Jessica Vaughan

Review: ‘Riverdance: The 20th Anniversary World Tour’ at Wolf Trap

Some members of the company weren’t even born when lines of dancers with arms at their sides first performed at a Eurovision competition in 1994. I’d say the rest was history but I don’t think anyone...

Review: ‘Fidelio’ at The In Series

The In Series ends their season with Beethoven’s only opera, Fidelio, a surprisingly modern tale of faith – particularly between husband and wife. This is their biggest production ever and one of the...

Review: Ireland 100: ‘The Gloaming’ at The Kennedy Center

The Ireland 100 closes this weekend with new Irish sensation Ireland 100: The Gloaming who made their Kennedy Center debut with a lovely mix of traditional music, improvisation, and new classics....

Review: Ireland 100: ‘All That Fall’ by Pan Pan Theatre

All That Fall is quite the most quite unique, powerful, and delightful experiences I’ve had at the theatre. Director Gavin Quinn, the Co-Artistic Director of Pan Pan Theatre, brings this radio play by...

Review: ‘Pride and Prejudice’ at The Catholic University of America’s Drama Department

On Queen Elizabeth’s birthday, CUADrama opens one of the most iconic English-language stories in the canon, Pride and Prejudice. Darcy and Elizabeth get a brand new Pop Art twist in this refreshing...

Review: ‘Twenty Years with Love’ at Bowen McCauley Dance

Lucy Bowen McCauley celebrates 20 years as a choreographer and artistic director of her own company, with Twenty Years with Love, Bowen McCauley Dance, an evening of three pieces including one world...

Review: ‘Bizet’s Carmen in Havana’ at The In Series

The In Series wows again with one of their trademark reimaginings: Carmen in Havana, which takes the essential scenes from Bizet’s classic and adds the Latin rhythms of the Caribbean with iconic Cuban...

‘Bastian & Bastiana’ at The In Series

Bastian & Bastiana is the In Series’ answer to the usual annual holiday traditions — a charming, little opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, written when he was only 12 years-old. Artistic Director Carla...

Washington National Opera: American Opera Initiative: Three 20-Minute Operas

The fourth annual American Opera Initiative launched this month to sold out performances of three new works. It was a heartening look at the future of the art form – from the librettists and composers...

‘By George, By Ira, By Gershwin’ at The In Series

The In Series brings to life some of the funnest and iconic music of the 20th century by George Gershwin with most song lyrics by his brother Ira. They started out on Broadway before making it big on...

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s ‘Off the Cuff: A Season of Vivaldi’

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra has some fun as they tackle Vivaldi as part of their Off the Cuff series. The series includes a smaller gathering of strings, about 35 in all, and an informal...

NSO Pops: ‘Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers’ at The Kennedy Center

It was an evening of American classics – from the pops program the National Symphony Orchestra played under the sure baton of Steve Reineke to the guest of honor himself, Steve Martin, winner of the...

Aaron Copland’s ‘The Tender Land’ at The In Series

In their Americas season, the In Series tackles the quintessentially American composer Aaron Copland and his only and almost entirely unknown opera The Tender Land. Horace Everett wrote the libretto...

‘Moon Over Buffalo’ at St. Mark’s Players

St. Mark’s Players mount a hilarious production of the farce Moon Over Buffalo by local playwright Ken Ludwig. This play marked Carol Burnett’s return to Broadway in the ‘90s, and it is two funny and...

The Women’s Voices Theater Festival ‘Princess Margaret’ at The Thelma Theatre

Princess Margaret, a world premiere by Thelma Theatre, is an intriguing new play about a Catholic school and the universal power struggle between student and teacher, teacher and administrators, and...

‘Carmen’ at Washington National Opera (Cast 1-9/19/15)

The Washington National Opera launches their 60th season with a visually gorgeous and vocally stunning Carmen. Clémentine Margaine takes on the role of the gypsy seductress – a role that every mezzo...

‘Latina Supremes’ at The In Series

The In Series “Made in America” season launches in Latin and South America with a special cabaret of the works Latina songwriters as a part of the DC Women’s Voices Festival, Latina Supremes. The...

Melissa Etheridge: ‘This is M.E. Solo’ at Strathmore

Iconic rocker Melissa Etheridge has been tearing up the country showcasing her new album and old favorites on her This is M.E. tour. For this leg of the tour, she ventures out solo – just her and her...

Lyle Lovett & His Large Band at Wolf Trap

Genre-bending artist Lyle Lovett tore up the stage at the Filene Center with his Large Band. It feels like three bands in one – a country band heavy on guitar and fiddle, a blues band with a full horn...

‘In the Heights’ at The Little Theatre of Alexandria

The Little Theatre of Alexandria (LTA) has launched In the Heights, as part of their ‘Director’s Dream Season.’ Frank D. Shutts II has wanted to put this 2008 ony Award-winning Best Musical for over...

2015 Capital Fringe Review: ‘DancEthos with The West Shore Piano Trio’

DancEthos is not your average dance company – filled with identical stick thin dancers sashaying in unison behind a soloist. Company founder and director Tiffany Haughn has a gift for choreographing...

‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ at Synetic Theater

The music is pulsing; the performers are insanely flexible, and everything from set to costumes to lights is drenched in the fantastical for Synetic’s latest Shakespeare A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The...

2015 Capital Fringe Review: ‘Ripple of Hope: One Teacher’s Journey to Make an Impact’

Ripple of Hope is Karen Sklaire’s contribution to the teacher as hero genre – which can never have too many entries. This one-woman show is funnier and a lot more honest than some of the move clips...

2015 Capital Fringe Review: ‘Bortle 8’

Bortle 8, a one-man show written and performed by Chris Davis is part stand-up routine, part science fair project, part sermon. The title refers to John Bortle’s scale for the number of stars visible...

Celtic Woman 10th Anniversary World Tour at Wolf Trap

The four women from Ireland who make up Celtic Woman, along with backup singers, dancers, and musicians returned to Wolf Trap for a very special performance, not least because it’s their 10th...

BSO: Beethoven’s 5th Symphony at Strathmore

Playing what has perhaps become the four most famous chords in the western canon, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra tackled Beethoven’s 5th last night at Strathmore, along with Shostakovich and...

‘Latino Music Fever’ at the In Series

The In Series takes on the music of our Southern neighbors in a concert full of classic hits from Mexico and Cuba, many of which made a climb up the U.S. pop charts. If the tunes feel particularly...

‘Our Town’ at Faction of Fools

Faction of Fools does it again with an innovative production of Thornton Wilder’s revolutionary and Pulitzer Prize-winning play Our Town, which originally debuted in 1938 about a New Hampshire town at...

‘A Prairie Home Companion’ with Garrison Keillor and Special Guests Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz, and Aoife O’Donovan at the Filene Center at Wolf Trap

The Filene Center launched the summer season at Wolf Trap with another visit by Garrison Keillor and the news from . The United States Navy Band joined Keillor and the usual suspects onstage along...

‘Cinderella’ (‘La Cenerentola’) at Washington National Opera #1 (Isabel Leonard)

Every spring, the Washington National Opera launches a family friendly show in time for their M&M’S® Opera in the Outfield, and this year they tackle Rossini’s wickedly funny Cinderella. I love what...

‘The Romantics Wagner & Liszt’ at The In Series

The In Series self-described salon-style concert tribute is a celebration of musical mastery – from the two composers featured to the pianists and singers – The Romantics Wagner & Liszt is an...

Eileen Ivers at Wolf Trap

Eileen Ivers returned to the Barns at Wolf Trap for a rollicking good show filled with her unique brand of Celtic fiddle and traditional roots music like bluegrass, Cajun, French Canadian, and...

‘Don Giovanni’ at The In Series

The In Series takes Mozart to a 1920s bible belt Revival in a creative and fun reimagining of Don Giovanni. Artistic Director Carla Hübner commissioned a new English language libretto by Bari Biern to...

‘Altan’ at the Barns at Wolf Trap

Altan played a high-energy show of jigs and reels and American bluegrass at the Barns at Wolf Trap. They may have also invented a new genre of music called “Greengrass.” For their latest album, they...

‘The Flying Dutchman’ (‘Der Fliegende Holländer’) at Washington National Opera

The Washington National Opera takes to the seas for Richard Wagner’s first major work, The Flying Dutchman (Der Fliegende Holländer). WNO Artistic Director Francesca Zambello has staged a series of...

‘The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee’ at Kensington Arts Theatre

Kensington Arts Theatre mounts a fun, funny, and intense production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. This one-act musical premiered on Broadway in 2005 with book by Rachel Sheinkin and...

‘The Mage Knights of the Eternal Light’ at The Catholic University of America

The Mage Knights of the Eternal Light is a smart, funny play by M.F.A. playwriting candidate Amanda Zeitler. This is her senior thesis project in Catholic University’s Department of Drama, but she has...

‘Penny’ at Washington National Opera

The world premier for the Washington National Opera’s newest American Opera Initiative takes a new look at the power of music in the touching, engrossing drama Penny, which follows an autistic young...

‘What I Wanted to Sing When I Grew Up’ at The In Series

What I Wanted to Sing When I Grew Up is pure indulgence for audience and singer Fleta Hylton, a soprano powerhouse and DC institution. Billed as a lounge-opera-cabaret, Hylton basically picked all of...

‘A Candlelight Christmas’ at The Washington Chorus at The Kennedy Center

The Kennedy Center Hall is decked in evergreen, but The Washington Chorus brings the candles as they file into to the solemn song of “Once in Royal David’s City” to begin A Candlelight Christmas. They...

The Christmas Revels: ‘An Irish Celebration of the Winter Solstice’

The Washington Revels takes to the sea for their 2014 production and explores the music, dance, and stories of Irish immigrants. It is a rollicking good time and a poignant exploration at the...

‘Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol’ at Little Theatre of Alexandria

The Little Theatre of Alexandria sticks close to Charles Dickens’ classic text in their charming production of this holiday favorite filled with opulent costumes, cute children, and real puppies – and...

George Winston at the Music Center at Strathmore

‘Tis the season, literally, at the Music Center at Strathmore where George Winston played his “Winter Concert” in a masterful performance of beautiful songs dedicated to fall, winter, snow, and...

‘Susannah’ at The Catholic University of America’s Benjamin T. Rome School of Music

Catholic University’s new opera production Susannah more than does justice to this American classic with a world premier of a new chamber version of the music by CUA alum Brian Rice. He adapted the...

‘How We Got On’ at Forum Theatre

How We Got On, a brilliant new play from Forum Theatre by playwright Idris Goodwin, tells the story of three kids in 1988 who fall in love with rap and hip hop and set out to make a record together....

‘La bohème’ at Washington National Opera

Young love is in the air, lifted there by a host of young performers in the Washington National Opera’s new production of La bohème. Most of the cast and crew are making their WNO debut. Many are...

‘La Vida Breve (A Brief Life)’ & ‘Viva Zarzuela’ at the In Series

Have you ever seen a show and heard something you know you’ve heard before and thought, “That’s from an opera?” So it was with La Vida Breve, the In Series charming production of this iconic but...

‘Carousel’ at Catholic University’s Benjamin T. Rome School of Music

Carousel was Rodgers and Hammerstein’s favorite musical and Catholic University returns it to its glory days with a full orchestra, a big cast, and talented stars. It’s one of the reasons I love...

‘Three Decembers’ at UrbanArias

A relatively new opera company UrbanArias stages the touching, beautiful opera Three Decembers by Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer based on a play by Terrence McNally. Robert Wood founded UrbanArias in...

‘Toast’ at dog & pony dc

After a two-year incubation period, local company dog & pony dc brings their new devised theater piece Toast to the stage. It is billed as an exploration of innovation and scientific discovery –...