About Washington Revels

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An established cultural institution in the greater Washington area for over 40 years, Washington Revels is dedicated to reviving, sustaining, expanding, and celebrating cultural traditions — in music, dance, storytelling, and drama — that bind people together in spirit and joy.

Staged or informal, large or small, Revels celebrations involve adults and children of all ages, mixing professionals and nonprofessionals. Audience participation is a hallmark: singing, dancing or becoming part of the drama, Revels audiences are always an integral part of the productions. Whether participating in a Revels celebration from the audience or stage, people invariably leave with smiles on their faces and joy in their hearts.

Annual events include the professionally staged and directed Christmas Revels at Lisner Auditorium (drawing over 2,500 attendees each December), Spring Revels, plus community sings, pub sings, parades and more. Venues for these and many other productions range from outdoor parks to a 500-seat theater.

Washington Revels stands for community, for bringing people together, for celebrating the traditions that connect us and make us whole. When a member of our community is in anguish, we support them, we listen deeply, and we do our best to help. Because a community cannot itself be whole while any one of its members is oppressed and grieving. To our community members, friends, and neighbors of color who are in anguish now, Washington Revels stands with you. Please read our full statement here

Our Mission

We create community through celebration! Washington Revels connects people of all generations and backgrounds, celebrating our diverse cultural traditions and shared humanity through educational and interactive performing arts.

Our Signature Characteristics

  • Musical, theatrical, educational
  • Exploring folk traditions and cultures
  • Participatory and engaging
  • Diverse and inclusive
  • Multi-generational
  • Marking and celebrating the seasons and the cycle of life
  • Volunteer-based, professionally led

FY23 Annual ReportOur annual report is a celebration of our accomplishments and a testament to how far we’ve come. Thank you for being part of the journey!

View FY23 Washington Revels Annual Report [PDF]

View FY23 Washington Revels Annual Report [Flipbook Version]

Artistic Staff

Roberta Gasbarre, Artistic Director
Andrea Jones Blackford, Associate Artistic Director
Elizabeth Anne Fulford, Music Director
Toni Goldberg, Production Manager

Office Staff

Curtis Scott Dunn, Executive Director
Tamara C. Williams, Interim Business Manager
Kristen Murray, Development Coordinator
Michael Lewallen, Office Manager (volunteer)
Susan Hall Lewis, Company Manager (volunteer)
Will Wurzel, Director of Information Technology (volunteer) 

Board of Directors

William B. Conway, chair
Meredith Cabe, vice-chair
Jane Bloodworth, treasurer
Jessica DePrest, secretary
Jessica Estepa
Aryn Geier
Lisa Grosh
Cynthia Keith
Kayla Knapp
John Michael Platt
Margaret Walker
Curtis Scott Dunn, ex officio

Washington Revels in the Community

Washington Revels is an active participant in the broader community. In the past, we have partnered with the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institution’s Discovery Theater, adapting materials from three of its Christmas Revels productions into multi-media programs seen by over 7000 school children.

Our annual Outreach Performance reaches more than 500  students, seniors, and others who would not otherwise have the opportunity to experience the joy of a Christmas Revels.

Under our Community Initiative, Washington Revels partnered with school, church and neighborhood groups to produce Revels-style community theater, providing production and directorial support while engaging the people of the partner communities as performers and as part of the production team.

Revels History

Revels was founded in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1971 and is now active in nine cities across the United States. Each city is an independent nonprofit institution with its own board, office and artistic staff, and separate finances. An umbrella organization, Revels, Inc., maintains artistic standards for all cities, researches traditional materials from many cultures, and assists with scripts and music.