Reviews

‘The Little Mermaid JR’ at Encore Stage & Studio

Encore Stage and Studio presents The Little Mermaid JR, with music by Alan Menken (adapted and arranged by David Weinstein), lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glen Slater, and book by Doug Wright. Based on...

‘Urinetown: The Musical’ at Dominion Stage by John Stoltenberg

Urinetown: The Musical holds a special place in my theatergoing memory. I first saw it in New York City days after the September 11, 2001, attacks because then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani told me to. He made...

‘Meena’s Dream’ at Forum Theatre by Christina Marie Frank

Meena’s Dream takes a look at the impossible struggle of a single parent immigrant family surviving in America. The story is told form the perspective of 9 year old Meena, who deals with her mother’s...

‘Boeing Boeing’ at Fells Point Corner Theatre by Amanda Gunther

Pleasure. Variety. It’s the ideal life; three fiancées, one apartment, and a wild ride. Just so long as the girls don’t find out about each other. Kicking off the new year with a madcap comic farce,...

‘Where The Whangdoodle Sings’ at Generous Company at The Baltimore Theatre Project by Amanda Gunther

Does your story matter? Will it be remembered and recorded in vivid Technicolor with all of the deep anguishing pains of its existence or will it be swallowed whole by the myth eaters and rearranged...

‘Twelfth Night’ at Synetic Theater by Christina Frank

There’s nothing particularly innovative about setting Shakespeare in the 20’s. Look around town and you’ll find a number of companies hauling out the flapper dresses. There’s also nothing new about...

‘Musicians of Mercy’ Holds a Benefit Concert for The American Heart Association This Friday 1/10@7:30 PM by Teresa McCormick Ertel

This Friday, January 10th at 7:30 PM, The Musicians of Mercy, will present an evening of live music – Celebrating a Life of Love – in Baltimore City to benefit the American Heart Association. The...

Mount Vernon Community Children’s Theatre Holds Auditions for Actors 8-18 Years Old on 1/13 and 1/14 by Robin Parker

Announcing AUDITIONS for Mount Vernon Community Children’s Theatre’s (MVCCT) Spring Musical Once Upon A Mattress is Holding Auditions on Monday and Tuesday January 13th and 14th Bryant High School...

‘The Old Masters’ at Washington Stage Guild by Leslie Weisman

We Washingtonians take pride in accomplishment, and in being duly recognized for it. And strongly dislike having our expertise challenged—particularly, publicly. Fortunately, most of us don’t have our...

Meet the Lovers of Reston Community Players’ ‘Les Misérables’ by Diane Schnoor

When Reston Community Players opens its stirring production of the Tony Award-winning musical Les Misérables on January 17th, three incredibly talented young actors will anchor its heart-wrenching...

‘Cab Calloway’s Minnie the Moocher’ at Pointless Theatre Co. at Mead Theatre Lab at Flashpoint by Justin Schneider

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be trapped in a old cartoon? One of those aggressively manic black-and-white pieces where everything has a face and bounces along to the music? Wonder...

‘Late: A Cowboy Song’ at No Rules Theatre Company by Amanda Gunther

Burgeoning playwright Sarah Ruhl is featured as the start of the season at No Rules Theatre Company as they present the Washington DC premier of Late: A Cowboy Song. Directed by Rex Daugherty, this...

An Interview with Singer/Songwriter Margot MacDonald by Marlene Hall

Margot MacDonald is an acclaimed loop pedal vocalist and songwriter based in DC who recently celebrated the release of her fourth album, Canvas. She is in excellent company with loop pedal vocalists...

‘The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess’ at National Theatre by Sydney-Chanele Dawkins

There are many ways of presenting blackness on stage and defining blackness, and the theater remains a venue in which to challenge, question, and probe. Yet, before The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess made...

‘Flashdance-The Musical’ at The Kennedy Center by John Harding

In the Flashdance smackdown between fresh new show tunes and nostalgia-laden 1980s soundtrack hits, the title decision at The Kennedy Center isn’t even close. Showtunes lose the match, although the...

PBS Airs “Marvin Hamlisch: What He Did For Love” Tomorrow – Friday, December 27th at 9 PM

Tomorrow – Friday night at 9 PM – PBS’ (Locally WETA) airs Dori Berinstein’s 90-minute documentary Marvin Hamlisch: What I He Did for Love, a loving tribute to to Composer Marvin Hamlisch, who died in...

Broadway Stars Sing Christmas Songs For You!

Enjoy these Christmas songs performed by Broadway favorites! And watch Zero Mostel read ‘The Grinch Who Stole Christmas’ and Ethel Merman Sing a Christmas Song with The Muppets! Have a Merry Christmas...

‘Our Suburb’ at Theater J by John Stoltenberg

Avid and discerning theatergoers seeking a fresh take on a beloved classic will not find a more rewarding gift this time of year than Our Suburb, brilliantly directed by Judith Ivey, which just opened...

THE BEST OF 2013: ‘Favorite Supporting Actor and Actress in a Musical′ by The Staff of DCMetroTheaterArts

It’s that time of the year when everyone makes their list of favorites, and the staff of DCMetroTheaterArts, have selected their favorites of 2013. For the next week, we will be posting a new category...

‘Gypsy’ at Signature Theatre by Derek Mong

Everything’s coming up sunshine and Santa Claus at Signature Theatre. Hands down-—Signature Theatre’s Gypsy is the best musical I have seen this year. Signature Theatre pulls out all the stops for...

THE BEST OF 2013: ‘Favorite Performances by An Actor and Actress in a Play′ by The Staff of DCMetroTheaterArts

It’s that time of the year when everyone makes their list of favorites, and the staff of DCMetroTheaterArts, have selected their favorites of 2013. For the next week, we will be posting a new category...

‘Elf the Musical’ at The Kennedy Center by Douglas Lloyd

Elf the Musical: Go Hear its Christmas Songs Washington DC must have been on Santa’s “nice” list this year as we have been treated to a holiday run of the delightfully sweet Elf the Musical now in...

‘Handel’s Messiah’ With the National Symphony Orchestra by Jessica Vaughan

Hallelujah’s rings through The Kennedy Center’s Concert Hall for the National Symphony Orchestra’s annual Messiah, written by George Frideric Handel in 1742. The orchestra is accompanied by four...

‘A Christmas Carol’ at Silver Spring Stage by Amanda Gunther

“God bless us, everyone.” If you’ve heard it once this season you’re bound to have heard it a dozen times, but the Silver Spring Stage’s production of A Christmas Carol is rather quaint, homey, and...

GMCW presents “Sparkle, Jingle, Joy” Tonight and Tomorrow at Lisner by Craig Cipollini

The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC (GMCW) will kick off its 33rd season with a holiday concert entitled Sparkle, Jingle, Joy with special guest star Matt Alber to be presented TONIGHT- December...

Filichia on Friday: ‘The Closest We Have to a Broadway Channel’ by Peter Filichia

Here is a new article from Peter Filichia’s column on Kritzerland called ‘Filichia on Friday.’ It’s an honor to bring Peter’s column every week to our readers on DCMetroTheaterArts. This week: “The...

‘A Christmas Carol’ at Christian Life Center by Yvonne French

The Christian Life Center was filled with The Christmas Spirit as a group of actors from all walks of life performed A Christmas Carol to benefit homeless shelters in Prince George’s County. This...

‘Holiday Follies’ at Signature Theatre by Derek Mong

Who needs the star atop the Christmas tree when you can have three stars center-stage? (Company), Austin Colby (Crossing and Spin) and Maria Egler (Crossing) commanded the stage at the ARK at the...

‘The Princess and The Pea’ at Pumpkin Theatre by Amanda Gunther

Magical enchantment awaits you at Pumpkin Theatre this holiday season as they bring to their new home’s main stage: The Princess and The Pea – a classic fairytale of a wandering princess who must...

‘Edgar & Annabel’ at 2nd Stage at The Studio Theatre by Justin Schneider

Dear NSA agents reading this review: Thank you for the page views! If you have some time off for the holidays I recommend you head down to The Studio Theatre to check out Edgar & Annabel, directed by...

‘The Washington Chorus: A Candlelight Christmas’ at The Kennedy Center by Jane Coyne

The Washington Chorus, under the baton of Guest Conductor Andrew Clark, delighted a packed house at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday evening as it presented A Candlelight...

‘White Christmas’ at Riverside Center Dinner Theater by Julia L. Exline

Riverside Center Dinner Theater presents a magical production of Irving Berlin’s White Christmas. Based on the classic 1954 film, Christopher Noffke directs and choreographs this charming musical that...

‘It’s A Wonderful Life: The Radio Play’ at Laurel Mill Playhouse by Amanda Gunther

Every time a bell rings an angel gets its wings. The bells are ringing and angels are popping up a plenty down in historic Laurel this December as an old-fashioned medium comes back to life on the...

‘The Lion, The Unicorn, and Me’ at Washington National Opera by Jessica Vaughan

Washington National Opera has made a small piece of history with the world premier of The Lion, The Unicorn, and Me, a work commissioned by WNO Artistic Director Francesca Zambello, who also directs....

‘An Irish Carol’ at The Keegan Theatre by Justin Schneider

There’s something magical about good, fake snow. And The Keegan Theatre’s An Irish Carol has it, falling outside the window of their spot-on-pub set and making you feel like settling into a...

‘A Commedia Christmas Carol’ at Faction of Fools Theatre Company by Yvonne French

In anticipation that A Commedia Christmas Carol is here to stay, I am giving it the most Washington of all things: an acronym (ACCC). ACCC is based on the Charles Dickens novel A Christmas Carol, and...

Christmas Revels’ ‘Echoes of Thrace’ by Washington Revels by Jessica Vaughan

The Washington Revels’ 2013 offering Echoes of Thrace is a beautiful, detailed exploration of several ancient cultures of the world that are less known in our usual Christmas celebrations. Revels...

‘Seasonal Disorder’ at Washington Improv Theater by John Stoltenberg

Washington Improv Theater has been tickling DC audiences for 15 years. When I discovered the madcap company a while ago, I got hooked on the spot. Hooked as in addicted. Feeling the need for a...

NSO Pops: ‘Happy Holidays! with Brian Stokes Mitchell’ by Marlene Hall

Tony Award winner and Baritone Brian Stokes Mitchell and the NSO Pops got the crowd into the holiday spirit with his show Happy Holidays! With Brian Stokes Mitchell, conducted with gusto by Steven...

‘The Twelve Dates of Christmas’ at NextStop Theatre Company by Kim Moeller

This year, Santa has brought us a wonderful gift—a fresh and funny take on life around the holidays entitled The Twelve Dates of Christmas. Santa had a lot of help from writer Ginna Hoben, Director...

‘The Pajama Men: Just The Two of Each of Us’ at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company by Amanda Gunther

Two men. One stage. 700 years to get it right. A dozen characters. A million laughs. And a partridge in a pair tree. Scratch the partridge and the pear tree, who wants fruit and foliage when you can...

“A Matt Conner Christmas” at Signature Theatre by Derek Mong

The weather outside may be frightful, but Matt Conner’s peppy, rich piano playing and his group of eclectic friends makes certain that you knew nothing of it. In an hour-long cabaret-style performance...

‘The Velocity of Autumn’ to Open on Broadway at The Booth Theatre on April 21, 2014 and Previews Begin April 1, 2014

The Velocity of Autum is off to Broadway’s The Booth Theatre! “A bracing, honest and deliciously funny performance played with wonderful gritand wit by the great actress Estelle Parsons.” – The New...

‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ at Annapolis Shakespeare Company by Amanda Gunther

Visions shall appear and there will be no need to slumber through this fantastical production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Annapolis Shakespeare Company this December. With a vibrant popping of...

‘Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol’ at NextStop Theatre Company by Julia L. Exline

NextStop Theatre Company presents Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol, an innovative, behind-the-scenes version of its predecessor, A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens. Beautifully adapted by Tom Mula...

Tonight From 7:30-9 PM Joyous Voices Professional Carolers Benefit for Family of Stephen Namie

TONIGHT-Monday, December 9th 7:30-9:00 pm at the Mobtown Theatre 3600 Clipper Road, Suite 114 Baltimore, MD Celebrate the Season (and finish your shopping early) with Joyous Voices Professional...

‘A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story of Christmas’ at Olney Theatre Center by Amanda Gunther

Gather round the Christmas fire to hear a tale of old; a classic Christmas story in its truest and purest form as Paul Morella returns to the Olney Theatre Center to presents A Christmas Carol: A...

‘Annie’ at McLean Theatre Company by Karim Doumar

Annie fully dresses audience with a smile The McLean Theatre Company’s production of Annie, directed by Amy Poe is one worth remembering. With music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin, and...

TrueTheatergoers’ TheaterThoughts: ‘The Fall Season’ and Rate Your Shows and Win $100 in Tickets by John and Stephen Hauge

Every Friday we will be sharing John and Stephen Hauge’s TheaterThoughts from their popular site TrueTheatergoer. “From John Hauge: “My brother Stephen and I created the TrueTheatergoer.com website in...

‘Cinderella – A Traditional British Panto’ – at The British Players by Ellouise Schoettler

Have a ball! Start the holidays with the laugh-filled family show –The British Players’ Cinderella, written by James Barry and directed with over-flowing humor by Charles Hoag. Cinderella is presented...