Jennifer Perry

‘Hairspray in Concert’ With the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra @ The Music Center at Strathmore by Jennifer Perry

John Waters’ classic cult film Hairspray is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. After the huge success of the film-based musical on Broadway – which won several Tony Awards, spawned more than...

‘Zorro’ at Constellation Theatre Company by Jennifer Perry

The story of Zorro has long been the source material for many a creative endeavor. Following in the footsteps of many that have come before them, Janet Allard and Eleanor Holdridge have examined this...

Emily Skinner’s Cabaret ‘There is Nothing Like a Dame’ at Signature Theatre by Jennifer Perry

Tony Award nominee Emily Skinner is no stranger to the Washington, DC area. In addition to appearing in full productions in the area (Dirty Blonde and The Witches of Eastwick at Signature Theatre for...

Jennifer Knapp and Margaret Becker’s ‘The Hymns of Christmas’ at The Birchmere by Jennifer Perry

I admit that despite my church upbringing and Christian faith I am not one to want to spend hours listening to Christmas music around this time of year. There’s something to be said about...

‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever’ at Synetic Theater Teen Ensemble by Jennifer Perry

4 stars (3 ½ stars for production execution; 4 ½ stars for the teen performances) Synetic Theater’s teen company’s production of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is an example of a case where a...

‘Les Misérables’ at The National Theatre by Jennifer Perry

I was one of those girls that belted out “On My Own” incessantly in my bedroom as a teenager and have been a bit of a Les Mis junkie since first hearing many of its most recognizable songs in high...

‘You Can’t Get a Decent Margarita at the North Pole’ at Grain of Sand Theatre by Jennifer Perry

Around this time of the year, it’s quite possible to experience what I like to call ‘Christmas-themed theatre overload.’ After all there’s a plethora of productions of A Christmas Carol to choose from...

‘Barbara Cook’s Spotlight: Judy Kuhn’ at the Kennedy Center by Jennifer Perry

Three-time Tony Award nominee Judy Kuhn charmed The Kennedy Center audience last night with her technically impeccable singing, low-key yet welcoming performance style, and sweet stories about...

Jennifer Knapp & Margaret Becker on “The Hymns of Christmas” Tour at Birchmere on Dec. 17th by Jennifer Perry

Growing up as pretty much a ‘church kid,’ I was certainly exposed to more than my share of Christmas music around this time of year. When I found out that two of my favorite singer-songwriters,...

‘Pullman Porter Blues’ at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater by Jennifer Perry

Often I find that the productions in our area that interest me the most are ones that take a lesser-known story, concept, or theme, bring it to life with extraordinary actors, and entertain local...

‘The Jungle Book’ at Synetic Theater’s Teen Ensemble by Jennifer Perry

Like its adult (mainstage) counterpart, the Synetic Theater Teen Ensemble clearly has a knack for adapting well-known works of literature, highlighting the salient themes for today, and presenting the...

‘DruidMurphy’ at The Kennedy Center by Jennifer Perry

One of the great things about living in Washington, DC is that we have access to an assortment of international theatrical productions most of which are presented by the John F. Kennedy Center for the...

‘Barbara Cook’s Spotlight: Maureen McGovern’ at The Kennedy Center by Jennifer Perry

Now in its 6th season, the Barbara Cook’s Spotlight Series has succeeded in bringing known and lesser known musical theatre talent to Kennedy Center audiences in a cabaret setting. Award-winning...

Submit your Nominations for the 2012 BroadwayWorld Washington, DC Awards by Jennifer Perry

BroadwayWorld, which is expanding its coverage of the DC theatre market with more reviews, is offering the DC theatergoing community the chance to nominate its favorite productions, actors and...

‘Dying City’ at Signature Theatre by Jennifer Perry

Christopher Shinn’s provocative time-shifting 65 minute piece, Dying City, explores the themes of love, loss, grief, brotherhood, the past, duty, and identity. Kelly, a young, repressed Harvard grad...

‘Voices of Strength: Two Programs of Contemporary Dance and Theater by Women in Africa’ at The Kennedy Center by Jennifer Perry

On October 4 and 5, 2012, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts played host to a MAPP International Productions tour that showcases the work of talented female choreographers from Haiti,...

Sutton Foster in Concert at George Mason University by Jennifer Perry

In 2003, I had the great opportunity to spend several weeks reporting on treaty discussions at the United Nations HQ in New York City. The added bonus to that great ‘fresh out of grad school’ career...

‘The Rape of Lucrece’: A Concert Reading by Taffety Punk Theatre Company by Jennifer Perry

Taffety Punk Theatre Company, one of the most innovative small troupes in Washington, DC, has taken on William Shakespeare again with its concert reading of the narrative poem, The Rape of Lucrece....

‘Love Story: The Musical’ at Walnut Street Theatre by Jennifer Perry

Love Story: The Musical, based on the well-known Erich Segal novel and film, originally premiered at the UK’s Chichester Festival Theatre in 2010 and later that year transferred to the West End where...

The National Theatre of Scotland’s ‘Black Watch’ at Shakespeare Theatre Company by Jennifer Perry

Last October, I had the great privilege of visiting Scotland on work travel. On a day off, I climbed up the very long set of stairs and visited the Edinburgh Castle and the National War Museum...

‘Page-to-Stage’ Festival Reflections by Jennifer Perry

For the 11th year, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has opened its doors to local theatres to showcase works still in development to the general public at its ‘Page-to-Stage’...

‘The King and I’ at Wolf Trap by Jennifer Perry

Richard Rodgers (Music) and Oscar Hammerstein II (Book and Lyrics) are a solid example of a composing team being ahead of the times. Just as in South Pacific, the dynamic duo takes on social issues in...

Cabaret Review: ‘Revenge of the Understudies’ at Signature Theatre by Jennifer Perry

14 Signature Theatre understudies closed out Signature Theatre’s Summer 2012 Sizzin’ Summer Cabaret Series with Revenge of the Understudies. Presenting an interesting conglomeration of mostly...

Cabaret Review: Carolyn Cole’s ‘Born to Take the BELTway’ at Signature Theatre

Some time ago, I went to see a No Rules Theatre Company production of The Stephen Schwartz Project and I remember being impressed by a petite brunette with a really, really fierce belt. That brunette,...

Cabaret Review: ‘What I See’ – Natascia Diaz at Signature Theatre by Jennifer Perry

Natascia Diaz has several NYC/Broadway credits and has been a mainstay in the DC theatre scene for nearly an entire decade. Given her well-established musical theatre pedigree, I arrived at Signature...

Capital Fringe Review: ‘Mindset’ by Jennifer Perry

Jace Casey is, put simply, a wunderkind. This young DC area teen with Signature Theatre, Ford’s Theatre, and Olney Theatre Center performing credits, has directed, composed, arranged, and co-written a...

Capital Fringe Review ‘Fallen Angels’ by Jennifer Perry

Fallen Angels, a trio of miniature operas composed, produced, and musically directed by Michael Oberhauser, shows much promise for future expansion. Under the direction of Nick Vargas, the cast of...

Capital Fringe Review: ‘Hysterical Blindness’ by Jennifer Perry

Justin Purvis’ autobiographical monologue, Hysterical Blindness, is a compelling one. Directed by Daniel Flint and co-created/produced by Chantal Martinaeu, it starts off as largely a comedic improv...

Capital Fringe Review: ‘Discharged’ by Jennifer Perry

Discharged, written by Erin Webreck and performed by Kelley Quinn, is a solo-piece, which explores how family pressures and relationships impact one’s life no matter one’s station and personal...

Capital Fringe Review: ‘The Extermination Machine’ by Jennifer Perry

The Extermination Machine, written and directed by Michael Wright and presented by SeeNoSun OnStage, at its core has the makings of a good, if not chilling, historical drama. It depicts the 1960-1961...

‘Broadway Rocks’!: The National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap by Jennifer Perry

It was another hot Washington, DC summer evening at Wolf Trap on Friday, July 6th. However, those who braved the heat were treated to a rocking National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) concert featuring 4...

Cabaret Review: ‘The Lost Songs of Broadway – 1960s’ at Signature Theatre by Jennifer Perry

As the final installment of Signature Theatre’s 5-show 2011-2012 cabaret season, Matthew Gardiner (Director) has conceived a quite memorable presentation of ‘lost’ songs from Broadway musicals of the...

The Katona József Theatre production of ‘Gypsies’ at The Kennedy Center by Jennifer Perry

As part of a festival celebrating The Music of Budapest, Prague, and Vienna, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is hosting a Hungarian theatre’s production of Gypsies. In its season...

‘New Jerusalem -The Interrogation of Baruch De Spinoza’ By Jennifer Perry at Theater J

Every so often, I get the opportunity to witness a theatrical production that is not only thought-provoking, entertaining, and witty, but has a great deal of intellectual depth. Theater J’s remount of...