Virginia

‘Heart’ at Wolf Trap

Tuesday evening at Wolf Trap was not about female singer diva glitz or the vestiges of 80’s glamour rock. What it weir scintillating harmonies and punchy guitar riffs, these two hard-swinging,...

Saving Mr. (And Mrs.) Banks…Meet the Stars of SSMT’s Mary Poppins: Part Three: Jack Rowles and Tara Michelle Gesling

Last week, Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre opened the regional premiere of the practically perfect musical Mary Poppins to thunderous standing ovations. Mary Poppins continues its run through Sunday,...

‘Mary Poppins’ at Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre by Rick Schneider

The stage version of the musical Mary Poppins has finally reached the Washington area regional theater scene, and it has been well worth the wait. This recent Broadway hit is based on the 1964 Walt...

‘Once Upon A Mattress’ at Encore Stage & Studio

Encore Stage & Studio presents Once Upon A Mattress, a hilarious musical adaptation of the famous fable involving a princess, a pea, and a stack of mattresses. With Music by Mary Rogers, Lyrics by...

‘Good Good Trouble on Bad Bad Island’ at NextStop Theatre Company

Sometimes good things come in small packages. And sometimes they come in big ones, just to the wrong place. In NextStop Theatre Company’s Good Good Trouble on Bad Bad Island, directed by Danny Tipett,...

‘Cavalleria Rusticana’ and ‘I Pagliacci’ at Maryland Lyric Opera

Maryland Lyric Opera presents its debut season at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland, College Park with the stunning and beautiful production of Cavalleria...

‘An Evening with Danny Kaye’ at The American Century Theater

Brian Childers IS the exact personification of Danny Kaye in the wonderfully amusing and slightly manic current production at The American Century Theater (TACT), An Evening with Danny Kaye. Childers...

‘Abominable’ at The Hub Theatre

There’s no question: puberty can be a bitch. Or, more to the point, a beast… It is the latter metaphor that is explored extensively in The Hub Theatre’s intriguing new play, Abominable. Playwright and...

‘The Tempest’ at Aldersgate Community Church Theatre

Aldersgate Church Community Theater presents Shakespeare’s The Tempest, directed by Amanda Coffin. For this production, Aldersgate ditches the elaborate sets and costumes in favor of a minimalist...

‘A Live Presentation of 2001: A Space Odyssey’ With the National Symphony Orchestra, Emil de Cou, conductor, and Woodley Ensemble, Frank Albinder, Music Director

After a week of cramped and un air conditioned Fringey-ness, it was a pleasure to step into the cavernous Filene Center at Wolf Trap last night. The massive open air space, illuminated by starlight...

‘Pippi Longstocking: The Family Musical’ at City of Fairfax Theatre Company

Looking for something fun to do to beat the summer heat? Pack up your young pirates for the high-flying circus adventure that is Pippi Longstocking: The Family Musical, presented by City of Fairfax...

Meet the Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious Stars of SSMT’s Magical Premiere of ‘Mary Poppins’ Part One: Meet Catharine Kay and Patrick Clealand Rosé

Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre hosts the regional premiere of the practically perfect musical Mary Poppins, opening July 23. In part one of a three part interview series, we meet two of the young...

Christine Pedi at Signature Theatre’s ‘Sizzlin’ Summer Cabaret Series’

Christine Pedi: Great Dame There ain’t nothing like a dame, and there is truly ain’t nothing like a dame that can sing about the best of them. Christine Pedi is one of those gifted singers. Ms. Pedi’s...

Straight No Chaser at Wolf Trap

There’s something magical that happens when you take ten talented male vocalists, put them in matching slim-fitting blazers, and get them to sing out loud in perfect harmony and a synchronous...

The Fray, Barcelona, and Oh Honey at Wolf Trap

Wolf Trap bills them as a “piano-driven pop rock quartet with impassioned smash hits.” Blurt magazine praises them for “the way they seek out views of the world—and not just about their own lives—and...

Jennifer Nettles From Sugarland and Special Guest Brandy Clark at Wolf Trap

On a Hot Scorching July night, Jennifer Nettles, one half of the Grammy-award winning duo, Sugarland, set the stage on fire! While the night temperature did lower significantly, due to the arrival of...

Karen Mason at NextStop Theatre Company

They say a truly great performer has the power to transform a song that you might have heard a million times before into a new experience—to take a classic and make it his or her own while still doing...

Matthew Morrison With Special Guest Laura Benanti and The NSO at Wolf Trap

Undeterred by Thursday night’s rainstorm, it was a slightly soggy yet enthusiastic crowd that turned out for Matthew Morrison in concert with the National Symphony Orchestra and special guest Laura...

Tom Goss at Signature Theatre’s Sizzlin’ Summer Nights Series

From the first downbeat of his powerhouse opening song, “It Only Takes One” off of his fourth album Wait, Tom Goss delivered a powerhouse performance to the very last note on Thursday night at...

‘The King and I’ Opens This Wednesday at Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre-Cast Interviews Part 1

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s timeless classic, The King and I, boasts one of the most luscious scores of all time. Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre opens this romantic musical about tolerance and cultural...

Top Scene Stealers of the Week-Week Ending 7/5/14

Here are our Top Scene Stealers for the week ending July 5, 2014. Congrats to all our honorees! ______ (1) Mary Ellen Cameron Singing “I Dreamed a Dream’ at Les Misérables at Way Off Broadway Dinner...

‘Gruesome Playground Injuries’ Opens July 10th at The Flying Muskrat Theatre Company

“If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh. Otherwise, they’ll kill you”- Oscar Wilde. These words could not be personified more fully than in Rajiv Joseph’s contemporary classic, Gruesome...

Meet Cast Members of Prince William Little Theatre’s “The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!)’ Which Opens on July 18th by Melissa Jo-York Tilley

Prince William Little Theatre’s production of The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!) opens on July 18th at the Gregory Family Theater in the Hylton Performing Arts Center in Manassas, VA! Joanne...

Meet the Cast of Unexpected Stage Company’s ‘Dani Girl’: Caroline Wolfson, Joshua Simon, Maggie Robertson, and Zach Brewster-Geisz

Meet the cast of Unexpected Stage Company’s Dani Girl. _______ Caroline Wolfson (Dani) Joel: Where did you get your training and where have local theatregoers seen you perform? Caroline: I’m a...

CFTC Performs Rollicking ‘Pippi Longstocking: The Family Musical’ July 18-26, 2014 at Lanier Middle School

Grab your hat and join the fun as pirates, circus entertainers, a few cops and robbers, and the world’s most popular whippersnapper come to life this summer in the City of Fairfax Theatre Company...

‘Nibbles and Sips’: Freak Show Without a Tent, Dino’s Grotto Opens, Erin Dickins Spices Up Her Repertoire, Mio Brings Puerto Rico to DC

Freak Show Without a Tent, Dino’s Grotto Opens, Erin Dickins Spices Up Her Repertoire, Mio Brings Puerto Rico to DC On DC-Based Food Writer Nevin Martell’s Latest Book Partiality Alert Based on...

Diana Ross at Wolf Trap

Last night at the Filene Center at Wolf Trap, I got to be in the presence of the amazing, legendary Diana Ross. Ross, named by the Guinness Book of World Records as the most successful female music...

Top Scene Stealers of the Week-Week Ending 6/28/14

Here are our Top Scene Stealers for the week ending June 28, 2014. Congrats to all our honorees! ______ Nick Cordileone and Ben Lipitz Singing “Hakuna Matata” in The Lion King at The Kennedy Center...

‘The Reel Deal’ Watch Kyle Osborne’s Video Movie Review of ‘Transformers: Age of Extinction’

Kyle Osborne reviews Transformers: Age of Extinction. Here are showtimes for Transformers: Age of Extinction in the DC area. LINKS Kyle Osborne’s Video Movie Review of Jersey Boys. Kyle Osborne’s...

Preview of ‘Abominable’ at The Hub Theatre by David Siegel

Hub Theater is producing the world premier of Abominable written by Playwright and Hub Artistic Director Helen Pafumi. The director is multi-Helen Hayes Award nominee Kirsten Kelly. The Hub describes...

‘Spamalot’ at Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre

Summer Silliness: Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre Invites you to Spamalot What happens in Camelot stays in Camelot…and you really want to be there for the hijinks, the chaos, and the fun! Shenandoah...

Ben Folds and The National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap

Ben Folds Rocks the Suburbs with the NSO at Wolf Trap Ben Folds grew up playing drums and was always inspired by the orchestra. His lush music received a new spin by playing with the National Symphony...

‘West Side Story’ at Riverside Center Dinner Theater

Riverside Center Dinner Theater presents the musical classic West Side Story, based on a Conception of Jerome Robbins, with Book by Arthur Laurents, Music by Leonard Bernstein, and Lyrics by Stephen...

‘Pride and Prejudice’ at Castaways Repertory Theatre’s Youth Theater and Homeschool Theatre Troupe

In an adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic novel, Pride and Prejudice, Castaways Repertory Theatre and Homeschool Theatre Troupe provide an evening of laughs coupled with a heartwarming love-story. The...

Top Scene Stealers of the Week-The Week Ending June 21, 2014

Here are our Top Scene Stealers for the week ending June 21, 2014. Congrats to all our honorees! ______ (1) Aurora Beckett, as Jojo, singing “It’s Possible” in Seussical at Montgomery Playhouse Summer...

‘Comfort and Joy’: ‘Comfort and Joy’: Appearing in 1st Stage’s ‘Bat Boy:The Musical’: Part 4: Russell Silber

In Part 4 of a series of interviews with the cast of Bat Boy:The Musical at 1st Stage, meet Russell Silber. Joel: Introduce yourself and tell our readers where they might have seen you on the stage...

‘Cloak and Dagger’ at Signature Theatre

You know you’re in the presence of a legend when the material doesn’t matter as much as the immaterial. With the world premiere of Cloak and Dagger: Or the Case of the Golden Venus — Ed Dixon’s...

Ed Dixon on Writing and Appearing in ‘Cloak and Dagger’ at Signature Theatre

I am a huge fan of Ed Dixon’s work. I was thrilled to be able to catch up with him, and to see the press performance of his new musical Cloak and Dagger on Sunday night at Signature Theatre. Joel: Why...

‘Plaza Suite’ at The Little Theatre of Alexandria

Step into The Plaza, one of the most upscale venues and hotels in Upper Manhattan. Plaza Suite, a Tony Award-winning comedy written by Neil Simon in 1968, welcomes audiences to Room 719 as it captures...

‘Some Girl(s)’ at Unquiet Theatre Company

The message of Neil Labute’s Some Girl(s) is pretty well summed up by one of the characters, Bobbi, towards the end of Act II: “Guys always mean well right before they fuck somebody over.” Indeed, the...

‘Il Volo’ at Wolf Trap

Last night’s Il Volo concert is THE best show/concert I’ve seen at Wolf Trap in a long time! After every song, the singers received standing ovations from the crowd, which seemed to shock the humble...

‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ at Creative Cauldron

Creative Cauldron is presenting an artful rendition of A Midsummer Night’s Dream with everyone in the huge cast under the age of 20 except for the king and queen of the faeries. The queen, Titania is...

5 Top Scene Stealers of the Week-Week Ending 6/13/14

Here are our 6 (We have a tie) Top Scene Stealers for the week ending June 13, 2014. Congrats to all our honorees! A Special Scene Stealer of The Week: Frank Britton Returns as Pontius Pilate in The...

‘Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band’ at Wolf Trap

Talk about adding to your own personal bucket list! Last night at the Filene Center at Wolf Trap, a huge audience “got by with a little help from my friends” as Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band got...

‘Comfort and Joy’: Appearing in 1st Stage’s ‘Bat Boy:The Musical’: Part 3: Maria Rizzo

In Part 3 of a series of interviews with the cast of Bat Boy:The Musical at 1st Stage, meet Maria Rizzo. Joel: Please introduce yourself and tell our readers where they might have seen you on the...

Meet the Cast of No Rules Theatre Company’s ‘Boeing Boeing’: Part 3: Jamie Smithson

In Part 3 of a series of interviews with the cast of No Rules Theatre Company’s production of Boeing Boeing, meet Jamie Smithson. Joel: Where have you performed in the area recently? I am new to the...

‘Beauty and the Beast’ at Wolf Trap

Be our guest, be our guest! After all, this is France and a dinner here is never second best! We couldn’t have said it better ourselves, Lumiere, and the sentiment is shared for the show by the packed...

‘Bastianello & Lucrezia’ at Urban Arias

Beautifully sung, hilariously acted, perfectly directed, brilliantly composed (John Musto for Bastianello and William Bolcom for Lucrezio), cleverly written (both by Mark Campbell)- these are just...

Meet the Cast of NextStop Theatre Company’s ‘Into the Woods’: Part 7: Danny Tippett and Scott Gaines

These guys got lost in the woods and some witch told us where we could find them-so in between battling witches, wolves, and giants and before they packed up their magic beans and white cows, these...

‘Hello, Dolly!’ at 2nd Star Productions

Call on 2nd Star Productions! They’re the one this reviewer recommends for its fine production of Hello, Dolly! The timeless musical about the meddlesome widow who puts love in its place is alive and...