RuPaul's Drag Race winner Sasha Velour will premiere a new show, Travesty, at Washington, D.C.'s Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in its 46th season, running March 24-April 12, 2026. The work is described in press notes as "a tribute to the disruptive and political power of drag."
That subject matter makes the production especially timely for the D.C. area, whose Kennedy Center was recently taken over by President Trump to censor so-called "woke entertainment" from the venue, an amorphous term the politician apparently thinks includes drag performances (despite the recent announcement of Kennedy Center engagements for both Mrs. Doubtfire and Chicago, both of which contain drag).
Travesty tracks queer history of one single spot, from a witch burning in a field to an underground gay bar fighting back against the police. Velour is a mixed-media artist, and this latest work will include live performance, lip sync, and cinema.
鈥淒rag is the embodiment of life, liberty, and autonomy, so it鈥檚 the perfect time to present a bold theatrical tribute to it, just steps from our nation鈥檚 capital (and in the 250th anniversary of our independence!)," says Velour in a statement. "I鈥檓 so excited to partner with Woolly Mammoth Theatre, and their legacy of making boundary-breaking, equitable, and original theatre that speaks to the present."
The company's season will open with the American premiere of Riki Lindhome's Dead Inside, a solo musical about the comic's real-life fertility journey. Performances will run July 9-27.
Moving into the fall, Woolly Mammoth will partner with Boston's Company One Theatre on a co-production of Nia Akilah Robinson's The Great Privation (How to flip ten cents into a dollar), running September 11-October 12. Julia Msali's solo show ho ho ho ha ha ha ha will play the company November 12-December 21, a run that follows an Off-Broadway bow at the Public.
In 2026, Woolly Mammoth is working with Theater J to give a world premiere to Ali Viterbi's The World to Come, to be directed by Woolly Mammoth Co-Founder and Artistic Director Emeritus Howard Shalwitz. Naomi Jacobson and Michael Russotto will star in the new work, about the residents of SeaBreeze Hebrew Home for the Aging as they fight to protect the community they've built as the world collapses outside. Performances will run February 3-March 1, 2026.
Following Travesty, the season will close with A Fine Madness, which will feature Company Artist Justin Weaks reclaiming his own story of navigating an HIV diagnosis. Performances will run June 2-21, 2026.
The upcoming season is the last for outgoing Artistic Director Maria Manuel Goyanes, who is set to take over Lincoln Center Theater's LCT3 beginning with the 2025-2026 season. 鈥淎s I take my final bow at Woolly Mammoth, I carry forward the echoes of every daring story we've told, every boundary we've pushed, and every community we've built," says Goyanes in a statement. "This theatre has been more than a stage; it's been a crucible for cultural change, a haven for voices that demand to be heard. While my journey leads me back to New York, the spirit of Woolly鈥攂old, unflinching, and radically inclusive鈥攚ill forever guide my path."
鈥淚鈥檝e never felt more energized to lean into the times and deepen Woolly鈥檚 voice and commitment to bringing badass, fun, and bold art to our stages that make people laugh, feel, and deeply explore all facets of our humanity," adds Managing Director Kimberly Douglas. "As a herd, we stand with D.C. artists and organizations, and we're committed to standing in our truth, by bringing transformative stories, and there are many to explore. D.C. is a city that fights for its art and its people. I know Season 46 will be an incredible journey because why play it safe when we can play it Woolly. We鈥檙e grateful for the trust and belief in our vision and values, and have received some vital funding in a period of uncertainty to continue to boldly make the art we desire through Season 46 and beyond. We鈥檙e excited to be more Woolly than ever and celebrate alongside every member of our herd."
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