In the Washington region, the holidays arrive not quietly but in a glittering crescendo. Streets glow with wreaths and white lights, hotel lobbies transform into cinematic displays, restaurants trade menus for mulled cocktails, and families, from infants bundled in velvet to grandparents wrapped in tradition, venture out in search of wonder. From the Kennedy Center to historic churches in Georgetown, from grandeur-filled galas to intimate concert halls, the season offers no shortage of enchantment.
Yet amid this abundance, one production has earned a deeply personal place in the cultural fabric of the DMV: Keegan Theatre’s beloved holiday play, An Irish Carol. Now in its 15th season, this soulful production returns to the company’s intimate home in Dupont Circle, reaffirming its status as one of the region’s most cherished traditions.
Written by Matthew J. Keenan and directed by Mark A. Rhea, the founder of Keegan, An Irish Carol is a stirring, distinctly Irish adaptation of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. The story unfolds over a single Christmas Eve in a small Dublin pub owned by David, a caustic, emotionally barricaded man who has learned to keep others, and life itself, at arm's length. Through visits from friends, family, strangers, and memories, he faces the painful consequences of his choices and discovers, with a blend of humor and grit, that redemption is possible, if one dares to accept it.
Unlike many seasonal productions drenched in glitter and nostalgia, An Irish Carol offers something richer: emotional truth. The world Keegan creates is warm, worn, and utterly authentic. It’s a place where ordinary people confront extraordinary truths over pints and unspoken histories. The play’s emotional power lies not in spectacle but sincerity. It reminds us that second chances are rarely magical; they are earned through humility, forgiveness, and courage.
At the artistic helm of Keegan Theatre is Susan Marie Rhea, Artistic Director since 2021 and a defining force in the company’s evolution. Before her current role, Rhea served as Associate Artistic Director for 16 years, guiding Keegan from its grassroots beginnings to its permanent home on Church Street NW in Dupont Circle. Under her leadership, the company has expanded into a vital cultural institution; one that produces year-round theater, champions new voices, and provides transformative arts education.
Rhea is a Helen Hayes Award–winning actor and multiple nominee for her directing and performance work, and her artistic philosophy is unmistakable in the theater’s repertoire: honest, human storytelling at close range. “Keegan embraces work that invites connection,” she has said. “Theater is not an escape from reality, but a deeper engagement with it.” An Irish Carol embodies this ethos. It doesn’t sentimentalize the holidays, it honors them, revealing why we cling to tradition in the first place: not for pageantry, but for meaning.
Since its founding in 1996, Keegan has earned more than 21 Helen Hayes Awards and over 100 nominations, engaging 15,000 patrons annually and serving more than 2,000 students through educational initiatives that reach across all eight D.C. wards. Its mission, “to take audiences to the vital heart of the theater experience,” is more than a statement; it is a lived practice.
Yet it is precisely in this season of exhilarating abundance that An Irish Carol feels essential. It invites audiences not merely to observe the holidays, but to feel them. It honors the rituals of gathering and gratitude. It celebrates the transformative power of compassion. And in a world that moves too fast, Keegan Theatre offers us a rare pause: a chance to sit together, listen to a story, and remember what matters. Because the holidays aren’t just about celebration, they’re about connection. And at Keegan Theatre, connection takes center stage.
This holiday season, explore the wonder in every corner of the DMV, from dazzling spectacles to intimate theatrical traditions. And before you plan your seasonal calendar, visit our exclusive Holiday Guide, featuring the region’s most inspired performances, winter experiences, and magical outings for all ages.
Article by Bianca Bain Villegas
Photography by Provided by The Keegan Theatre
Originally published in Potomac Lifestyle