Virginia

Review: ‘Middletown’ at NextStop Theatre Company

Middletown, written by Will Eno, is a play with heft. It is not an easy play that you can relax and let wash over you. Timid souls who are out for an evening of light entertainment may struggle with...

Review: ‘Grey Gardens’ at The Little Theatre of Alexandria

Grey Gardens the musical (book by Dough Wright, lyrics by Michael Korie, music by Scott Frankel) is a faithful adaptation of the 1970’s cult classic documentary of the same name directed by Albert and...

Review: ‘The History Boys’ at Dominion Stage

At the first press night of The History Boys by Alan Bennett, the cast and creative team were laughing and joking as the audience began to arrive. A fire had started in the flies of the theater, and...

Review: ‘A Raisin in the Sun’ at Castaways Repertory Theatre

Is a man, especially a black man’s ego and position diminished when he, his wife and son, live in cramped quarters with his mother and sister? Castaways Repertory Theatre explores this as well as...

Review: ‘Georgie: My Adventures with George Rose’ at Signature Theatre

What starts as a delightfully wacky lark of well-told tales perfectly suited for theater buffs of a certain age or for those who know Broadway’s eccentricities through television shows such as Glee or...

Meet the Cast of Avant Bard’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ Part 2: Jon Jon Johnson

In Part 2 of a series of interviews with the cast of Avant Bard’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, meet Jon Jon Johnson. Joel: Where have local audiences seen you perform recently on stage?...

In the Moment: 1st Stage Gets Bigger: A Chat With Managing Artistic Director Alex Levy

The cranes are up and building is moving afoot in the “new” Tysons in Fairfax County, Virginia. So, what will Tysons residents do for their near-by cultural arts fix and live performing arts...

Review: ‘Snow White’ at Encore Stage & Studio

Encore Stage & Studio presents the beloved childhood tale Snow White, a musical adaption by Tim Kelly, with music and lyrics by Bill Francoeur. A company who produces shows “by kids, for kids,” Encore...

In the Moment: Dr. King Commemorations in Reston and McLean

In Northern Virginia, two community centers have had long-standing and continuing activities commemorating the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday. They are the McLean Community Center and the Reston...

DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2015 #21: Best Design of 2015 in DC Metro Area Theatres

The staff of DCMetroTheaterArts is pleased to honor the following designers for their work in 2015: CHOREOGRAPHY Germaul Barnes for Marley at Centerstage. Michael Bobbitt for Guys and Dolls at Olney...

Teatro de la Luna’s Children’s Theater Festival: 6 Hours of Drama and Magic on Sat 1/16 at The Rosslyn Spectrum

On Saturday, January 16, 2016 – from 11 AM until 5 PM – it’s six Children’s Hours, full of continuous mystery and magic, drama and dance: “al major estilo latinoamericano” (with the best Latin...

DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2015 #20: University Productions, Performances, and Ensembles

The staff of DCMetroTheaterArts is honored to announce that their 2015 Best Productions, Performances, and Ensembles honors in University productions go to: UNIVERSITY PRODUCTIONS: A Funny Thing...

In the Moment: An Interview With the Creative Team of MetroStage’s ‘Shake Loose’

Shake Loose, the new musical bound for Alexandria’s MetroStage, aims to bear witness to a swirling whirlwind century of events in the lives African American people. Its purpose is “to bring order to...

Meet the Cast, Director, and Producer of Reston Community Players’ ‘Master Class’: Part 1: Director Rosemary Hartman and Producer Kate Keifer

Here is Part 1 of a series of interviews with the director, producer, and cast of Reston Community Players’ production of Terrence McNally’s Master Class. Meet Director Rosemary Hartman and Producer...

DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2015 #17: Best Directors of a Play in Community Theatres

The staff of DCMetroTheaterArts is honored to announce that their 2015 Best Directors of Plays in Community Theatres honors go to: Mark T. Allen for Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None at...

DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2015 #16: Best Directors of a Musical in Community Theatres

The staff of DCMetroTheaterArts is honored to announce that their 2015 Best Directors of Musicals in Community Theatres honors go to: Hans Bachmann for Company at Tantallon Community Players. Lisa...

DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2015 #15: Best Directors of Musicals in Professional Theatres

The staff of DCMetroTheaterArts is honored to announce that their 2015 Best Directors of Musicals in Professional Theatres honors go to: Patrick A’Hearn for The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber at...

DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2015 #14: Dance Performances

Here is Rick Westerkamp, Lisa Traiger, Samantha Machar, Madeline Duff, and Yasmeen Enahora’s Best Performances in Dance honors: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater performing Hofesh Schechter’s...

DCMetroTheaterArts: Best of 2015 #10: Best Performances in a Musical in Professional Theatres and Special Awards

The staff of DCMetroTheaterArts is honored to announce that their 2015 Best Performances in Musicals in Professional Theatres honors go to: Best Actor in a Musical Andrew Lloyd Baughman as Sweeney...

DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2015 #9: Best Performances in a Musical in Community Theatres

The staff of DCMetroTheaterArts is honored to announce that their 2015 Best Performances in Musicals in Community Theatres go to: Best Actor in a Musical Rich Amada as Caractacus Potts in Chitty...

DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2015 #8: Best Performances in a Play in Professional Theatres

The staff of DCMetroTheaterArts is honored to announce that their Best of 2015: Best Performances in Plays in Professional Theatres go to: BEST ACTOR IN A PLAY Josh Adams as Billy in The Cripple of...

DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2015 #7: Best Performances in a Play in Community Theatres

The staff of DCMetroTheaterArts is honored to announce that their 2015 Best Performances in a Play in Community Theatres go to: Best Actor in a Play Christopher Anderson as Thomas in Venus in Fur at...

DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2015 #6: Best Children’s/Family Productions

Here are the DCMetroTheaterArts Staff’s honorees for Best Children’s Theatre Productions in 2015. Congrats to all our honorees. A Christmas Carol at Hope Garden Children’s Ballet Theatre. A Christmas...

DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2015 #5: Best Plays in Community Theatres

The staff of DCMetroTheaterArts is honored to announce that their 2015 Best Plays in Community Theatres honors go to: A Charlie Brown Christmas at Sandy Spring Theatre Group and The City of...

‘Mamed and on the Mend’-Sandy Bainum Takes a Fall, Has Surgery, and is Back as Mame at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts

From Sandy Bainum: “It’s Today” is my first song, as Mame Dennis, in the Riverside Center for the Performing Arts (formerly known of the Riverside Dinner Theater) terrific production of Mame. It’s a...

DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2015 #4: Best Plays in Professional Theaters

Here are the DCMetroTheaterArts Staff’s honorees for Best Plays in Professional Theaters in 2015: A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story of Christmas at Olney Theatre Center. A Conversation With the Man Who...

‘Savion Glover: DANCE HOLIDAY SPeCTaCULaR’ at GMU Center for the Arts

On December 19, 2015, preeminent tap choreographer Savion Glover presented his holiday concert DANCE HOLIDAY SPeCTaCULaR at George Mason University’s Center for the Arts. Known best for his Tony...

Vienna Boys Choir: ‘Christmas in Vienna’ at GMU’s Center for the Arts

On December 18, 2015, GMU Center for the Arts hosted the Vienna Boys Choir and their concert Christmas in Vienna. Acclaimed Conductor Bomi Kim leads twenty-three young boys; all between the ages of 10...

Magic Time! A Look at Signature Theatre’s Stunning ‘West Side Story’

Signature Theatre’s production of West Side Story is every bit as eye-filling and ear-thrilling as any lover of this great American musical could wish. On a spacious thrust stage inside the intimate...

‘West Side Story’ at Signature Theatre (Review)

Fabulous! Potent! Forceful! Tender! Let yourself fall in love again or for the first time with West Side Story. From the first note of the orchestra’s prologue, then quickly met with the syncopated...

DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2015 #2: Best Musicals in Professional Theatres

The staff of DCMetroTheaterArts is honored to announce that their 2015 Best Musicals at Professional Theatres honors go to: The Addams Family at Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre. The Addams Family at...

DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2015 #3: Best Musicals in Community Theatres

The staff of DCMetroTheaterArts is honored to announce that their 2015 Best Musicals at Community Theatres honorees are: Altar Boyz at Audrey Herman Spotlighters Theatre. Avenue Q at Other Voices...

DCMetroTheaterArts’ ‘Best of 2015 Honors’ Begins Tomorrow-A Look Back at the 2014 Honorees

We will be begin announcing announcing our ‘Best of 2015 DCMTA Honors’ tomorrow. Because we will have reviewed over 1,450 shows/concerts/dance in 2015, there is a lot to choose from and to honor. But...

‘Wish List’ at The Hub Theatre

The Hub Theatre has one of the most intimate spaces I have seen for professional theater in the Metro area. The collaborators who created this show have built a very informal, welcoming environment...

In the Moment: A Look at Synetic Theater’s ‘As You Like It’

Synetic Theater continues to winningly upend The Bard’s canon with its 12th production in the speechless, though far from silent, series that had its start in 2002 with Hamlet…the rest is silence....

‘American Festival Pops Orchestra: Holiday Pops: Songs of the Season’ at GMU’s Center for the Arts

On December 12, 2015, American Festival Pops Orchestra presented Holiday Pops: Songs of the Season at George Mason University’s Center for the Arts’ concert hall. Founder and Artistic Director Anthony...

‘As You Like It’ at Synetic Theater

Synetic Theater’s As You Like It is what W.H. Auden called an “inverted pastoral”—the outlaw theme of Shakespeare’s play is enhanced by the transformation of the Forest of Arden into a dystopian urban...

‘Snow White and the Family Dwarf’ at Providence Players of Fairfax

Heartwarming, hilarious, and fun, reminiscent in tone to It’s a Wonderful Life, and similar in its moral purpose, Snow White and the Family Dwarf makes an uplifting holiday entertainment. It’s a sweet...

‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ at Castaways Youth Theatre

Castaways Youth Theatre presents It’s A Wonderful Life, Doug Rand’s fast-paced stage adaptation of the holiday classic. Julie Little directs a large cast of local youths in this production, and while...

McLean Community Players Announces Creative Team and Cast for ‘1776’

The McLean Community Players’ production of the musical 1776, based on the events surrounding the drafting and signing of the Declaration of Independence, opens Friday, February 5, 2016, and runs...

‘Mame’ at Riverside Center Dinner Theater

Riverside Center Dinner Theater presents Mame, the musical sensation based on the novel by Patrick Dennis and the play Auntie Mame, by Lawrence and Lee. With the book by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E....

‘Seussical the Musical’ at NextStop Theatre Company

NextStop Theatre Company presents Seussical the Musical, based on the beloved works of Dr. Seuss and co-conceived by Eric Idle, Stephen Flaherty (music and book), and Lynn Ahrens (lyrics and book)....

Calmus at The Barns at Wolf Trap

I had the pleasure of hearing the entrancing a capella vocals of the German quintet, Calmus, at the Barns of Wolf Trap last night. Anja Poche, soprano, Sebastian Krause, countertenor, Tobias Poche,...

‘Madeline and the Gypsies’ at Creative Cauldron

Creative Cauldron has a reputation for their, well, creativity. And their most recent production of Madeline and the Gypsies shows yet again their ability to take a simple story and turn it into a...

‘A Christmas Carol’ at The Little Theatre of Alexandria

I don’t think I know one person who doesn’t know A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Last night, I attended The Little Theater of Alexandria’s visually stunning and entertaining production. Directed...

‘An Acoustic Evening with Over the Rhine’ at The Barns at Wolf Trap

An Acoustic Evening with Over the Rhine is the equivalent of a big, warm musical hug. Everything, from their chords to their consonants, was soft and rounded with nothing even resembling a pointed...

‘An Acoustic Evening with Eric Hutchinson’ at The Barns at Wolf Trap with Anya Marina

Last night, American singer/songwriter Eric Hutchinson performed live at The Barns at Wolf Trap, a beautifully rustic venue that I’ve come to love. In fact, I’ll admit I was not too familiar with...

Meet the Cast of Avant Bard’s ‘Holiday Memories’ Part 5: Devon Ross

In Part 5 of a series of five interviews with the cast of WSC Avant Bard’s production of Holiday Memories—a stage adaptation of two classic short stories by Truman Capote, “A Christmas Memory” and...

‘Holiday Memories’ at WSC Avant Bard

“Imagine a morning in late November. A coming of winter morning” are the opening mood-setting words in the resplendent, gentle WSC Avant Bard production of Holiday Memories by Truman Capote. As...

In the Moment: Liel Leibovitz, Author of ‘A Broken Hallelujah: Rock and Roll, Redemption and the Life of Leonard Cohen’ to Appear at JCCNV on December 5th at 8 PM

The man with the famous blue raincoat who wrote many a reflective, if not prophetic song over the past decades will be arriving at the Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia Northern Virginia....