RAAC

RAAC Movie - Beauty and the Beast
2026-02-13 18:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Little Washington Theatre, 291 Gay Street, Washington, VA, 22740, United States
In celebration of unexpected love on the Eve of Valentine’s Day, RAAC will show Jean Cocteau’s 1946 classic “La Belle et La Bete,” or Beauty and the Beast, at the Little Washington Theatre, at 6 o’clock on Friday February 13 ( a test run of an earlier start for RAAC movies). Based on the 18th century fairy tale, the story unfolds like a beautiful but disturbing departure from the ordinary, with plenty of special effects created without any of today’s computer-assisted techniques.
Cocteau’s treatment of the eerie romance has been called “realism of the unreal. ” Audiences can watch a credible, if dreamy, young woman’s journey from horror to empathy to love for the beast, who has taken her hostage as part of a shocking deal imposed on her father when he is staggered by a business failure. Jean Marais plays the lonely, misunderstood beast, as well as two competing suitors for the affection of Belle, played by Josette Day.
Reports of the filming experience in post-war France add to the fascination. Marais would endure five hours of make-up time, with fur strips attached to his face and hefty incisors inserted in his mouth. And during the production period, Cocteau himself was stricken by a painful skin disorder requiring penicillin every three hours.
This French film includes subtitles, and RAAC provides hearing assistance, helpful in taking in the French dialogue and the sumptuous score by the French composer Georges Auric.
This special evening is free, but RAAC welcomes donations to cover productions costs.

Summer Chorus/Drama Registration Open
2026-02-24 - 2026-06-05 | Rappahannock County High School, 12576 Lee Hwy, Washington, 22747, United States
Registration for the Summer Chorus & Drama program is now open. Children can be registered here.

Auditions for The Dining Room
2026-03-14 14:00 - 17:00 | Little Washington Theatre, 291 Gay Street, Washington, VA, 22740, United States
“The Dining Room” by A. R. Gurney is a comedy of manners, set in a single dining room where 18 scenes from different households overlap and intertwine. Each story is focused around a different family during different time periods who has in their possession the same dining room furniture set, manufactured in 1898. Portrayed with compassionate humor and abundant humanity, the action is a mosaic of interrelated scenes —some funny, some touching, some rueful—which, taken together, create an in-depth portrait of a vanishing species: the upper-middle-class WASP (White Anglo-Saxon Protestant).
If you would like to audition please complete an audition form here.

Tartuffe
2026-03-27 19:00 - 21:00, 2026-03-28 15:00 - 17:00, 2026-03-29 15:00 - 17:00, 2026-04-03 19:00 - 21:00, 2026-04-04 15:00 - 17:00 | Little Washington Theatre, 291 Gay Street, Washington, VA, 22740, United States
Tartuffe, the greatest hit from France’s greatest wit, presented by RAAC Theatre. Moliere’s 17th Century, masterful take-down of religious hypocrisy staged in full period dress by some of your most beloved actors. Translation by Richard Wilbur
You can purchase tickets by clicking here.

RAAC Movie - Hamnet
2026-04-10 19:00 - 21:00 | Little Washington Theatre, 291 Gay Street, Washington, VA, 22740, United States
RAAC’s second April movie will be Hamnet, the acclaimed Shakespeare-related film whose lead, Jessie Buckley, accepted the Oscar for best actress for her role as Agnes Shakespeare. Hamnet, had multiple Oscar nominations, including best picture and best adapted screenplay. Hamnet director Chloé Zhao was nominated for best director. The film carries the name of Shakespeare’s only son, Hamnet, whose death was the inspiration of the play many consider the master playwright’s best, Hamlet. Max Weiss, critic of Baltimore, said “The film is thoroughly imbued with that blend of mysticism and naturalism.”

RAAC Movie - Train Dreams
2026-04-18 18:00 - 20:00 | Little Washington Theatre, 291 Gay Street, Washington, VA, 22740, United States
On Saturday, April 18 at 6PM (so viewers can set out for dinner after the movie ends), RAAC will screen the celebrated four-time Oscar nominee, Train Dreams. Train Dreams is an American period drama directed by Chris Bentley, adapted from Denis Johnson’s 2011 novella, starring Joel Edgerton and Felicity Jones.. Set in Idaho, the story traces the 80-year life of Robert Grainier. Orphaned as a child, Robert drifts through life, finding work on railroad and logging projects, witnessing tragedies, including the deaths of fellow workers, and enduring the destruction of his family cabin. He eventually settles into a quieter existence, reflecting on life’s fleeting moments and maintaining a spiritual connection to lost loved ones.
Recognized as one of the top ten films of 2025, the film is celebrated for its cinematic artistry, evocative storytelling, and deeply human performances, establishing it as a standout work of contemporary American cinema.
Among the film’s many accolades, notable awards include: Best Feature, Best Director, and Best Cinematography at the Film Independent Spirit Awards; and nominations for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Original Song, at the 2026 Academy Awards.
Though the RAAC film is free, donations are welcome to help offset production costs. Hearing assistance will be available.

Soup and Soul
2026-05-02 18:30 - 21:30 | VA
RAAC’s next Soup & Soul event will feature Rappahannock artist Jane Irish.
Jane and her husband Crispin Sartwell have recently established residence in Woodville, with Crispin’s mother, long-time resident, Joyce Abell. Jane uses a diverse range of mediums, including oil on linen, distemper on linen, high- fire and low-fire ceramics, and plaster models and molds. Her paintings create confrontations and coexistences between realms of history, such as ornamentation and political protest, art and warfare, poetry and architecture. Jane has done major commissions like the ceiling of the new building at the Princeton University Art Museum, which opened in 2025, and is represented by the prestigious Locks Gallery in Philadelphia.
Soup and Soul events include a potluck dinner in a host home, along with a presentation by and conversation with a local artist. Tickets ($25) must be purchased in advance and information about the host home will be provided upon purchase.
Click to purchase tickets.
