Accused! The Victorian Ladies’ Detective Collective returns!

by Patricia Milton

Directed by Morgan Duncan

November 20-December 14, 2025

The Victorian Ladies ARE BACK – and yes, there’s another murder. The tenacious Detective Collective, sisters Loveday and Valeria, with American actress Katie, take on a new murder case to sleuth. Soon, the clues lead them into a dangerous web of anarchists and religious fanatics, immigrants being scapegoated, and ultimately Katie accused as the prime suspect. It’s their most daring caper yet! Welcoming back Stage Guild’s Escape from the Asylum cast and director, plus one new cast member to add to the fun! Did you miss the first two plays in the series? No problem! This is a brand new adventure. Area Premiere.

“DELIGHTFUL…full of QUICK-WITTED dialogue. Milton’s SMART writing, combined with Morgan Duncan’s attentive direction…is A MUST-SEE…A MUST-SEE for fans of historical mysteries, sharp comedies, and women who solve crimes in excellent dresses — corsets optional.”— DC Theater Arts review of Accused! FULL REVIEW

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“…I thoroughly enjoyed Patricia Milton’s “Accused!,” the concluding production of a trio of plays focused on the “Victorian Ladies’ Detective Collective” at the Washington Stage Guild. Viewers who have seen the first two parts may have more of a connection with the characters, but I found “Accused!” quite accessible as a newcomer…[it] will appeal to mystery buffs and casual fans alike…funny, absorbing, and has more than a few parallels to the contemporary political scene.” — Broadway World DC FULL REVIEW

Directed by Alan Wade

January 29 – February 26, 2026

Samuel Beckett’s critically acclaimed final full-length play, essentially a one-woman tragicomic monologue, has been a tour-de-force for many an actress since its 1961 premiere. Winnie, a woman in her 50s, is inexplicably buried waist-deep in a mound of scorched earth in a bleak landscape, while nearby, her husband Willie dozes. She spends her day going through familiar routines, endlessly chattering and reminiscing about better days almost as a vaudeville routine for one. Then a bell rings, and she starts again. Is she trapped in this cycle or free to leave? Beckett’s absurd satire about the human condition lets you ponder what it all means. Featuring WSG Founding Company Members Lynn Steinmetz and Bill Largess.

“Happy Days remains ONE OF THE MOST UNSETTLING AND UNFORGETTABLE PLAYS in the modern canon.” – The New York Times

“a STRANGELY BEAUTIFUL attempt to grapple with the fragility of time and the fleeting poetry of optimism” – ArtsHub.com

April 9 – May 3, 2026

Under an Egyptian moon, the aging Julius Caesar meets teenage Cleopatra by chance one night. With turmoil afoot as Cleopatra and her younger brother vie for the throne, Caesar helps the young queen grow into a great ruler favoring wisdom, honor, and clemency. With the palace under siege by insurgents, Caesar might not be able to keep the country together or even escape alive — let alone manage the headstrong Cleopatra. DC’s premiere producer of Shaw stages this slimmed down version (by artistic director Bill Largess), a riveting exploration of power, politics, vengeance, and mercy.

“COMPELLING & RICH” – StageLeft

“[Shaw] believed he could do history with more wit and insight than the Bard ever could” – DCTheatreArts

Directed by Steven Carpenter

September 25 – October 19, 2025

Brothers Jamie and Tommy share a small cottage overlooking the sea in Southern Ireland. One morning, after a violent storm, Jamie announces that he is dead…he is a ghost. Disbelieving this ridiculous claim, Tommy is convinced his brother’s delusion is simply the aftereffects of grief he suffered following their mother’s death. With wit and pathos, American playwright Bravaco explores the emotional depths of these Irish siblings as they grapple with love, grief, forgiveness – and the afterlife. U.S. Premiere.