Columns

Visual Arts Viewpoint: Interview with Artist Joan Belmar

Before you make your way to a table at the new Busboys and Poets in Takoma Park, allow yourself generous time to walk around the space and contemplate the worlds inside Joan Belmar’s paintings hanging...

Magic Time! ‘The Norwegians’ (‘Da Norvegians’) at Scena Theatre by a Norvegian

So dere’s dis play goin’ on in town called Da Norvegians, and it’s set in Minneapolis and it’s got Norvegian characters in it, so I tought I should go check it out, on accounta I vas born dere and...

Post-Play Palaver: A Passionate Response to Forum Theatre’s ‘Passion Play’ by Michael Poandl and John Stoltenberg

After Michael Poandl and John Stoltenberg, both DCMTA writers, saw a recent performance of Passion Play at Forum Theatre, they found themselves chattering back and forth trying to figure out why the...

The American Century Theater’s Jack Marshall on “Broadway Hit Parade” and “12 Angry Men” and Reflections

As The American Century Theater’s (TACT) final musical Broadway Hit Parade is about to open tonight, I chatted with Artistic Director Jack Marshall. Joel: Since our last interview, you have had more...

Nibbles And Sips Around Town: Tonight: Goût de/Good France! Chooses DC Chef Franck Loquet for Grand Gastronomic Dinner

Goût de/Good France! Chooses DC Chef Franck Loquet for Grand Gastronomic Dinner Tonight – Thursday, March 19, 2015 – 1300 chefs from around the world will express their love of French cuisine by...

Nathan Blair: Preparing to Conduct ‘Rigoletto’ on Saturday, March 21st at Catholic University’s Hartke Theatre

Nathan Blair is a young conductor who is about to take the podium to conduct The Catholic University’s upcoming production of Rigoletto. He is an amazing talent, and you can see him conduct Verdi’s...

The Reel Deal: Watch Kyle Osborne’s Movie Review Video of ‘The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’

DC AREA SHOWTIMES. LINKS Kyle Osborne’s Video Movie Review of 50 Shades of Grey. Kyle Osborne’s Video Movie Review of of The Boy Next Door and Still Alice. Kyle Osborne’s Video Movie Review of Taken 3...

DCMetroTheaterArts Turns 3 Today!

DCMetroTheaterArts is 3 years old today. I want to thank the 90+ writers who have contributed their talents to the site and to my brother Bruce for founding the site and to our Assistant...

Nibbles and Sips: Around Town: SER: A Reboot of the Classic Dishes of Spain and The Kennedy Center Embraces Spain and Portugal

SER: A Reboot of the Classic Dishes of Spain Last summer when the Ballston Business Improvement District sent out an all-call seeking innovative restaurant concepts, the husband and wife team of...

Peter Filichia’s ‘Filichia on Friday’: Love is the Answer (Or is It?)

It’s an honor to bring Peter Filichia’s column every week on Kritzerland called ‘Filichia on Friday’ to our readers on DCMetroTheaterArts. This Week: Love is the Answer (Or is It?) ______ Recent...

Willa Murphy on Playing Emily in ‘Chatroom’ at Round House Theatre

Chatroom is playing this weekend at Round House Theatre and Willa Murphy talks about playing Emily. Joel: Introduce yourself and tell us about your theatre appearances in the area and your...

‘Nibbles and Sips’: Great Pre-Theatre Dining Deals From Area Restaurants Near Arena Stage, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Woolly Mammoth, Mead Theatre Lab at Flashpoint, and Theatre Lab

When friends ask me where to dine before the theatre I try to respond authoritatively. But, alas, my brain turns to porridge as I mentally scroll through the limitless options. I try to hone it down...

In the Moment: George Mason University’s School of Dance’s GALA and Interviews with Students

“We expect that our Mason Dance Company will leave strong impressions,” said Susan Shields, director, George Mason University School of Dance. She was describing the multi-performance School of Dance...

Magic Time! Passion for a Play: A Q&A With Michael Dove, Director of Forum Theatre’s ‘Passion Play’

Sarah Ruhl’s Passion Play is an epic three-part play set in three eras—Queen Elizabeth’s England, Adolf Hitler’s Germany, and Ronald Reagan’s America. It’s a fancifully sprawling story, and each act...

Meet the Soloists of ‘West Side Story + Roméo et Juliette’ Part 3: Adalia Jimenez

This Sunday, March 8, 2015 at 4 PM, Young Artists of America and Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras will present West Side Story + Roméo et Juliette at The Music Center at Strathmore. In our final...

Meet the Soloists of ‘West Side Story + Roméo et Juliette’ Part 2: Hailey Giddings

This Sunday, March 8, 2015 at 4 PM, Young Artists of America and Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras will present West Side Story + Roméo et Juliette at The Music Center at Strathmore. In Part 2 of 3...

Nibbles and Sips Around Town: ‘8th Annual Oyamel Tequila And Mezcal Festival Kick Off’ by Cary Pollak

Jose Andres’ Oyamel Cocina Mexicana restaurant is celebrating its Tequila and Mezcal Festival now through March 15th. The annual event, billed as a “Toast to the Heritage of Mexican Spirits” features...

The Playwright’s Playground: Playwright Lisa D’Amour Discusses Process, Transformation, and Her Long Journey with ‘Cherokee’

In this edition of The Playwright’s Playground, I interview playwright Lisa D’Amour, a Pulitzer Prize finalist and interdisciplinary artist who comes from a long line of female storytellers. On stage...

Spine: ’33 Variations’ at Silver Spring Stage

The Creation of Art. The Wrestle with Death. 33 Variations, Moisés Kauffman’s Tony nominated play, juxtaposes those two turbulences. In one — circa 1820 in Vienna, Austria — Ludwig van Beethoven...

Magic Time! A Hard Look at the Theme of Pornography in ‘Rapture, Blister, Burn’

I knew I would be bummed if I missed the Round House Theatre production of Gina Gionfriddo’s Rapture, Blister, Burn. Everything I read told me, “John, you gotta see this.” So when I caught its...

Meet the Cast of ‘I Hate Hamlet’ at 2nd Star Productions: Part 6: Nicole Mullins-Teasley

In Part 6 of a series of interviews with the cast of I Hate Hamlet at 2nd Star Productions, meet Nicole Mullins-Teasley. Joel: Please introduce yourself and tell our readers where they may have seen...

Meet the Cast of ‘I Hate Hamlet’ at 2nd Star Productions: Part 5: Daniel Douek

In Part 5 of a series of interviews with the cast of I Hate Hamlet at 2nd Star Productions, meet Daniel Douek. Joel: Please introduce yourself and tell our readers where they may have seen you in the...

Nibbles and Sips: ‘Chef To Chef With Chris Lusk’

At forty-one, East Texas native and Johnson & Wales grad, Chris Lusk has seen the ins and outs of a few restaurant kitchens and learned a wide variety of international cuisines. After an externship in...

Meet the Cast and Director of Spooky Action Theater’s ‘Last of the Whyos’: Part Four: Meet Lady Dane Figueroa Edidi by Roberta Alves

This is the forth in a series of interviews with the cast of Spooky Action Theater’s Last of the Whyos. In Part Four: Meet Lady Dane Figueroa Edidi. Roberta: Why did you want to become a member of the...

The Reel Deal: Watch Kyle Osborne’s Video Movie Review of ’50 Shades of Grey’

DC AREA SHOWTIMES. LINKS Kyle Osborne’s Video Movie Review of of The Boy Next Door and Still Alice. Kyle Osborne’s Video Movie Review of Taken 3 and Inherent Vice. Kyle Osborne’s Video Movie Review of...

Magic Time! A Look at ‘Cherokee’ at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company (Article)

The connectivity crew at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company creates some of the most imaginative audience-engagement gimmicks in town. Typically tied to, and expressive of, the themes inside a play, these...

‘Fires in the Mirror’ at Howard University

Anna Deavere Smith’s classic Fires in the Mirror is getting a fascinating production this weekend by a very talented ensemble of student actors at Howard University. And on two counts this iteration...

Meet the Cast of ‘The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee’ at Kensington Arts Theatre: Part 2: Matt Baughman

In Part 2 of a series of interviews with the cast of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at Kensington Arts Theatre, meet Matt Baughman. Joel: Please introduce yourself and tell our readers...

‘Boeing, Boeing’ Opens Tomorrow Friday, 2/13 at Montgomery Playhouse-Meet the Cast: Renetta Morelli, Jim Breen, Anne Vandercook, Christina Fox, Jason Damaso, and Corrie Bolcik

The very funny Boeing, Boeing opens tomorrow night at 8 PM at The Montgomery Playhouse, in partnership with Arts on the Green, performing at The Gaithersburg Arts Barn-311 Kent Square Road, in...

Meet the Cast of Clandestine Arts’ ‘Bare: A Pop Opera’ Opening Next Thursday, February 19th at DCAC by Tyler Everett Adams and Joel Markowitz

Clandestine Arts’ Bare: A Pop Opera, opens on Thursday, February 19, 2015 at The District of Columbia Arts Center (DCAC)- 2438 18th Street, in Washington, DC. Bare: A Pop Opera is a moving story about...

How the Writer of ‘Life Sucks’ Reimagined the Women of ‘Uncle Vanya’: A Q&A with Aaron Posner, Judith Ingber, and Monica West

John Stoltenberg: It’s great that Molly Smith, artistic director of Arena Stage, and Eric Schaeffer, artistic director of Signature Theater, have initiated what will become the Women’s Voices Theater...

Meet the Cast of ‘Boeing, Boeing’ at Montgomery Playhouse: Part 6: Corrie Bolcik

In Part 6 of a series of interviews with the cast of Boeing, Boeing at Montgomery Playhouse, meet Corrie Bolcik. Please introduce yourself and tell our readers where they may have seen you in the past...

Meet the Cast of ‘Boeing, Boeing’ at Montgomery Playhouse: Part 5: Jason Damaso

In Part 5 of a series of interviews with the cast of Boeing, Boeing at Montgomery Playhouse, meet Jason Damaso. Please introduce yourself and tell our readers where they may have seen you in the past...

‘Filichia on Friday’: Catching Up: ‘The 2015 Broadway University Mid-Term Exam’;’Right for the Stage’;’Will “LADY” Be Good at Encores!?’; and ‘January’s Leftovers and February’s Brainteaser’ by Peter Filichia

It’s an honor to bring Peter Filichia’s column every week on Kritzerland called ‘Filichia on Friday’ to our readers on DCMetroTheaterArts. Time to catch up: January 16, 2015: The 2015 Broadway...

Meet the Cast of ‘Boeing, Boeing’ at Montgomery Playhouse: Part 4: Christina Fox

In Part 4 of a series of interviews with the cast of Boeing, Boeing at Montgomery Playhouse, meet Christina Fox. Please introduce yourself and tell our readers where they may have seen you in the past...

Meet the Cast of ‘I Hate Hamlet’ at 2nd Star Productions: Part 4: Malarie Novotny

In Part 4 of a series of interviews with the cast of I Hate Hamlet at 2nd Star Productions, meet Malarie Novotny. Joel: Please introduce yourself and tell our readers where they may have seen you in...

In the Moment: A Tip of the Hat to Mary Stuart’s Todd Scofield

There is a “minor” character who has a key role in the terrific Mary Stuart production currently at the Folger Theatre. He has only a few moments of visibility. But, I want to call him out with a tip...

Meet the Cast of ‘Boeing, Boeing’ at Montgomery Playhouse: Part 3: Anne Vandercook

In Part 3 of a series of interviews with the cast of Boeing, Boeing at Montgomery Playhouse, meet Anne Vandercook. Please introduce yourself and tell our readers where they may have seen you in the...

In the Moment: Chamber Dance Project Prepares for 2015 Summer Season at The Lansburgh

Who wouldn’t find it fascinating to listen to a performing artist describe a path to creativity to “put myself in a box as a way to take on a task or a new problem. Then to force myself to go and find...

Meet the Cast of ‘Godspell’ at Olney Theatre Center: Part 3: Allie Parris

In Part 3 of a series of interviews with the cast of Godspell at Olney Theatre Center, meet Allie Parris. Joel: Please introduce yourself and tell our readers where they may have seen you in the past...

Meet the Cast of ‘Boeing, Boeing’ at Montgomery Playhouse: Part 2: Jim Breen

In Part 2 of a series of interviews with the cast of Boeing, Boeing at Montgomery Playhouse, meet Jim Breen. Please introduce yourself and tell our readers where they may have seen you in the past...

Meet the Cast of ‘Boeing, Boeing’ at Montgomery Playhouse: Part 1: Renetta Morelli

In Part 1 of a series of interviews with the cast of Boeing, Boeing at Montgomery Playhouse, meet Renetta Morelli. Please introduce yourself and tell our readers where they may have seen you in the...

Meet the Cast of ‘Godspell’ at Olney Theatre Center: Part 2: Kurt Boehm

In Part 2 of a series of interviews with the cast of Godspell at Olney Theatre Center, meet Kurt Boehm. Joel: Please introduce yourself and tell our readers where they may have seen you in the past...

Meet the Cast of ‘I Hate Hamlet’ at 2nd Star Productions: Part 3: Carole Long

In Part 3 of a series of interviews with the cast of I Hate Hamlet at 2nd Star Productions, meet Carole Long. Joel: Please introduce yourself and tell our readers where they may have seen you in the...

Meet the Cast of ‘Godspell’ at Olney Theatre Center: Part 1: Jordan Coughtry

In Part 1 of a series of interviews with the cast of Godspell at Olney Theatre Center, meet Jordan Coughtry. Joel: Please introduce yourself and tell our readers where they may have seen you in the...

Visual Arts Viewpoint: An Interview with Baltimore Artist Jim Condron

Visual Arts Viewpoint takes a look inside the contemporary visual arts in the area. Talking to artists, curators, and gallerists, this is a forum not just to spotlight their creative work and...

‘Out of Silence: Abortion Stories from the 1 in 3 Campaign’

No girl grows up dreaming of terminating a pregnancy. There are plenty of aspirational fantasies out there—some good for her, some not—but to be in a situation where she decides to have an abortion is...

Meet the Cast of ‘I Hate Hamlet’ at 2nd Star Productions: Part 2: Zak Zeeks

In Part 2 of a series of interviews with the cast of I Hate Hamlet at 2nd Star Productions, meet Zak Zeeks. Joel: Please introduce yourself and tell our readers where they may have seen you in the...

Meet the Cast of ‘I Hate Hamlet’ at 2nd Star Productions: Part 1: Fred Nelson

In Part 1 of a series of interviews with the cast of I Hate Hamlet at 2nd Star Productions, meet Fred Nelson. Joel: Please introduce yourself and tell our readers where they may have seen you in the...

The Reel Deal: Watch Kyle Osborne’s Movie Review Video of ‘The Boy Next Door’ and ‘Still Alice’

DC AREA SHOWTIMES. DC AREA SHOWTIMES. LINKS Kyle Osborne’s Video Movie Review of Taken 3 and Inherent Vice. Kyle Osborne’s Video Movie Review of Kill the Messenger. Kyle Osborne’s Video Movie Review...