44: The Musical Brings an Infusion of Joy to Washington, D.C.

Limited Engagement Opening April 23, 2026 at Shakespeare Theatre Company: Klein Theatre

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, March 9, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- No city in America has a more personal relationship with the 44th president of the United States than Washington, D.C. This spring, that relationship takes the stage.

Following record-breaking runs in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, 44: The Musical comes to Shakespeare Theatre Company: Klein Theatre for a limited engagement. Previews begin Saturday, April 18, with Opening Night on Thursday, April 23, 2026. Tickets go on sale to the general public Tuesday, March 10, at 12 PM.

Part concert. Part comedy. Part cultural time capsule, 44: The Musical is not a political retelling—it is a high-energy celebration of the most culturally significant chapters in modern American history brought to life through music, movement, humor, and song.

A SHOW BUILT FOR THE CITY
From the corridors of Capitol Hill to the pews of Southeast D.C. churches, from the yards at Howard University to the barbershops of Columbia Heights, Washington is a city that did not just watch the Obama years unfold; it lived them.

"The people of D.C. deserve an infusion of joy right now," said Eli Bauman, who wrote, composed, and directed the musical. "With all the heaviness going on in our country, 44 is here to provide a fun night out — where a room full of strangers can laugh and reminisce about a time when the country felt full of hope, and when the biggest presidential scandal was wearing a tan suit." Bauman is a former Obama campaign staffer and television writer whose credits include NBC's Maya & Marty.

THE SHOW
44: The Musical tells the story of Barack Obama's presidency—as told through Joe Biden’s hazy recollection. The cast performs 24 musical numbers inspired by the popular song and dance styles of the Obama era, tracing the arc of his presidency through original songs, hilariously lampooned real-life characters, and stinging satire. The production blends R&B, gospel, pop, and razor-sharp humor into a theatrical experience that pulses with joy and nostalgia. Powerhouse vocals, dynamic choreography, and a live band-driven score capture the music, momentum, and communal spirit that defined a generation.

THE MOMENT
44: The Musical arrives at a moment of heightened national reflection on the Obama legacy. With the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago anticipated to open this summer, the cultural conversation about what that era meant—for the country, for Washington, and for the Americans who lived through it—is more active than it has been since he left office. The musical does not enter that conversation quietly. It arrives with a live band, a full cast, and something Washington, D.C. could use right now: pure, well-earned joy.

THE PRODUCTION
44: The Musical made its world premiere at The Bourbon Room Hollywood in November 2022, returning to the same venue for an extended engagement in fall 2023. The production then played Chicago's Epiphany Center for the Arts in August 2024 before its breakthrough engagement at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Los Angeles in spring 2025, where a four-week run was extended an additional eight weeks to meet demand — becoming the highest-grossing production in the theater's history.

“We have watched audiences in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Chicago, and New York leave this show transformed—laughing, crying, on their feet,” said Monica Saunders-Weinberg, Lead Producer. “But Washington, D.C., is different. This city lived these years personally. We cannot wait to give it a night of pure, well-earned joy," said Saunders-Weinberg.

The Los Angeles engagement drew audiences and widespread acclaim well beyond the theater community, with celebrity attendees including Stevie Wonder, Martin Short, Larry David, Martin Lawrence, Wanda Sykes, and Dionne Warwick, among many others.

The production subsequently played Philadelphia Theatre Company in November 2024 before breaking records at Chicago's Studebaker Theater and opening Off-Broadway at the Daryl Roth Theatre in New York City on November 6, 2025, where it was extended four weeks beyond its originally scheduled eight-week run.

Running time: 2 hours, plus an intermission.

WHAT THE CRITICS ARE SAYING:

"Smart, sophisticated satire… a hilarious spoof R&B musical stocked with top-drawer talent and Broadway-caliber singing." — Chicago Tribune

"For any political comedy to feel like a balm these days is a feat… It's a surprisingly delightful respite from the current morass in Washington." — The Washington Post


TICKETS & INFORMATION
General on-sale: Tuesday, March 10 at 12 PM
Tickets: https://www.44theobamamusical.com

Shakespeare Theatre Company: Klein Theatre
450 7th St NW
Washington, DC 20004
(202) 547-1122
https://www.shakespearetheatre.org/

Ashley Arias
TAA PR
ashley@taapr.com
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