National Sylvan Theater

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The National Sylvan Theater, more commonly simply “The Sylvan Theater”, is a sylvan theater on the grounds of the Washington Monument, National Mall, Washington, DC, USA.

The Sylvan Theater is located within the northwest corner of the 15th Street and Independence Avenue intersection, about 400 ft (120 m) southeast of the great obelisk of the Washington Monument. A wooden stage is set in a graded depression surrounded by a grove of trees and appears as a sort of natural amphitheater integral to the historic greensward of the monument grounds. A large crowd of 10,000 event attendees may stretch from the Theater stage back to the base of the Monument.

The Theater was the brainchild of Alice Pike Barney (1857-1931), a campaigner in efforts to transform Washington, D.C. into the nation's cultural capital during the first quarter of the twentieth century. She became known for her lavishly produced, artistically executed ballets, mimes, tableaux, plays, and other theatrical productions. During the First World War, she persuaded the U.S. Congress to approve and fund the construction of a “National Sylvan Theater” at its present site. Dedicated on April 4, 1917, it became the nation's first federally supported outdoor theater.

Today, the site is a popular venue for free military concerts, musicals, Shakespeare plays, puppet shows and ballet during the spring, summer and fall. It is also often used for government or other commemorative ceremonies, rallies and protests, and as starting or stopping point for organized marches.

A summer concert series, the Military Band Summer Concert Series is held from June to August, on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday nights at 8 PM at the Sylvan Theater (other venues are used at other times of the year). The bands of each of the four service branches perform (different nights) free alfresco concerts, typically including military marches, patriotic numbers, and some classical music. Every August the 1812 Overture is performed with real cannons at the Sylvan Theater, by the Presidential Salute Battery of the 3rd U.S. Infantry (The Old Guard) in what is perhaps the U.S. Army Band’s most popular regular engagement.