Theater Birthday Parties in Northern Virginia — An Experience Unlike Any Other
A live show. A personal audience announcement. A backstage tour or cast meet. No other birthday venue in Northern Virginia offers what happens inside Encore Stage & Studio.
Get a look behind the scenes with an Encore birthday experience!
Your child's group arrives 90 minutes before showtime, takes over a private party room, and settles in. When the show begins and the lights go down, the entire audience hears your child's name announced from the stage. After the performance, the group gets a backstage tour of a real working theater — or, for younger guests, a dedicated Q&A with cast and crew members. You bring the cake. We bring everything else.
Encore Stage & Studio birthday experiences are available for groups attending any production in our current season. Check the show schedule to find a date that works.
What's Included in an Encore Birthday Package
Every Encore birthday experience includes the same core package — built around a real theatrical performance, not a rented room with decorations.
- Private party room access beginning 90 minutes before the show
- A personal birthday announcement to the full theater audience during the performance
- Backstage tour of Encore's working theater facility (ages 8 and up)
- Cast and crew Q&A experience in place of the backstage tour (ages 7 and under)
- Group tickets to the Encore production on your selected date
This is the experience that no bounce house, trampoline park, or party venue in Northern Virginia can replicate — because it requires a real theater, a real cast, and 60 years of knowing how to make a room full of kids feel like they are inside something magical.
Exciting Add-on Options
- Shoutout of birthday celebrant in the Preshow Announcements
- Signed Poster from the Cast (for birthday celebrant only)
- Encore Tote Bags for all your guests
- Encore Magnets for all your guests
- Show Tshirt (for birthday celebrant only)
Experience options must be prepaid and are non-refundable. Payment must be made four weeks before party date and 50% payment of the show tickets.
Backstage Birthday Party for Kids in Arlington, VA — The Premium Experience
For groups who want to go further, Encore's pre-show enhancement package adds a layer of immersive, production-themed experiences before the show begins.
Pre-show enhancements include a rotating selection tied to the current production:
- Themed scavenger hunts through the theater facility
- Obstacle courses and movement activities connected to the show's story or characters
- Cast photo opportunities before the performance
- Dance parties featuring choreography from the production
- Themed crafts and creative activities
The enhancement package increases the total experience from a party-plus-show to a full immersive theater day. It is the option for the child who does not just love theater — who lives for it.
Available Performance Dates for our Birthday Experiences:
- Best Haunted House Ever Sat. Oct 4th, 11 am show
- Best Haunted House Ever Sun. Sept. 28, 3 pm show (Behind the Scenes and Showstoppers options only)
- Best Haunted House Ever Sat. Oct 4th, 3 pm show (Monster Mash Dance Party)
- Best Haunted House Ever Sun. Oct 5th, 3 pm show
- High School Musical Jr. Sat. Jan 10th, 3 pm show (Pre-Show Event Day)
- High School Musical Jr. Sat. Jan 17th, 11 am show
- High School Musical Jr. Sat. Jan 17th, 3 pm show
- High School Musical Jr. Sun. Jan 18th, 3 pm show
- High School Musical Jr. Sun. Jan 11th, 3 pm show (Behind the Scenes and Showstoppers options only)
- Sherlock in Wonderland Sat. March 21st, 3 pm show (Pre-Show Event Day)
- Sherlock in Wonderland Sun. March 22nd, 3 pm show (Behind the Scenes and Showstoppers options only)
- Sherlock in Wonderland Sat. March 28th, 3 pm show (Pre-Show Event Day)
- Sherlock in Wonderland Sat. March 28th, 11 am show
- Sherlock in Wonderland Sun. March 29th, 3 pm show
- Dare to Dream Jr. Sat., May 30th, 3 pm show (Pre-Show Event)
- Dare to Dream Jr. Sat., June 6th, 11 am show
- Dare to Dream Jr. Sat., June 6th, 3 pm show (Pre-Show Event)
- Dare to Dream Jr. Sun., June 7th, 3 pm show
- The Addams Family Sat., July 18th 2pm show
- The Addams Family Sun., July 19th, 3pm show
- The Addams Family Sat. July 25th, 7pm
- The Addams Family Sun., July 26th, 3pm
What Families Ask About Encore Birthday Parties
What is included in a children's theater birthday party with backstage tour in Northern Virginia?
Encore's birthday package includes private party room access 90 minutes before the show, a personal birthday announcement to the full theater audience, group tickets to the live Encore production, and a backstage tour of the working theater facility for guests ages 8 and up. For groups with younger children, a cast and crew Q&A replaces the backstage tour. An optional pre-show enhancement package adds themed activities, crafts, cast photos, and production-themed experiences before the show begins.
What age is the theater birthday experience appropriate for?
Encore birthday experiences work for a wide range of ages. The backstage tour option is designed for ages 8 and up. For younger guests ages 7 and under, the cast and crew Q&A is the included post-show experience. The production your group attends should be age-appropriate for your guest list — check individual show listings on the shows page or ask us when you inquire.
How far in advance do I need to book a theater birthday party in Arlington?
As early as possible, particularly for weekend shows and high-demand production dates. Birthday experience slots are limited per performance — once a date fills, it fills. Submitting an inquiry early gives you the best chance of securing your preferred show and date.
How many guests can attend an Encore birthday experience?
Group size details and capacity are confirmed during the booking process. Submit an inquiry with your approximate guest count and we will confirm what is available for your preferred date.
Is there a theater birthday party option near Alexandria, VA?
Encore Stage & Studio is located in North Arlington, a short drive from Alexandria, Fairlington, Del Ray, and surrounding communities. Families from throughout Northern Virginia book birthday experiences here — it is the kind of venue worth the drive when no comparable option exists closer to home.
Encore Stage & Studio is the longest-running children's theater organization in Northern Virginia — 60 years of productions, thousands of young performers, and now the only theater birthday experience in this market that puts your child's name in front of a live audience. For the kid who loves theater, or the parent who wants a party they will actually remember, this is it. Spots fill up. Book yours.