Jefferson Ensemble
Free after-school program for Jefferson Middle School Academy students.
Voices of Now
Saturday, April 25, 2026 at 1:00PM
Voices of Now Festival 2026
This day-long celebration of youth-devised theater will feature four ensembles of middle and high school artists from across the DC region. Developed through longstanding partnerships with DC Public Schools, Fairfax County Public Schools, and the Wendt Center for Loss and Healing, the highly-anticipated program will include performances and post-show talkbacks that invite audiences to engage directly with the work on stage.
About Voices of Now
Voices of Now (VON) is an internationally recognized, devised theater program where ensembles of young artists work with theater professionals to create original plays.
These fast-paced, autobiographical, physical theater pieces pose significant social questions relevant to the artists and their communities. Working locally and internationally, VON's goal is to create positive change within the artists’ communities by engaging in dialogue centered on the unique life experiences of the participants. More than 2,000 artists have had their lives changed by their VON experience in the last decade alone.
Looking Back
It was a jam-packed day filled with dynamic VON ensemble performances, hands-on workshops, and thought-provoking panels. The festival was full of fresh experiences and new perspectives shaped by youth artists, makers, and storytellers.
From big laughs to brave stories, the 2025 Voices of Now Festival gave us memories we’ll carry forward. Take a look at some of the highlights!
Seven Voices of Now ensembles brought their unique perspectives to the stage in 2025, rehearsing across the DC Metro and making this year’s festival unforgettable.
Jefferson Middle School Ensemble, located just down the street from Arena Stage in Southwest, DC, shined as the flagship ensemble and proudly celebrated its 20th anniversary with the program. This milestone was made possible thanks to the generous support of Friends of Southwest DC.
The Wendt Center for Loss and Healing Ensemble marked its 13th season with VON, continuing to create powerful art as a community of artists navigating grief after the death of a loved one.
The Military Ensemble, in its second season, inspired audiences with work by military-connected youth and teens. Their performances were made possible through Boeing’s generous support, along with additional funding from the NEA’s Creative Forces grant and in-kind support from VFW Post 9274 in Falls Church. Creative Forces Community Engagement Grants were part of the National Endowment for the Arts’ Creative Forces® initiative, in partnership with Mid-America Arts Alliance.
Fairfax County Public Schools proudly commemorated 15 years of partnership with Arena Stage and Voices of Now. Together, VON worked with incredible communities of artists in 2025, including:
- Holmes Middle School Ensemble
- Kilmer Middle School Ensemble
- Luther Jackson Middle School Ensemble
- Robinson Secondary School Ensemble
Past Performances
The heart of the festival lives in these performances. Join us in celebrating last year's ensembles as they share their stories, perspectives, and artistry with the world.
Current Ensembles
Wendt Center Ensemble
Free evening ensemble for teens who are grieving the death of a loved one. This ensemble is offered in partnership with the Wendt Center for Loss and Healing.
FCPS Ensembles
Free after-school program for Fairfax County middle school students.
International Ensembles
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Voices of Now 2022
Croatia
In partnership with the U.S. Embassy in Zagreb, Croatia. Arena Stage sent four Arena Stage Voices of Now devisers/directors to Croatia for 12 days in December 2022. The artists worked with an ensemble of young artists from Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, with online participation from Ukraine. The original play Safe Keeping toured Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Croatia.
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Voices of Now 2019
Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina
In partnership with the U.S. Embassy in Zagreb, Croatia and the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Arena Stage sent four Arena Stage Voices of Now devisers/directors to Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina for three weeks beginning January 26, 2019. The artists worked with three ensembles of young people, two in Croatia and one in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and through workshops and rehearsals, three original plays were created and performed by the ensembles.
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Voices of Now 2015
Croatia
In September 2015, Arena Stage in partnership with the U.S. Embassies in Zagreb, Croatia and Ljubljana, Slovenia, sent three Voices of Now (VON) teaching artists to Zagreb to work with high school and college-age youth from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia and Slovenia. The participants, known as the Voices of Now Youth 2 Youth Ensemble, created and performed the play Beneath the Surface at the Tresnja Theater in Zagreb on Friday, September 18, 2015.
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Voices of Now 2014
Peru
In June 2014, the United States Embassy in Lima, Peru invited two artist-educators from Arena Stage’s Community Engagement division to Lima to work with Esteras, a local theater company comprised of artists, educators and leaders committed to using art as a tool for human development and social transformation. Together, they formed Arena y Esteras and created the play La Solidaridad/Unity.
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Voices of Now 2014
India
Following a successful partnership in 2012, the United States Department of State funded nine artist-educators from Arena Stage’s Community Engagement division in 2014 to return to India to create devised theater pieces with nearly 400 artists from diverse communities in the following cities: Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad.
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Voices of Now 2013
Croatia
In partnership with the United States Department of State, Arena Stage sent four artist-educators to Zagreb, Croatia in December of 2013 to create an original, autobiographical play with 11 young adults with physical disabilities.
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Voices of Now 2012
India
In 2012 the United States Department of State funded four artist-educators from Arena Stage’s Community Engagement division to travel to India to create devised theater pieces with diverse groups in four cities: Kolkata, Patna, New Delhi and Hyderabad. Using workshop activities and rehearsal methods used in Arena Stage’s Voices of Now program, artist-educators devised and directed plays exploring themes important to the ensemble of artists in each community.
Get Involved
Voices of Now workshops and residencies are available to middle school, high school, community groups, educators and theater professionals. Learn more by contacting Katie Campbell, Senior Manager of Learning Engagement, at kcampbell@arenastage.org.
Sponsors
Voices of Now is made possible through generous support from Hattie M. Strong Foundation, Enterprise Mobility Foundation, and Friends of Southwest DC.
Arena Stage’s community engagement efforts are generously sponsored by Denie and Frank Weil; The Toni A. Ritzenberg Fund for Educational and Community Outreach Programs at Arena Stage; Joanne Barker; The Robert and Natalie Mandel Family Foundation; Rick and Carol Froehlich; Events DC; Alice Shaver Foundation; Venable Foundation; Hattie M. Strong Foundation; Nora Roberts Foundation; Enterprise Mobility Foundation; Friends of Southwest DC; and Actors’ Equity Foundation.