Editor’s note: This story, originally published Feb. 20, 2025, at 2:47 p.m., was updated Feb. 21, 2025, at 10:55 a.m., to include updated ticket information from Round House Theatre.
Amid thousands of federal workers losing their jobs due to the actions of the Trump administration, local theaters and organizations are offering free or discounted tickets for federal employees who have been fired or furloughed.
“This is our community and we recognize it’s going through a crisis,” Joshua Ford, director of marketing and communications at Olney Theatre Center, told Bethesda Today on Wednesday. “Our community has been there for us … it’s important to pay that forward.”
Approximately 70,000 county residents are part of the federal workforce, according to Montgomery County Council President Kate Stewart’s (D-Dist. 4) office. Several federal agencies are also in Montgomery County, including the Food and Drug Administration in Silver Spring’s White Oak community and the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda.
Olney Theatre Center
Olney Theatre Center at 2001 Olney Sandy Spring Road extended its production of the musical Waitress through April 6, and announced Monday that it is offering free tickets for recently fired or furloughed federal employees and contractors. Former federal workers can claim two free walk-up tickets one hour prior to the start of the show, depending on availability. Federal workers interested in tickets should be prepared to share the name of their former department and date of termination or furlough.
Waitress tells the story of a “waitress and expert pie maker stuck in a small town and a loveless marriage” through music and lyrics written by singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles, according to the theater’s website.
Ford noted that while seeing a show may not change someone’s life, it can help bring some normalcy to those impacted by changes at the federal level.
The Thirteen
The Thirteen, a professional choir and orchestra based in Washington, D.C., is offering two complimentary tickets to one of its performances for federal workers who have been fired, whose jobs have been eliminated or who have “resigned under coercion” since Jan. 20, according to a Wednesday statement from the group.
Tickets are available for the group’s performance of To the Field of Stars on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. at Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church, 6601 Bradley Blvd., Bethesda. Those interested in complimentary tickets for federal workers can contact info@thethirteenchoir.org.
Federal workers can also get tickets for performances at the Virginia Theological Seminary, 3737 Seminary Road in Alexandria, on Friday and at St. Joseph’s Church Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Saturday. All the shows will begin at 7:30 p.m.
The Thirteen said federal workers are a large part of its community and hometown.
“The Thirteen believes that music creates community; in turn, music also relies upon and reflects the community in which it sounds,” the statement said. “It is because of this commitment to our community that The Thirteen announces a special ticket offer.”
Strathmore
Strathmore in North Bethesda said Wednesday it’s expanding its community access program, which ensures there are tickets to events for all “Strathmore Presents” programs in The Music Center for less than $30.
PJ Feinstein, Strathmore’s director of communications, said the venue hopes federal workers can take advantage of the program.
Individuals interested in accessing community tickets can fill out a form on Strathmore’s website for each show. The form will be removed when all community access tickets have been claimed, according to Strathmore’s website.
Strathmore Presents events in The Music Center include performances such as Arturo O’Farrill and his Afro Latin Orchestra featuring Brazilian bandloist Hamilton de Holanda on March 1 and Rain — A Tribute to the Beatles on March 13.
Round House Theatre
Round House Theatre, a professional theater in downtown Bethesda, is offering up to pay-what-you-can tickets for several shows, according to Director of Marketing and Communications Hannah Grove-DeJarnett.
Grove-DeJarnett said two pay-what-you-can tickets for each fired or furloughed federal employee, subject to availability, are available at the door 90 minutes prior to the start of the show and must be claimed no later than 30 minutes before showtime for the following shows:
- Teen Performance Company: GALLOWS HUMOR from Feb. 28 to March 2
- The Roundlings teen comedy and improv troupe on March 1
- BAD BOOKS for the April 2 to April 20 performances
Federal workers interested in tickets should be prepared to share the name of their former department and date of termination or furlough.
