Nation-State: An Experiment
Category: Event Calendar
Date and Time
- Wed, Sep 2, 2026 - Wed, Sep 9, 2026 7pm - 9pm
Location
Dupont Underground
19 Dupont Circle NW
Details
Upon arrival, every audience member receives a passport. They are told not to lose it. Without it, they cannot enter the Smallest Country in the World.
Created and directed by Gabriel de la Cruz Soler through a process of collective creation, Nation-State transforms Dupont Underground's historic tunnels into the entrance of a self-declared micronation — one that exists somewhere between performance and reality. Part immersive theater, part civic ritual, part border crossing.
Inside, audiences meet Officer Salinas, Director of N.I.C.E. (Non-Discriminatory, Inclusive Customs Enforcement), who, through absurd games, will evaluate every applicant's eligibility for citizenship.
Every night is different. Victor Salinas — co-founder of La Pluma Theatre — is joined by a guest artist who has never seen the script, performing live for the very first time. No rehearsal. No safety net. Together, they build the Smallest Country in the World in real time, in front of you.
This has not been rehearsed. This is a live experiment. We have never done this before.
Nation-State is Washington, D.C.'s first testimonial theatre production — a form rooted in lived experience, where performers speak in the first person and audiences are asked not simply to observe, but to become participants in the story.
Created and directed by Gabriel de la Cruz Soler
Featuring: Victor Salinas and a guest artist every night
Tickets start at $35
Assorted times, by day
