevere and Gawain during the KyrieOur 41st production of Christmas Revels whisks audiences to the time of Camelot, King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, weaving the ancient tale of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight with English and French medieval music, delightful Revels favorites, and many opportunities for the audience to join in the fun. The Christmas Revels: The Magical Medieval Tale of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, features a multigenerational cast, ages 8 to 92, portraying the legendary ladies and gallant knights of Camelot and the mysterious Green Court of the Lord and Lady Bercilak—as Sir Gawain’s adventure unfolds, filled with beauty, magic, and celebration!

Read Program Notes

Photo credit: Alain Lázaro Gutiérrez Almeida

Please note that the period for Revels On-Demand viewing has concluded. The information below has been retained for archival purposes.

REVELS ON-DEMAND

Join us for a virtual performance of Christmas Revels! Your on-demand virtual ticket includes unlimited access during the viewing period to our 41st annual production of “Christmas Revels: The Magical Medieval Tale of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,” recorded during a live performance at GW Lisner Auditorium.

On-demand Tickets: $45
(viewing from Dec. 23 until Jan. 6)

Read Program Notes

Children singing in the 2023 Christmas Revels

Photo credit: Alain Lázaro Gutiérrez Almeida

Please note that in-person performances have concluded. The information below has been retained for archival purposes.

IN-PERSON PERFORMANCES

Friday, December 15, 7pm
Saturday, December 16, 2pm & 7pm
Sunday, December 17, 1:30pm & 5pm

GW Lisner Auditorium
730 21st St NW, Washington, DC 20052

Purchase In-person Tickets

IN-PERSON TICKETS

Matinee pricing [+$5] is shown in red below
Youth = 18 and under

Orchestra A-N (Center):  Adult $65 / $70Youth $45 / $50
Orchestra A-N (Sides):  Adult $55 / $60Youth $37 / $42
Terrace* AA-JJ:  Adult $50 / $55  |  Youth $32 / $37
Terrace* KK-RR:  Adult $35 / $40  |  Youth $25 / $30
Terrace* SS-UU:  Adult $23 / $28  |  Youth $17 / $22
Wheelchair Spaces (Row N): see Row N pricing above
* Terrace seats require climbing stairs

GROUP SALES:
10% off for groups of 10-19; 20% off for groups of 20 or more*
Service charges: $2.50 per ticket plus $3.50 per order
* Available only through the Washington Revels office: call 301-587-3835

ACCESSIBILITY SERVICES:
All performances wheelchair accessible.
Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs) available upon request at coat check.

MARGINALIA
Peter Walker, Brian Kay and Dongmyung Ahn

2023 musicians

Peter Walker

Described as a “commanding” singer by a recent Boston Globe review, and “rich voiced” and “vivid” by the New York Times, Peter Walker performs with the GRAMMY-nominated Skylark Ensemble, GRAMMY-nominated Handel + Haydn Society, GRAMMY-nominated Clarion Society Choir, Kuhmo Kamarimusiiki, Staunton Music Festival, Early Music New York, Blue Heron, Texas Early Music, Pomerium, and other ensembles, and is a founder and member of Chapter House, a duo exploring the connections between storytelling and music. He is also active as a researcher of early music ranging from the Middle Ages through the eighteenth century, and has presented lectures of medieval and renaissance music at Vassar College and Case Western. Peter holds degrees from Vassar College and McGill University, where he studied with Drew Minter and Sanford Sylvan. He currently sings n the U.S. Army Chorus.

Brian Kay

Brian Kay

Brian Kay is a modern-day troubadour. He is the Artistic Director of the early music meets early theater group THEATRO, and is currently overseeing their international recording of music from the plays of William Shakespeare. He is an Artistic Leadership Fellow of Apollo’s Fire and in 2019, he won a GRAMMY® Award for his work on their Songs of Orpheus recording with tenor Karim Sulayman. He works as a consultant for the Netflix music lab and is a featured soloist on the soundtrack of their original series The Witcher. He has performed throughout the world at venues such as the National Concert Hall of Dublin, Belfast Castle (Ireland), Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the Folger Theater. His live radio appearances include NPR, Baltimore’s WYPR, Baltimore’s 98ROCK, Boston’s WGBH, and Cleveland’s WCLV.  Brian is a founding member of THEATRO and Twa Corbies, a core member of Apollo’s Fire, and regularly performs with Hesperus, The Folger Consort, Early Music Access Project, and Trio Sefardi. Brian is on the faculty as teacher of historical plucked instruments at Cleveland Institute of Music and Case Western Reserve University. He has lectured on music and history at Yale University, The Peabody Conservatory, Johns Hopkins University, The Folger Theater, The Kennedy Center, and Baldwin-Wallace College.

Dongmyung Ahn

Dongmyung Ahn

Early string specialist Dongmyung Ahn is a performer, educator, and scholar whose interests span from the twelfth to eighteenth centuries. She is co-founder of Duo Custos, a medieval duo that specializes in music of the fourteenth century. Dongmyung regularly performs with Green Mountain Vespers, Pegasus, Raritan Players, The Sebastians, and TENET Vocal Artists. She has played rebec in the critically acclaimed production of The Play of Daniel at the Cloisters. A dedicated educator, Dongmyung has taught music history at Columbia University, New York University, Queens College, Rutgers University, and Vassar College. She received her PhD in musicology at the Graduate Center, CUNY and has published an article on medieval liturgy in the Rodopi series Faux Titre and an article on Jewish-Christians relations in Henry VIII’s court (IU Press).

Washington Revels Brass

The Washington Revels Brass lends its joyful, clarion sound to every Christmas Revels production. Current performers include trumpeters Les Linn and Fred Marcellus, French horn Andrew Houde and trombonists Bryan Bourne and Jeff Gaylord. The ensemble views itself in a certain sense as a microcosm of Revels everywhere: they have their own rituals, traditions, and personality. They differ from every other part of the Revels only in that their ways are largely invisible to all but themselves. (Photo by Alain L. Gutiérrez Almeida)

Emma Crane Jaster

Emma Crane Jaster (Lady Bercilak)

Emma grew up in Revels watching her parents Gayle Jaster—then director, and Mark Jaster—frequent fool. She has performed with Revels in both DC and Cambridge as a child, teen, and professional actor in Italian, Haddon Hall, and Welsh productions. Throughout her subsequent international training, she has specialized in physical expression and communication. Her work onstage, in the world, and in the classroom focuses on the cross-cultural and humanizing potential of performance. She is Associate Director of the Laboratory for Global Performance and Politics at Georgetown University where she works with international artists at the intersection of politics and performance and develops courses to share the skills of the stage for the sake of diplomacy and advocacy. She teaches at The Shakespeare Theater Company’s Academy of Classical Acting, and is an Associate Artist of Heartbeat Opera in NYC. She started onstage at the age of 6 with her father, later studied at the Lecoq school in Paris, the Natanakairali Institute in India and Robert Wilson’s Watermill Center. She has developed work with Dalianshang International Theater Festival in China, and the Grotowski-based Teatr Zar in Poland, among others. She is the recipient of multiple grants and residencies including a recent fellowship with the Asian Cultural Council for cultural exchange in Taiwan.

Morgan Duncan (King Arthur)

A veteran of many Washington Revels productions, Morgan Duncan is a Howard University graduate and member of Actor’s Equity Association. He has performed widely at regional theaters around the country, including The Guthrie in Minneapolis, MN., and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival; and locally, at Arena Stage and The Shakespeare Theater. For many years, he was a company member with The Capitol Steps. Morgan first performed in a Christmas Revels in 1992 as the “Star Fool” in Washington Revels’ initial production of “The Celestial Fools,” a role he reprised in 1999. In both 2001 and 2009, Morgan played the lead role of the Doge of Venice in our Italian Renaissance Christmas Revels, and he portrayed John Manners, 9th Duke of Rutland, in the 2012 Christmas Revels production,“The Spirits of Haddon Hall.”

Abbie Mulberg

Abbie Desrosiers Mulberg (Queen Guinevere)

A native Washingtonian, Abbie is thrilled to be returning to The Christmas Revels. Most recently, she was a guest musician in the 2022 Christmas Revels with the Wammie-award winning Whiskey Before Breakfast Band. Other credits include, Mother in Ragtime, Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Abigail Adams in 1776, Marian Paroo in The Music Man, and April in Company. But mostly, her heart is with the Washington Revels and the lovely community they’ve built. Welcome Yule!
Terry Bartlebaugh

Terrence Bartlebaugh (Sir Gawain)

Terrence Bartlebaugh currently attends the University of Maryland as a Theater and Vocal performance major. His recent roles include Kevin in University of Maryland’s production of The Prom; Nick Bottom in Montgomery College Summer Dinner Theater’s 2023 production of Something Rotten, and Laurie in the Summer Dinner Theatre’s Little Women. This is Terry’s inaugural Christmas Revels appearance.

Preston Jones

Preston Jones (Lord Bercilak)

Preston Jones is a Senior Theater Performance major at the University of Maryland, College Park. Most recently, Preston portrayed Lucky in the musical Dancing on the Air: The Teenarama Story in 2021 (Selah Theatre); Duke Frederick and Duke Senior in the University of Maryland’s 2022 production of Shakespeare’s As You Like It; Mr. Hawkins in the Montgomery College Summer Dinner Theatre production of The Prom (2023), and Shakespeare in Something Rotten (2023). This is Preston’s first Christmas Revels appearance.

Josh Sticklin (Sir Gawain)

Josh Sticklin last appeared with Washington Revels in the 2010 Christmas Revels based on Thomas Hardy’s Under the Greenwood Tree. Josh is currently the Associate Producer and Technical Director at D.C.’s Keegan Theater. “Live theatre’s power to connect and inspire will never cease to amaze me … It’s the fuel that sustains me and it rarely feels like work. In particular, celebrating and supporting new works and new voices is my driving force.” We are so happy to welcome Josh back into the Washington Revels community.

On-Demand Resources & Tech Info

Please note that the period for Revels On-Demand viewing has concluded. The information below has been retained for archival purposes.

2023 Christmas Revels: The Magical Medieval Tale of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

General Info

  • On-Demand Access: Watch anytime, as many times as you like, from Friday, December 23 to Friday, January 6.
  • Your ticket link enables access for a single device only.
  • This pre-recorded event will play in an online video player. You do not need Zoom to watch.
  • The video includes general Closed Captions that can be turned on by clicking the “CC” icon in the video player.

Ticket Information

  • Your Christmas Revels on-demand access link will be available and sent by Dec 23, 2023. You will not see an access link in your order confirmation email with your e-tickets. If you are unable to find your access link or do not receive it by Dec 23rd, please email tickets@revelsdc.org. Search for “Revels On-demand”  in your inbox (and be sure to check your spam folder). If you still cannot find it, send an email to tickets@revelsdc.org and we will resend your on-demand access link.
  • If you purchased tickets for multiple households in a single order, remember to forward the ticket email to each recipient, with instructions for which link they should use (ex. “Dear Susan, please click the second button to watch”).
  • Be sure to share this resource page, and our pre-show emails, with anyone you sent tickets to.
  • Please remind your guests to contact you if they have issues locating their tickets. Washington Revels will not know which ticket email/link your guests received and we can only reissue tickets to the email address they were purchased with.

Resources for Revelry!

Program & Lyrics:

  • You can now download the full Christmas Revels program, including program notes and singalong lyrics. We encourage you to print this in advance.
  • If you prefer to print only the audience “All Sings,” you can download/print those below.

Get in the Yuletide Spirit:

Unlike inside the Lisner Auditorium, enjoying food and drinks while you watch the on-demand Christmas Revels is totally up to you! For those seeking a seasonal beverage, here are recipes from our Revels community, including:

  • Board Member Bill Conway’s traditional Quoit Club Punch, which he makes for the Washington Revels cast party every year. It serves many and serves them well!
  • Three festive treats from the kitchen of Reveler Colin Bills and his mother, Beryl: wassail, glögg, and egg nog

Technical Advice & Resources

Resources for Connecting Your Device to a TV:

There are so many different devices and options for viewing The Christmas Revels that we cannot provide one set of instructions. If you would like to watch this event on a larger screen, such as a TV, we have identified several websites that may help. We encourage you to test your viewing setup in advance of the performance.

If You Need Help:

You can contact Washington Revels Staff for help Monday-Friday at tickets@revelsdc.org or by calling 301-587-3835.

Technology Disclaimer

We understand that our patrons have a wide range of technical savvy and internet capabilities. However, it is the responsibility of the ticket holder to have a reliable internet connection and technical knowledge of the equipment they will be using to watch this event. We realize that technical difficulties may arise and, as noted above, we will do our best to help; however our staff cannot provide in-depth technical support.

Thank you for your understanding.

Our flagship production, The Christmas Revels, is a festive, fully staged celebration of the Winter Solstice and the return of sun and light after the “shortest day,” radiating hope and joy in the renewal of life and the circle of the seasons. Seen by over 10,000 people every December, it draws on traditions and rituals from many lands and peoples, focusing each year on a different culture or related cultures.

Select a link below to learn more about that production.

 The Christmas Revels On Demand

2011-2021

 Photos from the Thomas Hardy Revels

2001-2010

 Photo from African-American Revels

1991-2000

  • 2000: Celtic
  • 1999: Celestial Fools
  • 1998: Shepherd Alley – Washington, D.C.
  • 1997: Medieval – King and the Fool
  • 1996: Northlands
  • 1995: French
  • 1994: Victorian
  • 1993: Celtic
  • 1992: Celestial Fools
  • 1991: Russian and American
 Photo from an early Washington Revels production

1983-1990

  • 1990: Medieval
  • 1989: Storybook
  • 1988: Medieval
  • 1987: Celtic
  • 1986: French
  • 1985: Appalachian-American (featuring Jean Ritchie)
  • 1984: “Haddon Hall”
  • 1983: Medieval

ahc-newlogo_hr