signature theatre

A middle aged Chinese man in a suit sits amongst blue drawings of a bald eagle, the Statue of Liberty and a Chinese dragon
placeholder

#SigSoftPower

Specialty Nights

  • Discussion Nights August 28 & September 10, 2024
  • Pride Night August 23, 2024
  • Masks Required August 18 at 2PM & September 10 at 7:30PM
  • ASL Interpreted September 6, 2024
  • AAPI Affinity Night August 20, 2024
  • Post-Show Talkback with Georgetown University Experts (more info below) September 12, 2024

DC Premiere

Soft Power

August 6 – September 15, 2024

Max

A visionary musical fantasia by Tony Award winners David Henry Hwang (Yellow Face, M. Butterfly) and Jeanine Tesori (Fun Home, Kimberly Akimbo).

After the 2016 election, when a Chinese American playwright is attacked by an unknown assailant, he hallucinates a Golden Age musical comedy about a Chinese theater producer and Hillary Clinton falling in love. Hilarious and biting, this political satire dares to ask: Does American Democracy still work? And is it worth believing in?

An exhilarating ride through political absurdity with a faceoff between Chinese and American exceptionalism, Soft Power makes an electric debut in the nation’s capital.

“Subversive as well as funny, touching and thoroughly entertaining… You may never look at an American musical the same way again.” – Variety


Flip through the Soft Power Program

Click the arrows to turn the pages, and click the box in the bottom right corner to view in full screen.

Running time is approximately 85 minutes, no intermission.

This show depicts anti-Asian sentiments, political violence, adult language and will use flashing lights and theatrical haze. Recommended for ages 13+ Click here for more detailed content warnings