Reviews

‘The Pillowman’ at Silver Spring Stage by Amanda Gunther

There are no happy endings in real life. Only the cold harsh slap of reality and how its disappointed you in the end. The dark and sinister black humor of Martin McDonagh comes to life in a twisted...

Nibbles And Sips Around Town: ‘Frenchifying Fairfax, The Gin Game Redux, J&G Steakhouse Adds a Secret Room, the Day of the Dead Comes Back to Life, and Olive You Too, Espana!’ by Jordan Wright

Frenchifying Fairfax If you blink you’ll pass the modest storefront of Le Mediterranean Bistro, a mere slip of a place in historic Fairfax City, Virginia that quiets down towards nightfall. Once...

Purchase Your Tickets for Young Artists of America’s ‘Show Boat in Concert’ on Sunday, November 17th at 5 PM

Young Artists of America (YAA) presents Show Boat in Concert on Sunday, November 17, 2013 at 5 PM. The performance will be performed by a 40-member orchestra and a cast of 41 singers from 30 different...

‘I Am My Own Wife’ at Rep Stage by Amanda Gunther

The overwhelming need to believe in a story that is being told is a deeply compelling urge that will keep you on the edge of your seat as you listen; the little details and finely tuned emotions that...

‘Inventing Van Gogh’ at Washington Stage Guild by Leslie Weisman

Steven Dietz has the dubious distinction of being one of the nation’s most performed but least known playwrights. With its earnest production of Dietz’s searing, cerebral and enigmatic (and, some...

The Washington Chorus presents Benjamin Britten’s ‘War Requiem’ by Emily Cao

The Washington Chorus opened its 53rd season with heavy fare in Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem, celebrating the British composer’s 100th Anniversary and showcasing the talents of the chorus and its...

Who is Drama Queen? A Conversation With the Area’s Newest Queen

Need Theatre Posters, Programs, & Logos Designed for Your Show? Meet Jim Gallagher of Drama Queen Graphics I have had many of our readers ask me who designed our classy and colorful new logo, and the...

Interview with Army Sergeant First Class Julie Boehler, Principal Timpanist of the US Army Band-“Pershing’s Own” by Marlene Hall

Sergeant First Class Julie Angelis Boehler is the Principal Timpanist of The United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own.” In 2003, she became the first female Timpanist to serve in The U.S. Army Band....

‘Crossing’ at Signature Theatre by Derek Mong

As the introductory letter in the Signature Theatre’s program proudly proclaims, it’s “an exciting time at Signature,” and Signature Theatre’s production of Crossing is certainly no exception. For...

‘The Summoning of Everyman’ at The Edge of the Universe Players 2 by Nicole Cusick

Whether or not you believe in God you can support the ideas presented in The Summoning of Everyman, produced by The Edge of the Universe Players 2 at the Melton Rehearsal Hall at Woolly Mammoth...

‘Music in the Mansion: Signature Theatre at Strathmore – Julia Nixon, Vocalist’ at the Strathmore Mansion by Ramona Harper

“Jazzman, take my blues away.” Julia Nixon’s tribute to Carole King did that and so much more as Julia cast a spell on a mesmerized audience putting smiles on our faces in an unforgettable evening of...

L.A. Theatre Works: ‘The Graduate’ at George Mason University Center for the Arts by Yvonne French

“The Graduate was published 50 years ago and it’s still shockingly relevant today,” said actor Darren Richardson. “People graduate from college and they’re lucky to get a job at Starbucks or Borders.”...

‘Guys and Dolls’ at Rockville Musical Theatre by Mara Bayewitz

I discovered something while at opening night of Guys and Dolls – what I thought was my Grandma Grace’s favorite nursery rhyme, “A Bushel and a Peck,” originated as a song from this show. Having never...

‘Barbara Cook’s Spotlight: Tommy Tune’ at The Kennedy Center by David Friscic

Tommy Tune’s tall, lanky frame and loquacious manner is a veritable show unto itself. As the iconic Broadway Theatrical legend proved at The Kennedy Center’s Barbara Cook’s Spotlight Series concert...

‘Tosca’ at Lyric Opera Baltimore by Amanda Gunther

Art with mysterious power can pull opposite beauties together, and there is nothing more opposing in its beauty than the elegant tragedy of a doomed love story. Played out in one of Puccini’s finest...

‘David Dorfman Dance: Come, and Back Again’ at Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center by Carolyn Kelemen

Dorfman mines comic gold in his junkyard dance Anyone who ever yawned through a pretentious ballet or heaved a sign of relief when a particularly ominous modern dance finally ended can breathe a bit...

‘King John’ at WSC Avant Bard by Sophia Howes

King John: Love and Fear in a Fallout Shelter King John is famously known as one of Shakespeare’s least-performed plays, but there are many reasons to see it. It is a credit to WSC Avant Bard and its...

National Symphony Orchestra: Kristjan Järvi, Conductor and Jennifer Koh, Violin, Plays Barber by Emily Cao

The National Symphony Orchestra continues it’s eighty-third season at The Kennedy Center with a splendid evening of twentieth-century compositions as talented guest conductor Kristjan Järvi leads the...

‘Giselle’ at The Washington Ballet by Carolyn Kelemen

The Washington Ballet gave us the willies in a haunting production of Giselle on All Hallow’s Eve. Dressed in midnight black, artistic director Septime Webre bounded onto The Kennedy Center stage just...

‘Sister Act’ at The Kennedy Center by Derek Mong

Hallelujah! Sister Act is here for a short time only at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts’ Opera House, and you certainly won’t want to miss out on this festive, religious experience...

Regie Cabico’s ‘Godiva Dates & One Night Stands’ Opens TOMORROW at FallFringe Festival 2013 by Matt Ripa

Doorway Arts Ensemble Revives Their Smash Hit from Capital Fringe Many critics raved about Doorway Arts Ensemble’s hit show GODIVA DATES & ONE NIGHT STANDS at this summer’s Capital Fringe Festival....

‘Twelfth Night’ at The George Washington University by Rick Westerkamp

The George Washington University’s Department of Theatre and Dance has an engaging and lively production of William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, running through the weekend. My interest in the show...

‘Cabaret Macabre’ at Happenstance Theater by Amanda Gunther

‘Tis the time of year when leaves wither from the trees and waft upon the autumn breeze to the cold and rigid ground below. When spirits wake and rise up to take a stroll through the shrouds of mist...

‘The Argument’ at Theater J by David Friscic

Theater J is pulling out all the stops in its current and very polemical production of playwright Alexandra Gersten-Vassilaros’ The Argument. Directed with a tight, concise flair by Associate Artistic...

‘Susan Marshall & Company’s Play/Pause’ at The Kennedy Center by Rick Westerkamp

Are you familiar with the sentiment, “Dance like nobody’s watching?” The idea in this phrase is beautiful, but sounds hard to produce, right? Now pair these beautifully intimate moments with moments...

‘9 To 5’ at Dundalk Community Theatre by Amanda Gunther

Tumble out of bed and stumble to the theatre, the Dundalk Community Theatre, that is, for 9 To 5, the musical based on Dolly Parton’s hit movie of the same name. With Book by Patricia Resnick and...

‘The Iceman Cometh’ at Quotidian Theatre Company by Sydney-Chanele Dawkins

Tomorrow. Tomorrow. Tomorrow. Everything will be better tomorrow. It isn’t often that man attains the true goal of their heart’s desire. What lies do you tell yourself to make it through a day? There...

‘The 39 Steps’ at The Little Theatre of Alexandria by Julia L. Exline

The Little Theatre of Alexandria presents the melodrama parody The 39 Steps, from the novel by John Buchan and the movie classic directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Shuffled from novel to movie to stage...

’36 Views’ at Constellation Theatre Company at Source by Justin Schneider

“It was real, and if I had enough money, it was mine.” It’s a mercenary statement when applied to art; when applied to a person, it’s absolutely chilling. 36 Views, Constellation Theatre’s first...

‘The Night Watcher’ at The Studio Theatre by Ellouise Schoettler

As a storyteller I strongly urge you to buy tickets to see The Night Watcher at The Studio Theatre, especially if you appreciate good storytelling, a fine actor, and a thought-provoking story. As a...

‘The 1940’s Radio Hour’ at Silhouette Stages by Amanda Gunther

It’s never too early to start celebrating the Christmas holidays, as the shopping malls will tell us here at the end of October, and Silhouette Stages is in agreement as they present The 1940’s Radio...

‘Pride in the Falls of Autrey Mill’ at Signature Theatre by John Stoltenberg

“How’s your family?” are the seemingly innocuous final words of this startling and riveting new play. Carly, a quintessentially desperate housewife, is on the phone with a female neighbor in their...

‘Parade’ at Kensington Arts Theatre by Amanda Gunther

A breathtakingly stunning and hauntingly dramatic musical takes to the stage as Kensington Arts Theatre launches their fall season. Directed by Craig Pettinati with Musical Direction by David Rohde,...

‘Peter and the Wolf’ at The Puppet Co. by Julia L. Exline

The Puppet Company Playhouse presents Sergei Prokofiev’s musical adventure, Peter and the Wolf, a classic Russian composition. This story has been told many different ways throughout the years, with...

Hope Operas Video Recap of Week #3-Monday, October 21st With Ally Jenkins & Lucrezia Blozia

Watch hosts Ally Jenkins and Lucrezia Blozia (aka Chris Griffin) as they bring us a video recap of the third week – Monday, October 21, 2013 – of Hope Operas. Each week the audience votes for their...

Lar Lubovitch Dance Company at George Mason University’s Center for the Arts by Bev Fleisher

According to Jackson Pollock, “Art isn’t finished until someone sees it.” Similarly, Lar Lubovitch expressed verbally and through choreography that “Dance doesn’t find meaning until the audience...

‘Michael Cavanaugh: The Songs of Elton John’ With NSO Pops Conducted by Steven Reineke at The Kennedy Center by Derek Mong

Billboard calls him “the new voice of the American rock and roll songbook,” and they couldn’t have gotten it more right. Michael Cavanaugh brought a refreshing, vibrant take on some of most classic...

‘The Kronos Quartet 40th Anniversary’ at Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center by Bev Fleisher

I never expect less than the finest performances from the the Kronos Quartet. The Quartet presented yet another outstanding demonstration of their virtuosity at Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at...

‘Love in Afghanistan’ at Arena Stage at The Mead Center for American Theater by Rick Westerkamp

Love in Afghanistan, Charles Randolph-Wright’s exquisitely woven four person drama currently playing in Arena Stage’s Kogod Cradle, centers around two families: Duke (Khris Davis) and his mother...

Film Review: ‘All Is Lost’ by John Harding

Can a single character carry an entire feature-length movie with success? Arguments for both sides of that issue will be found in All Is Lost, the lean but brutal, one-person survival-at-sea saga...

‘Little Shop of Horrors’ at Stillpointe Initiative Theatre by Amanda Gunther

Look out. Look Out! LOOK OUT! A strange alien plant-like species has found its way to the back alleys of Baltimore as The Stillpointe Theatre Initiative presents the classic monster-musical Little...

‘The Idan Raichel Project’ at Lisner Auditorium by Bev Fleisher

The Idan Raichel Project brought down the packed house at Lisner Auditorium Tuesday night. True to their reputation, this collaboration of artists reflecting the origin of many Israeli minorities was...

‘Two Suns Over Thebes’ at Baltimore Annex Theater by Amanda Gunther

Come and celebrate the theatre as it is meant to be celebrated! With wine! And grapes! (Ok…grapenuts…) and a riveting good show about the great and almighty Greek God of theatre…DIONYSUS! Ritual...

‘Death and the Maiden’ at Spotlighters Theatre by Amanda Gunther

People can die from an excessive dose of the truth. But if only the truth can set you free does one find a sort of freedom, a sort of release in death? A twisted drama that pushes the boundaries and...

‘Romeo and Juliet’ at Folger Theatre by Emily Cao

Shakespeare’s iconic star-crossed lovers certainly need no introduction… but Folger Theatre’s energetic interpretation of Romeo and Juliet may indeed herald some much-deserved praise. Director Aaron...

‘Shorts in a Bundle’ at Fells Point Corner Theatre by Amanda Gunther

No rules, no voting, just six new short plays featured as a continuation from the 10×10 this past summer. Plays that caught the eye of the judges but just didn’t quite make it for one reason or...

‘Company’ at Vagabond Players by Amanda Gunther

Bobby. Bobby, baby. Bobby! Hear the phone ring, the door chime, and in comes the sensational Sondheim Tony Award-winning classic Company on stage at the Vagabond Players. Considered to be one of...

Preparing for Extremities-Part 3:-Rape Culture – We’ve Come a Long Way in 30 Years…or Have We? by Alexia Poe

The first time I read Extremities I kind of fell in love with it. It’s always difficult to find truly interesting characters written for women. So often we are in the mix simply to support the...

‘Sweet Charity’ at The Catholic University of America by Justin Schneider

The days are getting darker, the weather is getting chillier, and everything seems a bit more miserable than usual right now. But lucky for you, Catholic University’s Benjamin T. Rome School of Music...

‘Dianne Reeves Presented by Strathmore’ by Audrey Thornton

Happy Birthday, Dianne! Wow! What a performance on Friday, October 18, 2013 at Strathmore! Whether fans came to bask in your signature Latin style of nearly forty years, your effortless scatting that...