Washington DC

A Report on ‘En Garde! The Art of Fight Choreography’ at The Smithsonian’s Dillon Ripley Center

As I strolled into the Smithsonian’s S. Dillon Ripley Center (shared with the Sackler Museum of Asian Art and the National Museum of African Art), I was surprised to see over 100 people eagerly...

Jeff McCarthy on Playing Fagin in Arena Stage’s ‘Oliver!’

I was so excited when I heard that Jeff McCarthy had landed the role of Fagin in Arena Stage’s upcoming production of Oliver!, so I jumped at the opportunity to catch up with him while he was in...

‘The Grand Guignol Twist in ‘Lovecraft: Nightmare Suite’: The Horror Is What Is NOT Seen’ By Alex Zavistovich

Contrary to popular belief, the Grand Guignol theatre did not rely exclusively on blood and gore to convey horror. The psychological element was equally important to the genre, and horrific events...

Magic Time!: Blown Away by a Bible Story Midway Through the Women’s Voices Theater Festival

To date I have been to 20 productions and one staged reading that are officially in DC’s Women’s Voices Theater Festival (11 of which I have written about for DCMetroTheaterArts), and I am booked to...

‘Point A to Point B’ at Arts on the Horizon

Arts on the Horizon is a wonderful establishment dedicated to creating live theater for young audiences, ages 0-6. Their website points out that they are “the first theatre company in the country to...

‘Bug’ at SeeNoSun OnStage (Review #2)

Bug by Tracy Letts is not a show for anyone with a weak stomach. Blood, violence, nudity, and drugs are rampant in this dark comedy but, being October, this production will be exactly what many thrill...

The Women’s Voices Theater Festival: ‘Cake Off’ at Signature Theatre

Signature Theatre’s Cake Off, is an appetizingly savory musical petite-four disguised as a mere head-turning sugary iced cutie. It is a whiz-bang production full of high-flying, screwball comic work...

‘The Most Happy Fella’ Plays October 23-25th at Catholic University’s Hartke Theatre

The Most Happy Fella’ Depicts May-December Romance The Catholic University of America’s Hartke Theatre Friday, October 23 at 7:30 PM; Saturday, October 24th at 7:30 PM; and Sunday. October 25th at 2...

In the Moment: BalletNova Center for Dance Presents A Global Dance Showcase on Saturday, 10/17/15@7:30 PM

BalletNova Center for Dance will present a Global Dance Showcase, featuring ethnic dance companies from around the DC metro region. The performances will be held in the Fredgren Studio Theatre – a...

‘Romeo and Juliet’ by Aquila Theatre at George Mason University’s Center for the Arts

It is a body-felt joy of the senses to hear and see Aquila Theatre’s new production of Romeo and Juliet, directed and adapted by Desiree Sanchez, which played at George Mason University’s Center for...

‘Bug’ at SeeNoSun OnStage at Anacostia Arts Center (Review #1)

When I saw the SeeNoSun OnStage production of Tracy Letts’s first play, Killer Joe, a year ago June, I wrote a rave and called it “a powerful knockout of a show.” So it was with keen anticipation that...

‘Margaret Cho: The PsyCHO Tour’ at Warner Theatre

Renowned three-time Grammy and Emmy-nominated comedian, actress and singer Margaret Cho tackled tough timely topics like police brutality, female empowerment, death and racism in The PsyCHO Tour, her...

‘Intimate Apparel’ at the University of Maryland School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies at The Clarice

While cleaning out her grandmother’s house, Lynn Nottage found a sepia passport photograph of her great-grandmother holding her two daughters. Nottage knew her great-grandmother had been a seamstress...

Playwright Karen Zacarías on ‘Destiny of Desire’ at Arena Stage

There’s a lot of laughter coming from the cheering audiences at Destiny of Desire, now playing through October 18th in The Kreeger Theater at Arena Stage. Prolific Playwright Karen Zacarías tells us...

‘The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes’ at Aquila Theatre at Hylton Performing Arts Center

As I walked into the bustling lobby of the Hylton Performing Arts Center to see the professional touring company Aquila Theatre’s fantastic new production of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, I...

‘Flowers Stink’ at The U.S. Botanical Garden

A middle school girl from the big city, named Liz, becomes frustrated when trying to write a poem about nature for school. But when she turns to technology to vent and tweets, “#natureisboring...

Jackie Evancho: ‘Awakening’ at Strathmore

As Jackie Evancho walked onstage on Saturday, October 10, 2015 at the Music Center at Strathmore to perform her “Awakening” concert, the excitement among the packed crowd was palpable, and only...

The University of Maryland Wind Orchestra and Concert Choir Perform Anton Bruckner’s ‘Mass in E Minor’ at The Clarice

When you think of a 19th century Mass, you might imagine a grandiose piece of music, featuring a large orchestra, lengthy solos and dynamic percussion. Anton Bruckner’s Mass in E Minor, composed in...

‘Little Shop of Horrors’ at The Arlington Players

I have a confession to make, by the end of The Arlington Players’ production of Little Shop of Horrors, I wanted to feed the plants. With book and lyrics by Howard Ashman and music by Alan Menken,...

Meet The Director and Cast of PWLT’s ‘Julius Caesar’: Part 2: Scott Olson, Matthew Scarborough, and Jay Tilley

In Part 2 of a series of interviews with the director and cast of Prince William Little Theatre’s production of Julius Caesar – set in the Soviet Union during the August Coup of 1991 – meet Scott...

The Women’s Voices Theater Festival: ‘Alice in Wonderland’ at Synetic Theater (Review #2)

If you were looking for a local troupe to put Alice’s fabled Wonderland on stage, your top choice would have to be Synetic Theater. And no wonder. Synetic’s trademark physical theater enthralls one’s...

Dominion Stage Opens its 66th Season with ‘Carrie The Musical’ October 23-November 7th by Katerina Figurski

Dominion Stage will open its 66th season with Carrie The Musical Performances will be held October 23-24, 30-31, and November 5-7, 2015. This will be Dominion Stage’s debut on the Theatre Two stage at...

Meet the Cast of ‘The World Goes ‘Round’ at Creative Cauldron: Part 2: Carli Smith

In a series of interviews with the cast of The World Goes ‘Round at Creative Cauldron, meet Carli Smith. Joel: Tell our readers where they may have seen you perform on our local stages in the past...

‘New York Variety All Stars’ at AMP Tomorrow Night at 8 PM

This Saturday, for the first time ever, the Strathmore’s new venue AMP will be featuring sideshow and variety when Atomic Doll Productions brings the New York Variety All Stars to town! We got a...

1st Stage Extends ‘Now Comes the Night’ until October 18th

1st Stage Extends Now Comes the Night until October 18th “Visceral, haunting, and beautifully executed” – DC Theater Arts “Riveting…intense dialogue” – The Washington Post “Powerful ideas and...

‘Godspell’ at Montgomery College

Stephen Schwartz’ 1971 rock musical works best when it brings a “joyful noise.” Director David Gram and the cast and crew have done exactly that with this latest production. Based on the Gospel of St....

‘Poe’ at Annapolis Shakespeare Company at 1747 Pub at Reynold’s Tavern

Edgar Allan Poe remains an object of mystery and speculation over 150 years after his death. Best known for his chilling short stories and his achingly tragic poetry, Poe’s personal life is also...

Violinist Aleksey Semenenko at the Embassy of Ukraine in the Embassy Series

Hearing the rising Ukrainian violinist Aleksey Semenenko perform is like a visit to a musical laboratory. At age 25, the monstrously talented Mr. Semenenko is still exploring various approaches to...

Magic Time! The Women’s Voices Theater Festival: A Report on ‘Lady Lay’ at Scena Theatre

As you take your seat at Scena Theatre’s production of Lady Lay, don’t be surprised to see the spitting image of Bob Dylan in the house. It’s the actor Ron Litman, who will pop into the play anon....

Meet the Cast of ‘The World Goes ‘Round’ at Creative Cauldron: Part 1: Carolyn Burke

In a series of interviews with the cast of The World Goes ‘Round at Creative Cauldron, meet Carolyn Burke. Joel: Tell our readers where they may have seen you perform on our local stages in the past...

‘Dangereuse’ The Women’s Voices Theater Festival: ‘The Guard’ at Ford’s Theatre

Rembrandt once said, “Of course you will say that I ought to be practical and paint the way they want me to paint. Well, I will tell you a secret. I have tried and I have tried very hard, but I can’t...

Magic Time! The Women’s Voices Theater Festival: A Conversation With the Director and Writer of Arcturus Theater Company’s ‘The Point’ Ross Heath and Marilyn Ansevin Austin

I’ve made a point to see as many productions in the Women’s Voices Theater Festival as I can. Some have thrilled me; some have not. For me theatergoing is like a gambling addiction. I always go...

The Women’s Voices Theater Festival: ‘Animal’ at The Studio Theatre (Review #2)

When a leading Shakespearean actor changes hats—literally—to play a neurotic housewife whose comic riffs include a paean to a ballpoint pen, that’s news. And it’s very good news indeed for...

‘Calendar Girls’ at Providence Players of Fairfax

As I walked into James Lee Community Center on the afternoon of Sunday, October 4, I filed into the theater with a rather large audience and opened my program to the director’s note, where Director...

The Russian Chamber Art Society Hosts Its 10th Anniversary Concert at the Austrian Embassy

Mainstream classical music commentary in Washington often complains about an over-reliance on the symphonies and concertos of Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff for the programming at the area’s major...

Magic Time!: The Women’s Voices Theater Festival: ‘Animal’ at The Studio Theatre (Review #1)

After I saw an early Women’s Voices Theater Festival production (I’ve been to 16 and counting), a question lingered in my mind: Exactly what distinguishes a play as being in a woman’s voice other than...

Meet The Director and Cast of PWLT’s ‘Julius Caesar’: Part 1: Director Mary-Anne Sullivan

In Part 1 of a series of interviews with the director and cast of Prince William Little Theatre’s production of Julius Caesar – set in the Soviet Union during the August Coup of 1991 – meet Director...

The Arlington Players’ ‘The Little Shop Of Horrors’ Plays October 9-24th

The Arlington Players Present Little Shop of Horrors Now in its Sixty-Fifth Year of Theater in the Grand Style The worldwide musical hit, Little Shop of Horrors, ran on Broadway for 5 years, setting...

Interviews With the Directors of ‘Love, Loss and What I Wore’ at Arts Collective@HCC

Love, Loss and What I Wore, a play by Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron and based on the book by Ilene Beckerman opened at the Howard Community College Arts Collective this last weekend. It continues...

Larry LaRose on Bringing ‘Tru’ and Playing Truman Capote at The Greenbelt Arts Center October 9-18, 2015

My interest in the life of Truman Capote began years ago when me and my wife, Helen, were doing a fundraiser at Penn State, Berks Campus. They were doing structured improv, as authoress Dorothy Parker...

Nibbles and Sips Around Town: Ankara in Dupont Circle; Ambar at Barracks Row; Bibiana Welcomes a New Chef; Mason Social Pleases the Southern Palate

Ankara in Dupont Circle; Ambar at Barracks Row; Bibiana Welcomes a New Chef; Mason Social Pleases the Southern Palate Ankara is the New Turk on the Block Sorry to report we missed out on September’s...

‘The Miracle Worker’ at Aldersgate Church Community Theater

Aldersgate Church Community Theater presents William Gibson’s The Miracle Worker, directed by Eddie Page, and produced by Eddy Roger Parker and Shelagh Roberts. I’ve always loved this beautiful...

Audience Member David S. Kessler Awarded DCTheatreScene’s 2015 Gary Lee Maker Audience Award

David S. Kessler was awarded this year’s Gary Lee Maker Audience Award by DCTheatreScene, before a performance of textsandbeheadings/Elizabeth R, at Folger Theatre on Friday night October 2nd....

The Women’s Voices Theater Festival: ‘Bad Dog’ at Olney Theatre Center

Olney Theatre Center celebrates the Women’s Voices Theater Festival with the Rolling World Premiere of Jennifer Hoppe-House’s black comedy, Bad Dog, directed by Jeremy B. Cohen. After ten years of...

The Women’s Voices Theater Festival: ‘Alice in Wonderland’ at Synetic Theater

Yes, a high time to be had. All you need to do is follow the simple directions; “eat me”; then “drink me.” And whoosh, with music building into powerful, echoing crescendos, I found myself swirling...

‘Tiny Island’ at Washington Stage Guild

As the audience waits for the Washington Stage Guild’s Washington premiere of Michael Hollinger’s Tiny Island to begin, they look curiously at two humongous carbon-arc movie projectors posed stage...

The Women’s Voices Theater Festival: ‘When She Had Wings’ at Imagination Stage

Imagination Stage presents the world premiere of When She Had Wings, a play by Susan Zeder. Inspired by the mystery of famed aviator Amelia Earhart, this production is a proud participator in...

The Women’s Voices Theater Festival: ‘Maytag Virgin’ at Quotidian Theatre Company

Quotidian Theatre Company kicks off its 2016 season, and its participation in the Washington, DC Women’s Voices Theater Festival, with the beautiful world premiere of playwright Audrey Cefaly’s newest...

Virginia Opera’s ‘Orpheus in the Underworld’ by Jacques Offenbach at George Mason U

I was expecting to be entertained by the Virginia Opera’s rendition of Jacques Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld, directed by Sam Helfrich, which played at George Mason University’s Center for the...

An Update From L’Enfant Rebelle Theatre: A Conversation with Open Circle Theatre

Here is a revised Press Release from L’Enfant Rebelle Theatre: L’Enfant Rebelle Theatre October 3rd, 2015 Press Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE After October 1st opening, L’Enfant Rebelle Theatre is...