Reviews

‘Teen A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ at Synetic Theater by Jane Coyne

On Friday night, December 6, 2013, with only two months of training and rehearsals to ready its young performers, Synetic Theater staged an impressive opening night Teen production of A Midsummer...

Linda Eder on Her McDonogh School Master Class by Teresa McCormick Ertel

McDonogh School in Owings Mills, Maryland is known for its well respected music and choral program. Today several vocal students at the school were given the opportunity to perform for and receive...

‘Barbara Cook’s Spotlight: Patina Miller’ at The Kennedy Center by Douglas Lloyd

A Sister Act That is Hard to Top Washington, DC was honored to have Patina Miller, this year’s Tony Award-winning Best Lead Actress in a Musical (for her role as the Leading Player in Pippin),...

Sultans of String Presented by Strathmore by Bev Fleisher

In their first appearance at Strathmore, the Sultans of String sold out the house at the Mansion at Strathmore, and swept their audience away on a musical adventure they will not soon forget. Each of...

‘Scrooge! The Musical’ at Sandy Spring Theatre Group by Amanda Gunther

The message this time of year is that Christmas is a time for good tidings of great joy, for not only the youngsters but those young at heart and everyone in between. We never have enough time to say...

dog & pony dc’s ‘Toast’ (a Workshop Production) by John Stoltenberg

“Audience integration” is a buzzword that has been flying around awhile but only recently landed in my brain. In live theater, it means going beyond removing the fourth wall; it means erasing the line...

‘A Christmas Carol’ at Providence Players of Fairfax by Julia L. Exline

Providence Players of Fairfax presents the holiday favorite, A Christmas Carol, based on the novella by Charles Dickens and adapted for the stage by Janet Allard and Michael Bigelow Dixon. Keeping...

‘Worst Case Scenario’ at Single Carrot Theatre by Amanda Gunther

So you think you’re going to see a show at Single Carrot Theatre? Ha. Ha. Ha. Worst Case Scenario: You get into your car all ready to drive into Baltimore City for a hilarious night at the theatre....

‘Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner’ at Arena Stage at The Mead Center for American Theater by Sophia Howes

Love is in the Air The best way to describe the new Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner at Arena Stage is this: if you remember when you first fell in love; if you’d like to feel that way again – go to see...

‘Man in a Case’ at Shakespeare Theatre Company by John Stoltenberg

It is one thing to amble through a modern art gallery and appreciate an innovative multimedia installation—some videos and audio here, some projections and lighting effects there, perhaps some human...

‘Shall We Schmooze?’ Paolo Montalban on Playing The King in ‘The King and I’ at Olney Theatre Center by Joel Markowitz

I love Olney Theatre Center’s production of The King and I and I am thrilled to have a royal schmooze with the King . Here is my interview with Paolo Montalban. Joel: How did you get cast in Olney’s...

Win a Pair of tickets to ‘Porgy and Bess’ at National Theatre on Christmas at 7:30 PM or at 12/26 at 2 or 7:30 PM

Win a pair of FREE tickets to Porgy and Bess at The National Theatre: We have 2 pairs to give away for these dates: WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 25TH AT 7:30 PM OR THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26TH AT 2 PM OR THURSDAY,...

National Chamber Ensemble Hosts its Holiday Concert this Sunday at 4:30 PM With Special Guest Avery Gagliano at the Rosslyn Spectrum

I had the chance to catch up with National Chamber Ensemble’s Artistic Director Leo Sushansky earlier this week, and asked him about his upcoming Holiday Concert. Joel: Word has it that National...

‘A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum’ at Shakespeare Theatre Company by Anne Tsang

The opening number of Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production of Stephen Sondheim’s Tony Award-winning musical farce A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, “Comedy Tonight,” promises,...

‘The Lyons’ at Round House Theatre by David Friscic

Like a pride of carnivorous lions, the Lyons family is aggressively on the prowl for laughs (underneath the pain) In playwright Nicky Silver’s The Lyons now playing at Bethesda’s Round House Theatre....

Synetic Theater’s Teens’ ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ Opens This Thursday at 8 PM by Alysa Turner

See the next generation of Synetic superstars in A Midsummer Night’s Dream Beginning this Thursday, December 5th at 8 PM at Synetic Theater-1800 South Bell Street, in Arlington, VA. Synetic Theater’s...

‘Noises Off’ at 1st Stage by Amanda Gunther

Words. Doors. Bags. Boxes. Sardines. That’s theatre. That’s life. But don’t panic! Let the actors at 1st Stage do all the panicking for you so that you can laugh along to the uproarious farce Noises...

‘A Civil War Christmas’ at CENTERSTAGE by Amanda Gunther

For a truly inspiring and uniquely heartwarming approach to the holidays CENTERSTAGE is offering up what is sure to become a touching musical classic in Paula Vogel’s A Civil War Christmas. Perfectly...

‘The Nutcracker’ at The Puppet Company by Julia L. Exline

The Puppet Co. presents Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, a holiday classic beautifully re-imagined through puppetry. The multi-talented Christopher Piper, who holds the titles of performer,...

Michael McDonald ‘This Christmas: An Evening of Holiday & Hits’
 at Strathmore by Derek Mong

Michael McDonald joyously kicked off an array of vibrant holiday programming at The Music Center at Strathmore with a Christmas concert that blended some of his timeless classics with modern...

‘Woody Sez: The Life & Music of Woody Guthrie’ at Theater J by Christina Marie Frank

Director Nick Corley lets the music speak for itself in Theater J’s production of Woody Sez, a story about famed American folk musician Woody Guthrie. There is simple but effective set design (Dust...

‘A Family Reunion’ at The In Series by Jessica Vaughan

A Family Reunion at the In Series is a world premier 20 years in the making by DC Librettist William Moses and Composer Chris Patton. Moses also directed this touching piece about the universal value...

‘A Labor of Love’ Silver Anniversary Cabaret Tomorrow Night-December 2nd at 7:30 PM at Howard Community College to Raise Money for the Emergency Fund of AIDS Alliance of Howard County by Carolyn Kelemen

Tomorrow night at 7:30 PM at Howard Community College’s Smith Theatre A Labor of Love’s A Silver Anniversary Cabaret will star local and Broadway stars who are there to raise money for the Emergency...

Alice Smith in Concert at The Howard Theatre by Sydney-Chanele Dawkins

Lovely & Amazing SHE. She is Alice Smith. She is also the title of Alice Smith’s sophomore, March 2013 CD release. This was a project that Smith initiated through crowd funding (and financed half of...

‘Classic Albums Live: The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ at the Music Center at Strathmore by Justin Schneider

I have good news for the music lovers out there. Classic Albums Live is exactly what it says on the tin: world-class musicians playing classic rock albums in their entirety, live. At the group’s...

The Joffrey Ballet’s ‘The Nutcracker’ at The Kennedy Center by Ramona Harper

Who said it’s too early to start putting up Christmas decorations? After seeing The Joffrey Ballet’s enchanting Kennedy Center Friday night performance of The Nutcracker, I’m headed straight for the...

‘NSO Pops: An Evening with Matthew Morrison’ by Jessica Vaughan

Matthew Morrison, the TV and theater star with the golden pipes makes his solo debut at the Kennedy Center with his unique take and touching renditions of Broadway standards from My Fair Lady to West...

Filichia on Friday: ‘November’s Leftovers and December’s Brainteaser’ 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:...

‘If/Then’ (Revisited) by John Stoltenberg

The first time I saw If/Then, I knew I would be seeing it again. The show’s beauty, originality, and heart won me over, and that experience increased all the way through. I wrote a review for...

Nibbles and Sips Around Town: Cedar Restaurant, Fogo de Chao, FLO Wines, Puro Café, and Iron Gate by Jordan Wright

Cedar’s Aaron McCloud Creates Amazing Dishes with Olives from Spain As one of eight U.S. chefs selected to highlight the use of Spanish olives in their cuisine by Olives From Spain, Cedar’s Executive...

‘Speech & Debate’ at Montgomery College’s Communication and Performing Arts Department by Leslie Weisman

Montgomery College Communications and Performing Arts Department’s production of Stephen Karam’s Speech & Debate, which closed on Sunday is whip-smart, sophisticated, and incisive. First, there’s...

‘The Apple Family Plays: That Hopey Changey Thing’ at The Studio Theatre by Sydney-Chanele Dawkins

Heartily consumed, easily digested and readily recommended, The Apple Family Plays at Studio Theatre present an engrossing slice of family life populated by challenging, complex, ordinary people full...

‘The Apple Family Plays: Sweet and Sad’ at The Studio Theatre by Jessica Vaughan

A shining ensemble carries the second offering in Richard Nelson’s The Apple Family Plays: Sweet and Sad. For this piece in the series, the world event bringing the Apple clan together is the tenth...

The Embassy of Italy presents National Chamber Ensemble The Italian Violin, from Baroque to the Nineteenth Century by Jane Coyne

In a wonderful evening of music hosted by the Embassy of Italy, National Chamber Ensemble performed a spectacular concert of Italian music featuring the artistry of NCE Artistic Director and violinist...

‘If/Then’ at The National Theatre by John Stoltenberg

The fresh new musical If/Then—now in a tryout run at The National Theatre on its way to Broadway (where it is destined to be embraced by theatergoers who will want to see it again and again)—is more...

‘Into the Woods’ at Spotlighters Theatre by Amanda Gunther

Every moment is a moment in the woods; a brief and fleeting moment of magical mystery and fairytale wonder. Stephen Sondheim’s classic Into The Woods takes to the stage to defy holiday traditions of...

The American Voices Festival: ‘Musical Theater Master Session with Sutton Foster’ by Nicole Cusick

This weekend Opera Singer Renee Fleming hosted a series of master classes followed by expert panels at The Kennedy Center to connect students with successful professionals who could offer exceptional...

‘Lyle the Crocodile’ at Imagination Stage by Julia L. Exline

Imagination Stage presents Lyle the Crocodile, an upbeat musical based on the book by Bernard Waber and adapted for the stage by Kevin Kling. Directed by Kathryn Chase Bryer and with Musical Direction...

‘A Broadway Christmas Carol’ at MetroStage by Bev Fleisher

For anyone tired of the ‘same old, same old’ holiday offerings, or others looking for something to add to the tradition fare, A Broadway Christmas Carol is a joyous and wonderfully wrapped holiday...

American Voices Concert with the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) Pops Conducted by Steven Reineke at The Kennedy Center by Derek Mong

The only explanation for the magnificence that graced The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts’ Concert Hall on Saturday evening is that National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) Pops conductor...

‘Miracle on 34th Street’ by Meredith Wilson at Toby’s The Dinner Theatre of Columbia by Amanda Gunther

The age old question that hangs around the holiday season that has been debated, discussed, commercialized, and caused quite the stir over the years: Is there a Santa Claus? Doubt no more, for Toby’s...

‘Show Boat’ at Young Artists of America-With Video Highlights by Jessica Vaughan

Young Artists of America wowed the sold-out crowd with classics from Show Boat for their annual fundraising gala at the beautiful Bethesda Blues and Jazz Supper Club. The 85 high-school aged...

‘Elf The Musical’ at The Lyric by Amanda Gunther

The best way to spread Christmas cheer is by singing loud for all to hear! And The Lyric Opera House has boisterous feel-good holiday singing as they usher in this festive season with the touring...

This Monday at La-Ti-Do at 8 PM: Kristina Harkness-Granados, Jocelyn Prince, Katie McManus, Tina Ghandchilar, Tara Trinity, & Adele Hampton

It’s that time of week again for La-Ti-Do: WINNER of DCMetroTheaterArts’ Special Award for Best of 2012! THIS MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2013 AT 8 PM La-Ti-Do At The Black Fox Lounge 1723 Connecticut Avenue...

‘Maurice Hines is Tappin’ Thru Life’ at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater by Rick Westerkamp

At the top of the show, Maurice Hines said, “DC is fierce!” After experiencing Maurice Hines is Tappin’ Thru Life tonight at Arena Stage, I must say that it is Hines himself that is fierce! From his...

‘Jerusalem’ at The Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum’s Johnson IMAX Theater by Leslie Weisman

If Secretary of State John F. Kerry is willing to think way outside the box in his attempts to break the seemingly eternally intransigent deadlock in Middle East peace negotiations, he could do worse...

‘Protest’ at Ambassador Theater at Flashpoint, by Justin Schneider

Two friends sit in a study, sipping brandy. Both are intellectuals; one is a dissident, while the other has become a collaborator. Summarizing the state of television, one of the men laments, “Nothing...

‘Barbarellesque’ at The Windup Space by Lucrezia Borzia

Love! If you’ve never seen Barbarella – the 1968 trippy, outer space sex romp starring Jane Fonda or if it’s been a while, then (ONE) watch it! Watch it now! It’s on Netflix instant watch and it’s...

‘Into the Woods’ at Sterling Playmakers by Kim Moeller

And they lived happily ever after…but what really happens after? Sterling Playmakers’ production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s 1987 Broadway musical Into the Woods introduces us to a mashup...

‘Show Boat In Concert’ at Young Artists of America by Jessica Vaughan

Young Artists of America wowed the sold-out crowd with classics from Show Boat for their annual fundraising gala at the beautiful Bethesda Blues and Jazz Supper Club. The 85 high-school aged...