Performing arts venues in Washington, D.C. and throughout the country are canceling performances Sept. 11 in the wake of terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington.

Arena Stage canceled its Sept. 11 performance of Agamemnon and His Daughters after of an apparently deliberate plane crash into the Pentagon Tuesday morning in D.C. A state of emergency has been declared in the District of Columbia.

In Manhattan, two commercial airliners were hijacked and flown into the twin towers of the World Trade Center around 9 AM Tuesday. The towers burned and toppled about an hour later. Great loss of life is presumed. Along with much of the city, Broadway shows are shut down for at least the day.

Denise Schneider, media relations director at Arena Stage in D.C., said, "We would like to say we will be operating as usual the rest of the week, but it's too early to tell." Staffers there had the option of going home Tuesday morning.

The Kennedy Center, The Shakespeare Theatre, The Studio Theatre (all in D.C.) and Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA, are all shut down. Given the mood in the country, theatres throughout the nation will likely be darkened, either because downtowns have been shut down for safety reasons, or in deference to the national tragedy.

"Because of today's horrific tragedy, the artists and management of the Laguna Playhouse will pay their respects by canceling tonight's performance of Spinning Into Butter," according to Richard Stein, executive director of The Laguna Playhouse in Laguna Beach, CA.

The major Los Angeles theatres have outgoing messages indicating the will shutter at least for Sept. 11.

— By Kenneth Jones