Reviews

‘Expecting Isabel’ at Silver Spring Stage by Miriam Urquhart

I didn’t know what to expect from Expecting Isabel. The Idea that a comedy could be built around such a painful issue as infertility seemed like a pretty strange idea until Silver Spring Stage’s...

‘Qingming Riverside’ at The Kennedy Center by Mike Spain

Qingming Riverside is based on one of China’s most famous paintings, Along the River during the Qingming Festival by painter Zhang Zeduan. The painting is considered a Chinese masterpiece and a...

‘The Tempest: Such Stuff as Dreams are Made on’ Part 6 – ‘Opening Night Reflections’ by Caroline Brent

So…after countless hours rehearsing, processing videos, recording voiceovers, constructing a giant chessboard, and studying dream theory, WE’VE MADE IT! Pallas Theatre’s The Tempest: Such Stuff as...

Filichia on Friday: ‘Back to Play’ by Peter Filichia

Here is this week’s new article from Peter Filichia’s column on Kritzerland called ‘Filichia on Friday.‘ It’s been an honor being allowed to post Peter’s column every week on DCMTA. This week: Back to...

‘The Birthday Party’ at Idly Bent Theatre Company by Amanda Gunther

The new year brings a new show to the DCAC as Idly Bent Theatre Company presents Harold Pinter’s The Birthday Party. Director Anne Cecelia Haney’s intentions for this production were unclear, and...

Emily Skinner’s Cabaret ‘There is Nothing Like a Dame’ at Signature Theatre by Jennifer Perry

Tony Award nominee Emily Skinner is no stranger to the Washington, DC area. In addition to appearing in full productions in the area (Dirty Blonde and The Witches of Eastwick at Signature Theatre for...

Theatre Lab Offers Classes Featuring Productions of ‘Les Miz’ and ‘August: Osage County’ by Dane Petersen

THEATRE LAB SPRING SESSION OFFERS CLASSES FEATURING PRODUCTIONS OF LES MIZ, and AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY This spring, Theatre Lab students will have the opportunity to take on roles in full-fledged...

‘Cirque Éloize: iD’ at The Lyric Opera House by Amanda Gunther

Imagine a world where the sounds of the cityscape are all you can hear, and street dancing is all you know. Now imagine that all you can see is the incredible feats of dare-doing acrobats and artists...

‘Hot Nostalgia’ at Toby’s Dinner Theatre of Columbia by Amanda Gunther

Toby’s Dinner Theatre of Columbia is off to a sensational start for their new season. A bright and brilliant beginning to the new year comes in the form of a dazzling musical revue — Hot Nostalgia —...

‘Tryst’ at Washington Stage Guild by Sydney-Chanele Dawkins

It’s a thin line between love and hate. Oh, the things that we will do for love, or the semblance thereof. More than a wishful, flight of fancy, love is a basic human need. Love is the powerful,...

Arcturus Theater Company’s ‘3 by Samuel Beckett: That Time, Embers, & Rough for Theatre II’ by Ross Heath

As a new theater company working on its first production, Arcturus Theater Company has been spending a good portion of its efforts simply building up the infrastructure to run a small theater company....

National Philharmonic with Victoria Chiang and Nurit Bar-Joseph at Strathmore by Francine Schwartz

On Sunday, January 6, 2013, The Music Center at Strathmore presented the second of two concerts by the National Philharmonic, conducted by Piotr Gajewski. Featured were violist Victoria Chiang and...

‘Contractions’ at The Studio Theatre’s 2ndStage by David Friscic

The Studio Theatre’s 2ndStage has produced a very exciting and provocative new play by Mike Bartlett entitled Contractions The message of this play is that we are often pawns of unfeeling regulations...

‘Fiesta de los Reyes Magos/The Three Kings Day Celebration’ at Gala Hispanic Theatre by Carolyn Kelemen

Three kings, a live donkey and dancers galore add up to a GALA DC celebration Since the annual Fiesta de los Reyes Magos/The Three Kings Day Celebration has become so popular in the DC’s...

‘We Tiresias’ at Forum Theatre by Mark Dewey

Tiresias Speaks Again at Forum Theater The opening scene of We Tiresias poses what appears to be a simple question: What if you could text a couple of your former selves and meet them for a drink?...

‘The Mousetrap’ at Vagabond Players by Amanda Gunther

The butler did it! Now, if only there were a butler character in this wildly thrilling murder mystery. Hold onto your pipes, detectives, because Vagabond Players are starting up the second half of...

Filichia on Friday: ‘The Fig Leaves Are Falling Will Rise Again’ by Peter Filichia

Here is this week’s new article from Peter Filichia’s column on Kritzerland called ‘Filichia on Friday.‘ It’s been an honor being allowed to post Peter’s column every week on DCMTA. Thanks to Peter...

‘Proposals’ at Vienna Theatre Company: ‘Wrestling with Neil Simon in the 21st Century’ by Suzanne Maloney

Barefoot in the Park seemed charming and funny to me in 1971 when I worked as assistant director on a local production. Oh that Cory Bratter. She was so funny! And Paul’s mother in that scene with the...

Part 1: ‘On the Road From Canterbury to Pointless Theatre’ by Alex Leidy

I’m thrilled to be kicking off this series of articles about our upcoming show Canterbury for DC Theater Arts by talking about the long and unusual process by which the script for our newest project...

‘Wake Up, Brother Bear!’ at Imagination Stage by Julia L. Exline

Imagination Stage welcomes back the hit Wake Up, Brother Bear!, a highly interactive show for ages 1-5, that takes you and your child through all four seasons with a playful pair of bear siblings....

Part One of ‘Putting Normal Together’ at McLean Community Players’ by Lisa Anne Bailey

This the first of a series of behind-the-scenes articles on McLean Community Players’ production of Next to Normal. Today, Director Lisa Anne Bailey introduces the show and her cast. The average...

Filichia on Friday-Peter Filichia’s ‘December Leftovers’

Here is this week’s new article from Peter Filichia’s column on Kritzerland called ‘Filichia on Friday.‘ It’s been an honor being allowed to post Peter’s column every week on DCMTA. Thanks to Peter...

‘An Iliad’ at The Studio Theatre by Mark Dewey

Bravura Performance at The Studio Theatre Early in Lisa Peterson and Denis O’Hare’s An Iliad, the Minstrel/Poet says he hopes he never has to tell this story again, meaning, I suppose, he hopes...

Part 4: ‘The Tempest: Such Stuff as Dreams are Made on:Chessboards & Sea-faring’ by Tracey Elaine Chessum,Ph.D.

Pallas Theatre Collective’s The Tempest: Such Stuff as Dreams are Made on – Chessboards and Sea-faring. Last week, Board President John Horman gave you a picture of his experience with Pallas Theatre...

‘Bravo@KAT, Theatre for Young Artists Presents ‘The Music Man Jr.’ by Laurie Levy Issembert

They say when one door closes another opens. The same is true of theatre curtains, theatrical productions and theatre companies. BRAVO@KAT, Theatre for Young Artists, is the newest “kid” on the...

The Moscow Ballet’s ‘The Great Russian Nutcracker’ at George Mason U.’s Center for the Arts by Flora Scott

Getting dressed up and then bundled up to venture out into the weather to see The Nutcracker with family, friends ,or a date during the Christmas season is a tradition as uplifting, rich, and...

‘Apples from the Desert’ at Theater J by Doug Poms

The latest offering at Theater J, Savyon Liebrecht’s Apples from the Desert, is an emotional family drama set in Israel. Although the characters in the play come close to becoming stock stereotypical...

‘The Sound of Music’ at Toby’s Dinner Theatre of Baltimore by Amanda Gunther

The hills are alive with The Sound of Music, but only if those hills are the hills over at Toby’s Dinner Theatre of Baltimore. The holiday season and new year are coming to life with the classical...

‘A View of The Tempest: Such Stuff as Dreams are Made on’ Part 3: ‘From The Boardroom’ by John Horman

I have a confession to make: I first joined the Pallas Theatre Collective family not as a board member, but as a cast member! I was very interested in joining the Pallas board, but I wanted to learn...

‘Filichia on Friday’ on Kritzerland: ‘When Size Mattered on Original Cast Albums’ by Peter Filichia

Here is this week’s new article from Peter Filichia’s column on Kritzerland called ‘Filichia on Friday.’‘ This week: When Size Mattered on Original Cast Albums Peter Filichia is a New York-based...

‘Million Dollar Quartet’ at The Kennedy Center by Anne Tsang

On a chilly night in December 1956, kismet brought together four music legends Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, and Elvis Presley for an incredible jam session that would live on in the...

‘The Screwtape Letters’ at Shakespeare Theatre Company by Anne Tsang

C.S. Lewis’ classic treatise on Christianity, faith, and the failings of the human race, The Screwtape Letters, has been brought to life on the stage through Jeffrery Fiske and Max McLean’s...

‘Holiday Follies’ at Signature Theatre by Doug Poms

If it is holiday cheer you seek this week, look no further than Signature Theatre’s Holiday Follies. The cabaret features four of the Washington area’s most talented performers, Eleasha Gamble, James...

“Billy Elliot’ at Hippodrome Theatre by Amanda Gunther

Baltimore is being electrified for two weeks only as Broadway Across America in conjunction with Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Working Title Films, Old Vic Productions, and NETworks...

‘The Hallelujah Girls’ at Prince George’s Little Theatre by Amanda Gunther

Need a break from the stresses of the holiday season? How about a soak in the sauna to ease all the pains of holiday shopping? Or a facial and mani/pedi to get your mind off all the decorating you...

‘Mannheim Steamroller Christmas’ at The Music Center at Strathmore by Amanda Gunther

It was the most electrifying concert of the holiday season. Strathmore was proud to present for two shows only, the Mannheim Steamroller Christmas. An epic concert featuring the unique musical style...

Choral Arts Society of Washington’s ‘Family Christmas Concert’ at The Kennedy Center by Audrey Thornton

An appreciative Washington, D.C. metro audience overflowing with young little people and their parents and grandparents, too, were treated to tales of Christmases’ past, performed in a 60 minute...

Jennifer Knapp and Margaret Becker’s ‘The Hymns of Christmas’ at The Birchmere by Jennifer Perry

I admit that despite my church upbringing and Christian faith I am not one to want to spend hours listening to Christmas music around this time of year. There’s something to be said about...

‘Finishing the Hat: A Tribute to Stephen Sondheim’ at Signature Theatre by Eric Denver

On December 11th, an article by James Gardiner and his cast of Putting It Together: A Tribute to Stephen Sondheim from George Mason University was posted on DCMetroTheaterArts. In it, they talked...

Paso Nuevo’s ‘Por cada lágrima (For Every Tear)’ at Gala Hispanic Theatre by Charles Miller

On Friday, December 14, 2012, Paso Nuevo, which recently won recognition by First Lady Michelle Obama, at the White House with the 2012 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award, presented Por...

‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever’ at Synetic Theater Teen Ensemble by Jennifer Perry

4 stars (3 ½ stars for production execution; 4 ½ stars for the teen performances) Synetic Theater’s teen company’s production of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is an example of a case where a...

‘A (Comic) Christmas Carol’ at The Greenbelt Arts Center by Amanda Gunther

Ever wanted to play the humbugging Scrooge in Dickens’ A Christmas Carol? Or what about the wicked and haunting ghost of Marley? Perhaps one of the three spirits that haunt the old miser? Well...

‘MARTYRS’ at Young Artists of America by Peter Grimm

Young Artists of America (“YAA”) performed the concert MARTYRS this past Friday and Saturday nights at the new, state of the art Performing Arts Center at the Sandy Spring Friends School, in Sandy...

‘The Pajama Men’ at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company by Amanda Gunther

Two men. One stage. In their pajamas? The infamous Pajama Men have come to town and Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company is tossing their newest show In The Middle of No One up onto the stage just in time...

The Moscow Ballet’s ‘The Great Russian Nutcracker’ at The Music Center at Strathmore by Jessica Vaughan

The Moscow Ballet delivers a sweet production of this holiday classic for their 20th anniversary tour. They work with over 3,600 children around the U.S. to fill many of the roles of the ballet and...

The Washington Chorus’ ‘A Candlelight Christmas’ at The Kennedy Center by Flora Scott

Engaging with the Christmas Spirit on 12/15/12, just one day after the massacre in Connecticut, in which 26 were killed – the least of which were 20 children for whom the holiday is truly intended –...

‘An Irish Carol’ at The Keegan Theatre by Jessica Vaughan

The Keegan Theatre’s An Irish Carol is destined to become one of the not-to-be missed DC holiday institutions that everyone sees whenever Keegan deigns to put it on. This production, the second...

‘A Christmas Carol’ at Lazy Susan Dinner Theatre by Julia L. Exline

When Christmastime comes around, there is one standout show that pops up all over town: Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. A theatre and audience favorite, this production is re-imagined countless...

Nnenna Freelon at The KC Jazz Club at The Kennedy Center by Francine Schwartz

The KC Jazz Club featured Nnenna Freelon in their cabaret style venue last night. Those of you who attended the Thelonius Monk Competion in September, also at The Kennedy Center, surely recall her...

‘A Christmas Chaos’ at Elden Street Players Theatre for Young Audiences by Kim Moeller

I asked Santa for a really good, affordable, theater production that is appropriate for younger audiences and, at the same time, fun for adults too. Thankfully, Santa granted me my wish and brought me...