Hexagon is a storied non-profit theater group that turns laughter into impact, with all profits supporting Washington, DC-area charities. Every year, we light up the stage with a high-energy musical political satirical revue, brought to life entirely by our passionate all-volunteer team—from cast and crew to writers, composers, and front-of-house. Our mission: to harness the power of theater to uplift lives and strengthen our community.
In November 1955 a group of former members of Princeton’s famed Triangle Club located in Washington, DC decided to put on a show devoted to “pure fun and nonsense.” Led by Charles Ilsley, the group—including iconic satirist Tom Lehrer—wrote songs and parodies and performed at the Holton-Arms School in the spring of 1956. They called the new group Hexagon—double the Triangle symbol—to represent the inclusion of women.
After its five-performance run, the organizers found themselves with $2,200 in profits that they donated to the American Cancer Society. Since then Hexagon has presented 67 shows and donated more than $4 million to 50-plus humanitarian organizations.
| Year | Title of Show | President | Beneficiary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | Meet the Beep | Charles Ilsley | American Cancer Society |
| 1957 | Slice of Life | Butler Franklin and Bill Carmichael | American Cancer Society |
| 1958 | Leave Out the Olive | Frank Colcord | American Cancer Society |
| 1959 | Around in Circles | Jim Brady & George Denby | Washington Multiple Sclerosis Association |
| 1960 | Count Me In | David Barus | DC Society for Crippled Children |
| 1961 | On the Rocks | Burton Wood | Children’s Hospital |
| 1962 | Please Stand By | John Kauffman | Children’s Hospital |
| 1963 | On the House | Jack Packard | Children’s Hearing & Speech |
| 1964 | A Dash of Cinema | Bob Goodwin | Hillcrest Children’s Center |
| 1965 | Star Spangled Banter | Doug Stenhouse | Children’s Hospital |
| 1966 | Caught in the Act | Ed Platt | Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf |
| 1967 | Equal Time | Ed Platt | Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf |
| 1968 | Just the Ticket | Jess Barnett | Washington Heart Association |
| 1969 | Open Season | Jim McKnight | DC Institute of Mental Hygiene |
| 1970 | Over the Edge | Arnie Levine | Children’s Hospital |
| 1971 | Left Right in the Middle | Jerry Breslow | Children’s Hospital |
| 1972 | Hexagon ’72 | Doug Trout | American Cancer Society |
| 1973 | Hexapoppin’ | Doug Trout | National Multiple Sclerosis Society |
| 1974 | No Holds Barred | Richard Morgan | American Foundation for Autistic Children |
| 1975 | Mirth of a Nation | Robert Burner | DC Kiwanis Crippled Children’s Clinic |
| 1976 | Barbs & Snipes Forever | Ed Meyer | Second Genesis |
| 1977 | Jest a Minute | Lew Baurer | Florence Crittenton Home |
| 1978 | Off the Record | Timothy Rice | Big Sisters of the Washington Metropolitan Area |
| 1979 | Prime Rib | Arthur Pleasants | Capital Children’s Museum |
| 1980 | Tongue in Cheek | David Means | Second Genesis |
| 1981 | Civil Circus | B. Pat O’Rourke | Kiwanis Children’s Orthopedic Clinic |
| 1982 | White Tie & Tales | Stanley Allen | The Lab School of the Kingsbury Center |
| 1983 | Fair Game | Michelle McElroy | The Washington Humane Society |
| 1984 | Capitol Follies | Roger Lowe | SOME (So Others Might Eat) |
| 1985 | Thirty Proof | Arthur Pleasants | Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind |
| 1986 | Roast of the Town | Roger Lowe | The Hospital for Sick Children |
| 1987 | Just Desserts | Gerry Borger | The Higher Achievement Program |
| 1988 | Party Ties & Platform Heels | John V. “Skip” Maraney | Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington |
| 1989 | Hexagon: We Spoof to Conquer | A.L. Meredith | The House of Ruth |
| 1990 | 90 Years of Vision and 35 Years of Hindsight | James P. Holland | Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind |
| 1991 | Read My Quips | Jerry Breslow | Martha’s Table |
| 1992 | Capitol Offenses | David Means | St. John’s Child Development Center |
| 1993 | A Play on Both Your Houses | Phil Alperson | Sasha Bruce Youthwork |
| 1994 | Sarcastic Park | Martin Blumsack | Bread for the City and Zacchaeus Free Clinic |
| 1995 | Hexagon at 40: Faze the Nation | Daun Sigurski | Capital Area Community Food Bank and DC Central Kitchen |
| 1996 | Election Jeer! | Jennifer Strand | DC Habitat for Humanity |
| 1997 | Oaf of Office | Ann Hutchinson Lung | Community Family Life Services |
| 1998 | Of Thee We Zing! | Douglas Brown | Community Family Life Services |
| 1999 | 20,000 Leaks Under DC | Lloyd Bowling | Greater DC Cares |
| 2000 | Hexagon 2000 | Lloyd Bowling | Turning the Page |
| 2001 | A Stateless Odd DC | Darrell Capwell | Food & Friends |
| 2002 | It’s a Grand Old Gag | Darrell Capwell | The Hospices of the National Capital Region and Hospice Caring, Inc. |
| 2003 | Rhyme and Punishment | Patt Seely | DC Habitat for Humanity |
| 2004 | Wee Puns of Mass Distraction | Patt Seely | Rebuilding Together with Christmas in April, Washington, DC |
| 2005 | Hexagon at 50: With Levity and Jesting for All | Jim Cronin | Friends of Hexagon |
| 2006 | You Only Run Twice | Jim Cronin | Capital Hospice and Hospice Caring, Inc. |
| 2007 | Strike While the Irony’s Hot | Anita Gilbert | Ronald McDonald House Charities |
| 2008 | Stars & Gripes Forever | Jim McCullough | The Duke Ellington School of the Arts |
| 2009 | What So Proudly We Bailed | Tammy Lauver | Rebuilding Together of Washington, DC |
| 2010 | Dancing With the Czars | Jennifer Strand | Rebuilding Together of Washington, DC |
| 2011 | A 21-Pun Salute! | Jennifer Strand | Wounded Warrior Project |
| 2012 | I Get No Kick from Campaign! | Kathy Suydam | Hospice Caring, Inc. |
| 2013 | A Raucous Caucus | Kathy Suydam | ALS Association: DC/MD/VA Chapter |
| 2014 | Midterm Madness! | Kathy Suydam | Sarah’s Circle |
| 2015 | The Spoof, the Whole Spoof, and Nothing but the Spoof! | Joe Kaplan | The DC Employment Justice Center |
| 2016 | Red, White, and Voters’ Blues | Joe Kaplan | Lisner-Louise-Dickson-Hurt Home |
| 2017 | Let Freedom Zing! | Joe Kaplan | ArtStream |
| 2018 | Tweet Land of Liberty | Joe Kaplan | The Grassroot Project |
| 2019 | Romp in the Swamp | Joe Kaplan | Hope Connections for Cancer Support |
| 2020 | One State Two State, Red State Blue State | Joe Kaplan | no beneficiary selected |
| 2021 | no show | Kathy Suydam | no beneficiary selected |
| 2022 | no show | Jackie Williams | no beneficiary selected |
| 2023 | The Sedition Edition | Jackie Williams | no beneficiary selected |
| 2024 | no show | Gyr Turshen | no beneficiary selected |
| 2025 | Splitting Our Sides! | Gyr Turshen | Hexagon, Inc. |
Over the decades, Hexagon has earned lasting support and recognition from the Washington, DC metropolitan community. Local businesses and organizations generously sponsor the show and offer in-kind contributions. Members of the media often join as Newsbreak anchors, while a wide range of public figures—from Supreme Court justices and cabinet secretaries to congresspeople and network news anchors—have made guest appearances. In 1987, President Ronald Reagan honored Hexagon with the President’s Volunteer Action Award. Washingtonian magazine selected Hexagon as a 1992 “Washingtonian of the Year”, the first time the publication honored an organization as the award’s recipient.
Today Hexagon is a vibrant group of those who love using laughter, music, and creativity to improve the lives of others in the community. For those drawn to the stage, Hexagon provides the chance to sing, dance, and act. Those who prefer to stay behind the scenes can learn technical theater skills, such as lighting, sound, props, and stage management. Members also serve as ushers, orchestra musicians, and house and box office staff. Because each annual revue is an original production, there are numerous opportunities develop scripts, compose music, and write lyrics.
Some say that Hexagon social events are the best benefit of all. Our ranks are made up of people from all walks of life: Capitol Hill staffers, teachers, lawyers, professors, and foreign embassy personnel, to name a few. Many members have made lifelong friends and some even met their spouses through Hexagon.
Have fun AND make a difference—apply for membership today!
