The Atlas Performing Arts Center is a relatively new addition to the H Street neighborhood in Northeast D.C., but is already a vital part of that community, a major centerpiece in the city’s recent efforts to breath new life into the area. The theater itself is a movie house built in 1938 that enjoyed early success. As years passed, the migration of the middle class into the suburbs took a toll, and business slowed. After the devastation caused by riots following Martin Luther King’s assassination in 1968, the area fell into disrepair and the Atlas closed in 1976.
A non-profit created in 2001, the Atlas Performing Arts Center (APAC) bought the Atlas theater in 2002 and opened its doors to the public in 2006. The Center acts as an ‘anchor’ in the city’s redevelopment of this neighborhood, now known as the “Atlas District”. With four theaters, three dance studios, production and rehearsal space, APAC provides a real community center where artists aspiring and professional can collaborate, grow and learn. APAC offers performances and programs in music, theater, dance and film, and includes the Bernstein Gallery of art. The Atlas Center also offers educational programs in music and dance, including the American Youth Chorus, an educational outreach program of the Congressional Chorus.
Atlas Performing Arts Center Information
- Public Transportation: Good (accessible by Metrobus and free shuttle service provided from the Union Station MetroRail stop on Friday and Saturday evenings)
- Handicapped Accessibility: Good
- Performances/Programs: The Atlas complex comprises four theaters, three dance studios, a café, and production and rehearsal space. The Atlas has partnerships with the following groups: African Continuum Theatre Company, Capital City Symphony, Catalyst Theater Company, Congressional Chorus, the In Series, Joy of Motion Dance Center, Levine School of Music, MusicLink, Step Afrika!, Washington Musica Viva, Washington Performing Arts Society, Washington Savoyards (light opera company), and Zoon Vader Productions
- Ticket Prices: Vary based on presentation. Shows available on Goldstar.com. $5 fee for ticket exchanges
- Subscriptions: The various companies that perform at Atlas offer their own subscription packages and discounts
- Membership: Atlas membership starts at $25. Member benefits include 10% off single ticket orders, a 10% discount off Joy of Motion classes, and invites to events like tours, post-show Q&As, and cast meet-and-greets.
