Reviews

Buy Your Tickets to ‘REQUIEM’ at Young Artists of America in Silver Spring This Saturday @7:30 & Sun @4

Young Artists of America is thrilled toannounce that tickets are now on sale for our final concert of the season: REQUIEM This Saturday, May 11 at 7:30pm and This Sunday, May 12 at 4:00pm at The...

2013 Capital Fringe Show Preview: ‘Recovery’ by Mark Jason Williams

A favorite with Fringe audiences in New York City, Chicago and Minneapolis, playwright Mark Jason Williams makes his Capital Fringe debut this year with his comedic drama, Recovery. Recovery is an...

‘In The Next Room or The Vibrator Play’ at Colonial Players by Amanda Gunther

It’s a kind of religious ecstasy to feel half blind, do you not think? The discovery of intimacy, sexual excitement and above all love; all of that wrapped up in a Victorian era comedy of scandalous...

‘The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee’ at The Alliance Theatre by Kim Moeller

The word is Entertaining. Could you use it in a sentence please? The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Spelling Bee) is funny and entertaining. Entertaining. E-N-T-E-R-T-A-I-N-I-N-G....

‘The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby’ at Lumina Studio Theatre by Max Johnson

First and foremost: The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens is a very, very long novel and play, and is filled with some difficult Dickensian language, numerous plot twists,...

‘Big Nate, The Musical’ at Adventure Theatre MTC by Julia L. Exline

Adventure Theatre MTC presents the world premiere of Big Nate, The Musical, based on the comic strip and books by Lincoln Peirce, with Book by Jason Loewith, Lyrics by Christopher Youstra and Jason...

Dr. Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys at Hylton Performing Arts Center by Francine Schwartz

On Saturday, May 4, 2013 the Hylton Performing Arts Center of Manassas 3rd Anniversary Gala once again welcomed one of American music’s greatest Bluegrass legends, Dr. Ralph Stanley and the Clinch...

‘My Fair Lady in Concert’ at The Kennedy Center by Jessica Vaughan

The stars were out in force for the Kennedy Center’s 21st Annual Spring Gala. On the program was My Fair Lady In Concert sung by some of Broadway and the West End’s biggest names like Jonathan Pryce,...

‘Gilgamesh’ at Constellation Theatre Company at Source by Justin Schneider

It’s not often that a company can so completely remake a piece of history and claim it as their own. Gilgamesh is an amazing display of storytelling, and the production is a fantastic example of...

‘You Never Know’ at Prince George’s Little Theatre by Amanda Gunther

The charming musical style of Cole Porter comes to life on the stage of Prince George’s Little Theatre as they close out their 53rd season with You Never Know. Directed by Roy Hammond with Musical...

Allison Miller at The Mansion at Strathmore by Keith Tittermary

Montgomery County native and drummer extraordinaire, Allison Miller played at the Mansion at Strathmore on Friday night to a Standing Room Only crowd. Miller, who grew up in Olney and is a graduate of...

‘Thunder Knocking on the Door’ at Creative Cauldron at ArtSpace by Julia L. Exline

The Creative Cauldron at ArtSpace presents Thunder Knocking on the Door, a rhythm and blues musical written by Keith Glover, with music and lyrics by three-time Grammy Award winner Keb’ Mo’ and...

Meredith Monk at Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center by Carolyn Kelemen

Meredith Monk: shaking off the old notions It’s often difficult to shake off the pre-conceived notions and expectations of what a particular dance concert is going to be like. I am not exactly clear...

‘The Tempest’ at We Happy Few Productions at Fort Fringe by Rick Westerkamp

As I entered The Shop at Fort Fringe for We Happy Few Productions’ production of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, I was intrigued by the ambiance. Prospero watched as the audience filed in, from a...

‘Show Boat’ at Washington National Opera by Jessica Vaughan

Once in a lifetime you get the opportunity to see four opera companies, 100 performers, and 50 musicians put on America’s first, most iconic musical, Show Boat. Washington National Opera has partnered...

‘Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo’ at George Mason University’s Center for the Arts by Eric Denver

I have attended in the past year an American Ballet Theatre Production at The Kennedy Center, Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake in the Big Apple, a Boshoi Ballet HD Production at a local movie theater, and...

‘Dreamgirls’ at The Lyric Opera House by Amanda Gunther

It’ll feel like one night only when the magnificent Dreams pop into town singing their hearts out up on that stage. And if you’ve never seen a musical about struggle and triumph through adversity this...

‘Other Desert Cities’ at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater by Mark Dewey

Unhappy Family Fights It Out at Arena Stage Other Desert Cities, the last play in the 2012-2013 season at Arena Stage, takes place on wall-to-wall white carpet in a living room furnished with circles...

‘In Time of Roses’ at University of Maryland by Tiffany Draut

Most people are at least passingly familiar with the villainous Richard of York, and have at least heard of England’s War of the Roses, but Margaret of Anjou? Not nearly as familiar. Yet the...

‘Prelude to a Kiss’ at Arts Collective @ HCC by Amanda Gunther

Howard Community College’s Arts Collective closes its 18th season with their production of Craig Lucas’ Prelude to a Kiss. Directed by Darius K. McKeiver, this odd romantic comedy takes the audience...

Tickets On Sale For Young Artists of America’s ‘REQUIEM’ on May 11 and 12th

Young Artists of America is thrilled toannounce that tickets are now on sale for our final concert of the season: REQUIEM Saturday, May 11 at 7:30pm Sunday, May 12 at 4:00pm The Lutheran Church of...

‘Ragtime’ at Kensington Arts Theatre by Jessica Vaughan

The people called it Ragtime,” and the cast of the Kensington Arts Theatre’s production of the musical Ragtime makes some truly breathtaking Ragtime. Most of the cast has several decades of experience...

’26th Annual Evening of Comedy’ at The Barns of Wolf Trap by Francine Schwartz

Jimmie Walker, well known for his claim to be “Dyn-o-mite” moderated the 26th Annual Evening of Comedy at The Barns of Wolf Trap on Friday night. He is most famous for TV series Good Times, which...

‘The Hobbit’ at W.T. Woodson High School by Terry Byrne

Calling all J.R.R. Tolkein geeks. If last year’s Hollywood blockbuster The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey left you dangling, W.T. Woodson High School Theatre Department’s lip-smackin’ The Hobbit, a...

‘Condo Condo Condoland’ at EMP Collective by Amanda Gunther

Urban centricity – urban living being so many things to so many people. The universe is cold and dark and all you can count on in this world is yourself; self- reliance for your own happiness, depend...

‘No Man’s Land’ at WSC Avant Bard by Audrey Thornton

True to author Harold Pinter’s many talented literary works and dark psychological themes, the opening night of No Man’s Land on May 2, 2013, in the WSC Avant Bard’s new space at Theater on the Run,...

‘The Elder Statesman’ at Washington Stage Guild by Amanda Gunther

Those who flee their past will always lose the race because their past failures will always be waiting at the finish line to greet them. A poignant T.S. Elliot quote wound up in his play The Elder...

‘Actéon’ at Opera Lafayette by Flora Scott

I attended Opera Lafayette’s Actéon at The Kennedy Center and the production opened with lovely excerpts from Les Fetes de L’Hymen et de L’Amour; ou Les Dieux d’Egypte (1747) in the first half of the...

‘The Golem’ at Taffety Punk Theatre Company by Erica Laxson

The Golem is a Taffety Punk exclusive that shouldn’t be missed. This electronically charged, theatrical adventure portrayed by one man (Daniel Flint) and DJed by DC’s own local musical mastermind,...

Special Offer for Brian Stokes Mitchell’s ‘Broadway’s Show-Stoppers’ @ Kennedy Center on Sunday, May 12th @5 PM

A SPECIAL OFFER FOR DCMTA READERS: Buy your tickets now! AND WAIVE THE TICKETING FEES WITH CODE: Broadway Tickets are available through WPAS Ticket Services at (202) 785-WPAS (9727) and online at...

Special La-Ti-Do-Honesty-This Friday, May 3rd at 6:30 PM by Don Mike Mendoza

WINNER of DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2012 Special Award for bringing artists together: La-Ti-Do Here were are with a very special evening –This Friday, May 3rd at 6:30 PM – a La-Ti-Do exclusive! This...

‘Chess’ at Dundalk Community Theatre by Amanda Gunther

One little move effects so many people’s lives. A statement proven true as the Dundalk Community Theatre presents Chess The Musical. With beautiful and utterly haunting music composed by Bjorn Ulvaeus...

‘Pas de Deux’ at The Studio Theatre by Mark Dewey

Pas de Deux: Full Meal with a Light Dessert The room is cold, and vapors swirl around the ducts that bring in air — has it been chilled? It smells like what came out of the defroster on my way into...

Bay Theatre Company Ceases Operations by Joel Markowitz

I was so saddened when I opened an email around 9:30 PM tonight from Bay Theatre Company‘s Artistic Director Janet Luby, which informed me that the theatre is closing its doors. “The Board of...

‘Ghost-Writer’ at MetroStage by Yvonne French

In 1897, American writer Henry James got writer’s cramp and hired Theodora Bosanquet to take dictation on the newly invented typewriter in an arrangement that spanned the last eight years of his life....

‘Smudge’ at Pinky Swear Productions by Flora Scott

There are shows that are good and there are shows that are bad. There are countless shows that land somewhere in the middle. We all have various reasons we attend the plays we do: invitations, free...

‘Of Mice and Men’ at The Acting Company at George Mason University by Francine Schwartz

The Acting Company presented a powerful and heartbreaking production of John Steinbeck’s 1937 play Of Mice and Men at George Mason University’s Center for the Arts on Sunday, April 28th. The...

‘The Personals’ at No Rules Theatre Company by Mark Dewey

Searching for Mr. and Mrs. Right in “The Personal(s)” There’s been an accident. We don’t know exactly what happened, but we know that Janna was driving, and we know that Don was making Janna laugh,...

’33 Variations’ at The Little Theatre of Alexandria by Justin Schneider

There’s an analogy to be drawn between musical composition and the theater. A play is like a theme; each production is a variation on that theme, stretching it past its original bounds and...

‘Midori’ at The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra at The Music Center at Strathmore by Keith Tittermary

In 1982, the young Japanese immigrant, Midori Goto, made her concert debut with the New York Philharmonic under the baton of the legendary Zubin Mehta. The young violinist was only 11 at the time....

Nibbles And Sips Around Town: ‘Spring Things’ by Jordan Wright

Spring at last – not the in-your-face summer torture we had last week when temps reached 95 degrees and eggs were frying on the sidewalks of DC – spring with lilacs, violets, dogwood and daffodils –...

‘Guys and Dolls, JR.’ at Thoreau Middle School by Eric Denver

You didn’t have to take Amtrak to Broadway this past weekend to find “The Oldest Established Permanent Floating Crap Game in New York.” All you had to do was to drive out to Vienna, Virginia to...

’33 Variations’ at Reston Community Players by Jane Coyne

Starting with the play itself, there is a whole lot to like about 33 Variations, an intricately delightful play written by Moisés Kaufman and directed by Sue Pinkman, currently being staged by Reston...

‘Optimism! Or Voltaire’s Candide’ at Spooky Action Theater by Jessica Vaughan

“Everything is for the best in the best of all possible worlds.” Spooky Action Theater takes Candide’s satire of life, love, hope and human decency to the extreme in Optimism! Or Voltaire’s Candide,...

‘DC-7: The Roberto Clemente Story’ at Gala Hispanic Theatre by Sydney-Chanele Dawkins

Memory and myth are intertwined in the DC-7: Roberto Clemente Story. The mythic aspects of sports, and baseball in particular, usually draw on nostalgia for how things used to be and cliches of the...

‘Man of La Mancha’ at Castaways Repertory Theatre by Terry Byrne

Back in the day when musical theater spawned chart-toppers, “The Impossible Dream” became an anthem not only for every hopeless romantic, but also for never-say-die American dreamers. The mettle test,...

Film Review: ‘Hava Nagila’ by Bari Biern

First, take out your No. 2 pencils and answer this question: Where did the traditional Jewish song, “Hava Nagila” originate? (1) Jerusalem (2) Warsaw (3) Miami Okay, it’s a trick question. The real...

‘The Amazing & Marvelous Cabinets of Kismet’ at Wit’s End Puppets at Mead Theatre Lab by Justin Schneider

How do we determine our place in the world? How do we give our lives meaning? And how do we do both of these things while dealing with loss and change? These are just a few of the questions posed by...

Topdog/Underdog at Everyman Theatre by Amanda Gunther

Watch the cards closely. Pick a red card you pick a loser. Pick another red card you pick the other loser. But pick a black card and you pick a winner. And picking to see the Baltimore area of premier...

‘The Tempest’ at Rockville Little Theatre by Keith Tittermary

The Tempest, one of Shakespeare’s final plays, is a difficult play to categorize: part romance, part cautionary tale, part comedy. The play is A Midsummer’s Night Dream – lite, set on a mysterious...