Voices of Now
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.
Voices of Now Festival 2025
Voices of Now Festival May 10, 2025
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!
For festival schedule and to reserve tickets to performances, visit the Voices of Now Festival page.
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.
WASHINGTON, DC
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.
VIRGINIA
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
Voices of Now Festival 2025 Performances
The heart of the festival lives in these performances. Join us in celebrating the ensembles as they share their stories, perspectives, and artistry with the world.
Holmes Middle School Ensemble
Blooming Dreams of Belonging
Directed by Jessica Bates and Daniella Ignacio
Jefferson Middle School Academy Ensemble
The 2020 Effect
Directed by Grant Emerson Harvey and Winta (Way) Habtemichael
Luther Jackson Middle School Ensemble
Museum of Identity
Directed by Dave Johnson and Esteban Marmolejo-Suarez
Military Ensemble
Behind the Curtain
Directed by Tammarrah Addison and Elle.Roi Lancaster
Robinson Secondary School Ensemble
The Mirror
Directed by Rebecca Campana and Mark Mumm
Wendt Center for Loss and Healing Ensemble
Through the Emotional looking Glass: Eyes on the Corners of the City
Directed by Melissa Princess Best and Rosie Alger
Ensembles
Learn more about our current Voices of Now ensembles and view their past plays below.
If your organization is interested in hosting a VON ensemble, or you would like to learn more about ways to partner with us, please contact Katie Campbell, Learning Engagement Manager, at kcampbell@arenastage.org.
International Ensembles
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Voices of Now: Croatia 2022
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: Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina 2019
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: Croatia 2015
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: Peru 2014
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: India 2014
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: Croatia 2013
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: India 2012
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.
Films
From the moment schools were closed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we worked to restructure Voices of Now to meet current needs, and transitioned our rehearsals to a virtual format. We were presented with multiple challenges: how do we create ensemble-based theater with artists who are not in the same room? Working virtually, is it possible to maintain the aesthetic of a VON play which is typically highly choreographed? How will the work be performed? Who will it be performed for? Will they watch it?
With these questions in mind, we decided to focus our efforts on creating films that captured the experiences of the VON artists in real-time. In addition to traditional scripting, we used electronic devices such as smartphones and video conferencing tools, as well as art forms such as animation, illustration, and music production to respond to the pandemic as it unfolded.
Access to over 200 VON artists allowed us to catalog the experiences of young people in a way that will speak to future generations, generated by a cohort of artists who are uniquely qualified to create art that fosters productive inquiry while representing their authentic point of view. Together, we have created time capsules that reflect how young people think, observe, and behave during this historic time.
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, Learning Engagement Manager, at kcampbell@arenastage.org.
Sponsors
Voices of Now is made possible through generous support from 
with additional support from Hattie M. Strong Foundation, Enterprise Holdings Foundation, and Friends of Southwest D.C.
Voices of Now is funded in part by Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network, an initiative of the National Endowment in partnership with the U.S. Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs. Creative Forces Community Engagement Grant program is managed by Mid-America Arts Alliance.
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; The deLaski Family Foundation; Boeing; Comcast; Alice Shaver Foundation; GEICO; Venable Foundation; Hattie M. Strong Foundation; Nora Roberts Foundation; Enterprise Holdings Foundation; Friends of Southwest D.C.; and Actors’ Equity Foundation.